I have been a member since 2006 although I have not posted a whole lot. I was reading through some of my much older posts and realized how much I have changed....as well as how my weight has gone up and down through the years. I thought I would share a little of my story and would love if you responded with yours as well.
Age 16: 5'9" 135 pounds (smooth flat stomach!)...until I got pregnant. I went to around 198 pregnant got all my stretch marks to prove that
age 17: after baby got down to 127 in about 6 months using body for life program and dealing with stress from the relationship I was in
age 18 got married and pregnant with baby #2...determined not to gain as much weight. I was better with eating and did a workout video with denise austin in it (she was pregnant as well) got to 180's pregnant.
age 19: had baby and weighed something in the 160's post baby.
later that year....got down to 140's by joining a gym and being good with food. We were pretty poor so there wasn't much going out to eat during this time lol
age 20-21: yoyo'd between 140-160 lots of moving and stress within the family (I almost lost my husband at that time due to emergency brain surgery)
age 21-23: used turbo jam and began jogging to get myself down to the 140's
age 23-24: moved to texas, bought a house, went to college (alot of homework and eating bad things!) got up to 158
age 25 took a p.e. class at my college in running. Started a love for running (love/hate really
got down to 138 and was happy with my body and fitness ability. started doing spin class as well.
age 26: went through the most difficult time of my life...divorce. Up to 166
age 27: in a new relationship with someone who loves me the way that I am but still in the 160's and tired all the time. Not running or working out and eating unhealthy things
2012: started running again and realized how much i missed that love/hate relationship! Became engaged and my fiance wanted to do 5k's with me (even though he hates running) bought insanity program in february and got down to 152 (where I am currently!)
I was just sitting here thinking about what a journey I have been on in my life so far. Not just with my weight and body image but also with relationships, life stress and how that plays apart in everything. I have been through some hard times but was still able to somehow get through it and push myself to do better. I would love to say that this is the "last" time I will let myself go and the last time I will shove unhealthy things in my mouth but looking at my past it's pretty likely that I will be here again...at some point. I have confidence though, that I always find the motivation after the tough times to do more for myself. Not because being "skinny" makes me happy but because being in charge....feeling healthy and energized makes me happy! Eating well and working out has helped me deal with hard times and depression more then anything else has. It is my "medicine".
Healthy living, weight loss/maintance is a lifelong struggle and I would love to hear stories from others.