Hello to everyone in the support forum!
My user name is Aphil, and I am the new moderator here in the support forum. I thought I would come and officially say hello to everyone, and let you all know a little about myself and my journey to better health.
I am almost 30 years old, married with two young children-a 6 year old girl named Jasmine, and a 3 year old boy named Raiden. My husband is a wonderful Native American man who is an engineer in the automotive industry, and he treats me like a queen.
I am currently self employed as a seamstress and professional costume maker. I make large scale costumes for belly dancers and other performers, and movie replica costumes-specializing in replicas of costumes from Sci-Fi and Fantasy movies. I am also a performing Middle Eastern dancer with a local dance company.
I have had to watch my weight my entire life, but things became worse during my first pregnancy. I wasa gestational diabetic, and due to the heavy weight of my first child (over 10 pounds) I sustained some injuries in my hip and back areas (along with a surgery after delivery) that made any exercise-even normal walking painful for months afterwards. When my daughter was almost a year old-two events happened that made me realize that I had to do something.
The first was the untimely passing away of my aunt from complications stemming from diabetes. This was my mother's YOUNGER sister, and she was only about 40 years old. Because of my extremely high risk for getting adult onset diabetes, I started to worry about my weight and fitness level, and the impact that it could have on my life. Soon after her death, my daughter was in an infant beauty pageant. My daughter placed in the event, and I was so happy and proud that day. We got home, and started to watch the videotape of the event (my stepfather came and videotaped it for us) and my joy turned to heartache. All of the happiness and pride I had experienced earlier in the day turned to shame when I saw how I looked in that video. I was 200 pounds at age 23.
Over the next year I went from 200 pounds to 158. I slowly worked and rehabilitated the areas that were weak/injured from my pregnancy, and I felt great! Then, I found out that I was pregnant again.
I had a beautiful boy, and by the time I was done nursing him over the next few months-I was at my all time high of 211 pounds.
Over the past 2 1/2 years I have went from 211 to 164 pounds. My weight loss is more difficult and slower this time around-but I have become stronger and more fit this time around than ever in my life. I strength train religiously 3 days a week, I have been belly dancing for 3 years now, and performing regularly for over 1 year now with a dance company, and I also powerwalk regularly for cardio, and do yoga and Pilates now and then for a change of pace. I exercise an average of 1-2 hours a day depending on my schedule and rehearsals.
I am a calorie counter-and find that it works best for me. I eat healthfully and try to choose organic and natural products when I can-and to eat very little processed foods.
I also have been a moderator for a couple years at 3FC in the General Diet Plans section of the forum. I have recently started moderating the support forum here as well the past couple of weeks.
I think that my biggest challenge here in the support forum is the fact that it has not had a regular moderator in some time-just mods "popping in" now and then. There hasn't been a lot of structure here in the past.
I would like to have the Support forum as a haven for general questions, concerns, and support when you are just having "one of those days". We all need that sometime.
We are all in this together, and have all shared some of the same frustrations and pain.
I would, however, like to keep the Support forum a "supportive atmosphere". No flaming, throwing sand, etc. between posters. I think sometimes that it is just best to "agree to disagree" on certain topics. Let's keep the support forum a friendly and supportive place to be.
If anyone needs anything, or has any questions-I'd be happy to help,
Aphil
Hi Everyone! New Moderator Introduction!
