I grew up in a family of Mom, Dad, and my two younger sisters. My parents have never had weight issues, so they pretty much let us eat whatever we wanted, not realizing the consequences. I don't really remember having to eat vegetables or a restriction on any types of junk food. Clearly I wasn't taught very much on healthy eating. My sisters and me all have weight issues that came along with this, unfortunately. I love my parents to the end of the world and don't feel any blame towards them. They never learned, so they never really taught us. Plus, this has shaped me in to the person I am and I love that person!
The Family - I'm the happy one up top!
My First Communion -Even started getting a little bigger at that point.
Throughout middle school and high school I was quite active with church sports and marching band. I was chunky, but never the biggest girl or the most unhealthy. (I'll update with pictures later if I can find any.)
College is where everything changed for me. I started drinking, smoking, eating everything in sight and being very inactive. I was having fun, but ultimately it made me a very unhappy girl. I got to my highest weight ever of about 270 - 280 pounds.
(Don't judge the hair and outfits, I don't know either)
I went through years of dieting and trying to workout, but nothing took. In the fall of 2008 I was having stomach pains, so I went to my mother's endocrinologist to see if everything was okay. Basically my insulin and blood sugar levels were completely out of whack. I was even losing feeling in my nerve endings because of it. The doctor told me I was pre-diabetic and if I didn't lose weight and get control of this I would have many health problems down the line.
I sat in his office and just cried. I told him I had tried everything and nothing worked for me. I just COULDN'T lose weight! He told me to keep a journal for a month of everything I ate and to keep my calories at 1200 per day. I did it just to prove him wrong. Well, that changed everything for me.
The pounds were melting away before my eyes. I started with easy things like Special K, Lean Cuisines, and hundred calorie packs. Boy, I thought I was being the epitome of health! After a few months I added in working out. I would go through months of maintenance sometimes and then start losing again.
The lowest weight I've gotten to is 179 pounds. I've gained a little from time to time. Usually only 5 to 10 pounds depending on what is going on in my life, like bad relationships. Yes, I am prone to those. I am trying to change everything about that as well.
Over the years I have researched so much on nutrition and fitness and have tried so many things. Mostly, I have just tried to eat clean, whole foods as much as possible. I've run a few 5ks, have strength trained lots, and have taken so many classes. Obviously now I am stepping it up to Vegan and a Half Marathon.
I have come so far, which I am so proud to see. I have a ways to go as well though, which I am excited to accomplish!
Join me for this crazy ride!!
Mandy - the Running Herbivore!
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