My Story

Growing up, I was always active. I played soccer, did gymnastics, ran track, played basketball and field hockey. There wasn’t one season of the year when I wasn’t involved in some kind of activity. All of this allowed me to pretty much eat whatever I wanted. Unfortunately, as too many girls these days, I also had my issues with food taking dieting and exercising to the point where I was eating one Clementine for lunch and still working out at track practice after school. Luckily, after a few months and some help, I managed to develop a much healthier relationship with food.

Sophmore year, Fall 2004

Off to college I went, where I discovered drinking (yes I didn’t drink until college) late night pizza delivery, and all you can eat dining buffets. Thankfully my college had a very nice rec center, and I was still working out 3-4 times a week. Not very hard, 45 min on the elliptical, maybe a 25 minute run, some light ab work, but I maintained my pre-college weight. It wasn’t until the end of my Junior year when I started to notice that clothes that had fit since high school were beginning to feel a little too snug. Then I turned 21 over that summer. That was my real downfall. I think Senior year of college I went out five nights a week, and I am not one of those people that can get up and work out hungover so my workout routine took a hit. I managed to lose some weight my spring semester, between bar tending and preparing for graduation I was busy and not drinking as much. I kept most of that weight off until the fall of 2007, I started dating a boy and adopted his eating and drinking habits, which were a lot and often. I was never one to weigh myself, I always just judged by how my clothes were fitting, but when there were only one pair of jeans I could get into I knew I was in trouble.

Fast forward to February 2009. I was getting ready for a ski trip and had to get weighed to get my rental skis, and when I stepped on that scale in the ski store I had to hold back the tears. It said I weighed 165 lbs, a number I had never even been close to before. I tried to justify it in my head, well I just ate lunch at Red Robin, I still have my Uggs on, but deep down I knew it was time to do something. My then boyfriend had been throwing around the idea of running a 10 mile race in May, and it occurred to me that this would be the perfect motivation for me to stick to a work out routine and really work hard. One week later at the doctors office, I was already down 5 lbs and that was all I needed to keep going.

NYE 2007-2008

I started out small, eliminating my daily trip to the vending machine for that bag of chips after my lean cuisine, I cut back on Friday night boozing so that I could get up and run on Saturday mornings, and most importantly started working out 5 or 6 days a week instead of 3. I am not a very healthy eater by any means, I love french fries, burgers, and Taco Bell. I occasionally let myself indulge in some of these things, I don’t think I would be happy otherwise. Taco Bell is always my hangover food of choice, I have never found anything better. When I go out to dinner, I order whatever I think looks delicious, it’s my treat to myself, to reward myself for the healthy eating I do all the other times. I didn’t give up alcohol, I love wine, and I love vodka. I just cut down on the days of week I was drinking so much that I didn’t want to work out the next day. Specifically Friday nights, which can be hard, but I know it’s worth it. I also hardly ever drink beer.

By the time that race rolled around the first weekend in May of 2009, I was down 15 lbs and about to run my first race ever, 10 miles! My goal was to run a 10 min mile pace and run the whole thing without stopping. I was feeling great until mile 7, and then I hit my wall. My legs were heavy, and I couldn’t believe I had three more miles to go. I finished though! 1 hour and 47 minutes, slower than my goal pace, but the second I crossed the finish line I vowed to obliterate that time next year.

June 2009

Over that summer I reached my thinnest, and was down 25 lbs. I felt great! I was thinner than I had been since the beginning of college, and in the best shape of my life. I can proudly say, that I am still 20 lbs thinner than I was this time last year, and working every day towards my goal of destroying that 1 hour 47 minute 10 mile time. What makes me happy though, is I still get to eat and drink what I want. I don’t feel like I am missing out on any parts of my life, and I am having fun and staying healthy. It was little changes in my lifestyle that got me to where I am today.

Winter 2009