Ill start with who I was physically and talk about the transformation into who I have become. My max weight was 350lbs, to my knowledge, I didn't often weigh myself for obvious reasons. I gained the most weight from the ages 17-19; staying in that realm of 350lbs for years. I was always a fat kid growing up, in school and amongst my friends. I seemed to have adapted to that role I hated.
I wanted a change! 8 years later and 135lbs less I believe I've done just that. Guys, I lost a whole person in weight. I often forget that and get frustrated at myself because Im still a bigger girl, but really, I should be proud of me for any pound I've lost, let alone 135 of them.
It was 2005, I was 23, when I decided I was done being so fat. I didn't know exactly where to start... I knew people who tried Atkins, I knew people who tried Weight Watchers, so I decided to try my own version of them too. Low carbs and counting points worked! 50lbs in 6 months (which looking at me at the time you couldn't tell because I was that big, but the scale told me I was losing weight, so I chose to believe it), but then I was at a stand still of 300lbs for almost a year.
I wanted to loose more weight, I felt there had had to be another way that would work for me, but couldn't come up with anything on my own. So I did what I always try to do in such situations. I prayed.
A phrase came very strongly to my mind during that prayer, "No Fried, No Sweet, No Soda". I had a simple prayer answered then and prayers continually answered now. God really does love us and wants us to have joy! Ok, back to "No Fried, No Sweet, No Soda", that phrase cut out a lot of bad food folks, it was super hard, but I went with it. Within 3 months I dropped another 30-40 lbs, by then I could start seeing the physical change in my body and I was feeling great!
I was down around 260lbs by the time I moved to Salt Lake in 2008. The first year there, with walking and bike riding I got down another 10lbs and stayed around 250lbs until last summer.
The summer of 2012 at camp is where I had a few "ah ha" moments with food consumption and my weight, simple things like, PROCESSED FOOD IS SUPER GROSS and I really REALLY don't need to eat meat with every meal!!! Before I went to camp I was already transitioning into making all my own food/condiments anyway because I knew they would taste better when they were homemade. I've become a food snob since starting my food blog. Lol. Said blog inspired me to make more things "homemade" which confirmed for me how much better everything tasted that way! I just wanted to keep eating good tasting food, so I tried to cut out all processed stuff!
Another thing I learned was in regards to my psyche, get ready: I wasn't going to let my size impede a guy I like from liking me back. side note: I really liked a guy at camp, and honestly if I was a different size, I think he would have liked me too. Details about him don't matter, I think I was supposed to learn the lesson about myself that I did. Plus, I don't like that guy anymore ;) The lesson I learned sunk deep though. Im thankful the point of the lesson was driven home that if I thought my weight was really impeding my dating, I should do something about it.
So I did.
When I got home after camp I started eating and cooking better. I also read the Word of Wisdom (a code of health that has promised blessings written for members of the church) and found that I was living up to what substances I shouldn't be putting into my body like coffee, tea, tobacco, and alcohol, but I was falling short on what I should be eating; fruits, veggies, and grains as my staples with meat only in times of cold, winter, and famine.
A good friend of mine, Camry, who I started hanging out with around that time, took me to the local farmers market and introduced me to fresh ground wheat flour; she and I are freakishly like minded people with food, truthfully, on oh so many levels. She helped me to know I wasn't the only one who seemed a bit odd with food choices, wanting to eat a more natural diet. Our friendship was a perfect fit for both of us at the time. (I get to visit her next month in the U.T. I am so excited!!!)
Truthfully, I also got an iPhone and LOVED taking pictures of my food! Nature is beautiful, so some of my food creations just came out pretty!
Truthfully, I also got an iPhone and LOVED taking pictures of my food! Nature is beautiful, so some of my food creations just came out pretty!
I then started to buy my produce at the farmer's market and found that my food tasted waaaay better! Fancy that. I then decided since I was on a healthy living kick, a nutritional biology course would be perfect! I would learn more about nutrition and fulfill a science requirement for school. Sign me up.
The. Class. Was. Amazing!!!
I learned about organic whole food living and was sold by the fact after trying it for a few weeks I felt wonderful and had already lost like 15lbs. I started having more fun in my kitchen too. Tweaking recipes to take out refined sugars, and adding whole grains as much as possible is fun!! I'll say I've been lucky enough that I haven't had a complete bomb in tweaking which I'm totally thankful for!
Anywho, now me today, September 2013, I'm eating homemade fresh, local, and organic food as much as possible. I'm starting to ride my bike, which allows me to use built up energy, which I've never had in my life before, I'm teaching my mom and some friends how to eat healthier and testifying of the blessings that have come into my life by obeying the Word of Wisdom.
Yeah buddy, healthy feels good.
I love being thinner too! I love taking in my clothes and shopping for sizes I haven't worn since freshman year of high school. I love that I feel healthier physically, I don't get sick as often now. I feel AMAZING mentally, like a fog has been lifted from my mind, and spiritually I feel a general peace that is so nice.
Who doesn't want that?!
The amazing thing is all of this weight loss has been with DIET ONLY, I have done no regular workouts ever. I did gain muscle from walking so much at camp this last summer and plan to start doing some workouts to tone up, but Im pretty positive even without working out I could still loose another 25lbs or so with just my diet. Learning about good eating habits I feel is waaaay more important than exercise at first if you're trying to make a change, because it doesn't matter how much exercising you do if you still eat crap. No joke.
I'll keep eating good stuff because its helped me to prioritize my life and see what I really want. I like being in control of my health as much as possible. I also realize this weight loss is a big deal for me in the sense I couldn't be the adventurous wife or mom I want to someday be with the weight I was. I had to choose to change so I could fulfill my potential! It's been totally worth it!
Here are a few pics over the years to show the progression of health (sorry for grainy images, but you get the idea)
2006 December I think? Winter Formal Institute Dance
(this is me between 300-315lbs)
2007 December - Catering for Michelle's Reception
2008 June Date to the zoo with my two nephews and niece
2009 December New Years Eve Party at Hale Center Theatre
2010 August SKA, last day of hours completed for Utah Cosmo licensing
2011 May at a friends party
2012 August Camp (this white polo was an x-large)
2012 end of September 1 1/2 months after camp
2013 June Playing in Kittery, ME with friends
2013 August Camp (the white polo from this year was a large ;)
Here are some fun pics to see the transition change to my face and noggin
September 2008
November 2012 Hair chop
January 2013 Work day
May 2013 Adventure at Old Tucson
August 2013 A Sunday after church
Eating healthier isn't hard anymore, not only because I see the results and feel them, but I don't feel gipped with food. I don't cut out ANY oils, carbs, or proteins. I just eat organic olive oil and butter (I don't measure either, I eye ball it or put enough in/on something to make it taste good;), I make my breads with organic grains, and utilize legumes, nuts, and seeds more often. I introduced more fresh fruits and veggies and truthfully I miss a meal when its not loaded with them. I think food just tastes better when its whole and organic; I have no guilt eating anymore, its really nice.
Now lets hope my ore is ok with eating this way too and he's not a pure meat and potatoes kinda guy or he'll have a harder transition than me. Lol.
Here is to more weight loss by eating tasty food :) and more adventures because I can physically do more now!
I loved reading this! Congratulations Sara!! You look fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome! Thanks for sharing. I was on a specific diet for awhile (one that I felt pretty good about - not just a fad sort of thing), and I did lose weight, and I also felt good and got to where I liked eating better. But then I let the bad habits back, so I'm working trying to work up the will-power to train myself again.
ReplyDeleteThanks Janny! It was fun to write, grammatical errors and all ;) I really do love learning all of this so it will help me with my family. I see some of your posts on food and am impressed you are trying something different with your family too! Props to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jamie! I really found that once I went with whole food (food that when I look at it, I can see where it came from in nature)living, I learned what tastes, and textures are really supposed to be, I found it was waaaaay easier to not eat refined/processed foods. They started to not only taste gross (too salty, too sugary, that "fresh" flavor is really very distinct), but the texture and feeling they left in my mouth was horrible!
Good luck in your life changes and Congratulations on the engagement!