A personal journey of losing a 100lbs. page 1

They say like attracts like, and I agree. I married a man who was thin when I married him, but he also had struggled with his weight his entire life. Even after we both became nurses, we struggled with our weight. As you go through this book, there may be some opinions or ideas you like and decide to use in your life to gain health. We all have different beliefs when it comes to food, and we all have different levels of what we expect from ourselves. I offer my story as a suggestion, as a method that has served me well in gaining health and I hope you find health too. 

History, Intro, Background

Growing up I only knew of two ways that chicken was cooked, fried chicken and chicken enchiladas. It never occurred to me that chicken could be cooked or served any other way. Most of my food was from the motto, if we didn’t grow it or kill it, then we didn’t eat it, or at least this is the way it was from birth till my early teens. I had always been the tall bigger girl, not the one you would call fat, but the one you would say she is “cute” or she would be attractive if she would just lose 20 pounds. I was the oldest of 3 kids and my mom just wasn’t around much when I was growing up. My childhood memories are full of fresh air, the scent of onions and sulfur, and sporting a firm body with a summer tan year around. Unless it was storming, you could find me outside. 

Grade school

Speaking of my mother, she was always one of those lucky people who were just naturally thin, and I know it annoyed her that her oldest was a little on the chubby side. Being thin did not come natural for me, and my mom was not around to teach me how she as an adult stayed thin. As for my fathers’ side of the family, all I have to go on is what my mom said, “his people are big” that is all she would ever tell me. After age four I never saw my father again.  Basically, I had no idea of what healthy eating habits are and I had zero skills on monitoring my own body.  

Throughout my grade school years I was use to eating whatever I wanted, when, where, and as much as I wanted.  When I was in elementary school we went to church twice a week and also to all of the church functions, and the only thought or excitement that ran through my head was food, the excitement of “pot luck dinners” at the church was amazing, and I couldn’t wait to fill my plate at least 3 times. Along with this abundant of food was also a large portion of activity. I have always been an athlete, from an expertise rider with horses, to any sport my school offered. As a kid, I loved to run and I ran every chance I got. My joy of physical exercise was probably the only thing keeping my weight at a steady pace of just always being 20 to 25 pounds overweight.  

pre-teen years

Ninth grade end of country living

My freshman year of high school my mom moved us kids out of the country life and into the city, and away from extended family, and my closest friends. My mom was also dating a man that made her aware of my round figure and that is when I as a teenager was put on a diet. I had to start drinking diet cola, and go hungry at lunch due to my mom insisted that skipping a meal would be good for me, and verbal abuse regarding food from her and her boyfriend. As you can imagine, I really packed on the pounds from here till my late 30’s. After high school and the loss of the physical activity of country living, I was completely stupid on how to stay trim and healthy as an adult.

 

12th grade, with fuller face

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