Happiness and Happenstance: July 2011

So my whole life I have always struggled with weight problems. Now I am not sure if someone can gain 30 pounds in a day but I am pretty sure I did- puberty hit and BAM I had body issues especially since most of the girls in my grade were size 00 all through high school. Dang it all.
But back with the story ....
Growing up I was always "encouraged" to exercise, eat healthier, and well try to get to a healthier weight but did I... nope, way to stubborn to do what my parents and siblings all said I should do.

I was active in sports and things, but those did not seem to help when it came to my weight.

Senior year was probably the worse- I was under a lot of stress ( two jobs, senior class president, college, you know the whole shaabang that goes along with growing up)
and the problem kept on excellerating. By the way whoever thought the whole white graduation robe thing was a good idea should be admitted into an asylum, but thats beside the point. Anyway until the summer before I went to college I was very big doing nothing about it.
So this is how it all happened. One day I just woke up and was like, hmmm I really hate being fat. Maybe I should stop blaming my other misfortunes on my weight and just change it. You can change this thing you hate about yourself. So thats what I did. I started running. I ran everyday about three miles, did interval training, push ups, sit ups, I changed my whole veiw on excercise, but did not have many results.

Then I went to college- sick with worry I was going to gain the freshmen fifteen, I went into a health frenzy. I excersiced and hour to two a day along with eating very well. Started weighing myself, taking measurements, reading a lot of health books and magazines trying to absorb as much as I could. Lucky me my hard work did pay off.

I am proud to say that I did "The freshmen fifteen" but who woulda thought that it went the other way!

In a series of six months I lost twenty pounds, went down two sizes, and just gained a whole lot of confidence in myself and knowing that putting your mind to anything really does make a huge difference. It was not easy- trust me, the weight gained 7 years ago did not want to go off, but eventually it did come off! Sweat and hard work does win in the end.

So a year later... I went through this whole life changing experience and I am back in the same town, same job, and same lifestyle that caused me to gain the weight in the first place.

Reason for the post- its been extremely hard being back again. I am surrounded by fatty unhealthy food all day long and working 12+ a day does not want to make a girl wanna exercise. Thus I am writing to encourage and remind myself of the past.

But this time round I am different with a different frame of mind. I love exercise, eating well, and feeling wonderful and I have the ambition to keep to it (with the help of a wonderful gym membership) Still got a good ten pounds to go, but slowly and surely it will come.

side note: all those double 00s in high school all totally gained that fifteen pounds.... and then some :S
oh I also have before and after pictures. Will post later.

So with my current lifestyle of working- a lot, its been hard for me to have a life outside of work. I am working two jobs right now, as a secretary and a manger/waitress at a local restaurant. I very much so like my job. I work with wonderful people and I always have fun stories about the crazy happenings as a waitress ( those will come later). But with all this craziness of working 50-60 hours per week I find it hard to have a life.
Moving back home for the summer I jumped in knowing that I would not have a social life this summer. Most of my friends are gone, either married or on missions, I have on really really good friend and we hit the occasional movie, Ps Green Lantern... ya wait till red box. Anywho with this absence of a life I have made it more of a priority to be with family, and well I can proudly say I hang out with my parents every night. Yes thats right people your looking at a good ol' mammas girl and daddy's darling. My mom actually got mad at me today for watching TV with someone else- fair warning to my future hubby there will be jealousy issues :)

The happenings of my life meaning moving out, brother getting married, sister in Afghanistan, and especially sending a niece to heaven have all taught me the importance of family. I guess I just never realized how short life really is- things can change in an instance and well its important too make the MOST important things a priority. That is my family.