5 Year Anniversary
The month of May marks the 5 year anniversary of when I decided to change my life. I can't believe I was 20 years old five years ago; it seems so much more recent than that! If you have read My Story on my profile, you will know that I began my healthy journey after my sophomore year of college (2010).
I remember being 35+ pounds overweight, packing up the last of my things in my sorority room, looking in the full-length mirror and saying, "I will never look like this again." And five years later, I have kept that promise.
That summer I counted calories, cut out carbs, dairy, soda and alcohol. I worked out relentlessly seven days a week. I lost 20 pounds in about three months.
My junior year I maintained my weight and lost some by working out at my college rec center, eating decently well, and doing the occasional "crash diet". That year I lost an additional 15 pounds.
My senior year was pretty stressful; I lost a group of friends over a fight, was graduating late and had no jobs in sight. I got "skinny" that year, not fit or healthy by any means, thanks to a stress induced low appetite.
I left College Station to start teaching in Southlake, then finishing up my first year of teaching in Irving. That year I gained eight pounds; I think stress was working in the opposite way for me that year! However, I was still 27 pounds under the weight I had been my sophomore year of college!!
Finally, my second year of teaching, I started figuring things out. I started doing Crossfit in Dallas and learned about the paleo lifestyle. I learned that lifting weights and cross training was something I enjoyed and looked forward to. I learned that eating a paleo diet Monday-Friday helped maintain my weight.
This year I moved to Houston, immediately joined Prestige Strength and Fitness and continued learning about how to nourish my body. This year has easily been my biggest success out of the five. If you have been following my blog, you know that the past nine weeks I have been making some huge changes in my life as well- cutting out alcohol, paleo 100% of the time, and being almost completely sugar free. These have been astronomical changes in the way I feel, the weight I have shed, and my healthier outlook on food.
It took me THREE years before I figured out what worked best for me. What components helped me stay consistent and free from my weight fluctuating so much. If I have learned anything in the past five years, it is to keep fighting. I have stumbled, backslid, and some days even failed. But each storm has taught me how to readjust my sails and persevere.
That summer I counted calories, cut out carbs, dairy, soda and alcohol. I worked out relentlessly seven days a week. I lost 20 pounds in about three months.
My junior year I maintained my weight and lost some by working out at my college rec center, eating decently well, and doing the occasional "crash diet". That year I lost an additional 15 pounds.
My senior year was pretty stressful; I lost a group of friends over a fight, was graduating late and had no jobs in sight. I got "skinny" that year, not fit or healthy by any means, thanks to a stress induced low appetite.
I left College Station to start teaching in Southlake, then finishing up my first year of teaching in Irving. That year I gained eight pounds; I think stress was working in the opposite way for me that year! However, I was still 27 pounds under the weight I had been my sophomore year of college!!
Finally, my second year of teaching, I started figuring things out. I started doing Crossfit in Dallas and learned about the paleo lifestyle. I learned that lifting weights and cross training was something I enjoyed and looked forward to. I learned that eating a paleo diet Monday-Friday helped maintain my weight.
This year I moved to Houston, immediately joined Prestige Strength and Fitness and continued learning about how to nourish my body. This year has easily been my biggest success out of the five. If you have been following my blog, you know that the past nine weeks I have been making some huge changes in my life as well- cutting out alcohol, paleo 100% of the time, and being almost completely sugar free. These have been astronomical changes in the way I feel, the weight I have shed, and my healthier outlook on food.
It took me THREE years before I figured out what worked best for me. What components helped me stay consistent and free from my weight fluctuating so much. If I have learned anything in the past five years, it is to keep fighting. I have stumbled, backslid, and some days even failed. But each storm has taught me how to readjust my sails and persevere.
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| 2010 versus 2015 |
"I am strong because I have been weak.
I am fearless because I have been afraid.
I am wise because I have been foolish.
I am a lover because I have been a fighter."
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