Let me first start off by saying that losing weight is not a short term (diet) thing, it is a life long journey. Everyone will fall short at times but it's ok! You pick yourself back up, dust yourself off and start again.
I made the decision to start losing weight because I wasn't happy with myself and let me be honest, I even got to the point to where I didn't want to look at myself in the mirror anymore. I was just plain disgusted with myself. I wasn't always overweight; in fact I didn't start putting on the weight until I got pregnant with my oldest son.
This is me when I first met Joe (Now my husband) A year and a half before I got pregnant with my oldest.
My husband and I got married when I was 3 months pregnant and as time went on we've had a total of 4 handsome boys. Needless to say I was a busy wife and mother!
My husband and I on our wedding day
Sure I can blame my 4 pregnancies for being the reason to why I put on so much weight but I would just be making excuses for all of my bad choices and habits.
Me 3 months AFTER giving birth to my youngest son
With the years passing, I've continued with my poor eating choices (Constantly eating pizza and fast food) not realizing how much weight I was putting on because my only focus was to take care of my husband and my children. I honestly didn't care about myself.
My husband and our four boys
My self-esteem had really gone down hill and I was finding myself to be really miserable and depressed but I still continued do what I was doing.
I think it was about a year after my youngest son was born my oldest sister and I decided to go to Cedar Pointe with her church and as we arrived we went to get on the Millenium Force and the seat belt wouldn't buckle and in front of everyone waiting in line to get on the ride the worker told me to get off the roller coaster and exit and I was not allowed to ride (Knowing in my mind because I was too fat). Needless to say I was not only embarrassed but my feelings got hurt. If that wasn't a big blow to my already low self-esteem I don't know what was! At that point I was holding back tears and my sister and I proceeded to ride the Himalaya and the Scrambler the remainder of the time until it was time to go.
I think at this time I got to my breaking point and decided that I needed to make a change! I made an appointment with my doctor and by that time I weighed 260lbs and my doctor and I made the decision for me to go on appetite suppressors and a low calorie diet.... I don't suggest people to go this route because in my opinion the natural way is the healthiest way to go about it. I was taking the appetite suppressors and only eating a 900 calories a day. Definitely not for everyone!!!!! It was hard but in just a couple of months, I had lost 50lbs. After the couple of months passed and I had lost that weight, I slowly started back to the bad eating habits and slowly put 20 of the 50lbs that I had lost back on and didn't want to go back to where I was so I had then decided that I wanted to find a fun workout, something that I would enjoy. I have been seeing one of my friends posting statuses and pictures of this Zumba class on fb she had been attending as well as how much weight she had lost doing the classes so I thought that I would give it a try. She had told me that it was the best Zumba class around and there was none like it! And let me tell you! She was right! I stopped taking the appetite suppressors within the first week of me doing Zumba and with their help, family like atmosphere, love and support, they helped me to lose 57lbs the healthy way! I feel that these wonderful instructors are definitely a blessing that were put into my life for a reason! They have helped me through so much!
Me at 260lbs
Me my second week of Zumba with the two wonderful instructors Derica and Len
I have lost a total of 107lbs ALL TOGETHER 50lbs with the appetite suppressors and 57lbs with Zumba. Not to say that it has been easy because it has been everything but! These two have just helped make it more enjoyable and I love and appreciate them for all the hard work and dedication they have put in to make such a difference in so many peoples lives!
Now this is where I say it's not a short term (diet) thing THIS is a lifetime journey! Losing weight has been and probably always be a mental battle for me. I struggle with food addiction and emotional eating like many others out there and lately I've been going through some personal things and I've fallen back off that wagon and put a few pounds back on. Not much but I have put some weight back on as you can see in the picture below but this is where I need to fight! Get back up, dust myself off and get back on track.
Me before losing the weight. Me after losing the weight & Me now after putting on a couple of pounds after getting the weight off!
The purpose of me posting this is to let people know that you are not alone! There are SO many people who are battling the same battle with their weight loss journey (though each person's journey is their own). Don't think that you can't do it because you can! You just have to fight for it... It's not going to be easy but you can do it! Find something you enjoy doing and see if you can find someone you enjoy doing it with and hold each other accountable. It's your journey, fight your battle!!!!
Let's do this!
