2011 Recap

So it's pretty rare for me to post the same blog on more than one blog, but I think this recap is pretty important, so I put it on my sparkpeople blog and this one:

Before I can celebrate the start of 2012, let me just give a bullet-point recap of 2011:

*January: Moved out of my parents' house for the first time.
*February: Car accident that was one of the most terrifying crashes I've been in, as I was knocked unconscious. 3rd one I've been in, and I've never been driving.
*June: Sexually assaulted by an aquaintance. This may be TMI for some, but this was a pretty traumatic event for me.
*July: Moved out of first apartment (I was a subletter) and into a new place with my own lease. One of my roommates turns out to be CRAZY... going through my stuff, ruining my brand new kitchen equipment, lying to my friends - it was awful.
*September: Attacker from June comes back and physically assaults me. I tell the hospital staff, they do nothing. My "friends" think I am losing it, and stop talking to me. In this month, my brothers were also kicked out at home and almost moved in with me. When all settled down at home - my parents were upset that I tried to help.
*October: I am living with nightmares from June, and, after telling my friends goodbye & my counselors, professors, and a hotline person I am going to end it - I try to. I end up in the hospital from my overdose, when my remaining friends realize I am not OK and call 911.
*November: I spend most of the month in a psychiatric ward, fighting my demons. I am diagnosed with PTSD and given anti-depressants. I start dating a recovering heroine addict.
*December: My roommates move out, leaving me with the rent to pay alone - my landlord tells me I will be evicted at the end of the month. I break up with the recovering addict, so he burglarizes my house, resulting in $2800 worth of damages and stolen goods.
On the flip side:
*January: I move into my first apartment =)
*April: I go to NYC for the first time on my own, and see Central Park and Times Square.
*June: I land a job at a magazine in town - I ended up leaving in 3 weeks because I got a full-time job as a nanny, but I learned a lot. Plus, as a nanny I got to play with 5-11 little girls Mon-Fri, FUN! I also got my learner's permit, FINALLY.
*July: I landed my first apartment by myself, and learned how to do the simple things like setting up internet and electric. I also managed to furnish the entire apartment by myself, almost entirely for free.
*September: I win a $500 scholarship for an essay I wrote.
*October: I went to a leadership retreat in Harrisburg, PA. It was so much fun! And I got to learn about some really great organizations I want to pursue after college.
*November: I realize that although it was a blow to lose some friends in September, my really great friends have not left me, and being completely honest with both them and my family about my struggles has lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders.
*December: I land an internship at a bridal magazine near my university. Also, I get my first 4.0 in college.
So, it almost evens out? I'll write more tomorrow, I have to update my other blog! Thanks for reading!

Sleepy Spring?

I slept for almost 12 hours straight last night. WHOA. I guess I was really tired? It bums me out that this means I don't have time for a workout today, but on the flip side I slept really well! I feel like I need a nap now though...

Nutrition today is going OK. I mean, I had almond milk and cheerios for breakfast, and a little carnation chocolate milk. Lunch was about 5 hours after breakfast, so I was starving by the time I got there. I had a strawberry meal replacement smoothie.. and then had mac & cheese and a hoagie this afternoon. Mac & cheese wasn't such a healthy choice, but I skipped the regular mayo, white bread and cheese on my hoagie and just had wheat bread, veggies and turkey with light mayo. Healthy trades =)

Not sure what dinner will look like tonight... I ended up eating cookies with dinner last night, even though I had the latte from starbucks, so I think I'm going to avoid sweets tonight.

My day is only halfway over & I want to go home! Rawr.Can I just point out that it is gorgeous outside?! I mean, it feels and smells like spring, and it is not helping my need to get work done!

I'll be heading to the track bright and early again tomorrow, back on the fitness train, so until next time... ;-) xo

Monday Morning Jumpstart

I feel so much more on top of things when I get up early. This morning I was up at 5:30am. Yes, I'm totally serious. I went to bed at 10pm, and got up at 5:30am. It took me a few minutes to wake up my brain, but once I did, I was off to the trails behind my house. I walked for about 25 minutes, listening to the Jillian Michael's  Show via podcast, and finished with a light jog home. Nothing too strenuous right off the bat, I'm hoping to work up to being a runner. By the time I left for class at 8:30am this morning, I had posted my first blog (I keep four blogs, heh), got through some laundry, made breakfast, and got ready for my day. I feel accomplished!

I almost feel like I will jinx it if I explain, in too much detail, my new fitness plan. So for now let's just say I'm taking it easy on myself - it's a very low pressure plan =D

As for nutrition, I had kind of two breakfasts this morning, poptarts before my walk (if I don't eat first thing in the morning I get some serious shakes) and then an egg white/egg mix on whole grain toast with 1/2 an apple. I know that poptarts are processed foods, and therefore not the best choice. But in the grand scheme of things, I don't eat milk chocolate, soda, ice cream (often), pie, and most types of fatty meat. I try to avoid a lot of harmful chemicals, so I'm not cutting out the dang poptarts. Yet.

The other thing I wanted to address about my double breakfast was that studies actually show that consuming a high-calorie meal early in the day is much better than later on. So my dinner will be lighter than usual to balance out. Ever heard "Breakfast like a king, Lunch like a Prince, Dinner like a Pauper?" That's why!

Lunch was a "Summer Roll" made by the Japanese guys on campus. It's made with rice paper, veggies, and imitation crab. I had yogurt and a banana for my snack this afternoon, too! My sweet treat today was a Grande (translate: medium) pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. No whipped cream ;-)

So far, it's a great week! I'm strength-training this afternoon, have a three-hour class tonight (sigh) and then I'll be back in bed by 10pm! Woot!

Until next time. xo

Hunger Pains

Right now, the hardest thing for me to deal with in getting healthy is making sure I eat right. I don't know that I've ever noticed how prone I am to emotional eating until I spent the last few weeks craving cookies and chocolate. Now, I know that both can be eaten in moderation, but it has seriously become a problem. When I buy cookies I just can't seem to grasp the concept of portion control. Generally, I just try and keep that out of the house instead.

Today my food planning just kind of went out the window. I ate two small pumpkin muffins for breakfast and they were excellent! I planned on eating lunch but things got pushed around so much that I ended up going almost six hours between breakfast and "lunch." Thanks to the moving schedule, I had to go to the food store hungry or they would close. Thankfully, with my list in hand I only bought three things I didn't intend to - turkey dogs, hot dog buns, and cheese. I was just thinking of what I could eat when I got home!

I also brought apples at the store, which is kind of funny since I really don't like apples. Wait, that's not true. It's not that I don't like apples, it's just that I don't like them whole. Seriously. I like them cut up, plain or with caramel/peanut butter, as apple juice, applesauce, etc. Not whole. So, I bought five apples and figure maybe I will cut them up and actually eat them this time. Maybe.

THINK... Vegetables!

I planned out my meals for the week last night, and feel like I am taking control again. Getting to the gym hasn't been a priority recently, but I DID go to the track this week and ran a bit. That's something, right?

Nutrition has been my little demon on my shoulder this month. I don't know that I have ever been conscious of emotional eating until these last few weeks. So much stress!!

Today is a new day, though. I'm planning lots of veggies, plenty of sleep, and just being conscious of EVERYTHING I put into my mouth.

Short post today... Until next time.

Def: Nutrition

Nutrition: [noo-trish-uhn] noun:

1. The act or process of nourishing or of being nourished.
2. The process by which organisms take in and utilize food material.

September 21st

Breakfast: 16 oz coffee
Lunch: Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich
Dinner: Fruit bar; Cream of potato soup

September 22nd

Breakfast: Cheerios
Lunch: Sushi
Dinner: Turkey Wrap, Mac & Cheese

Nutrition = Fail.

*Sigh*

I am determined to fix this. But how? At this point, it's honestly tough to remember to eat at regular intervals. Let alone plan my meals out! I'd rather get my 8 hours of sleep than spend 1-2 hours planning out my week. Plus, then I don't really feel satisfied anyway.

I know Jillian says that eating is all about calories in, calories out. But I seriously think that is so oversimplified. You need to eat the right foods. You can enjoy eating. And from one foodie (me) to one trainer (Jill) - I can't just give up the mac and cheese. It doesn't work that way.

I can see this conversation happening:

Jill (J) - "If you can't ditch the (mac & cheese, chocolate, cookies, insert other unhealthy food here), maybe you don't want it enough."

Me - "Oh Jillian, but I do! I want it so badly getting fit is all I think about! Well, that and the (mac & cheese, chocolate, cookies, insert other unhealthy food here)."

J - "Amanda, you need to choose your battles. The mac & cheese has no power, but your body will function without your consent."

Me - *sigh* "Okay, Jillian."

Just another day in ignorant indulgence.

Counting calories made me realize how lazy I can be. I just don't want to do it! I walked a lot yesterday, and have been fighting with floods, allergies, and homework all week so fitness was put on the back burner... again. But I had a wellness class yesterday morning (lack of sleep... is it only Thursday?) that explained how obesity and being inactive can lead to colon and rectal cancer. Yikes!!! That sure put me in perspective! I went to lunch after, and exhausted as I was, those cheese fries looked amazing. And then "cancer" popped into my head - *sigh* - I'll take the salad!!

So I've started counting calories. *sigh* It's slightly tedious, but I don't know that it can really be avoided. I am giving myself a slight out though - I refuse to count calories in fruits or vegetables. You're supposed to eat a bunch daily anyway, and I really hate measuring them! Here is my thought process though - if I eat a veggie in butter, I still count the butter. If the veggies come in frozen or canned form with anything added, I count the calories. If they are raw, simply frozen, or canned with no sugar or sodium added - they're free indulgences!

Then I put myself on a calorie budget. I give myself the goal of eating between 1600-2000 calories a day. This is a big difference, but it's been working so far. Since losing weight is usually done at a calorie level lower than what you need to sustain weight, and since the amount of calories I need to "sustain" my weight is super high - like 3,000 calories high - this range is pretty good for me. This way, I am shooting for 1600 calories/day, but don't beat myself up if I eat 1800. So far, so good.

Now granted, I've only been doing this since yesterday, but I feel like this is manageable and flexible. I count calories, work out, and sleep enough. I drink water nonstop, and I make sure I keep a healthy balance between work and play. For now, this is all I can ask!

So far - yesterday I ate 1700 calories. Today, I'm almost to dinnertime and I've eaten 950 calories. *fingers crossed!*

Thanks for reading! Until next time ;-)

Okay. I know I haven't blogged in way too long, so here goes my attempt to update you all. School is back in session, and I love all of my classes so far. I have Human Biology, Nutrition, Wellness, Physical Geography, Global Environment, and Urban Geography. Really, with the exception of Urban Geography, they are all connected to the path I seem to be on - a quest for inner peace, well-being, and an attempt to quench my thirst for knowledge about being healthy.

Let me explain.

My global environment class is helping me focus on the little (and big!) changes I need to make to be more environmentally conscious. I have wanted to "go green" for a long time but giving up some conveniences is hard (*hem *hem bottled water...). Physical Geography is helping with this too!

Human Biology is cool because right now we are learning about "functional foods," or foods that you eat for a specific reason - many supplements are included in this, like energy drinks and multivitamins.

Nutrition and Wellness are probably the most obvious ones related to my goals. I am taking Wellness unofficially because I took it my freshmen year and do not remember the supposed "fundamentals" of living healthy that we learned. So far, we've just been adjusting to school returning, but the focus of the class is on stress management, a topic I can never seem to conquer easily.

As for Nutrition, I will be teaching the class in October about Nutrition and Fitness, so I definitely have to keep on top of the material for this class. I think it would be really cool to try out all of the principles we learn and see how they really apply to my life.

Now that I've covered the main part of my days...

Fitness - I really hate counting regular physical movement as a workout, but if I did (major cleaning including scrubbing floors and bathrooms; walking the mile to campus; and breaking a sweat in the dishroom at work) I would be rocking it right now.

Now that my gym membership is completely free again, I have have HAVE to get back in the swing of things. I am planning on meeting with Tyler on Tuesday, so hopefully he doesn't kick my butt too bad!

Where is my motivation?

Food. *sigh* What an interesting tale...

I have been half-assing it, to be quite honest. Part of the time I'm totally righteous and downing salad, water, and fruit like they're going out of style. A few nights ago I ate a whole container of cookies. It was the first time I had them in the house in months, and not that that makes it any healthier, but it certainly serves as an adequate reminder of why I kept them out in the first place.

I went food shopping this week and have fallen into a funk of buying pre-packaged foods, including frozen meals, shredded cheese, and even junk food. Being so busy again for the semester has made me value my time even more - and in the kitchen that has lead to poor decisions.

Until I started writing this post, I didn't really have a plan. I don't know that I do now. But I do know that I have a plan of what I am NOT going to do. I'm not going to keep this nonchalant, devil-may-care attitude about the calories, nutrients (or lack there-of), and additives that I put in my body. I am not going to skip working out most days of the week. And I am not buying those damn cookies again.

Until next time, thanks for reading ;-)

I am home for the next two weeks, so I FINALLY have time to post on here. On Friday I quit my job as a nanny. Getting underpaid, working long hours, and struggling to make the trip there and back due to time constraints all were factors in my decision. A big part of it was the feeling like I had almost no time to myself, and as such - almost no time to focus on my health.

This post is another kind of summary post - kind of a way for me to just look at the upcoming weeks and start planning, and put the past two months behind me.

Working anywhere from 35-60 hours a week was a huge eye opener for me. Not only did I slack off on eating right, but I also found myself so tired from then lack of iron (hem hem* vegetarianism) and all the commuting I was doing that I didn't have much energy to put into exercising either.

Plus, as a few people commented, sometimes I plan in excess - not allowing room for flexibility. For instance, when I would plan my meals, if I wasn't hungry for something I would suffer through it, but often I would end up eating something I was actually craving later anyway. With fitness, this was the same - I would promise myself that I would workout X amount of times in a week and I would plan my activities to a T. When something came up, and I couldn't do the exercise I planned, I just gave into the defeated, disappointed feeling.

So now I am going to try to live a little. I love to dance - so if I go out to the club and dance (while watching my intake of alcohol) - that counts as my exercise for the day. If I clean enough to break a sweat - that counts too. If I plan to exercise, I will give myself options - go for a walk with a friend, go to the pool, or go to the gym. If one falls through, I can always do something else.

One quote that has been especially motivating recently, when it comes to exercise, is this: "I always regret it when I don't work out, but never regret it when I do." So I'm going to listen to that and keep it in mind in the upcoming weeks.

As for food - I realized that a part of eating healthy is enjoying your food. Of course, this seems like an obvious observation... But seriously! There are plenty of fruits and veggies that I love - so why do I still feel the need to suffer through steamed carrots, apples, or artichokes? It doesn't make sense.

This revelation made me rethink all my meals. From now on, the experts can bite me. I'm not eating the carrots, and that's final.

My last thought for today - vegetarianism. This has been exceptionally hard. I'm not getting enough iron or protein in my diet because of it. And the lack of iron has left me exhausted. So I'm going back to meat. I know how to eat healthy, and deep down eating meat is just delicious.

Until next time.

What a week! I'm finally, finally, FINALLY getting done with my room and all the excessive amounts of unpacking I have to finish. I unpacked the "hard" parts in the living room and kitchen without thinking about the fact that if I didn't unpack my bedroom it would make me nuts for weeks. Last night I considered my workout all the up-and-down trips I was making to put things in the basement, do my laundry and hang things like curtains and mirrors. I still have at least one more night of unpacking things, but I'm so relieved that I'm almost done.

Diet and exercise.. I know it has been forever since I wrote on here (or so it seems) but life has been crazy! My little brother came to visit for five days, so I was busy watching him (and trying, desperately, to eat healthy with an 11-year-old sugar addict in the house) and then prepping for my birthday. I turn 22 this weekend!

My big celebration is revolving around a Will & Grace marathon, and lots of good food at restaurants that I am not paying for. My friends are paying sometimes, and then ON my birthday I eat for free at Shady Maple, Denny's, and Red Robin. Yum! Of course, the irony of surrounding my birthday weekend with tempting and (super unhealthy) foods and then writing about it on here does not escape me.

Anyway, on Friday I got a book on the Biggest Loser, a 30-day diet and fitness plan. On Saturday I food shopped to make the recipes for the upcoming week. I totally forgot that I would be getting dental surgery on Monday.... And Tuesday... And Wednesday... UGH. I also did not take into account that I would be unable to eat solid foods for those days and now unable to eat hard foods for 5 weeks. Yipes. Maybe a liquid diet will lead to weight loss anyway? (Thank goodness I love fruit smoothies and soup!!)

As for exercise, I walked 30 minutes on Sunday while my brother was here (and he played in the skate park while I walked the mile-long trail three times - with hills.) After my 30-minute walk, Austin acted as my trainer and timed me doing strength moves in the shade of the highest hill in the park. In return, I watched him try to do skate tricks... on a scooter.

Monday I made a point to walk to the dentist from work with Austin. It's about a mile and a half and it was super hot - so I definitely sweated off those donuts I had in the morning.... After the first surgery my mouth hurt a lot, and I ended up out of work the last two days because I had to keep going back to the dentist for more work. By Wednesday, the dental staff started to suggest that I get paid for coming in - since I'm there every day. I laughed, but seriously?! No more novacaine for a LONG time. Please?

That's all for now. Maybe I'll re-name this blog "Liquid Madness" for the next few weeks, since I'm going to get so sick of living through a straw!!

Until next time, thanks for reading ;-)

So I'm trying out some new vitamins/supplements based on the recommendation of my doctor. I am now taking iron supplements because I am a vegetarian. With a switch in my diet so drastic as not consuming meat and cow's milk, I am taking the supplements to sort of balance out while I adjust to eating more iron-rich foods.

I'm also taking Vitamin C - because I keep getting sick. It has become a hassle to keep going on and off antibiotics, so my doc recommended I try to up my intake of this without upping my sugars (hem hem - orange juice!)

I am also taking fish oil and magnesium - for migraines and psoriasis. We'll see!

Does anyone else take supplements? What has been your experience with vitamins?

Thanks for reading!

Still no internet... *sigh* I'm snagging a few minutes on my employer's computer while the kids nap. I miss blogging! I think it is safe to say that I have fallen off the weight loss wagon. Got back on today, mostly, but I weighed in yesterday and I have gained back some of the weight. Not too much! Almost ten pounds... but I'm still proud of the thirty that's gone for good. It has been so hard scheduling in fitness while I have an unreliable schedule. Working this much has emphasized more than anything that I need to make sure I get enough rest, drink enough water, and allow myself time to work out. Of course, that's all easier said than done when I'm running around, wishing I was fitting in a life outside of work!

For instance, yesterday I worked until 10:20pm. I try to be in bed by 10pm, so I can get up at 6:30am and workout, or just enjoy the morning. That obviously didn't happen this morning. I didn't even have time to eat before my bus came, so I had to shove a banana, a water, and a bagel in my lunch bag and take it along.

The hardest part with the kids is that they don't eat healthy, well-rounded meals. They like healthy foods though, like yogurt, fruit, whole grains, and even vegetables, but my boss sets up most of their meals around pizza, white pasta, hotdogs, or sugary snacks. I'd make them something else, but there aren't even pots and pans in this house - and I can't afford to bring my own supplies! I end up sharing what I bring to eat, and with four to six of them on average, I don't eat enough - so I help myself to their not-so-healthy options.

I know that ultimately I need to just keep their food and mine seperate, because I definitely pack enough for me alone, but it's hard. I'm used to sharing with little ones!

Today my nutrition was poor, but the day isn't over yet - I had my banana for breakfast on the way, then shared my whole grain bagel and lowfat cream cheese with the kids. I snagged a 12oz diet pepsi from the fridge and drank two cups of coffee to give me a boost to make it until naptime - I was so tired. That was the start of the guilty conscience today, because I don't really handle caffeine well. It gives me a headache and a stomache ache with the small energy boost. The worst part is, I drink it so little now that it's annoying that I feel like I am going through withdraw anytime I drink it. I wish I could commit to not drinking it, ever!

In between breakfast and lunch time, I had a microwave vegetable meal with noodles. Very small - not a full sized meal, and I was definitely hungry because I only ended up getting maybe 1/4 my bagel!

For lunch, my boss didn't leave a succinct meal for the kids, so I just let them have a "pick" lunch - some chips, carrots, salad, cheerios, granola bars, hot dogs and yogurt. Healthier than usual, but still fitting their "kid style" of eating with their hands! I had some salad, some of the chips (I don't even like potato chips, why did I eat them?!) with guacamole I brought from home (yum!), and a hot dog. This was the other half of my guilty feelings for the day. I haven't really eaten meat at all for almost a month. And hardly any red meat for two months before that. It looked good, but now that I'm thinking about all the ethical reasons why I decided to stop eating meat.... Ugh.

The other frustration right now is that I can't get to the office on campus to pay for my gym membership. I work during their open hours! How I will reunite with my trainer.... I don't know.

On the bright side: work is two miles away now, so yesterday morning I counted my bike ride there as my exercise! Also, I am learning more about my hunger cues. Today I was eating lunch and realized, halfway through my plate, that I wasn't hungry anymore. Finally, I am re-attacking my cookbooks. I think a major dilemma of working a lot and maintaining an active social life is that cooking nutritious meals takes time. Well, problem solved (at least in theory): I own the hungry girl cookbooks, a weight watchers cookbook, a cook yourself thin cookbook, many others, and soon - thanks gram!- a biggest loser cookbook! I can SO do this.

So now it's halfway through July and my head is back in the game. Just to remind myself how far I've come, let's look back...

January - started my weight loss journey
February - met my nutritionist
March - started working with a trainer
April - was honest about my medical needs with my doctor
May - lowered my risk for heart disease from high to moderate by losing inches on my waist
June - lost a total of 30 lbs
July - Lost my head temporarily, and got back on track

It's been a good year, thus far. Moving forward! My life changes:

Drinking more water
Getting no less than six hours of sleep, if at all possible
Eating fruits and veggies like they're going out of style
Giving up soda, 99% of the time
Being honest with myself about the effects of caffeine on my system
Going vegetarian
Indulging in chocolate, by switching to the dark variety
Being okay with the fact that I, oddly enough, don't really like ice cream, pie, cake, french fries, or chips

My aspirations:

Stay vegetarian
Get 7-8 hours sleep, on a sleep schedule!
Not drinking cow's milk (Excuse the language, but the book "Skinny Bitch" outlines the unhealthy aspect of consuming cow's milk, and I actually love almond milk, can drink soy milk, and barely tolerate rice milk)
Monitoring my portion control over my calories
If nothing else, walking in the mornings

My mental health goals:

Doing yoga
Trying out magnesium supplements (said to negate migraines!)
Getting my license (it's about time!)
Figuring out my degree - which will now likely be longer than one more year (my schooling, my way - and that's OK)

Finally, I wanted to shout out to my Aunt Sharon, who gave me the book "Believe It, Be It," by Ali Vincent - the first female winner of the Biggest Loser. It is so incredibly inspiring - I love it!

All right, I think this post is long enough... I've made up for not posting enough recently. Oh, and if you read this, please leave a comment! They are so inspiring & I love getting feedback! It keeps me motivated to know that I have people reading along and holding me accountable. (Even if you just say "Stop rambling!" or ask a question! =p)

Check out my new poll and thanks for reading!

Hello hello, just a quick update! Sorry for the delay, but I've been packing and getting ready for moving day!! Today is the big day, so I hope there are no major hitches... And luckily, I get to skip my workout because I know I'll be sweating ALL DAY with moving the big pieces of furniture and a TON of stuff.

Nutritionally, I've been doing pretty well, actually. With nannying, it's been hard at times because the kids are eating sugary things, or things with no nutritionaly value, and I just want to be able to sit down and snack withthem. But on the same token, I've come to realize that even if we're eating the same things, I usually tend to eat more because I eat faster, and because I am payin gless attention to what I'm eating so I can keep an eye on them. My solution has been to just wait until I can eat by myself or bring snacks of my own.

As far as being active, it has been a 1/2 and 1/2 attempt. With all this working and packing, getting to the gym has beena tough concept. I have been taking the time to make sure I do strength exercises, stretch and walk everyday, though. Every little bit counts!

Next week: get more sleep! This appears to a re-occuring theme... hmm.

That's all for now, folks. I'm not sure when I will have access to the itnernet again, so hopefully I'll be back online soon!~

Thanks for reading!

I doubt I'll be online tomorrow, so happy fourth of July! I hope everyone eats healthy this holiday, especially when there are so many mayonnaise, meat, and dessert options!

As for me, I've been doing all right. I'm getting antsy with not exercising much recently, and now that I'm home (without my sneakers!!) I am ready to go visit my trainer at school again!

Foodwise, I'm doing well - being very diligient about asking myself whether eating something will help me towards my goals. Chocolate still seems to be my weakness, but hey! No one is 100% successful when it comes to living a healthy life.

I have a question for you all: has anyone tried rock climbing? Your thoughts? I really want to try it out - it seems so cool! Especially for my image =D

Thanks for reading!

This week has been so long! I can't believe it's not even Friday yet. I'm going home for the holiday weekend - exciting! And I'm done my class!!! No homework for two months now!! Translation: No more excuses!

I did work out Friday, Saturday and Sunday this past weekend. I've been watching my diet pretty well this week, too. The new full time job has definitely worn me out a bit, so the gym fell to the back burner.

I was also sick with a throat infection & double ear infection this week, so I didn't weigh in. My biggest concern was adapting to more work hours and getting healthy!

Just a quick update for tonight, talk to you all soon!

Thanks for reading ;-)

Happy Saturday, everyone. I wanted to post a quick blurb today because I am trying a new concept. I am reading a book (that I referred to in my last post as well) that proposed making a contract with someone to meet your goal of change.

In my last post, I talked about how I want to try aiming for smaller goals and working up. In my contract, I wrote that I will exercise 10 minutes per day, drink 48 oz of water daily, go out to eat no more than 3x a week, and eat my meals at the kitchen table, rather than the living room or my bedroom. So far... so good!

I started yesterday and actually rode my bike to the gym, worked out for 12 minutes, and then rode home. Of course, with the biking, my workout was more like 25 minutes total, so I felt great! I know that 10 minutes a day isn't much right now, but ultimately - 10 minutes a day feels amazing, and I don't feel like I'm spending a lot of time doing it. I get the high from knowing I worked out, and I think 10 minutes a day is better than not at all.

Eventually, I'll move up my minutes if I can stick to this, but right now this is so simple, I couldn't excuse my way out of it if I tried!

I've also noticed that, by making sure I eat at the dinner table most of the time, I realize much easier when I am full, and have been putting away more leftovers than I thought I would.

By drinking water most of the time, I am realizing that sometimes when I think I feel hungry, I'm actually just thirsty.

Finally, I wanted to see if anyone has experimented with whey powder? I ordered some today to try based on Bob's reccommendation to put it in smoothies. Wish me luck!

Is it really Thursday already? June 23rd.... Wasn't it JUST the end of May? Time is flying this summer!!

OK! Updates...

I have been half and half with my exercise habits - working out each week, but maybe not in a routine yet. I am reading a book right now that focuses on meeting your resolutions, and really changing, and I realized that although I have said "I want to lose weight," and I know my reasons (health concerns, vanity, confidence, past events, and my ambitions) - I haven't fully outlined what this goal means to me.

I have decided to dub this year - From June 23, 2011 to June 23, 2012 as "The Year I'll find myself"

In this, I needed to outline all the yearnings I've been having about how I want to change. I know the things I see myself doing and the places I want to go, but I don't really have a set path there. I realized that I am trying to become a wine guru, a literature geek, fluent in two languages, get my license, learn how to fix a car, become an active volunteer, lose weight, pay back my debts, learn about owning a business, balance a budget, and much more AT ONCE. Of course this is too much!!

Now, I know that I could run five miles a day and, if I still eat crap it's not going to balance out in the end. But I'd decided to solidify all my goals into four solid goals that I think I can legitimately accomplish in one year.

1st - to figure out my mental state. Am I happy? If not, why? I am content, and I know there are things that make me happy. But can I truly say that I am happy overall? I don't know. I know that depression, alcoholism, addiction, and bipolar run in my family. Am I affected by any of these?

2nd - Volunteer on Saturdays. I have wanted to become a regular volunteer for years, probably since before college. When I volunteered with my animal organization, at a food bank back home, and the YWCA in the city - I loved every minute of it. Now, I need to make the commitment and be involved every week. For my do-gooder sanity!

3rd - Save $4,500. I want Invisiline. Braces can be damaging, and one of my insecurities is my teeth. It isn't necessary, but for how much I've wanted this, I need to set a financial goal. Also, $1,500 of this goal is to go towards a new wardrobe. I hope I eventually get to my goal weight - and when I do, I'll need to go shopping! There is really know point in buying new clothes right now.

4th - To lose 135lbs. My healthy range is 110 - 150lbs from now, so that would be about 2-3lbs a week. Now, I know in the beginning you lose more because of water weight, and the amount you have to lose. So I'm hoping to hit bigger numbers at first. And ultimately, I would be happy with losing 52-78lbs by next June, as well. This is 1-1.5lbs/week.

In order to meet #4, I plan to commit to two things: Drinking water all day, and Exercising daily. I want to eventually become that active person I know is inside. A runner, yogi, rock climber, skater, and snowboarder. For not, I will just make sure I either work with my trainer, go to the gym, go for a run, do yoga, walk, work on the Wii, or even just run the stairs in my apartment!

Oh, and I am limiting my restaurant/food budget from now on. It is out of control!!

Finally, Tuesday was weigh-in day. Down 2.6lbs! Back on track =) I think the 5 mile walk last week helped...

Until next time. Thanks for reading!

Hello, hello! No worries, I'm okay! I haven't had internet for a bit because my house is having issues with our router, yuk! So here's an update, while I'm in the computer lab ;-)

Food: Not so good, I went home, visited a buffet with a friend, and have been generally not eating so healthy. I definitely need to keep myself on track...

Exercise: I have been doing OK with this! I went to the gym 3x last week (significant improvement from zero times...) and went running with Austin and our dog. And by running... I mean he escaped in e closed field and we had to catch and tackle him! Super fun! Not to mention running around with my 3-year-old neighbor while I was home!

Overall well-being: OK. It's been a long week, and I'm trying to get a nanny position, so I've been shuffling around my work schedule and trying to make it all work out. Plus, going home is always a change for me, being used to my independence and excessive produce collection =D

Weigh-in day: Today I did not gain or lose. While I would prefer to lose, I'm glad I didn't gain. Between stress and mother nature.. .plus my recent eating habits - not gaining is a serious accomplishment.

Goals: I have a few clothing goals now, I really want to fit into this dress for a dinner I am going to later in the summer. It's smaller than my size, so here's to hoping!

For now, Stef is reading over my shoulder so I'm going to go so we can drive around town. I hope you're all having a great week! I'll blog again ASAP!

Thanks for reading!

By the way, special thanks to Katy, who suggested this really awesome inspirational website!: Inspire by Discovery Health It reminds me of Sparkpeople!

Oh, and I found this really cool website yesterday Organic Authority that you should check out!

If you want to check out Bob Harper's book, that I mentioned in the post earlier, here is a link: Are You Ready! You can even read the first chapter with Kindle on the Web - available on Amazon (no downloads ;-)

I'm also reading Jillian's book - Winning By Losing. You can read the first chapter of this too!

Finally, I wanted to some of the sources I draw from online, to get my health info:

Self

Self Workout Builder - You do need to create an account to save a workout, but it's free!
My Fitness Pal - I use this when I want to check out the nutritional info on something. It also let's you track your progress. Another account, but again - it's free =D
Let's Move - This is the official webpage that tracks the First Lady's Obesity Initiative. Interesting Stuff!

Hello all! I hope the month of June is treating you well ;-) I know Summer One classes are almost done at MU, so some of you should be relieved, hah. As for me, today represents a few things. Today is June 7th - which means in two months I'll be turning 22! One of my goals for this summer was to lose 20 lbs. I'd love to lose that in time for my birthday. Not that there is any big reason why, that just seems like a good timeline. So far, I'm 5lbs down(for the summer). 15 to go!

Today, Tuesday, is also my weigh-in day. I knew this day was coming on my journey... I gained weight since last week. I know, it happens, but it's still disappointing. I'm not giving up - if anything, I'm more determined for next week. I also know why it happened. I could blame it on mother nature, who will be giving me a gift in the next few days... but ultimately I need to be responsible and own up to the fact that this past week I have been eating poorly.

I still don't want to count calories, but I think I am setting a month-long goal, today. Here is what I want to aim for:

Going to the gym 20 out of the next 28 days. (5 days/wk - I've been seriously slacking on my exercise.) If I can't go to the gym, I will go for a walk or work out with Bob.

Eliminating carbs after 6pm, and not eating after 9pm. Tyler suggested this, and given that he is incredibly fit... maybe he has some good tips.

Getting on a definitive sleep schedule. 11p-7am. I want to be in the habit of getting up early and always getting 8 hours of sleep, no matter what. This will help with planning my meal times.

Eating every 3 hours. I have 16 hours of awake time, two of which I won't be eating during. So this would mean I eat at 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, and 7pm.

Making sure, since I'm not tracking calories, that I track my food groups. I really love this idea (thanks Jennifer - my nutritionist!), but I haven't been implementing it enough.

Limiting my intake of fatty/sugary foods. Yesterday I had ice cream, a donut, and cookies. In one day. Now, generally they were in moderation, but still - this is too much. I've also struggled with making the right choices at restaurants - skipping the fries has been a challenge.

Really sticking to my convictions about being a vegetarian. I've been a 90% vegetarian since March. I still think I am going to eat turkey and chicken if I can't find a vegetarian (low fat) option. But I'm not buying anymore meat, and the few times I've eaten red meat - it wasn't worth it. So this is the end of that.

I'm reading Bob's Book Are you Ready! and he suggests making a plan for one month, and sticking to it. One month is not the long in the grand scheme of things, but it is long enough to make lifelong habits. So hopefully, these gym, food, and sleep habits will stick.

Today, I'm not getting in the front seat of the bandwagon. I'm pushing it the presidential mile.

Thanks for reading!

Happy National Donut Day! Of course, just because it's such a special holiday doesn't mean I plan to indulge... Just going food shopping =D

This week went pretty well. I didn't struggle to much, and I went to the gym (Wednesday...)

I have two goals that I plan to follow for the next two weeks: 1) Go to bed by 11pm and wake up at 7am. I really wish I was a morning person, and I think I can train my body to get into that sleep schedule. I'll need to in the real world, anyhow! 2) Exercise daily. Now, I know that people say you have to be specific when you set a goal, otherwise - how can you tell if you've really met it? So, I plan to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week, for a total of 10 days out of the next 14. I will do this by working with Tyler on Tuesday and Thursdays, and by going to the gym after work during the week. If I skip the gym, I will do a workout video, Wii Fit, or run stairs at home. Specific enough?

Next week, I think it will be easy enough to hit my -0.8lb mark. I also can't wait until I lose 6.8lbs (maybe in two weeks?) because I'll not only be within 100 lbs of my goal, but also at a weight I haven't seen since 11th grade. Wooot!!

As for food, I am planning out my grocery list now. I am pumped to go shopping for produce, but I know I have to limit what I buy. I want to get only necessities, and make sure nothing will go bad. I thought that, perhaps if I planned my meals (not my snacks, I need some variability day-to-day) for the next two weeks, made my shopping list around that, and then found coupons online - I might be good to go. The biggest problem I find with coupons is that I want to buy fresh produce! Not all processed foods... Sigh.

Until next time - thanks for reading!

Welcome to June my lovely readers =D As you may well remember, Tuesdays are my weigh-in day. Well... given the unusual circumstances of last week, I forgot. So, I weighed-in this morning. Drumroll please....

I lost 2.2lbs! Woot! I love that I can point out that, in 0.8 more lbs, I will have lost a total of 40 lbs since January, when I started. The best part is, since I started this blog, losing the weight has been easier.

Plans for the week: I am going to the gym today. I haven't been (AGAIN) since I worked out with Tyler last week. I only have been working out with him 1x/week and going to the gym 1x/week does NOT work for me. So, I am going today! If you're an MU student (or you were in Spring) feel free to join me around 4:30pm!

Starting next week, I will be working out with Tyler 2x/week - Tuesdays and Thursdays after work. I hope to go to the gym throughout the week regardless, but apparently - biking to work and watching what I eat has been just as effective in losing weight while my brain was in reprieve last week!

As for food, I FINALLY get paid on Friday - it seems like it's been so long since my last paycheck.... It won't be much, but it'll be enough to pay for my gas bill, my rent, and go on a little food shopping trip ;-) It's weird, and I never thought I would say this... but I can't wait to buy some more salad!

The only other thing I need this week is to study, study, STUDY for my final next week... We'll see when that starts! Until later, thanks for reading!

Happy Memorial Day weekend all! Keep in mind that "holiday weekend" is not code for "go crazy on calories" ;-) As for me, I'm not really celebrating too much. I'm spending my weekend getting organized, doing homework, fixing my budget (never fun...), and getting back on track!

Nutrition: I haven't been keeping track of anything the last few days. On Thursday, I wasn't really hungry. Friday, I ate a great lunch with Stef, but nothing else from the day sticks out. Yesterday, I know there was a breakfast... a lunch... and maybe a dinner? It's all a blur. Today I had oatmeal and a fruit bar for breakfast, and waffles for lunch. I'm having pasta and veggies for dinner =D

Fitness: This week was, by far, my worst yet. Despite losing weight for Tuesday, I only worked out on Thursday with my trainer. Tyler is great, and he understood my need to workout, despite being upset. I felt much better when I was done. Today, one of my goals is to get some homework done, do my laundry, and WORK OUT. I just need to sweat, it makes me feel so much better about EVERYTHING.

I did make that motivational poster I talked about a few posts ago, so hopefully I'll remember to take a picture of it asap and post it on here - I love it!

Finally, I've been really focused on figuring out my new place. I got a dining room table (with 3 chairs), a grill, a floor lamp, a table lamp, and my desk chair.... FOR FREE. It seems that, as people are moving from the development, they just don't want their stuff anymore. I can't wait to find a bookcase in the rubbish bins - my day will be made!

Thanks for reading!!

What a rough week. I only worked out Thursday, with my trainer. I don't know that I ate exceptionally well or very poorly, but on Tuesday I weighed in and lost 4 pounds. That was the good part. On Wednesday I had a weird feeling all day - like I was getting sick, which I definitely didn't need ANYMORE of this year.

Around midnight Wednesday, I found out a friend I knew in high school had killed herself. Her sister called and told me, and I was heartbroken. On Thursday, the only thing that snapped me out of anything was going to the gym, and hanging out with one of my best guys. (You know who you are <3)

A lot of tears, little appetite, some sweating, and way too many hours of sleep caught up on, later... I am starting to feel okay.

Bright side - I had my first driving lesson today. I needed to get out of the house, so Stef took me to eat a good, vegetarian lunch (with delicious dark chocolate cake), see animals in a pet store, and then to a parking lot. I spent the last two days basically reading through the 1st four books in a series, and now that I'm finished, I have to face this grief.

Until tomorrow, I suppose. XO Thanks for reading.

Get out of my head! My brain hurts today. And it has for the last couple of days... which is why my posts have been seriously blah. I'll be excited to workout at the gym today, eat a yummy dinner, and then settle in for some homework. Today was my first day at my new job - it was fun! I felt very productive, and my boss said she'd like me to help out with copyediting, writing and layout (like being at a big time magazine!).

Tomorrow is weigh-in day. I am not sure what exactly to expect, since I've been active and eating pretty good. I didn't work out this weekend though, (cleaning!) so we'll see how it balances out. Also, tomorrow is the finale of the biggest loser, *tear.* I'll be sad to see it end! If you watch, who are you rooting for? I want Olivia to win!

In other news, this week is focused on motivation and new ideas. So, to start off, here is what I propose to do tonight: An inspiration board! I am going to put my goals, quotes, pictures, and favorite words all in one place, with my "dream in detail" in the center. I got the idea from Self  ;-) I'll post a picture when I'm done!

Also, my new ideas:

My trainer suggested trying not to eat carbs after 6pm. This seems hard, since even fruit has carbs, but I may try it out. He says focusing your late hours on veggies and protein help build muscle, and since the primary reason we eat carbs is for energy, cutting them out when you're winding down for the day is a good thing.

Also, my nutritionist suggested cutting some things from my diet. Namely, white/refined carbs and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). When I think about white/refined carbs, I go directly to white bread and pasta. But then I looked it up - so long to cupcakes, crackers, and potato chips too! (I don't really eat potato chips that much anyway, heh. But if I make cupcakes... look out!) We'll see...

As for HFCS, I'm interested to see where this is found. Usually, I just assume everywhere! The perk of dropping HFCS products though (aside from the obvious health benefits) is that it means I have to eat more of the full fat foods - in controlled portions of course - since low-fat or nonfat foods typically have HFCS to add flavor.

What tips have you tried to get fit? Do you have any motivational quotes I could use?

Thanks for reading!

Short and sweet tonight... 1 - I ate okay today. Shared two mini donuts with the kids I babysit, so that was a bit of a guilt trip. 2 - I didn't work out today. I have to admit, my body hurts from 8 hours of cleaning yesterday! 3 - Tomorrow the new job starts, woot! That means I'm off to bed in a few minutes ;-) 4 - I am definitely going to the gym tomorrow, since it's right by my work. Good night all - thanks for reading this short blurb!

Friday – I didn’t work for the first day all week =) It was definitely a nice reprieve. I did go to the movies with a friend, had some chocolate and diet soda… but no popcorn! I also went and got my learner’s permit! I was really worried to get it – and it was over so fast. Next stop – license.

As for food and exercise… Food – not too bad. I did eat some fries with lunch, because I was celebrating my permit. I had a veggie burger and water with them though, so I feel like it evened out.

Exercise – In short, I didn’t. I finally had a day to map out my degree, do a little retail therapy (dollar tree IS in my budget), and getting my learner’s permit was a big deal.

I have gotten into a pattern of working out 5 times a week, so that I can have weekends off. Since I didn’t work out Friday, I will use a weekend day. By this standard, my week goes from Monday – Sunday (which is easier since I work during the week).

Saturday – I ate well, and skipped my workout. I cleaned all day though! And boy, I BET I burned some serious calories. I’m talking organizing, dusting, sweeping, and scrubbing the kitchen. Cleaning two bathrooms. Doing laundry. Vacuuming & organizing the living room. Cleaning my room. I know I burned enough calories for a work out – I was sweating all day & my body hurts!

Tomorrow, the plan is mental and physical fitness. Also known as… doing homework & hanging with Billy Blanks ;-) I am babysitting and signing my first lease tomorrow too! Monday I start a new job, and I have to get up at 7am… so my new sleep schedule is starting tonight too!

Thanks for reading, until tomorrow!

In my weight loss journey, since January 1st of this year, I have lost a total 33 pounds. I can't even describe how incredible this feels. And every time I feel even a little bit tempted to jump of the wagon, I remember the good times, and the bad.

The bad: When my doctor told me I was pre-diabetic at age 20. When I couldn’t fit in a “normal” seat on a rollercoaster. When my little brother told me that he “wished I could run with him.” When I was ashamed to look in a full length mirror in the dressing rooms.

The good: When I had my first workout with Tyler (trainer) that I didn't feel defeated. When I went down a dress size. When I decreased my risk for heart disease from high to moderate over 12 weeks. When I lost 10 inches on my waist. When I rediscovered my muscles in my legs. When my vocal coach told me the weight loss was helping my singing.


In the end, the good very obviously outweighs (pun intended) the bad. 

I don't want to be the "big" sister literally. I want to be able to shop with my friends. I want to not worry about my weight affecting my ability to have children down the road. But most importantly... I don't want to regret living my life cautiously because of my size.

I am so PUMPED to keep going. Thanks for riding on this rollercoaster with me, and of course - thanks for reading!

Today - Mostly good! First of all - I got the job!!!! My interview to become an Advertising Manager went as well as I thought - I'm a career woman now! I start Monday =D

Secondly, Biggest Loser. Now, I know this blog is about me - my successes and setbacks. But this show has motivated me since the beginning of this year & Tuesday's episode was one of the most emotional ones so far. I was watching, as the finalists sat at home and saw the video they made when they first got to the ranch. In it, they (at their largest) told themselves (at their smallest) to persevere, to remember the pain, suffering, and heartache that goes with being overweight, and to always go forwards.

I couldn't help but hear their pleas. I don't ever want to be at my heaviest again. Ever. I don't want to go back to eating so much my stomach hurts, or feeling guilty because I gave up, again. I am only going forward.

Third, this ties in nicely with the BL show, I met with my trainer. Yesterday I hurt my back, and he thinks it's a sprain. So working out today, I was nervous. But - lo and behold - my work has paid off. His workout didn't kill me. Not even close! I felt the burn, yea, but I didn't feel like keeling over, gasping for breath, or giving up. He also said something that I love as a mantra, "Everyday, you change by 1%. No one is exactly the same from day-to-day. Your choices determine whether that 1% is positive or negative."

Thanks for reading! Also, see my other post for today – it’s a synopsis of how far I’ve come. =)

Okay, so I originally planned to write 3 posts today - to make up for totally slacking this week when work started. Obviously, I wrote more. I hope you're all keeping up - I love getting feedback (even if it makes me backtrack and do a little research *cough*CPR*cough*). It's great to know you all are so supportive and are reading along!

So, since the day is only half over, I want to address two things.

First, Wednesday. Today I will be heading to the gym after work, and then trying to get a TON of work done at home. My concern for this week is that, with the new schedule (*ahem* ANY schedule) I am definitely not getting enough sleep. I haven't been going to bed early, and I'm going to crash eventually if this continues. Tonight: despite everything else, I WILL go to bed at a reasonable hour.

The second thing I wanted to talk about was eating disorders. I don't know why, but writing about Fad diets and gastric by-pass made me think about what I've done to try and "be healthy." When I was a teenager, getting thin was one of the most important things to me. Back then, getting "healthy" was something I equated with being thin. It didn't matter what the repercussions were.

Since I see this blog as a way to be perfectly honest about my health - and since I'm talking to the people I trust and know are my biggest supporters, I have to say it: I have dealt with an eating disorder. A doctor called it "EDNOS." This stands for Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (clever, right?)

Basically, it meant that I would fluctuate between not eating and then binge-purging (laxatives or throwing up). When I talked about FAD diets, a thought popped into my head – eating disorders are very similar. Although they are more psychologically-based, they are still seen as “the only way” to get “healthy.”

I’m glad that period of my life is over, and I’m glad to be able to share it with you.

Thanks for reading!

Tuesday!

Okay, so I'm going to try and keep this short, since I wrote a novel on gastric by-pass a minute ago. Yesterday, I had an interview. And even with the bundle of nerves I had, I ate pretty well.

After my interview, I went to work, went to the gym (met with my trainer!), spent some time with the roomies, and then built a dresser with a friend I haven't seen in awhile. If my life were a SIMS game, my social for yesterday would have skyrocketed! (I know I'm a nerd.)

I got a ride to my interview, so I missed that opportunity to workout. On the flip side, I left my bike at home, so I had to walk to work, and then walk home from the gym. I also walked to the aforementioned friend's house - one mile each way! At the gym, I did 1/2 a mile on the treadmill, 15 minutes strength training (for those of you who are curious - plank, bicep curls, lunges), 3 miles on the bike, and 15 more minutes of strength (this time - lateral pull-downs, squats, and crunches). It felt great!

Finally, I weighed in yesterday. Since I started this blog a week ago I've lost.... drumroll please.... 2.6 lbs! Woo hoo! Perfectly healthy weight loss, and totally awesome results!

Today's agenda: At work now... (oops!), then heading to the gym, bike ride home, dinner, cleaning, and homework for the night. It's about time for a night in =)

Thanks for reading!

Monday... It seems so long ago! With work and friends returning to MU, I have fallen behind a little on this blog!

 Monday was my first day back at work. I wasn't sure how long I would be there, so I brought food for lunch. Unfortunately, I only brought lettuce (a "salad") without dressing, a piece of string cheese, a banana, and a piece of chocolate. Yikes! I was going to go to the gym afterwards... but I was very lightheaded after work, and I didn't want to chance it. 

So, I headed home, ate a snack, and started on dinner (brown rice, veggies, tea, chicken). Then I powered through 20 minutes with Bob & my Kettlebell. It wasn’t much, but I did bike to and from work, so I felt like I did okay.

After my workout, I ate dinner (protein within 30 minutes of working out builds the most muscle), showered, and headed to babysitting.

After a longgg day – ten hours of work – I couldn’t even consider coming home to blog. All I could think was “I love my bed….”

Thanks for reading!!

Let me re-address the issue of gastric by-pass surgery. After talking with one of my mentors at school, who has had a successful journey with gastric by-pass, and after talking with the daughter of the woman whom I am concerned about, I want to amend some of my comments.

In general, I think that some people look to surgery as an easier option. While this does not apply to everyone, and while many people do the surgery out of necessity, I am frustrated with the amount of people who assume that getting the surgery will solve all of their problems.

When it comes to surgery, I personally did look into having it at one point. I did not seriously consider it, and when my mom and I went to a seminar to learn more, I was relieved that, due to time constraints and being away at college, it would be nearly impossible for me to do.

That said, at that time I looked into it upon the recommendation of my family. Being that I respect their opinions very much, I did not want to leave any options out. Being overweight is frustrating, and seeing a light by something as "simple" (or so I thought at the time) as surgery makes everything look different.

Also, I looked into it because I wasn't very confident in my ability to lose the weight without some drastic change. At the same time, I was an adult when I looked into it, so Courtney has a point - no one forced me to do anything.

Now, I've done the research. On one side - I see gastric by-pass as a risky, and avoidable procedure. On the other, when it comes to your health - gastric by-pass can be, literally, a lifesaver.

In the general picture, I will always worry when people pursue this as an option. I think weight loss can be done through diet & exercise. BUT, for someone who is older, has more medical problems, and possibly needs the surgery as a kick-start to a healthy lifestyle, it may be an option. Ultimately, I would rather see someone live a long and healthy life after gastric by-pass than struggle and deal with long-term medical issues.

As my mentor pointed out, gastric by-pass could have prolonged people's lives, had the medical advancements been around in the past. I just hope that anyone considering it has tried to lose weight on their own, and is fully aware of all the precautions, risks, and work that comes with it.

Thanks to both Courtney and Diane for making me look deeper into this issue and see both sides of the argument. And thanks for reading!