Finding my WHY...

How did I decide that "this time" was really it?

Well I found my "WHY"!

Why do you need to find your why?  Well I am so glad that you ask that question (and even if you didn't, I'm gonna tell you anyways)!  Your why is the reason why you are doing whatever it is that you decided that it was time to do (that was a mouthful).

Without knowing what your why is, the chance of failure is a lot higher (or at least that is my opinion on the matter).  This opinion comes from me trying to diet/make a life change (or whatever you want to call it) many times before and failing!  I never understood why I wanted to change my life, just that I knew that it was the right thing to do.

Your why gives you purpose,

Your why gives you determination.

Your why gives you strength.

These are all things that you need to keep going when the mountain gets too tough to climb.

So HOW did I find my "Why"?  This took a lot of prayer, thought and support.  I was SO miserable and unhappy.  I was exhausted all the time and struggling with headaches almost every day.  Obesity runs in my family (not sure I believe if it is hereditary or just that I didn't know any better, but that may be for another post).  I was tired of being sick and tired.

So I began to pray for strength and wisdom.  I continued to pray waiting for an answer and waiting for something (anything) to change.  Then one day it hit me like a ton of bricks...I didn't need all the answers.  I didn't need to know anything.  I just needed to start.  Start moving.  Start changing.  God had been waiting for me to take the first step.

I needed to make a change and this time is was NOT ALL ABOUT ME!!!  It was for my kids and my husband.  I want to be able to grow old with my husband and watch our kids become adults and live their lives.  I want to be able to keep up with my kids while they are young and as they grow!  I want to enjoy this time with them.  I want to be able to get down on the floor with them and play instead of laying on the couch falling asleep with a headache as they watch TV.  I want to get outside with them and run around and play!  I want to play tag and hide and seek.  I want to be able to live in the moment with them.  Then the biggest reason that flashed before me...I don't want my children to EVER feel the way that I do.  I don't want my daughter to ever fear or hate the scale.  I don't want them to ever feel sick and tired of being sick and tired.

So that is my "WHY".  Why I wake up every morning at 4:30 AM and go to the gym.  Why I continue to learn about fitness and look for exciting new workouts (see my "workout" Pinterst board for some of the things I have found).  Why I continue to learn about nutrition and the ingredients that go into our favorite foods.  Why we are getting ready to start a 30 day challenge of NO EATING OUT (yes honey, we are really doing this)!  Why I am determined to start meal planning and begin introducing my kids to new foods of all color and that don't involve opening the freezer and getting out a box.

Here are a couple of pins I have found on Pinterst that have been huge motivators (check out this board for more inspiration)....

Via Pinterst

Via Pinterst

Do you know your "WHY"?


Also liked up at

 

***Please note that by no means am I a professional. I have no formal training of any kind. I am just a girl writing about my own weight loss journey and sharing things that worked for me. Before starting any new life change, please consult your Dr.

Facing the Scale...

Do you remember when your battle with the scale started?  I do.

My hatred for the scale began during the 6th grade.  I can still remember going from this skinny bean pole to getting boobs & hips and gaining 30 pounds during that year.  Why do I remember this so vividly? I remember this because my teacher showed us our weight as we were walking in to the class and she accidentally showed my friend in front of me my weight and I can still hear the words that came out of her mouth filled with total disgust, "That is NOT my weight"!!!

WELL it was mine.  Before that moment, I don't know if I ever recognized skinny vs. fat or even that people looked at other as skinny or fat.  BUT after that moment I was very aware of my weight and that I was heavier than my friends around me.

My Freshman year of high school I made the cheer leading squad and was told by one of the coaches that I would need to work on losing weight, because she didn't think any of the uniforms would fit me.  It took a toll on me and my self image.  I began to see myself as fat  and that I needed to lose weight.  As a Teenager that knew nothing about nutrition, I thought the best way to do that was to just not eat.  My Junior year I gave up sports and things at home were getting a little crazy.  This is when I began my emotional eating!  I love food and food became a comfort for me.  As the numbers on the scale began to creep up I just shoved my feelings down with food.

After High School I moved to Atlanta and became a nanny.  When I began my 2nd Nanny job, I was introduced to Weight Watchers.  Both parents did it and I loved counting points and keeping track of my meals.  I lost 20 lbs in a couple months and felt great!  But that is where I seem to hit a wall!  I lose just enough weight to start to feel good and then I hit a wall and slowly slip back to my old ways.

During my first year of marriage, I crossed over 200 pounds, BUT instead of doing anything about it I ate more to drown my sorrows.  I continued to gain weight for the next 2 years until I hit 230 pounds.  My neighborhood did a "biggest loser" competition and Gold's Gym was one of the sponsors.  Two trainers came in and talked to us about diet and exercise.  I decided it was time...so I joined the gym and hired a trainer.  I trained hard, but only managed to lose 15 pounds...at that point I didn't understand the "secret" to losing weight!

Then SURPRISE I was pregnant!  I continued to work out with my trainer for the first 5 months of my pregnancy and managed to keep my weight under control, but as soon as I stopped my weight went out of control.  I gained 60 pounds during my pregnancy and I was miserable.  I did not lose my baby weight.  For 3 years I struggled with my weight and fought so many emotions.

In 2012 I knew it was AGAIN time for a change!  I was tired and felt sick all the time.  I wanted to be healthy and happy.  I was weighing in at 243 pounds and I really was miserable.  I couldn't believe that I had done this to myself and couldn't imagine why I continued to eat.

So I rounded up 7 other girlfriends and we did an 8 week weight loss challenge.  It was so much fun!  It breaks down all the components of a healthy life style into easy steps (See Here for the challenge).  I highly recommend it!  We all pitched in $25 and had 2 winners of $100 each!  It was so fun!  I lost 20 lbs during the challenge and even managed to pick up a few good habits from it!

Soon after we got pregnant with Baby #2 (we had been trying for 6 months and I was at the point I thought it wasn't going to happen)!  During my 2nd pregnancy I gained 35 pounds, but this time around I was able to breastfeed for 10 months.  I not only lost all my baby weight, but managed to lose a few extra along with it!  Then the holidays hit and I gained a few pounds and ended the year yet again making the resolution to loose weight.

In April 2014 I decided I was done.  I changed my eating completely and slowly began to lose weight!  In June I decided to take the next step and join a boot camp!  I knew I needed support and what better way to do that then join a couple friends that taught the boot camp in my neighborhood.  It was then I became addicted to exercise.  I hit a BIG goal and finally made it under 200 pounds!  I could not believe it!  It was the best feeling.

I have slowly come to realize a couple of things.

• Accountability is a huge part of my success
• It is OK to cheat, but don't let it make you spin out of control
• I can lose weight naturally, but it takes A LOT of work
• Slow and steady and I WILL win the race
• It is slowly becoming about how I feel and less about the number on the scale

I want to blog about my journey for a couple of reasons...

1)  I believe I have a story to tell and if I can help one person not feel alone on their journey then I will have accomplished my goal.

2)  I want to change my family and end the cycle of obesity in my family.  I don't want my son or daughter to face the same challenges I have.  I know that is possible and it can happen if I have faith.  AND if I can share that with others then together, we can change the world.

So what can you look forward to...

• Weekly weigh in updates
• Favorite Recipes
• Favorite Workouts
• my meal plans
• Other ways I am changing up my life
• a little bit of Everyday Life mixed in
• Plus SO much more...

***Please note that by no means am I a professional.  I have no formal training of any kind. I am just a girl writing about my own weight loss journey and sharing things that worked for me.  Before starting any new life change, please consult your Dr.  

About Me

Hi there!  Hello!  Welcome!  My name is Stephanie and this is me and my family...

About Me...

I am a small town girl from Montana that moved to the BIG city of Atlanta.  I fell in love with a Georgia boy and never went back home.  We live in the suburbs of Atlanta with our 2 amazing kids and 2 grouchy kitty cats!  I am a stay at home mom who loves to craft, throw parties, read, and most importantly spend time with family and friends.  I am a self diagnosed food addict on a journey to change my life and break a long cycle of being unhealthy, having low self esteem, and self loathing.  During this journey I am looking to embrace the change and add laughter to my everyday life.  

About the Blog...

I originally started this blog when I found out I was pregnant with Kellen and it was a way to share the news with my family and friends near and far.  Over the years I have blogged less and less, but now I have a story I would like to share.  

My hope is to find others that are struggling just like I am and let them know they are not alone.  In my opinion it doesn't matter if you have 5 pounds or 350 pounds to lose it is all hard and takes a change that needs a village of support!  

I want to let people know it doesn't matter what you think you know or what you don't know, today is the day to take the first step to change your life and there is nothing stopping you, but yourself.  I believe we all have the strength inside of us to face the fear of change, to banish the word "DIET" from our vocabulary and create a life change that will last forever.  

And last, but not least (and probably most important to me)  I want to change my family and end the cycle of obesity in my family.  I don't want my daughter or son to face all the challenges that I have.  I know that I have the power to do that and if I can share that with others, we can all change the world together.

So what can you look forward to...

• Weekly weigh in updates
• Recipes
• My meal plans
• Workouts
• Other ways I am changing my life
• A little bit of everyday life thrown in
• Plus so much more...

***Please note that by no means am I a professional.  I have no formal training of any kind. I am just a girl writing about my own weight loss journey and sharing things that worked for me.  Before starting any new life change, please consult your Dr.  

My Running Adventures

Via Pinterst

By no means am I runner or have I ever been!  I have always worried about what others think of me and when I ran, I could hear (in my mind) what people were saying to themselves, "look at that girl...why is she running...she is going to hurt herself with all that jiggle"!  But last June those voices went away and I began to run longer and longer with the help from the Couch to 5k program (blog post coming soon).  I didn't finish it for one reason or another, but I am back and running and I love it!  There is a high after you finish like non other!  I am training for my first 5k and I can't wait!  I thought it would be fun to document my running adventure!

Let the Adventure Begin...

Running Junkie

***Please note that by no means am I a professional. I have no formal training of any kind. I am just a girl writing about my own weight loss journey and sharing things that worked for me. Before starting any new life change, please consult your Dr.

Essential Oils

Coming Soon

***Please note that by no means am I a professional. I have no formal training of any kind. I am just a girl writing about my own weight loss journey and sharing things that worked for me. Before starting any new life change, please consult your Dr.

My Weight Loss Journey

This is me.  Not the greatest picture, but one of the few I have of me from the day before I changed my life.  I weighed in at 222.2 lbs.  I love pictures, my house is filled with pictures.  I think they are so important to have.  They capture the moment!  BUT I hate looking at pictures of me.  Most pictures I print out are not ones that I am in.  Slowly, I am hoping that will change.  I am going to try to get an updated picture to share what I look like now after 34 pounds lost.

To help with my accountability, I am planning on doing weekly weigh ins.  I figured I will collect them all and put them here!  Feel free to call me out if I miss one!  ;)

Weekly Weigh Ins ~

Coming soon!

***Please note that by no means am I a professional. I have no formal training of any kind. I am just a girl writing about my own weight loss journey and sharing things that worked for me. Before starting any new life change, please consult your Dr.

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Please considering following me on my new adventure!

***Please note that by no means am I a professional.  I have no formal training of any kind. I am just a girl writing about my own weight loss journey and sharing things that worked for me.  Before starting any new life change, please consult your Dr.