Well here it is.  I thought I would just briefly open up about why I have ventured on this journey of eating clean and getting healthy.  I have shared snippets of this information, but not really sat down and told a story.  So here goes…

When I was younger, (oh boy sit down and grab some popcorn folks it is getting serious), I was chubby.  Like, I got made fun of, chubby.

Fast forward to high school where I grew into my body.  I got some height, and of course leaned out quite a bit.  However, I still constantly felt “fat”.  Being an athlete:  I worked out 5 days a week and played sports year round.  But I was always bigger than my friends.  I could never swap clothes with all the other girls (I am sure my mom was happy about that).  I was not really self conscious of others seeing my body, having to change in locker rooms.  Yet there was always that nagging sensation, that want/need to change my body to fit this certain “image” of society.  To constantly be smaller…

At home…I do not talk about this a lot because it is not my story to share, however it did affect me.  My mother “yo-yo” dieted throughout my childhood.  I watched my mother go from extreme diet pill to weight loss center to obsessive working out, and some worked- for a bit.  She was very hard on herself and her body, emotionally and physically.

I learned quite a bit from my mom.  I mean don’t we all?

I tried not to be so hard on myself, but as college came and I became less active, I gained more weight.  Then a baby and marriage.  And just life.  Before I knew it I was overweight and unhealthy.

And then…

I hurt my back at work.  Not the “you need surgery”, but spasms very badly.  I am new to the back injury scene, and I have to tell you, I AM NOT A FAN.  They took me off work, most people think “ooo vacation”, how about no.  I was not able to do much at first, so I ate.  Ate away the pain I guess.  Except that did not help either.

So here I am; gained an extra 20 pounds (on top of being overweight already), hurt and unable to work, unhealthy, and unhappy, and not really motivated to do much about it.

My brother gave me a spark, which is an energy supplement made by Advocare.  He invited me to a former OSU coachs house to hear more information and I went.  The stories people told there spoke to me.  The company has been around for over 20 years.  I like that they focus on a healthy lifestyle, not a quick fix.  This is ultimately where I decided I needed to make a lifestyle change.  (This is not my Advo story however I do believe in the products and the company).

So that night, thanks to spark (I am a spark girl) I stayed up all night brainstorming ways to incorporate eating clean and healthy into our families diet.

And now…

That was at the beginning of this year and it has been a roller coaster of healthiness.  I love it.  It has been a slow process for me and one that I am okay with.  I have slowly lost weight, but in my mind that is healthy.  Obesity runs in my family, so this will be a lifelong battle.  I have been able to get back into the gym, and I am hoping to get involved in adult sports next summer.

My family is slowly chugging along, and sometimes more resistant.  I was never into fast food or eating out, but they LOVE it, so it is harder for them to give up.

I am super proud of my MOM.  She has made some lifestyle changes and has lost significant weight! She is dealing with the psychological issues that come with low self-esteem and weight issues her whole life.

I am learning to love my body, flaws and all.

Most importantly is my daughter, and showing her that this is NOT a diet, but a healthy lifestyle.