Thursday, September 2, 2010

The Journey


I've been overweight all my life. Honestly, I think it all started at the age of four, but it didn't get seriously unhealthy until my teenage years, where I ballooned to 350lbs!! 

Let’s back track before we move forward. It was hard being an overweight child. My earliest memories of my weight being an issue were in grade school. I was alienated because of my weight (and because my momma dressed me funny). I had few friends, and let me tell you, kids can be cruel!

I remember my first neighbourhood; I had a few close friends on the block. We’d always hang out, play, and have wonderful times… You know what happened to each of my friends? They made new friends, and those new friends were mean. They teased, and made sure no one hung out with me.

Fast forward a few years to junior high, kids weren’t as mean, but it was difficult to make close friends for me because I’d been hurt so many times before. I became a “floater” myself and one friend whom I allowed close would walk around the school yard from clique to clique, hung out for a few minutes then left just as fast as we’d gotten there.

High school, well that was tough as well. A time when girls worry about flirting with boys, getting good grades, and becoming cheerleaders. I was even silly enough to try out for the cheerleading squad myself. Well guess what happened? Right, I didn’t make it.

16 years old, I finally set a goal to lose some weight. I was at my heaviest then, 350 lbs. I managed to lose 50 lbs but it was HARD. I hated it. I wanted to eat all the time, and struggled. My grandmother, whom I lived with then and was very close to passed away that year, and I gave up. It was a slow decline but it was a decline none the less.

College: ah my niche, where you finally fit in with a group of like minded people. It was alright, nothing serious but I just could never be comfortable in my own skin. I’d had one boyfriend throughout college, and he was much older than I, it just didn’t work out. We both had our own issues to deal with and coming together we were like fire and water.

So I graduated college and headed off into the world, carrying triple the weight than I should have been carrying. I trudged along, doing the best I could but never really being happy. Hey, I work in radio. I’m supposed to be bubbly, outgoing, happy… and to everyone else, I was. Did I mention I’m a great actress? Deep down I hated crowds, couldn’t stand to be in large groups, I was just uncomfortable in my own skin.

Let me tell you something. I’ve been unhappy, and unhealthy for years, but I’ve never been really driven to make the change, the dedication of a healthy lifestyle. That was until I reached an all time low (or high) of 360 lbs. I was beside myself; I was having knee problems, constant pain in my right knee. I wasn’t me. And I was SICK of it!

It’s definitely a big lifestyle change to lose weight. Being as unhappy and unhealthy as I was, I decided I needed help, I mean a doctor’s help. A couple of my friends had done the HCG diet through Dr. De Wet in Mclennan, and it worked for them so I took the plunge.
Let me tell you something. I may have had help losing some weight; it was just the jump start I needed to start leading a healthier, happier lifestyle. I don’t eat junk food, I stick to whole grains, and I’m eating healthy, working out, and taking care of myself. I’ve lost 50 lbs since June 1st, and dropped 4 pant sizes! I’m happier, even though I’m not at my goal weight yet. People have noticed the change in my appearance, the way I hold myself, the way I dress, the way I act. My confidence is 100% and heck, I have complete strangers walking up to me to tell me how great I look!

I may not be there yet, but I am well on my way, and let me tell you something… There ain’t no stopping this Diva!



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