Page Title

Introduction Text As a member of Sparkpeople since 2007 I am happy to report that the 40lbs I lost has more or less stayed loss. Now my new goal is to exercise my way to a new weight 25-30lbs lighter. I started out at 241lbs and size 22 pants. As of 2010 I am 190lbs and size 16. My new goal is 165lbs and size 12. I continuously advocate and advertise to friends, family and strangers about Sparkpeople.com...why? Because I am being educated about WHY I am losing the weight, not just HOW to do it. I've been to WW...I've lost 50lbs and gained it back plus an extra 10. I don't want to know that I can eat something because it falls within a certain number range. I want to know what foods I can eat that will continually allow me to progress in a healthier direction, not just to lose weight. I want to know how to live healthier so that when the weight comes off it stays off. I'm done with yo-yo dieting. I was diagnosed bipolar and took many medications that caused some of my weight gain. I am currently medication free and very happy to be. At this point I believe it was a misdiagnosis. I have been off of medication for 3 months now with no problems. After a very rotten 2006 year, I started 2007 turning over a new leaf. I met my husband in July of 2007 on MySpace and we have been head over heals in love ever since. He showed me things about myself that I didn't see. He had lost 60lbs before we met so I started to research weight loss online and lo an behold I come across Sparkpeople! It was perfect because I was a single mom at the time and couldn't afford to pay to go somewhere else. It started out slow but by the end of the year I was starting to take notice of the weight loss and it was so EASY! I stopped eating at fast food restaurants, or if I did go I made healthier choices. I switched from white to wheat, red meat to chicken, turkey and fish, white rice to brown rice and started to really see my portion sizes and cut them in half. I came to realize that I had bad habits such as emotional eating. So I no longer keep those "happy" foods in the house anymore. They were usually sweets, cookies, etc. Instead I am finding more fruits that I like to eat like grapes, banana's and apples. I am slowly incorporating more vegetables in my diet. I have never been a veggie eater so it has been hard. But I found that I like them best steamed or mixed with other foods. And I try something new every chance I have. My daughters have slowly started to come around to the "new" lifestyle. They weren't happy at first. For too many years we lived the life of McDonald's and TV dinners. It's hard being poor and eating healthy. But when I think back, I never REALLY tried to eat healthy. And it can be done on a budget. It isn't easy, but it isn't impossible either. Heart disease runs in my family. Many of my family members have died from Heart Attacks. I don't want one of them to be me...and I definitely don't want one of them to be my kids. So it's not too late for me and I am hoping that it isn't too late for my kids to learn what it's like to be healthy AND happy. Because of the choices I made then and the choices I make now will effect them for the rest of their lives. These new choices I make will be better for them and for me.

I found I have trouble setting goals. I know that it is a large part of the Sparkpeople diet to set goals, but they just don't work for me. I have very low self-esteem and when I don't reach that goal it plunges me deeper into distress. So I just take it a day at a time. It seems to be working so far. :)

I eat more whole wheat and whole grains. I eat less red meat and more chicken, turkey & fish. I changed my snacking habits to fruits, veggies or popcorn. I drink more water and less pop, coffee, etc. I go to the gym 3x a week for 30 minutes on the elliptical.

Born, raised and still living in Jackson, MI. Met the man I never thought existed in 2007, married him in February 2010. I have two teenage daughters from my previous marriage who I share joint custody with my ex. We have an excellent parenting relationship and my kids are well rounded and wonderful girls.

Like jigsaw puzzles, reading, relaxing with my husband and of course my motorcycle!

Add a Link If you have an hour, will you not improve that hour, instead of idling it away? Lord Chesterfield
Save Changes