Gen Gets Fit

I never had a problem with weight when I was young. 

I was always the skinny scrawny kid. I didn't break a hundred pounds until I was 17 years old. I don't think it was genetic, both my parents were over weight. I was a very picky eater, I only drank water and I was the only one in my family that loved wheat bread(still do), and if it had vegetables in it I didn't touch it. I lived on ramen, hot cheetos, pizza, fries and strawberry nutrigrain bars. I made up for my poor diet with physical activity. I was a gymnast, a dancer, a swimmer, and a cheerleader. Sometimes doing all theses things in one day.

I got married when I was 17 and finished my senior year of high school at home. We moved across the country to Mississippi then to Georgia, because of this I was no longer very active. Then a week before my 18th birthday we found out we were expecting our first baby.

Two things happened, the doctor said I was underweight and needed to gain more than the normal for a pregnancy. The second was I believed him and justified every bite into my mouth and started "eating for two". I unfortunately gained 50 lbs.

The benefit of being so young was that it wasn't very difficult to lose. The pounds were falling off pretty quickly. I lost 35 of them in 6 months with out much work. I also found out we were expecting our second baby!

I gained another 40lbs and welcomed a beautiful baby boy. This time I was a year older. The weight was a little more stubborn this time. I actually had to put in a bit of effort but I was able to lose most of it from this pregnancy, 35 lbs. I still had the 15 from my first baby and 5 from my second, 120lbs was not bad but we found out we were pregnant again!

This time it would be different, I knew I didn't have to gain so much weight, I knew I was not "eating for 2". I was working out regularly. But for some reason I didn't understand why I gained 15 pounds in the first trimester. It was TWINS! That explained it. You see I am fortunate enough to not get morning sickness so I never have a period of time where I can't keep anything down so I just ate and it stayed put. LOL.

Sadly at the beginning of the second trimester we lost both of our babies. I went into depression. It took all I had just to take care of the 2 kids we already had that I didn't do much else. So those 15lbs stayed with the 20lbs and I just kept adding from there.

A few months later we were expecting again. Since I was still depressed from our loss, I didn't try hard to stay fit or healthy and the 20 lbs I gained stuck after baby was born.

We were once again expecting. I gained another 20 lbs. Making my weight at delivery 175 lbs! (Holy cow) I am a very short woman so that is huge on a 5ft frame.

As I look back, now I see that I was depressed for a few years. I didn't care much about my appearance.

I finally decided I was ready to work on my self. I started to watch what I was eating and started walking. Not a huge change but just enough to kick start. I was able to lose about 10 lbs. In about 18 months. It wasn't a huge loss and it took a long time, but I also had 4 kids, to care for.

Baby #5 was on the way. We knew she was going to be our last and I decided to just enjoy my pregnancy and not stress about weight gain. I would work hard after she was born. I did just that gaining a wonderful 20 lbs. Unexpectedly she was born via cesarean section, my only one and the recovery was much harder than I could have ever imagined. After an infection and a ripped open incision, I added a few more pounds.

I topped the scale at 187 lbs!

I knew I was over weight, and I knew that I had a lot of work to do, but I never thought I was fat; until I saw a picture of myself. I didn't recognize that person. That is not who I saw when I thought about what I looked like. It was very eye opening.

I made up my mind it was time to change that picture. 

My youngest baby will be 3 years old in a month. I wasn't sure I was ready to share what I have accomplished because I am not where I want be yet, but I am proud of how hard I have worked.

I have lost 30lbs so far. I will continue to work hard to make it to my 130lb goal.

I thank my wonderful husband who through it all has always told me I am beautiful and sexy. I am so happy that I am finally starting to feel that way again.

These were taken at my heaviest and this morning.