Body Overhaul

As usual, the dreaded swimsuit season is upon us and as usual, I'm not as confident as I'd like to be when it comes to tyin on the bikini and hittin the beach. The difference this year, though? I've had ENOUGH. And finally... I'm more motivated than ever to do something about it.  

I've struggled with my weight since high school. As a kid, I was very active and participated in 3 sports so the junk food I was guzzling never showed up in cellulite or belly bulge. But by junior year of high school, I was down to only one sport and that just wasn't enough to combat all of the calories I was taking in. 

I graduated as the chubby one of my friends (hard to tell with the robe, but it's true).

When college rolled around, I was overcome with the stress of being completely out of my comfort zone. Food was something that made me feel better and alcohol made me forget my insecurities. So, I ate...a lot, and when I went to parties, I drank up that liquid courage. 

Chipmunk Cheeks

Freshman 15? Pssshh...I packed that on and then some. By the end of my Freshman year, I weighed 175 lbs. Now, I know in the scheme of stories like this one, some of you may scoff at that and tell me to quit bitchin. But, at my age and height (5'8), I am at my healthiest and feeling my best between 135 and 145 lbs. Setting numbers aside, I went from being an athlete to having zero endurance and very little muscle mass. The realization of this was more upsetting than what the scale read. I was unhealthy and lacked confidence. 

I fell into a cycle of going home for the summer, losing a few pounds, then gaining it all back by the time the fall semester was over. And this cycle has continued well past college. I have tried just about every diet and some have worked temporarily, but for many reasons, mostly my own lack of discipline, I failed at each one.

And then I read this book, by Rich Roll. A man, who at age 40, found himself overweight, unhappy and on the brink of very serious health issues, when he decided that he, too, had had enough. He is now considered one of the fittest men in the world and my inspiration.  

My philosophy is simple and maybe a little cliché: As far as I know, I've been given one life. And I plan to spend it helping others, taking on every adventure, absorbing every great experience and filling my hours with as many happy moments as possible. To do that, I cannot be worried about, or tied down by, health or self-esteem issues that are well within my control. Not to mention the fact that there is an athlete somewhere deep inside that I'd like to meet again. So, I am going to spend a short amount of time getting healthy so that I can spend a much, much longer amount of time dedicating myself to what really matters. 

And I plan to take you with me on the entire journey. I can't guarantee that it will be pretty or that I won't slip sometimes, but what I will promise is full disclosure on the process, the dirty details of what's working and what's not AND before and after photos. My hope is to help even just one other person overcome his or her own weight issues. And, if you're already happy with your body, then maybe the dedication I apply to achieving my goal will inspire you to tackle a different challenge or accomplish a different goal. 

Let the body overhaul begin!