I was always petite and athletic growing up. I participated in track, dance classes and even competed in various competitions! I began to have mysterious abdomenal pains every couple of years as a teenager. They were always sharp and crippling, but usually receded in a few hours. We always thought it was appendicitis. Once I was married, and I moved away from home to be with my husband and our first duty station, I began to gain weight due to the lack of exercise I was doing in college. I went ...

I was always petite and athletic growing up. I participated in track, dance classes and even competed in various competitions! I began to have mysterious abdomenal pains every couple of years as a teenager. They were always sharp and crippling, but usually receded in a few hours. We always thought it was appendicitis. Once I was married, and I moved away from home to be with my husband and our first duty station, I began to gain weight due to the lack of exercise I was doing in college. I went from around 130 lbs to approximately 190lbs (not sure the highest, as I would not get on a scale!) within a few years. And unlike many of my military wife friends, they had wonderful babies to offer some sort of happy excuse as to their weight gain. NOT ME MAN! I was just plain fat. One night I was rushed to the ER with crippling right abdomenal pains. Ultra sounds later revealed I had an enormous ovarian cyst that ruptured. I had to be observed overnight for surgry reasons. From that day forward I had to make a decision to take birth control for ovarian cyst reasons. At times my husband and I tried for a baby and were unsuccessful. More than likely, due to being obese. I was rushed in and out of the hospital several times due to cysts.
In addition I have a family history of diabetes. My father passed away from it due to not taking the time to care for himself. As a child I always tended to be normal to having lower blood sugar. In the early years of my marriage I started employment at GNC and a unwaivering ferocious desire arose within me to learn about health and nutrition, even though I was not the "poster child" for health. I began to LOVE cooking! I even spent some time at culinary school where I learned more about life, culture and the importance of food than I had in the previous 20+ years of being alive! Now I was hooked! I began to research degree programs I could finish working in the nutrition and health industry. I am proud to say I am officially returning to college THIS YEAR to finish my degree that I have put off for so long! :) In many ways I wanted to return as a way of educating people about nutrition and health, but also in loving memory of my dad who passed away from Diabetes. No one should be uninformed about the dangers of this crippling disease. And many other nutritional factors play a role in so many chronic diseases including ovarian cysts! Now ... I am on a mission for the truth!
Another cornerstone in my life was in March 2012 on the first day of Spring, when I watched the acclaimed, friend-recommended "Forks Over Knives". I almost could not contain myself! It was so inspiring, enlightening and deepened further my LOVE and IRREVOCABLE passion for health and wellness! It also inspired me to completely change my lifestyle...To adopt a whole foods plant based diet. Ever since then I have been seeing remarkable results in the areas of health! I have lost weight, began to feel better....and I even convinced my husband this was a change we could do together! I had tried several times in years previous to take on a vegetarian diet and was completely unsuccecssful! I was not properly educated nor was I willing to rid myself of a foods that were impeding my progress. I am here today to tell you, that my health and wellness decisions are permanent and I am forever in the debt of Dr. Esselstyn and Dr. Campbell. No fad diets for me, just good solid nutrition and lifestyle changes!
Now...I am fueled with the tools I need to succeed!

My long-term goal is to become a motivational speaker/educator and author in the areas of health and nutrition and finish my degree in biochemistry and pharmaceutical science. I want to help advance the health industry, like finding a cure for diabetes. :)

Regimen:
Cardio: Combination of:
* Running * Jogging * Swimming laps * Elliptical

Strength: 60 pushups DAILY
100 crunches DAILY


Heaviest: 190-ish lbs
Current: 168 lbs
Mid Goal 1: 155 lbs Estimated Deadline: Aug. 7th-6Yr Anniversary
Mid Goal 2: 140 lbs Estimated Deadline: Sep. 9th
FINAL: : 130lbs Estimated Deadline: Nov. 1st






"Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Nothing great was ever done without much enduring"
-Catherine of Sienna

"Risk...more than others think is safe,
Care ...more than others think is wise,
Dream...more than others think is practical,
Expect...more than others think is possible!"
-Cadet Maxim, USMA
West Point, New York

Read More About SKINNYLILANGEL (Updated August 21)

Member Comments Page (230 total):  123Next >Last >>