I can trace my "weight journey" back to middle school, because honestly before then I don't remember thinking about weight. But I do remember starting 6th grade and making a new friend. She was very athletic playing soccer year round (I never played sports, I mean I would play for a season but never really liked any of them enough) and grew boobs much earlier than I did. I remember being so envious of her fit, athletic body and she still had the chest that all the 6th grade boys whispered about. Our friendship continued through middle school where she embraced fitted, belly baring t's (yes, this was the middle 90's) and I chose to be "cool" by wearing oversized XL t's.
In high school my middle school friend and I drifted apart, her choosing to hang out with the older crowd and I chose to try another sport, volleyball. I had played v-ball before, but just for fun...nothing like this. The practices and drills were INTENSE! I had never worked out so hard in my life. But surprisingly I grew to LOVE these practices because I saw a huge (well huge to me) difference in my body. Over the season I saw myself slimming out and slowly saying buh-bye to my juvenile muffin top (this was actually before that term became so well known). Through out HS I tried a few other sports, I started feeling like none were really as fun as the practices! My friends thought I was crazy, I preferred the practices and drills over the games! But then I found our HS's Strength Training program where for a "season" you worked out (ie: my love of practices and drills but no games!).
When I moved away to college I became another "Freshman 15" statistic...except it was much more than 15. I remember vaguely thinking I was getting heavier, but didn't pay much attention because I looked like all my college friends. Now looking at pictures from my freshman year I can't believe I didn't notice how big I had gotten, because at my heaviest I had gained 35-ish pounds!!! The summer after freshman year I moved out of our college town to a smaller town and I remember being so bored that I started riding my bike around and out of town. I then started doing my old workout videos and because I was so bored (read: had nobody else in that town) I found myself working out all day and going for hours long bike rides. In those short 6 weeks before sophomore year started I shed those 35-ish pounds I had gained and was back to being "high school skinny"!
My weight fluctuated through out college, like most people I know but after my 6 week non-stop workouts discontinued and college life resumed, I stayed pretty constant at a healthy size 10 (not that I "measure my health" in terms of clothes size, but I think it can be pretty telling). The years following college as I slipped into my "grown up life" I remained at that size and was pretty content that that was my body and didn't think much of really trying to change it. That was until my size 10's started getting a little tight and Mr. Muffin Top reappeared for a visit...and it wasn't a short visit. This was about the time that Matt and I started dating and as I've heard from many people I got in that "comfortable couple" rut. This was until about 6 months before our wedding, after the New Year last year I decided to make a conscience effort to change. I was determined to feel beautiful in my wedding dress and have what I dubbed "Michelle Obama arms"!
The caption "Lose up to 20 Pounds in 30 Days" was the clincher. I honestly jumped into this full on and stuck with in pretty consistently for the first 4 months. Although the scale said I was down 20 lbs (over the course of 6 months), I don't remember seeing a huge change in my everyday clothes but then again I don't think I was looking for it. I was so fixed on wedding planning and dress fittings. But when wedding day came and I slipped on my dress and courageously looked in those mirrors where you see EVERY angle of yourself I was pretty damn happy! I remember thinking, "ok I'm still curvy but I don't feel pudgy". And the best part...I got my Michelle Obama arms!!!
I hope every woman is able to say that their wedding is one of the happiest days of their lives not just because of what a wedding represents, but also I wish every woman feels as good about themselves as I did that day!
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