About Me Now
My very adult-like and manly boyfriend recently purchased a beautiful home in the southern Californian mountains. Unemployed and trying to find some semblance of a path in my life, I decided to move up the hill, too.
I enjoy running – by myself and with my hermaphroditic dog, Tilley.
I have recently rediscovered that I am a competitive person. Thanks, racing!
I also enjoy hiking, backpacking, and BAKING.
I love being around people, so while living in the mountains (where there are no people), I have turned to blogging.
About Me Then
In high school I was 5’3″, athletic, played volleyball & soccer, ran track, loved being outdoors. My mother always watched what we ate – the kind of peanut butter with the oil on top, rice cakes, all-natural ice cream – all that good stuff. When I went away to college I tried my best to keep up these habits, but with an all-you-can-eat dining hall system, there’s only so much one’s self-control can take. By indulging in salsa con queso and late night pizza and never really moving (I went through a brief gym phase but I mean it when I say it was…brief), by the end of college I had probably put on 10-15 pounds.
Then I moved to California. And before I knew it the doctor was writing down 135 lbs on my chart. Now, this is still normal weight for someone my height. But on my way home, I couldn’t help but wonder when I had managed to add 30 pounds to my slender frame. I looked at myself in the mirror, wondering where the hell those 30 pounds were. I’m not overweight, I thought. Sure, my face is a little fuller, and sure, I can’t fit into those pants anymore, but…that’s ok! Right?
And I must take this moment to let you know that I’m not comparing my journey to yours – I know there are those of you who have 50, 100, 200 pounds you are trying to lose. When it comes to a person’s weight loss journey, I believe each one is unique and personal. And for me, those 30 pounds represented 7 years of inactivity, sitting at a desk all day at work, and overindulging on cheeseburgers and beer. I noticed my sunny disposition was turning a bit cloudy. I needed to change something.
Losing weight was a goal, though I never had a distinct number in mind. I just wanted to be healthy and active again. I joined a gym, I had a cheeseburger every 2 or 3 weeks instead of every week, and I cut back on my caloric beverage intake. Before I knew it, the pounds started melting off. I never felt like I was dieting, I never felt like I was pushing myself to any bizarre extremes, but by just amping up my daily activity and being generally more health-conscious, pretty soon my body settled in right where it wanted to be. I lost those 30 pounds in a natural way and I have kept them off for 2 years now. I also have racing to thank – competition has lit a fire under this butt and I can’t stop!
To those of you who may be on a journey of your own, whether it is to lose weight or just start being healthier and happier – you got this. Listen to your body. Give it what it needs, love it for what it is, and for pete’s sake, don’t go too hard on yourself 🙂
Mountain Lassie 