Once upon a time on the east coast I was a depressed middle school kid. victim of my own hand, I used food as comfort during a lonely pre-adolesence. I gained 50 pounds in 6 months. that's a lot of food, and started a pattern of eating for comfort. Not unlike many kids growing up, I was very self conscious about my weight/appearance. In high school I got into swimming, skiing, softball and soccer, but kept the bad habits of eating processed junk food, in gargantuan proportions. In college I ...

Once upon a time on the east coast I was a depressed middle school kid. victim of my own hand, I used food as comfort during a lonely pre-adolesence. I gained 50 pounds in 6 months. that's a lot of food, and started a pattern of eating for comfort. Not unlike many kids growing up, I was very self conscious about my weight/appearance. In high school I got into swimming, skiing, softball and soccer, but kept the bad habits of eating processed junk food, in gargantuan proportions. In college I decided to ditch the depression and start to love myself exactly as I was. That confidence translated into making many friends, having boyfriends, but the one thing I subconsciously avoided was changing what I put into my body, and my sport of choice became the college party scene. Ah, youth....

As an adult I have now come to realize that I avoided advice from my mother, nutritionists, swim coaches and even a resident theatre professor who told me if I juuuuust lost a little weight I would be up for the lead female roles. I cast them all away, "I'm FINE just the way I am" I'd say. People need to accept me for who I am!

Problem was, I didn't accept myself, I just avoided that part I didn't like. To quote Roseanne Barr from the 80's: " I wake up in the morning and go, ' well my head looks good, nice hair and makeup, i'm not going to think about the rest.' Along that same vein, I continued, as a creature of habit. Fast food sometimes 3 times a day, super size, gastrointestinal issues, acne, stretch marks.....but none were on my head, so I ignored it.

Fast forward to 2010, August: I have compiled so much great information from outside sources on how to live healthy, and my office was offerring a free pedometer if we joined a walking fitness challenge. Hey, no problem, I love walking! And this creature of habit caught the healthy bug. The one where I became AWARE or the food I was eating, the portion sizes, challenged myself to eat what I NEED, not what I WANT...and eventually the WANTs changed from burgers, fries, cake.....to a salad, a glass of water, salmon on a bed in quinoa. Instead of drinking a pot of coffee a day, I drink 1-2 cups a day. Instead of staying up until 1-2am watching tv and snacking, I get my 6-8 hours of sleep a night. Instead of sleeping on my lunchbreak ( I work from home), I'm walking my neighborhood, wii cardio boxing, yoga, pilates, swimming. I evolved into making new choices for myself, better choices. And hey, I haven't lost a ton of weight. At my biggest, after my 2nd kid was born I was 273. I haven't weighed less than 200 since 1990. this is year that will change. Go ahead world, throw a plateau in my face, throw holidays, and winter to keep me from exercising, but you can't beat me, weather, calendar, nature...I'll evolve...and be 100% proud of 100% me.

Read More About SUZYGREENBERG94 (Updated November 15)

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