UPDATE: April 15, 2012 - With just over a week to go before my 4 year Sparkiversary, I thought I should update this.

After my 5k run in September 2010, I completely fell off the wagon. I had decided to take a week off from running, which turned into 1.5 years. Did ok eating-wise, but had pretty much stopped exercising. Winter blues hit. Looked forward to starting again in spring, but that's when I started my Invisalign journey. I let myself fall into the excuse that the braces ...

UPDATE: April 15, 2012 - With just over a week to go before my 4 year Sparkiversary, I thought I should update this.

After my 5k run in September 2010, I completely fell off the wagon. I had decided to take a week off from running, which turned into 1.5 years. Did ok eating-wise, but had pretty much stopped exercising. Winter blues hit. Looked forward to starting again in spring, but that's when I started my Invisalign journey. I let myself fall into the excuse that the braces would restrict my eating so much when I got them that I could justify eating whatever I wanted right then. Turns out that wasn't true. Work was even harder and more stressful than usual, and in June I lost my job. Was unemployed over the summer, and binge eating became the norm. I was depressed and I didn't care anymore.

Then in September I got a new job (the BEST job ever) which I absolutely love. But there was a problem. My nice work clothes didn't fit anymore. I bought new ones, and eventually grew out of them too. Finally in February I braved stepping on a scale. 176. I had gained 29 pounds. I started doing a 10 min Coach Nicole video once or twice a week, started measuring my portions again, and started drinking water again. I dropped a few pounds, but floundered through all of March between 171-174. I felt hopeless.

Then I found out that one of the agents I worked with at my last job did Zumba. We talked on FB for a week and she finally convinced me to give it a try. I'd always wanted to, but was too afraid. I agreed before my brain could realize what I was doing, lol! Then I immediately signed up to attend a self-defense seminar at a local BJJ/MMA gym. Went to both and loved them.

Now I go to Zumba every Thursday at 5:30 after work. The instructors I met at the seminar have friended me on FB and have been amazing inspiration and encouragement. I've started eating cleaner, exercising regularly, including a heavy focus on strength training. Have started the C25k program again. Finally got my treadmill working again. And overall I feel great. I've finally overcome that 171 hurdle I was at and am now at 169. I am a much more positive person now, and I don't think I've ever been this happy. I don't regret anything that's happened these last 2 years. I needed them to show myself that no matter what happens, I am capable of getting back up. I am that strong. :)

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UPDATE: March 6, 2010 - Maintained well over winter. Still 148 pounds. Total poundage lost: 67. Excited to restart my lunchtime walk/run this week and lost the last 18-23.

Just a few stats:

Starting weight: 215
Current weight: 148
Total lost: 67

Starting pant size: 18
Current pant size: 4
Sizes dropped: 7

Haven't taken measurements for awhile, but I will take them at the end of the week and post the total lost.

NEW GOALS:
1. 145
2. 135
3. 125
4. Run a 5k (signed up for one Sept. 9, 2010)
____________________

Update: July 27, 2009 - I have officially lost 58 pounds with Sparkpeople. Fell off the wagon last month and am restarting my program at my current weight, 157. My starting weight in April 08 was 215.

____________________

My name is Lana and I'm fat. Not the way I want to introduce myself, but it's the way I feel. I am 29 years old, and have struggled with weight nearly my whole life. At first I blamed it on genetics. Then on my Grandma's cooking. Then on my depression. Etc, etc, etc. But when it comes right down to it, I'm fat because I never knew how to eat.

When I was 13, my Grandma - my best friend - had a massive heart attack and died. I was devastated and honestly do not remember anything for the next couple of weeks. One thing I do remember though was weighing myself and seeing 195 on the scale. In my grief and naivety, I blamed her heart attack on her weight and swore that I would be resigned to the same fate if I didn't lose. That startled a 3-year long battle with anorexia. I still don't know what cause me to pull out of it - I just did one day. I ended up gaining up to 145-150 and happily stayed there for awhile. My mother had thrown out my scale, so I eventually lost track of my weight.

Though I can't remember exactly when, I know it was sometime in college when I discovered I was about 180. But I didn't have motivation to do anything about it. In my mind, if I ignored the problem, it would go away. This tends to be a mindset with me that I really am trying to deal with.

In January 2007, I finally took my driver's test and got my license. I was 200 pounds. I swore I wouldn't get any higher, but once again just ignored the problem. I joined SP in May, but didn't do anything and quickly forgot about it. In January 2008, I came back weighing at 213 and half-heartedly used the nutrition tracker. Again, I forgot about it, ignored the problem, and gained more weight. My highest was 215.

My breakthrough moment. April 2008. A agreed to bartend at a birthday party for a friend's husband, during which she took my picture. A week later, I saw the picture and immediately started bawling. I had never actually looked at myself and realized how fat I'd actually gotten. That inspired me to try and eat healthier. I stopped eating frozen dinners for lunch and started making chicken wraps instead. About the 3rd week of April, I decided to step on the long-forgotten scale a friend had gotten me the Christmas before. 209!!! I couldn't believe it. Just switching my lunch up made me lose 6 pounds. I knew then that I could lose more. It wasn't impossible. I came back to SP and really, really looked the site over. Read articles till my eyes hurt, logged everything I put into my mouth, and started (for the first time ever) exercising.

To me, SP is like Nutrition School. I am learning how to feed and take care of my body. And it's not hard! You just have to be dedicated. Some people say willpower has nothing to do with it, but trust me it does. It takes a lot of willpower for me to exercise when I just want to play games online.

I am now down to about 160. Reducing my sodium has made me lose the first 12 pounds, and now I'm working on the fat. I have many goals. First to get to 199 (DONE 6/28/08!). Then 175 (DONE 11/15/08). Then 150 is my major goal. When I get there I want to work more on toning and strength training, and overall decide how I feel, and if I'd like to continue down to 135. It'll be an interesting, hard, fun, frustrating, but totally worth it journey.

I can't wait.

GOALS:
1. 199 - DONE! 6/28/08
2. 195 - DONE! 7/12/08 (20 lbs gone forever!)
3. 189 - DONE! (Not sure when - lost track)
4. 179 - DONE! (10/25/08)
5. 169 - DONE! (01/14/09)
6. 159 - DONE! (6/6/09)
7. 150 - my goal weight - DONE (winter 09)

Read More About LANABYTE (Updated April 15)

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