Pregnancy Articles

'I Was Such a Different Person Then'

Healthy Mom Overcomes Obesity and an Eating Disorder

I was very fat when I was in my teens (pushing 200 pounds), and I lost all the weight in the beginning in a very bad way. I suffered an eating disorder for about five years. Eventually I went to group therapy and overcame the disorder, deciding to live, not die. (At one point, I was very ill and was even rushed to the hospital.) I finally decided to put all my energy into something that my body could benefit from. Rather than slowly killing myself, I decided to get into fitness...and focus more on eating healthier.

By the time I hit about 21, I was fully recovered and at a good weight; over time I'd become more focused on my goals and being healthy, especially when I met my husband. My family has a history of obesity: My mother is very heavy (she also has diabetes, thyroid problems, and high blood pressure), my uncle is very heavy (although he seems to have it somewhat under control), and my older sister is very heavy, too. I knew if I didn't take care of myself the right way, I would likely die. So I started reading books on nutrition and health, and in light of my earlier eating disorder, focused on making sure I got the nutrients my body needs. My eating habits may at times seem odd to others, but I feed myself what I know my body needs, and what my baby needs.

I am very much into fitness. In many ways I'm self-taught, self-trained and self-motivated, but I thrive on keeping myself fit for life, and have done so for more than 12 years. When I was growing up, fitness was not a priority in my family, but I want something different for my children: I want to instill in them the habits of staying healthy. I hope to break the cycle of obesity by teaching them proper nutrition and showing them that not only is fitness a necessity, it can also be enjoyable.

I plan to make sure my children participate in sports, such as karate, gymnastics, dance, or whatever piques their interest. (I was not involved in sports as a kid.) I also want them to be proud of their daddy and me, to view us as their role models as they grow into adults and have their own kids. I feel I have more than exceeded my expectations in practicing good fitness and nutrition. Your site has helped, allowing me to make sure I got exactly what I needed in my day-to-day nutritional intake. I always did my best to meet those goals every day.
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