Countdown to 25 (T-minus 6 Days)

I am fat.

I am not saying this for sympathy. I am not saying this out of a desire for people to tell me I am beautiful. I know I am beautiful. I am saying this because at 5’3” and just under 200 pounds, I am obese and I need to make a lifestyle change to better my future. In six days, I will be 25 years old. I have struggled with my weight for nearly 15 years when I first started to eat based on my fluctuating emotions.

No more.

Here are some things you should know about me before we get into the nitty-gritty of what Weighing In is all about:

I am an incredibly happy person living, working and attending graduate school at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. My graduate program includes a live-in work requirement in a residence hall and is incredibly time consuming and exhausting, and also includes a free meal plan for on-campus dining (my constant temptation). My shiny new husband and I were married in June 2011. His name is Danny, and he is my constant support. We are both Southern California natives accustomed to an incredible variety of cuisines and food options, and Bloomington has been slightly disappointing (“very disappointing” if you ask Danny) in the culinary department, so Danny cooks a lot of delicious and fattening food to attempt to replicate what we don’t have in town.

Now --- weight loss.

I have always felt like my weight has held me back from enjoying life as much as possible. It is time for that to end. I am married to the man of my dreams and I am pursuing a career that makes me feel purposeful. I want my body, health and fitness to also be a reflection of the wonderful life I am living.

Weighing In is a blog that will allow me a space to reflect on my weight loss experience. I am currently enrolled in Weight Watchers and have lost 13 pounds (my original weight was 210 pounds) in 6 weeks. I know I can do this --- I know I can make a change and can do the work to finally get where I want to be.

Currently, I weigh 197 pounds, wear a size 16 pant, and I am busting out of a 38D bra. I would like to weigh 130 pounds, wear a size 6 pant, and have much smaller breasts (these bad boys get in my way all the time). After a lot of research, I believe 130 is a completely acceptable and healthy weight for my height and body type.

So, now what? I will continue on Weight Watchers, which has been helpful so far. I will also be going to the gym frequently to ensure that I am staying active.

This is going to be a struggle. This is going to be an incredible challenge. But my 25^th birthday is in six days, and I want this year of my life to mean something. I want this year to be when I fought to feel sexy for my amazing husband. I want this year to be the time when I fought to get my mindset right for my future children. And I want this year to be the year I can look back on and say, "That was the year I changed my life."