Something is off

Over the past week or so, I've been feeling off. My emotions are all over the place! I'm tired all the time. I just want to curl up in bed all day and sleep. I've realized what's off is my eating habits! I've been eating too much processed food and not nearly enough fruits and vegetables!! I was reading a blog that my friend Elizabeth and her aunts have created (http://www.3fruitychicks.com) and I realized that it is time for a change and another reboot!

Step 1: Spend the next 4 days removing processed sugars, dairy, and meat from my diet.

Step 2: Starting January 1 I'm going on a 10-day (maybe longer) juice fast. I need to clean out my body again and get the energy I had back!

Step 3: Make an exercise schedule and stick to it! I plan on asking friends to help me (come work-out with me, going walking/running with me, or just call and remind/motivate me to go). Having a good support system is important!

Step 4: Enjoy New Year's Eve and celebrate the success that I've had!

Now on a better note, even with not eating the best and surviving through the holidays, I've continued to lose weight! I have lost a total of 41 lbs!!! Remember my goal is to lose a total of 150 lbs by this summer so the disk in my back with either move back on it's own or I can have surgery to have it moved back into place. Which means I only have 109 lbs left to go!!! And I will do it!

Here's to a new year, with a new beginning of life for me!

Starting weight: 365 lbs
Current weight: 324 lbs
Total lost: 41 lbs!!! woot woot!

I'll post some new photos soon!

Christmas Letter

Over the past week or so, I've been receiving Christmas cards and letters in the mail (and through blogs) from many of my friends. It has brought me much joy to hear about and see pictures of your beautiful families! I started wondering if I should write a Christmas letter this year (never have done one before), but at first as I thought about my life over the past year, I thought that it might sound depressing. However, after more thought, I received that what matters is that I overcame the challenges of this year and learned from them. I'm very happy with where my life is now and I'd like to share the journey which got me there...

A year ago I have lived in a small one bedroom house with my husband and our puppy Bella. I was working at the Wells Fargo Call Center in Salem. Unfortunately, our Christmas Eve didn't turn out the way we had hoped ... while at work on Christmas Eve morning, I received a phone call letting me know that my Grandma Hodges had passed away. This was very hard new for me to receive because I loved her so dearly! She was an amazing woman who I look up to and hope to become more like as I grow older.

In January, Sherman and I decided that we needed more room, so we moved into a 3 bedroom 2 bath (1250 sqft) apartment in Keizer. I loved that apartment!

In February, I took a teller position at a Wells Fargo branch because I wanted to have more face to face interaction with customers.

In March, we had our one year anniversary and went on a trip to California (the Bay Area where I use to live) and Utah. Our trip to Utah didn't go very well, since Sherman's mom ended up in the hospital and our dog Bella died while we were gone. On the flight home, I was very ill and couldn't keep anything down and had a bad pain in my side. That continued through April and May. I wasn't able to work because I was either drugged up or vomiting and in pain. In the end of May, my doctor finally discovered that I have a disk in my back pushing into my spinal column which is causing nerve pain. We saw a neurosurgeon who informed me that she would not do surgery on it until I lost 150 lbs or until I become paralyzed! That was very scary and frustrating to hear! In June, I started receiving epidermal injections in my back to numb the nerves. I continue to get them on a regular basis so I can continue functioning.

In April, we got a new puppy named Molly. She was very cuddly once she got to know you. Unfortunately, she needed more attention and love than we were able to give her so we found her a new home in August.

August and September were not pleasant months for me. In the end of September, I lost my job and we no longer had any income so we had to move out of our apartment. Sherman moved to Utah and I moved to my mom's home in Newberg. A few weeks later, he told me that he no longer wanted to be married to me so we filed for divorce.

Now for the not so depressing part ...
In October after I moved back to my mom's, I realized that I needed to make some changes. I started this blog, changed my eating habits, started losing weight (36lbs so far!), went to counseling (that helped a lot), started the process to go back to school, became more active in my church, and started hanging out with friends!!! I am so thankful for the friends in my life!! You guys are awesome! I also, went to the haunted forest twice! It was so much fun and not something I would usually do!

In the beginning of November, my mom and her husband put their house up for sale and moved to Dallas, Texas. Since then, I have been learning to adjust to living by myself (I've always lived with family, roommates or my husband). Had friends over for dance parties, movies, yummy food, and lots of laughter!

In December, my life has gotten even better! I was very worried going into this Christmas season that it would be difficult with the anniversary of my grandma's passing and the divorce. However, I have some amazing people in my life who have made this Christmas so wonderful for me! Lots of good memories, going to SleighBells, making Christmas cookies, singing, picking out special ornaments for the tree, putting up the Christmas tree, dancing in the living room, going to Peacock Lane, going to the temple, and much more!

Tomorrow is Christmas and New Year's Eve is a week away. As I look back at this year, I'm grateful for the lessons I've learned and how I've grown. I'm excited as I look forward at my future! I'm starting school at Portland Community College in a few weeks and hope to get into the OHSU nursing program soon! I've realized that this time in my life is to better myself and prepare myself. So, I plan on continuing to lose weight, get healthy and fit, progress in my education, grow spiritually, and have lots of fun along the way!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my friends and family!!
I love you all!

Sincerely,
Stephanie Bailey

The Challenge of Eating

I apologize for the long absence in posting, but I will try to be better about it. As some of you know, I've been going through a lot of emotional stress in my personal life. I am going through a divorce, trying to find a job, and for the first time in my life I'm living completely alone. For the past month, I've been trying to adjust to my life changes. Honestly I think I'm handling everything pretty well. I've recognized that I need to feel the emotions, deal with them, and let them go. It's okay to cry. Also, okay to be happy even when you are sad about the things that are happening in your life. Praying, journaling and spending time with friends have been great tools for me during this time.

Now that you know about how I've been handling my mental/emotional health, let's talk about my physical health. I'm still struggling with remembering to eat often, however for the most part I've continued to eat healthy. I love to eat fruits and vegetables! I'm not craving things like I use to. Also, I use to get heartburn and nausea a lot. Now I never get heartburn and only occasionally get nausea when I eat meat or carbs. I usually drink herbal tea to help settle my tummy. I love peppermint tea!

Thanksgiving:
The day of celebration and being thankful was a hard day for me. However, I am proud to say that I didn't have any big melt downs and I ate fairly healthy. My family had dinner at my Aunt's house. At no point did I eat so much that my stomach hurt and I felt exhausted. I tasted everything that I wanted to eat, but filled up on vegetables and salad. And yes I did have some pie. :)

With Christmas coming, I'm learning to say "no thank you" more often or limiting myself to one treat. I've found that keeping my fridge and cupboards full of healthy choices makes it easier on me.

If anyone who has been reading this, has made some changes in their lives and would like to show their story, please let me know.

Starting weight: 365 lbs
Current weight: 335 lbs!!!
I've lost another 5 lbs! Making my total weight lost 30lbs!

Continuing the Journey

Over the past week or so, I've not been doing very well about my food and exercise. I have not horrible, but I can tell the difference in how my body feels. It's funny though because I can tell a big difference in how I look at food and what I want to eat. My challenge of late is that I get so busy with life that I forget to eat. So, I've been eating like once or twice a day instead of 4-5 times a day. Therefore I've made a decision, I'm focusing more on my food this week, but will also keep living life. Which means I need to plan more ahead and think about what I'm going to eat before I get hungry. I'm excited to continue this journey.

As for my exercise, I've joined the local aquatic center that has a small room with workout equipment, times for lap swimming, water exercise classes and a hottub! I planning starting to use all of them (not at the same time) today! I love swimming and it allows me to some good exercise in without hurting my back too much. I have a goal to complete a 5k next summer and if I work hard and keep that goal in mind, I will be able to do it!

Starting weight: 365 lbs
Current weight: 340 lbs
25 lbs gone!!!! I weigh less than I have in 2 yrs! I'm excited to see the rest of the weight go away! Here I go!

Starting a Reboot for you

For those of you who would like to try a Reboot in your life, here's some information:

I'm excited that you are taking this step. My mom and I have seen a great improvement in how we feel. First, try to watch the movie "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead." It's on Netflix if you have access to it. Second, talk to your family and friends and make sure you have a group support network. They can't help you change, but if they aren't supporting you, then can help you fall. Third, go to http://jointhereboot.com . Once you are on the website go to "Take Our Assessment" which should be on the lower right side. They will ask you some questions about your current eating habits and find which reboot program will be best for you. I did the "Reboot Entry Program." Then from the main page go to tab that says "Reboot Program." Don't click on it, just put your mouse over it and then go down to the program they suggested for you. Read about it and click "Get Started." If you've already done that, then click on "Getting Ready for your Reboot Entry" read it and also click on "During Your Reboot Entry." In the "During Your Reboot Entry" page you'll read about the reboot that you'll be doing and they have menus for each day if you want to follow them. We followed them, but not exactly because something came up or we had leftovers that we ate instead. Also, if you go to the top of the page to tab that says "Reboot Program" and put your mouse over it again, you can go down to "Recipes." I copied all the recipes into a word file and printed them, then put them in a binder that I keep on the kitchen counter. I also printed out the instructions and the menus minus the recipes since I had already printed them out. I know that website can be confusing, but if you explore a little, there's a lot of good information on there.

Equipment:
We use a regular blender that you can buy at Target or Walmart or wherever you want. You'll also need a juicer. The website does let you know about buying one, but we already had one (that we had never used). We did see ones at Fred Meyers (which is a local store) for around $90-100. Get to know your juicer. We use it everyday! You'll also need a vegetable steamer basket (or a steamer) and a stock pot for making the soup. Also, have a spray bottle of olive oil. We bought a regular spray bottle that we refill.

The Food:

Be organized! It will save you time, money, and frustration! Look at the meal plans and make a list of what you need before you go to the store. I suggest only buying for 2-3 days at a time. We found that things went bad if we buy them too far in advance. Buy from local farms if you can, or buy organic if you can afford it. If you don't know what something is or where to get it, feel free to ask me. I've been meaning to post pictures of the different kinds of vegetables and fruits. If there's a Trader Joe's near you, check it out. I love them! Try new things and even ones you've tried before. You'll be surprised what you'll like. If you try a recipe once and don't like it, either change it around or use a different one that you do like. Stock up on Olive Oil. You'll use a lot.

Warning:

The first couple of days you'll be tired and need the restroom often. This will change over time and you'll find that you will have more energy, a clearer mind, and less cravings. We have been doing this for over 2 wks and we don't want a lot of the old foods.

If you want any questions, don't hesitate to ask! I'm excited to hear how this goes for you!

Good luck and Have fun!

Recipes

I've been telling some of you that I would post some recipes, but haven't gotten around to it until now. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Blackberry Kiwi

1/4 large Pineapple, core removed and roughly cubed
1 cup Blackberries
1 Kiwi Fruit
1/4 Comice Pear
1/4 cup Coconut Water
30 Mint leaves
Blend it all together and enjoy!
Calories: 230
Protein: 5 g
Fiber: 2 g

Green Juice

6 leaves Kale
2 cups Spinach
1/2 Cucumber
4 stalks Celery
2 Apples
1” Ginger root
Put into a juicer and drink it up. It doesn't taste that bad.
Calories: 180
Protein: 12 g
Fiber: 1 g

Minty-Fresh Berry

2 cups Blueberries
2 Kiwi Fruit
16 Strawberries
2 cups Mint leaves, packed into the measuring cup
Put into juicer and enjoy!
Calories: 319
Protein: 5 g
Fiber: 4 g

Sweet N Tart Citrus

3 cups Cranberries
2 2 x 2” pieces Ginger
3 Oranges
2 small Ruby Red Grapefruit
2 Limes
Put into juicer and drink it up! This will wake you up! lol
Calories: 500
Protein: 7 g
Fiber: 9 g

Now for the real food:

Vegetable Soup

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 large Onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3 medium Carrots, chopped
3 Celery Stalks, chopped
3 Tomatoes, chopped with juice reserved
1 medium Zucchini, cut into half moons
1 cup Green Beans, trimmed to 1 inch pieces
3-4 handfuls Kale or other leafy green such as Chard or Bok Choy, chopped into small
pieces
6 cupswWater
3/4 Tbsp. fresh Thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh Oregano, chopped (or 1/2 Tbsp. dried)
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper
In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion,
garlic, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, zucchini, green
beans, water, salt, pepper, thyme and oregano; stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the
heat to a simmer and cook the soup for 10 minutes. Add the chopped kale or other
leafy greens and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste with the salt and
pepper.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 185
Protein: 4 g
Fiber: 5.5 g

I LOVE this soup! You can make it ahead of time and storage it in your fridge to eat later in the week if you want.

Carrot-Dill Salad with Ginger Honey
Soy Dressing

3 cups greens (spinach, arugula, romaine, red leaf, etc..)
Shredded Carrot, Fennel, Radish, Cabbage, Celery Salad with Fresh Dill, Lemon
add 1/2 of an avocado
Ginger Honey Soy Dressing
2 Tbsp. Minced Fresh Ginger
2 Tbsp. Minced Fresh Garlic
2 Tbsp. Raw Honey
4 Tbsp. Nama Shoyu or Tamari
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Puree the first four ingredients in a blender. With the blender running, slowly add
the oil until the dressing is emulsified. Keep up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Spinach, Broccoli, Orange and Arugula Salad

Dressing:
1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Agave Nectar
1 Tbsp. Honey
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1/4 Tbsp. Sea or Celtic salt
1/8 Tbsp. coarsely Ground Black Pepper
Combine the above ingredients in a jar. Cover and shake well.
Salad:
4 cups chopped fresh Spinach
3 cups small Broccoli florets (can steam if desired)
3 cups trimmed Arugula leaves (or bagged) – can substitute Watercress
4 Oranges peeled and cut into sections
Place all ingredients into a large bowl and add dressing – stir well.
Save extra in refrigerator for the next day.
Makes 2 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 232
Protein: 8 g
Fiber: 9 g

Apple, Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes

4 Parsnips, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
2 medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 small Onion, sliced
2 Apples (try fuji or gala) cored and diced
2 cloves Garlic
Black Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Place sweet potatoes, parsnips and apples with garlic and onions in a covered baking
dish and spray with olive oil, add pepper to taste.
Roast for 40-50 minutes until tender.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 219
Protein: 3.5 g
Fiber: 1.5 g
We found that we like to put salsa on this. 

Baked Zucchini with Tomatoes and Herbs

5 small Zucchini
4 Scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
1 small Onion, chopped
2 Plum Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. Celery Leaves (from inner stalks), chopped
4 Tbsp. Basil Leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice the zucchini in half crosswise. Cut each half
again lengthwise, and slice each of the halves into 4 equal, 1/2 inch pieces. They
should look like sticks.
In a bowl, mix together the zucchini sticks with the white parts of the scallions,
onion, tomatoes, celery leaves and basil. Mix in the olive oil, salt and pepper and
toss to combine.
Pour into a 3 quart baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Garnish with the sliced
green tops of the scallions and the extra chopped basil.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 153
Protein: 1.5 g
Fiber: 1.5 g

So yummy!

Guacamole & Salsa Dip for Veggies

Dip Celery, Cucumber, Carrots, Peppers, Jicama
Make Yucca “chips” to dip (peel and cut Yucca root into circles, spray with olive
oil add salt and pepper, bake at 450 for 30 minutes until crisp)
Calories: 326
Protein: 3 g
Fiber: 4 g
Salsa:
3 Tomatoes, chopped
1 small Onion chopped
1 Jalepeno Pepper (optional) seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
1/8 teaspoon Salt
Combine all ingredients and toss – you can also throw tomato, onion and jalepeno
pepper into a food processor before mixing with lime juice
Per Serving:
Calories: 44
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 2 g

Guacamole

2 Avocados
2 Tbsp. Lime Juice
1/8 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
1/8 tsp. Chipotle Chili Powder
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 clove Garlic, minced
Scoop avocadoes into a bowl – mash with a potato masher or place into food processor
and puree all ingredients.
Per serving:
Calories: 163
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 7 g



We have made the Yucca root chips, salsa, and guacamole a lot because we love it so much!

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with
Mushroom and Sage

1 medium Acorn Squash
3/4 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper
6 Tbsp. Olive Oil, plus extra for brushing
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 large Portabella Mushroom, chopped
1 small Onion, chopped
2 tsp. Fresh Sage, finely chopped
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes, optional
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim off each end of the squash. Stand the squash
upright and halve lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp and the seeds and discard. Brush
each squash half with olive oil, and then sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. salt and the black
pepper. Arrange cut sides down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast
the squash until the flesh is tender and the edges are golden brown, approximately
25-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the squash halves over and set aside.
While the squash roasts, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high
heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute 2 minutes, or until the onions begin to
turn translucent. Add the mushrooms, sage, 1/4 tsp. salt and the red pepper flakes if
using, and saute until the mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Fill the
roasted squash halves with the mushroom mixture and bake again for another 10
minutes.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 254
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 2.5 g

Sweet Potato and Carrot “Fries”

2 medium Sweet Potatoes
2 large Carrots
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. ground Cumin
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and carrots. Cut the potatoes in
half lengthwise, and slice each halve into 4 equal wedges. For the carrots, cut in
half crosswise into two chunks. Slice each chunk lengthwise into 2 pieces, and cut
each piece into 2 or 3 wedges, making them roughly the same size as the potatoes.
Put the potato and carrot wedges into a bowl and toss with the oil, cumin, pepper and
salt. Arrange on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes or
until the flesh is tender and the outside is lightly browned and the edges slightly
crisp.
Note: You can substitute any combination of cinnamon/nutmeg, cayenne, rosemary or
other spices for the cumin and Aleppo pepper.
Makes 2 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 276
Protein: 4 g
Fiber: 6 g
 We like them better when we cut them into smaller pieces, like a normal fry.


Ok, I think that's enough for now. I'll post more another day. I hope you enjoy them! Oh, and feel free to change things up and try new foods!


Starting weight: 365 lbs
Current weight: 345 lbs!!!
Weight lost: 20 lbs!!! woot woot!

 
 

Day 15 of Reboot!

Yay! I have spent the last 2 weeks changing how I eat and it has paid off! I feel healthier and have more energy! But just because I'm done with the reboot doesn't mean I'm done .... this is just the beginning! This week I am going to start add nuts, cheese, and some meats back into my diet.

Today we stopped at a local farm and picked up some food. I don't know what it is about buying straight from the farm, but it makes me more excited about the food! We also went to Trader Joe's (my favorite!) and picked up a few things. I'm excited about food and I don't feel guilty!

Exercise: Yesterday I walked 2.2 miles just because I needed some air lol and today I walked 3 miles! I want to start swimming and using weights to build muscle. I'm feeling sore, but good!

I have a goal to walk a 5k next summer (my sister said that she would do it with me) and to run a 5k before I turn 30yrs old (which is Jan 2014). I can do it! My parents ran the New York Marathon when they were about my age ... maybe someday I will too.

Mental health: Personally I find that my mental health and spiritual health go together. I've been spending time reading, which I enjoy and helps me relax. I also have been getting out with friends who make me laugh. Laughter is a great healer!

Sorry this is short and my thoughts are kinda scattered, but I need to go cook dinner.

Starting weight: 365 lbs
Current weight: 348 lbs
Weight Lost: 17 lbs!!!!

I have a goal to be down to 300 lbs by Christmas! I will be kicking myself into high gear in the next few weeks! I CAN DO IT!!!!

Day 9 of Reboot

This will be a short posting since I have a lot to do (I've been helping my mom get her house ready to sell). However, I did want to share a few things:

Celebrate: Celebrate your small accomplishments! If you don't eat that basket of bread on the table before dinner, give yourself a pat on the back! Yesterday, I said no to desert (which looked super yummy and had ice cream - my favorite) and felt great about it!

Cheating is okay: I know your mother told you to never cheat, but it's okay to cheat occasionally on a diet. On Saturday I ate lunch at Burger King and ate two bite size snickers in the evening. I had to remind myself that I also went 5 days without cheating at all, so I was doing great!

Plan ahead of time: I ended up eating at Burger King because I hadn't eaten breakfast and went running out the door without thinking about what I was going to eat. (By the way, on a side note, I felt so sick after I ate the cheeseburger ... I think I'll be thinking twice before doing that again!) If you are like me and don't plan much time for breakfast in the morning, prepare it the night before. You can make a lot of your food the night before and just take it with you.

Journal: There is no calorie counting or food journaling in this diet, but I need to journal about how I'm feeling. I've found that when I'm stressed out and emotional, instead of heading to the kitchen to fed my feelings, I now go to my quiet room, take a few breaths, and then write down everything I'm feeling into my little journal that I just bought.

There's one last thing that I am excited to tell you about ... I've lost 13 lbs! Today I put on a pair of jeans that I haven't worn in over a year!

Starting weight: 365 lbs
Current weight: 352 lbs!

Day 3 of Reboot

My mom and I are now on the 3rd day of a 15 day Entry Reboot (Check out www.jointhereboot.com for details). On Monday morning, my mom and I went to Fred Meyers and filled a cart with fresh fruits and vegetables. We got a lot of looks and comments from people. We didn't find everything that we needed, but we filled our fridge and counter tops!

Note: there are a few things in the fridge that we are not eating, but are from before.

We also went to Trader Joe's (LOVE IT!), an Indian store, and an Asian  market to get a few things. After 3 days, we are feeling good and discovering new foods. We are also learning how to store the fruit and vegetables and that we need to only buy for a few days at a time instead of a week because we don't have the space and things go bad. Here are a few pictures from the past few days:

 My mom cutting up apples for part of breakfast.

Cherry Cinnamon Apple Bake ... 

We couldn't find fresh Cherries so we used dried one which was a mistake. It was too dry. I think I'll try it again with canned or fresh cherries.

Mom about to drink her fruit juice ... Green Juice (that's the name) ... it tasted better than it looked.

That's me trying to get up the nerve to drink my Green Juice! LOL

 Raw Carrot Ginger Soup

It looks really yummy, but I think I want to try it again and change it a little.

Arugula Spinach Salad before we mixed it all up.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing

Really easy to make from scratch and we love it!

Arugula Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing

(this is only 1/3 of a serving size!)

Blackberry Kiwi Blend ... Super yummy!

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Mushroom and Sage

I usually don't like mushrooms, but I loved this! I will be making this one again!

Green Vegetable Soup while I was making it.

Maple & Cinnamon Baked Apples and Pears

I learned that the pears need more time than the apples ... oops.

 

I'm also trying to be more active, but haven't started an exercise routine yet. 

My Current Weight: 356 lbs. - 9 lbs gone!

Time for a Reboot!

I have struggled with my weight my whole life! I've gone to nutritionist, Weight Watchers, physical trainers, and tried lots of diets. All which are great things to do, but I've continued to struggled. I'm now 27yr old and 365 lbs! I have trouble sleeping and when I do sleep, I'm tired when I wake-up. I'm tired so much that I don't enjoy things that I want to do. I knew that I needed to make a change, but what?

 Since I was 18yrs old, I've been having doctors tell me to have Bariatric surgery (they have been telling me to lose weight long before that). I have thought a lot about it, but I don't want to have to do it. This past summer I was diagnosed with a displaced disk in my back which is pushing against my spinal column. I need spinal surgery, but my neurosurgeon won't do it until I have lost 150lbs. or more. In September, I went for my annual check-up and my doctor suggested that I look into the Paleo Diet. I looked into it, but just didn't want to give up the foods I like (I think most of us feel this way about diets). My husband's cousin, who is a trainer (thanks Mindy), suggested that I watch "Food Matters" and "Forks over Knives." Then a friend of mine (thanks Elizabeth) posted something on Facebook about the video "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." I watched it with my mom and it changed my life.

After watching "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," I started thinking about how I keep "trying" to lose weight, but I realized that I keep eating the same food hoping that something will change. The fact is that I need to CHANGE how and what I eat! So, I went to www.jointhereboot.com and started.

In this blog I will be talking about the foods I am eating, my exercise, and how I am trying to create a healthier me! I do want to make it clear thought that I am not trying to lose weight so that I can become beautiful and sexy because I ALREADY am beautiful and sexy; I just want to become healthier.

Let the journey began to A Healthier Me!