My Story

Hi.

I'm Annie.  I'm a new Mum.  I'm a wife.  I'm a daughter and a sister.  I'm 175cm tall.  I'm also overweight.

When I was in highschool I was skinny (a size 10) but I ate poorly whenever given the chance.  I often felt hungry and would eat my lunch at morning tea when I was at school.  I would then go and buy 3 hash browns with sauce to eat.  I would also eat breakfast cereal when I got home from school.

After I finished highschool I spent a year in Canada on exchange.  I gained 2 dress sizes in 2 weeks.  (Just ask my host-parents how much I ate!  They weren't sure how they were going to afford to feed me!)  I spent the rest of the year trying to lose the weight by increasing my exercise - things like playing Rugby Union, Swimming, walking to school.  At the same time I ate extra food at the town's takeaway venues such as Subway, Burger King, Tim Hortons etc.  I didn't lose the weight.

I came home a size 14, and started a biology degree at University.  By the end of the year I was back to a size 10.  I was eating a vegetarian diet and was hungry ALL the time.

I got engaged and moved out of home.  It was not a healthy relationship.  I gained weight.  I got married.  I gained more weight.  I separated from my first husband just before my 21st birthday.  I was back up to a size 14.

But now I had no self esteem, and was an emotional basket case.

I finished my studies and moved to Adelaide.  I wobbled and wavered between a size 14 and 16.  I was probably larger if I'm honest with myself.

I walked away from research as a career.  I met my husband.  I changed jobs.  I had to lose weight to get into my current line of work.  I help people for a living and wear a uniform while doing it.  I went jogging.  I didn't change my diet much.  I was a size 12 at the end of the training.  I also had shin splints.

Then the shift work started.  Halfway through my first year of work I split my uniform pants one night at work.  Some of the girls I worked with took me aside and helped me order new uniforms that fit.  I was so embarrased.  I was also so grateful because I was tired of squeezing into pants that didn't fit me.

I stopped shift work.  I still kept gaining weight.  I tried upping my exercise.  It didn't work.  I watched "Super Size Me" and stopped eating takeaway - for a while.

I put on muscle.  I also put on fat on top of it.  My waist got bigger.

Mid-2010 my parents visited me.  I was popping out of my size 18 clothes.  My Mum said to me that if I really were eating as well as I said I was and exercising as much as I said I was that I should be losing weight.  I went and got my insulin levels and thyroid tested at her behest.  The results?  I have insulin resistance.

I then worked a bit harder on my eating patterns (sporadically) and exercise (consistently).  I still gained weight on the scales though.  I got pregnant weighing 104kg.  For every one step forward, I took two back.

Since having my little boy I have gained weight from 108kg post-delivery to 113kg.

To deal with my personal challenges of staying motivated and keeping control of my eating I have signed up to do the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation.

I want to note here that anything I endorse on my blog is done without payment or prompting by anyone.

This is where I am at now.  I aim to lose 33kg in a year.  You can follow me as I go through this journey.  I view this as a life change.  I will continue to eat healthily and exercise after I reach my weight loss goals.

If you are looking for yourself, believe me, you will never find you because you are what you believe you can become. You, and you alone create your own identity.--Thomas D. Willhite

During my journey I have been diagnosed with severe Post Natal Depression.  Being a Mum is a hard gig.

I hope you enjoy my blog.  Please feel free to post a comment, or ask a question.  Thanks.