it snuck up on me!

RunsWithDogsWI

My weight, that is! I'm a really small person but have been running into lots of roadblocks these past few years. I lead a VERY busy life and most days, time to exercise got squeezed out of my schedule. Right now I'm 5'2" and 135.4 lbs. That's down from 140 lbs, when I got up the courage to weigh myself two weeks ago. It seems like a big drop but I haven't been overly restricting my calories. I eat til I'm full every day; I use the 1550 calories MFP calculates for me as a hard ceiling I try not to go over.

This past fall & winter were horrendous for my health. I managed to avoid catching influenza, but every other virus under the sun got in past my defenses. I spent months drowning in mucus and feeling too exhausted/sick for exercise. In March I spent two full weeks on the couch (when not at work) coughing so uncontrollably that even codeine did nothing for me. Even now, four weeks later, I've just finally been able to stop taking cough suppressants when I go to bed at night.

Since I live in a very northern climate, I decided to restart supplementing with vitamin D every day. I think that has started to help my immune system recover. I love to run, hike, swim (laps and open water), and cross-country ski. I can run a 5K at about a 9-minute-mile pace. My golden retriever loves to come along on my outdoor adventures!

My BMI is currently 24.8, nearly "overweight" according to the NIH. When I was really fit I was down to 115ish lbs and looked amazing, so my goal is to get back there again. I want my cute clothes to fit me again, and to be proud to be seen wearing a bikini.

I'm headed back to school for my doctorate in veterinary medicine this fall, and I want to fit in with all the younger people who will be my peers. I wish my metabolism still worked like it did when I was in my 20s!

Another thing I really struggle with is a pretty Midwestern problem to have--food is love, so if I ask for a smaller portion of a home-cooked casserole, it's like a direct insult to whomever cooked it. I'm slowly working on getting my fiance (who cooks like a pro chef) and the rest of my family on board with my smaller portions. I'm not a Nordic giant who spends all day working on the farm or logging, so the amount of calories I'm offered at dinner sometimes is FAR too much food. It's tough to tell someone who "slaved over a hot stove" for me that I'd like less of their home-cooked meal.

Feel free to friend me; I could use the extra motivation. Not interested in meeting men; I've got one of those whom I really like.