nearly 30 & 250lbs: transforming myself

Sweatpants_Sassy

Hi MFP users-

The COVID-19 pandemic has given me a newfound appreciation for my health and a desire to dig into the hard work of repairing a rocky relationship with food, body image, and exercise. I write freely about this on my profile to process and reflect, and in hopes my experience will speak to others going through similar things.

I have depression and anxiety big time (heightened during this "new normal" we're carrying on through) but do my best not to let that stop me from my goals. There's so much to enjoy in life! I want to enjoy it looking and feeling my best. I've worked with a therapist in the past to address mental health and continue to work on using all I learned in that experience.

From 2016-2018 I lost 70lbs and got down to 195lbs. I was working out regularly and it did wonders for my mood. Then my dad died unexpectedly while I was away juggling 70 hour weeks of full-time work and college. From there I wasn't able to focus on my health until after I graduated this spring and took a long, honest look at my priorities. Career and education success didn't heal my grief, and neither did the binge eating I used to cope with stressful living. Recently I went through traumatic event that brought up old PTSD symptoms in a significant way. That's when I recognized that my always-busy lifestyle was a house of cards.

So now I'm rebuilding from the ground up with optimism that this could be an opportunity to embrace the "new me" living my best life. Why not try to make the most of this weird pandemic period? (My workplace is closed for the foreseeable future so I have the time- no excuses!) It isn't easy but the rewards are worth it. Want to join me?

Seeking fitness friends around my size who use the app daily. Bonus points if your log is visible to friends, as mine is. You don't have to eat perfectly of course- I will respect wherever you're at in your journey.

Good luck out there!
Jaymie