Happy and Healthy

sarahisme18

I'm not to my goal weight yet, but tonight I was just reflecting on how far I've come since last November.

Last year I was not working out on a regular basis, binging and eating through emotions, processed foods and meat made up my meals, eating out a lot, then feeling guilty and dieting like crazy, taking diet pills, not sleeping well, feeling depressed, drinking alcohol every week.... just generally in poor health.

This year: being active most days of the week, able to get through an entire zumba class feeling so good, centering my meals around veggies and vegetarian protein, eating more whole foods (I hardly ever shop in the non-perishable sections!), reaching for nuts and fruit for snacks instead of chips and chocolate, eating a well-balanced diet every day while still indulging in some of the things I love, sleeping well, clear skin, happy mind and heart, drinking WAY more water and tea and waaaaay less soda and alcohol....

And overall feeling really strong, accomplished, optimistic, happy, healthy, and like I GOT THIS.

What a difference one year of educating myself and wanting to change my life can make!

Debbe2

Congratulations! You have Got This!!!

jencjeffery

Well done. I have just come back on here and am wondering why I ever stopped. Everyone is such an inspiration.

gnb4hi

Excellent Job! What was the moment that you said "enough is enough" and made that change?

barbiek999

Fantastic, good on you! Great post - thanks!

sarahisme18

Oh, I remember it very clearly...... one night last winter, my hubby had been gone for weeks for work and I was eating poorly, not active, just really awful. I came home one night and ate an entire frozen pizza, doritos, and almost an entire tub of ice cream. Immediately after I felt sick and guilty, and just slept because I was so depressed.

The next day I received a magazine in the mail, and I hardly ever actually read the articles in the magazines, but there was one that stuck out to me... because it described exactly what I had done the night before and what I had been doing for years: binge eating. It described it as a disorder, just like anorexia.

I went to the library immediately and found a book on this.... called "Why You Binge Eat and How to Stop". I highly recommend it. I read this cover to cover, and decided to change my habits. It was so hard at first.... but slowly I got there. As I learned more and read more, I decided to try eating vegetarian for one month.... I couldn't believe how good I felt! So I kept doing it. I kept learning more and reading more, and eventually started centering everything I ate around fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, grains. Whole foods. Joined the YMCA and started going to Zumba, planning my meals, learning more and more... it just kept getting better from there.