Vegetarian? Philadelphian? Runner? Be my friend!

VegMe

Hello!

Ugh, where to start? My journey began in late 2011. I had a major surgery earlier that year and found myself 30 pounds heavier by Thanksgiving! This was in addition to the 15 pounds I gained since graduating college in 2007. I'm a 5'7" female and was never super thin, but I was horrified and even shameful for weighing in at 185 pounds. I did lose 20 pounds the first half of 2012 while getting my eating habits back on track and training for a 10 mile race.

I was happy with this momentum until the late Spring, when my employer of four years announced they were going to lay off a good portion of my office later in the summer. Cue emotional eating, way too many happy hours with my coworkers, and barely any time logged at the gym. Thankfully I was able to find a new job and started two weeks after I was laid off. My new job is great, but I typically travel 2-3 days a week. Trying to get back on the healthy diet wagon while on the road on top of having a normal social life was a challenge, and this past Christmas I found myself right back where I started a year earlier: 189 pounds.

So here I am. I am learning to manage my time better so that I have more time to work out. I commute from Philadelphia to NYC part of the week, but I'm getting better at bringing healthy food and snacks with me instead of going out to eat. I still enjoy Philadelphia's awesome restaurants, but I realize that sometimes I have to say no to friends if I want to be in good shape again. I'm training for a half marathon in June (my second half!), but my real goal is to continue my healthy habits even after the race is over.

What I REALLY want is to feel great in my clothes by Thanksgiving for the first time in two years. I carry all my weight in my midsection and wear a size 12. At 145 pounds (my college weight), I was a fit-looking size 8. That is where I want to be this Fall, and I know I need to stay accountable to myself and others in order to make my goal. This is why I'm here! I would love to connect with other people (especially fellow vegetarians, back of the pack runners, Philadelphians, and people who travel frequently for work!) to share my progress with and also support as we work together to be happier with ourselves!