Get to Know Me Better

 So, I thought I’d give you all a little insight into my background and why I decided to start this blog in the first place. 

I was born and mostly raised in Edmonton, AB and currently reside here today. I’m 34 years old and I’ve had 3 children and raise 2 bonus kids as well from my spouse of almost 8 years. Having a large, blended family definitely has its challenges. Emotionally and financially.

I’ve struggled with being overweight and obese most of my life since I was 10 years old. I come from a poor family and things like fresh veggies and fruits were not very available. My parents did their best to keep me fed but unfortunately much of what I ate was high in sugar, carbs, fat and lots of other unhealthy ingredients. To be somewhat fair, my parents also grew up poor and in the times before internet at your fingertips, they just didn’t know any better then.

Between the lack of access to healthy food, the pressures of being bullied and binge eating to deal with trauma, I just never could get my weight under control. I was always the “fat friend”. Or the “chubby friend” in the small friend groups I managed to make growing up. Coming in at 5’9” by the age of 14 didn’t help matters. And to top all of that off, I stood out in many other ways. In the way I dressed, my personality and my intelligence. As it turns out, I have severe ADHD and other mental health disorders but in highschool when I struggled the most growing up, I had no idea about my issues… I just thought I was weird. Different. And I’ll never fit in. Unfortunately to this day that remains true. But I’ve also learned that a handful of friends is all you need in life anyways. 

In to my adult years I began to actually put effort in to losing weight. I was still overweight but the best I felt in years… Then my first child came along…. For the 18 months following her birth I found myself a plump and unhappy, size 22 at 250lbs… I didn’t have any muscle… the pregnancy was tough and I was so sick and bedridden. I’d put on so much weight in just a year and I lost all of my strength. I avoided my picture taken and I hated looking in the mirror. But finally one day I decided only I could change what I didn’t like about myself. I had also learned that I had fatty liver disease and hypothyroidism when my daughter was 6 months old. So one day I walked into the YMCA and got my first ever gym membership. And I worked out hard… For 2-3 hours a day and sometimes 5 or 6 days a week…. The weight came off so fast at first. 40lbs in 4 months. The next 15lbs came off slower over the next 6 months or so, but ultimately I gained it all back as the routine I had set and diet I was eating were neither practical or healthy. Especially in any long term sense. But shortly after losing weight, I was pregnant again with my second daughter… I didn’t gain so much weight this second time, but after having her until my pregnancy with my only son, I could not ever get under 200lbs, or smaller than a size 14…. Now despite gaining no weight at a with my son, the weight gain came after.

When my son was 3 months old I made the permanent decision to not have any more children and I was surgically sterilized. My son is almost 7 and I have no regrets of having the surgery, aside the fact that I very quickly and easily gained 80lbs. And I also suffer other issues that I wasn’t warned about prior to surgery. But knowing how badly my body tolerated hormonal birth control, I still feel I made the better decision for my life and my family… After a year or 2 of staying at 280lbs, knowing my fatty liver disease had progressed to moderate liver fibrosis, and also knowing my high risk of type 2 diabetes, I knew I had to stop making excuses for myself and make permanent changes.

That brings me to around a year ago… I accepted that this wasn’t going to be a fast process and nor should it be. But I just can’t give up. This time around it has taken me a year to lose the weight I lost in 4 months years ago. I’m far from perfect, sometimes I slip up or indulge more than I should. Sometimes I don’t exercise as much as I should. But the progress is coming. Habits are so hard for me to form, despite the fact I thrive best on routine. Kind of a catch 22 of having ADHD. 

I still have a long way to go, I’m not even half way yet. Sometimes its hard to keep myself accountable and that leads me to writing this blog. I’m hoping that in doing this I might find a little support from some kind strangers, that too perhaps are on a weight loss path of their own. I’d love to read some comments about your progress if this relates to you! As much as I could use the support I am also more than happy to cheer others on too! We all have our stories, please share yours!

Spread those positive vibes! 

-Melsy