This was me my freshman year of college (2004). Ignore the hair, I was fresh from the beach that’s on the other side of those trees. I was probably around 125-130 pounds or so. I was also moderately active between marching band and just walking to every class. This was probably the best shape I was ever in. Not too skinny, but not flabby. No muffin-top, no stretch marks, no rolls. Everything was tight. I know 130 sounds like a lot for a girl whose only 5 feet tall but remember, I was active. Those thighs are more muscle than fat.I’ve never really been a dieter… I’ve never needed to be. I ate whatever I wanted and I was so active that it burned off before I really packed on any weight. But you know, eventually you have to graduate and move on to real life. So 5 years and 2 degrees later, I was no longer marching 4 days a week and walking to all my classes. I was, however, still eating like a champ.
Here is me in 2009 and I’m a bridesmaid at a friend’s wedding. What the hell happened to me?! I didn’t even realize it until I ordered my dress in a size 14 and it was TOO SMALL!! I basically refused to go another size up, because a 16 would officially put me into the Plus Size category, and I wasn’t about to make that move. So I spent the day hardly able to breathe instead.
Ever since I’ve been making one failed attempt after another to lose some weight. The only thing I’ve really managed to do is keep myself out of the plus size section.
I spent most of 2012 pregnant with my son. I consider myself lucky that I was able to keep my weight under control during those 9 months. The day after he was born, I weighed the same as the day I found out I was pregnant. The problem instead, was stretch marks and jiggling. My stomach has never been the same. The skin is somewhat looser and the muscles themselves are pretty soft compared to before I was pregnant. I’ve never had ab muscles, but I’ve always had a very strong core, and now that’s gone too.
So here I am in 2013 weighing 180lbs, getting flabby, and tired of it. The summer is coming in south Texas. All I own are bikinis and right now I look like this:
