Country Girl at Heart

From the time I was born until I was 9 years old, my parents, siblings, and I lived in a small farming town. Both of my parents grew up on farms. When my parents moved us to a much bigger town, I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay in that small town with my friends and the rest of my family.

 

 

As a little girl, yes, I played with Barbie dolls and was a little girly. But, I also enjoyed playing outside and didn't mind getting dirty.

 

 



 

As I got older, I still liked doing stuff outside. I still wanted to live in a small town or mainly out in the country. You can laugh if you want, but I had it set in my head that I would move to Montana, Wyoming, or Texas, get married to a farmer, rancher or a good old country boy, have a handful of kids, and feed a houseful of people on a weekly basis. I've had this thought out since way before I met my guy now who happens to live in Texas.

 

 

 

I wanted to have a huge garden, have chickens, dogs, and maybe some cats roaming the yard, and some cattle out back. I could see myself sitting on the back porch like I did as a kid with my mom's large, orange Tupperware bowl snapping green beans with my own future kids. I also want to can items from my garden like my mom, grandma's and aunts had done.

 

 

 

I wanted to be a combination of my grandmothers, my mom, and ranch wives (example: Ree Drummond). Does that sound crazy?

 

 

 

I wonder if it's a little ironic that I found a super nice country boy from Texas. (I think God works in mysterious ways).

 

 

 

 He's said he will teach me how to shoot and then take me to a hunter's safety course and we would go hunting. I used to go fishing with my dad, uncles, and grandpa as a kid. But they always cleaned the fish. My guy said that he'd teach me to clean whatever I hunt or catch. Sounds a little gross, yes, but I am more than willing to learn.

 

 

 

Wherever I've go and no matter where I've been, I feel I have and always will be a country girl at heart.  

Biggest Loser

Several years ago, I found the show "The Biggest Loser". It was part way through season 11 when I started watching. Sisters, Hannah and Olivia, became two of my biggest inspirations. So much of what Hannah was saying was how I had felt at the time: like I didn't matter, I wasn't good enough, that I was invisible

(Sorry for the blurry picture) This is me at about 183 at my heaviest.

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Within a year, I started my own weight loss journey. I found an app to add to my phone to help me keep track of what I was eating and how much I was exercising. In the course of a year, I lost roughly 30 pounds. Yes, there were days that I slipped and ate way too much junk food and many other foods that were unhealthy for me.

I moved back to my hometown in February of 2013. I had quit keeping track of my eating and exercise habits. I wasn't walking as much as I had been. I ended up gaining 5-7 pounds back. My motivation has been lacking.

I recently got a new phone and added the same weight loss app that I had started with before. I've been good at keeping track and have lost a few pounds. Yes, I still eat junk, but I've been better about my grocery shopping and getting healthier food choices. I've even tried a few recipes from some of my Biggest Loser cookbooks.

December 2012 - the same size I am now.

My goal weight is 135-140, which I feel is a comfortable and healthy weight range for me. I still have minimum 12 pounds to go. I know I can do it and that it will take more hard work than I'm putting in now. It will also take me time.

I am thankful for my families support along my journey. I have also made many friends on Twitter who are each on their own weight loss journeys. I am super thankful for them as well.

(Thanks goes out to: @JBReclaim, @FitFamSam, @happyblackchick, @BL11Courtney, @Lightjules12, @ExpDomesticity, @GrimmwayFarms)