
I'm going to get serious with this post. I know this is a very touchy subject for so many people, but I want to get this off my chest. I am not, not have I ever been "fat and proud", "Cheerfully Chubby" or "Courageously Curvacious". I mean no disrespect to people who have the confidence! But that's never been me.
For more than 15 years I've been battling my weight and my health. I suffer from a number of illnesses, many of which can be attributed to stress and anxiety. I'm not dying. I don't have cancer. But I'm not very healthy either, and haven't been since I was 9 years old.
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| Me at age 9. I took dance religiously since I was 2. After I was 10, I had to stop because I was too heavy. |
Right after my 10th birthday I was hospitalized off and on for the better part of a year. The doctors had me on a lot of medication and when they introduced a new pill into my regimen, my body rejected it. And I got very sick. In order to help me out, they had me on a number of steroids. Within a year I had gained more than 40 lbs. I was bullied and got into fights constantly. I was teased at school, my local hangouts and even Sunday school. And over the next 5 years I had to change schools 3 times to avoid harassment.
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| Me at ages 13, 14 and 15 |
So this past year I made a promise to myself...
I will stop playing the victim. I will stop letting my weight and my anxiety define me. I will get down to a size 10 and look fantastic at my brother's wedding. Losing weight is not my main focus. Being fit and being healthy is! And I've taken up some new life style changes to get me there.
- Yoga at home every day.
- Weight training
- I go running at least once a week.
- Training for my first 5K.
- Dancing, Hoola Hooping and other fun activities.
- Little to no alcohol.
- Absolutely no aspartame, artificial sweeteners or caffeine.
- Healthy meals, all three meals.
- I have a bed time.
- Low GI diet.
I may not be brave enough to wear a bikini this summer. Or to wear a Slave Leia costume at comic con just yet. But I feel confident. And that's all that matters.
Here's what has improved in just the past few weeks:
- My skin and hair are healthier.
- My body is toning up. My posture is improving.
- I've been grinding my teeth at night less.
- My insomnia has pretty much disappeared.
- My headaches are gone.
- Panic attacks are becoming more rare.
- My happy-silly attitude that I was known for in HS has returned.
- I feel like my old self again.
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| Today. |
Thanks for being so supportive.
<3 Stephanie




















