Later on in life…

Me at age 6 eating a piece of devil’s food cake.

Growing up, I remember that I was the girl that could eat three times my bodyweight in food and not gain a thing. Food is very important to my family and I, we eat when we’re happy, we eat when we’re sad, we eat when we want to celebrate and we eat when we need that quiet comfort after a long day.

For the longest time (well as far back as I can remember) food was always there for me. Different food would spark memories of different things, for example my Grammy would always make a hot milk cake that we would enjoy for every holiday. My Grammy has been passed away for almost 7 years but still when I smell that cake or one of my aunts make it, it takes me back to when she was alive and would bring it to wherever we were spending the day.

Me at age 12 enjoying an air show with my best friend.

My teens and childhood spared me from concerns about my weight I was always fairly petite, never weighing more than 115 lbs. Upon entering my 20s, however, I found that the food that I loved so dearly did not love me back. Namely, those Carb/Starchy/Sugary foods-I’m looking right at you Penne Vodka and Mashed Potatoes!

Marybeth and I, Spring of 2015

When I first was introduced Atkins by my cousin Marybeth I wasn’t sure it would work for me, I was very apprehensive and very skeptic that I would get the results that I really needed. But at nearly 145 lbs and only standing at 5 foot 1 inch, I needed a change.

Me and my husband Tom, at my heaviest.

While at first it was very hard to give up those tough foods, over the next couple months it became easier especially when I watched all the weight just fly off of me. By the summer of 2014, I had weighed less than I did in high school, a whopping 106 pounds. I felt great, I looked great and more importantly I got the self-esteem back that I felt my weight had stolen from me. Of course it is always darkest before the dawn, after visiting my doctor in the spring of 2015 he recommended I come off Akin’s claiming that it is not a permanent lifestyle and like a fool, despite what my body was telling me that it was fine for me, I listened.

Me, November of 2014 after staying on Atkins for 8 months. I weighed less than I did when I graduated high school!

I wish I could tell you that my battle with weight ended there but I not only gained the weight I lost back but tacked on an extra 11 pounds. That was three weeks ago when I got on the scale and I decided I’m going to take control back of my life. In those three weeks I worked very hard getting back on track and today I am proud to say I have lost those 11 extra pounds and I’m back where I was where I started just a few years ago. I weighed myself this morning and lost two more pounds bringing my total weight loss to 13 pounds.

Tom and I, Christmas 2017

This is my New Year’s resolution I want my body back, no I need my body back. My goal to lose 38 more pounds will not be easy but it’s definitely going to be worth it.

Join me tonight at 8 PM with Nate as we discuss this more in depth on tonight’s podcast. Download Anchor and call in to join the conversation, be sure to ‘favorite’ my station or leave a comment below! What’s been your greatest struggle?

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo