Now and Then - Do you Remember When...?
NOW AND THEN
Or, I should say, then vs. now.
For more years than I can count, I was the girl on the outside looking in, never quite sure of where I belonged.
I had natural red hair, kids didnât appreciate red hair.
I had crooked teeth, kids pointed them out.
I was fat, kids criticized my weight.
I was ostracized when I started at a new school in fifth grade.
I felt that every thing about me was different and when you want to belong, different is bad.
From an early age, until recently, I lacked confidence. I was unsure of myself and my worth. I feared being in the company of those who were sure of themselves or more knowledgeable than me.
I have many childhood experiences that stuck with me throughout adolescence and adulthood and negatively affected my behaviours and perceptions as I grew, especially in high school.
I yo-yoed with my weight throughout high school. Throughout university, my weight continually inclined as my clothes and body expanded inch by inch â size 14, size 16, and then size 18.
I had two âfriendsâ that I enjoyed shopping with and being seen out with because they were bigger than me. Sadly, their size made me feel better about myself. One of these friendships was completely toxic but being the smallest of the trio was glorious, so I clung to my âplus-size frenemiesâ.
Karma bit my ass in university when I had two close girlfriends who were STUNNING and I was the largest of our trio. I faked confidence well, but being out with them, especially shopping and at the bar, was painful. They were constantly attracting men, getting dates. I remained single.
I attracted men by getting intoxicated in order to feel sexy and flirtatious and I wore push-up bras. If my boobs were big enough to underplay my stomach, I was happy.
I tried several diets, I tried Hydroxicut, different exercise routines â I even got a gym membership but seldom went. Actually, in university my girlfriend and I would purposely hit up the gym before McDonalds to justify the food binge
Balance? Ah-Yea, No!
My longest fitness routine lasted two or three weeks. If my body felt deprived after a workout I would justify fueling it with bad (delicious) foods.
No matter what I wore, I felt self-conscious about my stomach. Whenever I sat, my first instinct was to remove the fabric from the folds between my stomach so people couldnât âsee my fatâ. I kept my arms covered as often as possible.
I constantly died my hair. It was the one thing I could control about my appearance.
By age 29, I weighed over 250 lbs., encroaching on a size 3x. I was obese before I turned 30!
*I say I weighed over 250 lbs. because that is when I stopped weighing myself. I donât know the actual number at my Ah-ha moment.*
By this point in my life, I had developed a completely unhealthy relationship with food. I used food as a coping mechanism to keep my looming depression in abeyance. And then I would feel depressed anyway when my clothes didnât fit. It was a vicious cycle. If I was stressed, pissed, had a bad work day, a hangover, clothes didnât fit, it was an excuse to get food.
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âI needed itâ.
My husband was equally bad with the food. BUT even when he wasnât in the mood for take-out, if I was developing a mood swing because I âneeded foodâ, he would go and get it to avoid a ginger hissy fit. If we werenât ordering food 3 or 4 nights a week, it was a healthy week.
My diet consisted of pizza, McDonaldâs, candy, chips and dip (an entire bag of chips and entire container of dip in one night). In 2015 I was on a family vacation in Florida and ate and entire bag of chips. This was normal for me behind closed doors, but, because I was around people I commented âWow! I just ate an entire bag of chipsâ. Someone responded âI sawâ thatâs a lot of chipsâ. That was embarrassing â but did it stop me? Nope!
My epiphany did not come until months later, December 2015, when I was watching My 600 Pound Life on TLC. I was absolutely fascinated by the show and, as usual, was sitting in bed, chocolate and candy wrappers all around me. Thatâs when it hit me â I had jumped up in weight so quickly that if I kept lazing along this path, I would either 1) be featured in an episode of My 600 Pound Life or 2) Die. Just flat out die.
That was my Ah-ha moment.
My husband and I attended my office Christmas party. This, ladies, was the FIRST TIME I ate a piece of spinach. Yup, there I was, 29 years old and owed my life to reality tv and a piece of f*cking spinach.
With that, my health and wellness journey began. I did not know what I was going to do, but I knew that it was time to say YES to myself, to show-up for myself and to start caring for the body that had loved and supported me for so long, even after all I put it through.
I recognized that I HAD the Power to finish my story, which did not include ending my life.
I finally showed up for myself and worked to let go of my limiting body image beliefs. I realized that what the kids thought of me, didnât matter. What society thought of me, didnât matter. What I thought of me mattered. My relationships with my mind and body mattered. I learnt that my previous attempts at diet and exercise werenât successful because I didnât believe in my capacity. I was dieting and exercising to be accepted.
I implemented an entire new lifestyle system that benefited me â body, mind and spirit. My system resulted in a 100-pound weight loss and clarity about my relationship with my husband. I also gained:
Confidence
Strength
Optimism
Determination
Self-worth
NOW I want to be here for you, when you have your epiphany and say YES to yourself. I want to elevate and empower you to become the GOAL CRUSHING, powerhouse woman you are meant to be!
I want you to look in the mirror every day like I do feeling nothing but proud and confident, knowing where you belong!
If youâre ready to become the woman you were put on this earth to be then its time for you to reach out! I have elevated myself from death to success and I am ready to elevate you to your success.
Trust in me and let me lift you up when you stumble. Having me by your side means you will not fall. Believe me girl, I lied to myself SO MUCH in the past, Iâve got no lies left to give. Iâve got you!
Reach out to me, Coach Kaitlin, today because YOU HAVE THE POWER to create your story and your time is now!
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Join me empowered Community of determined women here
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Stay beautiful+UNCONVENTIONAL and know that you are loved at Bohemian Beach Boutique!
XOXOÂ
KaitlinÂ
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Related blogs written by me:
How to Build Confidence and Say YES to Yourself NOW
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