My story

Im a 23 year old wife and mother of 2 and here is my weight loss (and gain) journey:
I wasn't born fat, I didn't really start packing on the chub til I was about 7. Around that time, my dad met my stepmom who came from an Italian family, so we went to her parents house very often. I'd eat big portions and it wasn't discouraged from taking seconds. Dessert was common after both lunch and dinner. Needless to say I ate well, too well. My stepmom couldn't cook, so we ended up eating a lot of ramen noodles, hamburger helper, boxed meals, frozen meals, you get the jist. By the time I reached my sophmore year in highschool, I was 280lbs! Due to being overweight, I was shy and self conscious, I'd rather watch tv or read a book than play outside in those days. During that school year, I became friends with a foreign exchange student at my school. She had gained 10lbs from eating all of the boxed cookie and brownie mixes that they don't have in Japan. She expressed she wanted to lose weight and I suggested we weigh ourselves at the nurses office. Neither of us liked the numbers we saw on the scale and we decided to support eachother in our weight loss efforts. I started eating less at meals and exercising. I went for a lengthy walk every night and incorporated a tad of running and some Tae Bo. Within a year, I lost 100lbs. I went from 279-179. Size 20/22 to a 14. I was even able to join the track and field team my 11th and 12th grade year! The story doesn't stop there though. In order to join the military, I had to get to 190. I was 191 at the recruiters office (wasn't as active as I was prior, I worked and was going to college). I got down to my weight and just to be sure, I ate less than 1,000 calories a day for a week and the day before I shipped out, I worked out like crazy at the hotel and tool some laxatives. It paid off, 186 the next day. When we graduated basic, our instructor didn't weigh us, so I paid a quarter and weighed myself at the food court - 200lbs, there's no way that was all muscle! Well, that was April 08, in Dec 08, I had been at my base for a bit and I became pregnant. I was 214lbs, I was sad to see that number, but thought, "to hell with it, I'm pregnant, I can eat what I want now", and I did. After giving birth, I was 270lbs, almost back to where I was in high school. Got down to 220 by doing weight watchers (I was always hungry!) and then I got pregnant again! After baby #2, I was only 250. I did low calorie diets, weight watchers, shakes, etc, to get down to 213, but the scale wouldn't budge. One night I was home alone and the kids in bed while my husband pulled a swing shift. I was flipping thru Netflix and saw a movie called "fat head". It changed my mindset on nutrition. Within a day, I started the atkins diet (low carb) on march 13th and by Jan 2012, I was down to 175 (surpassed my smallest in high school). I knew I was eating too many artificial sweeteners, low carb pasta, Atkins bars and shakes with weird ingredients and knew that stuff wasnt that great for me. I wasn't paying attention to ingredients, just carbs. On Jan 3, I switched to Paleo and I'm glad I did! I lost 11lbs in a month, I was shocked! I'm now a size 8/10 and down to 165. If I lose more, well then cool, if I don't, that's cool too. Looking back, in high school I pretty much became anorexic to lose weight, even though I didn't realize it at the time. I bought into the "calories in = calories out" as well as believing low fat was the way to go. I ate, but I worked out soo much, that I prob burned most of the calories I consumed and I was hungry often and always went to bed hungry. I wish I would have found paleo sooner. When I started Atkins, I read about paleo, and I was actually choosing between those 2 and the power protein diet as well. Atkins seemed easiest, which I why I chose that route. Easiest isn't always best! When I lost my weight in high school., I wanted to become a personal trainer and nutritionist, but decided to become a teacher to play it safe (but ended up joining the military). My passion for fitness and nutrition is back stronger than ever. I want to become a certified personal trainer and after I get my associates in criminal justice, I'd like to look into sports nutrition for my bachelors. I'm all about spreading the word on Paleo and keeping in shape! I like to refer to myself as the weight loss queen, even though i don't hold a degree, I feel like my weight rollercoaster has given me a lot of knowledge first hand. Most of all, I'm glad that I'm at a healthy size for my 5'11 frame and consume nourishing real foods now. I can also be a good role model for my sons : )