Introduction

Hello! My name is Bonnie and I live in Portland, Oregon. This blog is a companion to my weight loss podcast series titled "Real Weight Loss."

I have over five years experience in weight loss. I'm hoping to help others by publishing this podcast with real information on the truth about weight loss and the weight loss process.

A brief history of my weight loss journey:

I'm a little shorter than 5'4" and in December of 2001 I weighed approximately 230 pounds. I don't know my exact weight because at the time I didn't have a scale and I was afraid to weigh myself, but 230 is a good estimate.

I have been overweight since I was about 5 years old. Nutrition wasn't much of a consideration in our house, and food was frequently used as a comfort mechanism. I was overweight through elementary, junior high, and high school. At age 18 I moved out on my own and developed even worse eating habits. I didn't know how to cook anything and had no knowledge on what to eat, so I ate a lot of frozen dinners and fast food.

And then, a few days before New Year's in December of 2001, I was at the mall shopping for jeans. I was in Lane Bryant and I felt embarrassed to be there. I tried on a size 18 and they didn't fit. This was my "turn around" moment, when I decided that something had to be done. I couldn't stand the thought of wearing a size 20 - that's not even in the teens! I left the mall without buying any jeans. I drove home, determined to do something - whatever it took - to lose weight. It was my New Years Resolution and I started a few days early.

At this point I didn't have any information or any knowledge on nutrition, exercise, or weight loss. I truly believed that my eating wasn't that bad, so I focused on adding exercise into my life. Over the next five years, I lost 45 pounds. I made a ton of progress with exercise, and some progress with my eating habits. I learned many many things about how a person's body reacts to and uses exercise.

My weight loss was very slow because I hadn't put enough thought or effort into changing my eating habits. Six months ago I joined Weight Watchers, hoping that I'd learn how to eat properly. Since I joined I've learned a tremendous amount about food and nutrition, and I've lost an additional 20 pounds.

Today I weigh 166 and wear a size 10 in pants and a large in shirts. I have around 25 more pounds to lose, which will bring me down to 140. I don't yet know what my final goal weight will be because I've never weighed 140 as an adult, so I will be reassessing as I go along.

My ideas and plans for this podcast series:

1. I want to create a podcast that is for those losing weight, by someone who is losing weight. I know what you're going through because I've been there and I'm still there.

2. Real information and insights! I'm not trying to sell you on pills or programs. I have five years of experience on this topic and I have a lot that I can share with you about it. I've learned so much about this process, and I know what works and what doesn't work (as much as a person can know what works and doesn't work for weight loss).

3. Possible topics will include: Steps to weight loss, exercise and workouts, the Media, our weight loss program options, the inner process of rewiring our brains, "lifestyle" changes, nutrition, and what I personally do to lose weight and be healthy.

4. In terms of health and well-being, my philosophies focus on the whole person and extend to the whole Universe. I advocate such things as self-awareness, vegetarianism, and being open to new ideas as ways to a cultivate a healthier mind and body. I will also suggest yoga, meditation, or other spiritual avenues to explore.