A bit about me:
- 24.5 years old
- College grad (University at Buffalo - Go Bulls!)
- Raised on Long Island, New York
- Living in Buffalo, New York
- IT Manager
- Obsessed with parenthesis (you've been warned)
Weight loss has been a lifelong struggle for me. I have a disordered relationship with food and am trying to stop my binge-eating ways. I ate my way through my anxiety issues for years (many people don't know how they ended up at a higher weight- I am not one of them) and never worked out. I'm currently training for my 1st 5k with a local running store (the No Boundaries program through Fleet Feet Buffalo - highly recommend!).
I have a rough ultimate weight goal in mind (150 lbs for my 5'7" frame - based mostly on the other women in my family that are a similar weight and height), but gaining a balanced lifestyle is far more important to me than any number on the scale (it took me YEARS of self-acceptance to be able to say that - and it's still a work in progress). I want to be active on a regular basis and eat in a way that allows me to reach some running goals I've set for myself. I've done enough yo-yo dieting over the last 10 years to know that weight loss has to be sustainable. I love food, I love eating- that's likely never going to change. But I'm also starting to love other things I didn't think I'd like, like running with friends, neighborhood walks, yoga, and kale (seriously- who knew?).
A few years ago, I lost about 50 pounds and have been watching the scale slowly creep back up. Today, I weighed myself and the scale read 204.6. It was crushing - when I initially lost weight, I swore that I'd never see 200+ on the scale again.
We've all put our money where our mouths are by joining this challenge. I love the idea of financially incentivizing weight loss. But I want to get to a healthy place of self-love and self-respect where I feel like prioritizing my needs and goals is enough incentive to live healthily. And I hope you all go on that journey with me.
-Christina
PS- anyone looking for a workout buddy in the Buffalo area? I live in Elmwood Village and work in Williamsville- let me know if you'd like to meet up!