Transformation Tuesday: A True Weight Struggle

Though I pride myself on being a very confident person, I have struggled with my weight most of my adolescence and young adult life. At first, I wanted to be sooooo thin like the girls in my classes when I was in middle school all the way up through my senior year of high school.

My weight would fluctuate due to stress and poor eating habits. As a matter of fact, my senior year, due to the stress of earning college admissions and being in a very unhealthy relationship, I dropped 25 lbs in a matter of 2 months just by eating nothing but Kellog's Special K cereal and doing TaeBo 7 days a week. It was awful. I was starving myself, but I wanted to look good for my boyfriend (whom I didn't even end up staying with, as most of us who are young, dumb, and in love in high school don't).

It wasn't until I got to college and gained my "Freshman 15" that I realized a little extra weight wouldn't hurt me. Everyone told me I was beginning to look sickly anyway and that I needed to plump up. And due to partying, drinking, and countless late night runs to Cookout, it didn't take long for that to take effect at all. Problem is, it didn't just stop at the Freshman 15....I kept gaining because I LOVE FOOD and had no desire to do strenuous workouts. I was physically drained, but mostly I was emotionally drained. Throughout college I tried many weight loss programs, some of them successful and some of them not, but the toils of everyday life always managed to get in my way.

I have always loved clothes and shoes, though my style has definitely evolved. I used to be such a tomboy....sweatsuits, jeans, the latest sneakers...no make-up, but now at 25, and at a very healthy size 16-18, I am more comfortable in my skin. I always hated dressing up in dresses and skirts, but working in the type of environment that I am in, a public university of higher education, I HAD to learn to LOVE these kinds of clothing items, and ironically now that is all I'm comfortable in.

Not only that, but I loveeee my haircut (which I got as a result of another nasty break up in 2009). It makes me feel fierce, outgoing, and even more of the rebel that I am, and I don't think I'd ever grow it out again. But haircut aside, I LOVE my curves, but of course I would love to tone myself up more, which is still a very real possibility, although I work a full-time job, part-time job, and am currently enrolled in graduate school...but anything is possible when I'm ready to set my mind to it and have the desire to complete the task.

But, I said all this to say that this is one of the major reasons I began the blog. To inspire others of all shapes, colors, sizes, genders, and orientations to embrace self-worth and to love themselves and dress comfortably with style and flare, but of course keeping it classy at all times whether Ferragamo or Timberland!

#PeaceAndLove
-Gainey