Tired of being fat?

At one point, I was about 40lbs overweight. I lost most of the weight in 3wks. How? I started removing meat & sugary snacks from my diet, & I began walking. I would get up about 20min earlier than usual in the morning & walk my dog to the park down the street. While my dog ran around in the fenced enclosure, I walked the perimeter until it was time to head home to get ready for work. I wore a pedometer all day (I actually still wear one) so that it was always at the back of my mind to walk. This encouraged me to take tennis shoes to work & walk on my breaks. After work, I would walk my dog back down to the park & walk the perimeter for at least a mile. When I went to the grocery store, the mall, etc. I would park further away rather than circling for a spot at the front of the store.

Now that I have completely cut meat from my diet, as well as greatly limiting my sugar & dairy intake, I easily stay fluctuating between a size 2 & a size 4. Aside from my eating habits, I make sure that I walk at least 3-5mi/day. I walk about 1-2mi/day just by walking in place while I brush my teeth, wash dishes, check my emails & complete my filing in my cubicle at work. I bought a cheap elliptical from Wal-Mart & Mon-Thu I have to be either on the elliptical or doing some other form of exercise such as situps while watching tv. Don't give me the excuse that you don't have time to work out or you don't have the money for a gym membership! You don't need the effing gym to lose weight! Buy a $10 pedometer & walk in place every chance you get!

I also hate when people use genetics or experiencing poor eating habits as a child as an excuse. I come from a family that thinks 2 heaping bowls of chocolate fudge ice cream is dinner, & salami & cheese on crackers is healthy. I didn't even know what asparagus & artichokes were until after college! I have family members that have had multiple knee replacements as a result of their weight, I have family members w/diabetes, heart disease, etc. I have family members who have worked their asses off to lose more than I currently weigh right now. I have lost family members to heart attacks before they hit old age. So don't tell me it's in your genes. That's a copout. It just means you have to work harder than the next person. & sorry toots, but that's life. It can be a long life if you get your act together. And if you are one of those people that says you'll at least die happy by eating bacon & fried crap, that's just selfish. You have kids, parents, siblings, etc. that love you & need you in their lives. Let me guess, you're stuffing your kids full of the crap you're consuming. So you are slowly killing you're children too. At best you are causing long-term health problems.

Contrary to popular belief among people who think they know me, I don't get to eat whatever I want & stay thin. I have researched the benefits of a vegetarian or vegan diet. I have read books, articles, research studies, watched documentaries, taken nutrition courses, etc. I can also count on one hand how many times I've gone to Starbucks in the last year (4). At most I consume a soda every few months. I rarely eat junk food. And guess what, I hardly ever miss any of it. It feels much better to look in the mirror & see a skinny me rather than avoiding mirrors just so I could have Cheetos & Snickers every day. I also feel much better, which is more important than how you look. I understand that it can be hard to get started. I sincerely found the books Skinny Bitch, The China Study, & The Kind Life to be inspirational & educational. If any of you want help getting started, such as meal ideas, easy snacks to take to work, someone to exercise with, etc. I'm right here! Just ask...