The Six Questions

Who?

My name is Becca and I am currently 20 years old. I live in Eugene, Oregon and am a little more than halfway through my sophomore year. I am the youngest of four sisters and I have six nieces, no brothers or nephews.  I am also Mormon and I plan on serving a mission when I turn 21. (I can't wait for this btw) Hopefully as the blog progresses I will be able to show who I am more fully.

What?

I am starting this blog because I want to vent about my downfalls and my successes. You see when I start to talk to people in person about my weight loss, they often look away or become uncomfortable. I am hoping that this blog will allow me to tell the truth and maybe have some people read it without getting uncomfortable. I also have many friends who are on the opposite side of that spectrum and when I bring it up they will tell me that I am not fat and that I am perfect the way I am. I am not perfect, no one is, we are all trying to make it through this life to improve and become more perfect.

Where?

I live in the beautiful Northwest. The trees are greener, the air is cleaner and the people are leaner. When I first moved here I was shocked about how many people ride bikes instead of driving. I come from southern California and it is borderline crazy to try and bike anywhere. This is mostly because of long distances but it is also because California drivers are crazy (in a good way) and most people don't want to die young. Another thing I love about Oregon is that there are so many places to go outside. Where I come from, if you wanted to go outside, you would drive 40 minutes to the beach or you would go to a park near your house, those were your options for some outside time, not including backyards. There have been many moments where I have hiked up Spencer's Butte when I wanted to get some healthy exercise in nature.

When?

It is obviously winter time and that means that it is stinking cold! I walked to class this morning and it was about 40 degrees!! Of course I like that it isn't sunny all the time but I think that the cold weather gives me an excuse to stay inside most days. 

I also am at a point in my life when I should be able to look back and say "Wow! Those were the healthiest days of my life!" right now I can't say that and I want to be able to say that when I am older. It is also a time where I can lose the weight more easily. I think that it is harder to do what what want today tomorrow.

Why?

There are several reasons why I am changing my lifestyle. First of all, I got to a point where I didn't want to wear cute clothes, or look at myself in a mirror. When I went out in public I was always self-conscious that people were looking at my weird for wearing a shirt that was too tight or for wearing a skirt that showed my big calf's. I knew that this wasn't the right way to think about the body that Heavenly Father gave me but I couldn't help it. I was constantly comparing myself to others and thinking that the girl over there was cuter, skinnier and prettier than me. I still struggle with this sometimes but it is way less frequent and less intense. I think that just the fact that I know that I am trying to take care of my body without hurting it or starving it is helping me realize how important my body is to me.
Another reason is because I want to be healthy for my mission when I turn 21 in December. When I am on my mission I will probably be walking for at least 10 hours a day. I want to be healthy so I can serve the people in my area to the best of my ability. 
The last reason is because I want to look my best. I talked to my Bishop one time about how I was not feeling good about my appearance and how I thought I wasn't as good as other girls in the ward. After telling me that I shouldn't compare myself to the world, he told me that I should still try to look my best. He said that dieting and exercising is pleasing to God and that I would be blessed for my efforts. It took me a few months to grasp what he was saying but it is true. Now that I am slowly and healthily losing weight, I feel happier and I know that God is supporting me in my efforts. 
How?
I am using Weight Watchers Online to monitor what I eat and portions. I am also walking to all of my classes and taking two workout classes per term. At the current moment I am enrolled in Zumba and a class called Stretch and Flex. I find that taking classes through the University of Oregon has helped me actually work out because they have mandatory attendance.