My “Getting Healthy” Info

1. As of the beginning of this project, what are your height and weight?

As of November 16, 2009, I stand at 5 feet 9 inches and weigh in at 223 lbs. And while we’re at it, I took my measurements the other day. I was sad to find I have added a couple of inches… everywhere. Boohiss! Let’s see, we’ve got a 42, a 37, and a 45. Inches, of course.
Yikes! D:

This is what I look like as of Thursday, November 12.

This is what I looked like about one month after my son was born…
It may be hard to tell, but I have since gained weight. A considerable amount. Like, say, about 20 lbs. Ugh.

And this is what I looked like in January 2007…
And what I wish I looked like now sans the Happy Bunny hoodie, frizzy hair, and horrible makeup. That was about 175 lbs. and it was glorious! I dream of having that body again now I have a better idea of how to dress myself.

2. We all know that numbers never give us the big picture. When you think of your body – its size, shape, strength and health – how do you feel?

In general, I’ve been really unhappy with it lately. I don’t appreciate my size, I lack what I feel is a necessary percentage of muscle for my height and weight, and I’ve been battling an ongoing and mysterious illness that I’ve not been able to get properly diagnosed due to not having health insurance.

The good news is that I’m starting this project at what I feel is just about rock bottom. I know that sounds grim, but there is nowhere to go but up and I am REALLY excited about that. I am pumped and instinct tells me that I’m going to achieve an amount of success this round that I’ll be satisfied with.

3. Based on all of that, what is your biggest goal in the Getting Healthy project? What is one thing you must accomplish during the next two months?

As a hard goal, I’m not necessarily concerned with seeing my digits drop or my sizes go down. It would be lovely and I will definitely be working toward that, but it is far from my greatest concern. My biggest goal is simply to try and get on to a healthier lifestyle so that no matter what size I am, I can be confident that I am healthy and beautiful. Health first, vanity later!

4. Do you have any secondary goals? What are they?

Bullet points? Why not!

• I certainly won’t turn down any weight loss! I would say a soft goal would be to lose at least 12 lbs and I would like to go down one size.
• I would also like to see and feel a change for the better in my posture. Right now, I’ve got that ever-so-attractive “slump hump” forming at the base and back of the neck from too-much-computer and always looking down at everything. I’m slouchy and I’m over it!
• Smoking. Ugh yes. I smoke. And I have the most ridiculous and strange on-again, off-again relationship with it. It’s time to say goodbye FOREVER. I am tired of the smell, I’m tired of occasional nausea/headaches, I’m tired of having to try and hide it (perfume, washing hands, and gum/brushing teeth after every cigarette) from my son, I am tired of feeling chained to it when I get stressed out and feel I have no other options.
• Shopping. I’m a bit of a shopaholic and my retail therapy sessions are, in my opinion, a WEE bit of a problem. But only because I feel like they perpetuate all of my own body image issues (I’m TOTALLY going to elaborate on this next week!). I want to set a personal goal of not buying a single article of clothing until I have lost a certain amount of weight and maintained it for one week. I’m shooting for 6 lbs.
• As I said before, I’m also battling an illness that I have not been able to see proper care for due to our lovely current health care system, buuuut this project isn’t about politics, is it? Nonetheless, I’m hoping that some changes in diet and activity levels will help with whatever is going on until I CAN see someone and get diagnosed.
• TRY NEW THINGS! Dry brushing- that awesome technique Gauri talked about in Chapter I, calorie counting (I’ve seriously never once in my life paid a lick of attention to calories and I think it might actually be fun to calculate how much I take in and how much I burn), finding the “right” balanced diet for myself and my goals, try to get back on the Wii Fit and stick with it, etc…

5. What’s your day-to-day lifestyle like? What are you into? (We’d just like to get to know you better!)

Well first of all, I’m the mommy on board for Chapter II. Hello!

Day-to-day I am, in fact, a stay-at-home mother (henceforth, I’ll refer to this as SAHM if needed). I have an amazing just-turned-one (November 14th) little boy named Sabastian. I have to start by saying he is an exceptional child. He has slept through the night- about 11 hours- since he was about two months old. So the day starts about the same time my fiancé gets up/leaves for work in the morning.
Typically I spend my day playing and learning and growing with my son, doing household chores, and… being on the computer! I toss in little aerobics and choice yoga positions when I get the chance, but I haven’t had a proper exercise routine since I was about eight months pregnant. Weekends get a lot more active. I’m usually only home and off my feet on the weekends- including Friday evening- a total of 10 hours out of 32. But again, none of this is focused exercise and I feel that’s a big key to my personal health and fitness.
Worse yet, a lot of my hobbies include sitting around and loafing. Both my fiancé and I love movies and video games and board games and reading. A lot.
I also enjoy dancing and football, snowboarding, paintball, swimming, volleyball, bowling, etc… but in this economy, you have to watch your spending on things like that. I also know that I can achieve many of my goals without spending an arm and a leg and possibly even have fun with it.
Lastly, I’m sure you will all come to notice that my hair colour changes frequently. One moment it’s brown, the next it’s purple. That’s just how I roll. ;D

6. What is one way that our readers can get you motivated, right out of the gate?

Comments! E-mails! Suggestions! Questions! Relations! Anything that engages me and potentially uplifts me in some way. I am definitely interested in anything anyone wants to share with me. And the more muses, the merrier! I’d love to hear about non-crash diets, exercise routines, even products that may help. I’d also love feedback on how you want my posts laid out. Any forms or formats preferred for accessible reading. Anything!

7. Anything else you’d like to share with us, to help everyone get to know you?

For me, this is a journey. One of several I’m taking and I’m excited about it. This journey is going to be a lot about being self-aware and trying to address and change the issues I find- physically, mentally, and emotionally. My operating system needs a serious makeover. I guess you can just call me Ashley the Beta version.