MOTIVATED REAL LIFE
Jennifer Brown, 42, knew that she needed to change her life when her health started to deteriorate...
Dishing up aside of tasty mozzarella dippers, they would go with the pile of creamy pasta and breadsticks waiting for me to tuck in to.
Exhausted after a busy day at work, I paid no mind to my portion sizes as I piled up the plate.
And tucking in, I didn’t stop eating until I felt stuffed.
High carb dishes – from fried cheeses and chicken, to mounds of pasta and potatoes –were my favourites.
Washed down with bottles of fizzy pop, I loved asugar kick, too.
And eating out was no exception either.
Ordering an appetiser, main course and desert, I’d still be peckish afterwards. Ialways opted for high calorie, fried meals –from greasy battered chicken to juicy burgers.
After dinner, we’d go to the movies and I’d tuck into ahuge portion of popcorn, bags of M&M’s and cans of soda.
I’d eat and eat but it never felt like enough.
I first noticed Iwas overweight when Iwas six years old.
Iwas bigger than my friends and family. But Inever felt too bad about my size.
Developing athick skin, I was still aconfident child.
Iwas probably teased alittle bit, but Inever let it get to me.
But growing up in the ‘90s and early 2000s, diet culture was rife.
I couldn’t shop at the same stores as my friends, as they never stocked my size.
And as I went into my late teens and early twenties, I was a little bit of a yoyo dieter.
I just couldn’t stick to anything –I never stuck at a diet long enough to make it ahabit.
But meeting my husband Jeff, 46, in my twenties, I enjoyed life.
Jeff had always known me to be bigger in size and it never bothered him.
On our wedding day on 15 August 2009, Iweighed about 21st and wore asize 24.
But slipping into my ivory gown, I felt really pretty.
It had been hard to find a dress as aplus sized person, but I still loved planning my wedding day.
And finding my perfect gown, Iended up with something bespoke.
Being overweight on my wedding day wasn’t something that had bothered me.
And Jeff still thought I was beautiful.
Growing up and living in rural Iowa, there was not alot of food education and Ihad no concept of portion control. I’d eat huge portions of steak, potatoes, salad and ranch, bread, followed by icecream for dessert.
If Iwas having something like rice or pasta, I’d fill my plate completely.
And if Ihad garlic bread on the side, I’d have at least three pieces.
I’d always fill my dinner plate to the brim
He
