The Chunky Monkey

Most people don’t know that I’m 50 pounds lighter than I was 12 years ago. In junior high I was depressed, had few friends, and used food to comfort me. Food never rejected me. It’s always there. And it didn’t talk back. So this cycle continued: I ate because I was depressed, and I was depressed because I was fat.

But when I was 15 years old, I reconnected with God. And everything changed in that moment. Suddenly, I didn’t want my life to look anything like it had been. I was ready for a life makeover. Actually, it was more like life surgery. I told my mom I wanted to lose weight. She told me to stopping drinking 6-8 Dr. Peppers a day. I never realized how many calories were in those cans. I was consuming 900-1200 calories just from drinking!! So I made myself drink Diet Coke for a month. That stuff tasted so horrible, I had to force myself to drink it. Now I can’t get enough of it! (Probably should have switched to water now that I think about it.) In less than a month I shed 15 pounds.

As I read the Bible I became more determined to make other changes. Food had become an idol for me. I would turn to it rather than to God when I was upset. That had to stop.
I began to read about fasting and why it was practiced. (Fasting and not eating are two completely different things. I’m not endorsing anorexia here people.) Denying myself and asking God for wisdom was the purpose of my fast. So every Wednesday I skipped lunch for two months. During that time, I discovered that I was a subconscious eater. There were times when I would devour an entire bag of chips before realizing what I’d done. I had to learn a new way of eating. Instead of taking the bag and plopping down in front of the TV to eat, I would pull out a normal-size portion of chips and enjoy them slowly without any distractions. Then I would go watch TV after my snack. I also learned that the words all-you-can-eat-buffet was not a dare, and that I didn’t have to finish my plate cuz it wouldn’t help starving kids in Africa anyway.

As I replaced my old habits with better ones, the pounds gradually melted off. My thighs were beginning to look like smaller tree trunks, and my double-chin started to vanish. I became motivated to stick with the program I’d created. I remember the day when I could fit into a size 10. That was a Hallelujah moment, it was. When I began college, everyone was talking about the dreaded “Freshman 15.” But I just kept losing weight at a steady pace. Each year I shed a few more pounds. By the time I graduated college, I could fit in a size 6. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would lose that much weight.

Now I just need to learn how to exercise consistently and eat healthier. Garsh!!