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Introduction Text Update 2/28/15 So I've been a vegetarian since age 6. I have FINALLY taken the leap to become vegan. I started eliminating all animal products in January ( well more like after thanksgiving 2014) this year and I've been fully vegan for a little over a month! I had tried veganism before my son was born as well, but with having just started the diet after I got pregnant I reverted back to vegetarianism because I was so sick through the whole thing and I could hardly keep anything down. Also I had doctors that gave me a lot of misinformation telling me I couldn't have a healthy vegan pregnancy. I regret that now. A lot of the reason I'm doing this is for my health, but I have always been very against the slaughter of innocent lives and I can no longer ignore the suffering that animals go through. I realized that being vegetarian isn't enough, it still supports so much suffering! A big catalyst for this decision was the birth of my son over 14 months ago. I had to make a decision about how I want him to be raised and what I want him eating. It was no longer just about myself. So, my son has been mostly vegan since birth (with only a couple slip ups of giving products that contained milk on accident), and I have slowly followed. My husband has also switched with me and I couldn't be happier! Now my challenge is to become the healthiest vegan I can. I want to switch to whole foods plant based eating and avoid oils, added salts and processed foods. I have been eating several more processed products to help me get over the switch, but now it's time to clean up! ________________________________________________________ Update 6/8/2014 I'm back again after over a year off. I had my son Avirand James born 12/15/13!!! I had a really rough recovery having had pre-eclampsia, post-partum hypertension, a seizure from low blood sugar after being home only a few days, a stroke in my eye (leaving me with only 2/3 of my vision on the left eye), then was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism for which I am now on medication. So, that was fun.. not. But my son is healthy and he is the most precious thing in the world to me. I thought I knew what it would be like to be a mommy, but I was wrong! I didn't know I was capable of loving someone so much, it's a totally different kind of love, as all of you mama's out there know! So, now I'm back, I want to get back on track for living healthy so I can be a good role model for healthy living. There's no better reason! ___________________________________________________________ Original Intro Ok, so here's my story. My name is Jessica, I'm 25 years old and I am a Nurse. I have been a vegetarian since I was in first grade, so instead of eating most of my calories in fat and protein, I have always indulged in too many carbohydrates (they are my greatest weakness!!) I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when I was 12 years old (during probably the only time in my life that I was thin). I have always thought of myself as overweight, I have a particular memory of shopping with my mother when I was in middle school. I was in a dressing room trying on clothes when I had to tell my mother that I needed the next size up, which I think at the time was a youth size 14. My mother said, "Well ok, but lets just please not get any bigger than this." I felt so ashamed of myself for disappointing her. My mom's always been skinny, and I felt like I just wasn't good enough to be her daughter. I continued to go up in sizes because I think I've always been depressed about how I look and when I'm depressed I EAT! I started exercising in high school and whittled back down to the top of the healthy weight range for my size in my freshman and sophomore year of high school. (Believe it or not I still thought I was fat back then). That's when I met my boyfriend (now husband) in my sophomore year and started eating the way he ate, which was a lot of greasy, fatty foods (pizza, etc). I quickly gained weight and had a horrifying wake up call when I saw the pictures from my high school graduation. I hardly recognized myself, and I then weighed about 200 lbs! I started college and began exercising again and joined weight watchers for the first time. I was successful in losing 20 lbs before I entered nursing school. When that chapter of my life began, I quickly became too overwhelmed to continue my weight watchers meetings. My best friend who went to meetings with me and was also in nursing school with me, agreed that it was too much, and together we made a conscious decision not to worry about our weight. Needless to say, I gained back the 20 lbs in record time and now, three years later I have added even more weight and am about 225 lbs at this time (I think I was about 185-190 lbs in my profile pic, this was during weight watchers for me, most of my weight was below the waist though and still is). I've never felt so miserable. I've been indoctrinated into nursing and their way of eating (which unfortunately is very unhealthy most of the time). I guess I never thought most health care workers would eat so unhealthily, but it appears to be true. My feet hurt because I'm on them all the time as a nurse, but lately they feel even worse, and I get aches in my heels from standing and walking on them. I feel like I always look haggard and bloated, and I avoid mirrors and camera's at all costs. I am now married, and I'd like to get more fit and healthy for my husband. Plus as a diabetic I need to watch my weight for the sake of my health. A friend at work told me about Spark People, and I figure you can't do much better than a free weight tracker. I once did weight watchers online, and this site surprised me by having pretty much all of the same features(minus using the points system and plus a lot more!) but for free! So, here goes another try at weight loss, and health gain, so wish me luck on the journey! Weight Loss Goals: Starting weight 225lbs 5lbs - get a food scale! (done 5/15/11) 10lb - get a stun gun 15lb - Go with Fiance to Sycamore canyon (8 mile hike!) (done 8/2012) 20lb - Run a 5K (done) 30lb - Get new ear piercing! 40lb - Half way mark!! New hairdo! 50lb - Get nose pierced? Maybe... 60lb - Lingerie shopping! 70lb - Miniskirt! 80lb - Ultimate Goal weight of 145~Have a Pool Party! During which I will wear a bikini!

I want to be happy and healthy! I want to eat better foods and get more exercise! I want to run a 5K race I want to run a 10K race I want to run a half marathon. I want to be comfortable wearing a bikini. Weight Loss Goals: Starting weight 225lbs 5lbs - get a food scale (done 5/15/11) 10lb - get a stun gun (goal met, havent gotten gun..) 15lb - Go with Fiance to Sycamore canyon (8 mile hike!) (goal met a while ago but did the hike in 9/2012 - Great hike!) 20lb - Run a 5K (done 30lb - Get new ear piercing! 40lb - Half way mark!! New hairdo! 50lb - Get nose pierced? Maybe... 60lb - Lingerie shopping! 70lb - Miniskirt! 80lb - Ultimate Goal weight of 145~Have a Pool Party! During which I will wear a bikini!

I'm keeping it simple to start out... my first goal is to track my food every day, honestly, even if I go over my goal. I also want to begin an exercise program, I am a gym member and try to take classes a few days a week and I want to start walking... eventually even running!

RN baby!! Cat owner Ferret owner Animal lover Vegetarian (since age 6) Type 1 diabetic Loves Books Loves Movies Likes to walk or hike Likes to go bike riding



Add a Link Jessica Prescott, Arizona
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