Angie's Story

Hello my name is Angie, and I have body image issues. Always have.

In elementary school, I was the kid with a big gap between my front teeth and thick glasses. In junior high, I still had those glasses and now I was starting to feel like I was fat. And then high school hit and my worry of being the fat friend to all of my beautiful best friends was at the forefront of my mind. If only I had known then, what I know now.

I wasn't fat in high school. At all. But I dressed like I was. Baggy jeans, over sized shirts and frump were the name of the game. When I looked in the mirror, I saw an overweight teen who was unworthy of most things.

Sadly, my misconceptions with mirrors continues to this day. Except now, when I look in the mirror, I conjure up this image of the 17 yr old, in a tight black suede dress, looking fabulous. It's not until I see photographs or video of myself, that I'm horrified at what is staring back at me.

I started gaining weight at 19, when I began working in my first office job. Between a full time college course load, almost full time work hours and a new boyfriend (who is now my hubby), fast food and snack food were the only food groups that I made time for. By the time I made it to my wedding, at 21 yrs old, I was so depressed that I couldn't have my dream dress because I was too fat for it. Thanks to the birth control that I was on, my weight continued to climb and facilitate an even worse depression. And I would use food to comfort myself. As my career exploded, so did my waist line. It wasn't until I was pregnant with my first child, at 29 yrs old, that I finally began to feel comfortable with my body. I guess I felt I had an excuse to be big at that point. Two children later, I finally began seeing a personal trainer and changing my diet and I lost 30 lbs. I had never felt so great about myself and I was well on my way to a new body when I fell into old habits and couldn't regroup.

Well, enough is enough. I'm determined not to let this story end as a self-fulfilling prophecy. I'm a thin girl trapped in a fat body and I want that thin girl back. I want my life back. I want to be able to play with my kids without feeling miserable. I want to wear those sexy dresses and have the confidence to pull it off. I want great looking arms. And I'm determined now to get this show on the road!