No More Excuses

Beth in 2013

My name is Beth Still and this is the most difficult post I have ever written. I have written about issues in education on my other blog, Nebraska Change Agent, since 2008, but I rarely write about anything personal. A couple of weeks ago I made the decision that it was time for me to change my life and today I decided to start this blog as a place for me to share my journey. Before I share my goals and plans, I want to provide some background. 

When I was in high school I was in great shape. I was no athlete, but I looked pretty descent in a bikini. I was able to eat anything I wanted and I never gained an ounce. I went to college and obtained my degree in veterinary technology and a week later I got married. A few months later I found out I was pregnant. I got HUGE! I figured since I was pregnant then I could eat anything I wanted. I thought the weight would come right off. 

Beth in 1992

It wasn't that easy. I stayed home to raise my daughter, but I never seemed to be able to find time to exercise. I was 130 pounds when I got pregnant and ballooned to 200 by the end of my pregnancy. Three years later I was still around 180 and the scale was not budging. I took Phen Fen for 3 months and dropped a lot of weight, but it came right back. I eventually went back to college to get my teaching degree which meant I had zero time to eat right or exercise. 

During the middle of my first year of teaching I got pregnant again. By then, I was almost 30 and had been overweight for nearly a decade. I promised myself that after I had my second child that I would focus on getting in shape. But life got in the way again. I had become an expert on coming up with excuses to not exercise and eat right. 

So here we are another decade later. I stepped on the scale a few weeks ago and I weighed 223 pounds. I knew I had gained a lot of weight over the last year, but it still shocked me. I decided on the spot that would be the heaviest I would ever be. I know most women are mortified by the thought of sharing their weight with anyone and I am no different. I decided to share my story publicly because I need the help and support of my friends and family. It's not like its a secret that I am way overweight! 

I hope that by sharing where I currently am and where I want to be a year from now will help me stay accountable to myself. No more excuses EVER AGAIN!