Hi there!  My name is Kelly and I’m the blogger behind No Thanks to Cake.

When Melissa asked me to write about my experience in weight loss and about my associated “hurdles,” I jumped at the opportunity.  1) because I adore her so much, and 2) because when she and I met at FitSocial in Denver, I realized very quickly that she shares my passion to inspire others to eat healthily and to lose the weight.

Post Pound Class at FitSocial

My Weight Story

Until very recently, my life had been a series of weight loss adventures:  Losing, and then gaining, and then losing and then gaining again.  In the end, I’ve always gone back to food for comfort and despite herculean efforts to lose the weight, I’ve always gained it back and then some.

About three years ago, something changed. Plain and simple, I was tired.  I was tired of the effort it took me to walk up the flight of stairs.  I was embarrassed that I took a shortcut instead of finishing a 5K with my friends.  I was ashamed that I could only buy clothes in plus size stores, and mostly, I was TIRED of letting those 256 lbs hold me back.

The good news is that I was finally motivated to do something about it.  Suddenly, that fast food hamburger wasn’t worth it anymore.  That huge bowl of pasta just didn’t do it for me.  What I was craving was to be healthy and to be “normal” again.

With tears in my eyes and desperate for change, I joined Jenny Craig, and the weight began to melt away.  More than anything, the program taught me two important lessons:  1) What a portion looked like and 2) how to incorporate fruits and vegetables back into my life.

Before I knew it, I’d lost 20 lbs, then 50, and then after a year and a half, I was down 84 lbs.  That same 84 lbs that I’d cried about.  That same 84 lbs that I thought defined me. They were GONE.

One thing that I want to mention is that I’m not your stereotypical weight loss story.  Here’s a few “hurdles” that I could have let hold me back.

I really do like cake.  And, I do still eat it, even though my blog’s name is “No Thanks to Cake.”  Often times, it’s a lightened up version of that Red Velvet Cake that I choose or some other creative concoction.  I’m a true believer that you can lose the weight and have your cake, too.  Everything in moderation, after all….

I really don’t like to work out; however, I know that working out will be a lifelong key to maintaining my weight and managing stress.  I also know that there is NOTHING like the feeling after an amazing yoga class.   That’s when I usually like my workouts… when they’re done.  Yes, I’m that girl.  Notice the big smile at the end of this 5K.

I’m also an incredibly picky eater.  I don’t enjoy all the standard healthy blogger foods like Greek yogurt or spaghetti squash (It doesn’t taste like spaghetti, folks!)  I also don’t enjoy pumpkin and could easily No Thanks to Seafood all day long…

While I’m picky about what I eat, I also love to cook!  Throughout my weight loss journey, I’ve made it a point not to sacrifice flavor in what I’m consuming on a regular basis.

You DO NOT have to eat plain chicken and broccoli every night.  You just don’t.  You can eat foods rich in flavor, and there are MANY ways to make healthy versions of your favorite foods… you just have to get a little creative!

One of the things I love the most about blogging is being able to share new recipes with my readers.  You can check out all of my healthy creations here.

I still haven’t hit my weight loss goal.  My initial goal was to lose 91 lbs, and I still haven’t gotten there after three years of trying.  I often fall down, but I get to start over and try again as many times as I need to.  I continue to understand the dynamics of maintenance, and I’m learning more and more about myself every step of the way.  I don’t dream of being skinny.  Skinny has never been in my sights.  Healthy and strong, that is what I aspire to become.

Losing the weight helped me drop 6 pants sizes and more than 75 lbs, but even more than that… it has made me realize that I can have it all and I feel thankful every day that I finally chose change.

It’s almost the new year, and I know so many of you are considering how to get healthier in 2014.  Truthfully, if this non-workout loving, picky eating, imperfect girl can do it, I guarantee you can do it, too.

Here’s a few ways you can follow the rest of my story…

Blog:  http://www.nothankstocake.com

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