Welcome to FeedMeImCranky.com !
At nineteen years old, my twin brother Chris and I had enough with our personal “status quo” of obesity. Of course, we had had “enough” countless times before and danced the hokey pokey on the weight-loss bandwagon. But getting fed up and ignited to change something within us seems to be a recurring theme (see New Year’s resolutions lists now crumpled in dumpsters) and a recurring disappointment. But there just came a time when “enough” was no longer an option; it became a necessity. We had literally had too much (to eat) and it was Chris who took up the “screw this!” torch and ran with it.
It was funny then as it is now. Chris was always considered the goofy twin. He was the more charming one, the jokester one, and the one much less likely to stick something through to fruition (if only because he is such a spaz). But I noticed this time that the turkey sandwiches and running on the treadmill were actually working for him. This time he was sticking with something long enough to see results that would inspire him and propel him to keep on, keep on. I literally and metaphorically put on my game face and tracksuit and ran alongside him. If he could start losing weight, I, his twin, certainly could too.
That was six years ago, and today Chris and I are still running with that torch and still running alongside each other. We have lost a cumulative 250 pounds and have realized that our weight-loss goal was really a health-gain goal. One goal can be achieved and abandoned; the other is a lifelong commitment.
In this blog, I will share my tips, observations, anecdotes and recipes with you along with the stuff we often don’t talk about, e.g. the emotional issues that trigger bad eating habits (hence the “feed me I’m cranky” title of this blog, which I will delve into with more detail in another posting), the lifestyles the are conducive to creating bad habits, and, frankly, I will get us lost in the humor of it all because if you can’t laugh at yourself, you’re missing out on chances to burn calories! And since I’m always reading up on health issues in resources ranging from sports nutrition books to lifestyle magazines, I will also provide stories and info. that I’ve culled and found useful myself.
Here’s the thing: If Chris and I hadn’t had each other to keep the other motivated and accountable, gaining our health and losing weight would have been an even more arduous task, and certainly a lonelier one. If you want some help or inspiration to get the kick in the rear you need, or just some motivation to keep going, I hope to be the twin you never knew you always needed.
Before Enough
Annabel and Chris in Junior Year of High School, 2001
After Enough
Chris in 2007
Annabel in 2008
If you’ve gained your health, when was your cathartic moment? When did you have enough? If you’re hoping to get to that cathartic point, what do you need to push you?
Tags: exercise, food, healthy food, healthy living, Recipes, running, treadmill, twins, weight loss
16 People have left comments on this post
I LOVE IT and I LOVE YOU! I am so proud of you for doing this and I can not wait for you to contiue to keep me inspired and help me along on my journey to not only weight loss but to a better view on my own life. I am so honored that you shared this with me and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for more!!
Annabel,
Charley forwarded your email to me and I read your blog. I had no clue you had weight issues! I just knew the toys would give you a hard time about not eating (probably the not so good stuff they would offer you). Goes to show how little we know about each other. All I can say is ” YOU GO GIRL, YOU LOOK HOT!”. I applaud you for your commitment, perseverance, and triumph.
Annabel,
I love that you and Chris did this together. What an amazing story! You both look great, and I love reading about people who totally transformed their bodies and lives through nothing but good ol’ exercise and healthy eating. Cheers to you both – what an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your story.
I’m there. I’ve been married for almost nine years and each year has added 15 pounds onto me. When I realized that I was heavier than my mother who has been heavy her entire life I knew I need a change, FAST! That led me to your blog. Thank you! It has been hilarious and informative and given me the kick in the butt that I need. In the last two months I’ve lost 15 pounds, but was losing motivation.
YOWZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a fab story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m amazed and inspired – i look forward to fully nosing through your archives and keeping up to date with your blog!!
xxxxx
OMG!
I stopped by your blog and started at the beginning. Your story is very inspirational and the final pics knocked me on my arse! You look fabulous!! And I love a great siblings story! Can’t wait to read more of your blog!
You both look AMAZING. That is wonderful you had each other to ecourage and inspire. I loved reading your story and can’t wait to read more of your blog. Thank you for sharing and inspiring others!
Wow, you have come so far!! Congrats on losing and maintaining the weight loss and on gaining such healthy ways! So proud of you, you look great!!
Hey
I just stumbled upon your site, and I am hoping to be you someday! Both my twin and I are overweight, 19 and wanting to be healthier. I will admit I will start in the same weight range you did. I was wondering, when you first started, what little things did you do first to build up the strength to run? Being this heavy, I often find it’s hard to carry this weight around, let alone work out with it. What are your guidelines for losing 150 pounds, if you knew then what you know now?
I’d love to get a personal view instead of fabricated weight loss stories.
hope to hear from you
Sarah in Canada
Wow! You and your brother look incredible. It is wonderful that you had each other for support.
I stumbled across this blog and I love it!! Your story and Chris’ story are so inspirational. I look forward to reading more of your posts!
How inspirational!!! I love that you and your brother did this together. (My brother and I are very close, we have matching tattoos, so that touches me.)
My moment happened in 2008 when I was seriously depressed. I was in the midst a lot of disappoints in my life and one day I went to put on a pair of jeans. I realize that all my jeans hurt to wear (not to mentioned looked waaaay too tight) and most wouldn’t even button. So I went out to the garage and had to search through a bag of clothes I had planned to donate to find something that would fit. Something about that moment I knew I had some choices to make. I could continue on the same path being a victim to my mental illness (I’m oversimplifying.) or I could fight to start making changes. I chose to change.
4 Trackback(s)