Meet Biz From "My Bizzy Kitchen"

Thanks to Ally for letting me guest post while she is camping away with her family.  She and I have “known” each other since about February 2010.  Ally’s first comment on my blog was for a recipe I did of roasted red pepper soup and sandwiches:

Submitted on 2010/02/23 at 4:10 pm

Yum! I love pepperjack cheese, mustard and hot dogs…all were featured in your post! I’m not a huge fan of red peppers, but you made this soup look so good, I would definitely give it a try:)

I knew once she was a cheese, mustard and hot dog whore like me – we would get along just fine!

My name is Biz and I blog on My Bizzy Kitchen (http://mybizzykitchen.com).   I really started blogging in September of 2008 because I thought if I put myself “out there” I would get accountable on losing weight.

I never had a weight problem growing up.  I was an athlete - a four season athlete – field hockey in the fall, indoor track in the winter, outdoor track in the spring and then softball in the summer.  And no, I am not a lesbian in case you are wondering! :D  Here I am getting my hair done by my sister for homecoming: (and don’t even comment about how jealous you are of the Holly Hobby curtains!)

Turns out if you move a lot, it doesn’t matter what you eat!  I got a scholarship for field hockey in college, only for them to drop the field hockey program after my freshman year.  I quit school and did what most people did – and got a desk job.  Hello weight gain of 70 pounds in two years!  Um, turns out you can’t eat Suzy-Q’s and a Big Gulp for breakfast if you sit on your ass all day.

By 1999, I had enough and my twin sister and I both joined Weight Watchers.  At the time, I was a single Mom, my twin sister and her family lived downstairs and I lived upstairs.  I remember our first weeks at Weight Watchers.  Truth be told, I loved to eat.  Like a lot.  I wasn’t really in the game, but I told my sister I would do it with her for support.

So we would each do our own thing during the day, and then exercise together at night.  I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I was still eating my Burger King croissant for breakfasts, or eating Sbarro pizza at lunch – and maybe, just maybe getting one (or two!) Auntie Ann’s pretzel on the way home from work at the train station.

I was terrified of my first WI because I knew the gig was up.  So imagine my surprise when I lost 5 pounds my first week!   I said to myself “I should have started WW years ago!”  And so proceeded my next three weigh ins – I lost a total of 20 pounds the first month on WW and I didn’t change anything about my diet, just “exercised” a bit with my sister at night.  I was always thirsty, so I just drank TONS of water so in my mind, I was just “flushing the fat away!”

Well, do you know the top four signs of uncontrolled diabetes are?

• ·         Excessive thirst
• ·         Increased appetite
• ·         Frequent urination
• ·         Rapid Weight loss

Yep, all of those symptoms above I attributed to “being on Weight Watchers.”  They told me to drink water, so I did, so I peed a lot, which made me hungry because I was “working out.” You know you need to fuel your body when exercising, so ipso facto – weight loss!

Nope.  Turns out I had diabetes and I didn’t know it.  So in a way, Weight Watchers saved me because they told me that I was losing too much weight, and after I told them I didn’t actually change my diet (hello to eating a 12 inch Jack’s pizza by myself at night!) they suggested I see a doctor.

I was put on oral medication and REALLY got serious about eating right and exercising.  So in 14 months I did end up losing 70 pounds.   And kept it off for about seven years, until the oral medication wasn’t working anymore and I got put on insulin.  All the things that I couldn’t eat before, like fries, donuts, etc. – I could eat again – I’ll just take insulin!

So I have gained 30 pounds since then and I am still in the process of losing it.  I got serious in June of this year and started Insanity – at the age of 45.  Here is my “before” picture – June 1, 2013.  You’re welcome in advance for the no bra pic!

And here I am after Day 50:

I’ve lost 8 pounds but more importantly, I’ve lost inches #winning!  And while I do drool over Ally’s baked goods, cookies and cakes, I do appreciate that she does post healthy stuff like her southwestern egg rolls, which have been on my list to make for the longest time.  

Please stop by to read my daily adventures.  Or read about how my daughter came into the world:

Or how I met and married my wonderful husband Tony – he’s a man of mystery!

And thankfully, my food photography has gotten better since 2008!

Thanks for reading! 

Biz

----------------------------------

Thanks Biz!  If you haven't started reading her posts you SHOULD.  She'll make you laugh daily.  And the food she makes it incredible.

I cannot wait to someday meet her in person!