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About Tammy

Brief Bio

Name	Web address	Description

Trim, fit, athletic youth		My parents took me to th doctor when I was young because they did no think I ate enough. Frequently accused of not eating enough to keep a bird alive. Loved gymnastics - Nadia was my hero. Ran track for four years.

Depression and ulcers		I started having severe bouts of depression at age 12 and developed ulcers. For some, ulcers hurt when one does not eat - for me, they hurt when I did, so I just didn't.

Anorexia		Not eating added to the depression. I had started going to a health club in the 7th grade in addition to athletics. They measured me and at 5'1" at the time, I weighed 108lbs. They told me I was 3lbs overweight and at 34",24",36", my hips were too big.

Anorexia		I began eating even less and working out more. I fainted at school frequently, some people thought I did drugs. Not at all, I just didn't eat. The less I ate, the more depressed I became, the worse my ulcer hurt, the less I ate...

Began gaining my Junior year in high school		I opted to take more core classes my Junior year instead of athletics. I had starved and overexercised for so long, that when I didn't exercise as much, I started putting on weight. I weighed about 130 lbs my senior year and got up to 145 lbs by age 19.

1st Weight Loss		I began dieting and exercising at age 19. I took prescribed appetite suppressants for one month and thyroid supplement until the weight was off. By age 23, I had gotten down to 109 at one point. Stayed between 112-118 from age 19-25.

Gained a Little		During college I moved home with Mom and Dad for a few months. Mom treated it as a short visiit making brownies and rice crispy treats for me - they would call from the dining room table while I did my homework to eat them. I gained about 5 lbs.

Tried to Diet, and Gained		Low-fat diets were all the rage. I tried that, and wound up adding 5 more pounds when I stopped. The pattern cotinued. Additionally, I had a full-time job, a part time weekend job, and went to college - college didn't hold up too long with that schedule

Gained More and More		Working so manyhours, I relied heavily on sodas for energy and appetite suppression when I could't eat. When I would try to diet and exercise, I would rebound with even more weight gain because I would wind up trying to reduce my calories WAY too low.

Children Need a Mommy with Energy		Our children need a mommy with the energy to run, play, camp, hike and not feel self-conscious. Justin loves me, anyway, but I can't stand to look at myself in the mirror.

Health		I have never had high blood pressure, it has frequently been low, but I have had borderline high cholesterol, even when my weight was great and my blood sugar is higher than I would like it - insulin resistance. I don't want diabetes.

Weaknesses		Sodas * Not getting enough sleep (what mom does?) * Not eating on a schedule and grabbing a soda or something quick (unhealthy) when I suddenly become very hungry / get the shakes.

Strengths		Good cook / like to cook * Enjoy trying new foods * Like fruits and vegetables * Enjoy having a garden * Have successfully lost in the past, know I can do it, though it will be harder this time * Stay-at-home / homeschool mom - CAN plan meals for all of us