A Brief History

Welcome to Diary of a Mad, Fat Woman!

If you're new around here, you may think that this is a brand new blog with a brand new blog author.  That's actually not the case.  I've been blogging since 2009... on almost a daily basis.

With that being the case, I thought it best to create a page that will give any newcomers a little history and insight to The Mad, Fat Woman, and maybe refresh some memories of those that have been here before but can't remember what on earth it's all about.

Back in 2009, I created a blog called Diary of a Mad, Fat Woman to chronicle my experiences with trying to lose weight after I topped the scales at 300lbs and just couldn't take it any longer.  But, it wasn't just losing weight, but doing it while going to school, raising a family, and working.

Me in 2009 close to 300lbs

Over the course of two years, I had a lot of ups and downs but I managed to join a gym, go from not being able to walk for 15 minutes to running miles, and completing a fitness boot camp.  I also lost 80+lbs and went from a size 24 down to a size 16.

The left is April, 2010 (around the 250 mark), the right is April, 2011 (around 215)

The day I graduated from college was such a wonderful day.  I had come such a long way, and weighed in at 212lbs.  I felt fit and fabulous.

But, then something happened.  I graduated, but couldn't find a job.  I had a teaching degree and license, but no where to use it.  And the stress that put on me was immense.  It was so bad, that I started going in to a depressive state and turned to the one thing that had always comforted me when I was that low... food.

For months and months and months, I went back and forth between trying to stay focused on losing weight, and giving in to the temptations that my depression brought me.  The scale started teeter tottering as much as my mood.

For an entire year, I couldn't find a job.  I kept trying to stay positive and committed to weight loss, but it was no use.  I just didn't have it in me anymore.  I finally did find a job in May, 2012 and was so excited and overcome with emotions that my weight loss efforts feel completely off the burner and went away... far, far away.  Even though I kept trying to convince myself that they hadn't.

I finally decided I was done with weight loss blogging in September 2012, being that for over a year, my "weight loss blog" hadn't really had much weight loss.  I thought I needed something new, something fresh...and started a brand new blog called "The Life and Times of Jo".  I transferred all of my old posts over there, and Diary of a Mad, Fat Woman was no more.

Now, it's 2013.  I've been teaching a full year.  I've bought a new car, I've bought a new house.  I've been slowly checking off everything from the list of things I've always wanted to do.  Except, there's still one thing that I've been wanting for years, but have just never followed through long enough to make it happen:

Lose weight.

The desire and the thoughts have been in my mind for some time, now.  And, I've missed being the Mad, Fat Woman.  She was the person that helped me succeed and get so far....and when I let her go, a part of me lost hope that my weight loss dreams would ever become a reality.

So, I figured, why not give it another go?  Why not breath life back in to Diary of a Mad, Fat Woman and see if it can help me conquer this obstacle that has been holding me back for so many years?

And, now?  You're all caught up.

Diary of a Mad, Fat Woman is back...and starting completely over.