The Bare Basics: Kristie. 21 years old. Canadian. Second year university. Living at home.
I love food. I love nutrition. I love to be healthy.
A few years back I was overweight, unhealthy and unhappy.
Exercise? Nope. Pizza and chips? Yep.
Then I finally got fed up. Fed up with being unhappy with myself and uncomfortable in my own skin. I wanted to change. I needed to change. So I DID change.
Slowly but surely I started to ditch the junk food and bring in the vegetables. I started to get off my butt and get moving.
Now, with three years and over 40lbs of weight loss behind me, I’m finally there. I’m comfortable with my eating habits, I’m comfortable with my exercise habits, and I’m comfortable with myself. It’s taken a long time to get here, much longer than I ever anticipated from the start, but weight loss is not an overnight transformation and I had to learn that all by myself through trial and error.
There were no crash diets, no miracle pills, no secrets. Just small switches, one by one, to slowly but surely uproot and transform my entire lifestyle.
Healthy foods, exercise, motivation
That’s how I did it. That’s how I continue to do it. I’ve been maintaining my “happy weight”, give or take a few pounds, for almost a year. Now I’m concentrating on toning, broadening my exercise horizons, optimizing the quality and nutrition of the foods I eat, and expanding my passion for healthy living.
Guidelines:
- I eat as healthy as I can, incorporating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and trying to keep processed foods to a minimum. Nothing is off limits. I like my sweets. I try to keep it balanced.
- I exercise most days, trying to incorporate both cardio and strength training. I tweak and vary my exercises from day to day to keep it interesting.
- I fit in little bits of extra movement wherever and whenever I can. The extras add up.
Food makes me happy. I love messing around in the kitchen, I love trying new things and I love to eat.
Photography makes me happy. I’m a visual person and love going snap crazy with my meals.
Exercise makes me happy. I love pounding out a great run with the music blasting and I never feel better than after finishing a great workout.
Healthy makes me happy.
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Feel free to contact me anytime: kristiesayshey@gmail.com
I like your outlook. Youve just given me some extra motivation. Love your blog and keep up your healthy habits!
Nice blogging around.
You and I sound a lot alike! I’m looking forward to reading more of your blog
I can relate with your biography. =) I live with my parents (because I live ridiculously close to the university), and you’re right, it makes healthy options that much easier.
Where do you go to University (if you don’t mind me asking)? I noticed you live in Canada, rock on!
Woo for Canada! Haha, I live in Ontario and I go to Laurier
Congratulations, that is awesome that you did it the RIGHT way, slow and steady
I did the same and it feels so great to know that you didn’t do anything drastic or unhealthy.
I love your food pictures. Very nice.
“Yeah, I opted out of the whole residence deal since I live right down the road from my university and it is MUCH cheaper this way.”
You’re not missing much. Nothing like hearing someone dribble a basketball down the hall at 2 a.m. when you have a test the next day.
“Nothing like hearing someone dribble a basketball down the hall at 2 a.m. when you have a test the next day.”
Lol, things like that happen all the time! my roommate and I developed a reputation for being scary when we were woken up in the middle of the night, so people who knew us took to making noise on the other side of the hall.
You are really not missing much with the food…not very tasty or healthy.
Good for you for sticking to healthy eating even in college. Dorm food or no, I know that that’s tough. But you’ll definitely be glad that you did!
I had no idea you were maintaining such a significant weight loss. That’s awesome!
This is a great blog! I’m glad I found it. Congratulations on your health!
Your not missing out on anything by not living in the residence hall. I did the dorm thing my freshman year and COULD NOT WAIT to get out of there! The breaking point was when the ENTIRE husker football team stormed our dorm floor at 3am drunk as hell…right before finals!!!
LAME!!!
hey! just wandered onto your “about me” page tonight, nice to “meet” someone so similar to myself! i’m about to encounter the healthy living struggles since i’m moving on campus this year, but i think i can do it (fingers crossed)! love the blog!
You live in Waterloo? Me too! FINALLY someone around here who agrees with healthy living
. Have you ever been to Raintree Cafe on King St.? Judging from your blog, I think you would love it!
M – I actually HAVE been to Raintree! And it was definitely great! I’ve only been once though and that was a while ago, so I definitely think I need to make another trip there sometime in the very near future.
i’ve actually never read this “about me”page before, for some reason – you are one inspiring girl! and join the club of say-at-home uni students
Another university student!! Sometimes I wish I could just live at home, life would be somewhat easier.
Thanks for sharing!
Stumbled on your blog awhile back and I have to say I definitely identify with your weight/food struggles. I enjoy your posts and foodie ideas a lot though!
Hey! I’m glad I’m not the only second-year student living at home! Woop Woop! I love your blog! I feel the same way. It’s difficult drive for me but I love that I save SO much money and an available kitchen, hello! haha I officially started my own foodie blog for my new year’s goal! No longer only a reader, now a blogger! Scary….I had to add you to my blog roll b/c I know I’ll continue to check in! Congrats on all your progress:)
great story, you’re an inspiration to us gals who “skinny” doesnt come easy for. keep it up!
I just found your blog and I’m loving it! Something weirdly addictive about reading other people’s eats. Like window shopping for food!
Congrats on the weight loss– you look great! I am also trying to lose a little weight and tone up…without “dieting”…it’s just mentally exhausting! I’m in med school so other than just eating healthy, I don’t want to deal with anything too complicated or restrictive. I love your outlook and food choices. Yay pumpkin! and oats! and salsa and other deliciousness! And you seem to have the same healthy eating philosophy– volume eating. I like to get the biggest calorie bang for my buck! I’ve been really obsessed with warm spinach salads lately…I just warm the whole (HUGE!) plate of salad in the microwave for 30-60 seconds and you barely need dressing! Just salt and garlic powder…yumyumyum!
xo
Emily
Hi – just found your blog on the Recommendation of Katie from Chocolate Covered Vegan – lovin it!
Hi there
I love your blog. I can identify with your bio a lot. I grew up eating unhealthily, and during junior high and high school I put on a lot of weight. I was unhappy and lethargic, not just because of the weight but that didn’t help, so I decided that I was going to lose it. Unlike you, though, I made a bad decision and lost weight in a very unhealthy way. But I LOVE to cook, and keep a positive attitude. So yeah, fee free to check out my blog! I’d love to get to know you 
Liz from Michigan.
i love your blog. you remind me a lot of myself – 22 year old who has been steadily shedding pounds throughout college. keeping a healthy lifestyle is really difficult but blogging makes it soo much better – keep it up! i will be reading!
I just found your blog, and was literally shocked to see that you go to Laurier as well! I’m living in residence, and I love it. I’ll definitely admit that the food here is not the greatest, but I’m able to eat fairly healthy by buying most of my groceries at the ValuMart on King:)
Keep posting!
Great bio! Sooo inspiring, <3 it!! Wait!!!! I’ll love it even more if ya post a (or more) pic of yaself!!!
Heheheh, do i sound weird?! Hope not!!! 
I also decided to lose weight the healthy way by eating better and exercise. We seem to have very similar interests! I added you to my blogroll, cause I just love your site!
<3 Taylor
i love your blog! prettttyy prettty pictures!
I came across your blog and you’re so motivating! I love your pictures (great lighting!) and am hoping to be where you are soon. You’ve got a great attitude about food and healthy living! Way to go
Erin
Hi Kristie!
Thanks for stopping by! Wow, you are definitely inspirational having maintained your weight loss. That’s wonderful! It’s something I am still learning so I will have to look to your blog for tips and tricks
Best,
Michelle
Awesome! Way to go! I’m finding so many wonderful blogs as I search for them. There are so many motivating stories that help me keep going and get excited about the blogging community! i look forward to reading more.
natalie
http://www.nono2yoyo.wordpress.com
glad I found your blog.. can’t wait to see more!!
Love your blog – so glad I found it, I’ll def be coming around a bunch!
Love your outlook. Love your blog!
We have a lot in common: http://www.nutritionnut.wordpress.com