My "weight loss journey"

Food is something that has become a passion to me over the years. I started learning to cook when I was in high school, although it was mainly spaghetti, and over the recent years I have really gotten into it.
In college I would be the friend that would roast chickens with potatoes and we would have "family" dinners with all our friends. Though, when my friends weren't looking I would only eat fast food. If I couldn't afford that I my meals throughout the day would be, no breakfast, PB&J with chips or a hot pocket (sometimes a subway sandwich) and maybe a chicken breast with white rice and corn for dinner. (sooo much starch not enough green veggies)
If I was feeling really lazy I would just eat rice.
I never felt like any of this was horrible because that's how I always ate. The lack of exercise and drinking with poor nutrition caught up with me however.

I look back into my college days and realized I had such an unhealthy relationship with food and mainly binge drinking.

I haven't taken a progress pic in a while but I have defined abs and more muscle now

Obvious difference in arms, shoulders, and stomach. Spring Break binge drinking!

When Patrick proposed I was fearing our engagement pictures immediately. I, like the majority of America, didn't know how to properly feed myself. I immediately went from drinking 5 days a week with fast food interlaced in between to bettering my outlook on nutrition.
Over the course of a year and a half I dropped thirty pounds. THIRTY. I was never severely obese or significantly overweight, but this junk had been hanging onto me for a while and once I started feeding my body properly it responded vastly. I'm back up a few more pounds at a healthy weight that I feel completely comfortable with. Plus, some added muscle!

3 months into my new "diet" (though I hate that word) I started exercising. I found a blog on tumblr that supported women lifting weights. Back then everyone had the mentality that they would get "bulky" if they lifted weights. I tried Jamie Eason's Livefit Trainer and the results were astonishing. Mixed with healthier choices I was finally dropping weight. Which resulted in the 30 I lost. By the time I got married my tailor couldn't keep up with the alterations, I never said anything but my wedding dress was LOOSE y'all. I think everything was perfect however.

Newly gained back muscles and loose dress. 

I continued to educate myself as best I could on nutrition and working out. I've had ups and downs and now after finishing a whole30 a month ago I can say I have an incredibly better perspective on everything.
I never really had a "goal weight", I just wanted to be happier with myself but especially more fit and active. I eat to nourish my body now and give it the fuel it needs for my workouts.

A few tips I would make if you're just getting started.

• Start slow. With diet and exercise. I started with a cleaner diet (whatever your definition may be) and went from there. 
• Educate yourself as much as you can for everything but especially diet. Always question everything you see on the internet. Check those sources and google everything. If you're into reading, check out a book called "It Starts with Food". It completely opened my eyes to what I was eating.
• Don't fall for scammy "cleanses" and "detox meal plans". The only thing you need to detox your body is whole foods. Eat at LEAST 3 solid meals a day (no smoothies don't count as a meal read the book and you'll find out why) but always, always, ALWAYS do what you think is right for your body. (If you have a ton of trouble deciding what to do best, SEE A DOCTOR.) If you think you want to do 6 meals a day, fine. Always, alter everything to your own experience. 
• Don't deprive yourself but stay mindful. I occasionally go crazy with the junk food and it's totally fine. Tomorrow is a new day. You shouldn't, however, be telling yourself this everyday. If you want those M&M's go for it! However, if you think "well I could go for some watermelon or grapes", try that if you like to satisfy your sweet tooth. It all comes down to making better choices.
• Find what works for you. I could not say this enough! There are so many bloggers that aren't registered nutritionists or what-have-you telling you do this and that. I like to take a blind eye to their advice but still try it out if I want. If it doesn't work for me I'm not going to continue to take that advice. This also goes with workouts. I could never keep up with plyometrics (think P90x) and I HATED working out. I found lifting weights and I love it. You can go as intense as you want. If you hate Zumba, or yoga then find something else!
• Your results WILL be slow. So please don't get discouraged, especially if you have been eating poorly or whatever for a really long time like I was. Results are different for every single person so don't get jealous of all the instagram fitness models out there. Not only do they get paid to do that stuff but they've most likely been doing that for years.
• You will fail. It is not easy to start fresh and new. You'll want to give up so much and you might but that is okay. When you're ready you'll be at it again. 

I hope this helps a bit and if you have any questions please feel free to comment below. I could talk about my "journey" for days but I think this is a good summary of what I went through and still have trouble with!