Let us Delve into the Why’s, How’s and Wherefore’s...

Why am I writing this blog? Since my mom died of breast cancer last May, I had been pondering starting a blog to discuss all the emotions and stuff I was going through, but I didn’t really have the focus, nor did I think anyone would find it interesting. But then, a couple of weeks ago I got the idea for this blog. Well, initially I was thinking of writing about growing my hair to donate to help make a wig for a cancer patient (did you know it takes 6-10 ponytails to make one wig?!).  I’m currently working at a salon spa and I thought it would make for a fun way to connect with our clients on Facebook. After discussing the idea with a colleague, he suggested I also blog about my journey into getting healthy.  Now, I’m going to have to backtrack a bit…

I went back to school in 2006, became an anxious eater, and gained 35 kg (75 lbs) over a five year period. I lost 13 kg (30 lbs), but gained back 9 kg very quickly after my mom passed away.  Now I’m trying to get healthy for many reasons – the big one being to try to keep cancer at bay!  Being overweight or obese leads to increased risk for many cancers, including breast cancer.  Read more information about how female and male obesity can increase risk of various cancers here.  

Now I’m growing my hair and shrinking my waistline!  I’m a biology student, so I would like to think that I know something about good health! Remember grade 11 biology? Macromolecules! Yep, we’ve all learned how macromolecules (proteins, triglycerides [fats], carbohydrates [sugars] and nucleic acids) break down and affect our bodies at a cellular level. Perhaps through this blog I’ll remind you if you don’t remember!  Haha!  I am actually studying to be a biology and general science teacher, so hopefully I am able to share qualitative data with you on how to get healthy.  

Knowing how is completely different than doing, though!  Do you have this issue also? I’ve worked out in the past with several trainers, all specializing in different areas.  Between that and studying biology you would think it’s easy to stay in shape.  Well, it’s not! Especially if you’re an emotional/stress eater like me.  I hope that on the health and wellness side of this blog we can work together to tackle our overindulging/binging/emo eating demons. I find the important thing isn’t just knowing when and why we eat, but trying to stop the negative behaviour altogether.  Easier said than done, but let’s stick it out and we *will* do great things together!

Now that we’ve done the wherefore of the blog, let’s go on to the how. How? I’ll write stuff I hope you find it interesting and maybe you’ll be able to connect with me on some level and share stuff with me as well.  I’m hoping we can share ideas, feelings, comments, workouts, recipes, hairdos, skin care tips, motivational thoughts/posters, everything from inside out! Well, everything you feel comfortable with sharing! J

I plan to post excerpts from this blog on my work Facebook page as well.  The salon I work at, HBS Spa Life, is supporting me and sponsoring me through this.  I decided that the chop off date for my hair will be on my mom’s second anniversary, May 9^th, 2015.  On that date, I will be down a minimum of 23 kg (50 lbs).  I set up goals to try to lose weight as healthily as possible, so about 1-2 lbs per week.  To make this fun for my readers, through our Facebook page, my sponsor, HBS Spa Life, will be giving away a product or service every week I meet my goals!!! WOOT! Unfortunately, though, for the moment, we will only be able to give prizes on a local scale – GTA residents (Greater Toronto Area - or anyone who can come by to get their hair done!).  Hopefully, as time goes on, we can expand this area!  Also on that date, HBS is hosting a mega fundraiser with the help of the Canadian Cancer Society.  I’ll put up my Cut for Cancer webpage shortly. I hope you are all able to attend! If not in person, in spirit J

Okay… so that's some information about what you might expect over the next ten months. I sincerely do look forward to gouging out my insides to share with you! Heh, it may feel like that at times, but I’m committed to sharing my emotional and physical journey with you all and hopefully I will be able to create awareness about how we can live healthy lifestyles to try to prevent disease, what it actually takes to make a wig, and how we can become the truly beautiful people, inside and out, that we desire to be. Remember, beauty is a feeling, a sense, pleasures.  It’s who we are, how we got here, and the possibilities of where we can go and who we can become. 

See you soon! 

*Picture is of Canadian Cancer Society Daffodil month