Where Did My Weight Gain Really Begin?
It’s no secret that I have lost a significant amount of weight since I ended my college career in the spring of 2014. 70 pounds to be exact. When I entered my freshman year of college in the fall of 2010, I weighed 175 pounds. When I left college four years later I weighed 221.5 pounds. Right after my college season concluded, I embarked on a new journey to Chicago to compete in the National Pro Fastpitch League. I got the chance to compete against the best and most athletic players in the game of softball, and I felt like an outcast because of my weight.
With my idol Jennie Finch in Chicago summer of 2014 (left) and this past summer of 2016 (right) A 60 pound weight difference and 2 year time lapse between pictures
How did I let myself get to 221.5 pounds? It’s hard to wrap my brain around that haunting number because I once saw it at my feet when I stepped onto the scale. That number will forever be branded in my mind and I vow to myself to never see it again.
Where exactly did my weight gain begin? It was easy to blame my weight gain on my eating and physical habits in college, but something tells me it began much earlier than the day I set foot on campus. I started playing Fastpitch when I was nine years old. My career began with me playing for my local association team before moving to club ball when I was 14. My summer months throughout my youth playing days were jam packed with softball tournaments. Starting in the month of May or June, I competed in a tournament every weekend until early August.
Over the summer season, some tournaments were local while others were out of state. It didn’t make a huge difference where the tournaments were played because we spent the whole day at the ballpark. My poor eating habits began at these tournaments. It always felt like my team drew the short straw and had the early game every weekend. When this happened, I had to wake up early and head to the fields for warm ups. More often than not, breakfast was forgotten until arriving at the field where the only option was concession stand donuts. Believe me, I was not disappointed by this breakfast in the slightest, what kid doesn’t love having donuts for breakfast?
Let’s talk about concession stands. Although they may be the most convenient option for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks throughout softball tournaments, the food options aren’t healthy or nutritious. Most concession stands are stocked with soda, Gatorade, candy, hot dogs, hamburgers, walking tacos, and chips. Hot dogs and walking tacos may do the trick as a lunch option to fill up the hungry belly, but they aren’t providing the athletes with the proper nutrition to fuel their bodies to get them through their games for the rest of the day. These food options also lead to unhealthy eating choices outside of tournaments.
Instead of relying on concession stands for tournament meals and snacks, a healthier and cheaper option would be to pack your own. The night before the tournament begins, take 10 minutes to pack up sandwiches, pretzels, fruit, and healthy snacks for the next day. Throw it all into a cooler the next morning, stop at a gas station on the way to buy ice to keep it cold, and then make your way to the field. Some tournaments don’t allow coolers to be brought into the complex, if that’s the case, leave it in the car and that’s where you can eat after the game.
Meal preparation was a huge piece of my weight loss journey. I spent the past three seasons playing in the National Professional League, and for the past two seasons, I followed my own advice from above. I purchased my first cooler and for every bus trip, I packed home cooked meals put into Tupperware containers, sandwiches, snacks, etc. Everything I ate over the past two summers, aside from a few restaurant meals, was prepared by me. This was the best way for me to know that I was in control of what I was eating and putting into my body.
I’ve learned over the years that we eat what’s convenient. Parents know that concession stand foods and fast food aren’t the healthiest options for their kids, but it’s fast and easy. I challenge you this summer to buy a cooler, take an extra 10 minutes every night to pack your own meals for the following day, and enjoy them. Not only are you providing your daughters with healthier food options, but you will be fueling their bodies the right way and they will perform on the softball field because of it.
Below is a list of what I would pack for a day at the ball field:
Sandwich – put into a zip lock bag
- Multigrain Sandwich Thin Bread
- Light Mayo
- Turkey
- Cheese
- Spinach
- Or a classic Peanut Butter and Jelly on the same bread
Pretzels and an apple to go with my sandwich
Snack– for between games
- Celery Sticks with peanut butter
- Banana with peanut butter
- Granola Bar – either Cliff or Kind
Beverages – avoid all soda drinks, they dehydrate the body
- Water
- Gatorade
