Spring 2008

  This is my rear view from March 2008.  I knew we were headed back to the US for summer vacay, including a week in Orange County CA and I felt compelled to return to the US and undergo the critical gaze of all my friends and relatives . . . and not have them think "wow, she's really chubbed up there in Korea" . . . .  this pic is after half-heartedly working out with weights, and walking home from classes four days a week -- all in all, about four-five months worth of effort. I haven't changed anything else -- eating/sleeping habits are the same, that is bad.   While still quite ripply on the backs of the thighs, I think my thighs are overall a teensy bit slimmed down, (right?  right?). 

Stats:  appx  133 lbs. / 26.5 % BF

measurements: (BWH/Rth, Rb):  35 -27.5-38/22-9.75

Fat Rolls and Bottom Dimples

This was from Dec 2006, a very, very low point in my life.  I had been teaching in an inner-city Los Angeles school, and while I loved my students and love teaching, the political in-fighting and ceaseless wrangling just sucked the life out of everyone there -- except, that is, for the people who  tried to have as little to do with the students as possible.  I knew this was the absolute nadir when a student quietly asked if I were pregnant -- it was during "that time of month" but I had NEVER gotten the "pregnancy" question ever before -- not a good thing.   I'm not exactly obese or even seriously overweight, but it all just creeped up on me, slowly and insideously over time . . .  Note the fat rolls, and, even though this pic doesn't do them justice, I even have the dreaded BOTTOM DIMPLES.  Loved my tan, loved the palm trees, but had no time/energy to enjoy it, were always exhausted -- hence we needed a change . . .  so we left . . . .  took my chubby self and found a teaching job at a college which would allow me to slow down, think about what's important to me, where I want to go with my life, and improve my health!

Six years ago

This is me in 2002 -- I know, a weird pose but even then I had a glimmering of panic about being out of shape.  Looking back now, I want to slap my six-years-prior self for feeling flabby, huge and gross -- I'm looking OK here.  A little more toning and def. in the lower body would be nice, but I liked my upper body -- at this time of my life we lived in Osaka, Japan.  We had joined the Kansai Dragons International Dragon boat team, and by my awe-inspiring biceps, you can tell which side I paddled on most!  At the end of the racing season I discovered I was an ambidextrous paddler, but it was too late to even things out -- hence the mismatched biceps.  I'm sure Serena Williams has the same problem too, hahaha!