Breakfast, lunch, and dinner- three meals a day. Eating to fuel ourselves should be easy. But it's the most challenging part of my days. It plagues me. I grew up in an impoverished household, and the staple foods were tortillas, a bag of shredded cheese, and a jug of milk. I don't think I would have known what fruits and vegetables were if it weren't for school lunches. When I started making my own money, I would buy fast food for every meal. McDonald's for breakfast, KFC for lunch, and Taco Bell for dinner. A full belly was comforting; I'd gorge myself on excess. I used food to provide happiness and gratification. In much the same way as a gambling addict, food is all I can think about. Food has always been and will always be an incorrigible part of my life. There is no escape. Over the last 3 years, my love for food has steadily earned me several pounds of excess weight. I have been making a conscious effort to build a better relationship with food and exercise. I've been forcing myself to try fruits and vegetables that school lunches never provided. Though there have been many fruits and vegetables I've tried that I did not like, I've found a few that are tolerable. I still can't bring myself to have fruits and vegetables at every meal. But over the last couple of months, I've been making sure to have some type of fruit and vegetable daily. It's been an uphill battle within myself and my cravings for comfort foods. I've been avoiding the call of fast food and restaurant dining, aside from the occasional treat. I began exercising slowly. It started with a home workout in front of the TV once a week. Then two or three nights a week- still in front of the TV. After a few months, I did something I thought I'd never do. I joined a gym. The gym is a short enough distance away from home that I could walk. I could, but I haven't. I'm still working up to it. I've been making small progressions in the gym. I've never liked cardio, but I always warm-up on the treadmill. When I started going to the gym, I'd only walk, and I didn't stay on for very long (maybe 20 minutes or so). I didn't sweat. I didn't even feel out of breath. I painstakingly increased my speech just a little every week. Now I can jog. I sweat, and I get out of breath, but I don't mind it. I've also started some mild weight lifting. Nothing serious, but I set specific days for three major areas: arms, core, and legs. Though I've been working hard, I've noticed only a few pounds shed. I know it will be a slow journey. I know I have to push forward. And the crazy thing is that eating better foods and going to the gym is actually nice. It makes me feel more energetic. I'm going to continue my journey to lose weight in silence. Because even if it takes me 2 years to lose the weight, I know I'm making choices that will ultimately prolong my life.

I have been involved in caring for the elderly for nearly 10 years. I started out as an activities aide for a retirement community; the job entailed playing trivia with residents, painting their nails, and other recreational activities. I held that job for one year. I became a CNA (certified nurses assistant) and worked at a hospital for one year and a nursing home for 6 years. The CNA role required me to assist the elderly with bathing, toileting, eating, and other daily activities. I have been working as a LPN (licensed practical nurse) for the last 2.5 years. I work in an assisted living community. My current job duties include medication administration and wound care. Caring for the elderly is something I’ve always had a passion for and I believe it will be my life’s work.