"Weight" before you judge

In 2003, my senior year of high school, I was fortunate to sing the the title role (s) in Waterville Central School Music Department's spring musical: Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll and Hyde. Here I am as a persevering doctor and a raging, manic lunatic (picture with the beautiful, Stephanie Snow).

I lost ten pound performing the arduous role. For those of you who know the work, it is a physically and emotionally demanding one for anybody- let alone a high school senior.

In these pictures, I was down to about 235 lbs.

Weight has been a major issue for me, as I've blogged about in the past and as my friends or even casual acquaintances know from conversation. Throughout my collegiate career and in the small amount of pre-professional work and apprenticeships I have participated in, it is clear to me that appearance is everything in the music business. It affects classical singing as much as pop music or fashion. If you watch any of the Met broadcasts (or live close enough to the City to catch them live, and especially in the last month or so) you can see that sometimes, good looks with an adequate voice to match will help you tenfold in one's career.

So I've been watching what I eat- exercise when I can as often as I can and am a huge advocate for portion control. Now, in the summer of 2010, more than seven years later, I weighed in this morning at 145 lbs with a 14.9% body fat.

So for anyone concerned about my health and making accusations about my eating disorders, here's an update. I like to drink on the while. I am a regular at Jamie's Pizza in Tempe and love their regular slice with chicken, onion and green peppers. I'm not above ice cream but eat frozen yogurt three times a week. My daily caloric intake is anywhere from 800-1600 calories a day, depending on how much water or diet cola I drink and how hungry I feel. Granola has become my new snack food- as has celery. I quit drinking lattes largely because milk gets in the way, and when I do- it's soy because I like the taste better. I love eating organic peanut butter out of the jar, and sometimes I splurge and simultaneously eat a spoonful of raspberry preserves. When I travel I like to sample local foods and traditions and plan on doing ALOT of that when I take off for NY again. 7-11 has been the majority of my diet this semester because I wanted to eat cheap so I could afford MEATFEST. MEATFEST. And if I'm bored, I like to pick. Oh yeah- CNY Riggies this summer...I cannot even wait.

The heat, my fluid intake, my work out regiment and plus having a heavy conscience allowed me to get where I am. I finally feel like I'm at a good place for my body and now can go to pool parties and actually enjoy myself. Never in my life have I ever liked swimming in public or taking my shirt off around people, and now I feel like I can. This summer I'm training for the Utica Boilermaker, the summer's coolest and most local-feeling 15K road race (given that I will actually be in town for it). It's been a dream of mine to run it, well-paced, and now that I have a running partner I plan on hitting it full throttle. Today was my second day of introductory training and after four miles, I feel like I'll be ready by race day. And for that six-pack of Saranac after it is all over!

...So don't worry, I don't have cancer and I'm not starving myself. Anyone who really knows can attest to that. Anyone who struggles with weight issues, or anyone who has even been mercilessly picked on for being "fat" will hopefully see my determination as inspiring. Seven years and nearly 100 lbs. You'd be feeling as good as I do too.