Miss Plus America Elite 2007!

This is Jenna, Miss Plus America Elite 2007-08. My reign has ended, but I had an incredible year as Miss Plus America Elite. So if you are a beautiful, driven, educated, well-rounded, and motivated plus-sized woman, I encourage you to consider Miss Plus America. Who knows, mabye it will be you next??? Visit www.missplusamerica.com or my website at www.jennavaught.com if you would like to know more.Although I am a spokeswoman for plus-sized women today, I really believe in fitness and health at every size and age. I should know, I have lost over 180 pounds! There was a point in my life where the scales reached 427 pounds. For many people, that is hard to believe. So, I know a thing or two about the struggles women endure because of their self-esteem and weight. Every person on this earth wonders what their place in life will be..where they belong? I tell you what, everyone deserves a chance to be THE BEST that they can be. My belief is, stop waiting to feel better and just feel better! Never allow your weight to dictate your happiness. Beauty is not a size or shape, there is so many diverse factors to what makes an individual beautiful.Yet, for those who would like to feel better with their body, maybe shed a few pounds, or just increase their overall health...exerise, healthy eating, and self-discovery are so important! EXERCISE has changed my life! CHANGING my mind about myself has TRANSFORMED my life! Better food choices, has not only help me lose the weight but feel great.My recipe for weightloss is simple, yet at times can be an uphill climb. 1) Get moving. I make sure that I get on average of 45-90 minutes of vigorous exercise per day. Somedays it is all about running intervals or walking steep incline. Others it is spent on the crosstrainer or jazzercise, even video tapes! Video workouts have been my one true companion! 2) Add the strength. You need it not only for your metabolism and building lean muscle, but strength training is key for good bone health. It also helps you burn calories more efficiently. 3) BALANCED eating. Less processed, more "whole" foods. I love WEIGHT WATCHERS..the fundamentals of the program have gotton me right where I am. 4) SELF DISCOVERY--- You can run the miles, eat right...but rest assured, there is probably a real reason why you gained the weight in the real reason. A LOT of people skip this step, gain the weight back, and wonder why???Let me tell you, I didn't become 427 because I liked to eat fast food and soda most days of the week. The real reason was because of the way I "viewed" myself. I never believed that I was good enough to be successful, that I matterd in this world, or that I could be "more". Food was a drug for me. Food can sometimes still be a drug for me. Ever find yourself giving in to burgers and fries because you had an argument with someone on the phone? Every find yourself eating too many treats because you had a bad day? How about just eating for no reason at work, even when you are not hungry? All of these are examples as using food to help overcome a "feeling" such as feeling bored, depressed, angry, sad, overwhelmed, and yes even happy. Bottom line, I got to be 427 because I used food to deal with life! I wasn't dealing with life, food was doing it for me.Today, I have lost over 180 pounds. I am a single mother of an eight year old girl, I have graduated with degrees in Chemistry and Biology...and I am minutes away from becoming a DOCTOR. That's right, I am about to be a doctor!! I have traveled quite a bit in life, and I really would love to live one day in Paris. Travel is really important to me, and one of my dreams is to do a medical mission in Africa. Plus-sized modeling is something that I am exploring further, although, I really would like to focus more on encouraging others to get fit and healthy at any size...who knows, maybe you will be seeing a fitness series soon??In the end, I dreamed of only two things in life, since I was very very young. 1) To be a doctor. 2) To feel great and look great--lose weight. I have done both of these two things, and I have to say, it feels pretty great!Kiss Jenna www.jennavaught.com