Introducing Me

To the tune of that Nick Jonas song.

Hii. It’s Cabi. 

My nickname at home is Cabi or Cabita. That's what my family calls me. 

’90s baby

In a land far, far away... I was born in 1990 in Lima, Peru and raised in sunny Miami, Florida. I'm a total Miami girl—Miami Caribbean accent included. I have an older sibling, making me the youngest of two, which, quite frankly, just means I’m really obnoxious & spoiled.  (I'm forming a help group for all younger siblings around the world that never got to be Mario in Mario Kart, always Luigi. That's why we are all obnoxious- it's just science.)

It may sound corny, but I did have the best childhood growing up and for that I’m really grateful. Santa always made it home. I had space to run, pets, a pool, and a trampoline. My parents always went the extra mile to make life fun for us and give us loads of love and attention. 

Life as I know it

I currently live in Miami, work as an event planner, and am doing my master’s in administration and organizational leadership (soon to graduate! May 2020). 

I’ve always been a very body positive, confident, and happy person. Like, genuinely happy. Either because I just am or choose to be. 

Unless you’re dealing with mental issues or specific situations, I do believe happiness and/or positivity is a choice. I don’t tend to get mad over little things—you will never see me upset over a bad driver, or rude cashier, or slow waiter. I do get upset over other things, though.

I don’t have children, nor do I want them, but being an auntie is my favorite thing in the world. It's like being a parent minus the parenting, and the responsibility, and late nights, and diapers and vomit. I get the cuddles and the laughs. It's a good deal. Also, I think it’s important that we see women as more than just wombs, and I’m sure I’ll touch on this topic at some point.

I’m a millennial and I'm liberal. I care about social justice the most, being accepting and kind to people, and social equality. I believe in the principle of Ubuntu, which literally means, “I am a person through other people; my humanity is tied to yours.” I believe in the idea that nobody is free until everyone is. I also believe an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind and that karma takes care of things in time. So, I don’t return negative behavior with more negative behavior. If you are unkind to me, I won't be unkind to you in return. Turn the other cheek, they say? Or at least I try to live my life that way.

Likes

I love the beach. I love driving alone and singing in my car. I love engaging in healthy conversations about social issues. I also love navigating clothing websites to find cute clothes to wear -plus size brands or not. I practice and play around with make-up a lot. I enjoy traveling and living outside of Miami, but, just like 90% of the population, I hate flying. Lately, I’ve been enjoying working out with my best friend a lot. But that’s the new me. The old me WOULD.NEVER…Trust me- Would never.

Food & Weight

I have always been overweight. A happy gordita since I was a child. I was usually bigger than most of my friends, but I always loved who I was. I was happy, felt great about myself, and had a high self-esteem. I love and loved who I was. I got stretch marks before I even understood what stretch marks were. Despite my parents' efforts to get me to enjoy physical activity, I hated being active, and I LOVED eating. Food is so good, it really is. Like, give me all the French fries, and Philly cheesesteak, and white rice, and papitas, and hot Cheetos, and buffalo wings, and ranch and I could go on and on and on. I loved food. So, I ate. A lot. Then I stopped eating as much, but I continued eating as poorly—just in less quantity. I never had an emotional eating issue, or an eating disorder, aside from being obese. Is that an eating disorder? Obesity? Someone educate me.

I hated being active! I hated working out. While my brother played soccer (Go Barca!), and my dad and mom went for walks, runs, and rode their bicycles, I liked to stay home. So, I did. I did what I liked, what I wanted, and what made me happy. But I guess you could say the consequence of that was gaining all ’em pounds until I got to 245.6 pounds earlier this year. But I was happy. I was confident. I was enjoying life. I felt great… until I didn’t. At least, health wise. I'll get to that at some point.

Now

I’m still enjoying life very much. I’m 29, I see my friends, get on Bumble and talk to boys, go to the gym, go to work, do school work, travel, play with my nephews, go to concerts, meal-prep… I hang out. I'm free and uncommitted, just over here trying to live my best life. I don’t have much to complain about. This year is the year I'm focusing on getting healthy, but I honestly don’t know what I’m doing or what that really means. I guess to me that means following a healthy and balanced lifestyle. I’m still doing what I like to do—the only difference is that what I like to do now is helping me get fit. With Cabi. Get fit with Cabi. Get it?

Be kind to people.

-Cabi