Inadvertent progress shots

vegaslounge

I am not someone who takes underwear pics in full-length mirrors to chart my progress (mainly because I don't have a full-length mirror or particularly nice underwear) but I did accidentally discover that I've charted my weight loss quite accidentally over at least the past 4 years. My two best friends from high school still live on the West Coast while I moved East, but for the past 3 years (plus a kick-start in 2012) we have met at various cities once a year in Spring.
It's been interesting to track my "journey" through these vacation snaps. Our last one just concluded, and man, I feel proud about myself.

Washington, DC, 2012: I was at my highest at this point, probably 215-225.
This was at the very start of trying to lose, I'd just bought the world's oldest pedometer and it was clipped to my skirt like a 1990s beeper.

Boston, 2016: Probably 185-190. Hell yeah, make way for ducklings! I was frankly astonished I had enough core strength to hold myself up like that. And that jacket was tiiiight.

New Mexico, 2017: 170 and holy Cow was that jacket LOOSE! The difference between my face and shoulders between DC and here is crazy– I have a broad bone structure (that Jay Leno chin isn't going anywhere) but you can see more of my teeth in this smile as my mouth isn't being smothered by cheeks.

Colorado, 2018: 163, not my lowest recorded weight but damn nearly.
And while I still can't do anything about the Chin, I FELT 50lbs lighter than that first DC photo. I'd only just started wearing short-sleeve graphic tees, and had a skirt just slightly higher than I'd normally like (not so much for modesty, but when I gain I get these..."knee butts"). But, all I packed were short sleeves and that 'short' skirt. Hell, I wore a wifebeater to the Grand Canyon– I have NEVER worn a tank top in public in my entire life (and I got the sunburn to prove it)..

I never took or had any of these photos taken with my weight in mind– I was just having fun with my family. And in some way I quite like that– I know me, if I were to take the "mirror shots" I'd try to make myself look as good as possible. I've been making slow progress on my loss, but it's fun guessing where I'll be when I hit goal.

~VL

(ETA: If anyone recognizes my Colorado shirt, fist-bump! Oh, I'm sorry.)

charlenechaz

Well Done! you have done amazingly. I hope you feel really proud and you look so happy throughout your journey. x