Progress w/ pics- the reward of not giving up.

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brookielaw
brookielaw Posts: 814 Member
I hope this isn't against any rules but I did a search and didn't see it. If so, mods, I apologize and please delete. I posted this in success stories but felt like this was a better place for it.

I've been meaning to upload these but I just didn't have the nerve. Anyway, here's me at my heaviest:
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You want a full body pic? Yeah. I don't have ANY that I'm aware of. There's a reason for that. I was SUPER. MORBIDLY. OBESE. It did not come with a cape and action figure, because I didn't do much. Everything hurt.

I made slow changes, better food choices, smaller portions, and eventually started swimming, because that was all that my body could handle. I worked my way up to a mile and a quarter, 3 times a week. I added a personal trainer once a week and made a conscious effort to move more. Things began hurting less. I could bend my right knee again.

When I lost 100 lbs, I bought a bike as a reward. I finally started taking full body pics.
brookiework_zpsbc880a99.jpg

I signed up for a charity ride less than a month after getting my bike. It came with jerseys. I wore it like everyone else, and was very self-conscious.
brookieseptbike_zps7fd985c0.jpg

So self-conscious in fact, that I posted a pic for my family with a caption about having no business wearing that shirt. My cousin posted a side-by-side. I can finally see it:
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The moral of the story is that you should never give up. I know how it feels to be SUPER morbidly obese. I know how it hurts to move and breathe and just exist. I did a happy dance when I graduated to just morbidly obese, and I've got MOVES now. I'll continue doing happy dances, and eating right, and enjoying all life has to offer. A world is opening up of cool stuff I can finally do now that I'm smaller and more fit.

Oh yeah, and I went from THAT to training for my first sprint triathlon on 5/10/14. If I can do this, so can you. Wish me luck. :)

Replies

  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
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    Well I think you should have a cape and be an action figure. Because you are a super hero. You have done some very brave things. It's amazing and inspiring. I started out at well over 300 pounds and I didn't even know it. I got the shock of my life at a doctors appointment after losing a significant amount of weight. I know I lost a lot of weight cuz a pair of pants I couldn't even get up past my hips fit me again at that point. I didn't have a home scale, so the best I can do is estimate what my weight was back in October 2012. I do know what I weighed in March 2013, it was 305 pounds. I thought I was the weight I am now. Oddly enough I still feel like I look like I did back in October when I started this, it was by accident. So, when I hear stories of people that start this on purpose I am in awe. I could never. Literally the only way I was going to start counting calories and exercising again was by accident. When I figured out I was losing I decided to run with it or rather just try to walk with it everyday for several hours a day. Not at first though the longest I could walk at a time was about 20 minutes. So I did that 2 or 3 times a day.

    BTW I think you are rocking that jersey and keep it up. You look great and your spirit is amazing.
  • Robin_Dennewitz
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    How does one add before and after pictures?
  • brookielaw
    brookielaw Posts: 814 Member
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    There is a really good tutorial on the Success Stories forums. I used photobucket to host (as suggested). Easy Peasy.
  • dawnnamira
    dawnnamira Posts: 11 Member
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    Thanks for sharing! You look great and you really deserve that jersey!