Then...and now

fruitloop2 · April 2013

What a difference a year makes! It was the end of April last year when I decided enough was enough and I made my lifestyle change.

I've always struggled with my weight, it seems to fluctuate with what was happening in my life and I've always had a bad self image of myself. So, even at my lightest of 135 (I'm just shy of 5'3"), I thought I was fat. Boy do I have a different outlook on that now! When I look back at pictures I see how good I looked and I longed to look that good again. 13.5 years ago I weighed that, 135lbs...sigh. Then I had a baby to which I never really lost all of the weight from (and I gained A LOT...tipped the scale at about 205lbs). Then 4 years later, I was pregnant with my second and even though I didn't gain as much as with my first, I was still sneaking up on the 200lbs mark. I never fully lost the weight from that pregnancy either. So, there I sat, longing to be that weight before having kids but sitting at almost the same weight as I was full term with my second child. I'm was tired of not being able to find clothes I liked in my size and I'm was sick of the way i looked and felt.

What has made me decide to embark on this weight loss journey you ask? Well, 2 things...1 being that I was sitting at a weight I was when I was 9 months pregnant, and #2- being terrified of looking like my parents and having all the health problems they have because of being obese. I took a trip home over Easter last year to visit with family and it was then that I realized that I was closer to that reality than I thought. Although I don't have any health issue yet...if I keep going the way I am and don't make some drastic changes in my life, I'm going to be exactly like them and April of last year I was well on my way and that scares the crap out of me.

My lifestyle/eating habits before this were terrible. I never drank water...ever! I went from coffee in the morning, to pop in the afternoon, to a couple of beers in the evening with my husband. I am/was a junk food junky. I love it! I would rather sit there and eat a large bag of chips than snack on a plate of veggies or fruit. I never ever exercised. The extent of my exercise was chasing kids around or watching them play (I run a day home) and the very occasional leisurely walk with my dogs. I would never break a sweat. I lived a very unhealthy lifestyle and it was time for a major change.

As of April 14 last year, I started drinking the recommended or more of water every day. I do still eat the occasional junk food but rarely, I eat healthy snacks and foods, I'm watching/counting my calorie intake/used and I have acquired quite the workout equipment over the past year. I have turned the basement into a workout room, have started lifting heavier weights ( started SL 5x5 ) to now change my body composition and get my body fat % down. I LOVE lifting weights! I love even more that my husband has decided to join me so it's something we can do together.

When I first started last year, I was a size 16-18 ( an XL or a size 36 in jeans). I just bought a pair of pants in a size 6 yesterday but for most things an 8 fits pretty good ( I fit a small in a lot of things and my jeans are now anywhere between a 28-30 depending on the make and style). I still have 6 lbs left to go to reach that 135lb goal and about 4-6% I'd say for body fat but I feel fantastic! This is the healthiest (and strongest) I have ever been in my life. I still struggle with body image sometimes but for the most part I think I look f'ing amazing! 1 of the small reasons I decided to change was because I didn't want my husband looking around for a woman who had a better body than me, he deserved a hot little wife by his side and this was a big fear I had...now the rolls are reversed and this is how my husband is feeling, lol.

Even though I haven't quite reached my goal yet, I just wanted to share my past year with you. All the success stories have been a great inspiration to me and I could never of done this without this site and all my supportive pals on here!

Then and NOW!

dupaboo · April 2013

LOVE IT!!!!! Congratulations!!

Squamation · April 2013

Amazing story and transformation! I wish you the best of luck as you finish your goals and want you to know you're looking great.

NZhellkat · April 2013

Comgrats on turning your life around. You look fantastic.

ShellGetsFit · April 2013

Fantastic!!! You look great!!!

Cp731 · April 2013

Cool, a wok in progress, Got to be happy with that Sista.

Heather032190 · April 2013

Congrats You Look Amazing! I just started my journey and stories like these give me hope!

best of luck on finishing out strong!

FromFat2Phat2013 · April 2013

You look great!

NicoleS228 · April 2013

Wow, reading your story...we could've been twins!! The whole pregnancy deal, being a junk food junkie, never exercising! This gives me so much hope that I'm on the right track! I have only been on for a week now but I am so motivated. I've come to look forward to my daily exercises and am even getting the family involved. This is such an amazing site. Congrats on your success and thanks for sharing. You're an inspiration!