Scale Victory & NSV :)

This is my first posting on here. I started my journey being about 100 lbs overweight. I wasn’t always big, but a sedentary lifestyle in college combined with drinking and late night fast food runs added up over the course of 4 years. I had tried to lose weight before and lost about 30 pounds one summer. Then I went back to school in the fall and it all came back on.

At the start of 2011, I decided I needed to do something about it, but I wasn’t ready to dive in head first. So, I took baby steps. I stopped buying white bread, rice & pasta and started buying everything in the whole grain version. This change alone let me lose 15 pounds over the course of the year. I have several workout DVDs and some of the Wii fitness games, but who has time for that when there’s laundry to do, dishes to wash or you recorded something on the DVR? I had excuses. So, I decided that since I wasn’t going to do it at home, I wanted to join a gym. If I didn’t go to the gym, then I would just be wasting money, which is always motivation.

So, my husband and I joined a local gym in January (so cliché, lol) and I nearly died my first time on the elliptical. A bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point. I wanted to try out some of the fitness classes, but was so nervous because I didn’t want to be the only out of shape one in a room full of fitness models. The first class I went to was cardio kickboxing. I chose that one because I grew up doing martial arts, so I figured starting with something familiar would be good. The instructor was awesome and encouraging. Plus, it helped that there were "normal people" at the gym. I started regularly going to her class and eventually got up enough courage to try out Zumba and spin. I also found My Fitness Pal, which has been a huge help!
I am an absolute Zumba-holic now, but I also lift a couple times a week so I don’t wind up “skinny-fat.” So...onto my victories.

Over the last two weeks:
1. I have officially lost 47 pounds this year & 62 pounds total, though I still have a ways to go.
2. I attended my first Zumba Master Class (a full 90 minutes as opposed to the regular 45 minutes). I was drenched in sweat by the end of it and felt like a bad *kitten*.
3. I moved from hiding in the back corner in Zumba to the second row up front.
4. I had to have my husband put more holes in my belt because even on the smallest hole, my pants would still fall down! This was pretty significant to me because when I bought the belt, I had to wear it on the first hole.

I still have more weight to lose until I’m at my ultimate goal weight, but I’m loving the journey so far. :happy:

Sorry this was long, but if you actually read it all, thanks!