Awakening: A Work In Progress

I’ll go ahead and tell my story for those of you interested. The rest can skip ahead to the pics as you will.

It was a year ago today that I got back from my dream trip around the UK, and hours on a plane made more uncomfortable than necessary (for me and the poor souls around me) by my obesity. Parts of the holiday that I had so looked forward to and carefully planned for months were all but ruined by my size 24 frame, and at a time when I should have been incredibly happy, I was so disgusted and despondent that I could think of nothing but that this must end and it would end today! If I did nothing else with my 34th year on this earth, I would rid myself of this burden once and for all, and never look back.

“To live meant feeding my former self to my current self.” Cameron Conaway

Having tried and failed at many balanced diets in the past, I thoroughly researched more extreme solutions. I discussed it with my doctor, and together we chose a carefully supervised Dr. Atkins plan. Throughout the year, she poked and prodded and tested me, adjusting and tweaking as she saw the need. And through it all, my doctor was my biggest cheerleader, despite the stigma of that way of eating.

In December, I started walking and received a Wii Fit Plus for Christmas. In January, I got bored and moved on to The Firm. February came and, bored again, I met Shaun T and started dancing. By summer, despite the warnings of those around me who thought I couldn’t handle it, I dove head first into P90X.

Once I got over the 100 lb mark, with a goal of roughly 125, I was ready to start transitioning to a more balanced diet. After P90X, I chose the exercise/diet combo of New Rules of Lifting for Women. I cleaned out my game room and filled it with gym equipment. Since then, my weight has stalled; however, there are noticeable improvements in strength each week! Clothes are getting loose again (<-please note the proper use of this word, thanks) and I’ve found I dearly love the feeling of a strong, fit body [insert dirty joke here]. Another thing that I love? (Young ladies, in particular, take note…) The CONSTANT feedings! It’s exhausting and expensive, but food still makes me happy, just for different reasons. So, for now, I’m a size 8. And this is the indescribable sweetness of my life today.

MFP is my Facebook, and many of my friends here are real friends that I have genuine love and affection for. Could I have done this without you? Probably. But I wouldn’t want to. Thank you for everything you’ve said, done, and been for me. :flowerforyou:




“I feel like a butterfly emerging from her cocoon, drying her wings in the warm sun before flying off to explore this wonderful new world that awaits her. What does life hold in store for her?” Susan Ashleigh Thatcher