1 year. 100 lbs. (wordy, but pictures!)

A year ago, today, I downloaded the MFP app to my phone. It asked my weight - I had no idea. I didn't even have a scale. I went to the doctor's office up the street to be weighed. I hoped for 250. I feared 350. I split the middle and bet my friend it would come in at 303. I was off. The official number was 270 lbs.

Today, after a year of changing habits… of moving more and eating better, I weighed in at 170 lbs.

1 year. 100 lbs. To the day.

I've been thinking about this day for the last few weeks. I thought I'd have something witty or brilliant to say. Instead, I'm speechless. A bit proud of myself, a bit surprised that I actually did it. A bit mournful for the years I wasted, a bit excited about the years ahead. I think about the me of last year and she seems so different and, yet, exactly the same.

But enough of the talking talky - you're here for the pics & details…

The one y'all want to see… the before & current:


I feel extremely guilty to my 250 lb self for using this pic as a "before pic" - I was so pleased with having lost 20 lbs that I forgot to hide from the camera.


A couple days after I took that before pic, on March 30th, I bought my first workout pants. I had been walking and doing a few active Wii games but was getting ready to do more. And, I thought, I might actually be able to find some that fit me now that I was no longer a tight 24. I'd lost 20 lbs, I was walking miles and miles a day, I was kicking butt with Biggest Loser for Wii (really good for someone at about a 0 fitness level. Still isn't bad, I don't know if it's loyalty & nostalgia for those early days, but I still find myself going back to it on occasion.)



By June, I kicked up the courage to get away from working out behind closed doors. I ventured out and discovered my community workout room. It's nothing fancy - a couple treadmills, a bike, an elliptical, cable weights, balls, etc. I tried the elliptical for the first time at the end of June. I last 5 minutes (hahaha). I refused to let it beat me and, by the end of the month, I'd fallen in love. There's something almost meditative about it for me. I know a lot of folks can't stand cardio machines and, I suppose, I can understand that. But for me? The monotonous movement and lack of anything distracting to look at just kills any and all stress. I dunno. I can't imagine a day without it now.



A week after discovering the workout room, I'd hit 50 lbs lost. 50 lbs! That was a tough one for me - I felt like I'd done so much and, yet, I didn't look any different. I mean, not that different. I certainly didn't see it. Fortunately I kept a pair of old pants. I still put them on when I can't "see" the change.



It felt like forever going from 220 to 200. I had family coming down in August and desperately wanted to hit the number while they were here. I hit 200 on Labor Day.



And everything started to fall apart. I quickly gained 5 lbs and spent the rest of the month in a funk. Fortunately, the good habits I'd picked up throughout the year stuck. Despite bouncing around from 202 to 206 most of September, I miraculously ended the month UNDER 200. It was a huge milestone, I hadn't been that small in over a decade. My logging and exercise was sporadic throughout the fall. Birthday, work travel, holidays… they all got the better of me. A bum knee wasn't helping. I decided to not focus on losing, if it happened, that would be great, but I wasn't going to stress about it. As long as I didn't gain. I would work on maintaining and seeing how well I could keep my habits in check without the "crutch" of constantly recording. The, after the holidays, I would get back to losing. I didn't do too terribly! I bounced around 185-190 through November and December.

I took advantage of the post-holiday sales to get myself excited about getting back on track. I went clothes shopping, for me, for the first time since losing weight (as a packrat, I had clothes size 14-24 in my closet… of course, those few 14s were 15 years old, ha!). For the first time in at least a dozen years, I bought clothes in the normal clothes section. So overwhelming! So many choices! The first thing I tried on were jeans. I didn't know what size. I figured a 16 was likely but grabbed an 18 just in case. They were both too big. I bought two pairs of size 14. Both are getting too big for me now.



On New Years Day, I weighed in at 188 lbs.


And the very next day I came back into MFP and started logging. I went out this week to look for clothes for my 1 year…100 lbs celebration. I wondered about a medium shirt. My larges are a bit loose. It fit. It was incredibly exciting. Until the size 10 jeans I grabbed to see how far I had to go before they'd fit not only went all the way up, they buttoned! and zipped! Admittedly, they were crazy stretchy and I had to peel them off… but still. a size 10. there were tears.



I'm not done yet. I have a half-assed goal of 135. The hardest is probably yet to come, but I've come this far. I have no doubt that I'll make it. Hopefully by my birthday in October… it should be great fun to turn 42 smaller (and far healthier!) than I was when I was 21!




Specifics….

Starting Weight: 270 / BMI 47.8 (morbidly obese)
Current Weight: 170 / BMI 30.5 (obese… 1/2 a pound from overweight!!!)
Goal Weight: 135 / BMI who cares! I hate BMI!


Inches lost:
Hips: 56.5 - 42.5 = 14 inches lost
Waist: 51.75 - 36 = 15.75
Bust: 49 - 40 = 9 (kinda sad about some of that )
Thighs: 29 - 20.5 = 8.5
Arms (upper): 16.25 - 9 = 7.25
Neck: 15.75 - 13 = 2.75

Clothing:
Starting: 24w / 3x
Current: 10-12 / M-L
(most 12s fit perfectly but some are a bit loose, got into a 10 the other day bit most are still too small)