202 to 165...First Goal Met! (with pics)

In January 2012 I made a New Year's Resolution many people make...to get back into shape after putting on almost 50 pounds. By the end of January, I started on my journey. Today, I can't believe I can say that I was able to reach my goal.

I was always a skinny kid...growing up in an Italian family where food is love, being ridiculously active and having a metabolism faster than a jack rabbit's, I was able to eat whatever I wanted without a problem. After leaving college and starting to work an office job every day, that lifestyle quickly caught up with me. My weight skyrocketed from around 150 to 202 pounds in about two years...worst part about it? I didn't even realize.

My fiance has always been really supportive of me. He never said I needed to lose weight, has and still does love me the way I am. I wish he would have told me that while we were dating I was getting larger in every way possible...I had gained 50 pounds and was bigger EVERYWHERE. My hips. My butt. My stomach. My boobs. My legs. Everything grew in proportion to each other. Maybe if I had a gut I'd have noticed it sooner, but it wasn't real to me until he bought a scale and I saw a number I never thought I'd see...202.

I didn't even realize that everything I did made me tired. I couldn't walk in the park, couldn't ride a bike. I wasn't able to walk up the stairs without getting winded. And for just reason - at 5'6, this weight is just BAD. I set a first long term goal for myself: 165. I'd start getting there by using MFP religiously and by working out daily. I purchased P90X and a goal bikini that I'd hoped to wear out in public one day. I was ready to go.

Three months later, I completed the program and had lost about 22 pounds. I started feeling better, physically and mentally. I was nowhere close to done yet. I borrowed Insanity from a friend and dropped another 7 pounds from one and a half cycles of VERY modified workouts. Halfway through the second cycle, I hurt my knee and realized I really don't even like the workouts. Consistently working out is hard when you hate what you're doing. My fiance and I started ballroom dancing three times a week and I walked on the other days. Weight kept coming off slowly, but I got stuck at 170 for about 4 months...it felt like forever. To reach my goal I knew I needed to get back on a scheduled routine.

My mom gave me TurboFire for Christmas and I have been in love since I started on January 1. I hit my goal weight, 165, 2 weeks ago. My body doesn't look as great as it did when I was younger, but I know I can be completely happy with myself again if I try hard enough. Next goal for now is 160 - then, if I'm not happy, 155. All I know is I am going to be a HOT bride in November!

I have never been proud of myself like I am when I look at these pictures. I've accomplished something that, a year and a half ago, I never thought would happen. If you are ever stuck in a rut, don't give up. I could have given up so many times, but I stuck with it and have something to show for it. Hopefully, a few months from now, I'll have a little less to show

Below are my before and after pictures in my goal bikini: 1.31.12 at 202, and 5.4.13 at 165. And don't worry..I would never wear this out in public yet and I really don't like to brag, but I feel confident and proud enough to show MFP the progress I have made!