One year, one hundred pounds down!

I always see people on here posting their success stories, so I wanted to do the same after I hit 100 lbs lost this morning. At first, I thought weight was always going to be a hardship for me. That I was too big, it was going to be too hard to lose, eating and turning my emotions off regarding my weight were both easier than exercising... that being the fat girl was always going to be my "thing". But then I realized that I was stronger than the little voice in my head (and often times stomach) that told me to "just have one more..." and started on my weight loss journey last March.

It was so hard. It was uncomfortable. It was NOT something I wanted to do, nor liked to do while I was doing it. Going to the gym that first time, I felt like someone had stripped me naked and I was sitting on display for everyone to see. After I saw the first 10 lbs literally fall off me like melted butter, I started to feel like I could do this. Then 20, then 30... when I first noticed my clothes fitting differently... it hit me - I CAN DO THIS.

So I pushed on, kept my daily gym/at home workout routine, cut my calories and put into my body what I wanted to get out of it - less fat, more lean, and healthy. Once I shed that insecurity of feeling vulnerable at the gym and really looked at it, I realized that people weren't staring and looking at me like I was out of place at all. They were huffing and panting right next to me, because we were all there for the same reason. On top of that, I feel like once I made a serious habit out of working out, I was starting to exchange hellos and smiles with people that I otherwise would see on campus and walk right past.

I had my days where I wanted to cry because I didn't lose that week, or didn't lose what I felt the effort I put in should have showed, but I kept going. I didn't sit down with a box of donuts and binge. I didn't go through the mcdonalds drive thru and raid the dollar menu. I WORKED HARDER. I pushed myself even harder, I changed things up and learned what my body required to lose more weight, and before I knew it, I was at 50 lbs lost. It was at that moment that I realized this was a start of my new life - a healthy life, an active life, a life that I was proud to be living.

Hitting the 100 lbs lost mark was a goal that I never thought I would hit when I started. I started at 340 lbs, size 30 jean, 2XL-3XL shirts. I'm now 240 lbs, size 22 jean, L or XL shirt. I have to thank all my friends on MFP for pushing me, even though they didn't know it, to eat better, exercise more and never to give up. I'm still far from where I want to be, but this is my life now, and I will get there.