MandeG's Before and Halfway Pics

Hi MFP friends and family! :flowerforyou: Some of might not know me. I'm Mande, I've been fortunate to be a part of this great little community for more than a year now, and I'd like to share this milestone with you all.

I've struggled with my weight since I was 14 years old. That's more than half my life. I turned 29 in 2009, and realized that I didn't want to spend my 30s in the bad health that I had spent my teens and 20s. I was going to finally do something about my health and weight, I was going to make positive changes in my life, I was -- for the first time ever -- going to get skinny, because skinny meant wearing a bikini and being happy and having everything finally fall into place. Well, I learned along the way that while --yes! being healthier definitely contributes to a happier life -- getting "skinny" was not a cure-all, and that there was more to being healthy and happy than simply losing weight.

In the past year I've lost weight, built strength and endurance, normalized my blood pressure and other health issues. I'm still not "skinny" and I've yet to wear a bikini -- but I'm certainly HAPPY. It's been a slower process than I originally hoped, but I'm learning about proper nutrition, moderate exercise, and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle FOR LIFE. The weight will come off, and one of these summers I WILL wear a bikini AND look good in it! :happy: But that isn't the important thing. It's the health, happiness and well being that comes from living a cleaner, more active lifestyle. What's important is that I can walk up a flight of stairs without losing my breath. What's important is that when I become a mommy I won't be putting myself or my baby at undo risk. What's important is that I have the chance to live a long, wonderful life, being an active participant instead of watching the world go by. That is priceless.

Now that I've talked your ears off (typed you ears off?) on to the good stuff. Pictures!

The before pictures were taken in April 2009, when I weighed about 210 lbs and wore an 18/20. This was just before the start of my weight loss journey.

This was taken at the ribbon cutting and open house for my MILs law office. I was working as her office manager at the time:



Same occasion, but I'm not wearing the suit jacket here. I was organizing the refreshment table and tried to be cute for the photo (I'm holding a tiny plastic knife). Reeealy dorky, I know. :laugh:



I managed to lose about 5 pounds in the following months, then joined MFP in December of 2009, weighing in at 205 lbs. I lost 40 lbs in about 5-6 months with MFP, then got of track over the summer and wound up maintaining for about six months. Even though I had met my halfway goal (or flirted with it, anyway) I never did realize just how far I'd come.

Here's a couple of pictures from Ren Faire, September 2010. I'm about 175 lbs here:



Me and the hubby, about to watch the jousting tournament (isn't he adorable? ):



And finally, my "official" halfway pics, taken on Jan. 30, 2011, before dinner with friends. I'm about 168 lbs here, in size 14 jeans:







It's very weird for me to look back at my heavy pictures. The changes have come so gradually that I didn't notice the difference until very recently. I look back at my before pictures and I hardly recognize the woman in them. But I can't ever forget her, because I could become her again SO easily, and I never want to do that. It's easy to get discouraged when you can't see how far you've really come -- but seeing the comparison side by side is so very encouraging!

I am VERY excited to see what changes the next 40 lbs bring. I can only imagine that the changes will be even more dramatic. My focus lately has been more on getting HEALTHY and STRONG, not so much getting SKINNY -- but there is still that little part of me that is giddy thinking that some day -- and not a someday too far away -- I might find myself in that bikini, looking like the hot little redhead I see in my mind.

Thanks for reading! :flowerforyou:

(Edited for typo and to say: I know the one ren faire photo says 2006. The camera LIED. :laugh: It really was 2010, I promise.)