Two Years Ago Today

I know a lot of you have heard this, but in honor of the two year "anniversary" of my voyage to a healthier life I'm going to share it again.

Two years ago today I made the monumental decision that enough was enough, and I was going to lose the extra weight I'd been accumulating for most of my 50 years. On that day I did three things - I bought a Fitbit, downloaded the My Fitness Pal app, and joined an online forum group of people who wanted to lose 100+ pounds.

That day I weighed 361.3 pounds, which was probably 20 pounds below my highest weight, but it was the first day I was brave enough to step on a scale. This morning, exactly 2 years later, my scale said 174.9.

A few numbers (mostly because I’ve discovered numbers is what helps me):

June/July 2013:
I averaged 2007 steps a day that first month, my highest day at 4828 and the lowest at 763.
Body measurements (this was actually August 2013, I didn’t take any before then):
Bicep 18”, Chest 56”, Waist 59”, Hips 62”, Thigh 32”

June/July 2014:
I averaged 6145 steps a day, with my highest day at 8712 and my lowest at 1270.
Measurements: Bicep 14”, Chest 46”, Waist 47”, Hips 50”, Thigh 28”

June 2015:
So far this month I’m averaging 12,713 steps a day, with my highest day 22,474 and my lowest 10,158.
Measurements: Bicep 12” (9” of muscle, 3” excess skin), Chest 40”, Waist 33”, Hips 42”, Thigh 22”

For anyone who’s counting, that’s over 78” and 186+ pounds GONE, over a 600% increase in my daily average steps, and I haven’t missed a single day logging my food in over 18 months (even the really ugly 5000+ days, and there have been a couple, got recorded). I’ve also gone from a size 5X to a US women’s size 12.

Anyone who says losing weight is easy has obviously never been there, but I've discovered it IS possible. There have been a lot of ups and downs along the way, but in retrospect I can see that the good days far out number the bad ones, even if at the time it didn't feel that way. I've tried very hard to keep it "one day at a time", otherwise the sheer magnitude of what I was trying to do would overwhelm me, and for the most part I've been able to do that.

I’m finally within sight of my goal (170 pounds), but the last 10 pounds aren’t a bit easier than the first 180. I have finally realized that this isn’t the end, and it never will be. I’m always going to have to struggle to keep my weight under control, but I try every day to celebrate how far I've come, and to remember that where I want to be isn't a number, but a feeling and a lifestyle, and that my life is NOW and I still need to live it. I'm convinced I can and will get to where I want to be. After that, the really difficult job of maintaining this new lifestyle begins, but I'm looking forward to the challenge.

There are so many people here who have helped me, inspired me, commiserated with me, and given me a sharp kick in the butt when I needed it. There are no words to thank you enough, but my gratitude is with you every day I walk farther and do more than I ever thought possible.

As I move into year three of this journey, I do so with renewed energy and the knowledge that WE CAN DO THIS - each and every one of us. Like any good journey, it's one step at a time. Thank you all for allowing me to take those steps with you.

"I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday."

Michelle