50lbs Down, 35lbs To Go!

My starting weight *was* 226lbs. (This actually wasn't my highest - in 2005 I weighed 245lbs previous to being diagnosed with PCOS and hypothyroid - I was an outgoing awkward chubby punk kid growing up, ha). That photo was taken July 4th of 2014, however I weighed the same when I started my "journey" on February 1st, 2015. So, from February 1st, 2015 - July 15th, 2015 progress. The second photo was taken 3 hours ago at my gym with a weight of 175lbs. Weightloss for me has been strange. I've never had confidence issues, issues with dating/friends or with work. I'm currently in my third year of pharmacy school and last semester I experienced tremendous loss.

A few mental health practitioners, including a couple of my professors, told me to channel my energy and participate in relaxing exercises that will allow me to heal from the loss of my friend. Nope, yoga may work for some, but it literally did the opposite for me. I couldn't focus in those classes or real class and felt a sense of helplessness that I had never felt in my life. So, instead of yoga, I decided I would go to the gym everyday and sweat/work out until I no longer felt that emptiness, then go home study, walk the dog and sleep. Somewhere around the end of May, I realized that exercise (running and weight training) got me through the loss of a long time friend.

I have decided to continue on. I no longer feel empty and instead I wake up everyday grateful for that day in February when I decided to dig out exercise clothing I hadn't used in over two years and "drag myself to the gym". I have been taken off Metformin and have no symptoms from PCOS.

Here's to the last 35lbs!