51 Pound Loss - 2.5 Years - Progress Pictures & Story!

So I'm supposed to be cleaning my house... But instead I decided to make a progress side-by-side(-by-side).

Never thought in a million years I'd have the balls to post a picture in my underwear on the internet (much less my fat pictures) -- but after 51 pounds? Here the f&*% I am, world.

I'm not done yet, but by golly, I've worked my butt off, and I'm proud.

So, a little bit about me, is that I've never been thin. Ever. I started off as a chubby kid, then stayed a chubby teen, then grew to be an obese adult.
One day, I looked down at my lap and saw that I had eaten an entire box of Girl Scout Cookies (I'm not proud), and I thought to myself "I haven't stepped on a scale in a while...."

So I did. And what I saw horrified me. I weighed a whopping 225 pounds, and I had no idea I had even surpassed the 200 mark. I don't have many pictures from that weight, but I started taking them like crazy after I got my life together.

Things I Did That Worked for Me:

- Cut out all fast food and soda/sugary drinks, 100%
(I haven't had either in about 3 years, except this one time I had a sip of Sprite that I thought was water, and it made me sick.)

- In the beginning, I didn't really know what I was doing, so I stayed on the cardio machines a lot, then tried weight machines out.... Until I became educated about fitness and started lifting freeweights.

I have Michael Matthews to thank for that, it was his book "Thinner, Leaner, Stronger" that really opened my eyes to the world of barbell-based workouts. Now I've found a workout routine I actually enjoy and look forward to (whaaaat??), and I'm seeing changes and feeling stronger every week because of it!
(I also use his corresponding workbook - The Year 1 Challenge for Women: Thinner, Leaner, and Stronger Than Ever in 12 Months as my daily workout routine -- highly recommend!!!)

- Meal planning! I'm a huge meal prepper, every Sunday night like clockwork, I make all my lunches for the week (protein + veggies, typically), and that's been a huge difference in keeping me on track. I spend less money, and eat better food if I pack it all myself, as opposed to going out all the time with my colleagues.

So basically.... I stopped eating crap, I learned how to fuel my body with good, clean, whole food, and I educated myself on exercise. I still struggle a little bit with consistency, but doesn't everybody and one point or another. I also am just now getting back in the lifting saddle after 2 months out with a broken hand... Setbacks are a part of life, but I'm running full steam now.

My goal is still a ways away, but I'm pretty excited about the direction I'm heading, and if there's any chance my success so far can inspire any of you, that's worth posting these for all to see.


Wishing you all the best in your fitness journeys, I've seen some amazing work done in this forum, keep it up!!

~ MacKenzie


P.S.:

I'm 5'7"
Measurements: 40"B-30"W-40"H