Me...In a DRESS! A little Before and During! (130 lbs lost)

Thank you all!!!

I know it's hard for me to see how far I've come...I just can't kind of imagine what it'll be like if I can get to Onederland and even better, when I can get to my first goal weight.

What's working for me someone asked? Nothing secretive, or hard or special. I was a junk foodie...And I cut it all out. I drink only water and tea usually (the occasional Diet soda..I used to drink a 2 liter of Mt Dew a day it seemed). I cut my processed foods low. I try to get my carbs from whole grains and good natural things. Don't eat a lot of bread, etc. I do eat a lot of fruits, veggies and lean meats. And I exercise. Sadly, sometimes I don't have the time or opportunity to do as much as I'm aiming for....I try to get in 30 minutes, 4-5 days a week at least. Even if it's just doing the Total Gym in the living room!
And one thing I did differently this time, than any other time I tried to lose weight and failed is - I don't have "cheat" days, and I don't torment myself by not eating what I want sometimes. I'm married into a food loving family, eating out and them cooking bad stuff is part of my life....and there are times we go somewhere that I really want something I don't usually have. Like my favorite mexican place....I always let myself have the fajitas there, eat my tortillas and rice and split a Flan with my MIL! lol. But I move on from that splurge by my next meal and get back on track. Sometimes it's hard and I struggle, but I don't give up because I went off my eating plan. Which is something I've done EVERY other time. Every other time I was losing, I'd have "cheat" days and go nuts eating badly and those cheat days, turned into cheat weeks. And I made myself feel so horrible for eating something that was less than good for me, that I told myself I was a failure and I deserved to be fat and would always be fat. =/ And I'd gain back whatever I'd lost and more. It didn't help I also struggle with being an emotional eater.
But this time, I've let myself have those treats, in moderation, when I've wanted them REALLY badly - and I've found less sugary alternatives as well. Usually I'm fine. But I'm human and sometimes I do really want some pizza, or to go to a Tea with my MIL and have finger sandwiches and tarts and tiny bite size yummies, so I let myself and I tell myself that I'm not a FAILURE because I still enjoy that food and ate it! I didn't get fat by eating something I liked now and then, I got fat by eating to comfort pain, I got fat by eating everything I wanted everyday. Two slices of pizza didn't put me over 350 lbs....However eating an entire MEDIUM pizza, breadsticks and a bottle of soda, did.
I just try to live more in moderation. Those foods and good stuff that my tongue loves, will always be part of my life. I just don't let them control it anymore.

Your dad is probably jumping up and down right now...you look fantastic! I can really see a huge difference in you. CONGRATULATIONS on doing this and getting through what sounds like a lot of pain along the way! It takes a lot of strength for both of those things.:flowerforyou:

Thank you. I really hope he is. I miss him so much....I'm still not over all the hurt and I never will be. But luckily I'm no longer locking myself in the house and trying to smother the pain with food.
I really hope to make my little brother proud now!

AMAZING progress! You've lost an entire person...that blows my mind.
I see a significant difference in your face. You must have worked your butt off :-)

Thanks! I know...isn't that crazy? I've lost the amount of weight that one day I might like to WEIGH. haha.
I do notice it in my face...like 23 of my chins are gone and it doesn't look like I'm smuggling a family of small bunnies in my cheeks so much anymore. lol.

And I don't know about working my butt off, it's still there..hehe.
No, I have worked hard. I do feel I could have worked harder and could still be, but I'm working on amping it up and not letting myself get off so easy on exercise, etc.

You look amazing! You should wear dresses more often, they seems to look good on you

Aw, thank you! Well, longer ones might look okay...but you notice I cut my legs off in the pic? lol. I'm having a hard time losing much weight or inches in my legs and I'm afraid they're still very sausage like....and too white for words and I've got that weird back-of-the-knee fat. So I'm a ways from feeling confident enough to wear my shorter stuff out around people. Maybe in time though!!!