My imperfect weight loss journey

Today I stepped back and took a good look at how far I've come. I don't necessarily have a "weigh-in day", I just look at the scale from time to time when it's been a while since I last checked. Usually, it's a .5 lb loss here, or a 1.5 lb loss there, or no change at all. Which is great and I give myself a little pat on the back and move on with my day. Today, I stepped on the scale, and the whole thing hit me like a ton of bricks...I've lost 54 pounds!!! More than 50 lbs of what used to be me is gone! When did that happen? Why have I not noticed it before?? Sometimes, when you are so focused on your goal, you forget to notice how far you've really come in the process. I'm not done yet, but I thought I should give myself this little NSV anyway because I've never made it this far before.

I've gotten some questions from some of my dear MFP friends and I thought I would share my answers here...

I weighed around 220 lbs at my heaviest and am now at 165.4 lbs, and am 5'8". The last time I saw that number on the scale...I believe I was 17 years old, and 2 sizes bigger.

My first attempt was not a healthy one. I wanted to lose the weight but I wasn't willing to put in the work so I took some stupid short cuts and lost about 45 lbs quickly. Within a couple months, I had gained 30 of it back. I quit with the short cuts and just kind of half-a**ed it and stayed at about 200 - 210 lbs for another year.

This time last year, I had enough of the fluctuating and feeling sorry for myself and buckled down and worked my butt off to where I am now. If you're one my friends, you've seen my work outs and my diaries, and that's what I've been doing for the past year. There's no secret to it. Eat as clean as possible, and work. Do not make excuses.

I hope this doesn't lower your opinion of me by knowing my journey did not start out perfect. This is me, and this is real. I learned from my mistakes and am so proud of myself now. Trust me when I say, if I can do it...YOU can do it!

Starting at 220 lbs:

[img
13363_632138307905_30415241_36473592_1296047_n by Mallory0418, on Flickr[/img]

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n108301726_30764134_320189 by Mallory0418, on Flickr

165.4 lbs: (Sorry, I don't have many recent photos)

[img
390171_566435537564_108301726_31575404_919446860_n by Mallory0418, on Flickr[/img]

[img][/img]
429233_574492506334_108301726_31613035_860974572_n by Mallory0418, on Flickr

Hope this pics work.