My before and after

Hello,
My name is Valerie, I'm 28 years old and I live in Ohio. When I was 23 I got married to someone I had high hopes of changing. Needless to say years of frustration and guilt led to a pretty hefty weight gain. I have a small build and I'm only 5'3 so at my heaviest weight of 167 it was a lot to try and hide. I never really felt good about myself, I had battled weight issues from a young age. This picture was taken as one of my engagement photo's. One of the few times I even remember seeing pictures of my whole body and not just head shots. Although it was just one of the shots the photographers camera took as a series when I see it I still think how unhappy I look.



Finally three years ago I decided to lose the weight. Why at 25 should I feel so terrible? I would always want those years back as I got older but not if I didn't do something to make ME happy. So I cleaned up my eating, I got a treadmill and I started losing the weight. At first my husband was proud and encouraged me. Then as I started to gain some confidence he would make remarks about my "nazi" diet and overexercising. I think this was about the time I began to have an eating disorder. I don't know what I was thinking, but in my head I thought it would really show him if I got really skinny and had lots of attention. My lowest weight was 107. I got there by taking laxatives, barely eating and burning off all if not more than what I was consuming. My hair started to thin out, my face looked gaunt and my size 2 pants hung off of my body. And guess what? I still wasn't happy.
Finally I stepped back and took a good hard look at my life. I was married to someone who didn't want what was best for me, didn't make me feel the way all women should feel. IMPORTANT!! So I made the decision to ask for a dissolution.
It wasn't easy and didn't make me want to take care of my health at all. Luckily I have an amazing mother and family who would put up with all my craziness to help me get back on track.
I met someone shortly after (sort of re-met), who makes me feel beautiful everyday. Makes everything I do seem like a freaking miracle. He tells me he loves me, goes to the gym with me, cooks with me and makes everyday worth all the trouble.
I don't weigh 107 anymore, in fact I've gained a good 20lbs. But I like who I am now, and I'm happy with my life and I think it shows now in my pictures. I took these pictures as a reward for myself, to show that I'm proud of how far I've come and that if I can do all of that I can do so much more. I look at these with great pride.
Anyone out there who is unhappy in life and with themselves should know that it's up to you to change it. It is possible but it isn't easy. Everyday can be a struggle but it's so worth it.