Here goes nothin'....

23 pounds may be too much now

First I want to say thank you all for your kind words!

And unfortunately, 23lbs isn't even within my "healthy" range. I'm only 5'6" and 183lbs (as of Friday). My goal is to hit 160lbs and find out what my body fat percentage is and go from there. Technically though, 160lbs is still "overweight" according the BMI charts, but I will be happy there I think.

Screw the BMI charts!!!! Lol... Whats important is how you feel physically and your perception of your body. Far too many people torment themselves trying to fit into the chart standard!! Enjoy your success, pat yourself on the back and keep up the good work!! You are awesome!!!:flowerforyou:

i'm trying not to stress so much on the BMI charts. my nutritionist told me 160 is a good healthy goal for me to work toward and i think i will be very happy there. if i have ever weighed 160lbs in my life... it MIGHT have been when i was in my preteen years. i remember wearing a size 13/14 in juniors before i even made it to middle school. now i'm in a size 10/12 and 183lbs.

Thank you so much for sharing, it is posts like this that keep motivated to keep going. So many times the temptation was there to just gave up, I had a piece of cake, it's all over. But reading stuff like this lets me know it's okay to have a little hiccup in my journey to a healthier lifestyle as it takes time to change habits that have been so strong for so long. You are a true inspiration in so many ways, thanks!

it does take a lot of time and patience. nobody is "perfect". it's a learning process! keep working hard! pick yourself back up! i tell myself daily. it's totally worth it.

again, thank you ALL for all the kind words! it really means the world to me. over the years, i have become very open with my weight and weight loss with friends and family. i have learned to love sharing this part of my life with people. i've shared every loss and gain with people, and i know i wouldn't have made it this far without the continuous support. i'm no longer ashamed of the way i look. i love my body! i eat the way i do and workout as hard as i do because i love my body and i want to improve it. i like showing people this isn't impossible! yes it's hard. it takes time. it takes sweat, tears, and dedication! but it's worth every minute if my children get to have me around for that much longer. it's worth it to be able to keep up with them when they're running crazy outside. LOL every second has been worth the struggle.