Well I posted a little something in the Goal forum, but nothing in here yet for my before and after pictures.
I started this journey right before Thanksgiving of last year, 2007. I had moved to Kentucky from Massachusetts and found myself turning to food to replace my lonely homesick feeling. Do you really want to know how depressed I was? I even wrote a letter to "Annie's Mailbox", the Dear Annie column featured in newspapers nationwide. And even worse? My question was published!
http://www.creators.com/lifestylefea...007-11-26.html
My name was "Heartbroken" and I look back now and realize that my depression had nothing to do with anything about moving. I was lonely those first few months after moving, but I ate those feelings away. I did stop feeling homesick, but still ate my feelings away. I was left with a body I was disgusted with and fell deep into depression. I continued to believe my depression was from moving and blamed it on being so far from my family and friends. I became a bit of a recluse and only found comfort in food.
This was a huge bounce from where I had come from in my younger years; dealing with bouts of anorexia and always being underweight. So it was a huge deal for me when I topped my scale at 167 pounds. I told myself I'd never let myself see that number again, and that's when I started to diet.
I was told by many that starting a diet right before the holidays was crazy; but I'm proud of myself that I did this. I proved to myself that I could make it through the holidays LOSING weight for once, not gaining. And I did! 37 pounds lost! It wasn't easy; passing up holiday cookies and leaning in for a cheese stick instead. But looking back it gave me a sense of having self control and I left the holidays behind feeling proud of myself.
Enough of my story, on to my pictures and results. I went from 167 pounds to 130 pounds. I went from a size 10, to a size 2.
That's me on the far left. Not the most flattering face picture, the wind was in my face. This is me and my friends at Churchill Downs.
This is me on my anniversary, Feb. 4th. I technically wasn't quite at goal yet, I was about 134, but this is the most current clothed picture I have.
Before Front View
After Front View (that's my kitty Gizmo that I cropped over my face!)
Before Side View
After Side View
I'm still struggling with accepting my body, and I still may try and lose some more weight. Maybe to about 125 pounds. But for now, I'm just satisfied that I set a goal for myself and achieved that goal. Yay for me!!!