Here I am, exactly 1 year and 177 days (or 490 days total) from starting and I have reached what was my goal wait on my first day! I think that originally, I didn't want to admit I had to lose 100 lbs, so I made my goal 175, because 90 is so much less than a 100... right?
Somewhere around 225 I changed it to 165 because I realized I want to be able to say I lost 100 lbs.
Now, as a make progress below 175 and toward 165, I am actually eyeing 155 (normal BMI) but I am going to get to 165 and see how I feel. More than anything, I want to be at a maintainable weight.
I wanted to share with you what I wrote on my first day:
"Starting today, I'm getting back into eating well and exercising. I'm bigger than I've ever been at 265 lbs and I need to lose weight for so many reasons. I feel terrible about how I look, I want to be more in shape for physical activities that I love, I am worried about possible health problems in the future, ect...
The thinnest I've ever been was in the 190's in college. I actually lost weight to get there; I must have started college around 220 lbs. In October 2009, I weighed 232 lbs so I gained over 30 lbs in 15 months! I got married in June 2010 and I think after all the stress of planning a wedding, I just wanted to relax and eat!
So, here I am. Wow, that got long! My first mini-goal is to weigh 250 by the time I go on a cruise on March 16th (2012). So that is about 12 weeks to lose 15 lbs. I know I can do it!!!"
...
Really more than anything, I just want to encourage everyone here that if I can do it, so you! Those 3 things I mentioned in the first paragraph- I feel like I have accomplished all of them.
I feel GREAT about how I look! I am not thin by any means, but I am in the realm of normalcy! I can wear clothes from normal store and guys flirt with me!
I can do everything that I felt was beyond my reach at 265. I have completed two 5K races, which I never though I'd do. I can also fit into all the roller coasters and go skydiving. I don't have to worry about weight limits for horseback riding and I can wear women's wetsuits when I scuba dive.
Finally, my blood pressure is good! Not just normal, but good! I am excited about my lab results and can't wait to get my cholesterol tested again.
Thank you guys all so much for being here all the way down to 175 lbs and I can't wait to lose the next 10 along side you. I love all of you <3
You look amazing!!! Thank you for sharing your accomplishment, it truly helps those of us in the first stages of our journeys to stick with it, seeing that all the hard work really is worth it!