Me VS. The Scale **img heavy**
 

For the very first time in over 15 years I stood on the scale at the gym and had to move the weight bar from the lovely 200lbs. I was officially underneath that number. I wanted to jump around in the locker room, give someone a high five but oddly enough I was the only one there. That number of 199 I thought I would never see again. I didn't know if that was something that was possible at all.

I have to say that it all started about a year and half ago. I was on a cruise with my husband at the time. It was a cruise to renew us and try to be the couple that we once were. We married right out of high school cause of our son and didn't realize that as we grew up that we would be different people. This was a cruise to mark our 16th wedding anniversary and when the pictures came I couldn't believe how big I had become. This is a picture from us riding scooters in Mexico and I was terrified that I was much to big for the thing. I am sure I was but they wanted to make money so they let us have them. I was close to 280lbs here.

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Shortly after the cruise, my parents moved back to Colorado from where we were in at Alabama. My son went off to college, my husband decided that we needed a divorce and I lost my job to the BP Oil spill. Most people would think that was all to much but I took it as my chance to change something.

I gave away everything that I had. Literally.. lol. People would come over to my house and I would hand them pots and pans, silverware and towels, sheets and blankets, televisions, couches, bed, you name it I gave it all away and did the drastic. I got a passport and headed to live with my friend in Norway.

Norway you ask? Yes, Norway! Jeg snakker norsk nå! But when I was there I had an opportunity to try out new things. I got to go the gym for the first time. I got to try cross country skiing. I went ice skating for the first time in 20 years and I got to see what my weight was doing to me and my desire to try new things.

I lost weight in Norway, although I am not sure how much. They have the metric system which made it easy for me not to beat myself up to much over the pounds but when I flew back to the states in March I was wearing what I called my skinny jeans. They were my goal jeans that I got at a consignment shop and I believe a size 14.

As soon as I got here I started at 24 hour fitness and paid for a personal trainer. He really kicked my booty into shape. He cleaned up my diet even more and attached a bodybugg on me so I could see how many calories I was using each day. I love the thing and I think I am slightly addicted to it.

Then yesterday it happened. 198.5lbs.. omg.. I never thought I would see that number again. I still don't have a goal weight, I am still just loving all the new things that I can do and trying still to figure out who I am. I have body issues I still see myself as the very fat girl in picture one and don't know if I will ever be able to get over that. 15+ years of being big, it sort of sticks with you and messes with your mind when you start to lose.

But here it is, a picture of me and my daughter at the Rockies game. Maybe there is a difference after all but really who cares? I know that I am no longer over 200lbs and that goal is priceless!

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Wow, what a great story and what great strength! Congratulations and all the best! So cool you can speak/write/understand Norweigian! :)

:) Congratulations!! You went through a lot and it's really amazing that you were able to find the positive in everything.

You are so inspiring!!! You went through so much but did not let the negative things around you affect you what so ever!! congrats on all your success! :)

Thanks for sharing and congrats! How many days a week do you work out?

Amazing- you look like a totally new woman. Congrats!

Right now I am working out about 5 days a week. Sometimes I work out 7 days a week depending if I can get to the gym all of those days or not. I love to run but let me tell you when I first started running I would literally be outside and say to myself I can run to the next street light. Then walk, then try again. I got the couch to 5k program on my iPod and want to cry when I would have to run for 30 seconds and the first time it said run for one minute I wanted to punch the man on the program. Now I can run for 4 minutes at a time. I know it isn't much but I am still there trying all the time. My next goal I want to achieve is running a half of a mile at one time. Sounds so hard still but one day I will do it.

My other love in the gym is the cycle. I have gone to cycling classes and my gym has bikes you can create your own cycling classes on. I completely loved cycling when I was really out of shape cause no one cared if you couldn't stand out of the saddle. No one was watching me they were watching themselves. Plus it is an easy one to see improvement on.

Basically I try to do the same things and change up my strength but each week I try to run a 5k. Ok... ok.. lol I run/walk a 5k, I bike 25 miles and then on the weekends I interval train. One day on running, one day on cycling.

All of that and watching what I eat.. and the pounds are coming off.

Tusen takk everyone for the amazing responses!

Wow, that's amazing! You look fantastic too! :cheer: Congrats on Onederland girl!

What a great example of how far a positive attitude can get you!! You look amazing, what a wonderful accomplishment!