[lyterae]

I've lurked on and off for the past couple of years... I've decided it's about time I actually join in to share my journey, and to encourage as well as to receive encouragement.

I've been married for about 3.5 years now... We have a wonderful little girl (2/4/06), and we live in Northern Michigan... EVERYTHING is covered by snow... and lots of it.

My weight loss journey actually began when I was about 17, though really it was so easy then I'm not sure it was really a journey... In the course of summer and fall I dropped from 180 to 140... I set my goal for 125 but I got comfortable at 140 and never bothered to really push it. I maintained well for about 2.5 years and then I started putting some of it back on... When I got pregnant I weighed 158 lbs... My highest weigh-in during pregnancy was 207, and I left the hospital weighing 192.... This past August I weighed in at 196.
I did it half-heartedly for a month and got down to 190... Took two months off and started up again the end of October. I HAVE to do something about it, my weight had really begun to affect my sleep( I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea), my energy levels (none!), and it was just creeping into every part of my life. Most of all though I really started to get the itch for another baby... I knew that I couldn't get pregnant at that weight though, I had alot of problems towards the end of my pregnancy because I had put on so much weight. I didn't want to do that again.

So far some of the benefits of losing weight have been:

1.) Dropping from a size 16 to a size 12

2.) According to my BMI I am now overweight instead of obese

3.) My hubby can't keep his hands to himself :P

Thanks for reading my book :P

- Cass

[NightengaleShane]

Welcome AGAIN, Cass! When you lose weight, you will definitely have more energy, as long as you get a relatively healthy amount of sleep. It is rather disturbing how being overweight or obese can affect so many aspects of your life... health, social life, self esteem, family life, relationships, and everything in between! Of course, losing weight doesn't solve *everything* but it sure does take that weight off your shoulders (pun intended) and make you realize that if you ever used your weight as an excuse to put your life on hold, you can't do it anymore.

Congrats on all your accomplishments so far! Dropping from a size 16 to a size 12 is AWESOME... you're not plus sized anymore

I hope to see more of you - you know we are always here to offer encouragement and support

[lyterae]

Thank you so much for the welcome!

I have to say that you look fabulous I can't wait till the day I get to say that I met goal... It'll come, one day at a time.