WOW! I can hardly believe it has been an entire YEAR since I began my weight loss journey! Last year on June 16th I stepped onto the scale and cried. No, perhaps “sobbed” is a better word for it. I couldn’t get my mind around the number that showed up on the scale. I wondered how in the world had I let myself go like that? I’ve always been overweight, but for crying out loud, not to that extreme!
I had to make a change. If I didn’t make a drastic turn around now, every medical statistic pointed towards a future defined by serious health problems and a shortened lifespan. I made a decision that day. I refused to give up a long and healthy life in exchange for a meal in a paper bag shoved at me through a drive-through window and served with a side of fries!
So, here I am, exactly one year later. Only now, my tears are tears of joy! I set a goal to lose 100 pounds in a year, and I’ve not only met it, but I have exceeded my goal! I have lost 104.9 pounds in exactly one year!!! Right now, I’m getting ready to head out to the gym this morning to have my 2nd monthly check-in with my personal trainer, who is about to ramp up my workouts for my next phase of exercise as I start working on my year two goals, and guess what? BRING IT ON!!!
So…what kind of difference can one year make? Here’s what I’ve experienced over this past year:
- I have lost a grand total of 104.9 pounds!
- I have lost a total of 2.75 inches around my neck!
- I have lost a total of 4.0 inches around my chest!
- I have lost a total of 8.0 inches around my waist!
- I have lost a total of 13.0 inches around my hips!
- My BMI has gone down by 16.9 points!
- My reflux symptoms have all but disappeared and I no longer take any medication at all!
- I have gone down 5 sizes in clothing!
- I have gone from limited mobility (due to a combination of my weight and a back injury), to being able to walk/jog a 5K in under an hour!
- I have gone from being completely sedentary, to working out at the gym 4-5 times per week!
- I have gone from eating around 3,000 calories per day, to eating 1,500-1,600 calories per day
- I have gone from eating fast food 10-12 times per week to eliminating it from my diet!
- I have gone from struggling to carry bags of groceries from the car to the house, to lifting weights!
- I have gone from drinking approximately 64 ounces of diet soda per day, to drinking approximately 80 ounces (or more) of water per day!
As I look back over this year, I have been very blessed with incredible support along the way, and I would like to make a few special notes today, on my one-year anniversary…
I must give God the praise and all of the glory for giving me the strength to walk this path! There are places He has mended in my heart and in my mind along the way, and I have let go of emotional weight right alongside the physical weight. It’s only because of Him that I’ve experienced any measure of success!
I am also forever grateful to my sweet husband! He has been my biggest cheerleader! He has loved me and told me I was beautiful, no matter what size I have been. He has prayed for me and helped me celebrate every pound I’ve lost. There just aren’t enough words to describe my thankfulness for him. He indeed has my heart!
Thank you to my encouraging church! So many people have said positive things to me and been so encouraging to me! I appreciate you very much!
Lastly, I have a small handful of people who have been praying for me and encouraging me privately since I began. They have held my trust and as I confided in them about where I was starting from and where I was trying to get, and have continued to support me throughout. They are a treasure to my life!
All of that being said…my work is far from over! I have a good deal more weight to lose before I can consider myself done and move into maintenance mode. I am ready to start moving towards my year-two goals!
I'm so proud and happy for you. You are an inspiration in so many ways.
ReplyDelete