Introductions

I'd like to introduce you to someone. She's a nice enough girl, but she has a problem. She likes to eat. A little too much. She's never been a skinny girl, but not super fat either. Since she got married almost 10 years ago, her weight has fluctuated quite a bit, but she's stayed in a size bracket that was teetering on the plus size scale. She got to the point where she was out-growing even her "fat clothes" and she knew that she had to make a change.

This is me a few years ago at about the same weight I was when I joined Weight Watchers back in September. It's hard to see some of these pictures and see how big I was. I don't think I realized how bad it had gotten because I was in denial. I couldn't be that fat, right? I didn't have much direction for myself and I didn't know where to start.
Jump ahead a few months and let me tell you about this lady. She has worked hard on putting herself first. She is eating healthier food (and a lot less of it!) and is exercising and getting more active. She has a wonderful support system including the most supportive husband a wife could ever hope for and a group of fabulous ladies in her WW group. Her energy level has increased tremendously, her cholesterol levels are back in the healthy range, and her back doesn't hurt anymore. I just hit my goal weight three weeks ago and am now in the maintenance phase, which that alone is proving to be a tougher mental challenge than I anticipated. To reach my goal weight, I lost 37 lbs. and have gone down 6 sizes. It's amazing to try on new clothes in my new size and see how they actually fit! Jarom challenged me to try on my wedding dress a few weeks ago and it actually fit! Shortly after getting married, I started putting on weight and haven't been this size since then. That feels pretty darn good.
A large portion of my weight loss journey has been in my head as I've tried to understand what behaviors and habits put me in this situation in the first place, and I still struggle with emotional eating, but it's getting better. I think I would still like to lose a few more pounds eventually, but for now I am enjoying my new body.