6 Month Recap

I can't believe that 6 months ago today I was getting a phone call from my doctor telling me the bad news! I remember looking through Pinterest and seeing this photo, which I saved and have had on my phone ever since to keep me motivated.

This quote seriously changed my perspective, and now that I have completed 6 months of my journey I can truly say that it has been more than worth it! It has been such an amazing experience and I have learned so much. I can't wait to see myself in 6 MORE months!

The first 30 pounds came off without much effort, and it has been discouraging at times to see the scale not move so quickly in the past month and a half. However, I have had so many other amazing victories, that I just don't even know where to begin to list them all! Some of them include:

- I put on a pair of size 20 pants yesterday and almost cried! I was in a 26 six months ago!
- I have been able to purchase some shirts/dresses in the regular size section of stores, which is just such an amazing feat in itself to me. It is so nice to have more options become available!
- I was able to get a new pair of work pants (on clearance for $7.50!!!) and have them glide right on last week. Fitting rooms are my worst enemy because nothing ever fits right, so that was a huge deal for this girl!
- I enjoy walking to work.
- I am constantly looking for produce on sale.
- I constantly have produce/lean meat/turkey/greek yogurt/clean food in my home.
- I am loving foods that I used to cringe at.
- My energy levels stay high and I am much less irritable (ask my husband hehe).
- Making leaner/healthier versions of my favorite recipes is becoming second nature to me.

These are just a few, but boy am I just in a better place!

I have decided that I am going to only weigh myself every other week. Sometimes the scale can sabotage you if you get on it too much, and I believe that is part of my plateau. I am getting sick of the numbers fluctuating, yet I am getting on the scale every day. This behavior isn't serving me well. I am moving my scale into my spare bedroom and only getting it out when I want to really weigh. I feel that having it in the bathroom makes me want to jump on it first thing every morning...so out of sight, out of mind!

I will be posting some of my favorite new recipes I've found in the next day or two. I made Apple Turkey Meatballs yesterday that were to die for! Check back soon! 

And as always, thank you all for your support and love! I couldn't do it without each and every one of your kind words and comments!

Just remember...we can ABSOLUTELY do hard things!

Things To Look Forward To

Being overweight  or obese (I hate that word) is not an easy thing to be. I am not exaggerating when  I say that probably 10+ times a day I have been faced with dilemmas as a result of my large body. Things that healthy people take for granted are hard for us bigger people. Most of them are simple day to day things that you would never think were an issue unless you have a weight problem. So without further ado, here are my lists. The first is a list of the things I have accomplished in the last few months. The second is a list of the things I still have to look forward to as my journey continues.

Some Accomplishments Thus Far: 

- Down 2 pant sizes
- Off my cholesterol/blood pressure meds
- More flexible
- Sleeping better
- My feet aren't swollen anymore.
- I can sit in chairs/cars/movie theater seats/etc more comfortably
- I can fit in a few booth seats at restaurants that I used to have trouble with. (One of my favorites!)
- I can walk 2 miles without taking a break.
- Clothes that haven't fit me in years fit again. ( My favorite pants...yay!)
- Things in the bedroom are better. Especially with the confidence I am gaining. (TMI? Sorry.)
-  I can wear my seat belt without it choking me.
- I have a lot more mental clarity.
- I no longer worry about what people are thinking when I am exercising in public.
- I voluntarily walk places. (Like I am excited for the weather to cool off so I can walk to work.)
- I am beginning to WANT to exercise.


 Things To Look Forward To: 

- Riding the Rocket and all the rides at Lagoon
- Running/Playing without getting winded
-  Being able to complete hikes that I can't do now
- Getting out of the plus size section
- Feeling better about myself in photos
- Better sex life (Once again, we're all adults here. I'm a married woman.)
- Better chance at having a baby.
- Not getting stared at in restaurants, even when I'm eating a normal amount of food.
- Buying clothes EVERYWHERE!
- Climbing a mountain clear to the top!
- Stairs
- Lawn chairs
- Somersaults!
- Heels!
- Beautiful Clothes (I don't want to spend too much $$ while I'm still losing, so it's clearance for now)
- My green coat!
- My plaid jacket!
- Painting my toenails without having to maneuver my body some strange way.
- Hugging my knee to my chest again. (Weird, but I used to be so flexible!)
- Airplane comfort
- Doing ALL the physical things easier!

These are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I am honestly finding non-scale victories in my life almost daily, and it is so refreshing! I hope that if you are along side me on this journey, that you will make a list of the things you can look forward to. It's such a motivation!

Next up, a recipe for some delicious sugar free, low cal muffins I made today!

We can do hard things!