While my blogging skills have been lacking, my health journey has been going full-force. I'm sorry for another unannounced hiatus.
August 3, 2014 will mark my one-year anniversary of my weight loss journey. An entire year. Time sure flies when you're having fun! This year has had its ups and downs, and plenty of its plateaus. It has been a time of learning what works, working with what doesn't, and a lot of self-discovery.
I initially started this blog as a bit of an online diary documenting my weight loss. I'm SO glad I did. I love going back and reading my old posts, and I spend a lot of my free time thinking of new blog ideas (I currently have a notebook with around 60 or so post ideas). I hope within the next year, we can grow together as a community together.
Over the past year, I have lost 54 pounds, give or take! With every health journey I've taken on, for some reason I always stopped after 42 pounds. When I hit that 43rd pound, words alone cannot describe my excitement. When I hit the 50th pound (which took every bit of 3 months to lose those last 3...which is what I mean by this year has had its plateaus!!!), I nearly cried with delight. I'm not going to pretend that losing weight was never one of my main goals. I just always knew that if I incorporated healthier options into my everyday lifestyle, the pounds would almost lose themselves. Never did I ever think that I would come out with much more than a weight loss. My confidence has sky-rocketed. My self-esteem, which once was at rock bottom, is at its highest yet. I'm finding that I enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing healthy meals for myself, and I'm even sneaking better options in behind my family's back! They say it takes a village to raise a child...well, nobody ever mentions that it takes a community to lose weight. My friends, co-workers, and family have all been such an astounding help with my journey. Just Monday night, one of my co-workers made a comment on how "skinny" I was getting. While I wouldn't quite take it that far, I appreciate that my hard work isn't going unnoticed!
Last August, I took a picture of an outfit that I really liked so that I would remember to wear it again. Never did I think that I would be using one of those pictures in a #transformationtuesday post 9 months later!
I still have that top, and I'm keeping it for the end of my weight loss journey for my after picture.
Back in April, I made another collage specifically for this blog post that showed me at one of my higher weights (I was a senior in high school) and a picture from my best friend's graduation party 2 years ago. I no longer have the dress I wore in my senior pictures, but I put on the dress I wore to the graduation party.
The top-left picture was the one I took back in April, and the bottom-left picture was taken on February 11, 2014. Obviously, I love that picture, because it was the first time I realized that I really was starting to look good. That "Mind Over Matter" top I bought was the first time in a long time that I walked into a regular ole store and could pick something off the racks. The response I got on Facebook was wonderful. I've never gotten anything less than positive responses from my Facebook community, but some of the comments, particularly one pointing out my confidence from this journey, really resonated with me.
My last picture is one that I took just about 3 weeks ago. I had bought a tank top last year to wear for the Fourth of July, and completely forgot about it (and to wear it...but there's always next year!).
There we go! 54 pounds later, and this is what I look like now. While my actual weight loss has been at a bit of a stand-still, I can still feel my body changing. With every salad I eat, or walk I take, I can feel the changes in my body. I no longer gasp for air walking up the hill to my house. I have learned to love bell peppers (my favorite recipe for them will be featured soon). I find myself parking a little bit further away from the mall by choice. These little things add up. I promise you. And, as the title of this blog post says, "This time next year, you'll wish you had started today." I found that quote online with no author underneath it, so if you know who it was, tell me!
Time is going to pass whether you take healthier steps or not. I just hope you take those better steps so that you can have more time here with your loved ones!
xoxo,
Rachel
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