Weight Loss Journey: month 1

September 2011 I started Made to Crave Mondays where I posted about my weight loss journey, (name came from the book Made to Crave by Lisa Turkherst). I lost 25 lbs in 2 months, and was over half way to my goal!

 

Then we moved and went without a kitchen for over 6 months, and I dealt with crazy stress, and well 2012 was a really rough year for us. The saddest part... you know when you are trying to lose weight and you get tempted by ice cream or pizza or whatever... well, I had zero temptation, zero desire to eat that stuff. I was committed and so happy. I was forced by our living situation to live off of fast food. :( I gained back all of the weight I lost, PLUS 10 additional pounds. Yeah, that isn't depressing.

 

I have mentioned many times how in high school I hated my body and was so tempted by eating disorders, and came so very close to giving in to them.  Thankfully I have embraced my body, and while I am much much heavier than I was in high school, I do not hate my body.

 

Losing weight now is more of a need than just a want to look better: need to lose weight for my health and a benefit of that is looking better. Win win.

 

With all that being said, it is still very hard to share these pics with y'all. I know I am opening myself up for judgement, and 10 years ago I wouldn't be able to handle that.

 

Today, I am willing to suffer that judgement for 2 reasons:

 

1. I would love some accountability and encouragement! According to my weight loss app, I could be at my goal in July- that is 6 months from when I started! Seems like forever, but we all know that 6 months is not that long!

 

2. As an inspiration of others. :) Have you struggled with weight? Check back here to see how I have been doing it. :)

 

 

Ok, here we go...

 

I started on January 7. I will be losing weight the same way I did last time- walking and counting calories using my Lose It App.

 

At my weigh in today... one month after starting... I have lost 10.2 lbs!

 

In my weight loss journey last year, I lose 8 pounds in the first 2 weeks.  Needless to say, the first 2 weeks this go round were discouraging.

 

I was losing weight slower, not to mention I was 10 lbs heavier than my starting weight last time. So if you are keeping track, though I have lost 10 lbs, I am now back to the starting weight I was in September 2011 before I lost 25 lbs.

 

That was super discouraging at first, but 10 lbs lost in a month is still really great! And July will be here before I know it. AND, I only walked 3 times this month. Just think if I start working out more, how much more weight I will lose! :)

 

Here comes the really hard, pride swallowing part.

 

I took pics on day one, and will take pics monthly. I am taking pics in the same outfit- same bra, panties, shirt and jeans. One day I may share my bra and panties pics- not today!

 

As hard as it is for  me to share these pics, (believe me I am trying to talk myself out of sharing them as I type!), I have to! You see, 10 lbs may not sound like a lot, but just look at the difference!!

 

When I lost 25lbs, I got down into size 6 jeans. I am using those jeans in every pic... to show how big I am now and in a few months, to show how big the jeans are on my new body. :)

 

As seen on Pinterest, one jar has pounds to lose and one jar has pounds lost. Over the last few months I have moved over up to 4 jewels, (representing 4 lbs). I always gained them back and never got really going on a journey. Finally I have stuck with it and have been able to move over 9 jewels and 1 "diamond." I have a few large pink "diamonds" that symbolize the 10lb mark. Hey, to me, it's pretty exciting! Only like 4 more "diamonds" to go!

 

 

Ok, here come to pics...

 

*gulp*

 

 

 starting weight to be revealed later... and remember, size 6 is the size of the jeans in the pic- not the size I am in currently.  I could have pulled my shirt down for this pic, but I wanted to show how it fell when I put it on- if I were to wear this out fit all day, (ignoring the fact that I can't even get close to buttoning my pants), my shirt would sit here all day. Totally unattractive.

Are you as shocked as I am at what a difference 10 lbs makes?!  My jeans are an inch away from closing! HUGE difference from the first pics!!  My belly size is significantly smaller, (notice my shirt now covers it), and my back fat is so so so much smaller!

 

Please be kind in your comments, and help me in my journey by praying and leaving some encouragement.  I would love to hear if you are joining me and starting your own weight loss journey and how I can encourage you!