Before and After (almost)

Have I mentioned that I lost some weight, haha? I had a couple of goals in mind when I started Medifast on September 2, 2011: 1. Lose enough weight to be out of the obese range, 2. Lose enough weight to be out  of the overweight range, 3. Be a healthy "normal" weight and maintain that weight. 

In order to get to a "normal" weight range I needed to weigh 158 according to the BMI charts. That would put me on high end of normal for my 5'7" frame. But I don't want to just be on the high end, I want to have a little room for those times when the scale dips up a few from a weekend of too much social living. Not to give myself room for bad eating habits, but just room for when my weight fluctuates a bit, I won't beat myself up. So, I still want to lose a few more pounds :)

September 2011 - Before - 251.6 lbs

June 2012 - Almost done - 155

I think I can lose another ten pounds and still feel good. The next phase for me will be strength training. I don't think there is much I can do about some of my saggy spots, but I want to try and replace some of my flabby with a little muscle. Being a certain size doesn't really matter to me, but my mid-section doesn't match my ever-thinning legs :)

I feel so much better having lost this weight! I want to tell everyone that is in a diet or wants to lose a few: It is a gift you must give yourself. Try to think of it this way - that you are giving yourself something (a body)  that will help you feel better and move more. Words can not really express what I'm trying to say. It's just a freedom that you may not have realized you were missing. Yeah, freedom.

You know, it takes a village, as they say, and I just want to say that all the support that I've received by blogging has been a key element to my success. On days when I felt myself wanting to give up, I'd read someone's blog and realize that I wasn't alone in this fight. We all have to do what works for us, but sometimes hearing how someone else is doing it, helps.



(The almost done picture isn't the best. It was taken by my mom and there is a shadow behind my head making my hair look bigger than it actually is, haha.)