Time Frame

The number one reason I failed in every other attempt I made to lose weight? Not seeing/feeling results and feeling as though I was working too hard to not have immediate change.  But does it really make sense to lose weight quickly?  Did an extra 30 lbs add to my frame after my first frat party in college?  Weight doesn't add to our bodies immediately, so we can't expect that it will shed immediately.

Here are some before and after photos that I made when some friends had asked me to show the changes.

Before: July 2011 at my best friend's wedding - easily one of the best celebrations EVER!  

After:  February 7th, 2012 - 21.4 lbs from goal weight (total weight lost: 38.6 lbs) 

Before: November 2010 at Cowboys Dance Hall with our friends from Michigan -- they spent the Thanksgiving holiday with us here in Dallas!   

After:  February 7th, 2012 - 21.4 lbs from goal weight (total weight lost: 38.6 lbs) 

 Before: The best day of my life!  September 17, 2011.  

After: February 7th, 2012 - 21.4 lbs from goal weight (total weight lost: 38.6 lbs) 

 Before: November 2011 - one month into Weight Watchers

After:  March 23, 2012 - 10.2 lbs from goal weight (total weight lost: 49.8 lbs)

 Before:  November 2011 - one month into Weight Watchers  

After: March 23, 2012 - 10.2 lbs from goal weight (total weight lost: 49.8 lbs)

I love that in some of these pictures our puppy proofing techniques are visible (yes, our dogs are incapable of being left alone without destroying our furniture...joy).  

After the first month of this adventure, my pants started to fit a little better.  My energy level started climbing.  In month two, running with my husband became more fun, and my distance started improving.  By Thanksgiving, I ran my first 5k (I completed a 5k in July, and another in October, but had walked half of both of them).  By the time we went home to Michigan for Christmas and the New Year, friends and family were seeing the changes.  

Since January, the weight loss has gotten harder, but the proof that it's working is there and it would be silly not to keep it up!  Patience is so important.  If I had given up the week when I had only lost half a pound, or gained one (that happens, and it's totally OK!), I can only imagine what I'd be trying next.  

So stick to it -- we owe it to ourselves.

Accountability!

Thursdays are weigh-in days.  Usually, I wake up a little early on these days due to excitement.  That's right, it's not a typo -- I get excited about weighing in.  I do it on the scale we bought the day before I started Weight Watchers, in our little master bathroom, usually with my husband at my side.  Meetings are not a part of my program because I am doing it online, so the level of expectation regarding those pesky digital numbers is based solely on my early morning brain activity.  This may not work for everyone, but it has been great for me.  The biggest hurdle?  Accountability.

There is something kind of funny about realizing that no matter who you are, what you do, how you live, your weight is your weight.  It is either your problem, or not a problem at all.  But it is not your mother's problem, or your bosses problem -- it's all yours.  Eh, maybe it's not all that funny, but it sure is sobering.

I gained a buttload great deal of weight after my father passed away.  I was a sophomore in high school and had so much support and love, but food was always around and available for comfort.  It only got worse when I got to college and enjoyed a fair amount of beer and other various empty calories (thank you buffets and frat parties!).  However, as I recall, I made the choice to indulge in these things.  Ah yes, the accountability part that isn't so fun to come to terms with.

When I decided that enough was enough, I hadn't weighed myself in...well...forever.  I literally had no clue when I  had last weighed myself.  Correction: I didn't know the last time I had LOOKED at my weight.  I would go to the doctor, walk to the scale, and ask politely that my weight not be spoken.  Usually I would say something along the lines of, "I know I need to lose some weight -- please don't tell me what the scale says."  I was always hiding from something that I was and am completely accountable for.

This morning, I got on that scale, looked down, and breathed a big ol' sigh of accomplishment when I did the groggy math and realized I had lost 2.2 lbs.  I entered 168 into my Weight Watchers tracker, and enjoyed seeing my goal get so much closer!  These feel good mornings keep me accountable!

If you are ready to start your own weight loss journey, make sure you find a way to keep yourself accountable.  This does not mean stressing yourself by purchasing a bridesmaid dress 2 sizes smaller and expecting to fit into it for your best friend's wedding in 3 months -- this might work for some people, but I personally think this kind of stress is not so great.  Embrace your motivation and stick with it -- once you start feeling the changes, remaining accountable will begin to feel like second nature.

I must add, that most of my success is thanks to a great weight loss program, personal motivation, and a husband that has always loved me, regardless of weight or size.  In fact, he came home one day, gave me a huge hug, and said, "I almost stopped at Wendy's for lunch today.  I didn't, because I felt like I would be cheating on you."  I nearly peed my pants laughing, but he really meant it!  He has been so strong in this adventure with me, providing a great deal of support.  And on top of it all, I've encountered such kind words on Facebook and from friends and family -- and even have had some people reach out to me for help in their weight loss.  This has become so much more than I could have ever imagined.

So, let's do this.  Let's keep travelin'.

Starting weight:  220 lbs
Current weight:  168 lbs
Goal weight:  160

8 lbs to go!

Blog Beginnings!

My name is Carlie. I married my best friend on September 17, 2011. I wore a lovely white dress and had the wedding of my dreams on my in-law's farm, and danced the night away in a barn. I've always been an active individual, a lover of the outdoors, and a person slightly obsessed with food. Ever heard the saying, "I live to eat, not eat to live" -- yeah, I lived by that for a while. Never purposely trying to hurt my health by eating the wrong foods, I really just actively chose to eat what I enjoyed eating. I am now 50 lbs lighter than I was when I got married just 6 1/2 months ago AND I still enjoy eating.

This journey began after the wedding because I feared that stepping into a weight-loss program while planning a wedding would simply be too stressful. Now, that line of thinking seems like a total cop-out. I had heard somewhere that starting a new diet at the beginning of a month aids success, so I started Weight Watchers on October 1, 2011. I nearly crapped myself flipped when I saw the number on the scale when I weighed in for the first time. Never having been a fan of scales anyway, this was not in the least bit encouraging. It wasn't until the second weigh-in that I received my encouragement badge -- SO worth having to look down at those digital numbers from hell.

Like any adventure, this one has had its share of cliches -- ups and downs, twists and turns -- you get the picture. It's also ongoing. I am learning new things about this lifestyle, and myself, every single day. For instance, I plan to share my weight in this blog. *GASP* Yes, my weight...in numbers...for anyone to see. Would I have done this 6 1/2 months ago? Hahaha, NO. Understand that I did not start to lose weight to please anyone. I did not lose weight to prove anything to anyone else, only to myself. I wanted to get healthy, and I am enjoying the changes my body (I've always loved shopping!).

So, I invite you to join me in traveling along the path of self-acceptance and eagerness to succeed in whatever goal you have in mind. Please bring a sense of humor and leave behind any judginess. 

Beginning Weight: 220 lbs
Pants Size: 18
Dress Size: 16

Current Weight: 170 lbs
Pants Size: 12
Dress size: 10