One Year

August 4, 2006 is when my doctor told me I needed to lose weight. I had reached 300 pounds, a number I never, ever wanted to see. My actual weight on the scale was 300.5. But I think I needed to see that. If I saw 299.5, I don't think it would have had the same effect on me. I could have told myself I was still in the 200's. After the appointment, I went to McDonald's for lunch and told myself I needed to change something.

On August 5, 2006, I made a change. I stopped just eating and started thinking before eating. The doctor told me I needed to lose 100 lbs. That number seemed unrealistic (and it still may be. I haven't been 200 since I was probably 16.) Hell, 290 seemed unrealistic to me, but I managed to drop ten pounds in that first month. I only remember this because I was at 290 when Ken and I went to Chicago last September.

It's been a year as of today. In that time, I've managed to drop 66 lbs. That's a lot of weight. It's like losing a 3rd grader or Nicole Richie. (Or is that a 3rd grader PLUS Nicole Richie?) I'm really proud of myself, though I don't usually let myself know that (if that makes any sense.) When Ken and I met 13 years ago, I was at 230. I'm 4 lbs heavier than I was then. These last 34 lbs are going to be hard. The easy weight comes off at the beginning. I'm giving myself a year to drop the last 30 or so. But to be honest with you, if I can get below 220, I'll be so happy.

Below are my before and after pics. The first is of my at 300 lbs. The second is of me now. I keep looking at the first one and wonder how the hell did I ever get that big? Then I wonder why do I feel that fat now, but didn't when I was that size?