The Big 50...

The Big 50 is just around the corner... and I am pretty excited! I'm not talking about a birthday (I'm only 23 for goodness sakes); I'm talkin' poundage. That's right! I'm just two pounds away from having lost 50 pounds since the beginning of my "life change." I started this journey to gain back control of my health in mid to late January and the time has really flown by. Now the weight definitely hasn't flown off, but slowly and surely it IS dropping off. I knew it would take time because I'm not doing anything radical where everything just melts away; but rather, I really wanted to create a new and healthy lifestyle for myself that I CAN maintain for the rest of my life.

I try not to focus on the "Big" picture with the ultimate goal because then it could all seem a bit too overwhelming and even impossible. But, by confronting this challenge pound by pound, it has been possible. Because, hey! I can lose a pound... and then one more... and then one more... and, heck! why not one more?! ...and it's amazing how the math just works it's way out and adds up and up. I still have a way to go, but I'm halfway there and I'm okay with celebrating the little victories along the way.

Weird... I can't believe I just made "Before & After" photos. But this is a good marking point to share some of the noticeable differences. I did my best to find similar photos to compare. The two top ones were both taken in a car, and I'm on the same side; and the two bottom ones, I'm facing the same direction as well. But what I can't show you is how good I feel. I love doing different activities and keeping my body moving. Also, as I've mentioned before on here, I have a really hard time eating vegetables, but I have been working really hard to reintroduce them into my diet and make them work for me. It's been baby steps, but it's working. For example, just last week... wait for it!...I ate an apple! ...and not a cut-up apple with no skins. I bit right into that apple and made my way around it. I know that sounds totally pathetic, but it was an improvement for me. Also, a couple nights ago, we had corn on the cob... and yes, you guessed it! I bit right in and made my way around that guy cleaning it up... And it was DELISH! I'm making progress and I'm not giving up. This is the new me.

Here's to 50 lbs. gone and to the 50 lb. journey still to go.