Before and Halfway

For today's blog I thought I would show some before and half-way pictures. I say half-way because I am not finished losing the weight I would like to lose. I started this weight journey at almost 200 pounds. I do not have any pictures of myself at that weight because, frankly I wasn't exactly proud of who I was. Content? yes, proud? no.  I was at times content with the way I was, but overall I wanted to be strong and healthy. So, around 2009 I started on my journey. I was 40 years old and I made up the mantra losing 40 pounds at 40. I think I even wrote a post about it in one of my older ones from 2009. Anyway, I thought that if I worked out hard enough I could lose the weight within the year. Well, it hasn't exactly gone the way I planned. I have been at it going on three years. There are some positive things, such as, I have been exercising fairly consistently so I do have a habit of exercising. However, I did struggle with my eating for a long, long, time. I was under the misconception that as long as you exercised hard enough, well, the weight would just pour off. WRONG!!! If you ever have read any of Tosca Reno's articles, she says "that exercising is only 20% part of losing weight, the other 80% is eating." That's right 80%. I was shocked, in fact shocked into reality. She also has said that cardio is important, but if you really want to transform your body you must strength train. Well, let me tell you that was another thing I was doing wrong. All I did was treadmill. And all I did was walk on the treadmill, I really never wanted to challenge myself. I did do quite a bit of incline walking, but never wanted to run. And yes, that got quite a bit of weight off. But I stalled last winter and started gaining. I was gaining because I was discouraged and told myself it wasn't working anyway. Luckily, I only gained back 15 pounds. But, still it is 15 more I had to lose plus what I hadn't lost yet. Okay, so what I am doing different now is, I am running and yes, this cardio only girl has started strength training as well. Also, I have increased the amount of fruits and vegetables I have been eating. Also cutting back the sugar. That was another thing I was addicted to sugar, really, really bad. I thought I had to have something sweet every time I finished eating, if I was reading a book, or whenever I had coffee. The picture that is by itself was taken last winter, the before picture in the collage was taken this past September, and the other halfway ones were taken today. By the way did I mention, I really, really, hate to take pictures? :)