As much as it is not fun sharing the portions of your life that you are less than happy with (for numerous reasons), I think it is crucially important for people to see your journey.

A year and a half ago, I was the most I had ever weighed at 190lbs. At the time, lots of people told me it was ok because I am 5’10 I ‘looked fine’ and carried the weight well.

I was super unhappy with these comments, and disliked that they did not reflect good health. I also knew I had put on 15lbs in six months.. Which is not ok for your health, and I was incredibly unhappy with how I looked, felt, and my clothes (didn’t) fit.

I felt weak, I was dislocating joints often, and was pretty aware that it would get worse if I did not return to my attention to my health.

So, I started with eating better (more veggies and meat, less carbs and sugars) and drinking more water. After about a year of just those two changes I had lost almost 20lbs, but I still felt weak, and I was still dislocating often (it’s a thing with me).

Eight months ago I went back to the gym… early… It was (and continues to be miserable) because I am certainly no morning person (just ask my roommates), but I knew that if I did not go before work, I would more often than not find excuses for not going to the gym after work.

(HUGE shout out to the friend who has called me every morning to wake me up since I am a child and cannot get up early on my own! #nightowlproblems)

So, it has now been eight months of before-work gym time, typically ranging anywhere from 1-4 times a week. In that time, I have lost another almost 15lbs of fat, and put back on almost 10lbs of muscle.

Putting me down a little over 30lbs of fat and up about 10lbs of muscle.

Let me just be real for a bit..
It is hard work.
It is sucky emotionally some days.

The sheer number of hours I have spent in the gym, meal prepping well (and sometimes totally failing at everything) is somewhat astounding…

However, I am SO much happier with how I look, how I feel, and how my clothes fit. And, while I am still not where I want to be, I felt like sometimes it is important to share the story and progress, even if it is incremental and not completed yet.

Below are some of my comparison pictures, and because I hate fake progress pictures, tried as much as I could to:

1. Wear the same outfit,
2. Have the same(ish) lighting,
3. Same angle and poses,
4. Same size/distance from the camera etc…

   Although, the newer image is reversed (able to be seen by my tattoo..Can’t get it all right I suppose haha).
   I also can assure you, I am not purposefully standing differently or sucking in or pushing out my gut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you are encouraged.