Angela’s 1.5 year progress update!!

I can’t thank you enough.  I have followed you guys all the way back from MyFitnessPal for a year and a half. You have changed my life.

A little about me:

I have struggled with my weight for most of my life, from middle school until recently.  I was a dancer through all these years, so I kept it in check for the most part, but I was still one of the “bigger” girls in dance class.  Once dance stopped, so did the whole “keeping it in check.”  Luckily it was more of a slow, steady creep up for me.  The eating was bad. The movement was minimal.

Following the college weight gain, I got married.  I tried different gimmicks to drop the pounds, including the low cal thing, very low cal.  I was just spinning my wheels, with no progress and a lot of hard work.  A year after I said “I do”, I was pregnant.  At that point, I was already 30 pounds heavier than high school.  I only gained 18 pounds throughout pregnancy.  Not too shabby, right???  Well those pounds fell right off, and then some, after I had my son.  Another “woohoo” moment…THEN…the slow, steady creep was back.  I gained all the pregnancy weight back.  I like to blame it on stress of being a new mother…whatever the excuse…I was UNHAPPY.  I was unhappy with every aspect of myself.  I was barely in any pictures with my new baby, and the pictures that exist…well, they were screened to assure they looked how I wanted them to.  I loved being a mother, but I was exhausted and cranky most of the time (my husband would agree to that).  I decided to make a change!!!!  A permanent change.  A lifestyle change.  I needed to do something for the sake of my family, my marriage, and my own happiness.

THE PLAN:
Eat as clean as tolerable (I am a known anti-veggie person)
Eat MORE
MOVE more
Whine less
No more excuses
Be happy
Don’t be discouraged (progress is progress, no matter how small)
Track everything (ACCOUNTABILITY)
Bring others along (the journey is much easier when you have people to encourage you, even if it is just moral support)
Support others (I found that motivating others, in turn, motivates me!)

This was the beginning.  Notice I did not say “this IS the beginning.”  I wish I would have started a blog from day one.  I would have loved to be able to look back and see the emotional changes I have made.  I know how I felt, but reading it would have been more powerful.

Fast forward to current…I am 50 pounds lighter.  My energy level has grown significantly, and my moods have been on the upswing (my husband BETTER agree this time!).  My blood pressure is normal, my knees don’t hurt, and my cholesterol is on its way down. The best thing is, on occasion, I am happy with myself and my progress! (It is still tough to break old mindsets) On that note….Let the journey continue!

Permission to post:  Absolutely!  Thank you so much.  I owe these muscles to you!  Now my goal is to motivate and inspire others to get out of their dark places that I know all too much about.  You guys started my journey, and I am eternally grateful!

Bicep growth progress! :)