When I first started blogging again, I thought I could easily handle this once a week or at the very LEAST, once a month. The last 2 months have been utterly CRAZY. I can’t complain because I feel very blessed to be where I am now with a pretty clear vision of where I want to GO from here! I got a second job in February and between working both jobs and the commute to both jobs, I have been a busy little bee. On a positive note, when I was at my heaviest and only working part time at one job, I was always so tired on the weekends. I never had energy to do anything and I was too self conscious to want to go anywhere or see people. People closest to me never judged my size, but I did. I could feel the stares from strangers when I went places and it made me uncomfortable. I am no where near a supermodel size, but the weight I am at now has brought me confidence I never thought I could have!
On a HUGE note, I finally accomplished something I started in 1999. I graduated CSUN with a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities! I dropped out in my second semester after the death of my Grandmother and never thought I would ever return. About 6 years ago, I watched my friend walk that College stage and get her degree and I thought, well shit, it doesn’t hurt to look into it and see how far I can go. In 2 years, I had my AA degree in Behavioral and Social Sciences and thought I would stop there. I wanted to go further so I enrolled at CSUN. It was a rough 4 years, financially, emotionally, and physically but I kept at it, even though it took longer than I thought, but I finally finished in December. I walked across the stage on 5/18/15 the day before my 8 month Surgiversary!
I also found my graduation photo from my AA Degree at COC and showed a before and After shot!
Sometimes, no matter what life throws at you, if you keep your head focused and push through, you will eventually come out on the other side. It may have taken me a total of 15 years, but I finally saw the finish line and I am so glad that I did!
My 8 Month Surgiversary was on 5/19 and here were my most recent stats!
Total Weight Loss to date: 134 lbs
Pant Sizes Lost: 7 (From size 26 to size 12)
Total Inches Lost: 84
*Chest 12.75 in, Stomach 15.25 in, Hips 17 in, Biceps 13 for both, Thighs 16 for both, Calves 7 for both, Ankles 4 for both.)
I couldn’t believe the day I fit into size 12 jeans! I did a happy dance in the dressing room and took a picture to send to Erick. I almost cried because never in my adult life, had I ever been a size 12! In fact, my earliest memory of keeping track of sizes was when I was about 13-14 and I was a size 13. That could have been juniors sizes and I don’t know if they are smaller than women’s sizes because I wasn’t at this weight at 13-14. Then again, I don’t think I was 5’7″ at the time either, so I am not sure! I found a pair of size 24 jeans there as well and took a picture of them together.
I love these before and after pictures, because as I have said before, it really drives the visual home for me. When you see yourself everyday, you don’t always see what others see.
This picture, my Aunt Tina put together for me to remind me of where I have come from already. The picture on the left was taken years ago at a Family Get Together and right was taken a couple weeks ago when Erick and I went to the LA Zoo for the day. I know there are people who have lost a lot of weight and made comments about themselves about how hideous and disgusting they looked. I have no regrets. Yes, I always wished to have a beautiful body and to be thin, but regardless of my size, I was the still the same person on the inside and that I would never want to change. I am who I am because of my journeys and roadblocks in life.
Since my last post, I started doing things I never thought possible! I went on my first segway tour in Solvang, CA with my Aunt Honey. I actually fit the weight requirement and although I was scared because I had never done it, I was smiling from the minute I got on, til after I got off. I loved every minute of it and was so glad that I did it!
Another thing I had always wanted to do was a 5k walk. My Friend Joelyn signed me up for the AIDS walk in Las Vegas, NV. For the first time, I was able to do the 3 miles with no blisters, knee pains, joint pains, feet pains or any other ailments. It was so cool to knock something off my list that I never thought I would be able to do. I was able to keep the pace with everyone around me, while still pushing a stroller. I was so glad that Joelyn got me to do it, and it makes me excited for the next one! I signed up for a color run Obstacle course in Bakersfield, CA for this October. I am nervous because of the obstacles, but uber excited to see how I do and knock it out of the park!
Some of my other NSV’s included being able to wear calf boots for the first time. My mom bought me these boots years ago and I couldn’t pull them up past my lower calves. I forgot about them and never exchanged them. I found them recently and for shits and gigs, I tried them on. I yelled to Erick from the other room and he ran out to me dancing around in them! I was so stoked! This was one of the things on my vision board: To be able to wear calves boots over my jeans/pants. I rock them out all the time now and with the weight loss, my feet don’t hurt by the days end!
Another NSV for me was to wear a skirt or dress. My friend Amber sent this maxi skirt to me as a gift for the weightloss. I wore it out on Mothers Day. (I went out in public in a skirt! I haven’t don’e that in prolly 9 or 10 years!)
The only thing I am angry at myself for is that I hadn’t done as much cooking as I would have hoped in the last two months. We have been going all over the place lately, visiting family, friends and going out of town. I have been good with my choices and continue to lose weight. I am finally 4 pounds away from ONEDERLAND and I am just counting down the days until I can shout it from the rooftops!
In the meantime, here are a couple pics of recent Pinterest Meals attempted:
This one is Mozzerella Cream Chicken and Gluten Free Pasta. It came out very very good!
This one was a shrimp, spinach and tomato pasta (Gluten Free). Came out like a shrimp scampi and to date, this was probably one of my favorites of all time! Definitely one to do again!
As always, Thank you to those around me who have been unbelievable supportive of me and my journey. People have been following me and asking for my opinion or recipe ideas and I am so glad that I can pay it forward and help someone else on their journey!
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Until Next Time…
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