"Obese" to "Healthy" - my achievements

 Before

 Now

When I went to Jenny Craig today, I ended up tearing up during my weigh in. Why? Well let me tell you. I have this awesome Jenny Craig Tanita scale that has a Body Fat Monitor and Body Water Percentage. When I first started Jenny, weighing in at 197 pounds, the scale said that my BMI was at the "obese" range. Now, weighing in at 149, the scale says I am at the "healthy" range. I have had such a long journey from starting at "obese", then "heavy", and now "healthy". To have a scale tell me that I have the right BMI for my size, is just amazing to see. To have that reassurance that I am healthy is completely relieving, exciting, overwhelming, just such a mix of emotions. I  can actually SEE my progress. There is just something about seeing the word "healthy" that is so self-fulfilling! I have never been considered healthy since I was probably 13 or 14 years old when I was an active volleyball player. And I am far from my 13 year old self....I'm a woman with curves. I am  really starting to see my journey and transformation take shape. So when I was at Jenny Craig today, I was telling my consultant all of this and I just started to cry out of happiness. And this NEVER happens! After, I went to the mall and bought my first tight fitted shirt! I only wear clothes that flow that can hide my bulge...my stomach and I decided it's time to get clothes for my new body!

I have realized my journey has been a progression. There was never a moment when it just clicked and I was going to be healthy. As I have gone down this 6 month road, it has been a slow accumulation of things. My cousin pushed me to do Jenny Craig and then I started eating the Jenny food and making zucchini every night. Then I started learning how to cook more vegetables. Then I started to learn how to eat out without eating a Jenny meal. Then I started making a couple breakfasts on my own. Now I have decided I really need to learn to exercise. I think at the beginning I didn't know or believe that I could stick to this weight loss program, but as I have come to realize that this is not just a program, but a  change in lifestyle, I have learned how to adapt it to my life. As I saw my weight shed away, the harder I was willing to work for it. I have progressively wanted to be healthier and healthier and try harder and harder; push myself in ways I never have before. This blog is part of my progression as well! Before I was so embarrassed about my weight and now I view it as an achievement! I would NEVER tell anyone I weighed 200 pounds, but now it is something to be proud of! I am not happy I was obese and that I lived an unhealthy lifestyle, but happy of how much I have grown to love the body I am in and have made such a huge accomplishment for myself. I have much more confidence. So if you are waiting for an "aha" moment, that may never come (or it might!), but for me it did not happen that way. Remember weight loss is a journey, a life changing experience and journeys do not happen over night.