Let's Get Real...

For a while now, I have been thinking about sharing my heart with you all about weight loss. I have had tons and tons of e-mails/tweets asking me about my healthy living journey... particularly now that I will be in a gorgeous fitted wedding dress on March 9th.

Let me take you back to give you a little life snapshot...      

Growing up, I was a junk food addict. I loved sugary treats and processed snacks more than most kids. I first remember realizing I was overweight toward the end of middle school, but didn't really know how to change my eating habits.

Once I reached high school, I happily danced on the pom team performing in front of the whole school at pep rallies and games in spandex and leotards. Suddenly body conscious, I turned to advice from my mom to get healthy.

We did Weight Watchers together and I feel for the first time in my life, portion sizes and eating healthy foods made sense. I changed my eating habits, learned to love working out, and easily dropped 30 lbs.

This weight loss carried me through the rest of high school and college, with natural fluctuations. Upon getting my first big girl job, I slowly learned how to re-work healthier habits and activity into a busy schedule.

I feel like I definitely know what to do and how to get there, it's just a matter of not being lazy and choosing healthier foods/exercise over convenience.

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Unfortunately, my weight took a big turn in the winter of 2011. After months of testing and feeling horrible, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. This disease makes me feel extremely achey, lethargic, and some days I just feel like I have the flu.

In order to manage this disease, my rheumatologist put me on steroid treatments for 3-4 months. Within no time at all, I had rapidly gained 30 lbs. on this medication. For the first time in 8-9 years, I felt extremely self-conscious and helpless.

The medication was in my system for several months after choosing to discontinue those treatments, and it definitely had a strong effect on my metabolism and thyroid function.

Luckily, a year later, I am finally able to lose weight again... I just hadn't planned on being a bride while in the midst of it.

  

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Thankfully, I have a very sweet, encouraging, and supportive fiance who has been my gym buddy, healthy meal advocate, and makes me feel very beautiful at any size. With encouragement from my doctor, family, and friends, my metabolism is finally back to normal, and resorting back to lifestyle changes has led me to drop 12 lbs. so far!

With the help of Weight Watchers keeping my accountable and providing a very structured and stable way to lose weight again, I am slowly seeing results and feeling like myself again!!

At my highest weight last year, I weighed close to 188 lbs, and felt extremely lost. The clothes I wore when I was 160 lbs. no longer fit me, and I desperately wanted to feel like "me" again. At my healthiest and most active state, I was comfortable right around 145 lbs., and I am slowly working my way back to feeling strong and confident.

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Am I losing weight just for the wedding?
Nope. This is all about a healthy lifestyle change I made years ago, and want to return to my norm after a tough year and a half of struggling with my body image.

Is the wedding a good motivator?
Absolutely!
What bride doesn't want to feel stunning in her dress and completely confident? On days when I don't want to gym it up, I think about how beautiful my wedding dress is. The way Adam will look at me when I walk down the isle, and how I don't even want to have a worry in the world of how my body looks on the big day. It's all about feeling like myself again.

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With exactly 29 weeks until the big day, and 25 weeks until dress alterations, I feel like I can easily get back to my normal with a weight loss of 1 - 1.5 lbs. a week.

On the days where I want to skip an easy elliptical date or indulge on the sweet treats the office girls like to share, I have to remind myself, "I can do this!"

I thought today was a good day to share a piece of my heart and struggle with all of you who may be in the same boat as me. I think there are a few things every girl who struggles with this needs to remember...

1) You ARE beautiful at any size. Truth.

2) You CAN get to a healthier normal and we can do it together.

3) Every day is a new day to commit to making better choices... isn't that refreshing?

4) Believe in yourself.

Thanks for being great readers and friends, and thanks for letting me share my heart and journey. If you are on the same path, remember that you are not alone.

Wishing you renewed motivation and lovely encouragement!