My Weight Loss Journey

Last year I reached the heaviest weight of my life. According to some people, I was "thick". I never planned on being thick. I was always a thin person. But a little thing called complacency set in when I started to gain weight. A few pounds here and there weren't that bad because I didn't start off heavy and I kinda liked finally having some meat on my bones. I was always small and wanted to gain weight. I didn't know that once I started gaining, it wasn't going to stop. The weight kept coming because I wasn't paying attention.

When I started gaining weight, it really did sneak up on me. I liked to blame it on being happy, being sad, good food, blah blah blah. The excuses were endless. But really, I had nothing and no one to blame but myself. At some point I stopped paying attention and became complacent.

One day, I had a moment. That all defining moment that has to happen in order for someone to take weight loss seriously. I saw a picture of myself in what I thought was my favorite yellow dress. When I looked at the picture I thought this can't be me! How did I let myself get to this point? Why didn't anyone tell me? My cheeks were starting to eat my face.

No one is going to tell you you're fat. Either the people around you haven't noticed or they don't want to hurt your feelings.

I decided to do something about it. I mean really. I joined a gym that has exercise classes pertaining to my fitness goals and interests. I've tried losing weight before. I joined a regular gym and worked with a trainer. I know, I know, everyone either joins a gym or gets a trainer. I did both. But um..why did I gain even more weight with the trainer? It was during a time when I still wasn't paying attention and apparently, neither was my trainer. Either that, or he was paying attention and thought as long as I was heavy, he would always have a client. But I digress.

Here's my before and after, followed by what I did to lose weight.

1. I figured out why I wanted to lose weight and decided fitness is going to be a way of life and not a temporary solution.

2. I found workouts that pertained to my interests and fitness goals.

3. I didn't go on a diet. I changed my diet.

4. I found THE BEST fitness friend in the whole world. It's a great idea to find one if you can. My friend and I do not belong to the same gym, we have never worked out together and we don't live near each other. We just keep each other accountable.

5. I made exercise a part of my life.

6. I stopped making excuses.

I took about four months to lose 30 pounds and I've kept it off for the last six months. I have a few more to go and I believe I will accomplish my goal before 2012.