…..No, I don’t really want to be a senior portraits photographer. I just like taking pictures of others being…themselves…

Some were curious as to how I was going to losing 20-25 lbs before my Destin vacation in May. Instead of writing a mass email to those people I decided to write a brief blog entry about it. If you’re looking for ideas to meet your weight loss goals please keep in mind that every person is different. What works for me might not work for you, and vice versa. Or you and I could be twin anatomically. You never know.

That being said, I first accomplished this three years ago and my anatomy could have changed even since then. That would be my luck, but I’m hoping the same methods will work.

First a little background:

This picture was taken my sophomore year in high school. That’s me and, you guessed it, Emmy trying on prom dresses in Dillard’s for the heck of it. Do you see how tiny we both were. Where did those days go? If I remember correctly I wore a size 0 in jeans, probably smaller.

In high school I did color guard like it was my job and because of that I was jazz running approximately 4 miles and twirling and tossing a flag till my arms fell off. On the daily. I loved every minute of it so I never fell like I was working out even though that’s all it was, just more graceful. I never worried about what I ate. In fact those were the days when I’d eat pepperonis, cookie dough and coke like it was going out of style. And pizza. Oh man did I eat a lot of pizza. My point is that I ate bad. Way bad and didn’t care because I didn’t have to.

This picture of my younger brother and I was taken my freshmen year in college. Looking at this picture is kind of crazy because my brother has changed so much since his freshmen year in high school. He’s now a sophomore in college. Wow, time you sure are something.

So back then I wasn’t doing anything active but had only been absent from guard for about 9 months? I was still eating the same. It’s really apparent in my upper arms and mid section. Yea, this blog entry is going to feature me, criticizing myself. Get ready.

Fast forward a few years…

Summer 2006, a month or so before Neil proposed to me. Oh God, just look at my face. Chubby cheeks were never hard to find with me around. Yea, I may be being too harsh on myself but whatever. I deserve(d) it. I did jack crap as far as exercise goes. I think I had started eating a little better but I couldn’t tell. Guessing I weighted about 135-140 here.

After years of getting fatter and fatter I finally started to pull myself together when Neil proposed. This was Christmas 2006 (bobviously) and I had been taking my depression/anxiety meds for almost two months now. I know that helped me lose some weight but I’d also started paying closer attention to what I was eating. I think I weighed about 130.

My 21st birthday, April 2007. Notice the lack of chubbiness in my cheeks. And my arms. They are actually toned! By now I hadn’t been too concerned about my diet but more so about my exercise routine. My best friend Amy and I would go to the gym at least every other day (but mostly every day). We would do cardio and lite weight lifting. Nothing to strenuous, just something every day. That’s all I needed.

June 2007. Because I was home from school and planning a wedding I didn’t work out really any for most of May and all of June. Thankfully I maintained my weight during that time.

My wedding day, July 7th, 2007. I weighed 118 lbs and fit into my size 4 wedding gown perfectly. Notice I had Wendy’s for a late lunch/snack. Still wasn’t too concerned with my diet. By then I had already made a habit of eating a well balanced diet. Something my mother, the dietitian, had always wanted me to do. Heh.

I add this picture to also show my arms because I’m still in awe over them. I’m not trying to be full of myself it’s just that I had no idea how toned they were back then and now, looking at the pictures I’m really pissed at myself that I didn’t keep up all that good work.

Exactly a month later Neil’s aunt got married in Lexington, which is where this picture was taken. Still looking the same. hadn’t work out since the beginning of May.

Fast forward to Summer 2008. Emmy and I at Jasmine’s before the girls went to see Sex and the City the movie. It always starts with my face, arms, and mid section. Ugh. I never picked back up on exercising. I’m a damn fool. I’m right back at 135 lbs I think. This is also the summer I decided I no longer needed to be medicated for my depression/anxiety. Yet again, I’m a damn fool.

February 2009. Yea, you guessed it. Emmy is taking the picture and I’m yet again trying on prom dresses. I don’t think I will ever grow out of it. I maintained the same weight for about 6 ish months because I started working at the nursing home and I did nothing all day except lift 250+ pound people all over the place. My thigh had never been thicker.

End of summer 2009. Face, arms, mid section, thighs, 140 lbs.

October 2009. OMG y’all. I hadn’t been working at the nursing home for a month and a half and it was SO obvious.

December 2009, at Kelly’s baby shower. Since I started working as a web master/designer I’ve really put on the pounds. Of course I didn’t expect less. How could I when all I did all day was sit on the couch with my laptop. Never exercising. Hardly even moving.

I’m going to be straight with you guys here, as of today I weigh 143 lbs and it’s the heaviest I’ve ever weighed. It stops now.

Things are going to have to change:

• I’m going to eat out a whole lot less. Like once or twice a month. This is doable because another resolution is to be smarter with our money, I love to cook anyway, we live 10 minutes away from the closest restaurant, and school starts Monday (OMG, totally different blog entry!).
• I’m not going to stop eating any kinds of food. This is why many diets fail. Yea, yea, yea I’m no doctor but my mom is a dietitian and I think I know a thing or two about it since I was raised in “the way” for 21 years plus I’m a nursing student. If you can maintain portion control and eat a balanced meal you’ll be fine. Many people’s problem is that they don’t know what a balanced meal is.
• I’m going to exercise. Holy cow who would ever had though that exercising would help you lose weight? Heh. My parents’ bought an elliptical for the lake house because my mom exercises every single day of her life and she didn’t want to stop that just because she stays up here for a few days, and also because I told her I would use it. And I’m going to. I hope to get up to 1 hour of moderate exercise on that thing a day but since I’m so out of shape (because I’m a damn fool) I’m going to start with just 20 minutes. I’ll increase by five minutes each time I feel like I can go on. They say it only takes 5 weeks to make something a habit. Let’s hope that’s true.
• I’m going to do more than just exercise. I’m going to be active again. My classes start early so I’m going to leave my hour long cardio for at night but in the morning I’m sure I can spare 30 minutes. Or even 32 minutes!
• And finally, I’m going to get back on my medication. Gosh, it’s been so long since I took it and I’m a damn fool for thinking I was OK. Depression and anxiety are tricky diseases and I’m ready for them to be managed again.

This is my path. Feel free to try mine or follow your own. Whatever your resolutions are I bid you good luck and hope you succeed!