weight loss post

so i've been pretty absent from the blog lately, and it's due to being incredibly busy and also because i've been working on this post for some time. warning: this is a long post.

here's some big news i've been wanting to share for a while now: i've lost 35 pounds! i knew i would do a weight loss post eventually, but haven't gotten to it until now. i wasn't sure how i wanted to go about sharing my story on the blog, but here goes.

my experience: my entire family has a history of struggling with weight, and while i never got to be extremely overweight, it has been something i've dealt with throughout most of high school and college. i always felt uncomfortable in my body, and wanted to lose weight, but didn't know how. because of my family history, i felt like i was "doomed" to be overweight, and that it would be part of my entire life.

i didn't really plan to lose weight at this particular time, because i've tried numerous times in the past, and had always been unsuccessful. but after graduating from college this summer, i felt like i had accomplished my biggest goal in life, and wanted to try this one as well.

what i did: i honestly did not do anything particular or use any kind of system. this is just my personal experience, and it worked for me. i'll try to share some of what i did here, although i didn't really utilize any kind of program or guidance- it was mostly just trial and error!

eating: i have a general knowledge of what constitutes healthy eating, so i cut back the amount of food i was eating and upped my intake of protein and vegetables. i also tried to cut out unnecessary calories where i could, and started drinking sparkling water instead of sodas and sweetened iced tea.

exercise: this is what i truly believe made the difference. i am not someone who enjoys exercising, and never used to do it at all. i used to eat pretty healthy, but never exercised regularly. this summer, i started walking. every other night, i would go for a walk in our neighborhood for about 3-4 miles, and on the weekends, i would increase it to maybe 5-6 miles. i came to really enjoy my walks- i would take my ipod, listen to music or a podcast, and reflect on my day. now that i've lost most of my weight, i've cut down on my walking- i've joined a gym, and go a few times a week. i go on the treadmill for about 20-30 minutes and sometimes do some weights afterwards.

pictures: here are some "before" pictures. these were really hard for me to share, since looking back at them, i feel like they are so unflattering. even looking back at some of my first blog posts, like this one, you can see some big differences.

and some "after" ones from yesterday. i am actually below my original goal weight, because i really did not believe that i would be able to lose weight at all. i am so happy to be where i am, and really proud of myself for sticking with it throughout the whole process. for reference, at my highest, i was about 160, and i am at about 125 now. these pants are a size 2! i honestly can't even believe this. 

some reflections on the whole process: while i'm so proud of myself and feel so much better at this weight, it's been a huge adjustment. i don't always remember at first that i'm this new size. when i'm in a store, it's still my first reaction to grab a size large. i feel like my brain hasn't really caught up with all the changes my body's made. i still don't have the self-confidence that i thought would come automatically with being thinner.

another thing that's been difficult is that almost none of my clothes fit me anymore. while this sounds like it might not be so bad, i miss some of my old favorites! i also don't have an unlimited budget to buy an entirely new wardrobe, so i'm trying to utilize my sewing skills to take in some of my clothes.

anyway, i know this post has been the longest in history, but there's a general overview! if anyone has questions or wants to know more about any part of this process, feel free to send me an email at elluminated@yahoo.com!