-100 Pounds Pictures

Before: 328

Now - 228

Before (I never felt that puffy!)

Now (deflated)

Zumba gear

Ok, I had to hunch my shoulders up so you could really see them, but I love that I now have visible collar bones!

Bring on the dress!!!

So, I'm still at 99.5 pounds and getting frustrated! Why won't my body let go of that next .5 pound so I can finally say I've lost 100 pounds?!?!

This picture makes me feel better though because I think I look noticeably thinner in it. Mary and I went and ordered my bridesmaid's dress the other night. This is the style we are wearing, but in black. We had the greatest guy helping us. We were talking about weight loss and he shared that he has lost like 180 pounds - you can kind of see him in the mirror behind me. You would never know from looking at him that he used to be so heavy - he carries a "before" picture in his wallet that he showed us. It was amazing and very inspirational!

This will be my sixth time wearing a bridesmaids dress. I've been a bridesmaid for my cousins Jenny and Ann, friends Kendra and Heather, and for Larry and Erin's wedding. Being the matron of honor in Scott and Mary's wedding will probably be my last time wearing a bridesmaid's dress, but I think this is the best I've ever looked in one! Ending my bridesmaid career with a bang!


"Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point." -Harold B. Melchart

So Close!

So, I've been a major gym slacker the past week. I only went one time last week and then just got lazy! I didn't lose any weight either - surprise surprise. I'm getting my hiney in gear this week. I need to get to 100 pounds by Christmas and look ahead to my goal of being under 200 lbs by April 2 - my one year surgiversary.

I did two hours at the gym last night - one hour in the body pump class and one hour of Zumba (my fave!). Got on the scale this morning - 228.5. So, I've lost 99.5 pounds. The scale couldn't just give me that other 1/2 a pound??? I'm hoping to hit 100 tomorrow or Thursday! Updated pictures coming soon!!!!


"If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried." (Ok, it's not motivational, but it made me laugh)

I'm Normal!

Well, at least my blood pressure is. Had a BP check with Dr. Wunder this morning and it was 116/80 - Dr. said, "It's in the normal range!" Whoop whoop!

I've lost 93 pounds to date. Don't think I'm going to hit the 100 pound mark by Thanksgiving, but should by Christmas. I have been taking Zumba and Body Pump (weightlifting) classes at the gym. Haven't gone since my Monday body pump class - my quads are so sore! I love my gym - I still really don't like to exercise, but at least I have a cool gym to go and work out at. The Zumba classes are fun and keep me motivated to go. I picture myself as a skinny exotic latin dancer!

Another whoop whoop. I had a girls weekend Nov 7-9 with my friends Kendra, Carrie, and Harmony. We had a blast and did a lot of shopping. I bought a size 14/16 top! I couldn't believe it - I'm wearing it today as a matter of fact. I'm still wearing size 20 pants (although I do have some 18's that fit), but I'm able to wear smaller tops. The lower stomach is my problem area. I was so excited! I'm almost into "normal" sizes! I felt sassy at Mary and Scott's engagement party in my 14/16 sweater, size 18 skirt, and my knee high boots! (I've always wanted tall boots, but have never been able to find any that fit over my calves - I have some now!)

That's my update for now. See you again at 100 pounds!

Sarah

"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting so get on your way!" -Dr. Seuss

Muy Bueno!

Mary and I did a Zumba class last night at my gym. Very fun! It's all latin dancing. The class was about an hour long and was a good workout. Felt a little goofy trying to get all of the steps, but everyone else was looking lost too, so that worked out ok. A little non-scale victory at the end. We were stretching and the instructor had us do that stretch where you bend your knee and grab your ankle behind you. I could never do that when I would take exercise classes before - well I did it last night!! Granted I had trouble keeping my balance and had to hold onto Mary, but I was able to grab my ankle. Whoop whoop!

If you haven't tried Zumba yet - get out there and find a class. It's fun exercise!

"We are fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance." -Japanese proverb

90 pounds gone!

I hit the 90 pound mark this morning. Hip Hip Hooray! When I had surgery my initial goal was to be at -100 lbs by Christmas. I should make it there - I'm hoping to hit it by Thanksgiving. Dr. Evanson said he expected me to be under 200 lbs by my one year surgiversary. That's 39 more pounds in 5 months - I can do it! I know I shouldn't focus only on the number on the scale, but I like to have goals and a number to shoot for. Helps keep me focused. I'd like to say I'm not obsessing about it, but I am still weighing myself everyday - it's a hard habit to break.

I'm doing pretty good at the gym. I usually do 30 minutes on the eliptical and 30 minutes on the treadmill and 1-2 days a week I also do some resistance training with weights and the exercise ball. I've started doing some running on the treadmill - I've been walking 4 minutes and then running 1. Ok, it's not a ton of running, but it's a start!

I'm wearing size 18/20 tops and size 20 pants. Although I do have some size 18 pants I can get into. Only another size or two and I'll be able to buy clothes in the non-plus sized department! woohoo! Speaking of clothes - Kevin (who is only 15 pounds from his goal of 230) had to buy some new jeans because his were falling off of him. He bought new ones that have a 40 inch waste - the ones he wore last winter were a 44 inch waste. Go Kevin go!

I go and see my family Dr. in November for a BP checkup, but I had a follow up appointment with my OBGYN a month ago and my BP there was 118/76 - that's the lowest it's been in a long time! Also, my BMI was 54.6 before my surgery, and now it's 39.6......getting healthier!

I'll post pictures at the 100 pound mark. Hopefully that won't be too long!

Love to all,
Sarah

My quote for this post is long, but I loved it.....

I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, everyday, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success. I will act now. I will repeat these words again and again and again. I will walk where failures fear to walk. I will work when failures seek rest. I will act now for now is all I have. Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now. Success will not wait. If I delay, success will become wed to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place. I am the person. -Og Mandino

Checking in

I'm at 84 pounds right now. All of a sudden the scale has started moving again - whoop whoop! Only 16 more pounds until the big 100! This is the most weight I've ever lost at one time. The exercise is definitely paying off. With the scale and my clothes - I'm fitting into everything better and I pulled some clothes out my tub of "used to fit" clothes and have added some of them back into my closet because they finally fit again!

Now with Mary getting engaged and planning the wedding for March, I'm doubly motivated to get these pounds off asap - this will probably be the last wedding I'm in and I want to make sure I don't look like a parade float in my dress! Luckily she is thinking she is going to have us get black bridesmaid's dresses, so that will be slimming - thanks Mary! I'm heading up to Fort Wayne this weekend to go wedding dress shopping with Mom and Mary - I can't wait! Wedding planning is going to be so much fun!

I'll check back in at the 90 pound mark!

BMI on April 2 = 54.6
Current BMI = 40.6

"Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy." -Norman Vincent Peale