You don't just shed weight...

The 2.5 weeks since my last check in have been very emotional. I have learned an important message with my weight loss, it is not just about the weight being shed... I have been learning that I am beautiful, it is scary that it took me until I was 26 years old to start looking at myself in the mirror and seeing beauty on the outside, thinking that I am worthy of the positive attention that I am beginning to receive from others. What is scarier is that some women are much older than I am when they realize this and even more never get there. I feel beautiful and confident in myself... Although, the confidence is something that is gradually gaining momentum. I can't wait for these last two weeks to pass and my dh to come home on leave. I know that he will be blown away by the changes in his wife, a woman he has known for ten years.

So where am I in my weight loss journey? I weigh 182.5, meaning that I've lost 4 pounds since last time. My body fat percentage is at 26.7%, still getting healthier... My BMI is 30.4, hopefully by this time next month I will have hit a 29.9, making me overweight but not obese. My waist, hips and chest are what please me the most, they are respectively 33, 43.25, and 43. That's right, I can call myself an hourglass!

What is my biggest accomplishment? I fit into the only pair of jeans I saved from when I was 18 after my first miscarriage. I danced around the room yesterday when I tried them on. The most exciting part of that is that I actually weigh about 10lbs more these days, but it must be muscle and I must be tighter.

The other day, I was driving down the road and just started thanking God for this transformation He has allowed to take place in my life. It started on the outside, but it has become so much more and it has caused me to truly appreciate all of the gifts he has given me... My husband, who has in the past month given me an outpouring of love and support using words to tell me how proud he is of me, which is not an easy thing for him. My children, who have kept me active and especially my little girl who I never want to suffer through weight issues and am hoping that this change in me will provide her with the right example. My workout buddy, who has pointed out the changes in my body and given me a sense of accountability where the gym is concerned. God put her in my life at exactly the right moment and she has become a great friend who I am so thankful for.

As you go along your own weight loss journey, be prepared for the old emotional wounds to be reopened so that they can truly heal. It is painful, but when you come out the other side... Wow.