At first I was embarrassed to have the world see my before/after photos and then I got over it and said what the heck, I worked hard and gosh darn it, it’s another level of accountability to add to my belt as I am not going back to a belt that size ever again!
With the help of Drea McLarty, I have FINALLY changed the way I think about food and exercise. Drea has freed me of what feels like a lifetime of counting calories, counting carbs, yo-yo dieting, gaining weight, losing weight, gaining more weight and on and on. I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired about my weight. I’m talking to you fellow low-carb dieter who would fall off the wagon and devour an entire pizza or have actual conversations with a breadbasket that was staring at you. I’ve tried eating no fat, became a vegetarian, eating paleo, cabbage soup diets, gluten-free, dairy-free, starvation diets, shake diets, DONE!
I’ve yo-yoed up and down for as long as I can remember. Before kids, after kids, in between kids, before wedding, after wedding, you name it, up and down, sometimes 15 pounds in a month. I had two sets of wardrobes in my closest, “fat” and “skinnier”. FAT are now at the Goodwill along with a box of fad diet books. Not going back, EVER!
So here are the pictures!!! Yes, posted on Drea’s blog and YES, posted on Facebook. Shudder, right?! I surely could have gotten a tan on those AFTER photos, put on a little makeup or had my roots touched up don’t ya think?!
On 1/4/13 I had my first
meeting with Drea. Steadily I lost a
pound a week until here I am now maintaining a 20 pound weight loss (down 10 more than I thought I could ever be), feeling confident, strong, fit
and thankful. I have never lost weight at a gradual pace and at first I was a little concerned thinking my lifestyle changes weren't working but soon realized that this was the right way to do it.
From the start, Drea has told
me that we all underestimate how much you have to move each day and we all need
to make better choices. These choices
will become habits and eventually a lifestyle.
No dieting, just better choices. Saying
“No” here and there so that on the days I say “Yes” they are worth it. It is not about a cheat day (which by the
way, cheat day = setting yourself up for failure because I don’t know one
person who isn’t counting down until that cheat day. Six days of eating clean and then blowing it on
a weeks worth of calories doesn’t work.
At least it didn’t for me....). And yes, I do a pretty killer workout with Drea several times a week on top of working out on my own. It's hard work but I have learned how to fit it into my schedule and make it part of my lifestyle. Drea is the ultimate motivator and I can't thank her enough for guiding me through this process.
I now enjoy working out. I enjoy eating healthy. I love being fit. I love that I can run, I’m still slow, but I
am running trails, running sometimes over ten miles, working out in the morning
and going back at night. I am also excited to announce that I just signed up for my first half marathon this November as part of
TEAM GSF! Fitness and health is a
priority to me now. I love food, real
food! Fresh fruits and vegetables and lean
proteins. My husband is amazed that I am
eating fruit because for years I have turned my nose up at it for fear of
having any sugar! My husband is also
amazed that he is not sent to pick up take-out on way more nights than he used
to. Do I miss it? No!
Because I can still have it, just not every damn day! Novel concept right?!
So there you have it world, my ass is on display but it is not as mortifying as you would think knowing that your new ass can fit into the same size jeans than you wore in high school. And this transformation is more than about how I look on the outside, it is the change on the inside that I am most proud about.
