“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.” ― Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
What a difference a year makes. January 2nd I began my journey into weight loss. I started keto with my sister, she wanted to lose weight before her wedding. I promised her I would try, and I fully intended to fail. I had failed so many times before. So I began, pepperoni and rotisserie chickens were my jam, thats all I ate for the first week or so until I could figure out what the heck I was doing. I stumbled, I fell, I cried, I craved, but most of all I fought. I wanted to make this work.
On January 18th, I found this site and input my weight, or what I thought it was because I did not have a scale at my house. Well, I was grossly mistaken, and had to redo everything. When I finally found a scale, I found out that I was 505lbs. I had no idea. I cried that day, I sobbed because I didnt know I was that heavy. I knew that I couldnt walk 4 feet without huffing and puffing, I knew that walking through a store was a chore and caused my back and feet to scream in pain, but I had no number to tell me how fat I was. I had that number then, and man, I was ashamed.
I started really digging in to keto and what I could eat and what I could do to make this work for me. I found that I didnt mind the taste of coconut oil and heavy cream in my coffee, I found that I dont really care for butter in my coffee. I found that taco salad is one of the best things in this world when all you want to do is feel normal. I found that eating the toppings off pizza meant that I didnt have to miss pizza as much. I found that I really enjoyed eating cauliflower, zucchini, and could make them work for in ways that I wasnt too sure of before. I found a community of people who truly cared about each other and wanted to see you succeed. I found love, I found acceptance, and I found life long friends that I wouldnt trade for the world.
There have been ups and downs, stumbles and questions, but I have made it. I have made it a whole year and have lost nearly 200lbs in that time. I have gained some back, but not much. I am working on the next 200lbs this year and then I should be at my goal weight. I have worked hard for this, I have cried, I have stuggled, I have cheered and I have celebrated, but most of all, I have gained! I have lost weight, but I have gained TIME!! I have a life to live now, I can do things that I never dreamt I would be able to do again. I can walk the store and not want to cry because it hurts me so badly, I can walk a mile in 9 minutes! This past year, I went to an amusement park, I rode rides!!! I never thought I would be able to do that again! I havent ridden a roller coaster yet, but its coming!! It will be here before I know it! I am hoping this spring, but we will see.
Thank you all who have been with me on this journey. Some are no longer active on the site, but they have prodded me and poked me and yelled at me when I needed it. There are some who are still active and I want you to know how much you mean to me! You have helped me so much! I wouldnt have been able to do it without you. Thank you! Thank you all for helping me save my life!! I am going to attach a picture, one was taken this afternoon, and one was taken in August of 2017 when I was at my heaviest. Thank you all again. I pray the Lord leads you in this new year to heights you have never experienced, blesses you all with more joy than you can handle and more love than you have ever known! I love you all!!
