I have lost a two month old horse!

I have officially lost 100 pounds!  103 to be exact!  The equivalent of a two month old horse.  Last August, when I got weighed at Dr. Pitt's office, I weighed in at 289.  This morning I weighed in at 186.  Curiosity got the better of me and I had to step on the scale.  It's been a month since I was last weighed.  I lost 9 pounds this past month.  That's just over 2 pounds a week, and I'll take it!  I did weigh in the 180's over 12 years ago, but it was only for a very short time and I think my all time lowest weight was 185 if I remember correctly.

I went to visit one of my best and oldest girlfriends Elin last night.  We met in college when I was 18, and I've been friends with her and her hubby (they met at the same time we did) ever since.  I'm God-mother to her oldest daughter and she was looking through baby pictures of Sydney because it was her 17th birthday two days ago.  Elin came across a couple of before pictures of me.  I look very young, and very huge.  A family of four could have used that dress to picnic on.  I'm probably my biggest ever here.  Likely close to or just over 300 pounds.

Taken at Sydney's baptism.

I don't remember ever being that big,
but clearly I was!

Much thanks to Elin for sharing these with me and reminding me how far I have come.  I'm trying to talk her hubby Scott into getting a partner and running the 2 person relay in the Around the Bay 30k.  We could run the second half together!  And I'd have someone to do hill training with!  And just so you all know...smack talk is officially over.  Beverly and I are registered for the 2 person relay in the Around the Bay.  Our team name has been registered as Runapalooza, and we're getting t-shirts made!  I'm both excited and scared.  I love having this goal to work towards and look forward to sharing this experience with Beverly.

I forgot to mention my huge NSV (non-scale victory) from this past Tuesday.  I went to Wild Waterworks, a water park in Hamilton, and walked around for 4 hours, going on slides, lazy rivers, wave pools etc. in a bathing suit and without a cover-up.  My body is less than perfect, but it was liberating to not care because I lost 100 pounds!  I was not the biggest person there and I didn't just sit and watch the fun from the sidelines.  I got to have fun with my boy and that is worth so much more than any junk food I could eat.

Last year we went to Williamsburg, Virginia and I had to watch while Jules and my hubby went on all the rides at Busch Gardens and played in Water Country USA.  Julien wanted me to do things with him and I couldn't because I was too big.  I will never again do that to him.  He is a precious, beautiful boy who deserves to have a mother who can and will enjoy his childhood.  And I deserve it too!  When he saw the picture of me in the red dress, he looked disturbed and asked how I got from being so fat to looking like I do now.  It's hard to explain weight-loss and exercise to a four year old.  That is why I have to lead by example.  We do lots of active things as a family and model good eating habits.  His health and happiness, along with my own is one of my main priorities now and always.

August marks the anniversary of my mother's death, as well as her birthday.  She was born August 3rd and died August 7th. She would have been 81 this past birthday and she's been dead nine years now.  I can't believe that she has been gone for so long.  I miss her everyday and I just know she's smiling down at me.  I still hear her voice in my head, especially when I'm struggling and think I want to eat something I shouldn't.  "Is it really worth it Leigh Anna?"  No it's not mom, thanks for the reminder:)

Elin and I.  I had the giggles.

Camera malfunction.

The money shot!