I'm an After!

Note: This post is LONG and has several pics. You've all been warned. ;-)

Four years, one month, and three weeks.

That was how long it took me to go from a "Before" to an "After."

My weigh-in day is on Saturday. I did weigh myself the week before, but didn't count it because I was sick. If I hit goal that week, I knew it would be on a fluke, and that the weight would come back.

Boy, was I wrong.

When I weighed in last Saturday, I was at 142. Not only did I hit goal, I blew it out of the water by four pounds. Awesome moment.

Of course, I posted it to Facebook and Twitter right away, and my timelines went a little bonkers in the best way possible. I also shot a text to Meredith, my spin instructor who's become such an awesome friend this last year too. Her response: "Way to go girl!!"

I celebrated by going to the gym for weights and Centergy. Typical me...lol. While I was setting up my Polar, another member came up to me and apparently noticed that I was losing and said how good I looked. Awkwardly awesome, I guess? ;-)

Anyway, my workout was impossible to get through because I wasn't mentally there. Still, I got through and felt awesome after!

One of my rewards for hitting goal was to get my hair cut and re-highlighted. I went that afternoon to get it done. About two hours later, I had three inches less of hair, some new color, and felt even more amazing!

Later that night, I went out to dinner with my dad. I ate chicken fingers and sweet potato fries as my treat meal for the week. After dinner, I went and got fro-yo as my weekly sweet (I cut out sweets Monday-Friday and find that I want less on the weekends). I know you're not supposed to celebrate with food, but I do allow myself one higher calorie meal a week, and enjoyed that meal on Saturday.

Sunday was when I actually took my "After" pictures. As I was getting closer to goal, I decided that I wanted to go to the beach by my house for pictures. What better way to capture that amazingness than with the wind in my hair, sand on my feet, and the water in the background? Plus, I am a Jersey girl, after all! ;-)

It was a beautiful afternoon and my dad got some awesome pics of me! I consider this one to be my "official" after pic:

 

 

I also had my dad snap one of me jumping off the sand, mostly to show how excited I was about hitting goal. ;-)

 

 

Later that day, I put together a before and after pic and still couldn't believe that I was ever 246 pounds. I don't even know if I could put my feelings into words. I'll just let the pic speak for itself:

Pictures went up, timelines went crazy again. I admit all the love was overwhelming, but so awesome. I went to bed on Sunday night with a warm and fuzzy feeling, as much as I didn't want to go to bed because I didn't want all the excitement to end.

Turns out that wasn't the case.

On Monday night, I went to my usual kickboxing class. When I was getting close to goal, Cassie (my instructor who's also become an awesome friend) asked me if I would be okay with her saying something about me hitting goal. I told her to go for it. Well, she did and made me feel like a rockstar that night. A few other people in class actually came up to me after and said congratulations too. Best feeling ever.

The next night in my spin class, Meredith also said something. Except she didn't tell me she was going to. She just said it in the middle of class, so it came as a nice surprise. So in two nights, two incredible people made me feel like a rockstar. Yeah, I would say that's awesome. =)

I would be lying if I said hitting goal has FULLY sunk in yet. I've told this to a few people and they said that it will in time. Something this big and incredible, no matter how long it took, will take awhile to sink in. Still, no matter what, this will forever be an awesome moment.

I just want to thank you all for your love and support not just this last week but over the last four years! You've been a huge part of this journey, not just for your love and support, but just for letting me share it all with you! You've cheered me on when times were good, let me vent and encouraged me when it got rough. If it wasn't for all of you, I don't know where I would be now. I seriously can't thank you guys enough! If I could hug all of you, I would! You guys are the best!

I'M AN AFTER!! BEST MOMENT EVER!!