An Introduction

I've always been a big girl. I don't ever remember a time in my life that I didn't struggle with weight loss. When I was a kid, my mother used to say to me, "You have such a pretty face, if you could just lose some weight..." (You've heard that before, right?) Those words always broke my heart. I know she didn't mean to make me feel bad, but the words did sting.

Between the ages of 14-18 is when I really started to pack on pounds. I was 5'3'' and I topped out at 220lbs. I've stayed around that size for most of my adult life. 220 lbs, size 22 jeans. I think my body is shaped kinda odd. I have large breasts, and even LARGER hips.. but my legs and arms are somewhat slender.

In March of 2008, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. My doctor felt it was best to zap my thyroid and put me on pills for the rest of my life. In 1 year, I gained 56lbs, I topped the scales at 276lbs. I tried to keep the weight off, I got more active, even tried vegetarianism. Nothing could keep me from packing the weight on. It was incredibly disappointing and I've become really depressed. I'm not myself anymore and I feel hopeless. I married the love of my life in October 2010, and a month before the wedding I didn't even fit into my wedding dress that I had purchased 3 months earlier. I had to get the zipper ripped out of the back and a corset put in, so that in case I gained anymore weight before the wedding, I'd still be able to get laced into this thing. I remember standing there in David's Bridal, crying my eyes out with my maid of honor. It was one of the worst days of my life.

With the love and support of my soon-to-be husband, I kept my head up and tried to make the best of it. We were married in Vegas on 10/10/10, it was a beautiful wedding, my only regret is that I was the largest I had ever been in my whole life.

We honeymooned on a Mexican cruise to Cabo San Lucas, and when we arrived home, I started making changes. I started making home cooked meals every night. I tried my best to eat breakfast (but that has always been a big struggle) The holidays came around and of course, I faultered.. as always. But in early December, my husband Jason accepted a job in Pennsylvania. So, in 1 months time, we packed up everything we could fit in a truck and drove 2000 miles from Phoenix, AZ to Lancaster, PA. We arrived here on January 5th.

Since moving to Pennsylvania, I no longer have to work. I've become a housewife and I like it a lot. I get up every morning at 5:00am to make my hubby breakfast. I take the dogs for walks, clean the house, plan meals, do laundry.. I finally have time to do all the things I put off in the past. When we were both working, we rolled out of a bed that was never made, barely made it to work on time, drank gallons of coffee just to make it through the day, and once we got home, we were so exhausted we got into bad habits of eating junk food and processed meals. We never cleaned the house and more often than not, we bought new clothes instead of washing our old ones. It was pathetic.

Since I'm home all the time now, I've been seeing the Weight Watchers commercials with Jennifer Hudson, and then I saw her on Oprah and I've decided to give this a shot! I attended my first WW meeting last night. I was surprised to find out that my weight has gone down! The last time I got on a scale was November 2010 and I weighed 276lbs.. Today, February 17th, I weigh 262.8. That's 14lbs of weight loss and I didn't even try! I'm sure the stress of moving and home cooked meals probably attributed to this weight loss, but now I'm even more pumped! I feel like I got a head start.

Valentine's Day was 3 days ago, and my hubby bought me small hand weights, a Biggest Loser Cardio DVD, and an introduction to Yoga.

DAY 1: HERE I COME!

*Below are pictures of me at my highest weight. I'll update with more pictures as I make my way along this journey.*

Wedding Reception

Wedding Reception

Night of my Bachelorette Party

Wedding Day with my Bridesmaids

My sister inlaw Joyce and I