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Thursday, January 12, 2012

8 months...half way there

October 2006
This post has been in the making for many many months. When I decided to go on a diet back in May 2011 it was after a careful and painful assessment of my lifestyle and the fact that I had gone from a size 38 to a size 44 in the span of 4 years and kept gaining weight!

November 2009
Nobody, absolutely nobody gains weigh overnight, but it is usually the case that the realization that one's gained too much comes in an instant. When is too much too much?
For me it was when I started hiding from cameras, unwilling to have my picture taken as well as look at myself in the mirror.

July 2010
 I wasn't going to spend the rest of my life hiding from myself so I decided to change that.

March 2011
 In eight months I managed to loose just over half of the weight I'd gained since 2006.

New Year's Eve 2011
My plan isn't to like I looked back in 2006, it never was. My plan is to never look and feel the way I did in 2010.

29 comments:

  1. Congratulations - you are looking fabulous and I love your hair too. Always hard to start on these journeys but as you say, there comes a time when something triggers and you are suddenly propelled into taking action. It's definitely working!! XX

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    1. Thanks. The "fabulous" bit comes from feeling happy and comfortable in my own skin for the first time in a long time.

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  2. My congratulations. You have had quite the achievement. Well done. As your new follower, I look forward to knowing your blog. I will look forward to your visit.
    Helentilstonpainter.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi Helen and welcome. I'm familiar with your blog for some time now, but I'm what you call a lurker ;-)

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  3. Good for you!

    And your plan is smart. When I first decided to lose weight, I wanted to "go back" to my old body. But I've since realized that I don't need what I used to have-- it's better to look ahead and discover what will be best for the future.

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    1. You're absolutely right. I tried to loose weight in 2010 with the intetion of going back to my old body. Of course it didn't work!

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  4. Good for you. And your smile and personality come through in all of these pictures, regardless of the changes in your size. I think your current haircut looks GREAT too.

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    1. Thanks Susan :-) I'm a little less nervous around cameras these days but most of all I immensely better. I have more energy than ever before and it sure feels great to be comfortable in jeans again.

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  5. Congrats! You look great - I loved the old red hair too. You look very happy in your NYE pic :)

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    1. Yes, the red hair, seems like a distant memory now. Not discounting the possibility of eventually changing my hair to a lighter colour, but right now I'm sticking with my natural colour until I get a few more gray hair.

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  6. Wow, wow Ana, where have you been hiding?
    Oh you look absolutely wonderful in your latest picture; mature, " sexy " ( in a good way ) and your hair IS wild.
    You have achieved something great, just keep the weight at a steady state for now, we don´t want to loose you!

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    1. Thanks, Mette :-)
      Since it's a party, I'm wearing something more feminine than usual.
      My weight is either staying the same or slowly diminishing. I'm not pressuring myself to any specific goals, other than not gaining any kilos.

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  7. Wow, Congratulations on your success! You look amazing and beautiful!

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  8. Congratulations....and good for you! You look amazing and I love your honesty! I always have! xx

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    1. Thanks :-) It was difficult and required guts to post these pics but I had to do it. Mostly as a reminder to myself.

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  9. So many people try to reach X pounds on their diets. I'm happy to hear that your goal is to feel better and to be happy in your own skin. You look vibrant and healthy in the last picture. Congrats!

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    1. Of course the long term plan is to reach a certain number, not an exact figure but more of +/- 4 kilos area. My focus is to reduce food cravings and maintain balance.

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  10. What a handsome couple...did not know you were a red head...prefer your dark hair.

    You glow with good health,beautiful skin/complexion...you stunner you. Ida

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    1. The red came from a L'oreal box, hi, hi! I haven't dyed my hair since 2007, so this is my natural colour although my hair went from light brown to chestnut in the last decade.

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  11. Congratulations!
    This is a huge success. Now you must be aware of the dangers of the comfort zone (that's when the pressure of feeling bad is gone and one returns to old habbits). To me jeans are my companions, when they don't fit any longer, it's time for dieting.
    You mentioned your diet in another place, but you weren't too precice. did you already reveal how you lost the weight?

    Short hair rules in 2012 :-))

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    1. I know what you mean, after initial success one starts to sabotage the process by having extra treats etc. I haven't really discussed my diet in depth except mentioning it here and there. When I began in May, I relied heavily on the UN Diet and I've been combining that with regular exercise.

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  12. Well done!! You look amazing, and I really mean it!. I have battled with my weight most of my life, so I know it is not easy. After Christmas I am watching everything I am eating having gained more pounds. Looking at this post and seeing how fantastic you look has given me a push to keep going.... thank you!

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    1. Since we've simplified our Christmas menu years ago, it's been incredibly easy for me to stay on plan this year. It's also very strange but for the first time in my life I don't care for sweets anymore. My weak spot is pasta and veggy kebab or grilled cheese.
      By yes, battling weight is a lifelong thing.

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  13. Wow, you look fantastic!

    Congratulations on the hard work. I'm battling the weight issue myself, have similar feelings you do about wanting to improve, not necessarily look like my younger self.

    I LOVE your new hair cut!

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    1. Thanks, the hair cut seems to be a hit ;-)
      Loosing weight and going back to my old dress sizes, things do fit, but poorly. I think most people who loose weight are surprised by this fact. It's been wonderful to get rid of things I've been holding on to in at least three different dress sizes, very liberating.

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  14. Congratulations on the weight loss, it's not easy I know, you are looking fantastic.

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    1. It's almost impossible to get started but once the routine kicks in it's actually surprisingly easy in terms of not feeling hungry or peckish.

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  15. Rock on! It's such a sensible plan and you're doing great! Getting started is my biggest battle.

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