I can’t believe I am even writing “Support my 100lbs weight loss” because when I started my journey, I never imagined this could be possible. I am 15lbs away from losing 100lbs in 10 years.

In 2006, I went to Paris for the first time. I wanted to buy some jeans that had enough leg room in them for walking. I tried on a few pair and ended up purchasing a size 20W. I was mortified because I had no excuse for being a size 20W. I looked in the mirror and told myself six harsh but truthful words…”You are fat for no reason.” I didn’t have any kids. I didn’t have any health conditions. The only reason I was that size was because I didn’t care. Sure, I wanted to be smaller, but I also wanted to eat whatever and whenever without caring about how it affected my body. My health wasn’t a priority.

At the Louvre wearing my new jeans.

Those jeans changed me. I decided that I would care. I put my health first and started my weight loss journey immediately upon my return. I refused to buy another size 20W and wore those jeans until they got holes in them and they were too big. I committed to these things:

1. TAKE IT SLOW: I didn’t want a quick fix because I wanted to NEVER return to that size again (unless I had a real reason). I remember inviting a few friends on the journey with me, but they all said they wanted to lose their weight quickly and a couple did. Most of them gained the weight back though.

2. LOVE MYSELF WHERE I AM: I didn’t want to hate myself, my weight, or the habits that got me there. My journey was about loving myself enough to let the weight go. So, I made sure to love the 260lbs me as much as I loved the 210lbs version, and so on.

So, I tracked my progress over the years. My over all goal was to not enter a new year weighing more than I did the previous year. And I accomplished that every year until the 5th year into my journey. Five years after I started my process of being healthier, I was diagnosed with diabetes.

When I was diagnosed, I had a major setback. I gained 32lbs in one week. I can’t even tell you how many months it had taken me to lose 32lbs and I gained it all back within a week.

I even have pictures to prove it.

Picture on the left (April 14, 2011)/Picture on the right (April 21, 2011)

Even with that major setback in my weight loss, I was happy to be alive and continued to love myself through that.

The slow road isn’t for everyone, however, it was best for me. I am no longer the person I was a decade ago. My eating habits have changed completely, my health is a daily priority, and most of all…I care. I care about myself in ways that I didn’t before and it feels so good.

Here are six lessons that I have learned along the way:

1. My journey is mine alone. It helps to have group support but when various groups fell apart I had to remind myself that this was my journey and I had to stay the course.

2. It’s okay to be the biggest one in the exercise class. I had to work through my reservations about joining a gym and exercise classes. I have been the biggest one in the yoga class. The biggest one in the Zumba class. The biggest one in the body pump class. The pilates class. The spin class. The water aerobics class. Each and every time I have been the biggest one in the class, I would tell myself, I won’t always be this size.

3. Some foods can’t go on the journey with me. Over the decade, I have let some foods and beverages go. Had you asked me 10 years ago if I could envision my life without those things, I most certainly would have said “No way.” Over time, however, I started eating cleaner and some food relationships came to an end.

4. Don’t lose sight of the big picture. When I have a bad day or an off week, I refocus and get back on track by reminding myself of the big picture. My big picture is to be healthier.

5. Commit to NEVER going back. With every 10lbs I lose, I commit to never going backwards.

6. The scale is my friend. At my heaviest, I avoided the scale. I didn’t want to see the number. I didn’t care. But along the way, I have come to see the scale as my friend. It is my daily or weekly gauge to stay on track.

So here I am 85lbs later. Today, I committed to something that I never thought I would be doing… I am committing to losing 100lbs. My goal is lose the final 15lbs before the year ends.

Cheer me on, I would love to have your support.