Introduction, Before and After.

Hi everyone!

I've decided to start this blog as a part of my path to a healthy mindset as well as a healthy body. I've gone up and down in weight my entire life, but this time, I'm down and it's for keeps. As part of that journey towards staying healthy, I'm trying to open up more to my friends and family about what I'm going through and what I've been through in my struggle not just to lose weight, but to strive towards feeling comfortable in my own skin. And given that my friends and family live, oh, all over the country (and world), I figured this format would work!

Oh, and I've decided to start running long distances more seriously, so I wanted to share that with you too. In fact, my first half marathon is tomorrow morning!

So, as part of my accountability to myself, I'm looking back at what I used to experience, confronting that, and not trying to hide it.

I hope I can try to convey, at least a little, something that might resonate with people reading this - about food, about health, about life, whatever. Or maybe I'll just try to be entertaining. We'll see!

In any case, for those of you who I have not seen recently, or those of you who I don't know in real life, here are some before and after pics. At my heaviest, I estimate I was around 225-230 lbs., and now, I'm about 145 lbs. As my boyfriend, who has only known me since I was about 20-25 lbs. heavier than I am now, has said, the difference is pretty shocking. Looking back at these pictures even surprises me sometimes. I try not to use negative language about my body in any way, but just notice how much bigger I used to be and what I look like in pictures now, and to truly see the progress I've made.


So, here we have the BEFORE pictures:

My friend Ali and I, the day of my college graduation in 2009 (I'm on the right).

At the start of grad school in 2010 with my friends Sarah and Mara (on the right again).

Senior week in college, 2009. I remember seeing pictures from this day and trying to avoid looking at them - I looked really big in all of these and was in denial about how much I weighed at this point.

And here are the AFTER pictures:

Ok yeah, this is definitely a dressing room selfie from Old Navy today. But it's the most current picture I have! And yeah, I was modeling a little bit.

In Sisters, OR (a super cute little town near Bend, OR) on vacation in August.

Wine-tasting with the boyfriend in July.


So that's that! Welcome. Continue to follow my blog! Hopefully I'll continue to write in it.


xoxoxo

Sarah