My Dietversary and Blogiversary!

It's one year later and I'm thin! Haha, not really. I still have quite a bit left to lose. But I have come a long way from May 14, 2008! This truly has been a wild ride - one that I had no idea would take me so many different directions. When I reread my beginning posts, I see how focused I was on just getting some weight off. Whatever it took - hence the (mostly) liquid diet. Exercise was not a factor. Seriously, I was so big, I couldn't imagine doing much of anything physical. Amazing how things have changed! I eat healthy foods and I exercise regularly - and yet sometimes I still look in the mirror and wonder "who is this person and what have you done with the old Shelley?"

I remember my first weigh-in, the day I made the commitment to this diet. I was shocked to realize that even if I lost 100 pounds, I would still be overweight. That just about killed my motivation right there - I mean, come on! Nobody can lose over 100 pounds! And then I went home and googled "weight-loss blogs" and found Lynn and Jennette and Lori - who had all lost over 100 pounds and lived to tell the tale. You ladies gave me hope and that was enough for me to keep going.

As the months went by, I found more and more weight-loss and fitness blogs. I cannot say enough good things about the support that I've received from the blogging community...on my low days you encouraged me, and when I had victories you were there to share them with me. Being able to read what other dieters were struggling through and having success with has helped me so much. Mostly, I know that I'm not alone in this journey. And I thank you all for being there.

They say the proof is in the pudding pictures, so here goes:

Top left: The Beginning - one year ago; Top right: Thirty pounds lost;
Bottom left: Fifty pounds lost; Bottom right: Eighty pounds lost.

May 2008 - May 2009

*Special thanks to my youngest kid for creating the "momtage" and side-by-side photos.