New Pic!!

Did you see my new "current" pic. I felt that December was a long way off, and I needed to put something a little more current up there. I had to wear my FSU shirt... my Noles are in the ACC championship game today. Go Noles! Beat Duke! We've done it before... let's do it again :)

That's Not Me

KK's post about self-image has really hit home with me for a number of reasons. I've been having a lot of "fat" days lately. Ladies, you know what I'm talking about. (Gentlemen who read my blog... do you get these too?) You feel humungous, like everyone is looking at you because you're so big and sloppy. I think I've been feeling this way because my weight loss has kind of grinded to a stop. But, last year when I got to this point in my weight, I was talking about how slim I was, how I felt great, blah blah blah.

Well, this morning, I had a bit of an epiphany at the gym. I finished my morning run and was returning my towel to the service desk, which is when they give your ID back to you. I told the guy at the desk my name, and he went through the IDs and was looking at my ID for a moment before I finally said, "Yes, that is me." That picture was taken in August 2006, and (obviously) I had a lot of weight in my face, considering I was just about 50 pounds heavier (as of this morning, I'm about four pounds away from my 50 pound mark). I use my ID every day, to get in the rec center, to get a towel, to access the classroom technology when I teach. I try to avoid looking at my ID, because I know which face is smiling back at me. It's my fat face. It's not my current face. And, yes, I'm too cheap to shell out the $20 to get a new ID right now... that's not going to happen until another 50 pounds are gone :)

Weekly Weigh In: 50 POUNDS GONE!!!!!!!!!!

I lost one single pound this week, but it was good enough to take me out of the 180s FOREVER and to hit my 50 pound mark. This means that I'm halfway to my goal weight! I'm so excited. I have to admit that I didn't always work the hardest towards this goal (ahem, summer), but I finally put my mind to it and reached it! Thanks for all your wonderful words of support to get me over that hurdle!! For your viewing pleasure, here are the official 50 pound mark before and after pics! PS That last "before" picture where I'm standing sideways putting food on my plate? That's from Thanksgiving 2006. I can't believe that was me two years ago!!

A Love Letter To Myself

Dear Kiki,

It's been a tough week for you. I know that all you've really wanted to do was order pizza, Chinese, and Taco Bell (mmm... chalupas) all week while you've been writing that crappy paper, but you didn't. You cooked turkey BLTs or PBJs (do you really cook those?) and stuck to your diet. And even though it wasn't perfect, you lost weight this week. I've enclosed some pictures that I took of you wearing the same dress on different days. The older ones were from February when you hit 200 pounds. I took these new ones earlier today. Even though you are about 15 pounds less, I think you can really tell that all that hard work in the gym is paying off. You look fabulous!

I think that sometimes you just need a hug and a reminder about all the good work you've done. You've come so far. Don't let a little plateau keep you from moving forward! Keep up the good work :)

Love ya,

Kiki

PS. Look at how you need to hold your dress in the back for us to see your shape! Doesn't it feel good when dresses that used to fit just right are now too big??

PPS. Look how much your face has slimmed down!! BTW, sorry I took that picture of you with no makeup on. You look fabulous anyway!!

Before and After Pictures: Minus 40 Pounds

Before and After Pics... Take One

BEFORE, GRADUATION, APRIL 2007:

AFTER, 30 POUNDS GONE, FEBRUARY 2008:

Okay I've come to the conclusion that I really suck when it comes to posting pics on blogger, and I need to work on it. But here are some before and after pics. The pictures above are from my PhD graduation. No, that's not a mummu I'm wearing (although it might as well have been!), but my academic robes. I consider the picture on the right to be my very own Kirstie Alley picture-- my papparazzi took it when I wasn't looking. That was seriously at my highest weight, which I estimate to be around 230. No, I never got on the scale at that point!! The second set of pics are from this afternoon, where I weigh 199. Can you believe how much weight I've lost in my face and my bust? I still have work to do in my middle and my hips, but I still have quite a ways to go. Isn't the difference amazing?