The difference a year can make-111 pounds lighter.

Saturday marked one year since I started my weight loss journey.  It's crazy to think that so much time has gone by and to see such amazing results.  The years are going to pass whether you do something with your life or not...might as well try to better oneself.  I'm so glad I took that first step.  I would probably weigh 300 pounds had I not.  I was miserable.  I hated myself.  I hated the way I looked.  I hated the fact that I felt like I had no self control.  I hated it all. 

Now...now it's different.  I KNOW I have self-control.  I KNOW that things in life that are worth doing are always going to be more difficult.  I KNOW that I am healthy.  I KNOW that I am capable of anything I put my mind to.  I KNOW that I am strong.  I KNOW that every sweat bead, every tear, every "I don't know if I can do this" has paid off. 

I know ...myself.  And...most of all..I love myself.  NOT because I'm Ashley and I'm 144 pounds.  Not anything to do with the way I look.  I love myself because I am determined.  And when I'm determined....I accomplish things.  I put my mind to something..I set a goal...and I achieve it.  Learning that you have the power to do things, to MAKE CHANGES, to change your own life....that's power...that's earth shattering...that's life changing. 

Losing weight has been so great for me.  I've learned so much.  About weight, food, nutrition..but mainly about myself.  I changed something so BIG in my life (no pun intended).  Through that I have realized I need to evaluate other areas of my life as well.  The "friends" who aren't supportive, those that put me down,  the negative energy that these people bring aren't useful or good, the attitude I HAVE.  Everything.

I've realized that LIFE ISN'T PERFECT. You can't just close your eyes and wish to be skinny.  It takes work.  Just as you can't close your eyes and WISH to be successful.  Hard Work.  Dedication.  Perseverance. 

I could sit here and say all the ways that losing weight is hard.  The majority of the difficulty is mental though.  And I'm working daily to beat that.  I could also sit here and tell you that I fear this coming year.  Because SURE I've lost 111 pounds.  SURE I'm in a healthy zone and feeling great.  Butttttttttttttt....keeping it off will be the really trying part.  I'm not going to do that though...because these things are obvious.  Instead...i'm going to celebrate the fact that 1 year ago..I sit at this very same desk a 255 pound, overweight, MISERABLE girl.  Today...I sit here  111 pounds lighter.  A 144 pound, PROUD, confident, BRAVE, determined girl.  At the end of the day though...I'm just Ashley.  Sure I've changed.  But we all can if we want to.  I challenge YOU..whoever you are reading this.  Maybe you don't need to lose 100+, maybe your journey is something completely different...BUT I challenge you.  USE the next year to better yourselves.  Set a goal and see it through.  Because as I said earlier..the years are going to pass...you can stay the same miserable, angry, upset, disappointed person...or you can OWN this year and do something with it.  Your choice. 

  My year through pictures.           

255+ pounds October 2010

October 27, 2011-144 pounds

October 2010

October 2010. o-m-ggggggggggggggggg 255+ Pounds

October 2011

October 2010

October 2011

Oct. 2011

Oct. 2010

Oct. 2011

August 2010

October 2011

2010

2011

Searching for a graduation dress...miserable.  2010 255+ pounds

Again...searching for a grad dress..HORRIBLE day.  Nothing in my size that I could find.  so glad those days are over.  2010 255

2011-SIZE 6 WOO

2010

2011

This was in March so I had lost a BIG chunk of weight...around 185 here. 

August 2011 155 or so

Grad pics...i die looking at these.  All 2010 All around 250 or 255

Hiking a huge mountain...10K.  Huge accomplishment. Around 155

2011 around 155-160

This was obviously 12.19.10....this was after I lost my first 30 pounds...sooo around 225.

10-29-2011 144 pounds

10-29-2011 144 pounds

2011-160

144

144

144

144