A Year of Weight Loss in Review

I didn't start the year off losing weight hard core, I had a 12 day old baby at that point and was too exhausted to think of anything but the task at hand, though that's not to say it wasn't constantly on my mind.  I had reached a high pregnancy weight of 236 pounds at my last Dr. appointment a few days before I gave birth in December (which, ironically, was the exact same pregnancy weight as with Emma).  Then after 4 rough weeks of breastfeeding and making the tough decision to stop, I was at 207 pounds (Mid-January 2012) and pleased with my weight loss in that short time.  Frighteningly, about 2 months later (in March) I stepped on the scale again and was 220 pounds!  See, I stopped breastfeeding, and of course wasn't pregnant anymore, but continued to eat as though I was supporting another life (a full grown man, at that).  I was totally horrified, and it was by far the highest weight I'd ever been (non-pregnant).  I'm 5'6" tall, and at 220 that put my BMI at 35.5, which was WELLLLLLLL into the obese category (obese starting at a BMI of 30).  I had a 3 month old and yet was still wearing maternity clothes because nothing else would fit.  On March 22nd, a Thursday, I decided I had enough of feeling miserable and unhappy with my body and that it was ridiculous to continue on that way.

I've lost a total of 96.6 pounds since my high pregnancy weight on 12/20/11.
I've lost a total of 80.6 pounds since my high non-pregnancy weight on 3/22/12 (that's 40 weeks).
I've gone from 236 pounds to 139.4 pounds in one year.
I've lost a total of 108 inches off my body since I first took my measurements on 3/31/12 at 211.6 pounds, so obviously even more than that total.
My waist is now smaller than my thighs used to be!
I've lost OVER a foot around my stomach.
I've lost OVER a foot around my hips.
I've gone from size 20 jeans being too small, to size 6 jeans being too big.
I've gone from a tight 44DD bra size to a comfortable 36C.
I've gone from having XL shirts be to snug to M shirts being perfect.
My BMI has gone from 38.1 (pregnancy high weight)/35.5 (regular high weight) to 22.4 (obese to normal).
I've gone from a body fat of well over 40% to 25%.
In one year I've gone from the most I've ever weighed, to the least I've ever weighed!  Well, I'm sure at some point as a pre-teen or young teen I weighed this much (and less obviously), but I was also shorter.  I'm now a couple pounds less than I was on my wedding day, and at that point that was the smallest I'd ever been.

You know that cliche saying "A year from now you'll wish you started today", well, I know technically my year-since-I-started anniversary isn't until 3/22/13, but it still stands.  2013 will come and go just like every single other year does; on this day next year you will either be reflecting on all of your accomplishments (of any kind, not just weight loss) or thinking about all of the things you wish you'd done.  Don't put off achieving the goals you want to attain!  Now is the time.  You never know how much time you have. . . and Carpe Diem, etc. etc.  The point I'm trying to make, while using every tired old saying they ever made, is:  If you don't like something about your life (whether it be your weight, your job, your living situation, your vices, whatever) DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.  You have control over changing your life, so if you aren't happy with it, get to work!