Before, Before and After

So, I thought it might be fun to show some pics. Sadly, almost any picture of me (there are less than 20 in our house, probably - I'm the picture TAKER) is in storage in Delaware awaiting our arrival in July. BUT, I managed to scrape up a couple. They're not the best at illustrating my story, but they'll do. I have met a lot of non-believers of the fact that I used to run Cross-Country for the US Air Force Academy (where I went to college), that I even WENT there, or that I used to weigh only 100 lbs. The crazy thing is that when I was that small, NO ONE ever looked at me and would have thought I looked super skinny or anything. I just have a small frame and I'm on 5'1" so I think I was kind of average. By today's standards, I might have even been chunky, I know, it's sick. I've always had hips - too bad they didn't actually help me in the birthing of any of my three children, not for the lack of trying! In advance I apologize for the quality of the first two photos as they're a picture of a picture - no scanner here!!!

Anyway, here is a picture of me when I was at about 100 lbs, plus or minus maybe two. I was a freshman at the Air Force Academy, so of course I got to work out, and work out some more, every day. I was also running cross-country then. It's not the best, but I would say to really look at the shape of my face and my arms and those are the best give-aways when my clothing hides the rolls. In this picture this is NO double chin to be found. Trust me, we had to "pull chins" at the Academy and I used to get yelled at because I couldn't make any rolls by pulling my chin back into my neck (that's what pulling chins is). You had to hold note cards in between your chin and neck and try not to drop them or you would make your classmates have to do push ups with you. That's me on the left lookin' like a boy with my haircut they gave me for "joining" the military.

This is a picture of me when I graduated the Academy and was commissioned an officer after having gained about 15 lbs. After you're a freshman, you don't work out as much. I quit the Cross-Country team to join the falconry team (unless the falcons flew away it wasn't a very physical hobby!), and the meals at the Academy are based on the caloric intake of an EXTREMELY active 18-something male. When you didn't eat all your food you were sent to a counselor for being anorexic, and if you did, you got fat. It's also hard to change eating habits and when you have TWENTY MINUTES to walk in a building, listen to some announcements, be told you can eat, wait for servers to bring your food, serve the food, eat, and leave the building (did I say in TWENTY MINUTES?!?!?) - and that's FOUR THOUSAND cadets all at once doing this - you eat fast, and you eat a lot because your stomach hasn't gotten even the slightest chance to tell your brain it's full. Again, observe my face-shape (the arms are hidden). That IS my hubby in the picture with me for those that don't know. I could pull a chin or two by now (a roll or two).

This is me NOW (in April). Unfortunately, at approximately 155 lbs. While for most people that's only a little bit of weight to lose, for someone of my height, it's a lot. Also, for ME, it's like adding on HALF of my original body weight. So, I have feet problems, joint problems, back problems, and all of that stuff when I work out now, which makes something I really used to enjoy doing not so fun. Luckily, I still don't have a giant a double-chin or anything, but I can pull two or three (make two or three rolls as described above with photo one) and my face is much rounder. I also weigh the most I ever have post-baby. I do really well, I think, with buying clothes that hide my size. I do wear a size 16 by the way, just in case you don't believe it from the pictures. I'm almost as wide as I am tall ;)

Anyway, if any of you other ladies would like to post before and after pics, whether to show as I did, my gain, or perhaps to show your weight loss (Rachel), I would love to see!!! I feel like this is kind of cathartic in a way. Admitting my size, showing what I've let myself become, and now using public humiliation as a way to really stick to my goals. Let's see what I can do now!!!