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Half The Woman I Used To Be

Sunday 1 August 2010

I know I've mentioned my weight loss a time or two on here but as yesterday marked a year on the healthy eating/exercise/weightloss regime, I thought I'd show you all the evidence.

So roll back to the end of July 2009 and my best friend Michelle announced the date for her wedding. I was going to be chief bridesmaid and knowing that the date was set gave me the kick up the bum I needed to finally get round to making some changes.

I've never been skinny. I was always a chubby kid who preferred sitting around reading to running around outside and climbing trees. I seem to remember thinking I was massive when I was in my mid teens but as I was quite happy to go clubbing in satin trousers and a crop top (good old 90s fashion eh?) so I can't have been that bad! I suppose it was just a gradual case of weight gain. I wasn't the lucky type that loses weight at uni. It went on and it went on going on. Big can certainly be beautiful but for me it never was. I didn't suit it and I was miserable.

I think ostrich syndrome just developed at some point. I hated how I looked but it seemed too overwhelming to do anything about so I just buried my head in the sand and ignored it. Not so difficult to do really - you just don't look in mirrors, ignore people who shout "fat bitch" at you as you walk down the street and don't care too much about clothes because nothing fits or looks nice.

And I didn't get in front of a camera for about 6 years. It's been virtually impossible trying to find any photos because hardly any of me exist from 2004 onwards. Plus I don't have a scanner so I've had to take photos of some photos - sorry if the quality is awful!



Aged 18, all dressed up for the Leavers Ball (with the Fringe Of Doom)



Uni - in the stripy top, hiding behind Little Nic.


On the right, getting bloatier by the day.

And then near my biggest and bearing a striking resemblence to someone wearing a comedy fat suit. Uck, I genuinely have difficulty looking at this.
So, once the diet was underway...

November

January


February

April
July


So that's one year gone and I'm 6 stones 11 pounds lighter (or 95 pounds if you prefer that measurement). If you believe the Wii Fit calculations, I've only just passed from the obese category to merely being overweight. Bah to that! I think I look fine as I am right now. It wants me to lose about another 2 1/2 stones but I don't want to be that flipping thin! A little lighter would be nice but I'm taking things at a steadier pace now and moving away from calorie counting quite so much, so we'll see how things go.

People keeping asking if it's difficult and my answer is always no, it's just boring. I don't think I have anything outstanding in the way of willpower but my mind was made up when I started and I was not going to give up. I didn't do anything faddy or stupid, just kept a limit on the calories and made sure it was all good, healthy, home cooked food, then started to exercise.


The results are fun. Not so fun for my bank balance as I've had to buy an entire new wardrobe over the course of the past year but even for a girl that doesn't really enjoy shopping that much, I've found it really enjoyable. The sensation of fitting into something that I never thought in my wildest dreams would ever fit is something that will always bring a big grin to my face. The choice of shops is utterly liberating too. Plus size fashion may be getting better but the choice is still very limited so I'm a little bit like a kid in a sweetshop when faced with all the choice available to me nowadays. To think that I used to basically live in jeans, vest tops and long cardigans.

Sorry if this all seems a bit stilted. I usually rattle a blog post off really quickly but I find this really difficult to write about. I want to write about it, I just don't really know how to explain it all. Let's end with some amusing photos of me wearing jeans that were too tight this time last year. They were amusing to take anyway - I nearly fell over whilst hopping between the camera and my posing spot. But most importantly, I fit into one leg of them now!



36 comments:

  1. This is such a brave and honest post. Well done on the weight loss, and if you are happy as you are now then good for you. I think you look fab.

    Chuckled at the fringe of doom comment. We all had one.

    xx

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  2. That is amazing. I can't believe you've done that all in a year. 6 stone 11 pounds sounded like a huge amount, so I was already impressed, but seeing those end photos, of you in last years jeans - wow! You should (rightfully) feel SO proud of yourself.

    www.heart-shaped-bruise.blogspot.com

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  3. You have done brilliantly well Alex. It's scary how weight can creep up (especially at uni with all the lifestyle changes involved in living away from home, not to mention the drinking!). It's great that you've demystified the process. There's too much of a diet industry that makes people think it's more complex than it is to lose weight. Very well done you. xx

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  4. Congratulations, you have done amazingly well, and don't think you need to lose another 2 1/2 stone there would be nothing left of you.

    You look fab. Enjoy the shopping :)

    Jo x

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  5. Alex, this is absolutely brilliant. You are an inspiration! I LOVE your comment about losing weight being boring, not hard. I'm a size or two bigger than where I'd like to be and it's the pure and utter boredom of healthy eating and exercise that stop me slimming down. Plus I love food and am incredibly lazy.

    You look fantastic. Not only are your photos a journey through weight loss, but one through confidence gain. It's clear to see in your outfits!

    Well done - for the slimming and for having the courage to post this. The last two photos are excellent! xxx

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  6. Such an incredible journey you have been on, this is so interesting to read about. I think it’s a wonderfully inspirational post. And I am so glad to hear how happier you feel now. :)

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  7. Thank you for this post Alex, it's amazing, you really have come such a long way. As a child I always preferred to be buried in a book too, as an adult as well actually!
    Slap me if you want but I quite like the Fringe of Doom!

    xx

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  8. Alex what an amazingly brave post. You have really opened up and shared your journey with us. It is clear to see from your pictures and how you talk that your confidence has grown and grown and rightly so. You have accomplished something great for yourself. Keep smiling. X

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  9. Wow Alex love the post its so honest and inspirational. I`m healthy eating at the mo to lose my baby weight and it just shows that it pays off however boring it may be.
    I love the dress in the July pic it looks fab.
    Dx

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  10. Thanks for this post, you look amazing and so different, it's very motivational for me who is joining the gym this week!
    I want to go down to a size 12 which is what I think suits me best, I've crept up to a 16 since I was 18 and it's not good for someone as short as I am!

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  11. Agree with what everyone else has said. This is so inspiring and such a brilliant achievement! Well done! You look amazing as you are now x

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  12. You look great and well done .. but I also think you look great in your uni pics and espesh in that red ballgown - you look stunning!

    Sal xXx

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  13. Agree with all the comments, brave, honest, and truthfuth. You look bloody amazing girl, what you have done is truly life changing and i suppose that refeclts in your outlook on life. Having met you i can honestly say that you are one of life's lovely people. I almost feel a maternal proudnes (is that a word!?) for what you have achieved, and proud to know you xx

    Sharron x

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  14. Ive just started a diet, hoping to lose 2 stone and I was so happy to come across this post. I have only come upon your blog today, but perhaps when i look further back I will be able to see more of your progress. You really are an inspiration and you look fantastic! I bet you're so proud - you should be! :)

    Paddy † @ LITTLE RAZZI

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  15. O,blossom,what an inspiration you are!You've done so well!!I admire your candidness!
    xxx

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  16. Wow, what a journey! I bet it is expensive to have to replace your clothing so quickly. I really appreciate this post =)

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  17. Wow. That is just AMAZING. You are such an inspiration. You do look quite fabulous so don't listen to WiiFit.

    clothed much, a modest fashion blog

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  18. Amazing achievement, Alex! A true inspiration to anyone wanting to shed some weight. Well done! xxx

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  19. The most noticeable change in the pictures isn't the change in size, it's the attitude. You're standing tall, not hiding behind a bag or a piece of furniture or a friend, and choosing to have a record of how you look at that time, and that's the nicest thing of all. Well done!

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  20. You've done so well, you look so much more confident in the recent photos. Well done you xx

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  21. That's so great that you kept to your goal, and you look beautiful!

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  22. I'm a MSE lurker and blog reader but I HAD to post. Your weight loss is inspirational and I hope you are bursting with pride at how much you have lost, but most importantly the sensible pace at which you appear to have lost it in.

    Dress with confidence and be proud of your appearance because you deserve to be.

    Claire x

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  23. Alex you have done amazing! You truely are an inspiration to people wanting to lose weight healthily and for the right reasons!

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  24. wow, thats an amazing achievement! you look absolutely fantastic mrs & don't listen to wii fit! :)

    www.messyourhairup.blogspot.com

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  25. This is so inspirational - thanks so much for sharing!

    The jeans picture is fantastic, bet it feels so weird wearing one leg on your whole body.

    Well done!

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  26. Woah! I am so so proud of you Alex. Seriously, to achieve that in a year. May I ask what worked for you? Counting calories? How did you fit in the exercise? I'm just so inspired hun. I've gained close to 5kg in the past month and I want it to stop now before I'm unhappy with myself. I feel like you're a real chick who would have done it sensibly/realistically and wouldn't just tell me they ran every day and ate carrot sticks ya know?

    You seem so much happier and more confident in your latest photos - I am so happy for you too!

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  27. Since I started reading your blog I've really noticed that you've lost a lot of weight - hope you feel better in yourself for it, and thanks for such an honest and frank post!

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  28. WELL DONE YOU! I'm at the beginning of my own weight loss journey, and I agree with all the comments saying how great you look, and how inspiritaional your blog has been. I wanted to add however, that your blog has directly inspired ME! Yours is the first fashion blog that I have read, and it has lead me on to reading many more, written by all these lovely people.
    Not just the weight loss, but your journey is fashion and dressing too. I've lost three stone so far, and share your delight at the wider selection of clothes available. I used to get absolutely everything from Simply Be, it so great to be able to shop on the high street.

    A xx

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  29. Wow - you've done so well! That kind of prolonged weightloss is must be so hard (or boring!) to keep up. Sadly not all the pics are visible for me (particularly sadly, the last two) but I can see you at your biggest and the lastest - what a difference! :)

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  30. And another comment from me - been doing the obligatory blog-stalking now that I'm a brand new follower and came across this post.

    Amazeballs. Absolute stonking weight loss to have acheived, well done to you. I'm on my own weight loss mission at the moment, 38lbs and counting - oh my god it's the most expensive thing I've ever done, I can't afford to buy new things, I only have one pair of work trousers left that vaguely fit and I have to keep them rolled over at the top!!

    Well done, you're a testament to willpower!

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  31. Great post! Which I'm clearly reading a good while after it was written. However, I'm just so impressed by your effort and the fact that you've lost the weight 'naturally' without resorting to fat clubs or silly diets. Good on you - you should be proud. :)

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  32. Wow, Wow, Wow!

    You've really transformed into a beautiful swan:)

    x

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  33. Hi Alex, I hadn't read this before so thanks for linking to it in your most recent post. I feel so sad that you felt so bad about yourself. The thing that is hardest about weight gain is never the weight itself, it is how it affects the way you think of yourself. You seem so much more confident now than you used to be, and I suspect that has a lot to do with things other than weight. Really glad that you are feeling happier nowadays and confident enough to have more fun with your clothes etc xxx

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  34. That is such an amzing weight loss, you should be very proud of yourself. You look amazing, well done

    x

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  35. I'm so incredibly pleased for you, Alex. I'm a friend of Tibby's and she speaks so, so highly of you. Your honesty and brave approach to such a difficult topic are clear evidence as to why she adores you so.

    Congratulations. I wish you continued success in your healthy lifestyle.

    All my best,
    Denise

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  36. Congratulations, I've managed to lose a stone and a half so I know how it helps the confidence, but also how boring it is!!

    Well done.

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