Thank you Nikki Sixx

So last night's Alice Cooper & Motley Crüe concert was epic but I've just gotta share something that Nikki Sixx said. He told us the story of how Motley Crüe was born. He began by saying that nothing happens because of luck or magic or any other reason. It happens because YOU make a decision. I don't know if he knew how true those words are for every aspect of your life but they are. Weight loss, my friends, is not luck or magic.

You have to make that decision to put one foot in front of the other. You have to make that decision to not eat that candy bar or whatever your kryptonite is. You have to make that conscience decision to make your life better whether it's weight loss, career, relationships, etc.

There is no magic.

On July 6, 2010 I made that decision to lose weight. I didn't use pills, shakes or any of those other gimmicks out there. I've stumbled along the way but because of that conscience decision I've went from a size 32 to a 14 in jeans. I've went from a 4x to an L in shirts. (The girls aren't shrinking)

I'm not even close to my goal yet but I'll get there. Slow and steady win the race. 

So in closing, I just want to say that when you're not losing the weight but the person you're watching lose weight is, don't think that they're lucky. I'm willing to bet you that somewhere along the way they made that decision to make things happen.

Last night before the show.

My daughter & I at the concert 

Mark & I just before Alice Cooper came on stage.

I Have To Get This Off My Chest

From day 1 of this journey I've never put beauty as a reason from losing weight. It's a bonus but not my reason.

I have no problem with fat people, I don't think they're ugly or anything like that but what I do think is that they are unhealthy. 

There are guys who prefer the amply blessed, super sized sweethearts, big beautiful women or whatever you prefer to call them. That's awesome but at the same time disgusting because those men are encouraging those women to live a very unhealthy, damaging lifestyle.

There's pages dedicated to the overweight that go so far as to tell it's likers that it's okay if you're big. Where are all the pages telling you it's okay to have a heart attack because it's sexy? And believe me, if you stay on that collision course that's where you're headed.

Self confidence is wonderful but being healthy, not gaunt, is a better place to be at to have that confidence.

That's really about all I have to say on that matter.

Here is a new before and during picture:

Progress

Today I decided to try on a pair of short term goal jeans. When I held them up, I thought there was no way they were going over these hips. Well guess what Shakira? Hips do lie!

They're a size 16 jeans and they fit. They're a little tight in the thigh area but I think it's because of the loose skin. 

I was wanting to wear them to the Motley Crüe concert on the 21st of this month and by George, I can! 

There's a lesson to be learned in this: don't always use the scales to measure your progress. Sure, it's nice to see those numbers go down but inches matter too! I really wish I had started taking measurements in the very beginning of this journey. And in all honesty I'm wondering if the tape measure would have reached all the way around my waist and hips. Yes, I was THAT big. 

My starting weight was 375 pounds. Imagine all of that on a 5' 4" frame. At that time my jeans size was a 32 and they were a little snug. 

In jeans, I'm half the woman I used to be, but not in pounds. And I'm ok with that.