Happy Diet-versary!

Today is my one year diet-versary.  On June 27, 2011, I started my New Directions diet journey.  Rather than celebrate with a big piece of cake (which is what I really want, to be honest), I decided that a celebratory blog post was in order.


Even though I did not lose all 100 pounds in one year (my original goal), I think this has been an incredibly successful journey.  That success, as many of you know, has been measured in lots of different ways.  So, my anniversary blog post should acknowledge all those ways that I've measured success.  


Success measurement #1: The stats:
Tracking my weight and measurements has been very useful for me.  Even when I didn't lose weight from week to week, staying focused on this kind of measurement was quite a motivator for me.


Weight:

Starting weight: 270 lbs.

One year anniversary weight: 185 lbs.

Measurements:

Starting Bust: 52 inches

One year anniversary Bust: 44 inches

Starting Waist: 48.5 inches

One year anniversary Waist: 41 inches

Starting Hips: 55 inches

One year anniversary Hips: 47 inches

Starting Neck: 16.5 inches

One year anniversary Neck: 13 3/4 inches

Starting Thigh: 28 inches

One year anniversary Thigh: 23 inches

Starting Upper Arm: 16.5 inches

One year anniversary Arm: 13.5 inches

Total pounds lost: 85 lbs.
Total inches lost: Over 34 inches.


On Friday, I'll get more stats, and maybe some BMI numbers - so I'll post them at that time.


Success measurement #2: Photos
When the numbers on the scale seemed out of sync with how my body felt, I often turned to photos.  They helped me see my progress, in a way that was not possible every day in the mirror.  The photos were hugely important in my journey, and I'm glad we took so many.


Comparing the beginning of the process with where I am today is also pretty amazing.  Check it out.

Starting pictures:

Our wedding day, two weeks before the diet began (June 11, 2011)

One year anniversary pictures:

Yesterday (June 26, 2012)

(Taken with my iPhone, so they're fuzzy and low resolution.)

Facial view:

  

Front view:

  

Side view:

  

This particular exercise is somewhat staggering.  Seeing these images, side by side, explains why so many people don't recognize me anymore.  They need a minute, and then they realize it's me.  This is happening with everyone - not just people who haven't seen me in a year, either.  My sweet husband confessed on our wedding anniversary that I no longer look like the girl he married - and sometimes, he looks over at me, and it takes him a minute to process how much I've changed.  Even my co-workers have made similar statements, and they see me every day.  If I had any concerns that I could re-make my body, they are now at rest.


Success measurement #3:  Clothes


One of my goals at the beginning of this was to be in regular sizes at the end of one year - and leave the plus sizes behind.  Well, here are the stats:

Starting clothes size:

3X or 4X (Plus Size 24/26 or 28/30)

One year anniversary clothes size:

L or XL (Regular size 14/16 or 16/18)

This is big.  Or, really, it's small.  I no longer shop in the plus size section, and actually have clothes that fit me and are somewhat flattering.  I have donated over a dozen bags of clothes to charities as I've gone down in sizes, except one pair of pants that I've kept as a reminder.  My attitude towards clothes has completely changed, and I find myself loving dresses and cute shoes more than ever.  I really look forward to the day when I'm at a size I will maintain, rather than breeze through, so I can have the fun of creating a wardrobe filled with colorful, fun clothes.


Success measurement #4: Moments of Unexpected Wonderfulness


Most surprisingly, this year has been full of unexpected surprises... things I didn't know would be markers of my success, but turned out to be the best things of all.  Some of my favorites are still very simple things: crossing my legs on an airplane, feeling energetic while swimming on vacation, allowing my photograph to be taken in a bathing suit... each one somewhat intangible, but to me, incredibly real.  One of the very best unexpected surprises happened just 3 days ago, and it was a WHOPPER.


Sunday afternoon, Max was packing his stuff before heading out of town on a trip with his school theatre company.  Their play, The Trojan Women, went to the state competition earlier this year, and won high enough marks to be invited to compete at the National Thespian Competition in Nebraska.  This was huge for Max, as this was his first play!  His excitement has not waned in the past few months, so he was particularly thrilled to finally be getting ready to go.  As he was packing, he proudly showed me the custom made duffle bags and hoodies that each student got for the trip.  His name was embroidered on the front, along with the theatre company's logo.  I mentioned that his hoodie reminded me of my old high school jacket, complete with my junior varsity and varsity letters on it, patches from competitions, and my name - just like Max's.  While my letters were for tennis and marching band, not theatre, I completely connected the two - and in that moment, fully appreciated how excited Max was about his trip and competition.  I remembered that feeling so well - I loved band competitions, and could completely relate. 


Then, I turned to my sweet husband and said, "My jacket is 22 years old now... amazing how time flies."  And then, I had a revelation - that jacket just might fit me again.  


I could not wait one second more.  I sprang up from my chair and ran to my closet.  I reached into the back of the darkest corner, and pulled out the red corduroy letterman's jacket.  Holy cow - it was a size L.  Would it fit?  


I yanked it off the hanger, and even though it was 101-degrees outside, slid my arms into the jacket I had once loved, but forgotten about for decades.  And then, I snapped it shut.  All the snaps.  It fit.  For the first time in 22 years, I was wearing my high school jacket - which means that I was back to my high school size once more.


I nearly fell over from surprise and excitement.  


I ran out into the living room and showed my boys, and they both smiled SO big...  This was a big moment, and they knew it.  And, like most of these surprise moments, I couldn't have planned for it at all.  


Instead of feeling sad that I didn't lose all 100 pounds in a year, my moment with my high school jacket has given me the ability to see all the good that's happened.  I was honestly worried that I'd beat myself up about the goal not being reached - but then, life continues to give me what I need at every juncture.  Sometimes I think I'm just lucky - and then, sometimes I think that these moments are actually there for us all.  The trick is that you have to LOOK for them - really look - and then they become real.


This has been one heck of a year.  I got married, became a stepmom, opened a new museum, traveled to some really cool places, and made lots of art.  I also lost 85 pounds and over 34 inches, and made my health a priority for the first time in a long time.  So, happy diet-versary to me, my wonderful family, and everyone who has taken this journey with me.


Now, really, let's go get that cake.