Weight Loss Milestones.

I have struggled with my weight since I was 12 years old.  It didn't help that I lived in a country where 12-year-olds were little girls, and I was already maturing physically.  Everyone around me constantly commented on how big I was.  Chileans aren't into tact.  I probably wasn't all that different from a lot of American girls, but I wasn't in America.  I felt huge, and started dieting at an early age.  I continued to lose and and mostly gain weight.  I had tremendous success with Weighdown at home in 2000.  I lost 50 pounds, but slowly gained it back and more over then next 15 years.  In the past 3 years, I did not step on a scale.

For over a year, I have been working out 3 times a week.  I told myself that I had no intention of dieting, but I was interested in exercising.  I wanted to be strong.  Four months ago, Neil was invited to run a 5K.  He had 2 weeks to train, so he started going faithfully with me to the gym.  Seeing him work hard challenged me to work harder and I began to sweat!

During Carla and Jorge's visit, we treated them royally. And by that I mean we ate good!  Every American goodie we could find.  But I knew that when it was over, something had to be done.

On Feb 2, 2016, I decided to face my worst fear and step on that scale.  I had an amount in my head that I thought I weighed, simply figuring that I had probably gained 5-10 pounds per year.  I didn't care, I had to face facts sooner or later.  I got on.  It was 20 pounds less that what I had figured.  Then, the next day I remembered something.  My scale is weird, and first thing in the morning, it registers 4.2 pounds more. You have to step on and off a few times to get it to go normal.  So I was actually 24 less that my worst fear, and not all that different from 3 years ago.

So began a new weight loss journey.  I was trying for a slow weight loss, a pound per month.  Honestly, I don't know how to do that.  Incredibly, God had given me a weight loss that far exceeds anything that I had ever done before, and in 6 weeks, I have lost 9 pounds.   I am generally following the Weighdown principles, exercising, and not eating at night.  I have tried to lose weight in the past, and it had been so hard.   I don't know exactly why it's different this time, but I am thankful to God, because he knows my heart.  He knows that I desire to honor Him more than anything else.  I wouldn't even mind being fat, but I know that it is not a good testimony of self-control.

I have several personal milestones, certain "I remember when I weighed this much" moments.  I hit the first one a few days ago.   I hope a never reach that weight again, by God's grace.