A food addict's travels on the road to recovery.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Hey!!! Want A Souvenir???


HOW INCREDIBLY COOL IS THIS BADGE FOR MY CHALLENGE??????????????????????
I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My super terrific blogger friend Tina at Fat Girl Dives In, listed on my blogroll, made this for me!!!!!  I just gave her a couple of vague ideas of what I wanted and Voila!!!  SHE ROCKS!!!  Tina is sooooooo incredibly busy with her home business.....she's a graphic artist, in case you couldn't tell.....and yet she still took time out to do this for me, so that anyone who wants to participate in the challenge can right click on it, save it to your computer, and display it on your own blog!!!  I just asked her about it yesterday, at a moment's notice, and she came through for me!  Thank you so very much Tina....I love your work...I couldn't be happier with this badge.  You just made my day!!!!
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So what's this challenge all about???


I weighed in at 241.0 this morning.  I'm up 5.8 lbs. from last week.

I've decided I'm doing my very first weight loss challenge.  I've normally avoided doing these things because we all know how bad Tammy sucks in the consistency department.  I never stick with them long enough to finish them, I'm terrible at following rules, and I'm just plain forgetful....can't rememeber to go the person's blog and post my weigh-in, even if I'm doing great!!

I have a couple of different motivating factors for doing this.  It's mainly for myself, but I'd love for anyone that's interested in giving themselves a kick in the pants to join in with me.  It's always more fun when you know you're not going it alone!! 

It's the beginning of April, right?  Well....when I started my blog last June, my goal month for losing ALL of my weight was April.  I even wrote a post way back when entitled "April's Butterfly".  I've had that in the back of my head for the last couple of days and it's really been irritating the crap out of me.  Seriously.  I'm so angry with myself.  This is my first motivating factor to GET MY FAT A$$ MOVING DOWN THAT SCALE!!!!!

The second motivating factor is Zaa at Zaababy-The Incredible Shrinking Woman, listed last on my blogroll.  Why Zaa when there's so MANY excellent bloggers out there that just inspire me to bits???  Well I'll tell you.  It's simple, really.  Zaa and I started blogging within just a couple of weeks of each other, and when we first started, we both chose Sean at The Daily Diary of a Winning Loser as one of our biggest weight loss mentors...someone with a proven track record to show us how to tackle this monumental task of defeating Morbid Obesity.  We both started out at 1500 cals/day and doing a little exercise.  I've since upped my calorie goals to 1800/day because I joined a gym last September and have been working out pretty steadily ever since.  I really do think you need to eat a few more calories if you're going to be pushing yourself on the exercise. 

I love Zaa, and she has no idea I'm posting this.  She has no idea that she's one of just a couple of reasons I'm doing this challenge.  You see, she's ALWAYS inspired me through her posts.  She is such a POSITIVE person, no matter what's going on in her life.  I've followed her for a long time and she's gone through some really difficult things....pets dying, family members dying, money troubles, personal health issues...she's written about a lot.  One thing that has stood out to me about her though, which is totally opposite from me, is that her life circumstances NEVER affect her eating.  She keeps it totally separate.  She eats 1500 calories a day no matter what, and she exercises.  Period.  And what does she have to show for that? 

Zaa posted pics of herself for the first time ever this week.  She never even had a "before" photo on her blog until this week.  She posted "before" photos, and "progress" photos the other day.  This incredibly motivating and inspiring blogger has lost 90 lbs. so far.  NINETY POUNDS.  I've lost between 30-40, depending on which week it is, and we started virtually at the same time.  I know other people have lost this much or more...I know several of you that have.  But I've got a thorn in my a$$ about Zaa in particular because we basically started at the same time.  I remember her posting on my blog very early on about how grateful she was to have found Sean.  In fact, she mentions him in almost every one of her posts, lol.  She's truly appreciative for finding the road to freedom, as am I. 

Please understand....there are no ill feelings towards Zaa.  Not a single one!!!  I'm IN LOVE with her progress...and the thorn in my a$$ is a GOOD thing....a POSITIVE thing....it's the VERY thing that's going to propel me out of the 230's and 240's and land me smack dab in the middle of the 220's by the time my weight loss challenge is over at the end of the month.  Zaa writes the most exuberant posts every single time....full of NSV's and lists of things she couldn't do before at over 300+ pounds, that she's doing with ease now.  She makes me laugh out loud when she excitedly posts things like, "I jumped over a mud puddle today!!  Me!!  I actually JUMPED!!"  or another favorite is how she can RUN up the stairs in her house now, where before she struggled with every step, labored breathing, walking so hard her kids could hear her coming.  Now she loves to gingerly run up the stairs and quietly SURPRISE her kids in their rooms when she gets to the top JUST because she CAN!!!  She reminds us in her posts of the little things that I quickly forget and take for granted.  I love that.  Every little thing that we can do now that we couldn't do at our heaviest is an absolute blessing and one to be thankful for.  We should never forget how far we've come.  Zaa never forgets, and this makes her one of my favorite bloggers, and my inspiration for this weight loss challenge.

On to the challenge....and mine's a bit different than yours.  I'll tell you about mine first:

I've posted tons of food pics on here before, but I've never posted EVERYTHING I eat on here for one reason.  I'm not a clean eater.  A lot of you are.  I guess I didn't want to give anyone a heart attack when they saw what all I eat, lol.  I don't know.  But I've never done it, and that's going to change this month.  This is the BIGGEST accountability factor I can think of.  I'm going to show the entire world (or whoever's watching) every single calorie that goes in my mouth, every day, for 4 solid weeks.  No exceptions.  If I eat out...I'm taking pics.  If I binge...I'm taking pics.  I'm seriously thinking though that knowing I have to take pics will be a big help in staving off a binge, lol.  Besides, I haven't had one of those in a pretty good while, so hopefully that won't even factor in.  But knowing I have to take a pic of every single bite is going to make me dilligent in counting every single calorie and not just "wing it" like I've been known to do.  It will also cause me to curb the restaurant eating, because of the sodium issues I've got with that.  That's the biggest part of my gain this week.  I know that 4 days this week were not over 1800 and 3 of them were.  Those 3 weren't horrendous, or off the charts...but they were restaurant meals....2 lunches with my sister Amy, and 1 dinner out with Shane and Billie...all later in the week....thus the huge gain this week.  I won't say I'm not going to eat out ANY during the month, but I'm sure going to curb it.

I'm not counting carbs, proteins, fat, fiber, etc.  I never do, because I'm not interested in that.  My diet is not that refined yet.  My 2 main concerns are calorie counting and sodium control.  My calories will not exceed 1800 but will go no lower than 1500.  I'm not going to do anything stupid or crazy or drastic to lose my weight.  I'm going to keep it realistic for me.  I like food way too much to eat any less than 1500. 

My hardest time during this challenge is going to be the 2 weeks I have to deal with my cycle and my PCOS.  Yes, I only have 2 good weeks out of a month and I know this going in.  If you see pics of a little too much chocolate during those weeks....or something a little too salty...I don't care.  That's not my concern...I'm only concerned with staying within my calories. 

My goal weight is 225 lbs. by April 30th.  This challenge is beginning and ending on a Friday.  Dwayne and I leave for Panama City Beach for a week on Saturday, May 1st.  I want to be 225 lbs. when I hit the highway headed for the beach. 

For anyone who wants to join with me.....I only have a couple of rules.  The first one is that your goal MUST be to lose 10 lbs.  It doesn't matter if you've never lost that much before in a month, because we're going to do the same thing together, in that we're going to push aside the past, what we've done or haven't done before.  We're going to push aside the reasons, excuses, rationalizations, justifications, circumstances, etc. and we're JUST GOING TO DO IT.  Don't tell yourself you can't.  Tell yourself you CAN and you WILL.
If you lose 9.8 lbs...AWESOME!!!  But in order to win the challenge, it has to be 10 lbs.  That's the # that will make you the proud owner of a beach souvenir.  And it doesn't matter how many winners we have...I will award a prize to each one...whether it's 1, 5, 10...whatever.  The prize will be a souvenir from my beach trip to Panama City, which I will mail to you as soon as I get back in town.  It might be super cheezy, super cute, ultra cool....who knows....I haven't gotten to the souvenir shops yet!!!  But it'll be fun...and of course the bigger prize is the pride and accomplishment you'll feel for YOURSELF for proving that yes, you CAN lose this weight!

The only other rule is that you pop over here every Friday, when I do my weigh-in post, and leave me a comment telling me how much you weigh.  It doesn't matter what your normal weigh day is...this is totally separate.  For this challenge, your starting weight will be whatever you weigh TODAY, and then leave me a comment every Friday for the rest of the month telling me your progress if you're going to see the challenge through to the end.  If you don't read this post til Saturday and want to join in, then tell me your starting weight tomorrow.  I'll write the names and weights down so I can keep up with it weekly.  After I get your final weigh-ins on Friday, April 30th, I'll tally everything...determine the winners....and then do a 2nd post on Friday announcing the winners!!!!

As far as what else I'll be doing to reach my own personal goal is to drink at least (4) 32 oz glasses of water a day, and continue to exercise 5 days a week as I've been doing.  If something comes up and I can't get to the gym all 5 days, then I'll make an adjustment and either go to my local park and walk around their trail, or I'll walk up and down the street in front of my house!  My sister's already clocked it and it's 1.5 miles from my house to the end of the road, so there and back is 3 miles.  No matter what, I'll get my exercise in 5 days/week.

As far as the challenge goes for all of you....I don't care how you do it.  Do what makes you happy.  Do what inspires you...what motivates you.  Just do it.  Push all the crap aside that gets in the way and make this your #1 priority for the month of April.  Believe that you are worth it...that you deserve it...and anticipate the feeling of accomplishment you're sure to have when you get it done.  You don't have to post pics of your food, or mention it on your blog, or link anything back to me....heck, you don't even have to exercise if your metabolism is that freaking awesome, lol (although I may hate you for that...totally kidding).  :)

Reaching my goal of 225 is going to put me out of the dreaded 230's and 240's that I've been toying with for 6 ridiculous months.  It's also going to put me a mere 26 lbs. away from Onederland....a place that I truly cannot remember the last time I visited.  I know I was like 234 or 237....something like that, in my senior year in high school.  I don't remember my weight before that.  Onederland is a dream for me.  It's a dream that I am going to MAKE come true. 

Many thanks to Zaa for being the motivation I needed, even though she has no idea she is, lol.  Many thanks to my best friend Pam at The Rest of the Journey, for encouraging me to start my blog in the first place.  Many thanks to Sean for starting out as my mentor, and over these last several months, turning into a cherished friend.  And many thanks to all of my fellow bloggers who care enough to pop over and visit with me...leaving your wonderful comments, and who continually inspire me with their own blogs. 

So this is it.  This is my Beach Challenge and I hope you'll join me.  I'll be back later tonight with pics of all my food for the day and a report on my water intake and exercise.  Make it a FABULOUS day friends!!! :)

45 comments:

  1. Congratulations on starting your new challenge and best wishes for you and those that join you. Motivators are different for us all...so whatever bee (of Zaa) that got into your bonnet, great. I'm rooting for you!

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  2. I skimmed. Do we get to go to the beach with you if we take on the challenge?

    I whole-heartedly agree that Zaa is quite the inspiration.

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  3. Ok - I am interested, but a little confused. I may have gotten lost in the post somewhere, but basically the challenge is to lose 10 lbs by April 30th, no rules on how? So we do it our own individual way and weigh in on Fridays here on your blog? If I have it right - I'M IN....its a pretty ambitious goal for me, but lately I've been having these miniature losses and I'm ready for a BIG jump. I may have to exercise a couple times a day because what I am doing isn't dropping those lbs like I would like...and I will be diligent in journaling my food. I've finally hit my stride with my water intake so I will continue with that. My current weight is 163.4 lbs.

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  4. Hi Tammy... count me in! I'd love to do your challenge with you. I do not want a souvenir from your trip though, even if I should reach my 10 pounds goal for the month. All I want is your support which you give me anyway. I'll be sure to pop in on Friday with my loss (fingers crossed).

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  5. Tammy, what a fun challenge - I love your enthusiasm!!! As I'm having all sorts of issues with the scale and numbers, I won't be joining you - but I will be cheering you (and whomever joins you) on from the sidelines!!!

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  6. I'm in. Weighed 227 this AM, Kathleen

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  7. My starting weight for the challenge is 250.4. Happy Easter, everyone.

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  8. Yeah! This is goign to be fun, I look forward to reading all your posts.

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  9. You would pick after I get pregnant to start your challenge, wouldn't you? How about I join, with the agreement that I don't GAIN 10 pounds in the next month? ; ) Seems fair to me!

    Good luck - I know you can do it!

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  10. Hey girl...it's it ok if I weigh tomorrow morning and tell you? I will totally do this with you. You and I are so similiar....super great potential...but a serious case of the binge monster. I haven't accomplished much of anything and kept it off in the last 6 months. I'm starting that challenge at my gym Monday too and that one runs 8 weeks. I want to do yours too, but want to give you an accurate weight to start with. Let me know if it's ok to report tomorrow....am.

    We can do this!! Oh...and you don't have to send me a prize either...The prize will be seeing you and I succeed :)

    Go beach challenge....whoohoo...

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  11. Tammy, I'm in on this. I didn't weigh this morning so will have to do it tomorrow. I will also be thinking of specifics for me with this challenge. At what I weigh and how much I still have to use, 10 pounds is pretty doable. However, Any weight permanently off will be good, of course.

    I will weigh in tomorrow morning and report to you. Then will get on track with the Friday reporting. Thank you for this challenge - I hope it gets me on track! As I said - I'll be thinking about what specifics I want to focus on this month. Like you, I'm tired of floundering and plateauing and making anti-progress! We can do this!

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  12. Well, I love the beach and just adore you, so this challenge is exactly what I need to get me going! The best prize will be seeing us all lose 10 lbs!!!

    I'm in - today's weight - 247

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  13. Well, I need a kick in the pants so I'm in, hopeful to lose more than 10lbs.

    My weight today, regretfully, is...211.5

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  14. Im in my weight today is 211.5! That totally sucks.

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  15. Hi Tammy - I'm in. I have to weigh tomorrow and let you know because I didn't weigh this morning and now I've had 2 meals! After this, I'll be on track for the Friday weigh ins.

    I'm going to spend this day thinking about the challenge and what specifically I want to focus on. I am so ready to stop this 6 months of maintaining, gaining and anti progress! We are going to do this! Thank you for this challenge. I'm psyched up to get back on track!

    Oh - and I DO want a prize - har har! A plastic conch shell or something!

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  16. Ok little sister, I'm in, Zaa's story is a Fabulous Inspiration and she has done a WonDerFuL job while we have been cruising.

    I'm all for this. My weight today is 212lb's
    I would love to be below 200 by the end of the month but being sensible 10lb is a good goal.

    Let's to it!!!

    Hugs

    Sheilagh
    xxx

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  17. I'm up for it little sister..
    Zaa got me too, she is looking Fabulous.

    My weight right now is 212lb's and I would like to be below 200 by April 30th so I am all for this challenge.

    Would be nice to be going the beach too..lol

    Let's Do This

    love & hugs

    Sheilagh
    xxx

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  18. I'm back as promised! And still count me in please!
    Today 209.8
    Yeah! This is just what I need Tammy, thanks!
    Could you do another one next month too so as to keep me going?? LOL!
    No souvenir necessary, I just need the kick in the butt!:-)

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  19. Hey Tammy,
    I'm back as promised! Count me in too please. Today 209.8
    Could you do another one next month so as to keep me going? No souvenir necessary, I just need the kick in the butt!LOL

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  20. Tammy!
    Sign me up! 261 today.

    You and Zaa give me wayyyy too much credit!!!! You two are incredible. I have to say, I've looked over Zaa's pictures from the other day several times, I'm just in awe of her transformation and her attitude. I agree---she is an amazing role model on this journey!!!

    You're doing fantastic Tammy---and this challenge is going to rock! thank you my friend!!

    My bestest always,
    Sean

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  21. I love the beach and I just adore you - so sign me up! I need this little kick to get me going again. The best prize will be us all losing 10 lbs. But I have to admit, I love a souvenir :)

    Today's weight - 247.

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  22. Me too

    My forth time of trying to get this comment on!!

    I weigh in at 212 and want to be below 200 at the end of the month..

    Let's do it.

    Hugs

    Sheilagh
    xx

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  23. I just added the totally cute badge to my blog!!

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  24. UGH! Lets see if it will let me post a comment this time!

    Im in! I weighed 211.5 this morning.

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  25. I'm a bit scared b/c I feel I might be setting myself up for a fall. I haven't lost 10 pounds in a month in a while. It's been coming off more slowly. Well, I'll give it a try. I weighed in at 174.6 this morning. I missed the first day of taking pics, but will start in the morning. I'm just doing it for the cool badge BTW! LOL

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  26. Okay. On a whim...I'm in. I'm totally unconfident about losing 10 pounds in the next month, but I'm sure as heck gonna' try. If I just do what I'm supposed to do, I don't see why a 10-pound loss COULDN'T happen.

    My starting weight is 205.6. Thanks for the kick in the pants, love!

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  27. YAY!!! I am SO in!!! At this point I have no clue if I even have a whole other ten pounds to lose, but I think I do (I like to imagine there's still twenty or so left to drop) and I am sure that your enthusiasm is motivation enough to try for it! I just love your attitude, Tammy!!!

    My official weigh-in day is tomorrow, but I record what I weigh for my own knowledge each day, so I actually know that when I stepped on the scale this morning I was 151.6 so I guess that's my starting weight for this challenge.

    Hmmm... the two Easter dinners coming my way this long weekend may present a bit of a problem, but I am still in!!! Eek! I'm excited! I hope I can actually do this and I can't wait to see how much you are going to rock this yourself!!! You, my dear, are fantastic!

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  28. I'm in :) I weighed in at 236.0 this morning, and I'm probably up as I ate popcorn at the movies tonight (SIGH! I should have eaten before)

    While I have been losing around 10 a month, I am not confident I will do it again for some reason. Its getting harder to get it off (So thank-you for this!)

    Ready...Set...Go!

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  29. Hmm, I want to do this but I don't own a scale... I could stand to lose 10-15 pounds though to get back into the shape I like to be in for summer (or, you know, all the time). Maybe I'll figure out a way to weigh myself so I can join. Good luck with reaching your goal with the challenge!

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  30. Hi! I think this is a great challenge and I would love to be a part of it. My starting weight is...196.5lbs. I'm a little nervous since my body is deciding to do funky things right now and not lose weight, but I think doing a challenge will be the motivation I need to stick with it even when I'm not having the best day.

    Good luck to everyone!

    Jen

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  31. Hey Tammy - Let's see if I can get this comment up today. I'm in! I'm doing the challenge, and am thrilled about it. My weight Saturday morning was 206. (ugh and double ugh) I commit to the ten pound loss by May 1. I'm posting now about my plan. Thanks!

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  32. Okay Tammy, I'm in! This morning, weight is at 175 pounds. No souvenir needed :) Thank you for the motivation, and good luck to all!

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  33. You sound pretty fired up. Motivation is a great thing, and it sounds like you have plenty of it!

    I don't normally participate in challenges and contests, but I'll give it a try. My weight this morning is 236.8.

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  34. Yes! I need a good challenge for this month. I think I may need to photograph all of my food also--that is a great idea!
    Wight-192 lbs.

    Thanks for the fun contest!!
    Keelie

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  35. Just decided today to do this challenge. First challenge ever participating in the blog world! You inspire me! Starting weight- 201.5

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  36. I'm new to your blog, but I'm "in" on the challenge. I am (ahem) 222.

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  37. I'm in! Starting weight 231.6! I will take pictures of my meals daily :) :) :) Thanks so much for starting the challenge Tammy! I'm excited to see what I can do in a month!

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  38. I'll join the challenge too. Thanks! I'm new to your blog but so far it seems like you're pretty motivational as well. Starting weight = 188.

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  39. I'm going to join in as well. First time visitor by way of Keelie's blog, but looking forward to the challenge. Starting weight 188.

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  40. Ok...all those who have come before me....I'm inspired, so I'm in as well. I'm starting with 193 today. :)

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  41. I am totally in on this!! This morning I clocked in at 222.6. Being that Friday is only two days away, I don't know what Ill bring to the table but bring it!!
    I totally LOVE this idea! We just got back from Disney World - I would have LOVED to throw out something like this!! Great idea!!

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  42. Oooh is it too late to join?? Last Friday my weight was 201.6. I'd actually like to crack 190 by the end of April, but I'd be happy with 10 lbs! :-)

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  43. Hi! Its my first time here to your blog! Saw something about your challege on someone else's post. It sounds like a great idea. I'm at 210 today and want to reach 199.9 by April 30th!

    Love the blog so far.

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Progress Photos

Progress Photos
232 lbs. ~ Size 18/20 outfit

232 lbs.

242.0 lbs. ~ Size 22/24 outfit

242.0 lbs.

Start Weight 06-12-09

Start Weight  06-12-09
272 lbs. ~ Size 26/28 outfit

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