A celebration…100 pound weight loss!

March 31, 2014

Actually….105 pounds as of this post, but who’s counting. Oh wait (weight) I AM!!! grin!

Two weeks ago, I hit a 100 pound weight loss! It’s so hard to process that,

ONE HUNDRED POUNDS GONE! that’s 100 pounds I am no longer carrying around on my body. To say I feel “lighter” both physically, mentally and emotionally would be an understatement!

I hear so often, when I share a before photo, but you are pretty in that picture. Friends let me tell you: styling my hair and knowing how to wear makeup and finding a few articles of fairly cute clothing, to cover up my obesity, might give the impression that I had somehow managed to feel and look well, in-spite of the extra 130 pounds I was carrying on my frame.

This was a lie.

I was miserable. I was hurting, inside and out. I moved slow, I was exhausted and depressed. I was a mess! I just covered it up well.

And here’s the reality my friend, I still have days where I’m tired and sad, and worried and discouraged BUT I also have the energy, drive and determination to know, now, that those are feelings that come and go and that FOOD is NOT the fix for these feelings.

I can honestly say that the spiritual, mental and emotional “workout” I’ve been through since starting my weight loss journey has been far more challenging, and often painful, than the actual “dieting.” I realized that if I didn’t figure out WHY I used food to comfort myself. If I didn’t learn WHY I trusted food, instead of my family, my husband and let’s face it GOD to meet my needs and help me through difficult days, than I would end up right back where I was.

I had to get tough with myself and honest! I want to share something with you, if you are feeling discouraged or if seeing my transformation makes you feel worse not better.

I want to say something to all of you who might feel no hope and think there’s no way you could do what I’ve done.

Let me just tell you, you CAN!!

BUT, only when you decide that the pain of where you are now is worse than the pain and determination to have a better life, better health… and you decide that you want to LIVE! I mean this truly, you can only find the motivation and strength within yourself. Your friends and family can want it FOR YOU, but only YOU can do the work it takes to get there!

It’s not easy, nothing this life changing ever is. DECIDE you love yourself more than the food you crave, the couch you sit on and the comfort zone you live in. There are tools that can help you achieve your goals, but ultimately YOU must decide you want this more than you want the things that got you where you are. It’s tough love…with yourself!

This holds true for ANYTHING that is holding you back, weighing you down and controlling your life. It’s small daily decisions, one step at a time, one pound at a time and you will find yourself transforming. I am praying for each of you who are facing self doubt, discouragement and disappointment. This is a physical, mental and spiritual process and you can find the strength within yourself to change your life! IF “I” can do this after 22 years of obesity and at 42 years old, ANYONE can!

In my first post, way back in June, I shared with you a few things I wanted to be able to do! Never believing, truly, they could happen. Things as simple as tucking my jeans in boots…DONE. Wearing a swimsuit and feeling okay in it…DONE next week when we go to Florida! And, one I didn’t share…riding on the back of a motorcycle with my husband after 18 years of avoiding it. Honestly, I was mortified to be the “fat chick” on the back of the motorcycle and honestly I don’t think my husband could have held the bike up with both of us on it….but now I get to ride with him and enjoy this fun activity together!

I also decided that it was time, after 20 years, to get a new ride that was just for Momma! 😉 grin!

A red mustang is one way to celebrate losing 100 pounds! FOOD is not! 😉

Many of you wonder if something like this is possible for everyone. It is! My husband has lost 40 pounds and I’m so proud to share that my 20 year old son has lost 69 pounds!!! We joke that we’ve lost a rather large 5th family member from our family with our combined weight loss! ha!

THAT my friends makes me happier than my own weight loss! Seeing my son get healthy and achieve his goals! He’s learning good habits now that will last him for the rest of his life. This proud Mom is also happy to announce that because of his weight loss he was able to see a dream of joining the US Army come true and swore in this past week! He could have never done that at the weight he was last August.

I WISH I could bottle up how I FEEL inside and give some to each of you, who are where I was last May, just a taste of how amazing it feels to get healthy and to shed the burden of food addiction! Just a taste would give you hope that it is possible! Just a taste would start you down your own journey, but all I can do is tell you to step out in faith and believe that YOU have what it takes to get healthy! I’m believing it for you!

If you are ready to make a change I want to encourage you to reach out to me about the plan I’ve been using. You can connect with through my Facebook Page or by email: thepattersonfour (at) gmail.com

IIf you are reading this and and silently praying for strength to take that first step…I am praying for you! I pray over each of these posts that God will use them to bless, encourage and motivate others to get healthy and LIVE the best life they can!

Always yours…. with love, grace and humility…..

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