One year down! Before/After photo

Everybody loves before and after photos, right? I have always appreciated seeing others' photos, but this is the first time I have shared one of my own on this site. 

The photo on the left is the one that finally pushed me over the edge from living in denial and making excuse after excuse about my weight and finally got me to admit that I had some serious issues and needed to DO SOMETHING about my health and lifestyle. I don't even know how much I weighed when that photo was taken, since I hadn't been on a scale in years. The highest weight I ever saw on a scale was 315, but that was after I had been pretty aggressively restricting food and excercising daily for 6 weeks, so I really don't know what my highest weight was. I used to joke and say I was 'pretty healthy for a fat kid' but the truth is that I was staring down the barrel at all the usual obesity-related health problems. I was deeply ashamed of how I looked and so uncomfortable in my own body that I avoided mirrors at all costs and hardly recognized myself in pictures.

The photo on the right was taken two weeks ago, just a few days shy of my 1 year post-op (VSG on 3/31/15). I weigh 150lbs fully clothed, have gone from a TIGHT size 26 to a comfortable size 8 in jeans, a 2/3x top to a S/M, and my bloodwork and health are better than they have ever been in my adult life. I am not going to lie and say that this has been an 'easy' year, and I have faced emotional and physical challenges that I never anticipated, but I am incredibly grateful for the surgeon who gave me an amazing tool to help take control of my life, as well as the support groups both in my area and online that help keep my head in the game day after day. I may not post a lot on these forums, but I come to this site every day and I am very thankful to all the experienced veterans who share their wisdom with all of us new kids. I know I can count on the vets here on OH to tell it like it is, and I really appreciate the time and effort you all put into making this site such a tremendous resource for information and personal experience.

You look incredible (and gorgeous dogs too)!

Congratulations on your success.

Thank you! Those dogs are my whole world, I travel all over the country competing in amateur events with them. 

It must be so much easier doing that now that you have lost the weight. Remember that when life gets in the way. Always stay diligent and fight like hell to stay at your goal weight. Keep up the good work!!

You look beautiful! Congratulations!

Thank you!

What a difference a year makes!  Congrats!

One year down, the rest of my life to go!

great transformation! I love that your before and after are very similar in subject and color. It really emphasizes how far you have come!

That was why I chose these two pictures, although the fact that I match my dogs was a happy accident, I didn't plan that part ;)