Before and After

Realizing that I needed to post some photos of me on the blog, I recently had some photos taken that show the way I look today. Then, I went in search of some "before" pictures that show the way I looked 25 lbs. ago. I was shocked at what I found. The photo that you see here shows the way I looked during a family trip to Colorado in the summer of 2005, just four years ago. At the time, I thought I looked pretty good. That is, until I saw the picture today and realized how heavy I really was.

These are the types of mind tricks we play in order to keep ourselves from losing weight. We grow our hair or spend lots of money on new clothes and makeup to distract ourselves from the fact that if we just took off the extra weight, we'd look and feel so much better and not have to "hide" behind all that other stuff. We think, "Well, this is just my weight; I'd better learn to live with it." But it doesn't have to be. I'm living proof!

Of course, you'll probably have to spend some money on new clothes because your old clothes will be falling off you. And you should. In fact, if you've lost at least 10 lbs. since you last bought clothes and still have more to go, don't wait until you've reached your goal to invest in some new clothes. Reward yourself with some clothes that fit, and you'll be even more motivated to continue your weight loss efforts. Giving yourself little rewards along the way will boost your mood and allow you to recognize how far you've come. And it will keep you from slipping--just don't reward yourself with doughnuts, cheeseburgers and fries. Pretty soon, you'll be comparing those "before" and "after" photos, and you'll be absolutely amazed at what you'll see.