Weight is just a number, don't let it define you

You're not fat, you have fat. There's a very important difference. You define who you are, not any arbitrary number like dress size or weight. Those things can change, but the person you are inside will remain the same. The most stunning accessory you can wear is your confidence. Let your inner beauty shine through and don't let anyone dim your light. Take a look at this before and current picture. I look happy in both don't I? That's because I was and still am, I felt just as beautiful as I do now when I was carrying around that extra 40 pounds.

Think about that for a minute as you take a look at the picture. The only difference between those two pictures is 40 pounds. Now, take a guess at how much my starting and current weights. I have a feeling most of you will be off, but hopefully the answer will give you some hope.
I've never been a fan of scales as a measure of success or progress. Sure they help, but they aren't the only means of validating your efforts. I've had countless people tell me that they've lost inches but not pounds. Don't take this as a set back, celebrate those victories because while you may not feel like it, those changes mean just as much as a few pounds.

Losing weight is a journey, and like any journey it will have ups, downs, twists, turns and any number of unexpected obstacles. It will be hard to keep going when you think you aren't making any progress at the beginning and feel like giving up is the only option. You'll feel like you've gone as far as you can when you hit a plateau and can't seem to break it, so you might consider turning back and falling into your old habits. Keeping up with your new body might seem impossible and you'll struggle to keep balance when maintaining your goal weight. You might get so overwhelmed with the praise you receive that you'll stray from what your original motivation was and lose sight of where you're going. Each new step of the way will have its own set of challenges and while it may not get easier, you'll get stronger with each one.

I've come a long way, 40 pounds is a lot to be proud of, but honestly there is so much more that I'd rather brag about. Losing weight has helped me run faster and longer which is one of my greatest accomplishments.  I've run a half marathon and countless other races of varying distances, some with crazy obstacles too. I've been fortunate enough to actually do a triathlon, something many people only dream of. While it may seem trivial, I can go into any store and actually find things that fit without getting frustrated or exhausted. These things are my real victories.  These tell me that I've made progress and have something to be proud of because the numbers still tell a different story. According to those markers, I'm still considered overweight and unhealthy.

I know it may not always be easy to see your inner beauty and to have it radiate out. It's a process to truly love yourself unconditionally even though it should be the one thing that comes most natural to us. Be proud of how far you've come even if you don't think its very much. I'm sure by now the suspense is killing you so I'll spill, I started at 221 pounds and am down to about 181 right now, I'm also a size 14. I'll go ahead and let that sink in for a minute. I have a sneaking suspicion that you might be in shock. It always throws people when I tell them and they say "but you look so skinny!". I think most of that has to do with the way I carry myself and the personality I portray to people. Confidence is key, if you believe you're beautiful and show that to others they will see it too no matter what the numbers say.

I saw this on Facebook and thought it might help put things in perspective for you