Pictures

Finally dug up the history of me... My weight gain was slow and gradual.  When I joined the USAF, I was right at the max allowable weight standard for my height/age - 155.  In fact, my recruiter wanted me to lose a couple pounds before going to basic training just to be safe.  Problem was, at 19, I had no idea how to lose weight.  I'd always been very active as a kid and apparently had the metabolism to eat pretty much anything (I worked at Dairy Queen for cryin' out loud!) so, it wasn't until later that weight became an issue.  I think this is the case for a lot of people - being overweight just creeps up on them and they have no idea what to do!

1991 - My son was born =D
(btw, I don't remember EVER looking that young!)

2002 - Hanging w/ my daughter at Disney

2003 - Lowest weight attained since HS - 148lbs

(I've looked for pictures of me between 1991 and 2002, but they seem to be scarce.  Pictures of me are scarce anyway because I'm typically the one behind the camera, but this particular decade seems even more so.  Conclusion:  I've probably discarded those due to being from the "married years" - not sure...)

In the summer of 2001, my dad suffered a massive heart attack and died in a 7-11 store in Florida while on vacation.  In the fall of 2001, my husband and I separated.  On the first of May 2002, my mom passed away, on the 7th, my divorce was final and on the 10th I was traveling to Texas to train for special duty in the AF.  Looking back, I'd say this is when some emotional eating may have occurred.   : \

At some point toward the end of 2002, I stepped on a scale and discovered I weighed almost 180 lbs!  (Of course, right now I'd LOVE to weigh 180, but back then I was still accountable to the USAF and 180 was at least 20lbs over the standard).

That's when I discovered Body for Life (Bill Phillips) and devoured that book.  I lost 30 pounds in 12 weeks.  So awesome.  However, the point to "Body for Life" was that the changes I made were supposed to be "for life."  But after the 12 weeks were done, I just went right back to the way I was eating before.

I hadn't made the connection between stress eating and weight gain during the Body for Life period, which is probably why I gained the weight back in the months/years to follow.  The most stressful part was being assigned to Korea in 2005.  One entire year away from my kids just about did me in...

2006 - realized weight gain but having a hard time
battling it away from my family

2008 - Retiring from USAF (weight approx 190)

By the time I retired, I was up to around 190, 5 years after losing 30 lbs.  But since I had retired and was no longer accountable to anyone but me, I think I went a little crazy in the food
department as evidenced by the 15 pound gain seen in the graduation picture with my son.

2010 - My son's graduation (weight approx 205lbs) 

2011 - Can't take credit for the snowman, but at least he's
bigger than me!! (weight 210 lbs)

Then more pounds crept into my life with yo-yo weight loss/gain until now.  In 2013, I weighed in at 225 for my first DietBet challenge.  I had never weighed this much in my life - not even when I was pregnant with either of my kids.  I'm still unsure of my relationship with food -  but that's the point of this journey - I will figure it out!

2013 - weigh-in pic for first DietBet
225lbs

2013 - Weigh-in pic for Summer DietBet
making changes that I can live with -
216lbs