"Final Reveal" pics

Since I won Biggest Loser AND hit my goal on the same day, I decided to do my "final reveal" pics yesterday. I must watch too many weight loss shows. 

I went and got a haircut -- FINALLY. I hadn't had it cut since before I started losing weight, knowing I would want to have a mini makeover at the end as a reward. I got some jeans that actually fit -- I've gone from a size 14 to a size 7/8 -- and some other clothes, too. I was going for this hairstyle (below), but it didn't quite turn out like that. I still like what I got, though. I know I will never be able to recreate what the stylist did, but oh well. :)

Andrew took a bunch of pics -- here are a few. Might have a few more later.

 I wanted a picture of me doing push-ups to remind me of my Transforming post -- about doing the hard things that part of me will always want to skip.

It might seem strange to some that I wanted pictures of myself as a reward for losing weight, but it's because I have never had any pictures of myself that I liked. I have worked on people's personal histories, and I always get a great picture of them from their past for the cover. It's always concerned me that if I was to publish my own history, I would not have anything I would want for the cover. I realize I'm thinking 40 years in advance, but I just wanted a high quality, decent pic of myself that I could have (before I get too old...) -- in case I ever finish writing my history. :)

Thanks all for supporting me and caring about my journey to health.

I WON!

I lost 1.4 lbs this week and managed to pull out first place in the Biggest Loser competition!! Not only that but I hit my second goal on the nose for my final weigh-in. That felt amazing! I got to the pot of gold! :) To be a person who often stops myself from accomplishing something because it's too hard, I have to say that hitting TWO weight loss goals really feels good.

I have lost 54 lbs total. And I feel like I'm at a good "stopping" point. I will now work hard on maintaining where I'm at. I'll keep exercising to try to tone up a bit more, but I won't be trying to lose anymore. Such a strange feeling after such a time of doing it.

Here are the final results pics from the beginning of the BL competition to the end. I lost about 22 lbs from June to August. Over the summer, I'd occasionally look back at the "before" June pics, and I wondered if I'd be able to really see a difference by the end cause I didn't think 20 lbs would be as obvious as the 30 I had lost previously. I am so happy I took the pictures -- because I see a big difference. And that is motivating -- I don't want to float back up 20 lbs to a "comfortable" weight. I feel great where I'm at now.

These are embarrassing, but here they are --

 Please don't look too closely at these...eek. Wishing I had worn exercise pants instead...but then I wouldn't have been able to see the difference as easily. I lost 6 inches off my waist this go around and something like 4 inches off my hips -- the exact measurements are packed in a box somewhere. :) Lost a good chunk off my thighs, too, but I can't remember how many inches off the top of my head. All I know is is that my legs don't touch and rub together in the middle when I walk anymore. I often wondered if I'd ever lose enough for that to be the case, and I finally got there.

That's a total of ELEVEN inches just off my waist from the beginning of March. That is crazy!