The Weight is Over!
In a nutshell.
I’ve got from this: To this:
2006 2008
I have a similar story to many people out there.
I was an active girl throughout my childhood, teen years and Uni years.
I loved sports and my parents helped by always giving me the opportunity to do them… whether it was swimming or figure skating. I also played on school sports teams like basketball, volleyball, rugby, track n’ field and I even had a very short dance career for a couple of months. I loved running back then too and did a bit on the cross country team, but I wasn’t very strong at it back then so I stuck to mainly basketball and volleyball. I did these sports until Gr. 10 in high school and then found that once I stopped, I started to gain weight. This is when I started playing rubgy, afterall I was a strong girl! A few bruises wouldn’t stop me, even though my Mom really hated when I played because it was a rough sport!
I never really looked at the things I ate during my childhood or high school years. Afterall, I was so active that it didn’t really matter to me at the time. My parents cooked healthy meals, and we also had pizza nights – it’s all about the balance right? Looking back now I know my portions were too big. I didn’t really pay attention much. I knew all about healthy eating and while I feel I always had an interest in it, it was no where near what the interest is now!
After high school I knew that I wanted to lose weight once I went to University in September 2001. I didn’t gain the Freshman 15. I actually lost about 20 pounds. Second year Uni I think I lost some more, and then third year even more until I was about 135 pounds. I went to University weighing about 185.
I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t always the healthiest about my weight loss.
What started as “watching what I ate” soon became obsessing over calories, weighing myself constantly, overexercising, etc. It was not a very good time in my life, looking back on it now.
What I can say now though, is I am so glad that is over.
I gained a bit of weight back at the end of 2004 and I went and lived in Australia in 2005 for almost 1 year. My weight was pretty stable then, i’d say at around 155′ish.
Then in 2006 I moved home with my parents, gained a bit of weight and so the story goes. You can see here, I did a bit of yo- yo’ing throughtout the years.
Finally in August 2006 I moved to England and decided that I wanted to get serious, well that seriousness didn’t come really until June 2007 after spending a week at home in Canada when my nephew was born.
This was sort of a turning point for me.
I went home for a week at the end of May to meet my nephew who was born on May 10th, 2007. This was such an amazing time for me and I simply adore him so much. What I didn’t adore were the photos that I looked at once I got back to the UK after my trip.
Here is one of them:
Liam & Auntie Leah (168lbs)
I will never ever say that I hate those photos, because they mean the world to me since that was the first time I had seen and held my nephew and I love him to pieces but I will say that the photos are what made me finally say “enough is enough.”
Finally I got serious.
I didn’t restrict my diet, I just made different food choices. I started weaning out the processed foods and choosing more whole foods. I started cutting down my portion sizes. I still ate whatever I wanted, but it was the portion that counted most for me. Instead of 4 slices of pizza, I had a salad + 2 pieces of pizza. It made a big difference. I started doing more research on the foods that were good for me. Fruits and veggies became staples for me, not just because they were low calories, but because I really started to crave them. As your body adjusts to new eating habits you start to crave the foods that are good for you, and the ones that aren’t… well, I just didn’t want them. I stopped partying/drinking so much. When I first moved to England my friends and I would go out all the time. Well, lets be honest here – the calories from drinking beer really add up! Now I stick to a bit of wine every now and then.
I also got serious (again) about exercise. Not in an obsessive way, but in a way where I knew it was helping my body and not hurting it.
Exercise and diet go hand in hand for me. I can’t do one and not the other.
I need to do both in order to see results.
And I did….
Before:
Around 160-170 lbs.
After:
I now weigh between 135-140.
I’m not an expert by any means, but what I can say is that what I have done has worked for me.
I now have new photos with my nephew which I simply adore:
Like this one, taken Christmas 2008.
I think it’s true to say that you know your body best.
I’d be more than happy to talk to anyone about the weight loss journey!
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
- The Weight is Over! « Simply Fabulous
- A month!? REALLY!?-Kelsey Toney
- Makin’ a Mean Meatloaf « Simply Fabulous
- The Weight Loss Trap + Faux-Chicken Biryani « Simply Fabulous
- Sit Down & Breathe! There’s a lot going on here. « Simply Fabulous
- Oh She Glows » Blog Archive » Leah: Simply Fabulous Now
love this! you look great in ALL your pictures!
Awesome transformation!! Congrats on getting healthy
congratulations on your amazing journey – i’ve been there too!
Heya! I’m a new reader/subscriber!
What an inspiration! I’m so glad that I’ve got all this inspiration around! Thanks so much for posting this.
kelsey @ kelseytoney.com
Oh. My. Goodness! What a difference! I think you look great at higher and lower weight, but the main difference I see between the two is in the glow! You can really tell you’re eating healthfully – even if you’d stayed the same weight I’m sure you’d have seen a huge difference in appearance. Well done for doing it the healthy way girl! And wow, Liam has GROWN!
Way to go! You have done a wonderful job and look amazing. Congrats on the success! I do have to say that you have a glowing smile on all of the pictures, just look a little more sparkley on the newer ones!
What a great weight loss story! Leah, you were still beautiful at your heavier weight, but you look so happy and radiant in the newer photos. We have a similar story, but I didn’t have an active childhood, and I was my heaviest in high school. Our top weights are about the same. I was stable in college but it was a high-stable. Yikes.
Thank you for sharing your story! And your nephew is totally adorable!
LOVE THIS!
I have always always thought you have looked beautiful…even at your higher weights. You have accomplished so much and I am very proud of how far you have come!!
The picture of you on my wedding day is GORGEOUS…maybe my favourite pic of you!
you look goog both before and after! congrats on taking a healthy path!
haha…that was supposed to say good….not goog.
Congratulations on your success! You’re so beautiful!
I’m new to your site and just wanted to tell you that I love it! You are such an inspiration! You look amazing in all of your photos
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You look fantastic, healthy and happy. Keen up the great work. Nice blog!
Great job! You look amazing! I can’t wait to start reading your blog!!
Hi Leah, I just discovered your blog, and want to commend you on all your great work! I really appreciate the concept behind this blog: paying tribute to all the simple things that make life meaningful. Congratulations on your weight loss, and your ongoing commitment to leading a whole, healthy life!
Hello my beautiful girl!
You look fabulous!
I may have to follow suit!
Your blog is SIMPLY FABULOUS! Thanks for adding me…let’s keep in touch!
Just found your blog through someone else… LOVE it!! Adding you to my Google Reader!
Loved taking the time to read your “about me” section. I agree you have a lovely glow after your weight lose. I’m curious, how tall are you? I’d like to be back down to 140-145 myself…almost 10 lbs found there way back on me after moving away two years ago (aka stress).
I am 5′8
Thank you so much everyone for taking the time to read this and commenting!
I thought you were about my same height, I’m almost 5′9.
Wow, what an inspiring story, Leah! Congratulations on eventually finding your balance. You are gorgeous and look so healthy and happy!
Such a wonderful story, dear Leah!!
WOW! Your weight loss journey is amazing and so inspiring!
YOU GO GIRL!
haha
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I look forward to reading yours!
Hi Leah!
I stumbled upon your blog, and I find your weight loss journey really inspiring – I’m on one right now
Your nephew is adorable, and we share the same birthday lol!
Are you still living in England?
Great blog
What an inspiration Leah! You look healthy and beautiful! Love the blog! Keep up the good work!
A big congrats on your accomplishments and living a healthy lifestyle!!! Very inspiring!!!
Thanks for sharing your story!
So glad I found your blog!
I cam across your blog from OSG! LOVING it and look forward to reading more. :]
Hey! I can’t remember how I got here but I know it was by clicking a bunch of links on other blogs! I think your site is great and I’ll absolutey be back. I have much more weight to lose but you are an incredible inspiration! Thanks!
Best,
Jen
You look great! And I love your philosophy! It’s one to live by!
I think you look lovely in ALL photos- ‘before’ AND ‘after’.
Wow – what great pics! Very inspiring!
Ok – your story is SO similar to mine – you are truly an inspiration!! I am currently at that turning point and now it’s just a matter of changing old habits and making the right choices.
I can look at your story and see that it IS possible!