Before and After

Posted: July 14, 2012

Struggling with my weight for my entire adult life, I finally decided life is too short to live perpetually unhappy.  I have lost 55 pounds in the last year and am currently working on the last 25.  I made a few simple changes to my lifestyle (less sugar, smaller portions, and more veggie juices) and have never felt better! I'd like to share a number of "Before and Afters" with you to detail the differences from my old life to new.


Before...I was obese at 219 pounds.

After...I am in the Healthy BMI range at 166, with a goal to get to 139.

 

Before...I hated cooking.

After...I love being creative in the kitchen and coming up with delicious easy healthy meals.

 

Before...I ate one or two pieces of candy a day at the office. #guilty #ilovetwix

After...I bring my own healthy snacks like almonds, greek yogurt, and hummus.

 

Before...I drank multiple diet sodas a day.

After...Bring on the H2O!

 

Before...I was only responsible for myself.

After...I have a beautiful little mouth to feed (pictured here sniffing the fresh broccoli from our garden!)

 

Before...It was hard to move with all that extra weight.

After...There's a bounce in my step and energy I never knew was possible!

 

Before...I couldn't run more than a minute or two without stopping.

After...I can run 3 miles, no problem.

 

Before...I would just eat mindlessly and overdo the calories.

After...I listen to my body and stop before I'm full.

 

Before...I was embarrassed to get my picture taken.

After...Bring on the Reward Photoshoots!

 

Before...I spent most evenings watching tv.

After...I run, or go to the park, or blog...or all 3!

 

Before...I had never heard of Kale, let alone eaten it.

After...I regularly drink a Mean Green juice and eat a Citrus Kale Salad featuring it.

 

Before...I was afraid to eat fat.

After...I love nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil.

 

Before...I was often down, frustrated, and teary.

 

After...I am full of happiness and encouraging others to choose the happy healthy life too!

And remember, it's not too late to change your life. your weight. your future.  Start today!!

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Comments

Submitted by Kristin W. - July 14, 2012 - 8:14am

I love, love, love this post. So wonderfully captures WHY we do this. Not one mention of getting into skinny jeans, a bathing suit, or a certain size. All positive, motivating, REAL reasons and more importantly... REAL outcomes. Yay you!

Submitted by kelly - July 16, 2012 - 11:52pm

You're right! And I didn't even think about writing any of those things in there about skinny jeans or a bathing suit, etc... they weren't on my mind. at. all.

Submitted by Gina @ Running to the Kitchen - July 14, 2012 - 9:54am

Amazing post, Kelly. I have the same juicer and those same glasses and that last picture just made me want to dust it off and get juicing again, it's been too long!

Submitted by kelly - July 16, 2012 - 11:53pm

Thanks, Gina, for the nice comments. You might have to dust it off, indeed! And you can start by trying my new Cherry Limeade Juice featured in tomorrow's post :)

Submitted by Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries - July 14, 2012 - 10:32am

beautiful post kelly! you are such inspiration to so many other women out there! keep it up!

Submitted by kelly - July 16, 2012 - 11:56pm

And thanks for including me in YOUR inspiration post this week :) That was so sweet!

Submitted by JoAnna - July 14, 2012 - 12:43pm

You really do inspire me so much, Kelly. Thank you!!!

Submitted by kelly - July 16, 2012 - 11:57pm

Thanks for the sweet comment :) And you're welcome!

Submitted by Cathy - July 14, 2012 - 4:54pm

I love this post! I can relate to it all - I just lost 90 pounds in the past year - you are helping me stay on track and keep going until the last 23 are gone! Thank you for your blog - your words of wisdom - your insite - and your recipes! YOU ROCK!

Submitted by kelly - July 17, 2012 - 12:00am

Congrats, Cathy, on the amazing weight loss this past year. 90lbs is incredible! We have a lot to celebrate!!

Submitted by Kanoe - July 14, 2012 - 9:58pm

You look amazing! It's so wonderful and inspiring what you are doing because it is the journey I'm on and it is sooo HARD but totally worth it. People keep telling me how different I look and I see it and I am amazed so I can just imagine how being so close to your goal weight you feel. I love it!! I'm going to have to try juicing... never tried but interested :-D

Submitted by kelly - July 17, 2012 - 12:03am

It's so awesome you're on the same journey towards a happy healthy life! I am going to post more juicing recipes in the coming months, so it would be a good time to start :)

Submitted by Heather @ Better With Veggies - July 16, 2012 - 11:40am

I love this - it's so inspiring and shows how many things have improved in your life. It's not about a number on the scale, it's about being healthy and being able to enjoy life to the fullest!

Submitted by kelly - July 17, 2012 - 12:05am

What I love is that it just keeps getting better and better :) And part of that was meeting awesome people LIKE YOU at Blend and really being welcomed/loved by such an amazing community of like-minded women.

Submitted by valerie - July 17, 2012 - 10:06am

I teared up a little when I read this because I would love this to be My post one day. One question thought - how do you find the will, discipline, determination to not eat w/ Hubby is eating. Last night while I had my juice my family wanted a pizza. I drank my juice in my room while watching my favorite TV show , cleaning my makeup brushes and then did some 3lb arm weights for a while. (Busy Work to keep my mind off of it) Any tricks you can share with us?

Submitted by kelly - July 29, 2012 - 10:52am

I have some tips posted here: http://nosugarsweetlife.com/content/reboot-tips-love-yourself-more. I think you did the right thing though - make your juice first, then prep family meals. And if you need to, remove yourself from the situation/temptation. Sometimes in the evenings if I was really craving a "meal" w/the family, I would heat up in a bowl some of my homemade v8 juice and eat it like soup. Somehow it just made it feel more like I was "eating" with everyone else. Or even some veggie broth that way every once in awhile can be good. Hopefully that helps!!

Submitted by Kat - July 17, 2012 - 5:01pm

What an incredible change and so great for you in so many ways! :) I'm glad you're able to share this

Submitted by Shirley - July 19, 2012 - 5:07pm

I find life easier the more weight I lose. I was skinny all my life-but when I was 32 and pregnant I quit smoking and gained 50 lbs-fast! It has been nearly 5 years of discomfort and avoiding mirrors-I used to love shopping and couldn't pass a mirror without looking at me-I was beautiful-long ago. My life is starting to be more in balance now-no longer vain-no lpnger feeling superior than "fattyies" like I used to-I never want to return to the shallow person I used to be before gaining the weight. I am letting God mold me into a new creature all together-hopefully to help others too one day like you are.

Submitted by Susan S. - July 21, 2012 - 10:56am

I've read a lot of blogs and have enjoyed them. But, yours touches me, and I always make sure to read what you say. I like that you're real, you have great recipes, and I look forward to reading them. Keep up the great work!

Submitted by kelly - July 25, 2012 - 4:11pm

THANK YOU for the really sweet comment... that made my day!!

Submitted by Tonya M. Campbell - July 23, 2012 - 8:38am

I have lost 30 pounds now and I can relate to your before and afters...keep up the good work.

Submitted by kelly - July 25, 2012 - 4:12pm

Congrats on 30lbs! That's wonderful!!

Submitted by Jimm - July 31, 2012 - 9:24am

Nice work!

Submitted by Suzanne - August 13, 2012 - 9:51am

I am curious- how much do you think your diet had to do with your difficulty in running more than a minute or two at a time? Or was it just that you began to exercise and get in shape?

Submitted by kelly - August 14, 2012 - 7:28pm

I think most of my weight-loss (almost 90%) was just related to food / changes in diet. 10% was exercise. I lost the first 40+ pounds without adding any regular exercise in. When I started running, I was just out of shape and my lungs couldn't handle running more than a few minutes at a time. I do live at 5,280 ft so that made a difference too! I'm not sure if that answers your question. Feel free to ask me more :)

Submitted by Alex @ Intoxicology101 - August 18, 2012 - 12:16am

Great story, I just stumbled on your blog from facebook. Awesome story, keep it going!

Submitted by kelly - August 18, 2012 - 11:46pm

I checked out your site too, wow!! Very cool. If you ever need any "Healthy Living" Cocktail recipes/posts let me know :) I started a "Healthy Living Thirsty Thursday" series where I post a new juice, cocktail, or smoothie each week. http://nosugarsweetlife.com/content/big-announcement-pink-leopard-cockta...

Submitted by Sarah @ RunSingTeach - August 22, 2012 - 5:17pm

I'm so glad I found you today. I am really struggling with my weight and for the first time I am officially obese. (And I coach running!!!) You are now in my reader and I can't wait to read more from your journey.

Submitted by kelly - August 22, 2012 - 10:54pm

I'm glad you found me too! I look forward to interacting more. I am "training" for my first 5K, which will be on Sept. 29th. It's no marathon, but my first real race since losing weight. So I'm excited :)

Submitted by Lene V - August 25, 2012 - 5:12am

I just read some of the pages, and love your before and after.
Need to read more, not sure if you cut out bread etc for good?
I love my homemade (healty) buns, and so do my son.
Im alone with my almost 2yr old son, so would love to get some more energy, AND loose weight!
So will be following here from Denmark- EU :)

Submitted by Sam - February 14, 2013 - 10:50pm

You are truly amazing, I just found this blog and absolutely positively love it!!! I haven't found a blog that I have really enjoyed reading and then HELLO!! An inspiration to all :D

Submitted by kelly - February 15, 2013 - 9:52am

Thanks for your sweet comment, and welcome!! I hope you continue to enjoy my blog - and let me know if you have any questions about recipes or content along the way!
Submitted by Sara - February 18, 2013 - 2:59am

Kelly,
Thank you for this inspiring message. I think I'm going to really like your blog. I am starting to juice and I know that I'm going to love it. I am currently extraordinarily over weight. I am sick and sore all the time. I did a self check the other day and came to terms with what I needed to do. My journey is just now starting and I am looking forward to being healthy. I hope to be able to inspire others as you have.
Sara :-)

Submitted by Alex - February 24, 2013 - 10:07am

I found someone with so many things in common- as far as the lifestyle- and post-marriage weight gain
Thank you so much for inspiring me. Just the last push I need to start changing my life pernanently and for good.

Submitted by Lisa - March 12, 2013 - 10:43am

Wow this is great news! I am in day 3 of my juicing but have been leading up to this for 2 months now. So far I feel pretty good and was wondering how soon you see or feel results? I planned to take it one day at a time and go for a minimum of 3 days but since I am already there, I am going for a minimum of 5. I hope to make it a week or two. I want to feel better about myself and the need to feel healthier has been nagging me. So here I am. How soon do you feel different or experience weight loss? Just hoping for those first results to inspire me!

Thanks and great job!
Lisa

Submitted by Angela - March 16, 2013 - 9:00am

A vegetarian dietician from CA was picked on b/c of 15 extra pounds....an expert suggested she reduce her fat intake (although it was plant-based) from 25% to 10%. Her stubborn pounds melted. Hope this helps! You have definitely inspired me! I went without sugar for a full week and felt so good; I hope to make it a life habit....although the coffee creamer is a perk I may hang onto for a while :)

Submitted by Courtney - April 12, 2013 - 4:12pm

Hello there! I came across Nosh and Nourish through Pinterest (someone pinned your amazing butternut squash mac and cheese, yum!) and now that I've navigated through your website, I wanted to say that you are amazing, inspirational and beautiful on the inside and out! I'm looking forward to keeping up with your adventures. <3

Love from Hawaii,
Courtney

Submitted by Rachel - April 30, 2013 - 8:14am

You look great! Truly an inspiration. Keep up the great work so I can use your blog to motivate me! :)

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