August update!

It's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO exciting that people are really starting to notice and comment on my weight loss!!!! It is September and I'm proud to say that I've FINALLY hit 40lbs. off - since beginning this journey! WOOOO HOOOO! I know 50lbs. off will be even sweeter, but 40 feels damn good too!

Granted, I have a lot more to lose, I want to lose 70 before my wedding next August. But I am happy with my progress and recently have been re-energized with getting back to school and having a REAL schedule again.

Here are my most recent "before" and "during" shots (I'm not saying after till I'm at goal!)... they are in the right clothes --- but we took them on vacation, so don't mind the scenery!

WE'RE ENGAGED!!!

not a weight-loss post.......... but one that will effect my life in a WONDERFUL way ((and give me the BEST REASON IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD to continue to lose weight!!!!))

vinny and i are in new mexico this weekend - on our crusade to put our feet down in all 50 states (12 more to go after NM) and we had a hot air balloon ride schedule for this morning, LUCKY 7/7/07, at 6 am for the sunrise sail in the sky......................... well turns out vinny has reserved a private balloon - just the 2 of us and the guide. we're in the sky for 10 minutes and he says something to the effect of "how romantic is this?" and i, of course was in AWE and agreed it was SO romantic. THEN, he shares that he wrote a poem he wants to share with me. he asks me to turn and face him and he reads this poem he had in his pocket.................. i'm speechless as i listen to the SWEET SWEET romantic words he's reciting. THEN, he gets to a line that makes me go "OMG OMG OMG WHAT ARE YOU DOING??????????????" he contines, and as you can tell - the end of the poem was him asking me to spend the rest of my life with him. he got down on one knee (which was NOT an easy task for a 6'6'' man to do in that little balloon basket) and asks me if i'll marry him.

IN ONE WORD, IT WAS................................ PERFECT!



UPDATE: We were engaged on 7/7/07 ---- we'll be married on 8/8/08!

March update: I am down about 25 lbs.!!!!!!!!

I wish it were more... but of course when you have weight to lose you want it gone like YESTERDAY. So, I am trying my hardest at being patient as well! I am pleased with 25 lbs. gone... as long as it stays gone FOREVER!

What can I be doing better: EXERCISING MORE! I go to curves 2-3 times a week and I KNOW I need to make it there more like 4-5 and I'd also really like to get my ass out of bed earlier and do some kind of cardio in the morning to get my system reved up and ready to go. Maybe get those dusty Tae-Bo tapes back out? Or run on the elliptical for 30 minutes? We have a gym right here in our apt. complex. I really should take more advantage of it than I do.

Anyway, that's all for now - Till you hear from me again.. I'll keep on truckin'!

March Photo Updates:

and here is one of those over-lays again... this is my 3 month pic on top of my original "before" pic:

February Update...

OK - the first month of a diet is always bitter sweet! Changing your eating is SO difficult. Cleaning out the house of all the bad stuff... HARD AS HELL! Throwing away a bag of hershey's kisses is like asking me to cut off my hand! haha -- But I did it! I'm doing well... and the "sweet" part would be the reward we receive from all the hard work and sacrifice: So far I've lost 19 lbs.

Instead of taking the same old pics in the same old way... this month I had a friend who has photoshop, do an overlay for me. So this is February's side comparison (where I noticed changed) on top of December's "before" pic. It's nice to see progress already!!!!! That will certainly excite me to keep going.............

New Year... New Me!

Ok... so I am almost 30 years old... I have a feeling an engagement is closely around a corner & I don't want to be a fat bride... And even if I don't have a wedding soon, my sister's is this September, and I'd like to look good for that! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, time to get serious about dieting! In 2007, I am going to watch my carb and sugar intake and try to stay low fat and high protein. I started in December and have been doing pretty good.

In 2007, I will make a more conserted effort to workout regularly, as well as eat right. And I will track my progress here! To you all, I welcome any tips on recipes or workouts! And of course any encouragement you have to offer!!! :)

I do not feel comfortable posting my weight tracker - however, I will let you all know I have 145.5 lbs. to lose to hit my ultimate goal. (I know I have a long way to go.. but you have to start somewhere, right?)

Although up and down and crazy inbetween, I've lost 16lbs. this year. I am going to count my weight loss from my highest ever weight (just a month or so ago) to my ultimate goal! :)

So, update 1: Jessica down 16 lbs. and counting.........................................

The beginning of Jessica's Journey...

OK - here I sit on December 10th, 2006. Sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. I am out of breath when I walk up the stairs into my apartment. I no longer look in the mirror and see a beautiful girl. I try and try to find "postitive" things to think about myself... but it is becoming more and more difficult because I am just unhappy with ME.

I keep bugging my boyfriend, Vinny, about why he won't have the "marriage" conversation with. But if I don't like myself --- how can I expect him to want to talk about spending the rest of his life with me?

So today, I commit to changing my lifestyle. Changing the way I eat forever. Changing ME! Finding ME! So, this is why I named the blog what I did... The journey of finding Jessica... I'd like to thank all my friends and family in advance for their support and encouragement as I move forward. I won't be able to do it without you.

Much love, Jess

Here are my first official "before" pictures... I read somewhere that you should take pictures once a month in the same clothes to view your changes... so we'll try that out for continued motivation!!!