Can You See a Difference?

Any difference between these photos besides a little less than two months (and a 180 degree flip)?

Okay, so I had to change jeans, but that is the same top, same phone, but different me!

Today marks the official 15 lb day, with another 15 (or 20) to go! I need to figure out how to treat myself for a halfway mark.

Clothing for Future from the Past

So I have been successfully losing weight! 170 pounds on October 22nd, and now 155.5 as of this morning the 14th of January. Not too darn shabby if you as me. Now this means I have options. A lot of my clothing is no longer useable or is headed that way soon due to:

• weight loss! (mostly shirts and underwear/bras)
• age (yeah, most of my jeans are pushing 6 years old now, and many of my shirts too)
• abuse (shirts and pant legs)

When I started on this whole getting-healthy kick I made a pact with myself (and the hubby) that I could have $1 per pound lost as well as $1 for each day I stay in my calorie range...which means I have DATATADAH! $92.50 to use as I please!

Now I know I want a massage (at $50 a pop for the lady I fell in love with at my first massage), and I need clothing. Underwear and bras are taken care of for now...though more will have to appear once I reach stable weight. That leaves me needing new clothes--and that could be difficult.

You see, I am built a bit...curvy. Shirts are not made for people like me, nor are dress pants/skirts. Boobage just gets in the way a bit, and a waist also adds to the difficulty.

The solution? SEWING! I have the power of a sewing machine and a pretty good skill at using it. I also have an awesomely cheap second hand store here (Tienda de Segundas I love you!). At less than a buck a piece for most items I can buy a lot of clothing and still have room for notions (buttons, additions, buckles etc) to make the clothes my own.

My  first eyeopener to this was making a skirt for attending The Rocky Horror Picture Show (we put a showing on here twice a year and I occasionally attend). It started life as a too-small woolen plaid school skirt that hit me at the ankles. It ended as a not-quite-too-short skirt that fit me. The skirt is not quite finished and still needs a couple buckles and a more secure fastening device--pictures will  happen when I get that finished.  Yeah, yeah, I know, a grown woman fitting about in a school girl skirt...At least I have the figure for it again, and there are no complaints from the hubby! Total output for the skirt: $1 as I already had thread, so probably $3 total with fasteners and buckles. Yay!

So now I will be going on a shopping expedition to see what clothes could be easily altered to fit me and look nice all at the same time. Jeans I will probably still buy new, but shirts and skirts tend to be much simpler. I am going to have to find a good Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday afternoon to go, since that is the only time the shop is open.

I will, of course, try to have before and after shots when I remember. I did the skirt so fast (and on a whim) that I forgot to take a before. Oh well!

I AM Accountable--A Note to Me

I am accountable for my actions.

I put the food in my mouth.

I decide to exercise or not.

I am my own worst enemy. Not prednisone. Not RA. Not genetics. Me.

With positivity surrounding me, I am the only one who can choose whether or not to be healthy, whether or not to achieve what my body needs, what my husband craves, and what I want. The hardest part of this whole weight loss strategy is convincing myself that I am worth it. I am worth it. I want to be healthy.

I have told myself for so many years that I saw 140lbs as it flew by, and 135 would never happen. Well. Now I plan--No--WILL get down to 145. Depending on how I feel there, I will go on. But I am convincing myself that I WILL do it. Not can. Not might. Not should. WILL.

I know that I am not convinced yet...but I am much closer than I was a week ago.

I also am 5.5 lbs lighter (Hey, it may be water weight, but it has to come off some time!)