Weight At Work

Me & My Best Friend Michelle. This picure was  taken at company picnic Nov.'2010
(Just One Month before I began "My Journey To A New Me!")

It was only fourteen months ago that this picture was taken of me and my bestfriend, Michelle, at a company picnic.  I remember this pretty fall day just  like it was yesterday.  But what I did not remember so well was how big I was.  It is funny how our mind works.  I have no problem remembering the warm sun on my face, the messy hot dogs, and hanging out with my best friend, and I even remember how happy I was to take a break from my busy day to spend an hour outside enjoying a picnic on a warm 70 degree day.

At every company function we have several different people who walk around and take pictures of the employees and the event itself.  Most of the pictures that were taken of me over the past fourteen years have been "posed" pictures.  You know, the kind of pictures that you see the person with a camera around their neck or in their hand, and they are snapping pictures all around you.  In the above picture that was taken in November of 2010 I remember putting my plate of food down on the serving line table and standing with my best friend and giving them my biggest smile.  Later in the day the pictures were posted and I remember seeing the picture of us and commenting how good we both looked in the picture!

Well this trip down memory lane happened last week when one of my very good friends at work called me over to her desk.  When I arrived at her desk she told me "I don't want to offend you but there is something that I want to show you."  She then continued, "I was looking through some old pictures from company events and I ran across a picture that had me a little puzzled." I asked her what she meant and she continued.  "I saw some pictures that were taken at a company Christmas party in December of 2009.  I recognized all of the people in the picture but one."  I then looked over her shoulder and saw the picture on her computer monitor.  I also recognized the other people in the picture and looked a little closer at the person in the pink sweater.  My friend then spoke up and said, "The reason that I finally recognized the lady in the picture was because I recognized the pink sweater that she was wearing.  It is the pretty pink sweater that you gave me." 

Me and my good friend, Pam enjoying
our company Christmas luncheon - Dec. 2009

I didn't know what to say.  Who was this obese woman sitting at a table consuming who knows how much food?  I can't even remember what the food was at this meal but I remember all the desserts that I had packed into my body and how sick I felt later that afternoon. 

Desserts were my weakness! 
Christmas luncheon - Dec. 2009

All I felt after seeing the pictures was sadness.  Well I should say, sad and a little depressed.  You see, I still have a problem seeing myself in pictures from before I began my journey to a new me.  The weirdest part is if I "knew" that the picture was being taken, I was mentally prepared to view the picture when it was made available for viewing and my mind sort of gave me a "false" image of what I would see or rather, how I would see myself.  When these pictures were taken of me, I was unaware that they were being taken, therefore my mind did not have an opportunity to play its little trick on me.  I think that if I could really see myself the way that I looked back then,  I would have done something about it before that life changing event on December 11, 2010 when I began my journey to a new me.

Now enough of this sad story.  I want to share with you a little good news!  This past December our company had our annual Christmas luncheon and I remember decorating the conference room with elegance, I remember making healthy food choices, and I remember enjoying fellowship with my friends and co-workers.  What I did not remember was that I posed for a picture just before I left the luncheon with my friend, Della.  Below is the picture that was taken.  When I saw this picture there was no reason for my mind to play any games with me, because now I  can see for myself the results of what one year on my journey to a new me has done for my appearance and more importantly my health. 

Me & My Friend, Della at the company
 Christmas luncheon Dec. 2011

I don't know about you but I am already looking forward to seeing what my Christmas luncheon picture looks like for this year (2012)    My goal for 2012 is to lose 50 pounds.  I am so motivated to make it happen.  It is cold outside but I am really enjoying riding my new 21-speed bicycle and when the weather is warmer I know that I will be able to pedal farther and faster than I can now.  So here's to a fabulous New Year!