I don't show many before and after pictures of my weight loss because, quite frankly, I don't like the implication that there is a 'before' and 'after' me. I'm a work in progress, and my body is much more complex than being summed up by 'fat' or 'thin'.
So this is my 'before' and 'after' story for you:
Before I lost weight, I spent a lot of time with my kids. We were active, we had fun, we did tons of exciting things together. Our family has always been extremely physically active, despite what my waist line might have indicated.
My life was full, rich, and very, very happy.
But I would come home exhausted. Keeping up with the kids was- physically speaking- really hard work, and I remember being worried about what I would do when I just couldn't keep up to them any more...
Yesterday, I spent hours outside with my kids. We cross-country skied, we went on the kick-sled, I showed Charlie some of my tricks at the park (apparently I can do a pull up again. Cool!) and then we went ice skating.
I came home and didn't feel exhausted. In fact, I felt fantastic. The exercise, the fresh air, and the fun made me feel like a million bucks. I could easily have gone for another two or three hours of playing in the snow, and I knew that if they ran away on me, I'd always be able to catch them.
Knowing that I can keep up with my kids, even as they grow older, faster, stronger, and more demanding, is my 'after'. It is peace of mind that comes with knowing that I do not need to sit out of an activity because 'mommy is too tired' or 'mommy needs a break' is my reward. It is the hope that if I treat my body well, I may just earn myself one extra day/month/year in this beautiful life before my time expires.
Having ten thousand more days like the one I had yesterday is my motivation.
The camera can't capture that image. It won't tell you that story.
Because sometimes the drive to change your life has nothing to do with how you look.
Sometimes the most important 'after' changes happen on the inside.
