BEFORE and AFTER

These weight loss changes are 100% due to changing what I eat. I have not worked out  during the course of these 5 months. 

So many of you have asked for the BEFORE and AFTER photos. This decision was a difficult one as growing up in my household was not one for the faint of heart for many reasons, one of them being weight. My mother has struggled with an eating disorder since she was 11 years old and things like that cannot help themselves but must spread to the other members of the family as well. My parents had 4 daughters and 1 son and all of us are very conscious of our appearance and weight. 

I was married in October 2010 to a wonderful man and over the next 2 years the demons of my past burst their way into our marriage and caused a lot of confusion, chaos, depression, anger, frustration, sadness and loss. I gained 50 pounds as lethargy and depression took over and eventually exhaustion as I poured myself into my work. 

Please understand I'm not making any excuses. I just want you to know that there are reasons for someone to go from a seemingly fit, healthy lifestyle to just "letting myself go" without so much as a whisper of a fight. It was the way I coped, pushed my husband away and thought I should be treated. 

I also want to add that my husband never gave up on me and has continued to pursue me throughout all of this. It hasn't been easy and nobody is perfect. However both of us have continuously been working on ourselves and our marriage and ARE more in love today, stronger and committed than we were in our first and even second year. Marriage is hard, but worth each moment, and an opportunity to grow, change and heal, love, accept and move on (and so much more). 

So here I am, before and in progress. I cary my goal picture around in my wallet so that I can see my potential and stay away from temptation. I hope it's inspiring and gives you the motivation to keep working toward your goals and to begin healing and to love yourself and to take care of yourself.

Thanks, 
I believe you can do it too! 
LAURA

@ 180 lbs 

@ 143 lbs

THESE PICTURES ARE NOT FOR PUBLICATION OF ANY SORT. THEY ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR ADDS OR TO BE PUBLISHED ANYWHERE ONLINE, PRINTED OUT OR PASSED AROUND. THESE ARE MY PICTURES AND ANY MISUSE OF THEM IS AN ILLEGAL ACT. THANK YOU FOR RESPECTING MY RIGHTS TO MY PICTURES AND PRIVACY. I HOPE THEY INSPIRE AND ENCOURAGE YOU.