Over the weekend, I celebrated another year of maintaining my 100 pound weight loss. My yellow sunsprite rose came back again this year along with me.
For those that don’t know, the yellow rose bush is one I bought for myself as a gift for losing 100 pounds 3 years ago. It was kind of a straggler bush and on the discount section at the garden center. Like me, the rose bush just needed some love, attention, proper care and nutrition to bloom.
As is always fun, some comp pics.
Big smile in this picture because I had lost 20 pounds in 2004
Love Disney! From 2004 I will *not* be looking like this in January when we go again!
At the gym in February 2011
In 2011 at the Tulip Festival in May
I need more full body shots. I had almost none in my photo albums for the past year! All of me taking my own picture LOL!
This past year has been an interesting one. I have to say that I don’t know exactly what I weight right now. This is my scale.
No numbers! It’s a MaryLou’s Weigh scale which I got to review a couple years ago. Once you set a starting weight, the scale just tells you (by way Mary Lou’s perky voice) whether you are above or below your starting weight. I just got on it arbitrarily earlier this year and set it as a start point, so I really don’t know what the official number is. I am guessing about 5 pounds heavier than last year. That makes me a little nervous, I will admit. You just never know how slick the slippery slope can be.
I do feel good about my strength and have pretty good control of my eating most times. I am more relaxed about food as time goes by and feel fairly normal with it most times. I do get the occasional binges here and there, and I have spent some time this past year trying to correlate binges with the types of food I am eating and what is going on in my life to see if there is any connection. I think I might have found a wheat/binge correlation. I tend have trouble with snacking on days where I have wheat. Not all the time, but enough that I think that could be a contributing factor.
My exercise front has changed some in the past year as well. The biggie is a lot less running and heck of a lot more biking!
So onward another year, with some extra concentration to keep the weight off as I get older (eeek!).
I do have to say that I am about as happy and content as I have ever been in my whole life right now.
I will nurture this rose bush and myself and hopefully next year at this time we will still both be flourishing!
You are an awesome role model to look up to – and you’re right, the comparison to the rose is definitely true! Congrats on another year of maintenance, and continuing to learn along the way!
Thank you!
You are amazing and I hope to one day be able to post about my own anniversary:)
Thanks Karen!
Congratulations! You look so amazing. And I love that you celebrated with that rose (AND that’s blooming each year!). 🙂
The rose is quite the symbol for me and I couldn’t have picked a better one 😀
Thank you!
Congrats! Losing it and keeping it off.
Congratulations on keeping it off! I truly believe that keeping the lost weight off is the hardest part. Current losers may think otherwise but wait until they try and keep walking the walk long term.
I’m currently working on a post about my issues with grains and sugar, mostly wheat. I find the same thing, off wheat and added sugar, no urge to snack or binge. I can’t speak for the *everyone* but I suspect that wheat and sugar is at least in part the cause of the rampant obesity in the country.
Anyhoo, good post!
I think you are right. Between processed foods and wheat, could be a big answer.
Great post and I am so very excited for you. Such a huge huge accomplishment! It’s definitely worth celebrating!
Congrats, Lori! You are such an inspiration to me!
CONGRATS on keeping off the weight for another year! My one-year 100-lbs lost anniversary is on June 30th. Do you find it gets easier to keep the weight off as time goes by? The past year has been hell trying to keep this weight off! I hope it gets easier 🙂
Most times it is easier, although this last year has been a little harder. One can never let their guard down!
Happy Lose-Anniversary! You are such an inspiration!
congrats girl! you are so very motivating with all your workouts and eats. you have come so far and are showing us daily what a healthy life is like-thank yoU!
Happy Lose-aversary! It is such a pleasure to be here celebrating your third year of awesomeness!
I love the comparison to the rosebush who just needed some “love, attention, proper care and nutrition to bloom.”
I really enjoy reading your blog…you and John seem like such nice people!
Congratulations!!!
Thanks – we may seem like nice people, but you just never can tell LOL!
*applause* *applause*
You are definitely in full bloom!
Happy Anniversary Lori and grats on keeping it off, you’re amazing and such an inspiration for so many people!
Thanks Amber!
Congrats lady! You really did a serious commitment and it definetely payed off!, sexy garden btw =)
Congrats Lori! I’ve always loved how at peace with food you are. I love that you work for what you love too. Pretty rose bush, love that you have a physical reminder of your 100 lbs anniversary.
Even harder than losing the weight is keeping it lost. Congratulations!!!
COngrats on your loseaversary!!! Thats so awesome!! I cant wait til I can celebrate too!! Love your blog! So inspiring!!
CONGRATULATIONS, Lori! You know I know how difficult it is to maintain that kind of a loss. I need to come bike riding with you on some of those long rides.!
And I love that rose bush. I love that it looks so healthy–a good representative of you!
Congratulations, Lori! Your blog is a constant inspiration, from the eating to the cycling to your work-at-home habits!
Congratulations Lori, you have come such a long way, your story is so inspirational to me and others.
Losing the weight isn’t the difficult part, the maintaining is. You see so many people who lose weight and then gain it again but not you. You keep it steady for 3 years now.
Congratulations, Lori!!! Maintaining this over three years is an incredible accomplishment and you can rightly be proud of yourself. You are a real life inspiration to all of us! And I love the parallel with your yellow rose bush…
congratulations has never seem so TINY a word
too small for your amazing accomplishment.
Carla
Congratulations on another year of keeping the weight off. You are fabulous! Love the before and after pictures!
Congrats on your anniversary Lori!
Even though I’ve seen the “before” pics before, it’s amazing to me you ever looked like that because I see you as the thin, energetic woman you are now. What an amazing accomplishment. For anyone struggling to lose weight (like me) or people looking for additional drive to stay active and fit – you are such wonderful motivation on what a person can do when they put their mind towards being healthy!
Way to go!
Lori – just so in awe of all you have done! YOU ROCK big time! I love all the pics & how far you have come & all the learning & still learning!
So, is it Disney World or Disneyland? I wish Disneyland since I could meet you but I am guessing Florida for you – 😉
Congrats! You look absolutely amazing!
Once again I have to say I love how you are able to look at yourself so objectively. To me that says you WILL be a successful maintainer for sure. Keep up all this good work, you surely inspire many of us Lori!
Happy 100 Pound Lose-aversary! You are such an inspiration to me. I’m hoping to reach 101 pounds lost sometime this summer, maybe in time for my 4 year blog-aversary and can join you in the land of maintenance which is even harder than losing.
It is so true, we just need some love, attention, proper care and nutrition to bloom. Keep bloomin’ Lori!
YAY FOR YOU!
Congratulations Lori!! You are indeed an inspiration and a role model for us all!!! Enjoy your day, and the rose, like you, bloomed beautifully!!! 🙂
Congratulations on another year of that 100-lb loss! I know your web and bloggy friends are very proud of you! I’m glad that your life is going in the direction you want – mine is too! 🙂
Three years is amazing Lori!! I’m a true believer than maintaining weight loss is harder than the weight loss itself. Congrats on overcoming it!! Also, I dig that scale 😉
You are AMAZING!!! You know how much you inspire me..if not you should 😀 Keep rockin’!!!!
Lori Congrats on your Aniversary! What an amazing woman you are. And an inspiration to so many. Seriously you are one of the reasons I keep at it!