100 pounds down? Yep, that’s *this girl*. Honestly, I’m still in shock that I’ve come this far. In fact… 100.2 pounds!

100 pounds of fat — on a table. Because who doesn’t normally put 100 pounds of fat there?

Mind you, this hasn’t been a fast process at all; it was September of 2013 when I took my first step on this journey, so it’s taken me more than two years to lose 100 pounds. But on the flip side, it feels surreal, because I honestly thought I wouldn’t be able to join the ranks of the big losers, again. But here I am, back in the Century Club, and believe me, I’m proud and happy to be here.

The last few months have been the most miraculous. Weight loss, for me, is a constant process of experimentation; if something doesn’t work, try something else — balanced with the doubts of whether I’ve given something all the chances I should have before making a change. There just simply is no way to know what works without trying a variety of methods and hoping, once you find a good combination, that you can ride that out for a bit.

That’s where I’ve been these past seven months or so; I found a good combination, and I’ve been riding it. I’m sure at some point I’ll have to adjust; I suspect that point might be coming soon, but I’m mentally prepared to keep plugging away at it.

Because 100 pounds of loss is nothing to sneeze at. This journey has been one of opposites; hard work, and yet easier than I thought it would be. Slow, but faster changes than I expected at different points along the way. Frustrating at times; rewarding at others. With these polar opposites, I’ve had to ride the waves and make sure at every ebb and flow that my mind is in the right place. Sometimes, that battle has been very difficult, and yes, I have always had part of me that whispers “too much work, no one cares, eat what you want!”

I am surrounded by people who want me to succeed — and I truly believe that has made the biggest difference, over previous attempts to lose weight and regain health. Transparency has made this a very interesting ride; when I’ve all but dropped off the face of the earth, wanting to just give up, there’s always been someone who has reminded me to return to my focus and goals.

Truly, to those of you who have been there for me, I owe you a huge Thank You. There have been several times I would have been happy to just disappear, but you haven’t let that happen. Make no mistake — I’m on this journey for myself, but my family and friends are my largest consideration and I owe a debt of gratitude to those who continue to be there for me as I keep taking each step forward.

It’s been all about taking risks and taking chances. I wouldn’t say I’m a changed person, although I am, in many ways; perhaps it’s more accurate to say that I’m peeling away what really isn’t me, and returning to my core. That ultimately makes this the trip of a lifetime — and I’m enjoying the journey.

Thanks.