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Yesterday marked the 7th anniversary of the start of my weight loss journey. I’ve had to take a hard look at myself the past few weeks and realize that I have let myself spiral out of control again. Now I am faced with the difficult road ahead; to do it all again.
I’ve decided to share my personal story with you today because it’s time to hold myself accountable. I have started to type this post several times, but it never really felt right. I was worried I was getting a little too personal. I’ve read and followed other bloggers who have had similar battles with weight loss and it helps to know you are not alone.
If you are here to listen, I want to tell you how I lost 100 pounds and where I am at now. Let me tell you that this post is based solely on my experiences. I am not telling you what to do, I am telling you what worked for me.
For years I would not tell anyone about my weight loss unless they were a close friend. For some reason I felt embarrassed about the fact that I used to be so big. As I slowly started telling people, they were in shock, then amazed and then proud for me, hardly believing how much weight I had lost.
You wanna know my secret?
There is none.
It’s hard.
Healthy eating can be expensive.
Most of all, it takes work, planning and dedication.
It not just about what you eat, it’s about exercise.
You have to find what works for you.
And you have to stick with it. See yourself through the plateaus, they are bound to happen.
In December of 2007, I was home with my mom for Christmas. I had just graduated a semester early and was transitioning from part time to full time at my job. I am not really sure how we started talking about my weight, but my mom started harping on how concerned she was with it.
It was a difficult conversation, one that left me in tears. She told me about her friends who had diabetes and that she was worried that if something did not change, something similar would happen to me. I will never be able to thank her enough for the wake up call that changed my life. At that time I weighed 227 pounds.
Worst of all, I maybe went snowboarding 10 times that year. I was so overweight and out of shape that I could barely move. It was painful and not fun. I had gotten to the point where I couldn’t even snowboard anymore. This was heartbreaking.
I’m not going to sit here and say that I tried everything in the book to lose weight, because that’s not the truth. I had tried several things over the years like the Atkins diet, but nothing really stuck. Calorie counting is not for me either.
My brother and sister are naturally slim and athletic. I got the genes from my dad’s side of the family, which is short and stout. I wasn’t always that way though. As a little girl, I was pretty tiny up until about 5th grade. I started hanging out with a new group of friends, and my parents were going through a divorce. I remember that after that 5th grade year, I was never comfortable in my body again.
My mom offered to help me because she knew I could not do it alone. She had a coworker who had been doing Weight Watchers (WW) and was having success with it. My mom wanted me to try it. Of course I was skeptical, fearful and unsure where to begin.
The first month, my mom and I worked together. She helped me calculate points and offered food suggestions from her coworker. I began to establish a routine that was manageable. I remember some days being more difficult than others. I don’t recall the specific timeline, but somewhere around the beginning of February, I had lost 5 pounds. I could not have gotten through that first month without her.
I couldn’t even believe it, I had never lost weight like that, and that made me motivated to try harder. I joined WW on February 26th 2008 and weighed in at 222 pounds. I found a meeting that was close by and took place after work. I also happened to love the group leader. I started attending meetings weekly.
June 10th, 2008 I hit my 10% goal weighing in at 199.4. I can’t even tell you what that meant to me. I had lost 27 pounds in just 6 months just by changing my eating habits. It was just a couple weeks later that I went home for my brother’s graduation. I was feeling so great. People who I had not seen in months were amazed at what I had done.
Sometime during that year, I started taking a Jazzercise class as a form of workout. I never liked going to the gym, and since I worked late hours, I didn’t really have the time. At some point, I started being able to run for the first time in years. I remember during one of my trips to Asia, I was running down the street, looking up at the smog thinking, I can’t believe I am actually running right now.
I actually really looked forward to the WW meetings because I was losing weight. Even during the time that I plateaued, it helped keep me on track. What was different for me than a lot of the members is that I didn’t have a food addiction.
Often people would tell stories about having to spray their food (already in the garbage) with chemicals just so they would not pick it out and eat it. I had no idea what that was like. I simply had a HORRIBLE diet and no idea about portion control.
What WW taught me is how to eat better and how to eat in control. You can’t just scoop yourself a bowl of pasta if you are trying to lose weight. Chances are you are eating two or three times more than you should be.
Over the course of 3 and a half years, I ended up losing 100 pounds. Fast forward to July 2011 and I weighed a mere 127 pounds.
During that time I went through a lot of change. In 2008, I traveled so much for work that I collectively spent about 3 months at home. I was in Asia, a LOT. It was really hard to stay on track, but even when I gained weight, I never let it get me down. I had to keep going. At one point I even put on 10 pounds after being overseas for 6 weeks.
I moved to California in 2009. When I moved here, I had lost 75 pounds. Uprooting myself from Vermont was really difficult. I didn’t know anyone here besides my sister. I found a job after 6 weeks, but I was commuting 2 hours a day. I joined a gym for the first time and focused on new and different ways to lose weight.
The last 10 pounds took me a whole year to lose. It was hard to see myself through that but I was so happy about how far I had come and I was just happy to be maintaining.
I went back to Vermont for one of my best friends weddings in 2011. I hadn’t seen most of the people (primarily friends from college) at the wedding in over 3 years. Needless to say, they hardly recognized me. That felt so good. They only knew me as “big” girl.
Later that summer I started dating my current boyfriend. He was/is my first boyfriend. For the first time in my life, I knew what it was like to have a boy who was cared about me as more than a friend.Transitioning into a relationship also wasn’t easy. I wasn’t just cooking for myself anymore. I started eating foods that I hadn’t had in 4 years, like pizza. Oh man, I missed pizza. We went out to eat ALL THE TIME. My five day a week workouts were greatly reduced.
So I put on a little love weight, maybe 5 pounds, and probably 10 pounds after 2 years. This was a big deal for me. I had not gained weight like that in years. We did 60 days of the Insanity workout, but I only lost 5 pounds. That was 2 summers ago and I haven’t weighed 130 since then.
It’s hard. It’s hard to maintain. You don’t just lose the weight, you have to keep it off. I told myself that my body was happy from 130-135, but I wasn’t happy with myself. You can take the fat out of the girl but you can’t take the “fat girl” out of your mind. You will notice this is the first time I have used the word fat in this post. It’s because I despise that word.
No matter where I am in my weight, I fear I will never be happy with myself. Even at my lowest weight, I still had love handles. My stomach wasn’t flat. My thunder thighs still jiggled. I am not built to be a twig.
But I am strong. I am healthy. I went from having and obese BMI to having a healthy BMI. These are the things I have to constantly remind myself of.
Slowly over the past 2 years, I have put on about 30 pounds, half of that was in the last 8 months. I had some personal and professional issues this past year that have led to increased weight gain. I’ve shed some tears over the fact that I let it get this out of control.
I’ve tried at times to get fit and eat healthy, but I never stuck with it. Since I wasn’t seeing any quick results, I was frustrated. I kept falling off track.
Dessert blog? Probably not the best hobby from someone who has difficulty with their weight. At least one of my love handles is made up of frosting, cookies, bacon and some muffins. I use my blog as an excuse to try desserts everywhere I go. Things I NEVER would have eaten on WW.
The past couple of weeks, I have had to take a hard look at myself. WAKE UP JULIANNE. It’s gone too far and it’s time for a change! This might sound stupid to you, but the most difficult part right now is that hardly any of my snowboarding stuff fits. This is a huge deal for me. Usually I am so excited to go through my piles of outerwear and decide what to wear. It’s not like that anymore. That is frustrating.
Part of this whole weight loss thing is the fact that there came a time when I could actually shop at the same stores as my friends. As I went from XXL to XL to Large and eventually medium, my wardrobe changed with me. I have to say it has been awesome.
But now, a lot of my clothes don’t fit. I am wearing oversized clothes, trying to hide what’s underneath. I haven’t worn jeans in WELL over a year. And I have gone from buying small and mediums to larges.
Enough is enough.
December 26th was the first day of the New Year for me.
I got a Fitbit for Christmas and I went back to the gym. They just opened a gym a very close to my house, which has made things so much easier. I do really love the variety of classes they offer.
I started off with 30 minutes on the stair climber. After my second day, I knew that would not be enough to move the needle. So I started walking 15 minutes on the treadmill. Anything you can do to MOVE MORE will help. Anything. Find what works for you.
I have started cooking again. I really missed cooking. Granted I have been off of work since before Christmas; I need to make it a point to cook when I go back to work. Plan your meals, it will be so much easier!
I am cooking healthier.
I am measuring out portion sizes of my food.
I do some sort of activity every day.
I am drinking more water.
I am making it a point to eat more vegetables, because it isn’t all about eating fruit.
My boyfriend is incredibly supportive. He has been eating the same foods as me most of the time, and if he doesn’t like what I am making, he will make something for himself. I am always so concerned to make sure that he is eating. He keeps telling me that I need to stop worrying about him. He has even started walking with me in the evenings.
Every day when I come home from the gym, he tells me how proud he is of me for trying to get back on track, because he knows how important this is to me.
2015 is going to be a heck of a year.
Two of my best friends got engaged in 2014! I am expecting lots of fun wedding stuff this year.
I will get back into jeans.
My outerwear WILL fit better before the end of the season.
I will be trying to make more healthy recipes here on Beyond Frosting. But let’s face it, this is a dessert blog and desserts are what I love. I am just going to try to offer some alternatives as I start my weight loss journey all over again. Search “skinny desserts”.
It will be hard.
I am not 22 anymore; my metabolism has changed. I need to remember that I can do this and it takes work, and time.
I am going to be using my monthly mixers as a way to keep you guys updated on my status, but more importantly, as a reminder to myself of the work I have put in and where I am currently.
I wrote this post because I want you to know that it CAN BE DONE. You just have to find what works for you, and it has to be a long term solution. Fad diets don’t work. This is a life change. You can still have your cheat days, but just get back on track. No matter what, get back back on track.
I would love to hear from you. I can’t do this alone and neither can you! Please feel free to email me with any questions. Beyondfrosting@gmail.com
I started pinning more to my Healthy Eating Pinterest board and my Skinny Desserts board. I’ve got a few skinny recipes coming up in January. You can also follow along on my Instagram, I be using #bfgoals15.
Thank you for listening and I hope you will follow along with me over the next year. Let’s do this thing!
This post is not sponsored by or affiliated with Weight Watchers International, Inc.
Skinny Chocolate Pudding Cupcakes (only 4 WW points!)
Low-Fat Funfetti Cheesecake Ice Cream
Happy New Year!! Such an inspiring story and exactly what I needed to read today. While it’s not easy to share, thank you for sharing.
I agree, weight loss is such a difficult journey and one that doesn’t end when you hit goal. I’m definitely feeling the need to get myself back on track. ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you so much Holly, sometimes I feel like when I put things out there it helps hold me accountable to! <3
I truly enjoyed reading this portion of your website. How inspiring. This is “real talk” and how many people feel – Can it be done? –
Am working on re-doing it myself after being overweight for many years. You are an inspiration – will keep your page on my PC for encouragement. Especially the exercise portion of it. Once I could do everything but not so much now. Walking up a slope just kills me now…..need to do a little at a time as you started.
Thank you for the wonderful “real” story…..and encouragement.
Would love to know where you are with your journey! I started mine just under 6 months ago and just hit 50lbs lost! (Only by counting calories. Will start walking once the weather warms up.) By my 1 year anniversary I hope to be down at least another 50. Then will set my final goal. I would love to lose a total of around 150. So I’m a 3rd of the way there!
I too love to bake. And have been getting asked a lot to do cakes/cupcakes for friends. I was just thinking…if I keep baking this much, it’s going to make it hard to keep the weight loss going because you have to taste what you make. Well at least I do so I know I’m delivering something delicious!
Would love to hear an update on where you are today!
Hi Allie, thanks for your kind note. I did an update at the start of this year- see this post: https://beyondfrosting.com/hashtag-real-talk-vol-1/
HUGE congrats to you. That is a major major milestone!! The way I handle the tasting is to only take small bites, 2 max. I only taste what I need to, like the cupcake. If I have made the frosting before, no need to taste again. It also helps if you don’t lick the spatulas clean after your done. Every little bite counts! Please keep in touch!
Julianne,
I’m so proud of you! I remember when we first met and tanning before the wedding.
You’ve come along way baby!
Healthy eating is key!! So lets work on some sugar free desserts 🙂
Love you girl!!
Patty,
Hi Julianne,
I just came across your blog while searching for some good cupcake recipes and I was so surprised at your weight loss story, especially finding it on a dessert blog! I’m still wiping tears away. 🙂 I also have a long weight loss journey ahead of me (I’m at square one of your story), and I wanted you to know that your story really inspired me. I give you so much credit for achieving what you did, even with the backslides! What prompted me to comment is that I’ve discovered a love of baking recently, which is NOT conducive to weight loss, however you’ve shown me that with a LOT of willpower, dedication and hard work, you CAN have your cake and eat it too (pun intended haha)! I hope to also attain the achievements you’ve described (not to mention wearing jeans again) and I wish you all the best in your continuing journey. Thank you!
Wishing you all the strength, courage and determination and (not luck). It’s not luck that will help you loose weight but I believe these other qualities will. It’s never easy, I have lost a stack of weight nearly 3yrs ago and my biggest fear is putting it all back on. I don’t want to go back to that but find the battle is with the mind (i’d like it one day not to be but for now it still is, I’m sure you can relate). I need to get back on track so will be looking forward to your updates for encouragement too. I would like to loose 7kgs ( 15.4 pounds) permanently. I never got to my goal weight so that is my mental game. Keep up the good work! x
Thanks so much for this post! After being off the healthy eating wagon for several years, I decided to get back on and started WeightWatchers at the beginning of January. Even though I lost 6.4 lbs in the first month, I found this week extremely challenging (mostly because I’d been slacking on the planning and had been making poor spur-of-the-moment choices), and your post gave me the inspiration I needed!
Umm that was a really long comment…sorry!
I am awed that you have put this out there. I know this could not have been an easy post to write or to share. It was truly inspirational. And I understand that little voice in your head that you called the “fat girl”. I have one. It can be so incredibly hard to drown her out with positive affirmations, but I know you can do it because you are so much more than just your weight! You are clearly so incredibly strong!
One of the things that helped me stay excited about the gym is writing down all my workouts. That way when I am having a blah day or I just don’t feel inspired or very motivated, I pull out my book of workouts and flip through until I find one that sounds good. I’ve scanned a lot of my older ones into my computer and I would be more than happy to send them to you if you want. Changing up my workouts everyday helped my No-Longer-20 self shed some weight, because you are right, it is way more difficult now. Anyways…just email me. Or you can call me…Lindsay has my #.
All I have to say about your goals for 2015 is Get it, girl! You have GOT this! Xox
ps- I would kill for your calves in that bridesmaid picture! for serious.
You go gurl! What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Please don’t stop baking, I love your blog!
Wow. I read this yesterday and boy did I ever get inspired. Thank you for sharing and inspiring me as well as others. The second half of 2013, I lost 40 lbs. I had a goal to lose 40lbs before my 40th birthday and totally made my goal. Somehow though, in 2014, I lost my way and got off track and 15lbs have found their way back onto my body. ARGH!! That’s almost 1/2 of what I worked so hard to lose. I knew I had gained a few, but 15lbs?!?! I didn’t know it was that bad. So reading your blog post and seeing all your hard work and knowing that I’m not the only one who struggles has kicked my butt into gear. I’m in the same boat as you, having a food blog where 99.9% of it is mainly desserts is hard, but we both can find that inner strength we had before. Best wishes to you this New Year!!
Hi Shannon! Congrats to you! That is no easy task! I am trying not to set my expectation TOO high for this year. The goal is to start to lose and get my brain back on track with eating healthy and exercising. Lets do it!
I know what you are going thru almost 15 years ago i lost 150 lbs. Iam now 58 years old and over the past year hav gained a paunch! my weigth has not changed much but no matter what I do I can’t seem to lose it. This christmas season has really been hard on me and i’m afraid to look at the scales but just reading your story inspires me to get back on the right track and not lose track of me!
Kathy, that is just incredible. You did it once, and I know you can do it again. I keep my scale in the bathroom, right by the shower and see it every day. For months I did not step on it, I didn’t want to know. But crazy enough, seeing those numbers staring back at me was motivation enough to get back on track. I know you can do it! I am rooting for you!
What a great post! Be proud of what you accomplished before and knowing you can achieve it again. Two years ago I lost 17lbs within 4months, to get back down to my wedding weight. It took a lot of planning, determination, will-power and sweat at the gym. Once I hit my goal the whole concept of maintiaining was lost on me. I was still eating well and working out, but my body said whetever. Slowly all the weight came back on. I still eat heatlhy and control portions and workout everyday, but now I realize the importance of changing up your workout routine and sadly, staying away from sugar. Not fun for this girl with a huge sweet tooth. I started the journey to lose 12lbs by the end of April recently. I look forward to your healthier recipes and good luck!!
Hi Niki! That is wonderful! It takes so much work and determination to do that. I know exactly what you mean about maintaining. It sure is harder than loosing the weight. I know you can lose this 12lbs! Please come back and share your updates!
You don’t even know how many people you are going to help with this post, Julianne! Like myself. I have a good 15-20 lbs that I hate after having babies. I hate going swimming and having photos taken of me. The weight all sits in my upper tummy and it needs to go. You are awesome. I can’t wait to read more about your journey!
Hi Mandy, thank you so much for your kind words. I know my mom has always struggled with similar problems after my little brother was born via C-section. I didn’t write about it in this post, but planned to share it in the future. I am terrified of gaining weight during pregnancy, and not being able to lose it. I am stressed already about something that is so far away from where I am at right now. I can’t help but know that I am going to have to do this again. I am just trying to stay focus on the now, and get myself healthy again. Thank you for sharing your story.
i love reading posts like this!! You are so incredible and inspiring 🙂
Hi Ashton! You are one of the bloggers who inspired me to write this. I have always followed your skinny saturday posts and the various stories you have shared. Thank you for being so open with us! It is inspiring to me!
This is so amazing, Julianne! You are such an inspiration and I am so glad we met last year!! I feel the same way as you…I am about 25lbs over what I was a few years ago and I let work and life get ahead of ME. I did WW and want to do it again, but its pure laziness…are you doing WW too?? Have you thought about doing some kind of facebook group to stay accountable?
Hi Samantha! Yes I am! I have been doing it for 2 weeks now and working out daily. I think I may have lost the first 2 pounds, but I am having a hard time trusting the scale until I see it for a few days in a row! Let me know if you need anything!!
Girl! I am so so proud of you for your bravery in sharing this post! You are truly incredible, and I feel like sharing the ups and downs (literally and figuratively) of weight loss can be so helpful to so many people.. There is this idea of losing weight, and then being “finished”, but dealing with the unfinished-ness is often the hardest part. We’re always going to fluctuate and go through periods in our lives that are more or less healthy than others, but the most important thing that will never change is your awareness. You will NEVER be where you were before, because you have the drive and the awareness. It’s hard to get back on track, but once you start, you remember how great it makes you feel. I adore you, and if you ever want someone to check in / bitch about the stupid scale / commiserate / goal set / whatever with, just know that I’m here, and you don’t have to do this alone! xoxo
Hi Ari!! Meeting you last year and talking about our journeys was amazing! YOU are the one I am proud of!
Loved this post! Wishing you an awesome 2015 on your new journey!!
Thank you so much Jaren!
Congrats on your successes!! It’s so cool that you were able to do this while posting tasty desserts and enjoying things like that 🙂 that’s the dream! 😀
Hi June, thank you. I am just trying to figure out how to balance it.
Julianne- you and I share a bestie & I was at the wedding you were at in the photograph above. You looked great then and you look great now! I’ve struggled with weight issues the past several years due to a lot of reasons. I think the two most important things I’ve learned (& am still learning!) are to come up with a realistic workout routine that involves several types of exercises that I can maintain as a lifestyle and to love myself. When you love yourself, you don’t want to punish yourself with food. The mind is so powerful. It can make you an enemy of yourself. Good luck on your journey. Be good to you. Truthfully, I think you look healthy & beautiful just as you are now.
Hi Lauren!! Thanks for commenting :). You are totally right. When working out is not something you love to do, you have to find sustainable, long term exercise. Thank you for your kind words.
I just wanted to send you a quick note. I saw your post and read it and I’m still not sure if I have found the right words to write but I had to comment! I am so, so happy for you and had no idea. I was small when I was little, bigger after 4th grade and big until 11th grad when I, got super skinny and then 8 years ago when I got married I gained a ridiculously amount of weight and am working to get it off, but it’s freakin rough. Your post is such an inspiration to me, Thank you so much for writing it. You’re too awesome! Hugs!
Hi Angie! Thank you so much. I know you can do it! Let do it together!
I know how difficult it is to open up about weight loss. Thank you for sharing your story. Know there is a group of people not only supporting you but walking through the same journey. With you. We need to share our stories to help people know it is possible to lose weight and keep it off. This April will be my 7th year anniversary of my weight loss journey. I went from 295 down to 150 in 3yrs. This last year I went down to 124, I now weigh 135 but want to lose the ten pounds I’ve gained this last couple of months. It was great to read your story to help inspire me. Good Luck:)
Wow Rebehah! That is amazing! Congrats to you! I can certainly relate. It is really hard to maintain at that level without killing yourself. Celebrate your successes and focus on how afar you have come!
I know how you feel about your weight loss and then gaining some weight back. I joined WW and lost 50 pounds. In the last year I have gained 25 pounds back, I am also ready to get back on track. Thanks for the inspiration…..
Debbie, that’s incredible. 50 pounds in amazing and no easy task! We are in the same boat, so let’s keep in touch and get back on track together. I went to a meeting today and every time I stay for a meeting I am so inspired by the stories around us!
God Bless you!! So many of us are faced with this challenge our whole lives. Not something that we are proud of, but, it’s in our genes and it’s up to us to make the change and hope that we can sustain the weight losses that we have. I have struggled for years with my weight. It’s been on the up swing lately and, I too, am bound and determined to get this weight off again. I have a treadmill , elliptical trainer and all kinds of videos and work out tapes (I just bought the P90X…wish me luck). I also have access to multiple gyms through my job but have not utilized them but very little. I am hoping that with your posts (and everyone’s feedback), both successes and failures, that we can all find something that will work for us to achieve our ultimate goal of losing our weight again….for the second, third, forth or even hundredth time. We are all in this together and wishing you the best of luck and much success in your venture to a new and exciting YOU! :O)
You are 100% right Kim!! Thank you so much for your feedback and good luck with P90X- I am not sure I could handle that! I do love my Insanity and T25 videos though!
I’m so so proud of you for sharing your story. It takes a whole lot of courage to do that. Just know that you are not alone. I too have fallen off the healthy path and am making some big life changes in 2015. I Already started my new workout routines last week and i am determined to stick with it instead of dropping out 3 weeks into the program. I’m excited to follow along with your journey. I know you can do it. Feel free to message me if you need anything at all! <3
Thank you so much Holly. I am excited to hear about your progress as well!
2015 is a big year for me too! I haven’t been fit since high school and I am quite frankly tired of it! I am joining a gym hopefully today or Monday. I am a group fitness junkie so I will be doing a lot of zumba and tabata classes!
Let me know if you want an accountability partner!
I loved my Zumba class! They are too popular here and often crowded. The more fit I got the more variety of classes I started to mix in. Kickboxing was my FAVORITE! As long as there was a good teacher. I am cheering for you!! Let’s do this together!
omg, i’m dying over your post! I LOVE IT! Good for you for sharing it! You know about my story too! And I’ve been feeling so similar lately – did you see my smoothie post today? Definitely NOT a cake, haha. We will do it together!! Annnddd now I’m going to just call you. Hard to type everything. 🙂
I am lucky to have a friend like you in my life.
Thank you
You are welcome Heather. Thank you for reading.
I too have lost some major weight before. Then I moved to the land of large portions (Germany) in 2010. I have since gained 20 pounds. I want to get at least 10-15 of those off before Spring hits. I am committed to baking less treats for my teachers and moving more. I have a FitBit too. It is the best motivator. We can do it!
Oh man Sandy- I can’t even imagine. I am in love with spaetzle and schnitzel and I can only imagine how hard that is! I love my FitBit and everyday I am excited to reach my goal! Let’s do this thing!
I LOVE this post! I am a food blogger over at The Best Blog Recipes and I can totally relate. 2 years ago I lost 80 lbs (while blogging) and got all the way down to 160 and kept it off for a year until I got pregnant with my second son. Let’s just say a hard pregnancy and 10 weeks of bed rest and I gained 70 pounds. I just thought it would magically come off an it’s been 10 months and nothing. I’m still 70+ from when I got pregnant. I loved the honesty in your post because it is so hard being a food blogger and trying to maintain especially if it’s something you’ve struggled with your whole life! Good luck! We’re all rooting for you and sending good vibes your way 😉
What Shauna!! That is amazing! Congrats to you!! I honestly thought I would not be back into this situation until I was pregnant, and that is the one thing that makes me the most nervous about having children. You will know when the time is right to get yourself back on track. Sometimes we think we are ready but in reality, we aren’t. I am rooting for you- whenever that time comes! Please keep in touch!
You lost 100 Pounds!!!! That is SO inspiring!! You can absolutely do it again!! ( And you don’t have nearly as far to go as the last time!!) Don’t be so hard on yourself Julianne! You know you aren’t happy where you are at and you’ll make the changes necessary to bring it all back under control. I look forward to seeing your progress as you learn to balance a healthy lifestyle with dessert blogging. I’ll be looking for advice too because since starting my blog a year ago, I’ve gained at least ten pounds myself. It’s not easy!!
Thank you so much Renee, your words mean so much. You are right, I need to still focus on how far I have come!
You are NOT alone. I too need to get back watching what I eat. I admire you for writing this. I think it will help keep you from going astray. You will get back to where you want to be. I hope to also. I would like 20 lbs gone!! JUST DO IT!
Thank you for the encouragement Ruth! Let’s all do this together!
Thank you for sharing this Julianne!! It’s so incredibly brave to share a story like this. I’m where you are – somehow the last year has seen +15 pounds, on top of the 10 I already needed to lose…even with all the exercise. I’m trying to get the eating under control now…it’s so hard. I just got my fitbit too. Love it! Let’s help each other through this! #wecandoit #andbedessertbloggers 🙂
Yes Dorothy!!! I love my new FitBit! Re-learning my portion size will be the hardest part, but I started measuring and weighing food again. It’s working so far!
Julianne, I’m so glad you decided to share this story. I think I really really needed to read it! I’ve gained a little bit of weight the last few months, I think because I hated my job and had a long commute to work every day. Now I have a new job and I live closer, but I’m still finding it hard to find time for the gym. Like you said, there have been dozens of times when I’ve thought, “Having a dessert blog is probably not the best thing for this.” But I love it and I’m going to make it work somehow. 🙂 This year I’m hoping to post some healthier recipes too, plus exercise more, eat healthier, and cut out some processed foods. It’ll be hard because I’m a picker eater, but I’ve reached that point of “Okay, something has to change” as well. I’m looking forward to following along your journey. This has definitely inspired me! 🙂
Beth I totally feel you! Commuting is the worst, especially if it’s to a job you hate. I am glad to hear you have made some changes for the better! Right now, I am just trying to move more. If I can’t get to the gym, I am trying to walk a mile or do the stairs for 30 minutes. Anything helps! I look forward to seeing your healthier recipes as well! Cheer to the New Year!
This post is what “living an authentic life” is all about Speak your truth sister!
Very bold and honest. It allows everyone around you to be real. I hope some of your boldness rubs off on me. 2015. Bring it on, eh? Bring on those outer clothes for a lean, mean shredding machine. I am very inspired by your openness and sharing your story (and baking expertise as always!).
Thank you Jules. I am with you!
Thank you Debi! It helps to know I have people like yourself around me to cheer me on. I am also so lucky for PC who is always supportive and most important, motivated to lose like me!
Thanks so much for sharing your story! My weight is always fluctuating. I will gain 10 pounds, then lose 5, then gain it back and so on. It is really hard having a blog as well. Good luck in your journey, I know you can do it and there are a lot of people rooting for you. I look forward to your updates and your skinny dessert recipes!
Thanks Alyssa! I wish I could have taken the weight gain more seriously at the time, but I just was not there mentally. I am ready now and I am determined to do this!
I needed to read this today. I too lost over 100# about 7 yrs ago. and I too have gained most of it back. I told myself I would never do that to myself again, but here I am.. I am starting all over !!! I am now 75 and can no longer exercise due to healthy conditions. But , I will find some “exercise ” I can do and I WILL lose the weight again. Good luck in your journey !!! I am rooting for you !!!
Hi Jodie. That incredible that you lost the weight in the first place. We never know what challenges life will bring us and what that will do to us physically and mentally. All we can do is focus on small goals at a time. I wonder if you can do small things around your house to be considered “exercise”. Could you life small weights will watching tv? Can you walk around your neighborhood? Anything helps! I am here for you!
Thank you so much for being open and honest. I had lost 90 pounds 4 1/2 years ago and was beyond happy. It was such a joy to put on normal size jeans and cute little tops. Last Christmas I fell down a flight of stairs and injured my shoulder. That meant almost 3 weeks lain up and the end to my commitment to exercising everyday. I’m a baker too and almost 40 pounds crept back on very quickly. None of my family lives nearby and I’m sure they all thought “she’s letting herself go again” when they saw me this Christmas. I’m so disappointed, I had told myself that I would stay within a 3 pound range and not let it get out of control and I failed.l. You have helped give me the push that I did it before and I can do it again. Wishing us both much success!
Wow Amy! Congrats to you!! No one knows what you have been going through and the same is true for me. Who cares what they think! Prove them wrong and let’s get back on track! Do not focus on the past, and let’s look forward!
Such an inspiring post, Julianne! You should be proud of how far you have come. I think the new year is a great time to reassess and evaluate our goals. It is difficult to lose any weight and the fact that you lost 100 pounds is amazing. Happy New Year, friend! I can’t wait to follow along and try some of your delicious skinny desserts!
Thank you so much Ashley!! The hardest part will be surviving the conference, because I know I will be cheating!
I’m rooting for you!!!! I’ve been taking 30 pounds off and on for four years now. It does not get easier. I’m a calorie counter, no processed food, no treat dieter. That is what works for me. I can’t eat sweets if I want to lose weight. That’s why I love your blog so much. It is a pleasure to visit it. I wish you a ton of strength. You know everything you need to to succeed. I know for a fact you will!!! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Elizabeth! Congrats to you! That’s quite an accomplishment. It’s awesome that you have something that works for you!
What a truthful and soul-searching post. Thank you for sharing your story, the successes and the pitfalls. I, too, have been struggling with my weight. Sure, I did the WW thing and lost quite a bit, but over the past couple of years – and some serious health problems – I have put on quite a few pounds. Realizing and knowing there is a problem is the first step to resolving the issue, and I look forward to your posts and your walk along the way. Thanks again for sharing your health journey!!
Thank you Jeannette. You are absolutely right, you can’t fix the problem until you acknowledge it! I am really looking forward to staying on track!
YOU are amazing, I love that you shared your story here.
Thank you Carrie <3
FIRST..thank you for being SO honest..BIG STEP…I have gotten RID of 80 pounds ..I have 40 more to go..its a slow upward process..Ive maintain my loss for 7 years..SECOND we cam do this together!!! Best of luck I will be checking in daily as I love your blog..I REALLY look forward to seeing skinny desserts..I do not have CHEAT days,,I have REWARDS days for my hard work..I NEVER go back to a reg sz..Ive MINI mine as I eat what I want just not every da OR size every thing I do now is MINI ..I am 55 and moving forward..you can tooooo …2015 let it be a year of POWER…being our BEST!! :O)
Cathy!! WOW! That is incredible, you go girl! Congrats to you! I need to set up reward goals for myself so I can celebrate myself as I go. Good luck to you, I am so impressed! Let’s do this thing!
I am soOOOOOOOoOO on board!!
What an inspiring post today! Thank you for sharing in such an open and honest way. Good Luck to you.
I sooo enjoy everything about you and your blog. Such an amazing woman!
Thank you so much Stevie, I am glad it is being well received, it’s quite the emotional topic to speak of.
Seriously I am just so inspired by you right now. Even though it is hard to lose weight and stay the course and keep motivated, you did it! You did it! We can all fall off track sometimes but what you did is just amazing. Please be so proud of how far you came.
Thanks Jocelyn, I am glad to have friend like you who can remind me of that. It’s hard to shed the image of the old you.
Love you, Jules!!!
Thanks Patty! Looking forward to a slimmer summer at the lake!
YOU are determined and that is all you need to succeed.
🙂 Thank you Debi!
Great post! I just want to thank you for your candor. This is a very personal issue for me and I look forward to seeing your updates.
Thank you Melony! After just a week I am already feeling better mentally and I am motivated to continue on!
What an inspiring post, Julianne!! I know exactly what you are talking about. Actually, my husband was reading this over my shoulder, and many times we both said, “Yup.” at the same time. We are both in the process of losing weight that we’ve put on over the last year and a half. You are right, there is no magic bullet. It is really really hard. For me it totally is about counting calories, because if I don’t, I just feel free to add that giant second scoop of pasta to my bowl. You can do this! And also, you should know from an outsider perspective that you look great! I know it has a lot to do with how you are feeling inside, but you do look great! You’ve got this!
Thank you so much Lisa, that means a lot to me. What I need to get over is my mental image of the “fat me” which is what I see in the mirror all the time. I am trying to change my mental image to be more positive! I am cheering for you and your husband! It certainly helps to have someone on board with you, and I am thankful that my boyfriend is the same way!
Julianne- thank you so much for sharing your story here! I loved reading it and I’m so amazed and proud of what you have done. You are so brave and strong! I’ve kinda come to the same realization during the holidays, and I’m hoping to get back on track in 2015 too. I had been overweight before having my kids and then through the course of that, and all the stress/anxiety/depression of losing my dad to cancer, I ended up losing around 25 pounds. But over the last few years it has been creeping back and I’m at a point where I’m really unhappy with myself physically. I’m looking forward to being inspired by you in 2015! Wishing you all the best dear. xoxo
Thank you for your kind words Allie. I think you are gorgeous and I was honestly admiring your overall style and appearance in Iowa (in a total non creepy way). It sounds like you have been through so much, and I’m hoping we can all keep each other inspired! <3
Congratulations on your decision- hear hear!
Thank you Emma! I am trying!
You can do this, thanks for sharing. I too am trying to shed some weight. I found walking 1.5 to 2 miles a day 4 times a weekis helping me. Also, not eaing after 7:00PM. Good Luck.
That’s awesome advice Carol! Just this past week I have been walking a mile after my normal workouts. It is helping me meet my daily goal for steps but also I take a piece of mind knowing that I am doing whatever I can to move more!
Good luck. It is so hard when you have a partner or a child to look after. you unlearn all that you know but you can get back there. And so I hope can I.
That’s so true Tania. I don’t have kids yet and I can;t imagine how much more difficult that can make thing. Wishing you luck! Thank you!
Good Luck!!!! You can do it!! This is coming from someone who was also big for most of her lift and lost weight about 10 years ago. It is hard and takes alot of determination, but you can do it! P.S. I love your blog!
Thank you Erin!! Congrats on your success!