Here are the pictures for the Missouri 60 challenge, first on the left, finish on the right:
(Click here for the Missouri 60 Beginning post)
Hard to compare, right? Well that’s because I don’t actually want you to compare. In the last 60 days I’ve only lost 5 pounds. Not exactly a stunning achievement in weight loss and hardly noticeable in any pictures. I basically look the same after 60 days.
Instead of focusing on the physical, like the challenge intended, I instead want to point out how drastically my life has changed in other ways in the last two months, partly thanks to the Missouri 60 challenge.
First of all, I quit my job. Like I said, “I’m taking a break from Memphis. This may or may not be forever, but I need to live somewhere besides Tennessee right now.” I had planned to move to Oregon though that particular plan has been delayed. But the dead end job? Long gone.
I made a promise to stop waiting for life to begin. I let a year of life kind of slip by me. It wasn’t terrible, but I wasn’t chasing my goals and dreams. I made the decision to stop just accepting things and life and instead go after them.
I ran again. I restarted the couch to 5k program and even though a couple setbacks have stopped me, I enjoyed running in D.C. and in Memphis. I will start again and I will work up to running 3 miles. This goal will never die and I hope to complete it by the end of the year since I’m getting back into loving exercise.
I went to Chicago to attend the annual BlogHer conference. It was a great experience and I met some amazing women. I never really thought I could have a career writing and doing the things I loved, but I’m starting to think it is possible thanks to the great people I met that weekend.
When I came back to Tennessee after BlogHer I felt like I might fall in a rut again, so I moved out of my family’s house. I moved in with my awesome friend Mike, who has been a great roommate. Being out of my house again has greatly improved relationships with everyone in my family and helped me so much. I was borderline depressed the entire year I lived at home and having struggled with it before, I’m glad I managed to make it through the year with nothing more than some weight gain and a couple bad relationships. Moving out last month was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
I was offered a staff participant position at Green Mountain. I changed all my plans for the immediate future to spend the next 3 months in Vermont working on my fitness and working for Green Mountain. Because I went to BlogHer I received an opportunity that I now can’t wait to start. I leave in one week.
Most importantly, I finally feel like myself again. In the last 60 days my life has completely changed. I only lost 5 pounds weight wise, but I’ve gained so much in other areas. My perspective on things has changed and the future now looks very bright. Life is what I make of it and I’m going to enjoy it.
sad that all the words which immediately pop into my mind ring (rang? I wrote and deleted :)) so freakin trite when typed out.
but so so true.
I love this post as youve made HUGE STRIDES in sixty freakin days.
Strides that are beyondBEYOND being deemed NSVs as they’re ones which may quite possibly change the entire course of your life.
Im so inspired by all youve done in these past 2 months.
Youve got CHUTZPAH, Woman.
I adore that.
Wow! Looks like you’ve made a lot of changes! What an amazing opportunity for the next 3 months. I hope you can keep us posted!
sounds like leaps and bounds have been made on your part. props girl!
this post is so inspiring. i love your blog and all of the posts that you’ve written since I started following it and i’m so excited for you that you have so much to look forward to in the next couple of months! (And I look forward to reading about it.)
Thank you so much.
The scale is just one measure of a person, Mary.
You’re finding yourself, finding your place in the world. It’s fun to watch…
This sounds like an ideal opportunity for you, kiddo. I hope you make the most of it.
Tweet-up this week, fo sho.
5lbs is great! What’s even greater is your flowery wallpaper! Keep up the good work and good luck in VT!
It is so good to be able to realize what you have accomplished even though it wasn’t a weight loss goal and you have made amazing changes over the last couple months. I wish you the best with the project in Vermont! Keep us all updated as you are doing that journey too :)
Vermont is wonderful, you need to get out and hit the trails… You are going to be in the northeast at the right time, as long as it stops raining…
I think it is very powerful that you took a picture from the back ~ like you have turned your back on the whole challenge and took it to YOUR level!! I think that is so amazing because this weight loss journey is about SO much more than the number on the scale but I have to say 5 pounds is nothing to sneeze at! I know how hard those pounds can be (I only lost about 7 in 60 days but I think I changed a whole lot on the inside) and learning about yourself the way you have is AMAZING!! and I am proud of you! Loving exercise is a huge step – I am starting to love exercise but every day I still have to make myself do it. Keep up the good work. As for family – I also get that. Living at home is so hard and I am glad you are happy that you have a better relationship with them now. Separate addresses is the only way I can tolerate my mother!
And one final thing before I end this super long comment! I am so jealous of your Vermont trip and I hope you will have a chance to blog all about it (and often) so that I can live vicariously through you!!! Have fun and learn lots!!
I am proud of you!!
<3 jen
@Miz
Thank you. I love every comment from you and this one made me cry, for real.
@Jack
Tweetup! Yes!!!
@Jim
Yes I am sooo excited to be in the northeast during the fall. I love it that time of year. I do plan on doing a lot of hiking. I can’t wait!
@Jen
Thank you for the long comment. It means a lot to have you be proud of me. :) Hehe. I will blog all about my time in Vermont (of course I’ll blog its not like I’m going to the moon). And I will try to do some exciting stuff so that you all will be entertained!
First of all, I think a 5 lb loss is great! Second, I am so happy for you – your life has changed so much for the better… And I think what is really key here is that you are focusing on all these positive changes and appreciating them. Let’s never forget to appreciate life and celebrate a little every day…
I can’t wait to read about your adventures in Vermont… :)
I hope you know how inspiring you are! I can only speak for myself, but I’m sure tons of your readers share my outlook. Your passion to continue on, to continue to be better, and be the best form of yourself really reminds me of my ultimate goal… to be the best form of myself.
Keep up the good work… because it makes me want to get back into loving exercise!! :)
:)
Karen
enjoying life is what it’s all about! you’ve accomplished so much in this short time, and feeling like yourself is muy importante! i’m happy for you :)
I think 5 lbs. in 60 days is still a success. Just imagine if you lost 2.5 lbs every month for a year. Or two! I keep trying to remind myself, I didn’t gain the weight quickly, and I’m not going to lose it quickly.
You are doing amazing things. Your blog post could have read ‘I am still at home, and have gained 5 lbs, hating life’
BUT IT DOESN’T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’ve taken life by the reins and are undoing the patterns of behaviour that are necessary for continued and long-term weight loss. From a girl who has once lost 120lbs and has gained 25lbs of it back–due to the mental garbage that I never got through. The reason that people are able to keep weight off forever is that they shed the mental web that kept them heavy in the first place.
You are doing amazing things. You are setting your world on fire.
I can’t wait to see more of your progress. You are an inspiration to others!
~M
As much as we try to keep focused on weight loss, that is not all life is about. You have done some pretty big things over the last 60 days. And the next 60? That sounds like it will be a great ride!
Wow!
I love your last paragraph.
Congrats!
1) Hug
2) Love
3) I hope you know just how much of an inspiring impact your writing makes.
… and the Missouri 60 Challenge was clearly a huge success!
Fantastic! Concentrating on these types of things is so important. I also quit a job that was killing me in December 2005 and it was the best decision I have made for my sanity.
Honestly, you look great. You look happy, and that is what’s most important.
Mary, I look forward to hearing about your adventures in Vermont. I know you’ll have a fantastic time. Sometimes you have to take a big scary step to get to the door that’s opened for you, but it’s worth it in the end. Good luck.
Mary–you have made some incredible changes. WTG!
Good blog…and you are beautiful! And congratulations on your accomplishments.
All I can say is “WOW”. Talk about ch-ch-ch-changes….
I’m so happy for you!!
I am so very very thrilled for you. I have wanted to go to Green Mountain (for a week!) for the past TEN YEARS and you are going for three months! It is going to be life-altering. I can’t wait to hear about every little detail. SO SO SO thrilled for you. WOW!
You are so in the right head to be coming to Green Mountain, Mary!
Quick note re the weight loss: Janet is right about how far slow weight loss can get us. Part of that is because the slower it’s lost, the more likely it stays lost.
See you in a few!
Sooo amazingly awesome Mary! All of those things are monumental! You are so inspiring! The sheer fact that you acknowledged that the environment you were in was not the right place for you to be and you took action to get out really brings tears to my eyes. I am so excited for all of the amazing things that will be coming your way. YOU ROCK!
Super Huge Hugs!!!
Yay to change, and how exciting about the Green Mountain gig. I look forward to hearing more about that while you are there!
It was an exciting month for you, to be sure. I’m just thrilled I got to participate in some of it. :)
And just think, there’s more to come in the months ahead!
Wow, that’s a lot for 60 days – you should be very proud of yourself. And good for you for recognizing the things you need AND taking action. Have I mentioned how jealous I am that you are going to Green Mountain???
Wow! You really have done a lot in 60 days! I would deem your Missouri 60 a huge success! Well done! And I am thrilled for you.
There are not seems much different after 60 days of challenge.
I love reading your blog because youre always so ‘getting-things-done’ish. I can tell youre gonna do a lot in your life and I get to read about it! :) Congrats on everything!