Thursday, December 22, 2011

30’s, Here I Come: Gained a year, and lost 90lbs.


This has been a big year.  It hasn’t been all roses, but the cumulative average of greatness this year is pretty darn high.  I set myself a goal on September 19th of losing 30 more pounds by the time I turned 30 on December 19th, which would bring me to a total of 90lbs lost since March. I’m delighted to tell you that I have, in fact, lost 93. 

A dream in size large.  I love this dress!
I really couldn’t decide what I wanted to do for my 30th birthday.  Apparently, even facebook advertising knew this and kept suggesting I go to Vegas with a bunch of poorly dressed women.  The only things I knew for certain were that I wanted an outfit that made me feel invincibly gorgeous, and to have fun.  And to DJ.

And that I did.

Thanksgiving weekend, my Mom and I stopped in to a boutique during Small Business Saturday and I saw a dress that was just so remarkable I had to try it on.  It was a “normal people” size large.  I really didn’t think it would, but for some reason it fit amazing.  It fit so amazingly that my Mom texted all of “the girls” to show them how neat I looked in the dress.  As much as I loved the dress, it was definitely out of my price range.  I’m not one to pine very much over things I can’t afford, so I decided to enjoy the fact that a gorgeous dress in a regular store had fit me like a dream.

Last week, my Aunt and Cousin came to visit, and some of the closest and most important ladies in my life and I went to dinner, then to see Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.  At dinner, my Mom handed me a lovely gift bag that was really reminiscent of “the” dress, and I thought it was really nice that she’d gotten a bag that reminded us of that dress. 

Yeah. 

I moved the tissue paper to the side, had the most ridiculous, excited, America’s funniest home videos face, and there was the dress.  I cried.  I was honestly stunned.  They’d all chipped in and bought me the dress. 

Saturday was a lovely day.  I slept in, worked out, then was lucky enough to have my friend (and hairdresser) Erika style my hair.  I donned my gorgeous, new frock and headed out for dinner and music with a bunch of my favorite people.  I danced the night away at my favorite dance party, and even DJed for the first time in seven years – a shamefully long time.  It was a fantastic night, and I genuinely felt the most awesome I have in so long that I can’t remember.  I looked and felt fantastic.

T. Rex, Iggy Pop, Beatles, Jimi...  Happy Birthday to me.
A part of me dreaded turning 30.  In your 20’s, it’s so easy to think of all the ways you’ll have failed at life if you haven’t succeeded before they’re over.  I mean, life is practically over at 30.  So if you haven’t made something of yourself by then, you’re doomed.  Really.  Completely and utterly doomed.

I was sorely, wonderfully mistaken. 

My twenties were a time where I found my worth and my confidence in what I did, and when what I did wasn’t very cool anymore, I lost myself.  My 29th year was a time of preparation for what was to come.  While I may not have made a lot of tangible, visible, or measurable progress, my mind was going through a lot of things that gave way to the amazing changes this year brought.  I’ve been working on taking control of the things that I can and should control, and forcing myself to remember to have a little faith about the things that I just can’t control. 

I am in love.  Not with anyone or anything in particular, but with life and people and everything that could and will happen.  Things seem to really be coming together.  I keep having this feeling that something is just ‘round the corner, but I don’t know what.  Or why…  Or when, even.  I just know that I’m ready for it.

I have a feeling my 30’s are going to be mighty fine.


Owning 30.
Turning 28, dreading 29...

Turning 29, appalled at accomplishing so little at nearly 30...



8 comments:

  1. Holy Crap! I love the birthday photos! My god, who is this gorgeous 30-year-old? The question really is, who is that other girl in the other photos?!!! I don't even recognize you at that size!

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  2. Ok I live in Grand Rapids and I just must have this dress...(by the way you look beautiful!) now where do I go to find this????

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  3. Earthly Delights, downtown Kalamazoo! If they haven't got more, ask them the brand. I cut the tag out so you couldn't see it through the sheer top part, and now I can't find it to tell you! Argh! I'll find it...

    I know, Caity - it's really bizarre looking back at myself. I never saw myself that way, but wow - what a difference. haha.

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  4. congrats! how did you lose the weight?

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  5. Oh congratulations! It only gets better from here. It's so great that you're sharing your journey on this path.

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  6. You are looking great!! Keep it up, and I will do what I can to get there again myself!

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  7. Thanks, guys!

    Lovely Anonymous, I've done it by changing the way I eat and keeping active! I've started breaking down "how I do it" in my "this is how we do it" blog posts. I've talked about exercise, logging food, and next is all about what I eat. I couldn't fit it all into one blog - no way - so I'm breaking it down into segments.

    If there's ever anything I forget to mention or you guys are curious about, please point it out or ask so that I can hit that topic, too. I'm a bit like an excited puppy when I get going and can forget things sometimes!

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  8. AMAZING! I as well put a goal on myself to loose 30 by 30. It was going to be a secret. I started an unpublished blog post about it, thinking that it would be a great surprise for everyone when I did it. It didn't happen. I had no one to help me stay accountable at all, so I never bothered telling anyone about it! Feel very proud that you got your goal, that is amazing! I am only 11lbs away from being 30 down in my 30th year, so that I will celebrate!

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