I was in the grocery store the other day and I ran into an old family friend. First off, it was kind of funny because she thought I was my sister (who had previously always been much smaller and in better shape than me). This lady has known me since I was 4 years old so it was pretty neat that she was so thrown off by my weight loss.
When she finally figured out who I was, she said, "Wow, you look gorgeous. Was it hard?"
To which I replied, "Is it hard to look gorgeous? Nope, I wake up looking this way." :)
Of course she meant "Was it hard losing all the weight?"
I didn't have an answer right away. I said, "It wasn't easy." But that simple answer didn't do this journey justice.
It WAS hard and IS hard but at the same time it was easier than I ever imagined. Does that make sense?
Losing weight isn't easy. Making lifestyle changes is even HARDER than losing weight. Breaking old habits require constant vigilance and perseverance.
Then the "easy" part comes into play. I have to admit, in January when I started this journey I wasn't entirely sure it was possible. I'd like to say I completely believed in myself, but 100+ pounds is such a HUGE amount of weight to lose, that it definitely seemed an insurmountable hill to climb.
But I have managed to exceed my own expectations not only in how much weight I have lost, but also in such a short time frame. So in that aspect it was MUCH easier than I ever expected.
The hardest thing to do was make up my mind to change my life, then I simply sucked it up and did it. Yep, still a contradiction.
So, what's the answer... "Was it hard?"
I don't have the answer, but easy OR hard, it has all been worth it.
(A lovely example of my friend Lisa's amazing photography skills. More to come soon.)