60 pounds, wow.

I can honestly say that as of today, I have never felt more liberated and renewed within myself. I never thought I would get to the point of having lost 60 POUNDS. Me, Emily Stroeve has lost 60 pounds? Really? And to be honest, I didn't really think the scale would move much after my trip to Vegas. I did actually lose a pound even after all the traveling, and all the temptation of wanting to just eat whatever I wanted to on this trip. I ate pretty decently, but when your used to just having your own routine with working out and eating, then suddenly having not as many options; its pretty hard to not want to eat food that is bad. I never have said that I am not guilty of slipping up a few times, but when I do that I truly realize how easy it could be for me to just put back the 60 pounds that I have lost.

But I CAN NOT & WILL NOT do this!

Yes, I believe that even after I have lost the weight that I want to lose that I will always have to work out and eat right. But just going through this process has really made me see that I can eat healthy, and I can live life to the fullest and not let food be my out for everything.

I have recently been thinking about all the people in my life who have been so positive with and about my weight loss, and how much I truly value the things and the encouragement that people have been saying. Even today, my mom's wonderful friend Liz, who is practically like a mother to me, saw me at the gym today and almost made me cry because of what she said! She looked at me and was like, "She has always been beautiful, but now just look at you." I don't know why but that just really hit a spot for me. I mean, yes I love the compliments that everyone has been giving me and they have been totally pushing me through..but someone who's known me since I was a kid, and has seen me at my heaviest, and still believed in me no matter what; that's what matters to me. And not just Liz has been this person to me. My parents who have been amazing and have been supporting me financially through this journey, have always believed in me even when I have fell short or given up. Ben has loved me no matter what, told me I'm beautiful a MILLION times a day, even when I didn't feel that way.. Even my best friend, Danelle, who has been one of my very close and best friends, someone who has gained and lost weight with me, is always telling me how proud she is of me. Even people who I don't talk to much, or haven't talked to for awhile have been so amazingly positive and really have been pushing me forward in this journey. That's the encouragement for me that pulls me through, even when I feel like I can't do this journey anymore.

And for the people who didn't believe in me, who called me "fat", or looked at me differently just because I was "bigger"..relatives that tore me down as a child, and encouraged me to lose weight, but all in the wrong ways... Look at me now. I've done something that some probably thought I couldn't do, or wouldn't do. I'm doing this for real and without any pressure from anyone. For once I finally realize more importantly, past all the compliments and encouragement, I have and will do this for myself.