This is what I looked like 45 days ago. I weighed 165 pounds. 

Yesterday was day 30 of the 30 Day Shred. Since this post is supposed to be about loving yourself, I thought I would explain why I chose to start eating right and exercising. Because I was tired of feeling like crap and feeling my clothes get tighter. Because I love myself enough to know that to be good to anybody else, I needed to take care of myself first. Because I needed to set a good example for my children about being healthy. Not skinny. Healthy.  Because about 8 years ago, my doctor told me that if I didn't get my act together and start taking care of myself that I wouldn't live much longer. I weighed 250 pounds at that point. I had high blood pressure, fatty liver, and was borderline diabetic. I lost 80 pounds and got lazy. I gained 40 of it back and realized where I was headed again. I can't go back there. I hated who I was then, but I love who I am now.  

I'm proud of myself. Because I made a decision and I stuck to it. I quit filling myself up with crap food that only made me feel better for the time that I was eating it. I got off my ass and moved and I have lost those 40 pounds I gained back and am headed toward losing more. Because I love myself enough to want to be the best I can be for the people I love, for the children I work with, and for the people I help when I'm volunteering for the Red Cross.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Excuse my lovely expression. I was telling my daughter how to use the camera lol.

This is me today.  I weigh 157 pounds.