Since you asked: before and after pics

A few people have asked me what I looked like before I started my journey down the road less travelled. That's easy enough to resolve.

Truth be told, Trainer Chris has already posted before and after pictures of me on his website - so no reason not to share them here as well...much as the before pictures make me cringe a little (although you can tell I've always been the happy type, that's for sure)!

Picture 1: Before (Feb 2011)

Here is a picture of me from a trip I went on in Feb 2011. I didn't take any official before and after shots (I really wasn't expecting this journey to turn out the way it did) - but this gives you a sense of where I started.

 

 

Picture 2: Before (Sept. 2011)

 

And here is another "before" picture from a tall ship trip I took from Norway to Scotland in September 2011 (only two months before I started my journey). At this point, I had no idea of what was coming, of what decisions I'd be making very shortly, or what those decisions would spawn in terms of life changes. 

 

A ship sailing into the unknown is another fitting analogy for my journey, I think.

 



 

And then there are my "after" shots. I don't really think these are essential. You've seen a couple of my race pics, plus you have my icon photo. But, for consistency's sake, here are a couple of good ones.

Picture 3: After (August 2012)

This is a picture of me from when I was in a friend's wedding back in August. I figure I should post at least one non-running related picture (laugh).

 

 

Picture 4: After (October 2012)

 

This one is of me at the end of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront - Half Marathon back in October. I think it's one of the most recent pictures I have of me.

 

So, there you have it...where I was then and where I am now in picture format.

But one thing you should always remember is that this journey has always been about more than weight loss to me. At it's heart - it has always been about my desire to become more healthy and fit. It still is, in fact. It's just that now healthy and fit has taken on a whole new meaning.

So, if you're starting your own journey - don't put too much emphasis on the numbers. Think about how you feel. Think about what you can do now that you couldn't do before. Those are wonderful accomplishments, even if you aren't seeing the numbers on the scale change as much as you would like.