"The End"

So... I haven't posted a real post for a little bit; but today you get to see it all!
That is, all of the great photos and stats from our final evaluations, and our Night of Inspiration!

I told myself that the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and then between Christmas and New Years/Night of Inspiration, my goal would be to not gain, and maintain.
In the past, I wouldn't have paid any attention to the scale- and therefore, I don't know how much I would gain over the holidays, but it's safe to say that it was always a gain...

So, that being said, I totally attained that goal and more.
Let me take you through some of my favorite stats about myself from this year:

Weight:
Beginning (from my first physical with my doctor): 242.6 lbs
"Ending" (at Night of Inspiration): 177.6 lbs
Total loss: 65 lbs

Measurements: 
Chest: 39.5" to 33.5" (Loss of 6")
Bust: 46.5" to 37" (Loss of 9.5")
Waist: 42" to 28.75" (Loss of 13.25")
Hips: 49.25" to 38.5" (Loss of 10.75")
**And these make me almost a "perfect" hourglass shape!**
Belly: 49.5" to 36" (Loss of 13.5")
Total Inches Lost (on 14 measurement points): 74.5"

My BMR dropped by 88%
(that's your resting metabolic rate- what it takes just to keep you alive)

My BMI dropped from 40.6 to 30.8

Fitness: 
I increased in every area we measure ... sit-ups, full pushups, wall pushups, knee pushups, chair sits, 8-feet up & go... my flexibility greatly improved (most proud of that back-scratch!)

But I am most happy with my half-mile time.
Beginning: 7 min 33 seconds
Now: 4 min 50 seconds

Blood Pressure: 
Beginning: 129/87
Now: 118/76

Pulse:
Beginning: 93
Now: 74

So, we did all of that for our final evaluations night, and then at the Night of Inspiration we weighed again for our final weight.

Let me go on to tell you about Night of Inspiration.
I left school and went home to shower really quickly. Then I went and got my hair done:

The girls kept saying "You have Belle hair!!" I do love my hair, and I'm so glad I have people in my life who can do it for me because I'm helpless when it comes to making my hair look good haha 

So after we weighed, we got to eat. And then we had some time to just hang out with each other:

Me, Carol and Lisa: The school teachers

Stephanie, me, Lisa and Rachel

The whole group!

Myself and Stephanie... we get mistaken for sisters A LOT! Love this girl - hoping next year during Messiah I don't make too many mistakes in your ear!

With full hair and make-up done.
What would this be without a few selfies??

The full-view of the dress
GAH! I LOVE it!

Totally dressed selfie ;)

I am so thankful that I got to meet this guy!
Such a man of integrity and just all around awesome ;)

Tisha the ROCK STAR!

We got to walk across the stage and receive our awards. We gave each other superlatives, and I got "Over-Achiever"

All the words that my group used to describe me...

As we walked across the stage for our HU certificates, big photos of our before/after were up on the screen!

Woo!

At the end, they gave out awards for the year.
Lucas won for most improved flexibility.
Tisha won for most improved (lowered) BMR, most inches lost and most weight lost.
And I won the award of "Student of the Year"
I am extremely proud and happy with this picture!
Front page of the paper, baby!

Afterwards, the stage got crowded as people STORMED the stage (that's how it seemed) But here are the women of Healthy U 2017 ... the crowns were just something funny we thought we would do...

Myself and my Nutrition/Fitness mentor, Sandra Fisher. I couldn't have had the success I did without hear guidance!

The whole gang!

Sandra and myself again :)

Sandra's three girls: Myself, Emily, Stephanie

Afterwards, I went to dinner with my family to El Tapatio.

It was 8:00, so they were close to closing and nobody was there.
My family went over early and got a table, I had to hang around at NOI a little longer-- When I walked in they all started clapping. It was sweet! And confused the waiters LOL

Myself and my cousin Shelby

Me and my mom. 

My grandma and me

I accidentally forgot to get a picture with Sarah at the restaurant, so I had to go over to my grandma's to get one with her.

The Night of Inspiration was a WONDERFUL experience, and I will be going for as long as they have it. When I first found out that was the name of this event, I thought "how cheesy," but now I get it: it really is the best night filled with inspiring stories and positivity!

I've told everybody that the Night of Inspiration felt like Prom night: I stayed up way too late looking at pictures on Facebook, reading comments, I went to bed with my hair still done and my make-up still on.

The next day we had Professional Development at school.

Carol and I JUST HAPPENED to be the last people to get into the Library for our meeting and when we walked in, everyone stood up and clapped for it: it was pretty cool!
They also signed a poster for us...

I also wore my Healthy U t-shirt (a size smaller) on Friday!

Then, after school, I drove to Centralia to go make sausage with my friends... this is the third year that we have done this together and here's what it looks like:

Friday night we break down all the Pork Butts (which is really pig shoulder, if you were unaware) and weight it out for what the different kinds will be the next day...

Then it gets seasoned

And then ground, and then seasoned again depending on what type of brat it will be made into, we make about 8 different kinds.

Cheddar brats are always good!

Then everything gets linked - or put into bulk bags, and then weighed and portioned out to who ordered what! We did close to 1,000 pounds of sausage this weekend!

These are my girls!! I love them so much!
They have shown me unconditional, unwavering support throughout this year, before this year, and will forever, I know!

THEN after I got back into town (and the Chiefs lost terribly) I got a message that this girl had made her presence known: 

Tenley Noelle

Don't pay attention to how gross I look, I warned them I looked like a homeless person... but I got to meet her. She's a DOLL! We will be friends for sure!

Sandra sent me this picture. The left is January 2017. The right is January 2018. I notice sooooo many differences. Plus. That dress 😍😍😍😍

I plan to keep up with my blog:
Tips and things I learned along the way.
Things that are good to be reminded of.
And my goals...
I haven't quite settled on what I want my goals to be for 2018; but I'm getting there. I know I will set them, and I know I will reach them. My weight at NOI was only 2 pounds away from where I wanted it to be, so I'm happy with that.

Stay Tuned.