My "before" picture.

I haven't let myself be photographed in a loooong time without hiding behind another person in the picture or insisting that the person taking the picture only take a head shot of me. So to see myself in all my glory head to toe is kind of shocking. I don't think I ever thought I was that big. But it's kind of hard to deny it now.

Wow.

This is what 274 pounds on a 5'4" frame looks like. This is why my feet ache in the morning when I stand up out of bed. This is why I have to take 6 Motrin every night to be able to sleep through the pain in my back. This is why I am out of breath climbing stairs. This is why I can't chase my 2.5 year old up the street and am tired after just 3 minutes of wrestling with my 17 month old. This is why I can't cross my legs. This is why my cholesterol is high. This is why my chest hurts when I overexert myself.

This is why.