Three years ago I got a broad fork for my birthday, and I made a post about it: How it performs, how much I like it, etc.
Now, while I was being photographed, I had on a tie-dyed t-shirt that I had made myself at a session at one of my friends’ place. That was a truly fun day. I like doing tie-dye, almost as much as I like wearing it.
This post serves a dual purpose. It features a tie-dye t-shirt that I made myself, but in addition it serves as a sort of watermark for the last year’s focus on getting my weight down to the level I enjoyed during my collegiate days. I have nine pounds to go to reach my goal.
First, the picture that Jim took of my back in 2007, one week after my birthday, as I demonstrated my new broad fork.
And now, a photo taken two weeks before my next birthday as I pose with my broad fork. In the above picture I was actually working with it, this shot was a set up. For the record, the shoes that I have on in the above picture died a terrible death by mud during the ensuing summer. The shoes I am wearing in the following picture are my favorite ones! Also, the shorts I have on in the two pictures are the same garment. I find it amazing that I have not destroyed these garments in the intervening three years.
Like the colors in the t-shirt, I have faded to 80% of my former self.
Physically, not mentally. Mentally I am still 110%.
the havens 
What a difference a year makes? Those colors are truly beautiful sending out such good fibes.
Love your blogs enjoying your pictures.
may you continue to enjoy life to the full.
Mary
wow – you’ve got great legs!
[…] friday of the month is t shirt friday. healingmagichands is joining in. anyone else? And many thanks to syncopated eyeball for giving me this great tee! […]
Isn’t it a good feeling wearing something made by oneself? You look great! Well done on losing the weight you wanted rid of. I must say your face is lovely with or without the extra weight – when I gain weight, (many years ago I was about three and a half stone heavier than I an now) my eyes subside!
Another thing that changes quite a lot, other than the energy level, is the line of the neck and shoulders. I find it interesting how much weight one carries on the shoulder line. It would be more obvious if I did not have longer hair in the first shot, but you can still see it in the slope from neck to arm.
congratulations – on both the weight loss and retaining a beloved shirt! no one really understands how much better it feels to have the weight off – it’s as if you’ve been carrying around a 50 pound bag of weights on your back, and it wears on the joints and makes you tired! i think the smile says it best!
Wonderful! Congrats on the weight loss. And love that shirt.
I hope you don’t mind me saying so – but you look fifteen years younger in the second photo.
And I agree about the fabulous legs!
How could I mind a compliment like that? Besides, when I did my RealAge at Dr. Oz’s site I found out that I am 11 years younger than my calendar age, so it isn’t surprising that losing weight also made me look younger.
I have been blessed with my mother’s legs — she is 81 and still has showgirl legs.
Looking good!
Wow, you must feel fantastic when you compare those two photos. It must have been hard hard work. Congratulations.
The hardest part was being disciplined about how many calories I could allow myself to consume. Parties were particularly difficult, usually I just threw the whole idea of “being on a diet” aside for those occasions.
and your favourite shoes are the same as mine!
I second all the remarks above – you look wonderful and those legs are very shapely. You can be rightly proud of your efforts, not just because of the difference in how you look, but in terms of how much better it will be for your joints and general health to have shifted the extra weight.
I had a favourite tie-dye tshirt many years ago, and when it started to become noticeably faded I stopped wearing it to ‘save’ it… which is ridiculous because it was incredibly cheap (I bought it at a market stall run by a local commune) but I just couldn’t bear to throw it out. I bet I still have it somewhere.
Good job losing all that weight. Been there, done that! Lost over 80 lbs ten years ago, now fighting to take off the 25 that came back! At least not all 80 did! One day I was at Lowe’s, and smelled a lovely rose fragrance. The knockouts were nearby, but I pooh-poohed the idea that the fragrance was coming from there. But it was, and only the yellow one. Love it!