After Haley Smith's boyfriend proposed to her, she looked at her engagement photos and didn't recognize herself.
“I cried because this was one of the happiest moments of my life, but I was just so ashamed. I didn’t understand how Matt could want to be with someone like me. After seeing those, I knew I needed to change,” she told People magazine.
The 24-year-old Texan set out a goal for herself — an ambitious one — to lose weight before her big day. She lost 110 pounds in more than a year.
Starting with logging what she ate, Smith also cut down eating out to only twice a week and stopped eating after 8 p.m.
“Tackling those small, feasible changes made snowballing into running three times a week and adding strength training so much more doable," she told People.
On her Instagram page, which is now a forum for weight loss and healthy eating, Smith posts everything from progress photos to fitness tips to a glimpse of what she eats on a regular basis.
Smith recently posted an image of her most current weight of 165.7 pounds. And while this is an accomplishment on its own, Smith says the number on the scale isn't everything.
"I've been stuck around 168-172 for 2 months. I am posting this to tell y'all that weight loss isn't all predictable. As y'all know, I get married this weekend, so for the last week or two, I've really tried to buckle down! I was giving it my all in workouts (most days - hah), logging food and making healthier choices than usual, but I just couldn't break 168.1," she wrote. "When you are feeling discouraged because there is no progress on the scale, give it time! It's not all about numbers. Cheat meals aren't the answer of course, but trust in the process, keep working and be patient!"
In the same week, she also got married to her high school sweetheart.
Looking back at the 110-pound weight loss, Smith says she can't believe her before and after photos are actually her.
"It's a weird feeling, but I'm proud of how far I've come. I'm not at goal weight or goal size, but I'm going to keep pushing! Don't quit just because you are starting to feel comfortable with your body! Keep pushing, there's always room for improvement and always new goals to crush!"
And while people have various reasons for getting fit or losing weight, one thing we should all keep in mind is loving and accepting our bodies — no matter the size.
According to Operation Beautiful, a campaign designed to end body shaming, in order to love your size try finding clothes that fit you well instead of focusing on the labels; look in the mirror and say positive things about yourself; and most importantly, don't talk poorly about your own body.
"Do not sit around with your friends/family/loved ones and bitch about your bodies as a form of social interaction. It hurts you. It hurts them," the site says.
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