BeforeAfter

Before and After

Here are images of me over a certain period of time. It is my journey through weight loss. The target audience is me -- so that I can confront the visual reality of the past and changes which hopefully are occurring at the moment. If you stumble upon this page -- forgive me for my self indulgence.

April 2001. This is me at a conference in Poland. Again a photo I avoided until today. This was aweful. Difficulty with travelling, shoes, general mobility. I felt like an invalid. But amazingly I walked alot for the 8 weeks that I was overseas. Hotel rooms on the fourth floor (88 steps one way) and no lift helped with incidental activity. I was told by a friend that it was obvious that I had lost weight. But I didn't notice. I was under constant stress in the period leading up to the trip. Ended up in hospital after having just arrived.

Something had to give and within 5 months after arriving back - my body again told me enough was enough. This time my mind listened.

February 2000 - I hate this photo. It was a presentation ceremony and the photo was taken by the official photographer. When I saw it on the official website I avoided it until now. I dug it out for this page. I had to confront the reality. In the previous year it was a very bad year pressure-wise. I was involved in about two projects which took up alot of time. I ate largely junk and takeaway food. The projects were the most import thing on my menu. And I felt the weight creeping up. How much I don't know. Remember I didn't weigh myself.

May 1999. This was a ball that I attended. I had been having problems for years getting nice clothing for special functions. For this event I specially went to a dress maker to get a simple black skirt made. It was fitted and reached my calves. For over 2.5 years it was my best skirt. Now it is extremely loose and reaches the ground. At the time I thought that I still looked reasonably decent. How easy it is to rationalise. But the next year saw my weight increase even further. I dont know how much I weighed here. I hadn't weighed myself since I was 24.

November 2000. I avoided photos from then onwards. However here Helen caught a decent photo of me. It was taken in Canberra just before the opening of "Terra Nova". I was noting down my speech. I am seated and you can't see my whole body. The makeup also helped (lol).

February 2000. This was the opening of the special project which took up most of my and Helen's time. The official opening of the exhitibion "Terra Nova". I had gained masses of weight up till then. Couldnt get anything half decent to wear. Was tired, angry and every other feeling under the sun. Should have been our moment of glory but....

D- Day. I joined WW on 10 November 2001. This was the first time in 16 years that I knew exactly how much I weighed.

I dont have any photos of me then. As I said I avoided photos at all possible cost. However from now on periodically I will make sure I get some.

By 23 February 2002 I lost 13.7 kg
By 20 April 2002 I lost 20 kg.
15 June 2002 - total loss of 25 kg.
27 July 2002 - total loss of 30.4 kg
5 October 2002 - total loss of 35.7 kg
26 October 2002 - total loss of 37.4 kg
7 December 2002 - total loss of 39.7 kg
4 January 2002 - total loss of 40.2 kg

June 2002: Haven't felt this good in years. Have lost 25 kg. Can feel it and definitely can see it. Have never walked so much in my life. Am fitting into clothes that I havent worn in over 10 years. I have finally budged that immovable object - namely my weight.

I still have quite a bit to go -- but I know that I will get there.

August 2002: Now is there a difference or not? Hmmmm - possibly.

late September 2002: Me at work. Yup definitely a diference. I can actually fit into clothes that I havent worn for 12 years. Thank goodness for classical clothes.

late October 2002: hmmmm. I have a problem here. My skirts are getting longer and longer. waaaaaaaaaaaah

mid November 2002: one double chin gone another one to get rid of