This Bride Lost 110 Pounds Between Her Engagement and Wedding

When now-husband Matt proposed last year, Haley was was elated. However, that feeling was extinguished upon seeing photos from the couple's engagement. It was then that Haley set out on a quest to slim down for their wedding day—and you have to see the results of her weight loss of 110 pounds to believe it.

"I saw them and didn't even recognize myself," Haley told People. "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."

#tbt to my proposal size vs two days before the wedding. It's been a long 15 months of some hard work. There's about 110lbs difference in these two pictures. Sometimes I can't believe the picture on the left was actually me. And sometimes I can't believe that the picture on the right is me. 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! #throwbackthursday #transformationtuesday #transformation #weightlosstransformation #beforeandafterweightloss #beforeandafter #weightloss #sweatingforthewedding #fitbride

A photo posted by Haley Smith (@haley_j_smith) on Oct 6, 2016 at 6:46am PDT

The psychology graduate student admitted that she took a different approach to dropping the weight this time as opposed to how she'd tried to get healthy in the past by opting to make "habit changes."

"I tried drastic diets or workouts in the past and always failed after a matter of weeks," Haley, who is from Amarillo, Texas added. "With the small changes, I would just pick two habits and after about a week or two of sticking to it, I'd pick two more."

#transformationtuesday I've been asked to post my story a couple of times, so here goes. The left picture was on my proposal day on July 18, 2015, and the right was my bridal shower on August 6, 2016. When Matt proposed last year, I saw my pictures and didn't even recognize myself. My whole adult life, I have struggled with my weight, but this was my highest. I had let myself go and didn't even realize how far I had gotten. On that day, I made up my mind to make a change. I was tired of hiding in pictures, getting winded walking across a parking lot, skipping out on activities, feeling lazy, and most of all being embarrassed of myself. No ONE thing made me how I am today. It was a combination of about every health and fitness option I could find. So don't think there's some magic pill, wrap, gym membership, meal, vitamin, app, surgery, diet, workout, waist trainer, book, hypnosis, shake, powder or anything else that will just do it for you. It's finding your own way and using the tools that work for you. It's making the right healthy choices for your body. In the last year, I've made some big life choices and huge lifestyle changes, and I couldn't be more happy with myself. I still have a long way to go on this journey, and I'm not giving up. #beforeandafter #motivation #weightloss #weightlossjourney #proposal #bridalshower

A photo posted by Haley Smith (@haley_j_smith) on Aug 16, 2016 at 9:05am PDT

Haley admitted that "motivation has been such a tricky thing" throughout her major life change but that she was able to keep herself from "being bored or discouraged" by the process. Upon getting married last week, Haley was able to wear her dream dress and feel more at ease.

Sorry it took so long to get a picture up! Matt and I actually have ZERO full body pictures of us alone or of just me. 🙄🙄 We have to wait until we get back to get a picture of us together from the photographer, but even from them, there are NO pictures of just me in the dress haha. So if you are getting married, be sure your photographer, family and friends remember to get pictures of just YOU and just YOU and your HUSBAND!! Because unfortunately we didn't, and that sucks haha. So here are pictures from my bridal shots the week before the wedding! I'll post another shortly, and when I get the pictures of Matt and I in like 3 weeks, I'll post that! So until then, I'll post random wedding pictures, and of course, my adventure in New Zealand, starting in Queenstown today! #smithsquared #octoberbride #maggiesottero #maggiesotterobride #bridalpictures #newzealand #honeymoon #queenstown #milfordsound

A photo posted by Haley Smith (@haley_j_smith) on Oct 11, 2016 at 9:34am PDT

"It is so surreal," Haley explained. "I thought for sure I would get married in a long-sleeve ball gown dress to hide my whole body, but I ended up picking a strapless mermaid dress. I felt so beautiful in it! Instead of being self-conscious and hiding or sweating the whole time, I was able to feel confident, relax, [and] enjoy my family and friends. I honestly never thought I would feel so happy and carefree about myself on my wedding day."

We're so thrilled for Haley for accomplishing this feat—and for doing it in a healthy way.