Has anyone lost an inspirational amount of weight and kept it off?

[Samantha Red]

As I sit recuperating from having my gall bladder removed two days ago I decided to look for inspirational stories. I am at my heaviest weight ever and really want to change this. I would love to hear stories of how other people managed this and to keep the weight off. I am sure there are many of us that have lost good amounts of weight only to put it back on, the tricky part is keeping it off.

Many thanks in anticipation

 

[joxxxelyn]

About 4 years ago I lost 30 lbs and have kept it off since then. I am 26 and I''m not sure 30 lbs is inspirational, but I love food so if I can do it, anyone can. I didn''t count calories or make a restrictive plan for myself because with my type B personality that never would have worked. I had to just really clarify my goals. I took a holistic approach and really began to value my health. The focus shifted from weight to living well and feeling healthy, clean, and grounded. It''s actually more of a total life movement than anything else.

I exercise when I want to, which coincidentally ends up being a few times a week. I do really fun things like bike rides and belly dances and walks with loved ones. I forced myself to find active hobbies that I enjoy. I joined a meetup.com group focused on the outdoors. I even go through phases that start and end, like when i did yoga consistently for a year. I got to where I could lift my leg up to my chest while standing. Now that I''ve quit, I have a hard time tying my shoes. The important thing is if I ever don''t like something, I just move on to a new hobby. That''s not bad or wrong, it just is. By adopting the fun approach, exercise never feels like work, and I constantly discover new activities. This way, I never go too long without exercising. Walks are my fall-back for when I don''t really want to do anything else. Having someone to go with me helps a lot there.

I indulge in treats multiple times a week but I make sure that I eat a healthy breakfast (I swear by 2 scrambled eggs and a slice of Ezekiel bread toasted with smart balance on it) and that I cook most of my meals. My meals center around whole, unprocessed foods. I have a system where I need a starch, a protein, and a vegetable. The starch almost always includes a 100% whole grain like lundberg brown rice or whole pasta. For example, I eat brown rice, chicken, and stir fry. I just kind of learned how to season things around the framework of eating that way. Another night I''ll just have chickpeas, rice, and potatoes. I''m not afraid of vegetarian meals even though I eat meat because many of them are very light. Cooking a lot and mostly avoiding processed foods is key. I try to keep fruit that''s in season in my home so that snacking is easy.

Lunch is generally random but I tend to just be logical. If I''m out, I order things that have the healthy symbol by them on the menu. If I''m at fast food (about 2x per month), I order grilled and only the sandwich, not fries or coke, except on occasion. I just try to keep my overall goal of health in the back of my mind at all times while at the same time realizing that there are no rules, that way I don''t feel restricted and like I want to break the rules. During the days when I just really want things like regular soda, I drink it, but I make sure I go for a longer walk that night. Sometimes, I don''t walk and that''s okay. It''s what I do overall that counts. I may have a really good weekend and it evens out in the end. I had to let go of the guilt of not being perfect.

I also did everything in my power to disassociate food with emotion. I made a very conscious effort not to eat out of boredom or emotional distress. I conquered this by journaling about the feelings involved in my eating. Like I said I don''t like tracking my food or making specific rules, but the journaling helped resolve the issues that surrounded the occasional emotional eating. When guilt surrounding food would come up, I just accepted the feeling, let it go, and tried to work through it logically.

Prior to these decisions, I was just always eating without even thinking about it for any reason imaginable. It was quite destructive. A solid nutritional education was well worth my while and I used the American Dietetic Association''s Complete Guide to Nutrition. I love that book.

Anyway, I think it starts with a holistic approach, not a set of rules. It needs to be comprehensive. I changed my entire set of life habits. The weight came off really slowly, but it stayed off. I just had to force myself to be patient and believe in the changes for the sake of being healthier and happier. Then the patience came easily and before I knew it (after about a year), I was in 10 sizes down from my largest size.

I hope you feel better after the surgery. Just remember that things are always in flux. You will get better.

 

[Prana]

Not sure if 18 pounds is inspirational, but I lost it and have kept it off!

I gained weight slowly over the course of a few years. One day I woke up (actually a lot of days...) and I was just sick of myself. I was always mad at myself for gaining the weight, mad at myself for my weight continuing to slowly (but very surely) increase, I was disgusted with myself, couldn''t believe that I was X size in my clothing, and would hide from cameras, which was sad for me because I love pictures, I just didn''t want to see myself like that.

My mom kept telling me to join weight watchers, that''s how she lost a bunch of weight and kept it off for over 15 years now...and she hasn''t gone to a meeting in almost as much time! I kept saying, no, let me do it myself, I just started changing my eating lifestyle (again). Well one day, those words came out of my mouth, and I thought to myself, ''ya know what? How many times am I going to say this and not see a difference?'' So I bit the bullet and joined weight watchers, and steadily lost weight at a rate of 1-3 lb a week. It was relatively easy for me, all I needed was self control. I was already a healthy eater, I was just eating too much!

I lost the 18 lb over the course of about 4 months, and have maintained my current weight for 3-4 months now. Ideally I would like to lose more, and I have struggled to make it past my current weight. But I know that it was quite an accomplishment to get back to this weight, and I plan on continuing to maintain and take any future weight loss much slower.

Good luck to you and your weight endeavors!!!

 

[bee*]

I lost 46lbs and have kept it off. I am still losing although it has slowed down a lot. For me, the main thing was always have a healthy snack nearby. I am the type of person that when I''m hungry I need something quick and will grab whatever is near so having something healthy will stop me grabbing something not healthy. I also exercise 5 days a week in the gym. I got really into it before our wedding last year and have kept it up and absolutely adore it. I do about 2-3 hours of working out and classes five days a week and go even if I don''t feel like it. Having breakfast is a must and I cook all my meals and don''t eat ready meals.

 

[iheartscience]

marcyc has! She posts on the Healthy Living forum here in the weekly weight loss threads. (And elsewhere, too.)

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

honey22 did!! She had a thread back in BWW last year to show off her good work and she looked absolutely amazing!!! I know that she worked really hard with both her eating habits and excersize routine and it really paid off for her. She looked stunning on her wedding day!!

I just wanted to say as well that i had my gall bladder out when i was 24 and i had to change my eating habits a bit. No more take away, fatty, rich or oily food as it would make me feel really sick afterwards. (because you don''t have the reserve of bile to digest it all) I still have it all now and then, but i certainly pay for it!

 

[Samantha Red]

Thank you all for the replies. All very interesting indeed. I am not sure what a type b personality is, but reading the post I think I could be one as I find it difficult to stick to some things for a long time. I am already bored of recuperating even though I can hardly move still.

At the moment I feel the need to eat healthy things as if my body is craving good stuff to help it heal.

 

[Erin]

I found that joining a website which inputs all your food calories and nutrition helped. Sure you're only eating two eggs for breakfast which should be 140 calories. But once you start adding a slice of bread, or butter, or cheese, and a piece of fruit, and then get hungry later and have a cereal bar - you've actually eaten 750 calories. If you're aiming for 1500 calories a day to lose weight, you've already used half of it before lunch.

I did this for more than a month and it really opened my eyes to how many calories I was consuming vs how many calories I needed to consume. By the way, I decided how many calories I needed to be eating by entering my height and the weight I want to be into a website. That way I've learned to eat for maintenance once I get there. I don't count calories anymore because after doing that 5-6 week exercise I'm much more knowledgable about what the proper amount of food is for one day.


Caloric Needs - Step one is to calculate your BMR with the following formula:
Women: 655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Men: 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Calculate Activity - Step two: In order to incorporate activity into your daily caloric needs, do the following calculation:

If you are sedentary : BMR x 20 percent
If you are lightly active: BMR x 30 percent
If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 40 percent
If you are very active (You exercise intensely on a daily basis or for prolonged periods.): BMR x 50 percent
If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 60 percent

Add this number to your BMR.

The result of this formula will be the number of calories you can eat every day and maintain your current weightt.
In order to lose weight, you'll need to take in fewer calories than this result.
As you lose weight, you can re-calculate the formula to assess your new BMR.

 

[dragonfly411]

I lost 50lbs and have kept it off for a year and a half now. I am 24, and was at my heaviest ever at 160 lbs. I am 5"1 as well so that should tell you something. I got to where I couldn''t walk through a two story mall without being severely winded or needing rests. I couldn''t ride much, couldn''t run around with my dog, and walking a quarter mile at a brisk pace was a challenge for me. I was embarrassed to go to the beach with my family b/c I didn''t want to wear a bathing suit. When I moved back to my hometown I knew it was time for a change.

I started by cutting out sweets, and empty calorie snacks like cheez its and gold fish and pringles. I started making healthier meals for myself, along with healthy snacks. My grandmother and I started walking a half hour every morning together. That was in January 2008. In April of that year I was down to 135! I kept finding new recipes to try, and letting myself only indulge on special occasions.

By Fall I was down to 120 and since December of 2008 I have maintained 110-113 lbs depending on if I eat junk or hold any water weight lol. I work out 4-6 days a week, combining cardio work through cardio yoga, elliptical, walking, and biggest loser. I also do weight work now to help tone my muscles as I was getting a little... pasty and weak looking . I love yoga and do at least 20 mins almost every day!

I seriously love food, so I don''t really hold back as much any more. My metabolism really helps me to maintain now and i make sure to eat really healthy 90 % of the time. But if I want blueberry pie (last night) I"m going to have it. I''ve never felt or looked better in my life and I love it!~

 

[oddoneout]

I don''t have an inspirational story but I just want to say get well soon. All I can say is try to eat healthy and do exercise that you love. It is hard to get and stay motivated I can relate to that.

 

[jaysonsmom]

I lost 40 lbs after college and have kept it off for 15 years. I have had 2 kids since, and have been able to get back to pre-pregnancy weight (around 127-130lbs) both times. I''m 5''7". I don''t really "diet", but when I''m trying to lose weight, I do a combination of cutting back on portions, and increasing workouts. When I''m trying to lose, I work out 5-6 days a week, and once I hit the goal, I back down to about 3-4 days a week. When I way exercise, I don''t mean 2 hours at the gym, it could be as little as walking for 45 minutes during my lunch, or swimming 50 laps in a small pool. As long as I get off my butt, for at least 30 minutes a day I can lose. I''m pretty lucky because I get muscles really easily, and muscles burn more calories.

 

[jaysonsmom]

Date: 4/23/2010 5:33:31 AM
Author: joxxxelyn

About 4 years ago I lost 30 lbs and have kept it off since then. I am 26 and I''m not sure 30 lbs is inspirational, but I love food so if I can do it, anyone can. I didn''t count calories or make a restrictive plan for myself because with my type B personality that never would have worked. I had to just really clarify my goals. I took a holistic approach and really began to value my health. The focus shifted from weight to living well and feeling healthy, clean, and grounded. It''s actually more of a total life movement than anything else.

I exercise when I want to, which coincidentally ends up being a few times a week. I do really fun things like bike rides and belly dances and walks with loved ones. I forced myself to find active hobbies that I enjoy. I joined a meetup.com group focused on the outdoors. I even go through phases that start and end, like when i did yoga consistently for a year. I got to where I could lift my leg up to my chest while standing. Now that I''ve quit, I have a hard time tying my shoes. The important thing is if I ever don''t like something, I just move on to a new hobby. That''s not bad or wrong, it just is. By adopting the fun approach, exercise never feels like work, and I constantly discover new activities. This way, I never go too long without exercising. Walks are my fall-back for when I don''t really want to do anything else. Having someone to go with me helps a lot there.

I indulge in treats multiple times a week but I make sure that I eat a healthy breakfast (I swear by 2 scrambled eggs and a slice of Ezekiel bread toasted with smart balance on it) and that I cook most of my meals. My meals center around whole, unprocessed foods. I have a system where I need a starch, a protein, and a vegetable. The starch almost always includes a 100% whole grain like lundberg brown rice or whole pasta. For example, I eat brown rice, chicken, and stir fry. I just kind of learned how to season things around the framework of eating that way. Another night I''ll just have chickpeas, rice, and potatoes. I''m not afraid of vegetarian meals even though I eat meat because many of them are very light. Cooking a lot and mostly avoiding processed foods is key. I try to keep fruit that''s in season in my home so that snacking is easy.

Lunch is generally random but I tend to just be logical. If I''m out, I order things that have the healthy symbol by them on the menu. If I''m at fast food (about 2x per month), I order grilled and only the sandwich, not fries or coke, except on occasion. I just try to keep my overall goal of health in the back of my mind at all times while at the same time realizing that there are no rules, that way I don''t feel restricted and like I want to break the rules. During the days when I just really want things like regular soda, I drink it, but I make sure I go for a longer walk that night. Sometimes, I don''t walk and that''s okay. It''s what I do overall that counts. I may have a really good weekend and it evens out in the end. I had to let go of the guilt of not being perfect.

I also did everything in my power to disassociate food with emotion. I made a very conscious effort not to eat out of boredom or emotional distress. I conquered this by journaling about the feelings involved in my eating. Like I said I don''t like tracking my food or making specific rules, but the journaling helped resolve the issues that surrounded the occasional emotional eating. When guilt surrounding food would come up, I just accepted the feeling, let it go, and tried to work through it logically.

Prior to these decisions, I was just always eating without even thinking about it for any reason imaginable. It was quite destructive. A solid nutritional education was well worth my while and I used the American Dietetic Association''s Complete Guide to Nutrition. I love that book.

Anyway, I think it starts with a holistic approach, not a set of rules. It needs to be comprehensive. I changed my entire set of life habits. The weight came off really slowly, but it stayed off. I just had to force myself to be patient and believe in the changes for the sake of being healthier and happier. Then the patience came easily and before I knew it (after about a year), I was in 10 sizes down from my largest size.

I hope you feel better after the surgery. Just remember that things are always in flux. You will get better.

I agree with 100% of your post! I''d a foodie too, and I do the same as you when I go out to eat, and also have the same approach to exercise. I rarely hit the gym (maybe only 1-2X a week). I take walks, I jog, I swim with my kids, dance with them, jumprope with my daughter... in an essence, I just get off my butt and do things I love.

 

[Haven]

Hi, Samantha!

I don''t know if this is inspiration, but I lost over 30 lbs back in college. I gained A LOT of weight my freshman year of college, over 30 lbs, and then slowly lost it from the beginning of my sophomore year through the time I graduated.

I was eating a lot of crappy food, and drinking a lot of beer, so that''s why I gained all that weight.

I lost it in a pretty routine way, nothing groundbreaking here, but this is what I did:
- Quit drinking soda (I love regular Coke)
- No eating after 9 PM. (That sounds late but in college we were usually just starting to get ready to go out at 9!)
- Got a workout buddy and did Tae Bo every day. (This turned out to be an AWESOME motivator, because we eventually had a ton of girls and guys coming to our floor to do Tae Bo with us every day. My dorm actually put a TV with a VHS player in the basement workout room for us because people were complaining that we were making too much noise up on the floors. It was so much fun!)
- I started a running club for people who can''t run. We ran together regularly and it was great because none of us were stud runners so we were super supportive.
- Went to the gym and worked out with my workout buddy regularly.

I know none of that is exactly groundbreaking, but the support of a workout buddy and a larger group of people who shared my goals was what really helped me lose the weight. I had been an athlete in HS and I went from being able to eat anything I wanted to being pretty sedentary my freshman year of college.

I probably entered college weighing in around 145/150 lbs. At the start of my sophomore year year I weighed around 190 lbs. By the time I graduated I was down to 155/160 lbs, and I''ve stayed around that weight every since, so for the last eight years. (I can''t believe I graduated eight years ago. Yikes.)

If I could give you one piece of advice it''s to get a workout buddy/someone who shares your goal, and support each other. I''ve had a variety of workout buddies ever since, and that''s the only way I''ve been able to stay in shape.

And having a dog helps, too. I walk a couple miles a day with my pup now, so that''s a huge help. She keeps me in shape!

Are you inspired by photos? I cut out a photo of a fitness competitor with a killer body back when I was at my heaviest and kept it on my dresser. That motivated me to stay on target, too.

Good luck!

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Samantha, I''m sorry to hear you''ve had surgery - I had my gallbladder removed last year and if it''s any help, I was back to normal after a couple of days. It was a fast, easy recovery and I hope yours will be too.

I lost 4 stones (whatever that is in lbs) over about 3 years when I was in my 20s and other than when I was pregnant, it''s stayed off without much effort. Lots of really good food was my approach - nothing out of a cardboard box / takeaway/ plastic wrapper. I eat food cooked from scratch and I eat an enormous heap of veggies at most meals. I try to eat regularly, because when I get too hungry I reach for something with cheese.

I think that mindset is important in making any big life change (and it has to be a life change, not a diet). I don''t have much interest in looking a certain way, I''m not especially worried about weight, body image etc but I do want to live for a long time and I want to be independent, so common sense dictated that I had to lose weight. I struggled more with the mind issues than the food issues - I don''t want to be the person who thinks about calories or worries about their weight. It piled on after an accident, when I had a fractured spine and wasn''t mobile, so I was resentful and angry about that too.

I had to find a way of losing weight without it taking over my thoughts, without it becoming too important. Cutting out processed foods was a big help and learning to cook was important. If you''re cooking your own meals, you''re in control. I don''t consciously cook and eat low fat or low calorie meals, but I don''t have stuff in the house that will result in a huge blow out. When I open the fridge to decide on what''s for dinner, the choice to stay within reasonable limits is already made, since there''s nothing too damaging in there. It''s just a small adjustment, a slightly different way of life that becomes second nature eventually. Also, when plain food becomes the norm, treat food is even more of a treat.

I find that it helps to have a quick and easy reckoner - like weightwatchers points or a rough calorie count. I don''t follow it religiously, but it''s a rough guide so I know I''m not over-eating each day (although I tend to average it across a week to allow for having a normal life etc..).

So I don''t know if that''s any help to you at all, but I remember your recent thread and I get that you want to change things. I hope there''s something in my (long) post that might help, but if not, there are plenty other people here who can help. Just don''t let this issue cloud your happiness or take the joy out of your life (forgive me if I''m out of line saying that).

 

[Samantha Red]

Wow, I was looking for inspiration a I have certainly received it in spades - thank you all so much. I think the answer is going to lie in small manageable changes and small manageable targets. I want to lose in total about 60lbs, but have decided to try and focus on 5% - 10% at at time and make changes that I can continue for life. I feel it is important not to make foods good and bad, but eat more of some than others. Does that make sense?

Mrs Mitchell, thank you for your kind thoughts about post op recovery. I came out of surgery 72 hours ago and definitely feel more mobile, but still sore and bruised. Did you really feel back to normal after a couple of days? How long before you were driving, back to normal housework and stuff like that? I have been told I can''t drive for a couple of weeks and I am already frustrated at the lack of mobility ha ha

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Good to hear you're on the mend. I was fully mobile really once the anaesthetic wore off completely, but then I'm the woman who went home the morning after a c-section. I seem to heal fast (or maybe I'm just stubborn...).

I was a little tender for about two weeks, but more or less back to normal once the stitches were removed a week after the op. The surgeon recommended that I was careful, but kept moving normally (within reason.) For some reason he felt the need to tell me not to go to the gym for 6 weeks. Um, ok. If you insist. I was only going there to get a massage, but whatever. I was driving after the stitches were removed. I was signed off work for 4 weeks, but it was a moot point since I was on maternity leave anyway.

I had keyhole surgery though, which would make a big difference. It is minimally invasive with much smaller scars. I never had any pain, although they did give me painkillers to take home from hospital. I never did any housework to begin with, and I haven't wanted to risk trying yet (op was last June and it's sensless to rush these things

)

Hope you're up and about again in no time.

 

[Porridge]

I lost about 10kilos (bout 22lbs) a year and a half ago and kept it off. It was college weight, from beer and fast food. No secrets there either - I just stopped drinking as much and started eating better. Cut out the crap, but allowed treats. I found exercise I liked (tag rugby and dancing). I wasn''t too strict, and it was a slow but permanent process.

I have no more advice to add to the helpful posts above, but I will tell you this for inspiration - losing the "stodgy" weight and getting healthier is GREAT. The craving for bad food is just that - sugar cravings. They pass. And there is so much gorgeous, healthy food out there once you ignore the ready made crap and start shopping around. Really tasty veggies and ways to prepare food that leaves you pleasently satisfied, but not tired and bloated after a meal. Exotic dishes that you''ve never even heard of await. The extra energy and positive mindset that comes with treating yourself so well is just great. Honestly, it can be tough, but stick with it, don''t beat yourself up when you fall off the wagon, and just enjoy this good thing that you''re doing for yourself.

 

[deegee]

I lost 65 pounds. When I joined weight watchers, I was at my absolute heaviest. I had been gradually going up every year, and couldn''t fit into my biggest clothes. Hubby and I took a trip to California, and I couldn''t wear anything I had but my jeans. So, there I was walking around Disney Land in jeans and long-sleeved shirts because I refused to buy the next larger size. I nearly passed out from heatstroke! While in California I broke my foot, and it refused to heal. The dr said (as nicely as he could) that it would help my foot to lose weight. I also have a really lousy back due to an injury to my spine several years ago. He told me that my spine was starting to fuse itself together from my sheer lack of exercise and movement.

SO - I joined weight watchers and lost 65 pounds. I have no trouble with my foot anymore. My back will always bother me, but I think exercise and weight loss have given me more flexibility and a better mindset to handle the pain. While following the ww plan, I learned that portion size was key. I bought a food scale, and I weigh and measure almost everything I eat. I still keep a food journal every day so that I don''t overeat. I actually crave healthy foods now instead of candy and chips. It''s pretty cool. The best part is that my blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose numbers are all in the healthy range instead of high. Woo-hoo! I''m 5''9, and went from a size 18 to a size 4. I feel better than I have felt in years!!

Glad you''re on the mend after surgery. Rest and take it easy!

 

[xapora]

My mom has struggled with her weight her entire life. In 2005 she began doing Weight Watchers with a group of her friends. They would attend the meeting and then go out for a healthy dinner afterward which kept her motivated and going to the meetings. She dropped 120 pounds in 2 years, from 260 to 140 pounds. We are all SO incredibly proud of her, especially after seeing her struggle for so long. She was somewhat of a celebrity at her WW branch and they actually wanted her for their magazine but she declined! She has stopped attending the meetings but has kept the weight off by simply sticking to the WW plan and counting her points, drinking at least 8 cups of water a day, and walking 3-4 miles 2 or 3 times a week with a friend. It requires so much discipline but once she became used to living the healthier lifestyle it''s become second nature to her now. It also helps that she surrounded herself with people who were striving for the same goals so they could all motivate and support each other.

 

[perry]

I''ve lost 38 Lb from several years ago (and my current weight is relatively stable). I still have more to go.

Its been a slow and frustrating process.... But I keep working at it.

Perry

 

[Smurfysmiles]

I''m not sure exactly how much weight was lost but I do know 2 years ago when dh and I first started dating I was a size 18-20 jean size. Today I''m a size 10.

 

[marcy]

Good luck recovering from your surgery. To lose weight you have to find what works for you. There is a free website sparkpeople.com where you can determine how many calories to eat each day based on desired weight loss and activity level and has food tracker.

I lost at least 160 pounds (I don''t know what my high weight was) and have been a healthy - normal sized person for about 2 years now. I have put some weight back on but I still work on it every day. The "spark" was finally being afraid I was going to die. I had dangerously high blood pressure, a rapid heart beat, heart palpitations, I could barely walk around a grocery store and every night I went to bed I worried if I would ever wake up. I ate about 1200 to 1400 calories a day spread across 3 small meals and mini snacks. I can''t tell you how much better I feel. I have walked the past 2 summers in the local Race for the Cure, I can walk for hours, and my blood pressure is very normal to low now. I eat very normal food just watch portion control. I have a food scale and weigh out my portions and do also try to use and eat low fat foods.

Good luck!

 

[Po10472]

Wow Marcy, I''m so impressed and would love to hear more about your journey. I was just about to post when I saw yours so my story pales in comparison.

I have been heavy most of my life which started at the age of 8 when I was put on steroids for my asthma and I gained a lot of weight and have never really been able to control it completely so have battled on and off for the last 30 years with it. I''ve tried every diet and exercise regime under the sun and have lost a stone here and there but never anything substantial for a finite length of time until now. The difference has been a combination of 3 factors which I''ve never been able to get right all at once, but the one that needs to be there at all times to ensure you don''t fail, is your mindset. If you''re mind is not in it and you don''t have the drive then you''re not going to succeed. For me it wasn''t enough to just want it badly, it was to want so badly that I had to change and to try everything I could and to keep going no matter what. So its taking it a day at a time.

Soooo in the last 6 months I have lost 3 stone. I''ve done this by cutting out my emotional crutch, chocolate and sweeties. I don''t need them in my life, they are my mood suppresents, rather than feel stressed, I''d eat it away, put on more weight, feel crap, eat cycle ensued......yada yada. I don''t eat junk food and processed foods. I eat protein at every meal and have lunch, breakfast, dinner and if I want a snack in between, then its a yogurt or a handful of nuts or a string cheese. I have been doing my wiifit most mornings before going to work and not weighing myself every day but every week or 2 weeks so that I''m not stressing about that number but looking at how I feel and how my clothes feel. I want to lose another 3 stones before August and I need to get back on track and know I''m going to do it this time. I just need to keep strong and keep my goals in mind and keep at it.

I hope you get better soon and start to lose weight and feel great about yourself.

Po
x

 

[Bella_mezzo]

you ladies are amazing!!!!!!! Congrats, and you are an inspiration. I have about 30 lbs that I should lose and I''m having trouble finding the motivation. i have a lot of admiration for you!!!

 

[marcy]

Samantha, since you asked to hear other people''s stories I hope you don''t mind me telling mine here.

Po, my story only sounds impressive because I had sooooo much to lose. Good for you realizing what was an emotional crutch and eliminated it.

Congratulations to all of you for your amazing success stories. It doesn''t matter whether you have to lose 5 pounds, 50 or hundreds it is never an easy task.

On September 1, 2006 I decided I’d had enough. I was grossly overweight, extremely unhealthy and I knew I had to lose weight or die. I started my diet right then. Being overweight most of my life I knew a 1200 calorie a day diet was a sensible plan for me to follow so I began on an overwhelming journey with an outcome I couldn’t see or imagine. I used a food scale to weigh out my food and tracked my calories in a little notebook that I carried around all day.

I honestly didn’t know what I weighed because my scale was far back, under the bed where I couldn’t reach it. By the time I weighed I was 320 pounds. Looking back at old pictures I think I was near 340 or 350 pounds at my highest weight.

When I started I went for small, achievable goals. My first goal was to get below 300 pounds. I wasn’t keeping track of reaching my goals then but I was below 300 pounds by the end of October, 2006. Then I went for 275 pounds. I was very strict until I lost about 75 pounds. I never deviated from my 1200 pounds and stayed away from treats and splurges. I wasn’t sure I would succeed or if I did break my diet that I would go back on track. Once I had lost over 100 pounds I realized I could do this and would have a treat now and then on the weekend. I knew I would go back on track and not spiral out of control.

I have been overweight most of my life. I have lost weight a few times in my life but it was never for the right reason or right way. Some diets were with a pill prescribed by doctors, some were by silly fad diets, some were by not eating enough to be healthy. Every time I tried a diet, I did lose weight but I didn’t stick with the diets and once I went off the diet; I gained back weight - usually more than I’d lost.

What was different this time is I did this for my health. I knew I had to change my lifestyle or face certain death or a stroke and I had to find something I could stick with for the rest of my life.

I know that if I can do this, you can too. I eat normal, everyday food. I eat chocolate, French fries and ice cream but it’s all about portion control. I don’t feel deprived. I don’t feel sorry for myself. I just know I’ve made a choice to live healthier and the dramatic changes in my appearance and my life make it all worth it.

What did I used to eat? A typical day would be: Frosted brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts (2) or 8 chocolate frosted doughnuts, by 9 I’d be in to my family size bag of snack mix or crackers. By 10 I’d be in M&M’s or dove chocolate. Lunch was usually a cheeseburger and fries or tacos and potatoes all with a coke followed by a full sized candy bar. Mid afternoon I had more candy or cookies of some type. While cooking supper (or we ate out a lot) I’d nibble on cheese and crackers or more chocolate. Supper was meat and potatoes, pasta or rice, veggies all followed up by dessert plus more chocolate. Estimated 4000+ calories?

Now my typical day is breakfast consisting of cereal and fresh fruit, my mid morning snack is a 100 calorie snack pack, my lunch is usually leftovers for about 300 – 400 calories. My mid afternoon snack is a 100 calorie snack pack again and while cooking supper I now snack on raw veggies. We have grilled lean meat with whatever my calories allow from potatoes or pasta. I also eat a single serving of low fat ice cream every day. I often eat a mini candy bar at some point during the day so my grand total for the day is 1200 to 1400 calories depending on what I eat.

I used to wear size 5X stretchy clothing and had to buy all my clothing online – including size 14 underwear. Now I can find clothing in any store that fits me. My closet has everything in it from S to XL – just depends on the style and how old it is.

I put some weight back on around Christmas this year and my smallest pants are “no go” right now. Also having losing that much weight I have a LOT of excess skin which seemed to have tightened up recently and that has reshaped me in ways I am not happy about. It added some inches but I continue to keep trying. I gain a few, lose a few but keep trying. I know I will battle this problem the rest of my life but I think I have kicked or at least have the strength not to give in to my old very bad, and destructive bad habits. Right now I want to lose 20 pounds so my pants either fit again and the ones I am wearing will fit better.

And that my PS friends is my story.

 

[PumpkinPie]

impressive - permanent change is such a difficult battle

 

[Po10472]

Thanks marcy for sharing, you truely are inspirational and I hope that one day I can come share my story of how I lost all my weight.

Sam - I hope you recover soon and that all these stories help you reach your goal.

Po
x

 

[marcy]

Po, I look forward to hearing your story. You might check out the weekly Healthy Lifestyle Thread - I sure find it helpful to keep me on track.

Samantha, I hope you are doing good and recovering well. You (and everyone) might be interested in the HLT thread.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Couple things you can do to lose weight:
Don''t eat while in front of your computer or while watching TV. When doing those, a person may not watch portion control as strickly. Instead of snacking while watching TV, keep your hands busy by holding a cup of tea.
Another is not snacking while cooking.
.

 

[marcy]

Very good tips, MC. I have raw veggies in baggies and get them out while I am cooking. It takes the edge off my hunger and keeps me out of bad things. DH grazes the pantry while I am cooking and if I don''t have the veggies I''ll get in to his more fattening snacks.