A tiny success story compared to others here, but still an important step for me!

charmmeth

Hi all,

As the title says, this is a VERY small (tiny) success compared with what some of you are achieving, but it it as an important one for me.

Having weighed 68 kg (10st 10lb or 150lb) when I met my husband in 1998 (at 5'11" or 180cm this put me in the lower part of the normal range according to the bmi), I gained weight steadily through my early forties, probably weighing in the mid-high 70s when we married in 2002. At the end of 2011 I bought bathroom scales and discovered that I had hit an alarming 90kg (14st 2lb or 198lb). In Spring 2012, I lost between just over 9kg, reaching a low of 80.3kg (12st 9lb or 177lb) and then stopped tracking my weight.

By the middle of last year, I was back up to the mid 80s and the nurse at the surgery said she thought I ought to lose a bit of weight (part of the NHS anti-obesity push I guess, s she had never said anything to me before, even when I weight a lot more!). I thought I was eating pretty healthily, but at the end of September I decided I need to look more carefully at what I was eating, and in particular how much, and found myfitnesspal. On 30.09.14, when I started, I weighed in at 85kg. I am aiming for between 75 and 77kg (aroung 12st or 168lb): I would like to be able to get on the scales, dressed but without shoes (as in the doctor's surgery) and consistently weigh under 80kg.

I still have those last pesky 4kg to go, but today, probably for the first time in over ten years, I weighed in at under 79 kg (admittedly 78.9, but still!). Next week I shall be back at work and picking up swimming and walking again: I really hope to be down to 77kg before I turn 51 next month.

Myfitnesspal has been a real help. I also subscribed to the Guardian's recipe/diet suggestions service for a while back in 2012, which made me think hard about portion sizes, but I like the way that mfp lets me say what I actually eat rather than suggesting what I might eat. The exercise section also made me think about what I actually do, and in the autumn I worked out that I walk 1.8 miles a day as part of getting to and from work. I have also been trying to swim 1km several times each week (but not over Christmas).

These success stories are so inspiring. I wanted to share my small step too!

ProjectEm

Wonderful! Consistency is key and that's no small feat.

queenliz99

Keep up the good work!! Thanks for sharing

lorettaasmith

Awesome progress! Keep up the good work!

andysport1

Small success ? err I think not HUGE SUCCESS
Getting from where you didn't want to be to your goal ish weight is MASSIVE

Here if you can't do it yourself I will do it for you = there a pat on the back well done.

Thanks for sharing

ngolston

Great job!

streamgirl

Congrats! Great job!

charmmeth

Thank you all! I am very pleased too, and do feel that it is a real achievement.

(But I am also aware that some people here are looking at weight changes that make mine look very minor indeed. It is a bit like when my sister was first prescribed glasses and I could not see that they made any difference at all - the difference between a >10 dioptre correction, which I have, and a 0.5, which she had at that stage.)

yasmine334

Congrats

kellycasey5

That nurse would say it is a wonderul job you have done, and she should applaud you! First, for taking the advice and losing the weight, but more importantly for making some lifestyle changes and increasing your activity! So happy for you! Congratulations!

celtictiger73

Ummm small?? Are you kidding. You're amazing. Well done and thanks for the inspiration

Hmorgan2015

You should be proud of your success - it is a very big deal! Good for you

charmmeth

Thank you all. Measurable success: I had to take a belt to Timpsons today to have three more holes punched in it!

TKDMommy

You should definitely be proud of yourself! Great job!

vanessalillian82

I don't think that's a small success at all! I'm a tall girl myself (almost 6'2") and have been at the equivalent upper and lower weights for my height, just like you. I'm currently at the upper end, looking to get back down to where I'm comfortable, and it's nice to see someone whose weight loss is comparable to what I would like for myself. Keep up the good work

muzichick

Congratulations on your success

charmmeth

Thank you all. This is so encouraging as being tall people don't tend to notice much. However, last week, the hygienist at the dentist asked if I had lost weight, and commented that my teeth were much better, with less plaque - "it looks like your change of diet is really making a difference". This has to be because I am drinking less apple juice (I never drank soda), and perhaps because I am eating less bread and pasta? Anyway, I was pleased but surprised: I didn't expect this to make a difference to my teeth!

And: 78.3kg this morning!

charmmeth

I weighed in at 76.8 kg this morning: nearly down to 12 stone. I am amazed!

Do you think I am losing weight faster because it is so cold?

And how do people find grief affects weight loss? I lost a very close friend just two weeks ago - I have kept eating sensibly, but it has been a very hard time.

charmmeth

Today I have made my second goal weight: I weighed in below 72.5 kg. Anazing!

queenliz99

Awesome!! You are doing great!!

JesseMama02

Well done. That's fab!!

With reference to your question about grief... I completely fell off the wagon last year after losing my dad. My weight loss journey began in March 13... I went from 170 to 143 in just over a year but then I lost my dad and went back upto 161 in six months... I guess I just couldn't focus on anything.

I'm now trying to go back to the 140's... Wish me luck.