From a size 20 to a size 8 with strength training, in one year! PICS!

dk82

Great job! You look amazing. I am also 5'3" my highest weight was 205. I have been on MFP for 5 years. I have lost and gained back over the years(some ups and downs in my life) but I have never went back up to my highest weight. Right now I'm at the lowest weight I have been in a long time, 169lbs. I have just been losing weight by eating with a deficiency and just a little bit of cardio. I want to get into strength training/ lifting. Can you tell me how you started off with weights? Send me a friend request if you want.

dk82

Actually anyone can send me a request. It's nice to have friends on here with the same goals/ starting weight and height.

blessedwith3boys

Way to go! Such amazing results!

shauna913

Wow! Such an amazing accomplishment! You look amazing

GenElizabeth

Thank you, ladies!

dk82, I started using just a pair of 5lb dumbbells. I would do over head presses, tricep kickbacks, lunges, squats and step ups with them. Then as I got stronger, I upped the weight to 7lbs, now I use 15lbs for all the same exercises I once did with just 5lbs, but that's how I started.

zebszee

You look fantastic, well done

chesnity3

Great job!

PrincessPeacock

Congratulations on all of your hard work! You look amazing! I started working with dumbells a few weeks ago and thought that I wasn't lifting "heavy" enough so kind of slacked off with it. Not anymore now though!!!! Thank you for your post and the motivational boost!

Julieboolieaz

Great job! You look wonderful! I'm hoping for legs like that!

Liftng4Lis

Excellent work woman!

Healthy67Chick

Great job! You look amazing!

GenElizabeth

NewLIFEstyle4ME wrote: »

GenElizabeth wrote: »

Thanks a million everyone, it's hard work but it's worth it!

Here is a very humble photo of what I use in my home, right where I use it, for those asking what my set up looks like. I have a nice, big window, my milk crate, a basic bench and some free weights! Just start picking up heavy stuff and do it consistently!

GenElizabeth wrote: »

estherlion wrote: »

Wow! You look beautiful! Can you share how many calories you eat and did you notice a metabolism boost (where you can eat more calories) once you hit the weights?

From Jan to Dec 2014, I was between 1200-1300 cals per day. Being a stay at home mom, with my daughter in grade school, I tend to be very sedentary and I am also short so I do not do well with a high calorie diet or a high amount of carbs (stayed around 100-120g carbs per day). If I worked full time or were on my feet all day, I would've required more calories but that wasn't my case. My energy levels were fine also, as I focused on the quality of my calories, making sure to get in at least 100g protein and 25g fiber per day, as well as important vitamins and nutrients.

However, after having lost most of the weight in Dec, I started my first gym membership and started eating more... Too much more, lol! I was up to around 1800 cals/day and I was gaining body fat, even though I was still lifting and working out. It was just too many cals for me, living a mostly sedentary lifestyle.

I am currently working on losing what I gained over the first few months of the year. I am currently eating 1300-1400 cals per day and lifting 5-6 days a week still... I live sore but I love it.

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh....you're a SUPERSTAR, period. Mega W W---mere words can't quite describe how inspirational, encouraging and fabulous you and your post are to me.

P.S. WWWWWWWWWWW WWWWWWWWWW

Thank you!

secretsquiral

GenElizabeth wrote: »

Hello MFPers!

I am 33 years old and 5'3". I started this difficult journey in Jan of 2014 at 205lbs and I had JUST hit a size 20!!! In Dec 2014, I got down to a size 8 and around 135lbs! I feel great and am loving who I am becoming now! I'm learning a TON and meeting a lot of great people in the process.

I came across MFP in June of last year. I have kept a moderate calorie deficit pretty consistently (500 or so each day), with my carbs and protein around 100g each while lifting weights regularly (in my home with my own collected equipment), 5-6 times/week. I didn't do much cardio, as I don't enjoy it. I do run on occasion though. I feel empowered now and I absolutely LOVE strength training! Planning to take new progress pics at the end of June so I'm looking forward to that.

Here is my story so far on realbodiesrealresults.com. Feel free to check it out!
realbodiesrealresults.com/gen.html

Best wishes to you all, anything is possible if you don't give up!

WOW!! you look incredible!!!

curtissoph

Wow, fantastic job! So inspiring. The weights that your typical workout includes... did you work your way up to those weights or have your workouts been similar intensity the whole time?

alcazoocrvw

I love reading these stories! Congrats on your success. My goal is great legs like yours! Can you share your leg routine?

melnikn

U look so different. Such an amazing transformation. You look beautiful! !!

tesha_chandler

You look amazing! Loveeee your arms!

wannaloseit77

Everyone else has said it - you look amazing and are truly inspiring! Well done!

GenElizabeth

curtissoph wrote: »

Wow, fantastic job! So inspiring. The weights that your typical workout includes... did you work your way up to those weights or have your workouts been similar intensity the whole time?

The weight in my typical or current workouts, is something I have totally built up over time - about a year or so. I started all of my lower body workouts with just my bodyweight and slowly added weights as I felt stronger and ready. Things progressed from there. It takes a lot of TIME but time worth investing.

Thank you all for the kind words!

BabyPhat90713

Wow. This is truly an amazing transformation. You were beautiful before but now your stunning. I started at 250 myself at 5'7 and am down 16 lbs in 1 month. I want to get down to 135-150. Thanks for sharing. A size 8 I think is the perfect size and is where I want to be

glamorgirl2015

You look Fab, very inspiring!!!!

PandoraGreen721

You look fabulous!! Amazing transformation! Beautiful face, too!

GenElizabeth

Thanks ladies, hope you all have a good Saturday today!!!

Vidarsbane

You look absolutely beautiful, truly inspirational and I bet your husband is over the moon

Emilia777

You absolutely rock, well done!!! What completely amazing results, you should be mega proud of yourself

P.S. You sort of look like Alyssa Milano from certain angles

GenElizabeth

BabyPhat90713 wrote: »

Wow. This is truly an amazing transformation. You were beautiful before but now your stunning. I started at 250 myself at 5'7 and am down 16 lbs in 1 month. I want to get down to 135-150. Thanks for sharing. A size 8 I think is the perfect size and is where I want to be

Thank you dear! Well done on your 16lbs lost so far! Just keep at it, one day at a time, and results will come.

@ Vidarsbane: Hubby is a trouper, lol... He has lost 50lbs himself by jumping on the wagon with me. He is type 2 diabetic so this has been so great for our whole family.

@ Emilia777: Who doesn't love Alyssa Milano?! Thank you, lol

GenElizabeth

This is my husband's weight loss photo (he won't mind, lol). He is 39 years old, 5'7" and type 2 diabetic. Naturally, a good and improved, quality diet did wonders for him on the outside, as well as on the inside of his body. He accomplished this through eating 3 balanced meals a day, with moderate carbs and healthy snacks. He didn't use MFP but he ate pretty much the same things I ate and worked out with me some. He gets a work out in every day with his physical job too - he just needed to fix his diet.

I'm so very proud of him and grateful for his support to me. He came onboard with me and I couldn't be happier! Teams are always more successful so try to buddy up with your spouse or friend, if you can!

Emilia777

Alyssa Milano IS great

And oh my gosh, your hubby looks so awesome! Please do pass along, if you like, that it is suitably impressive. My manfriend and I are also in it together, and I showed him this - he found it amazing and very inspirational.

Well done to you both

GenElizabeth

Awesome and thank you!!

fitoverfifty

absolutely amazing. You look like a different person. Wow. You must be so thrilled :-)