The turtle has crossed the finish line!!
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MapDancer
Posts: 246 Member
The turtle has crossed the finish line!!
Slow but steady I hit my goal, nothing fancy. I can honestly say I was never grumpy, deprived or discouraged (dear husband says that's the truth!).
I had been a healthy BMI until my 40s when I started to get a little overweight and in my 50s I was over the edge into obese BMI. In my 40s I did start treatment for a low thyroid and of course there was the perimeno-stuff. I asked my Dr. once about my weight and he vaguely mentioned Weight Watchers.
I didn’t have any weight related health issues...yet, but it was discouraging to wear size 18 jeans.
Then sudden passing of an obese co-worker prompted me to search for free weight loss programs. On 11/12/13 I started MFP journey.
I am 5’2” and that day I was 59 years old and weighed 178 lbs – my highest being 180 lbs. My goal was to get to a Healthy BMI which would place me at 136 lbs. I had no idea how long that would take.
This is from April 2009
June 2015
My husband, also in need of losing about 50 lbs., was agreeable to whatever I served him. We didn’t eat badly – no soda, chips, fast food or even eating out often – just too much of my good cooking!
I logged in every day – everything I ate. I weighed out portions of everything. I like my escali scale that measures weight and volume –you can measure out cereal and fruit in grams and then weigh in ½ C. milk. No measuring cups needed.
Running or going to a gym held no interest for me. I use to get on my treadmill about 3x/week. Now I made a point to get exercise everyday. Either on the treadmill, house cleaning, or folk dancing. This is the point where I really changed. In March 2014 my son introduced me to Coffee Prince, a Korean drama. Suddenly slogging through 45 minutes of American TV changed to 60+ minutes of breezing through really great shows that had me eager to get back to the next day. My husband agrees. Now we’re making kimchi and taking Korean language classes!
With MFP it was easy, there was something to measure, CI<CO, and I enjoy data. It became a game.
On 2/15/2015, after 15 months, I hit the Healthy BMI range with 136 lbs. A loss of 42 lbs.
By 6/14/15 I am at 130 lbs. I feel comfortable here. Measurements: bust 36”, waist 28.5”, hips 40” (my waist was 40” when I started).
By other measures of success:
Dr. Oz said women’s waist no more than ½ your height and hip to waist ratio puts me in perfect pear shape.
Suggested BMI for women in their 60’s is 25-27. I’m below that a bit.
• Ate the same foods I always made, just measured out one real portion (or less).
• I eat more yogurt and nuts now.
• Never touch artificial sugar or special diet foods.
• Never went below 1200 cal/day.
• Activity every day.
• Weighed myself every morning. I figure you don’t drive down the road peeking out once every mile.
• After 6 months I just started logging the lows. I never fluctuated more than a couple pounds and it made for an encouraging graph to see the line always heading downwards!
• I did have a couple 6-8 wk. plateaus towards the end, but I just kept doing what I was doing and then it would fall again.
• I never said no to a craving. But I can eat just one cookie really slowly. Cooking Light’s recipe for Texas Sheet Cake is awesome. But it is frozen in portions and enjoyed when I have the calories to spend.
• Weight loss doesn’t cost more. If anything it costs less. Eating a proper portion means that there is enough for a second meal or lunch ready to pack.
• Embrace housework! It is a productive distraction.
Slow but steady I hit my goal, nothing fancy. I can honestly say I was never grumpy, deprived or discouraged (dear husband says that's the truth!).
I had been a healthy BMI until my 40s when I started to get a little overweight and in my 50s I was over the edge into obese BMI. In my 40s I did start treatment for a low thyroid and of course there was the perimeno-stuff. I asked my Dr. once about my weight and he vaguely mentioned Weight Watchers.
I didn’t have any weight related health issues...yet, but it was discouraging to wear size 18 jeans.
Then sudden passing of an obese co-worker prompted me to search for free weight loss programs. On 11/12/13 I started MFP journey.
I am 5’2” and that day I was 59 years old and weighed 178 lbs – my highest being 180 lbs. My goal was to get to a Healthy BMI which would place me at 136 lbs. I had no idea how long that would take.
This is from April 2009
June 2015
My husband, also in need of losing about 50 lbs., was agreeable to whatever I served him. We didn’t eat badly – no soda, chips, fast food or even eating out often – just too much of my good cooking!
I logged in every day – everything I ate. I weighed out portions of everything. I like my escali scale that measures weight and volume –you can measure out cereal and fruit in grams and then weigh in ½ C. milk. No measuring cups needed.
Running or going to a gym held no interest for me. I use to get on my treadmill about 3x/week. Now I made a point to get exercise everyday. Either on the treadmill, house cleaning, or folk dancing. This is the point where I really changed. In March 2014 my son introduced me to Coffee Prince, a Korean drama. Suddenly slogging through 45 minutes of American TV changed to 60+ minutes of breezing through really great shows that had me eager to get back to the next day. My husband agrees. Now we’re making kimchi and taking Korean language classes!
With MFP it was easy, there was something to measure, CI<CO, and I enjoy data. It became a game.
On 2/15/2015, after 15 months, I hit the Healthy BMI range with 136 lbs. A loss of 42 lbs.
By 6/14/15 I am at 130 lbs. I feel comfortable here. Measurements: bust 36”, waist 28.5”, hips 40” (my waist was 40” when I started).
By other measures of success:
Dr. Oz said women’s waist no more than ½ your height and hip to waist ratio puts me in perfect pear shape.
Suggested BMI for women in their 60’s is 25-27. I’m below that a bit.
• Ate the same foods I always made, just measured out one real portion (or less).
• I eat more yogurt and nuts now.
• Never touch artificial sugar or special diet foods.
• Never went below 1200 cal/day.
• Activity every day.
• Weighed myself every morning. I figure you don’t drive down the road peeking out once every mile.
• After 6 months I just started logging the lows. I never fluctuated more than a couple pounds and it made for an encouraging graph to see the line always heading downwards!
• I did have a couple 6-8 wk. plateaus towards the end, but I just kept doing what I was doing and then it would fall again.
• I never said no to a craving. But I can eat just one cookie really slowly. Cooking Light’s recipe for Texas Sheet Cake is awesome. But it is frozen in portions and enjoyed when I have the calories to spend.
• Weight loss doesn’t cost more. If anything it costs less. Eating a proper portion means that there is enough for a second meal or lunch ready to pack.
• Embrace housework! It is a productive distraction.
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Replies
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Congratulations on reaching your goal! Thank you for sharing your success story and helping to inspire people that they can make small, sustainable changes that will help them to reach their goals.
I love your exercise pants in your after picture!0 -
Great job! And some great advice too
Yeah on my weight graph/spreadsheet I only enter the lowest weight I hit that week.• After 6 months I just started logging the lows. I never fluctuated more than a couple pounds and it made for an encouraging graph to see the line always heading downwards!
Definitely. And having more energy to get those things done I've found is another great side effect of these changes.• Embrace housework! It is a productive distraction.
Sounds like you made a lot of sustainable changes in the time it took to get where you are. Best of luck in continuing!0 -
Congrats!!! Job well done!0
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What a fantastic update - well done on your achievement. You look fantastic in your progress pictures and your results are truly impressive. Really appreciate that you shared a few tips on what worked best for you.0
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You look wonderful!! Great job!0
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Awesome loss, very inspiring
you look great! 0 -
Awesome!! You look awesome! Congratulations on all your hard work!0
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Thank you all! I forgot to mention that a mini-goal I had is that I can sign up with the National Weight Control Registry in September. For losing at least 30 lbs. and keeping it off for one year.0
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Maybe it's not clear that I watch TV while on the treadmill...!0
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Congratulations!! Thank you for sharing your story and tips.
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You. Are. Awesome!
Such an inspiration 0 -
Congratulations. Thanks for allowing us to know the way you did it. Take care.0
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Great job! Your story sounds alot like mine. 46 pounds down 34 more to go. Goal is 132.0
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You are an awesome inspiration! I am very impressed.0
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you look awesome! this was inspiring to read and when you mentioned how it's kind of like a game my whole mindset changed, that's a way I have never thought about losing weight. great job!0
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Yeah I forgot to mention I agreed with that part too, as someone who likes data and likes gamesbayliearin wrote: »you look awesome! this was inspiring to read and when you mentioned how it's kind of like a game my whole mindset changed, that's a way I have never thought about losing weight. great job!
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Fantastic, well done 0
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Great and healthy advice! You look amazing!0
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Great work!0
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