Here we go again- 50 pounds smaller!

shanlynnstevens

Hey guys!

I was a member of MFP & had some success a couple of years ago. I stopped logging & gained all the weight back & then some. In August of last year, while I was at my highest ever weight, I joined Weight Watchers. As of the beginning of this month (June) I am down a total of 50 pounds! So so happy.

I deactivated my Weight Watchers account & am now going to start using MFP, again. I have never been healthier, happier & more motivated in my life. Being 11 pounds away from my goal weight is a crazy feeling. I can't/won't give up. No, not this time. I am a totally different person now & want to continue on this journey for life. I am here to help motivate others & would love some motivation as well. Let's be friends

uortian

Greetings! Wow, you lost 50 pounds and then some already? I just joined MFP yesterday, as in officially. I had started an account last year when I was about 20 pounds lighter. I figured, "I will get in even better shape!" Then I broke my leg!

Sooo...fast forward to know and here I am. I've been logging in and doing a diary and everything. I just hope I don't flake out! I would love some motivation and tips, if you have any...uh, yeah, I'm sure you have some tips! Please feel free to add me as a friend, too!

BTW, my name is Ana and I'm on summer break from teaching. So, I suppose I have no excuses other than to get off my behind and work out! Again, motivation would be greatly appreciated!

jozzz60

Awesome, just started to day, have had weight loss surgery but have put back on a few pounds. A friend told me about this site thought I would try it to get back on track.

shanlynnstevens

Hi Ana! I'm Shannon

Well, starting is the first & hardest (in my opinion) step! So you are already headed in the right direction. Any questions you ever have, feel free to ask away. Obviously, what works for me may not work for you, but I am always open to share my tips & what has lead to my success.

- Track every single thing you eat/drink. Measure everything. Be accountable & honest.
- Drink lots of water. I keep a cup with a straw with me all day & am constantly filling it up. Yes, I do have to go to the restroom every 10 minutes... but it's worth it!
- Eat lots of fruits & vegetables. That's pretty much all I eat during the day. On WW, fruits are 0 points so I got in the habit of eating lots of them. Every hour or two, whenever I feel hungry, I have a serving of fruit. I am trying to incorporate more vegetables throughout the day. And then for dinner I will have a lean meat & some vegetables. Maybe a sweet potato or some rice or something. Lately, I have been making myself a huge salad for dinner that I am obsessed with! Spinach leaves, diced tomatoes, sliced hard boiled eggs, sliced avocado, black beans & then a home made salad dressing that is so delish- a tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette, tbsp of honey & 1/2 tbsp of evoo. Seriously, so yum.
- Little to no alcohol.
- Be as active as possible. Every little activity helps. I would go on walks with my dog or just run around with him. Clean the house when I got home from work instead of just plopping right on the couch. I lost 40 pounds just from healthy eating & being slightly more active before I even started incorporating working out. I truly believe what you put in your body is the most important thing for losing fat, but, working out & being active will help your body in sooo many ways & it will also help you to stay on track with your eating. After a hard workout, the last thing you will want to do is eat something to ruin it!
- Take progress photos. This is my BIGGEST motivator. It's so hard to notice changes to your body because you see yourself everyday. I took a photo on day 1 & have continued to take photos along the way. Comparing those photos side by side has been truly motivating & eye opening. Do it!!!
- Last but not least (for now.) It's ok to have those cheat days/meals. Some people disagree, but this is what worked for me. I am such a food lover. If I deprive myself of something & tell myself I can't have it, I will fail. I will binge & want it that much more knowing that I can't. I give myself 1 day a week to eat whatever I want. Sometimes, what I want isn't all that bad. But most of the time, it is! It satisfies me & keeps me going & eating on track for the next week. I have lost weight pretty much every week, even with my cheat days. Would my progress be moving faster without them? Sure. But I know for me, this is what works.

Hope I helped & good luck!

shanlynnstevens

Congrats on joining & good luck! Let me know if you ever need any help or tips