290 to 178 in 10 Months! (w/photos)
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cindyb0121 wrote: »What an amazing journey you have had! You look like a completely different person! Congrats to you!
Thanks Cindy!! It's been a blast, really! I hardly recognize the old me to be honest. I'm feeling wonderful and trying to enjoy life now!!0 -
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DogRiverDude wrote: »"This",… sharing details about my 10-month weight loss journey is NOT something I typically do, especially in a public forum! But a wonderful friend recently reminded me that sometimes I have to put myself "out there", so here I am! I'm not here to brag or boast; instead my purpose is to encourage/motivate just ONE person to do this… to jump in with both feet!
On January 3, 2015 I weighed 290 pounds. My health was failing; blood pressure was through the roof and daily headaches were commonplace. My fitness level and quality of life sucked (for lack of a better word). At 290 pounds I struggled to do much of anything, let alone exercise! Even sleeping was uncomfortable; snoring (because of my weight) caused me to awake in the morning with awful headaches! It was time to lose weight.
Initially I thought that 250 would be a great starting goal. Hey… for the past 30 years I weighed at least 250 so it sounded like a reasonable number to me. During the first 3 months I only lost 15 pounds. Although I was trying to eat healthy, I wasn't tracking my food and was getting a little frustrated with my results.
On March 25, at 275 pounds, I joined MFP and as they say, the rest is history. When you're diligent and (a) faithfully/accurately log your food intake and (b) remain below your calorie goal, you WILL lose weight!
Over the course 7 months I ate EXTREMELY healthy grossing 1200-1400 calories / day. I exercised very little in the beginning (mostly due to lack of motivation and inability) BUT, as the pounds dropped and I saw success on the scale, I found myself exercising more frequency until it became a daily occurrence a few weeks in.
I followed NO DIET PLAN except what made sense to me! I ate mostly whole fruits and vegetables along with lean protein (typically, chicken breast, pork tenderloin, and fish). I made substitutions where possible such as Almond Milk in place of traditional milk, and eliminated virtually all processed food from my diet! I even tried to make my own Almond Milk but found it to be a huge pain in the *kitten*, and OMG… what a mess!
One of the largest factors for me was cooking large quantities of food on the weekend. By having wholesome, hearty food available in the fridge during my busy work week, I had NO EXCUSE but to eat healthy. I also kept fresh (and frozen) fruit on hand for a quick snack. It's surprising how great fruit tastes after a couple months of avoiding junk food!
I never believed in "cheat days" however I did take two vacations over the 10-month period that set me back a little bit. That said, I was able to get back on track immediately which helped immensely.
Goals? As the pounds disappeared I kept lowering my goal… 250, 225, 210, 200, 190, 185, and finally 180… After 10 months I dropped below my ultimate goal and nobody was more surprised than me! 112 pounds in 10 months with a waist reduction of 46" to 30"… I didn't even think that was possible! I've been fluctuating between 178-182 for the past 6 weeks and I'm satisfied with my current weight. I began weight training when I hit my ultimate goal in hopes that I could tone up, if just a little. I'll never be that "ripped 20-year old" BUT, I'm happy with my progress so far! Blood pressure is normal, I'm sleeping great and have no health issues whatsoever. I even passed a comprehensive Life Insurance medical with flying colors last month!
MFP Friends? Look for friends with a positive attitude that have similar goals to you and are serious & dedicated about losing weight (or maintaining as the case may be). Share (healthy) recipes, stories of diet, fitness and exercise, what works for you and, what doesn't work for you. Work with your friends… inspire and motivate each other. You really don't need hundreds of random acquaintances. A small number of close friends has served me well during my weight loss process and we continue to inspire and motivate each other to remain fit.
It's important however to remember WHY you're losing (or maintaining) weight… for YOURSELF! MFP friends will come and go. Maybe, if you're lucky, one may even play an integral role in your success but… NO MFP friend can prevent you from making poor eating choices. The occasional treat is fine but, if you're getting close to your daily calorie goal, please stop for a second and reconsider that "caramel/cheese popcorn" before eating it! The decision to eat healthy is ultimately yours and ONLY yours. If you think about yourself first, you don't have to look… happiness and success will find you!
I wish nothing but the very best to everyone and your weight loss journey. Any goal IS achievable, you just gotta believe and jump in with both feet! Weight loss is NOT hard work BUT does require dedication and devotion. If just one person finds this inspirational, my only hope is that it's "YOU"!
D.
This is absolutely awesome. Thanks for sharing. Totally agree with dedication and devotion part. Patience and perseverance are also great.0 -
riedlmisty wrote: »Amazing. Great job. Thank you for the pictures they make for great motivation.
Hey thank you Misty! I've always loved looking at before/after photos... such an important part to weight loss stories. Thanks again; so glad you feel motivated!
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Cocomis2015 wrote: »Your story in very inspirational. It is amazing what you have accomplished. congratulations.
Thank you Cocomis, I'm glad you felt inspired! I honestly didn't do anything extraordinary other than "stick with it". Consistency... that's really it! Best wishes achieving your own goals!0 -
Great job! Be proud0
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Wow! Yes, definitely put yourself out there! You deserve all the kudos and we deserve the inspiration!0
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Very motivating and inspiring! Thank you for posting the pictures because they really illustrate your journey. I started out at 304 and am currently at 274, so I have a long way to go and to hear about another person's success story gives me hope that I can accomplish the same. You look so youthful, healthy and happy in the later pictures. Bless you, and good luck as you continue your amazing transformation!0
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chargerschik wrote: »Awesome story! Congratulations on your success. Your words were elegantly written and inspiring.
Thank you so much for your kind words ChargersChik! I'm so glad to hear that you feel inspired. NOW... about being "elegantly written"... my High School English/Literature teacher seems to think otherwise hehe... but thanks!0 -
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ckhardeman wrote: »You look amazing!! Great job
Thank you Ckhardeman! It looks like you've done very well yourself!! Kudos to YOU!!!0 -
Don't take this the wrong way (as in I'm hitting on you), but I can hardly believe you are the same person. I wouldn't be able to tell from your before photo, but you are very attractive at the weight you are at now.0
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tylera7707 wrote: »Awesome job! I've dropped from 255 to 180 in a little over a year. How'd you enjoy having to buy an entirely new wardrobe like every 4 months?!?!
Haha, thanks Tyler! Congratulations on your own success! Amazing feeling isn't it!!! Yeah... the wardrobe! At -60ish I donated my ENTIRE closet! At -100 I donated just about everything AGAIN. Before Christmas my closet was pretty bare LOL! The coolest part is shopping for clothes. There's really not a lot to choose from in XXXL sizes but Mediums... OMG!!!0 -
smilezishere wrote: »Damn awesome job man! Way to stay focused and dedicated to achieve your goals. *applause*
Hey thanks Smilezishere! You've nailed it with "focus & dedication". Really... that's all it is! Anyone can achieve their goals with a little focus & dedication! Thanks again!!0 -
dwozniak16 wrote: »Amazing work! What a great accomplishment! You look great!
Thank you DWozniak! The loss was so rapid I'm still in shock LOL. I've never felt better... or... I'm so old that I don't remember feeling better hehe!0 -
Kelley0519 wrote: »Amazing story and results!!!!
Well thank you Kelley! Nobody's more surprised than me with the results 0 -
Wow - great job - appreciate you sharing your story. I'm very similiar - started at 275 and after the first 2 weeks I've reached my first goal to get under 268. Have a long way to go on my journey but your story shows it can be done and I feel better already - Keep pushing every day - thanks again for sharing!!0
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Bullstone08 wrote: »Awesome job man! Keep it up and congratulations on your journey thus far!
Thank you BullStone! My gosh, it looks like you have your own incredible story. You're so close to goal yourself. Dude!!! Please be sure to post your own Success Story, I'm sure it's incredible!!!0 -
Truly inspiring.0
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KittyHeaven74 wrote: »I just read your success story and I have to say, WAY TO GO! I am inspired by you and I'm going to bookmark your story for when I need a little extra inspiration. I have about 45 to lose and I know I can do it, but it always helps to have little things around to help push me when I'm not feeling motivated. Your story will help, I know. Congrats again - it sounds like you have embraced a healthy lifestyle that will benefit you for a long, long time!
Thank you so much KH! It's so great that you found my story motivational. 45 is entirely possible; dedication is all you need! I'd say my lifestyle is "balanced" now! I workout for the "extras" I want; tonight, Riesling! Best wishes achieving your goals!!0 -
silvestrea wrote: »Awesome! Congratulations!
Thanks Silvestrea! Congratulations on your own achievements! Wonderful work!!!0 -
biattabrittani wrote: »Très bien fait!
Merci beaucoup! Vous etes tres gentil! (sorry... I only know simple words)0 -
PamelaBar01 wrote: »AWESOME!!!!!! I Love it! Congratulations to you and thank you I had a smile on my face with every word I have read!! Thanks for the inspiration!! Well Done!! Just looking at your pictures has me motivated. God Bless You!!!
Thank you so much Pam! That's very sweet of you to say and I'm glad you feel inspired! And you're 20% to your goal already... how amazing is that! Keep up your fight and your goal will find you!0 -
Jessika29669 wrote: »You look, incredible, healthy, and happy!
Thanks Jessika! I read your story... pretty touching! You just have to decide, do you want to do this or not. Give it your all and in no time you'll be writing your own story!0 -
That's very inspiring, love the dedication!! Well done 0
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Oh wow, amazing transformation! Thank you for sharing! This really got me fired up knowing that change is possible!0
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Well done, I'm impressed.0
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juliefocht wrote: »Just what I needed on my 4th day of using MFP and counting calories! I'm glad you got out of your comfort zone and shared!
That's great to hear Julie! Today would be "Day 7" and I hope you're still going strong! I'm (now) glad too that I left my comfort zone! What an incredible response!!!
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Wonderful story! Thank you for sharing it on MFP! You have the gift of motivation and being real at the same time.0
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I can't tell you how much I love to read success stories like yours. Thank you so much for sharing. You clearly worked hard and made smart choices and are an excellent example to all of us who are still working on reaching our goals.0
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