290 to 178 in 10 Months! (w/photos)
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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.
1200-1400 calories a day for seven months?????? you are an animal, my friend! well done!0 -
Awesome job!!! Be proud of your accomplishment and shout it from the rooftops!0
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You are a rock star! Thank you for sharing, I'm just getting started so seeing others succeed is inspiring!0
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2kidsandatrip wrote: »Wow... you look amazing, great job!
Thanks 2kids... feeling great for sure!0 -
FemmeFireRL wrote: »Well done. You are truly an inspiration!
Thank you FFRL! Anything is possible, achievable... sounds really simple but all anyone has to do "stick with the plan" :-)0 -
Congratulations and thank you for an honest and heartfelt post. I know I am not the only person that is inspired by your story and your spirit. Wish me luck as I recommit to my journey of becoming healthy!0
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Murphles1210 wrote: »Great job of wellness. You are an inspiration
Thanks Murphles... the "wellness" feeling is indescribable!0 -
I came for the pictures but your message is beautiful. Thanks for sharing, especially the tips about MFP. Truly inspirational!1
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abidanoshin wrote: »Congrats!! How tall are you, by the way?
Thanks abidanoshin. 181cm... but I think I'm shrinking... old age :-)0 -
Awesome accomplishment, and similar to the story I'm trying to rewrite for myself.0
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tkillion810 wrote: »Awesome job!!! Be proud of your accomplishment and shout it from the rooftops!
Thank you tkillion. I tried!!! I cut the lock to my office building roof... started shouting... the police came... oh my lord... it's a long story
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Congratulations on the Success and the Weight Loss. You definitely Look Sharper and Younger . You are now my inspiration .I am myself starting at 240 lbs and want to achieve a below 200lbs this year. I am a 5.6" height
I myself have started with MyFittnessPal and logging in each and every thing that goes into my mouth. Infact 1st day I logged in ,i realized I ate a good 4500 calories.. whaoooo.
Per your experience ,do you suggest going elliptical , treadmill for a month or so until the body is warm and Open ?0 -
You are a rock star! Thank you for sharing, I'm just getting started so seeing others succeed is inspiring!
Thank you Beth... how did you know I could sing lol. I was getting started at one point too! I remember also looking at these "buggers" in the success threads doing so well and wishing I could be just like them. I never actually thought for a moment that I WOULD BE! Baby steps, one day at a time, one pound at a time... and it just happened!0 -
Ladybug3129 wrote: »Congratulations and thank you for an honest and heartfelt post. I know I am not the only person that is inspired by your story and your spirit. Wish me luck as I recommit to my journey of becoming healthy!
You're very welcome LadyBug, and thank you!! Bit by bit at first, hmm... that sounds too close to bite by bite... well, that too I suppose lol. It just requires diligence and persistency --> anyone can do it!0 -
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You look young, vibrant and loving life!
You made a goal, achieved it and surpassed it!
BRAVO!!!!
Love this post!!!!0 -
Your attitude is empowering! Congrats! What you have done is an amazing accomplishment all around! Thanks for sharing.0
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Congratulations on the Success and the Weight Loss. You definitely Look Sharper and Younger . You are now my inspiration .I am myself starting at 240 lbs and want to achieve a below 200lbs this year. I am a 5.6" height
I myself have started with MyFittnessPal and logging in each and every thing that goes into my mouth. Infact 1st day I logged in ,i realized I ate a good 4500 calories.. whaoooo.
Per your experience ,do you suggest going elliptical , treadmill for a month or so until the body is warm and Open ?
Thanks gauravbt... 40 pounds is EASILY achievable by the end of the year!!! 4,500 eh? They add up quickly don't they! It'll take a while but you'll soon determine what you can and can't eat to keep the calories down. For me... I just can't eat that 1100 calorie Big Mac Meal (or whatever the big calorie item is). With that 1100 calories I could eat SO SO much more!
I did exclusively treadmill work (at home)... only walking, at the steepest incline I could endure for 30 minutes. It was easy on the "old" joints, especially being heavy! I don't belong to a gym or own an Elliptical otherwise I'd LOVE one. They seem to burn more calories and give the upper body more of a work out. Either / Or is fine... just try to do SOMETHING! In hindsight, I wish I would have thrown in a little weight training... I'm playing "catch up" today.
Good luck... there are lots of good people out there for support, motivation, and inspiration!0 -
stoneymatthews wrote: »You look young, vibrant and loving life!
You made a goal, achieved it and surpassed it!
BRAVO!!!!
Love this post!!!!
Why thank you StoneyMatthews! I feel great!!! It's like there was a "fog" that lifted halfway to my goal (hard to describe... maybe it was the new medication... lol, JUST KIDDING). I started to feel more fit, better, happier, etc. as I lost weight. One good thing led to another and each good thing fed upon another... ANYWAYS... it's a pretty good feeling :-)0 -
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This is great. Your story is great. I just want to get my diet under control, I really just need to lose 10-15lbs but reading stories like this make me think "if this person could commit for so long and make a change I owe it to myself to get back on the healthy track and achieve my goals" Thank you! and congratulations0
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Very encouraging
Great accomplishment! 0 -
Great post! Congratulations, I wish you all the luck in the future
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Awesome job! It is amazing how the body responds when we start eating right and exercising. It can happen faster than you ever imagined. Thus far I have lost about 115 lbs. since March 2015, more than I ever dreamed possible. Thank you for sharing your story and pictures.0
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What an amazing transformation!! You don't even look like you a year ago, I had to look twice!!! What a great accomplishment! Very inspirational!!! I have close to 70lbs to lose and that seems so unreachable to me... I needed this today... Thank you!!!! 0
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Great job! I went from 330 to 245 in about a year. I felt and looked great but then because I was happy, I started slipping and allowing myself to cheat. I have gained back way more than I care to admit, but still not where I was at my biggest. I started eating healthy and exercising again a few weeks ago. I haven't weighed myself, but the pants I have on today were too tight a few weeks ago and fit comfortably today I hope you continue your healthy lifestyle. You look great, and so happy! 0
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'It's surprising how great fruit tastes after a couple months of avoiding junk food!'
This is so true! My kids don't understand that I eat one banana, one apple, and one orange every day, they don't get it when I tell them it is like cookies for me!
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Way to go, very inspiring! I've had quite a big loss myself, but I still have a way to go before I'm at my goal. Your story is inspiring! All the best with your maintenance. 0
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