Thinking about ... a year ago ...

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Machka9
Machka9 Posts: 24,944 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
As we're coming to the end of 2015, I've been thinking back to where I was and what/how I was doing a year ago, so I thought I'd ask the questions:

How were you doing ... a year ago?

What has changed in your life since then, over the past year?
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Replies

  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    Love this question. I (for many years in a row) haven't reached my ultimate goal, but I found MFP which makes my logging easier (as opposed to word documents and recipe calculating by hand!). I'm about 10lbs less than I was then and it's great.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,944 Member
    edited December 2015
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    A year ago ...

    I was busy getting medical tests done. I had visited my new Dr early in December. She told me that my bloodwork was borderline problematic, and that if I lost 10 kg, things would likely improve. However, if I didn't lose weight, things would likely get worse. She was also concerned about two other unrelated issues and sent me off for tests.

    The results of those tests had me seeing a specialist who was concerned enough to squeeze me into a special appointment on Dec 23 (Merry Christmas to me!) ... and I was into a pair of surgeries, a week apart, in early January. One surgery confirmed that everything was all clear (no cancer), the other indicated that what they removed was benign, but there is enough of an indication of the possibility of cancer, I have to go for follow-up tests every 6 months for several years.

    In December, I had started exercising more and watching what I ate ... and I lost about 2 kg. But during January, I hit the highest weight I've ever been. Possibly some of that was surgery-induced water retention, but it startled me enough that in February I joined MFP ... determined to lose the weight and be healthy again.

    I was tired of medical tests, of borderline results, of struggling to breathe walking or cycling up hills, of not being able to wear most of my clothes, of feeling like a dowdy middle-aged woman.

    A year later I'm 25 kg down! :) It's amazing what a year can bring. :)

  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    As far as weight loss goes, I've basically spun my wheels this entire year. But in terms of personal growth, I've made enormous strides.
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,123 Member
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    So, a year ago...

    I was wrapping up my first semester of nursing school and in pretty good health; I think I'm more caffeinated now (I have become addicted to sugar free Rockstar this semester). Instead of gaining the freshman 15, I lost the freshman 15 over the past year. My average daily insulin dose a year ago was about 25.5 units, and I'm now down to 17.5 units -Reducing my TDD by 8 units is saving me close to 3 vials of insulin a year. My average BG also dropped from 123mg/dL to 109mg/dL, and I increased the amount of readings that I have within 80-150mg/dL (from 56% to 69%).
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
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    I year ago, I was 25+ pounds heavier than I am today. My activity level/exercise was minimal. I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, which throws a monkey wrench in a lot of things, and I've been using that as a crutch for why I couldn't do x, y or z thing. That's a whole other issue, though.

    My boyfriend mentioned a Biggest Loser-type competition that he and some of our other colleagues were going to do, and suggested I join in.

    I did.

    And I won.

    I lost ~20 pounds during the contest. Over this last year, I've trained for two half-marathons (completed one), as well as worn through 2 pairs of running shoes. I've taken the time to learn more about batch-cooking, which in turn means I spend less on groceries, as well as food in general since I don't feel a need to pick up food on weeknights if I don't have the motivation to cook.

    I now make a focused effort to be more active. I have a Fitbit to track my steps. I run once a week with a group, and do my best to get in 6k-8k steps on the off days.

    Overall...I'm in a better place now than I was then.

    Here's to an even better 2016.

    :)

    ~Lyssa
  • knelson095
    knelson095 Posts: 254 Member
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    Hmm...well a year ago I was living in my parents house with my husband and preparing for him to go off to officer's training for the Navy. Also I desperately trying to make the holidays the best one yet because I knew everything was about to change. Didn't go well but that's a whole different story...never has a Christmas tree been dismantled and hauled outside so quickly, I swear. Rage is an efficient fuel, for sure.
    Since then I have had to move pretty much as far away from home as I can get within the continental United States, decided that since I'm not doing anything else I may as well get in shape, lost 28 lbs so far, and I'm well on my way to becoming a hermit. Although a much smaller one.
    This year has been weird.
  • debtay123
    debtay123 Posts: 1,327 Member
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    I was 10 lbs heavier than I am now. I am still not at my goal weight but I am making progress. I am emotionally healthier and have learned so much about health , fitness, and most of all doing things God's way!!!!!
  • cheryldowney86
    cheryldowney86 Posts: 30 Member
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    I was 40lbs lighter but ive also had a baby 1 month ago so thats where the weight has come, definately did not think a year ago i would have a one month old baby, hopefully next year when we are looking back to today i can say im 40lbs lighter!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    A year ago I was so close to goal I could feel it ...but I knew it was going to take time because I'd reduced my cut to less than 1/2 lb a week.

    I was looking back on the previous year thinking how did I turn from that (couch potato) to this (active and a bit of a gym freak)

    I was starting to feel a bit smug at finally having got close to my goal weight, at finally having kicked asthma into touch, at finally trusting my body again

    I've spent most of this year focusing harder on maintenance than I had to on cutting ...still smug though ;)
  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
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    225 lbs with 25% body fat. After making progress in therapy for depression, lost 50 pounds but more importantly got body fat down to 17-18 percent.
  • Linseymout
    Linseymout Posts: 159 Member
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    A year ago I had high blood pressure. Got out of breath just walking around my house.....

    Now, weigh 33kgs less and cannot go a day without working out!

    Still have about 10kgs to go to reach my goal but will get there in the new year.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    edited December 2015
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    I'm no longer lazy. I'm no longer 'overweight'. I'm no longer uncomfortable in my skin. I'm no longer the shy, quiet type. I no longer make excuses. I'm no longer sad. All of this in a year :)
  • duddysdad
    duddysdad Posts: 402 Member
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    One year ago I was 340 pounds, researching how to lose weight. I finally joined MFP on 12/29 of last year. Today I am 180 pounds and on maintenance. I would say it's been a very good year :)
  • threadmad
    threadmad Posts: 190 Member
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    PinkPixiexox wrote: »
    I'm no longer lazy. I'm no longer 'overweight'. I'm no longer uncomfortable in my skin. I'm no longer the shy, quiet type. I no longer make excuses. I'm no longer sad. All of this in a year :)

    This is me to a T!
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,203 MFP Moderator
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    I love this thread, and I love your stories. You guys are amazing - thanks for sharing!

    A year ago I had just hit maintenance and was really worried about ballooning back up to 200 pounds, so was even MORE neurotic about logging than I was during the loss phase.

    Today, I'm still in maintenance, though creeping a little closer to the top of my maintenance range thanks to lack of control around holiday sweets. Both work and home stress have been pretty rough for the past few months, and I've managed to stay in my maintenance range (yay!).

    This time last year, I began training for a half marathon in March, which I attempted but DNF'd due to an ankle sprain during the run. Finally completed a half marathon in September (knocked that off the bucket list), resprained the ankle last month and am now road biking for endorphins (forget fitness... I exercise solely for endorphins... and beer and chocolate). And I miss running. :)

    Anyway, today I am much more comfortable with myself. I don't worry that I'm going to have to re-buy all those size 16 pants. I've been wearing the same size now for over a year, and that makes me smile.
  • hmaddpear
    hmaddpear Posts: 610 Member
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    Technically a bad year for me - this time last year, I was in a hiatus, after losing almost 80lb. Unfortunately, 16lb of those crept back on before I said 'enough is enough' and came back a couple of weeks ago. On the plus side - I'm fitter than I was last Christmas, thanks to completing the Couch to 5K back in the Spring, and finishing 3 races this year! Looking forward to building on that in 2016.
  • eviegreen
    eviegreen Posts: 123 Member
    edited December 2015
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    A year ago, I was morbidly obese. I went to the clinic for a routine physical and got on the scale on the scale and the GP made some noises about my weight. Suddenly I was just so tired. Tired of every visit to the Dr turning into a discussion about my weight. Tired of being fat (I've been overweight my whole life, so I've never seen myself differently). And even though going to the gym almost every day made me a healthy fat person (good blood pressure, good cholesterol, etc), I was tired of not seeing those efforts in my physical shape.

    So I made the decision one year ago to seriously commit to logging on MFP, weighing my food, lifting heavy, and losing weight. I've lost 43 pounds and gone from the low end of morbid obesity to a healthy weight for the first time in my life. I look different and I feel more confident and fit and happy. It's been a great year and I'm so glad I made this choice to commit. Next year, I'm looking forward to hitting goal and maintaining.
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
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    This time last year I was starting to try and lose 10lbs. By May 2015, I had lost 18. I'm still within 5lbs of that loss...maintainace is tough but I'm making it through...
  • Dreysander
    Dreysander Posts: 294 Member
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    This time last year I weighed close to 220 lbs. I actually wasn't thinking about going into 2015 with a plan to lose weight at this time last year, I was just pigging out on holiday goodies and not giving a damn.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,215 Member
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    A year ago, I was preparing for bariatric surgery. I weighed 295lbs, was constantly hooked to a heart monitor, and revamping my Will, because I could literally keel over dead at any moment from heart failure.

    Today, I'm 11mo post-surgery. I weigh 165lbs, I'm off 3 of 6 prescription meds (I'm not giving up the other 3, because they keep me in my human form so as not to terrify people), all of my blood work is within normal range, my latest FMRI shows a completely normal heart minus the damage that will never heal, my T2D is in remission, and I started running last week for the first time in about 15 years.

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