28 days in / 20 pounds down / Love MFP and have learned a lot!! Changing my life!!
zgiarc
Posts: 58 Member
My story is similar to a lot of others. I had been skinny most of my life and was a college athlete. Once I graduated and got married, I quit exercising and gained 40+ pounds the first winter. I managed over time to lose most of it, but I would always gain it back. The past couple of years I've spent time chasing my 3 kids and caring for elderly parents. Next thing you know, I have doubled my weight from college and was quickly approaching 300 pounds. I had experienced a couple of serious health related issues over the past couple of years as warning shots. In true denial, I ignored them and kept trucking down the same path. My biggest food issue was probably soda. I would easily drink 80+ ounces of Coke per day and would eat whenever I was hungry. I felt miserable, looked miserable, and acted miserable.
My wife had been nudging me to start taking better care of myself for a couple of years, but I ignored her. Finally, when dealing with the last couple months of my mothers decline the weight of it all hit me hard. I was burning the candle at 3 ends like I have most of my life. I was working, following my kids games, and organizing mom's care. I completely ran out of gas for the first time in my life. After my mom passed I went to the Dr. and my weight had gotten to 295!!! I had both ears infected, a major sinus infection, and was diagnosed with exhaustion. My Dr. spent probably 30 minutes talking with me that if I wanted to live too many more years I had to change - dramatically and quickly!
I worked on dieting for a month or so while I recovered. I managed to lose around 10 pounds by cutting back on soda, eating better calories, and eating fewer calories. At the end of that month I felt like a totally different human being! For Christmas my wife surprised me with a Fitbit. This has turned out to be the best gift ever! I started walking December 27. Discovered MFP shortly after the New Year. Once I started getting just a little active and discovered how many calories I needed vs. what I was putting into my body I was off to the races!
I am proud of myself that I have lost a total of 20 pounds so far in my first 28 days. It was really hard at first to make myself get out of bed and go for a walk before work. Now, I can't wait to wake up in the morning to get up and get active. I've recently added some evening ab work to my daily routine. I do have to go at it 7 days a week, because I don't want to stop the progress. I may have days I don't reach my step goals, but I still push myself to stay moving! I have completely eliminated soda and for the first time in years am pushing daily to drink at least 64 ounces of water.
It is still early in the process, but I feel motivated and committed to getting back to being closer to the athlete I once was. For my family, for my kids, and mostly for myself. Please feel free to add me. I need help to stay motivated and am happy to help others along my journey. It's not easy and I am nowhere close to being near the end, but it is amazing how in 1 month I can feel like a totally different person!
#energybus
My wife had been nudging me to start taking better care of myself for a couple of years, but I ignored her. Finally, when dealing with the last couple months of my mothers decline the weight of it all hit me hard. I was burning the candle at 3 ends like I have most of my life. I was working, following my kids games, and organizing mom's care. I completely ran out of gas for the first time in my life. After my mom passed I went to the Dr. and my weight had gotten to 295!!! I had both ears infected, a major sinus infection, and was diagnosed with exhaustion. My Dr. spent probably 30 minutes talking with me that if I wanted to live too many more years I had to change - dramatically and quickly!
I worked on dieting for a month or so while I recovered. I managed to lose around 10 pounds by cutting back on soda, eating better calories, and eating fewer calories. At the end of that month I felt like a totally different human being! For Christmas my wife surprised me with a Fitbit. This has turned out to be the best gift ever! I started walking December 27. Discovered MFP shortly after the New Year. Once I started getting just a little active and discovered how many calories I needed vs. what I was putting into my body I was off to the races!
I am proud of myself that I have lost a total of 20 pounds so far in my first 28 days. It was really hard at first to make myself get out of bed and go for a walk before work. Now, I can't wait to wake up in the morning to get up and get active. I've recently added some evening ab work to my daily routine. I do have to go at it 7 days a week, because I don't want to stop the progress. I may have days I don't reach my step goals, but I still push myself to stay moving! I have completely eliminated soda and for the first time in years am pushing daily to drink at least 64 ounces of water.
It is still early in the process, but I feel motivated and committed to getting back to being closer to the athlete I once was. For my family, for my kids, and mostly for myself. Please feel free to add me. I need help to stay motivated and am happy to help others along my journey. It's not easy and I am nowhere close to being near the end, but it is amazing how in 1 month I can feel like a totally different person!
#energybus
0
Replies
-
You are doing an amazing job! Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing your story.0
-
Wow! Good for you. It's hard to put ourselves first sometimes but keep going!!0
-
Go go go! You're doing an awesome job! I don't even know you, but I'm very proud of you0
-
What an awesome story! You've started an amazing journey!0
-
nowornever0430 wrote: »You are doing an amazing job! Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you! It's definitely been a change of lifestyle, but it's been good eating similar foods - just less of them!0 -
Sapphires4me wrote: »Wow! Good for you. It's hard to put ourselves first sometimes but keep going!!
Thanks! I'm not good at all at putting myself first, but it was way past time! I look at it now as an investment in my kids lives as well, becoming a better example.0 -
ElizabethOakes2 wrote: »What an awesome story! You've started an amazing journey!
Thanks! Hopefully, if it turns out the way I envision, this will be an awesome journey! It's been great so far!0 -
Congratulations! That's awesome.0
-
donnamfarrell1 wrote: »Congratulations! That's awesome.
Thank you! It is a start that I am very proud of and I will definitely keep rolling!0 -
Inspiration right here!0
-
Great start! MFP will be there with you all the way!!0
-
20 pounds in 28 days is quite a success. Good to hear that you are learning what it takes to be healthy. Keep up the good work my friend.0
-
Cath_Taylor wrote: »Inspiration right here!
Thank you! I have gotten so much inspiration from reading the MFP Success Stories over the past month! Hopefully I can inspire some folks along the rest of my journey.
0 -
KareninLux wrote: »Great start! MFP will be there with you all the way!!
Thank you! It's been a lot of "work", but it has been work that I have wanted to do! MFP is an awesome tool!0 -
happy4252010 wrote: »20 pounds in 28 days is quite a success. Good to hear that you are learning what it takes to be healthy. Keep up the good work my friend.
Thank you! I'm sure cutting soda out completely and cutting calories quite a bit has helped. Along with walking. I can honestly say that I haven't been hungry at all in the past month. Some days I eat some of my exercise calories back if I feel like it and other days I don't. I just try listen to what my body is telling me.0 -
Well done! Keep going, it only gets better0
-
-
Congrats! Difficult position to be in taking care of kids and elderly parents. I find it hard starting the exercise so I tell myself first thing in the morning, just 10 minutes and then you can quit but I always end up doing more. I'm obsessed with my fitbit as well!0
-
nice job keep up the great work0
-
southportmom2fab5 wrote: »Congrats! Difficult position to be in taking care of kids and elderly parents. I find it hard starting the exercise so I tell myself first thing in the morning, just 10 minutes and then you can quit but I always end up doing more. I'm obsessed with my fitbit as well!
Thanks! Once I got through the first week of dragging my butt out of bed, it's gotten a lot easier! I even look forward to it now!! I'm definitely obsessed with my Fitbit!!!
0 -
0
-
You are awesome!!! Thanks for sharing your story.0
-
Wantstobefitagain wrote: »You are awesome!!! Thanks for sharing your story.
Thanks! I know that I'm in for a long battle to get where I want to be, but I'm up for it!
0 -
Keep at it bro! Great success story!!! I have faith that you will reach all your goals. The people here are amazing and we will all support you 210%0
-
I've recently been working on putting myself first as well, after spending way too long taking care of others and putting their needs first, draining myself dry mentally and physically. What I've learned is that you can't help others if you aren't doing well!
I love my Fitbit, as well. Sometimes I just have to walk around the house a ton to get my steps in (currently shopping around for a treadmill, woo!), but it's worth it to get my heart rate, energy, and activity level up. I'd be happy to be your MFP and Fitbit friend!0 -
I've recently been working on putting myself first as well, after spending way too long taking care of others and putting their needs first, draining myself dry mentally and physically. What I've learned is that you can't help others if you aren't doing well!
I love my Fitbit, as well. Sometimes I just have to walk around the house a ton to get my steps in (currently shopping around for a treadmill, woo!), but it's worth it to get my heart rate, energy, and activity level up. I'd be happy to be your MFP and Fitbit friend!
I had completely beat myself into the ground by the time my mom passed. It took me a couple months to realize it and regroup. But now I'm on the right path! I've definitely been guilty of walking laps around the house to get my steps and stairs in! Craziness or dedication? Either way we are burning calories!
0 -
Great story, keep at it!0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 176K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.6K Fitness and Exercise
- 431 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions
Do you Love MyFitnessPal? Have you crushed a goal or improved your life through better nutrition using MyFitnessPal?
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!