Viewing the message boards in:

28 days in / 20 pounds down / Love MFP and have learned a lot!! Changing my life!!

Posts: 58 Member
edited November 29 in Success Stories
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

Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

Replies

  • Posts: 100 Member
    You are doing an amazing job! Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing your story. :)
  • Posts: 93 Member
    Wow! Good for you. It's hard to put ourselves first sometimes but keep going!!
  • Posts: 668 Member
    Go go go! You're doing an awesome job! I don't even know you, but I'm very proud of you :smile:
  • Posts: 1,038 Member
    What an awesome story! You've started an amazing journey!
  • Posts: 58 Member
    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!
  • Posts: 58 Member
    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.
  • Posts: 58 Member
    krithsai wrote: »
    Go go go! You're doing an awesome job! I don't even know you, but I'm very proud of you :smile:

    Thank you! This is a rest of my life change, not a fad diet or a momentary burst of exercise.
  • Posts: 58 Member
    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!
  • Posts: 1 Member
    Congratulations! That's awesome.
  • Posts: 58 Member
    Congratulations! That's awesome.

    Thank you! It is a start that I am very proud of and I will definitely keep rolling!
  • Posts: 104 Member
    Inspiration right here!
  • Posts: 1,413 Member
    Great start! MFP will be there with you all the way!!
  • Posts: 9 Member
    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.
  • Posts: 58 Member
    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.
  • Posts: 58 Member
    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!
  • Posts: 58 Member
    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.
  • Posts: 277 Member
    Well done! Keep going, it only gets better :)
  • Posts: 58 Member
    njmp wrote: »
    Well done! Keep going, it only gets better :)

    Thank you! For once in my life, this is a lifestyle change, not just a diet. I'm amazed at how much better I feel already and can't wait to see how much better I will feel minus a lot more weight by this time next year!
  • Posts: 49 Member
    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!
  • Posts: 3 Member
    :) nice job keep up the great work
  • Posts: 58 Member
    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!!!
  • Posts: 58 Member
    Teemoney19 wrote: »
    :) nice job keep up the great work

    Thanks! You keep it up as well! We got this!!

  • Posts: 19 Member
    You are awesome!!! Thanks for sharing your story.
  • Posts: 58 Member
    edited January 2016
    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!
  • Posts: 502 Member
    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%
  • Posts: 58 Member
    tk6299 wrote: »
    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%

    Thanks! MFP is an awesome app with tons of support!

  • Posts: 290 Member
    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!
  • Posts: 58 Member
    Trishkit wrote: »
    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!

  • Posts: 439 Member
    Great story, keep at it!
This discussion has been closed.

Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
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!