One year later...106 pounds gone!
jenf235
Posts: 157 Member
Exactly one year ago, a friend of mine told me about MFP while we were at work. I went home and stepped on the scale and it didn't work. I went directly to the store to buy a new one and to my dismay, the first one was NOT broken! It just didn't go that high. After sitting on the edge of the bath tub, I wiped the tears and created an MFP account. It was so hard to type in the weight, but I made my finger press "299!" I then vowed that I would NEVER see that number again.
I started walking a mile or two every day, then I added some workout videos and started changing my eating habits. I am happy to report that I have now walked more than 1300 miles since last July, I can't even begin to count the number of Leslie Sansone videos I have completed, and I have even joined a gym and have started to transition into some running and weight lifting!
I could never have gotten to this point without the support of my 72 year old father, who is now walking with me 2 or 3 times a week. One year ago, we went for a walk. We did 4 miles in an hour and 15 minutes. When I got back in the car, I sobbed because I saw the limitations of my body and it broke my heart because I had such a desire to be able to do more, but my body could NOT meet my expectations. Fast forward one year...exactly one year later, I went for a 4 mile walk and I added hills and running...and I did it in under 50 minutes! I went home that day and cried again, but not because of what my body couldn't do, but because of what I had trained my body to be able to do!
I started this journey for me. I wanted to be a healthier person. I wanted to fit into those smaller pretty clothes that all of my co-workers could wear. I wanted to be able to play with my students at recess without feeling like I was going to pass out. I teach very small children who didn't see me as overweight. They drew pictures of me at the beginning of the year and made me look like I was skinny. It was my job to become the woman that they could see with their eyes of unconditional love. By the end of the school year, I had dropped over 100 pounds and had dropped from a size 24W to a size 16! I have run into parents who introduce themselves to me because they don't recognize me, even though I had taught their older children. And nothing gives me more motivation than to have a former student walk up to me and say, "I can't believe what you have done. You look amazing!" It was time for me to start practicing what I preached. And yes, I do play with them at recess now! We jump rope, we run, and I have even been known to move all of the desks in the room and put on tennis shoes and have them do 15 minutes of my workout video with me. If I can be an example of health to even one child, then every drop of blood, sweat, and tears would be worth it.
I have to thank all of my MFP friends for their support and love throughout my whole journey. I especially have to thank my "FIRST" MFP friend. She made me realize that I could do this, but that I needed more support...and now I have so many people who cheer me on everyday! MFP has been my saving grace. I would have given up long ago without this resource.
I still have a few pounds to go to hit the first MFP goal I set for myself, and I would like to lose an additional 35 or 40 pounds, but I'm in no hurry. I have learned that this is not a sprint, it is a marathon. For the obsessive/compulsive girl, I sometimes get very impatient and discouraged, but then I look at this picture and no longer see how far I still have to go...I look at this picture and see how far I have come!
For any of you who are struggling with getting motivated or feeling discouraged...please don't give up. Rely on you MFP friends. Allow yourself to shed a tear or two and then wipe your eyes and lace up those shoes. If this lazy girl could transform into an athlete, so can YOU!
The first picture was taken in May 2012 at my highest weight. The second picture was taken just a few days ago at 193 pounds!
I started walking a mile or two every day, then I added some workout videos and started changing my eating habits. I am happy to report that I have now walked more than 1300 miles since last July, I can't even begin to count the number of Leslie Sansone videos I have completed, and I have even joined a gym and have started to transition into some running and weight lifting!
I could never have gotten to this point without the support of my 72 year old father, who is now walking with me 2 or 3 times a week. One year ago, we went for a walk. We did 4 miles in an hour and 15 minutes. When I got back in the car, I sobbed because I saw the limitations of my body and it broke my heart because I had such a desire to be able to do more, but my body could NOT meet my expectations. Fast forward one year...exactly one year later, I went for a 4 mile walk and I added hills and running...and I did it in under 50 minutes! I went home that day and cried again, but not because of what my body couldn't do, but because of what I had trained my body to be able to do!
I started this journey for me. I wanted to be a healthier person. I wanted to fit into those smaller pretty clothes that all of my co-workers could wear. I wanted to be able to play with my students at recess without feeling like I was going to pass out. I teach very small children who didn't see me as overweight. They drew pictures of me at the beginning of the year and made me look like I was skinny. It was my job to become the woman that they could see with their eyes of unconditional love. By the end of the school year, I had dropped over 100 pounds and had dropped from a size 24W to a size 16! I have run into parents who introduce themselves to me because they don't recognize me, even though I had taught their older children. And nothing gives me more motivation than to have a former student walk up to me and say, "I can't believe what you have done. You look amazing!" It was time for me to start practicing what I preached. And yes, I do play with them at recess now! We jump rope, we run, and I have even been known to move all of the desks in the room and put on tennis shoes and have them do 15 minutes of my workout video with me. If I can be an example of health to even one child, then every drop of blood, sweat, and tears would be worth it.
I have to thank all of my MFP friends for their support and love throughout my whole journey. I especially have to thank my "FIRST" MFP friend. She made me realize that I could do this, but that I needed more support...and now I have so many people who cheer me on everyday! MFP has been my saving grace. I would have given up long ago without this resource.
I still have a few pounds to go to hit the first MFP goal I set for myself, and I would like to lose an additional 35 or 40 pounds, but I'm in no hurry. I have learned that this is not a sprint, it is a marathon. For the obsessive/compulsive girl, I sometimes get very impatient and discouraged, but then I look at this picture and no longer see how far I still have to go...I look at this picture and see how far I have come!
For any of you who are struggling with getting motivated or feeling discouraged...please don't give up. Rely on you MFP friends. Allow yourself to shed a tear or two and then wipe your eyes and lace up those shoes. If this lazy girl could transform into an athlete, so can YOU!
The first picture was taken in May 2012 at my highest weight. The second picture was taken just a few days ago at 193 pounds!
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Replies
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I tried to resize the original picture.0 -
So proud of you :drinker: :flowerforyou:0
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You look great!0
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Thank you for sharing your story and picture! You look amazing!0
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You're so beautiful!! Congratulations on your success, I love to read stories like this, so inspiring! WTG!!0
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Absolutely amazing!! Congratulations on the amazing hard work you have accomplished!0
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how awesome0
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Wow! Just wow! Great story and pics are amazing! Thank you for sharing!0
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What an inspiration! You look great, thank you so much for sharing your story!0
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WOW! Thank you for sharing - you are very inspiring and it really helps to hear your story. You look amazing!0
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Very inspirational. Thanks for sharing.
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Congratulations! You look so beautiful.0
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Your story brought tears to my eyes. Congratulations! You are beautiful!0
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You are the truest form of inspiration. Thank you for posting this. You have no clue what you probably have done for many people today. Keep up the good work, I know you will reach your goal.0
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Your post made ME cry. Such a wonderful success story; you look terrific. Good luck on the rest of your journey. You've formed good fitness goals and that will encourage you to continue on. I don't know you but I know what this journey is like -- and I'm so proud of you!!0
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It's ok that you did not re-size the original picture.....you did a re-size on the beautiful woman in the picture!!! Congrats to you and thank you for encouraging those of us in the beginning of the journey.0
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what a transformation!!! You look amazing... GREAT job!!0
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Way to go! You look amazing!! I see a proud young'n there too! How awesome.
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Amazing!!! Something to be proud off for sure. 0
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You are so inspiring to me!0
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Good job!0
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So awesome! Thanks for sharing!0
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Amazing and I wish that my son had had you for a teacher when he was young - what an inspiration you are to your students, teaching them by example about leading a healthier life, about committing to goals, about perseverance. Excellent lessons!0
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Awesome! So motivating! Just what I needed right this minute. You look fab!0
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You are wearing horizontal stripes and look amazing!!!! this is huge news! You have to be skinny to pull off stripes, you made it!0
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I logged on hoping to find something to cheer me up and keep me going. DONE. thank you.0
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You look amazing! Well done!0
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Congratulations on your success and determination to change your life! You are most definitely an example to the children that you teach and I'm sure you are helping lots of people who see your hard work. And, it's so sweet that you are so close to your father and walk with him. My father had a stroke at 59, as a result of uncontrolled diabetes, he's now 77, and although he never recovered completely from the stroke he was able to walk with a cane and drive. Over the past year, he's gone down hill and is completely bed ridden and can only get up when we use a lift contraption to get him into a chair and is not able to sit comfortably for long so he doesn't (can't) leave the house. I know that if he took better care of himself things could have been a lot different for him. I don't remember my parents ever intentionally exercising which seems kind of strange to me, but I don't think it was really popular with their generation. Many times, my father's condition has inspired me to lose weight. I've had my ups and downs, but keep plugging away. Best of luck with the remaining weight, not that you need luck 0
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Congratulations! Your story is very touching. Thank you so much for sharing! :flowerforyou:0
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You are such an inspiration to me and many others! Thank you for sharing your story :-) you look fabulous and all your hard work has truly paid off!0
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