Never Give Up

jennifurballs
jennifurballs Posts: 247 Member
in Motivation and Support
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I don't consider myself a success story, but I'm hopeful that sharing my success and failure will help someone else. It has certainly helped me reading others' stories.

I started this weight loss odyssey back in 2014. I had lost my job, I was depressed, and I weighed 362 pounds (1st picture). Over the course of that year, I lost 123 pounds. Then life happened. Even though I had figured out how to burn more calories than I consumed, I hadn't learned how not to eat when I was stressed or sad. I learned that lesson as a child, growing up with alcoholic parents and a father who was a sociopath. I also hadn't truly bought into the value of healthy eating, meaning I hadn't bought into the value of myself.

So within three months I started a new (very stressful) job, moved, my Mom almost died from kidney failure, and my 15 year old son witnessed two of his friends (twin brothers) drown in a pond behind our subdivision. I threw away almost all of my progress and gained back 85 of the pounds I had lost. So I spent the next couple of years beating myself up for being a failure, for wasting all my hard work, and for not caring for me.

At 325 pounds in January (2nd picture), I said to myself, this is the year I'm going to get it together. Even though I wanted it so badly, I had to get my mind right and find that determination within. As of this week I'm 92 pounds down. I have 53 to go to get to my tentative goal weight. Tentative because I think I'll be good at that weight, but I won't really know until I get there, as I haven't seen that since my early 20s.

There are two things I've learned through all of this....#1 It's never too late to keep trying to reach your goals, whatever they might be, and #2 I'm going to have to use MyFitnessPal for the rest of my life.

Replies

  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    Outstanding! You look amazing and are proof positive that perserverence works.
  • swim777
    swim777 Posts: 599 Member
    You are amazing!! Thanks for sharing your story!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    B)
  • ChelleDee07
    ChelleDee07 Posts: 396 Member
    You certainly ARE a Success Story!! Own it girl!! You've put in the work and your story WILL inspire others! You've done great and you look wonderful! Your eyes are shining so bright in your most recent picture and that smile!! It shows so much confidence!! Proud of you!!! Go Girl!!!
  • HeyJudii
    HeyJudii Posts: 264 Member
    I was feeling kind of down when I opened this thread. I am glad I did. Your share jump started renewed commitment to permanent change.

    Thank you.

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