Yay! PICS Y'ALL, hit my measurement goals!

kattbigs

Waist is now at 27!! I've never been this size before in my adult life

These pictures are a difference of almost 3 years, but just a 10 lb difference, size 12 down to size 6. Lost the last 8 pounds and 1.5 inches in the past two months using MFP! Woohoo!

The pictures on the right:
These were my original success pics in 2016 taken after 5 months of Weight Watchers/calorie counting only. Went to the gym on occasion. Ate a lot of WW approved processed/packaged foods, low cal and fat free everything, drank a lot of diet coke. I had lost 20-ish pounds, but I went from a size 14 to a size 12, and I didn't notice much of a change except for the scale.

The biggest changes have happened in the past 5 months: started eating cleaner, went for big hill runs, generally stayed around 155-152 pounds (my happy weight). Started eating more whole foods, tons of homemade meals. In general, I avoided low cal or diet anything, but until I started logging my foods, I didn't realize just how much bread I was consuming after a run (hahaha, so delicious)

The picture on the left:
I was happy with my body changes, but I really wanted that scale to move! haha, so 2 months ago I started MFP, started really tracking my sodium, sugar, alcohol and white bread (LOL, it's that dang bread!) and I lost 7 pounds (155 to 148) and felt that all that fat-burning exercise was finally making a difference!

Currently at 144 which I still can not believe!

In my BEFORE pictures, the amount of sugar, lack of nutrients, too many sugary drinks and lots of sodium/misc oils in ready-made meals were really holding me back from looking the way that I wanted which was having a little tummy. The scale seems less important now that I see the difference in my measurements between these pictures.

And sometimes I slip up, and it's okay. Sometimes it's a week. It's okay. I don't go crazy, my cravings have calmed down, but sometimes I put MFP down for a week and take some time to re-evaluate my mental state and prioritize.

I still drink beer (local, not commercial), go out to eat for date night with my partner, and I love a delicious cocktail, but overall I continue to cook most of my own meals with whole foods, olive oil and avoid fat free sauces or low calorie foods. I rarely eat/drink diet anything anymore. To avoid puffiness I drink lots of water with higher sodium meals and alcohol.

This is the biggest change I've seen in my belly in my entire life, and I'm still losing! My next goal weight is 140 and shaping those abs and thighs!

Keep going, it's not easy and it's a HUGE process to shape your body and get your body and mind healthy and in the right place. Eventually you will find what makes your body happy, but you have to keep going!

staticsplit

You look great!! I also prefer to go off measurements, especially since I'm doing more weight lifting these days. Sounds like you've found a nice, healthy balance that fits in with your lifestyle too.

IdLikeToLoseItLoseIt

You look great! I can’t believe that’s only a 10 pound difference, looks like 20-30. Congratulations and keep up the great work.

kattbigs

IdLikeToLoseItLoseIt wrote: »

You look great! I can’t believe that’s only a 10 pound difference, looks like 20-30. Congratulations and keep up the great work.

Can't believe it either!
Also am now singing "I'd like to lose it lose it" in my head 😂😂

kattbigs

staticsplit wrote: »

You look great!! I also prefer to go off measurements, especially since I'm doing more weight lifting these days. Sounds like you've found a nice, healthy balance that fits in with your lifestyle too.

are you enjoying the weight lifting? I feel like I should add more calories if I want to get more into it, I get quite tired even just after kettlebells! Do you log it ?

abigailwill95

Well done! What an amazing achievement. I'm sure everyone can learn a lot from you. Thanks for sharing!

tronjo2002

Fantastic Job!! You look great!

JennJ323

It's hard to believe there's only a 10lb difference in those 2 pictures, because the visual difference is HUGE! You look fabulous!

amfmmama

It is incredible the difference that 10 pounds made! Although, I guess focusing on the number on the scale and not the measuring tape, really kills the point your are making! LOL Running was the only exercise you introduced?

tashanic2

That's an insane difference for only 10 pounds. Congratulations; the perfect example of not relying on the scale.

mom23mangos

I love this example of what a difference just 10lbs can make and how it is better to not totally rely on the scale. What I can't believe is that you did such a drastic body composition change without resistance training. Of course those hill runs helped contribute to those amazing quads you have.

sijomial

Bravo!
A real transformation. :flowerforyou:

kattbigs

JennJ323 wrote: »

It's hard to believe there's only a 10lb difference in those 2 pictures, because the visual difference is HUGE! You look fabulous!

thanks so much sweetie!! I really couldn't even remember until I found the old pictures with my old notes for calorie logging!

kattbigs

mom23mangos wrote: »

I love this example of what a difference just 10lbs can make and how it is better to not totally rely on the scale. What I can't believe is that you did such a drastic body composition change without resistance training. Of course those hill runs helped contribute to those amazing quads you have.

I totally agree! I tend to stick with the elliptical on higher intensity and treadmill on incline if I'm at that gym, but the 2 or 3 months at the end of last year did a lot more walking and hiking. I've done a few kettlebell exercises that I really liked, but I'm looking to get more into it as I reach my goal weight, and I can adjust my macros and calories to match! Really excited for the next steps toward toning and building more muscle

I saw you're also from Houston!!

thanos5

you look amazing, great job!

kattbigs

amfmmama wrote: »

It is incredible the difference that 10 pounds made! Although, I guess focusing on the number on the scale and not the measuring tape, really kills the point your are making! LOL Running was the only exercise you introduced?

We moved to an area with great hiking and our supermarket was a 20 minute up and downhill walk, I'd say this helped build some muscles for sure!

I've tried a couple of kettlebell exercises which I really liked, but I haven't tried them consistently, the past 2 months I've been more focused on incline walks/runs on the treadmill (terrible weather outside) and higher resistance on the elliptical. That's given me some tone and definition (plus the fat burning benefits!)

amfmmama

kattbigs wrote: »

amfmmama wrote: »

It is incredible the difference that 10 pounds made! Although, I guess focusing on the number on the scale and not the measuring tape, really kills the point your are making! LOL Running was the only exercise you introduced?

We moved to an area with great hiking and our supermarket was a 20 minute up and downhill walk, I'd say this helped build some muscles for sure!

I've tried a couple of kettlebell exercises which I really liked, but I haven't tried them consistently, the past 2 months I've been more focused on incline walks/runs on the treadmill (terrible weather outside) and higher resistance on the elliptical. That's given me some tone and definition (plus the fat burning benefits!)

So awesome. It is so cold here too! You truly inspire me... gotta find myself a hill

striving4moretoday

brieannaquinn

congratulations!! This is AMAZING..how tall are you, may I ask?

SalinitySally

Greatest success post ever.

happygirly77

This is so awesome! How did you do it? @katbigs

guil0095

You look amazing! Awesome job!

Daisy_Girl2019

You go girl! Great job!

kattbigs

brieannaquinn wrote: »

congratulations!! This is AMAZING..how tall are you, may I ask?

Thanks so much!! I am 165 cm or a little under 5 foot 5

happygirly77 wrote: »

This is so awesome! How did you do it? @katbigs

Thanks girl! I would say most of it was cutting out lots of extra sugar and not being afraid to eat more healthy fats and some protein, switching to healthier eating by cooking myself and avoiding packaged foods with lots of sodium/misc oils. Doing more exercise that was fat burning and just consistent over all!

TomFit18

awesome

staticsplit

kattbigs wrote: »

staticsplit wrote: »

You look great!! I also prefer to go off measurements, especially since I'm doing more weight lifting these days. Sounds like you've found a nice, healthy balance that fits in with your lifestyle too.

are you enjoying the weight lifting? I feel like I should add more calories if I want to get more into it, I get quite tired even just after kettlebells! Do you log it ?

I love weight lifting! It's been one of the best things I've done for my fitness (started early 2018). And kettlebells is definitely hard. I do tend to eat more on the days I train as I'm naturally hungrier.

lalalacroix

Congrats! Awesome work.

JohnnytotheB

Excellent job!