Stepping out of the shadows

Lietchi

I guess this post is more symbolic than anything, with regards to my weight loss journey. I've been using MFP for precisely 81 days now, but I only felt 'engaged' enough to start visiting the message boards since about a week ago.

So I'm a 37 year old woman, 1m66 (around 5ft4). From Belgium, but I lived in the US for year as a kid, and I feel more at home in the anglophone world than in the Dutch-speaking part of the message boards.

Starting weight: 94.2kg (around 208 lbs)
Current weight: 89.2 (around 197 lbs)
Goal weight: undetermined at the moment, looking to be and feel healthier as a first goal. Perhaps 70kg/155lbs.

To be frank, I'm not quite sure how I got to this point already, no grand realisation that something needed to change, although I've been unhappy with my (gradually increasing) weight for quite a few years.
I saw an ad for Noom on facebook, decided to register for a free trial, concluded it wasn't for me and then found MFP. After a few weeks I unearthed the Polar Loop 2 I bought a few years ago to help me tracks my steps and exercise. Unlike many, I've never done the yoyo dieting thing. A few attempts at losing weight, but none involved counting calories or a food scale, the attempts were more focused on exercising and 'eating clean' with sufficient protein.

Aside from the 'compulsive' weighing of every meal and snack, I'm surprised at how easy it's been. I consciously made a decision to not diet in the conventional sense. My food habits were already relatively healthy to start with, so it's more about CICO: smaller portions (especially where snacks are concerned) and more exercice. I do light intermittent fasting: no breakfast or snacks before lunch on most days. I also consciously decided to go slow, a goal of 0.5lbs/week. No sense of deprivation. I will gladly share a tub of Ben & Jerry's with my BF if I have enough calories left in my day

Lots of other stuff going on in my life , this seems to be the only thing I really have control over at the moment. Just bought some new clothes in a smaller size two days ago No one else seems to have noticed anything yet though.

For the future, I presume it will get a bit harder as I have less weight to lose. So I'm probably going to be looking at my macros a bit more closely (sufficient protein) and doing more strength training, to boost my metabolism.

Other little tidbit: I love my data and making graphs, as the attached images will attest

I hope this will be a durable change for me, but it certainly feels right at the moment.

angiesjourney

I’m glad you posted. I am a goal setter. When I get discouraged, I look at my goals. Sometimes I have to look at them ten times a day. I started out at 285.6. Cw is 250.6, so 35 pounds exactly. Good luck on your journey. Some of the challenges in here really help me to stay accountable and motivated.

jenncornelsen

Our stats are quite similar, I am 34 , 5'4 and started at 210lbs. I am now 155lbs , looking to reach 145. Slow and sustainable is for sure best! My weight loss is slow now but I have no problem with that. I personally do alot of lifting to maintain my muscle mass and am so happy I did! All the best to you I think you have a great mentality to this journey

Lietchi

Thanks for the replies. I hope I can make it to where you've both arrived already, impressive numbers

Strength training is definitely something I need to look into. I have my own home gym, but it's been a few years since I've worked out properly, I've been improvising a bit too much now.

Raven_Vera

O hi! i can find myself a bit in your story. Also Dutch speaking, but moved to Sweden. So mostly speaking english in my daily life aswell. (my swedish is still not to great). Also 37, i am 168 cm long and my starting weight was 99.9 and now 98.55 (been busy lill over a week now). And also gained weight gradually. I wish you the best of luck! it´s awesome that you didnt jojo before, i wish i haven´t.

robertw486

Lietchi wrote: »

I guess this post is more symbolic than anything, with regards to my weight loss journey. I've been using MFP for precisely 81 days now, but I only felt 'engaged' enough to start visiting the message boards since about a week ago.

So I'm a 37 year old woman, 1m66 (around 5ft4). From Belgium, but I lived in the US for year as a kid, and I feel more at home in the anglophone world than in the Dutch-speaking part of the message boards.

Starting weight: 94.2kg (around 208 lbs)
Current weight: 89.2 (around 197 lbs)
Goal weight: undetermined at the moment, looking to be and feel healthier as a first goal. Perhaps 70kg/155lbs.

To be frank, I'm not quite sure how I got to this point already, no grand realisation that something needed to change, although I've been unhappy with my (gradually increasing) weight for quite a few years.
I saw an ad for Noom on facebook, decided to register for a free trial, concluded it wasn't for me and then found MFP. After a few weeks I unearthed the Polar Loop 2 I bought a few years ago to help me tracks my steps and exercise. Unlike many, I've never done the yoyo dieting thing. A few attempts at losing weight, but none involved counting calories or a food scale, the attempts were more focused on exercising and 'eating clean' with sufficient protein.

Aside from the 'compulsive' weighing of every meal and snack, I'm surprised at how easy it's been. I consciously made a decision to not diet in the conventional sense. My food habits were already relatively healthy to start with, so it's more about CICO: smaller portions (especially where snacks are concerned) and more exercice. I do light intermittent fasting: no breakfast or snacks before lunch on most days. I also consciously decided to go slow, a goal of 0.5lbs/week. No sense of deprivation. I will gladly share a tub of Ben & Jerry's with my BF if I have enough calories left in my day

Lots of other stuff going on in my life , this seems to be the only thing I really have control over at the moment. Just bought some new clothes in a smaller size two days ago No one else seems to have noticed anything yet though.

For the future, I presume it will get a bit harder as I have less weight to lose. So I'm probably going to be looking at my macros a bit more closely (sufficient protein) and doing more strength training, to boost my metabolism.

Other little tidbit: I love my data and making graphs, as the attached images will attest

I hope this will be a durable change for me, but it certainly feels right at the moment.

There is a lot of good information and advice given on the message boards, so I'm glad you reached a point of feeling comfortable to engage them. I'm always interested in how differing tools work for various people, and how people use those tools and tricks for them. Similar to yourself, I also find that just being mindful of portion control and the calorie density of what I'm eating seems to work best in the "not a diet" sense.

I'm also somewhat a data geek, but have somewhat changed that recently as I found myself getting a bit obsessive with goals and data, and found it much more relaxed when I don't focus my goals as strictly. But that data is still very valuable. Being you like data, just look at your goals as you lighten up as percentages rather than units of weight measure. Your deficit will decrease to keep you at the same body weight percentage goals.



My daughter is strongly considering a masters degree program in the Netherlands that is right on the border with Belgium. I wouldn't be surprised if she looks into some Dutch language resources before she goes. And if all goes as planned and she doesn't change her mind, I'll probably go visit her when she is there so we can go to the Belgian F1 race.

Lietchi

Joyce_Vera wrote: »

I wish you the best of luck! it´s awesome that you didnt jojo before, i wish i haven´t.

Thanks I'm not sure the absence of yoyoing is necessarily a good thing I hope we both reach our goals, regardless of our previous experiences!