I didn't hit my goal but exceeded my expectations!

AIP4ever

On December 22, 2021, I made myself a promise. I would try to lose weight and get healthier. I felt defeated and down. I weighed 363 pounds and putting up the Christmas tree was a task that I could no longer do. I was too big, too immobile, and perhaps too old. I wanted to lose weight and hoped to be under 300 pounds by the end of 2022.
I am not. I weighed in at 308 lbs today and I am not disappointed.

I have lost 55 pounds in one year and while I didn't hit my goal, I know I will continue and be there soon. I lost 1 pound a week. Slowly but steadily.

I feel healthier. Weight loss is now a side effect, health comes first. I am still on the AIP diet and it has done wonders for me. It's not about carbs or keto, about fat or no fat, it's about what triggers my autoimmune disorder. It's all about keeping the inflammation down and it's working for me.
I eat differently and enjoy my meals. I plan ahead, cook ahead, and have ready-made lunches and dinners in my fridge. I have experienced hunger feelings and it wasn't bad. I move more because I can.
This year the Christmas tree was up in no time. I am still big, but feel so much better.

My overall understanding of food, emotions, and my health has improved. Food is no longer a weapon of destruction or my best friend when sad.

I love the scale now. Please, don't tell anybody, but sometimes I step on it in the middle of the night. It's silly, isn't it?

I wish everybody a Happy and Healthy New Year. Set goals and be serious about them.

snowflake954

What a nice New Years story! Congratulations and all the best with your goals for the New Year.

60mothership

The longest journey always starts with the first steps…..and committing to making them no matter how slow the going….congrats It is so hard to stay on the path with so many temptations on the way . Keep going it can only get better ! You are not alone there are many of us out here with you . Happy New Year

MFPbuttoni

55# weight loss in a year is nothing to snivel at! Congratulations on your success to date. I have to always remind myself 'I didn't gain it in a year, and it's not all going to come off in a year.' I'd like to lose 57# in the upcoming year, so your story is encouraging. We can DO this! I'm doing Intermittent fasting or OMAD (one meal a day), as it's the only plan that has ever worked for me. So many health benefits plus, I get the autophagy benefits if I fast at least 18 hours a day, increasing with each additional hour of fasting. I restrict my eating to just a 2 hour window from 4-6pm so my husband can live with my diet program. Last time I did IF I lost 28# in 6 weeks. Then COVID quarantining happened and I've slowly regained 20 of it. I've learned at age 74 now, that no matter what the diet plan, you just can't stop, EVER. I maintain goal weight on TWO meals a day.

Just started again the day after Christmas and am down 5# so far. It's a start, at least.

BigMech

Great progress and kudos to you for sticking with it!

jeri30

Congratulations on your succcess so far! You've got this.

AmyDahlTorres

I love your point of view! If you haven't yet talked with a registered dietician, I highly recommend it. Their knowledge base is so wide and we don't know what we don't know. This year I was diagnosed with diabetes and all of the highs (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) and I'd have had a much longer learning curve on how to improve my health. I love that you're focusing on the inflammation. There's so much to learn!

AnnPT77

This. Is. Wonderfulness.

Keep going. This - yours - is the path where wonderful horizons continuously open up, with persistence, patience, work, time.

I'm cheering for you. I'm wishing you an equally (or more) rewarding 2003: I can't wait to hear where you are at 12/31/23. Gonna be great!

BartBVanBockstaele

Congratulations. You have done a great job. One pound a week isn't slow at all. Keep it up. You already know what you have to do, you have shown you have the willpower to do it. All you need now, s the patience to make it to the finish. Keep going.

Sand_TIger

That's a really great loss, roughly a pound a week! Isn't it fantastic how much better you feel when you start losing weight? I noticed some pretty big changes in my health when I was only 10 or 20% to goal. Your body is thanking you!

GinLee61

You're doing really great! You've accomplished so much in a year. A pound per week is a healthy rate of loss. You should be really proud of yourself.

12Sarah2015

Congrats

scline01

Very nice job! # 55 is a great way to go and slow and steady is better because you will keep it off. Continue to do what you are doing and pretty soon you will be where you should be and maybe not where you want to be.

jcorona62

Thank you for sharing and your honesty, I just started my journey and hearing stories like yours will no doubt help me stay on track. Keep up the good work your an inspiration, I really like the part where you state that you feel hunger, I so many times will eat something for unknown reasons, not hunger though...

1americangirl

Congratulations! You lost 15% of your body weight. That's is fantastic!

The other side effects you described are NSV's or (non-scale victories). Do not underestimate how much influence they have. A non-scale victory would be something like being able to slide your belt down a notch or being able to hike for fun without dying when you've never been a hikers. I think of them in the same way as finally squeezing into your old jeans. No one, but you knows how hard you worked to get there. When you begin the transformation with your mindset towards food, it helps keep its power in perspective. I eat when I'm stressed or bored or when sweets are in an easy shot. It's not a fun habit to break. Also, are you getting enough protein?

AIP4ever

1americangirl wrote: »

Congratulations! You lost 15% of your body weight. That's is fantastic!

I eat when I'm stressed or bored or when sweets are in an easy shot. It's not a fun habit to break. Also, are you getting enough protein?

I am doing the AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) rather than a lifestyle for people with an autoimmune disorder, not so much a diet. It eliminates the food that causes the inflammation that pains us so much and so far it's working. I am not concerned about protein or carbs at all, only about my health, my blood sugar, and my overall well-being. It's as I stated, this time weight loss is a side effect.

Thank you for your nice post. 15% of my body weight doesn't sound like much at first glance but it's sweet.

AIP4ever

Thank you all for helping me stay focused. It feels good to celebrate a bit. Now onward I go :-)

HeyHayNJ

Great attitude with great results! You are rocking it!

zebasschick

excellent post, and sounds like you've made great progress in a year!