My before/after pics & seeking support for getting fit again

cheegerz

Hi everyone! I'm new to the site and loving it so far!! A little about myself -- I'm 25 years old, 5'1", and currently weigh 145lbs. I'm originally from upstate New York, and now live in the Tampa, FL area. I love animals, and I am studying to be a wildlife biologist. My boyfriend and I live together and we have a lot of furbabies. A dog, 8 cats (yes, you read that correctly), 2 guinea pigs, a snake, 2 turtles, and some fish. We have a pretty normal and happy life as independent 20-somethings.

In 2007, I was at my heaviest... 180lbs, which is technically obese for a shorty like myself. Between '07-'09 I got my life together and started eating right/working out made it down to a "normal" 130lbs!!! My friends and family couldn't believe the progress I'd made! 50lbs is a pretty significant change on my little frame.

I sat cozy at 130lbs for a little while, and then I moved to Florida on my own, found myself in a committed relationship, rediscovered my love of food, and let myself go again. I got lazy (and a little depressed because of my job) and climbed back up to around 150lbs. That's when I decided to get back on track and I joined MFP! I'm loving the community feature of this site... it's so great to have some buddies who are in the weight loss game like me, and I'd like to help out those of you who need some inspiration while getting myself back down to my ideal weight.

Here are some "before" pics, taken in 2007:


(I'm the one in the red shirt in the center.)



And some "after" pics, taken between 2011-2012:




That handsome boy is Gavin. My soulmate.


Now I'm a little bit bigger than I was in those last few pics... like I said, I lost track of my fitness and health and went back up to 150lbs. So, I'm going to get that body back! And maybe even get a little more fit and toned. I've still never managed to get myself toned up so that I look like a fit, athletic person. I'm going for it this time!!!! My problem areas are my butt/thighs... Anyway, thanks for welcoming me! Send me a friend request if you'd like -- whether it's for motivation from my previous weight loss success, or to help me achieve my goals of getting back to an ideal/healthy weight!

PS: I'm also a vegetarian, if any of you have awesome recipes to share. ;)

cheegerz

Edited because I messed up my image links.... haha! Like I said, I'm new to the message board. :P

smartseagull

Welcome to MFP!
You know what you can achieve, which is awesome. And you're catching yourself now at 150 lbs! (I'm 5'7" so that sounds like an awesome weight to me.)
Good luck with everything

cheegerz

Thank you!! Yes, I know what I can achieve... it's just a matter of getting myself back into the correct mindset to do it a second time. The weight I am at now is kind of where my body wants to stay, if that makes any sense. :-\ My body is resistant to keep a healthy weight. I've been large all my life, throughout my childhood and teen years. 150 is where I hit a plateau last time.... and I somehow overcame it, but then I climbed back up as soon as I stopped *trying* to lose or maintain. So I need to figure out what is going to work for me this time to not only get back to where I was in those "after" pics, but to also tone up and just look more lean and muscular.

realme56

You are still here and trying so it is a positive action! Not a vegetarian but I have a Kale Salad I LOVE!!

1 can chickpeas(garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
1-2 bell peppers (i use anything but green for the pretty color)
5-6c chopped kale
1/2c dry quinoa, cooked in water or to pump up the lemon I have squeezed a lemon in there too!)
1T olive oil
juice and grated rind from 1-2 lemons
S/P to taste

I also use Tofu, basting with balsamic and cooking in oil (just saute, fry)
Cook some good mushrooms with the same seasoning as the tofu, add quinoa or other grain mixture (I like Trader Joe's Harvest Grain). Set aside and when I am ready to eat it I add a cup or two of Spinach, chopped. I also add feta cheese to it but don't know if you do cheese.

I totally get the plateau thing, my current wall is 180. It use to be 170 and before that 160. I am hoping to eventually get through it.

cheegerz

Awesomeeee! Thank you! I used to juice a lot, and that was really the only way I would incorporate Kale into my diet.... but my juicer broke a couple weeks ago, so it will be nice to try it in it's solid form in some dishes!

cheegerz

Don't mean to bump my own post, but I'm still looking for friends!! Please send me a request. I need some encouragement and some people who are all about fitness who can keep me motivated and maybe help me with some of the speed bumps I'm hitting. Mainly my inability to tone my butt and thighs... I've always been "thick" down there. I have a ghetto booty. I'm having trouble fitting into jeans that used to fit me less than 3 months ago, and that's mainly the reason I decided I really need to get back into diet and exercise. It never feels good to not fit into your own jeans......

123im4u2c

Hi, Pleased to meet you, I understand your frustration because I am going through my own, Albeit it's a little different than yours.
Right now I am trying to get down to 115-120 lbs I am much older than you, and I have been a fitness buff since I was a teen, I
modeled for gym brochures which is very unusual for someone 5'2" and 105 lbs, that was then and this is now! I became a fitness
instructor but I never had a weight problem. The most I ever weighed was when I was pregnant, and after the baby, I was back to wearing a bikini within 8 months! My weight for years stood at 110lbs and in my, 30's- my 50's it was 115lb. On top of that people always told me I looked at least 10 yrs younger. I hated that in school, but now that I'm 60 people tell me I look like I'm between 40, and 50. NICE! I can appreciate this!

Ok here goes, I live with my boyfriend Bob, we have 2 cats, Ziggy & Ozzy, one feral Swirl, that lives outside, but has been with us 10 yrs, and a cockatiel, Palmer, that Bob found in our backyard that no one claimed! We are real animal lovers, and Bobs nick name is Dr. Dolittle. He missed his calling! We are former Casino people, He was a High roller dealer, and I was a Cocktail server as well as a Restaurant Manager.

I was involved in a Robbery at gunpoint almost 5 yrs ago, prior to that I enjoyed a good life, very happy go lucky, and very down to earth. Well things change a lot after you go through a robbery, have a gun at your head, make peace with God, and feel your days are over. Sometimes I think that would've been easier than what I have dealt with since I survived. I woke up about 3 weeks afterwards I couldn't hold a spoon, stir my coffee, or lift it to my lips, because I was shaking so bad. It kept getting worse, and it got so bad, I would take a couple shots of liquor so I could have a life if I was invited somewhere, other than that, I was a shut in except for Dr. visits! I went down to 100lbs, the Dr. sent me for all kinds of tests, and it was discovered that not only did I have PTSD from the robbery, I also developed an over active thyroid and was in pretty bad shape. They said I was headed for a thyroid storm which is when your organs start shutting down! I was scared to death, they sent me to a specialist called an Endo! I was put on a bunch of Meds. I fought it but they said if I didn't take them I would be gone in a couple months, I was so upset. My blood pressure was 185/87! I went on the meds and gained 25lbs in a couple months. The Dr. said they would be hard to shed because your thyroid controls everything in your body including metabolism. He said I would have to work 2-3 times harder than the average person, so that's just what I did, and I did lose every bit of it. Then Bob had a stroke a couple of days before Thanksgiving last yr, he had to quit smoking, and I decided to do it with him ( Buddy system )

He survived, and I gained 15lbs. I got 5lbs off, and have 10 more to go, but boy is it hard going this time! I use to be a body builder, and that bulked me up. I can't give up strength training because that is more important than ever with age! I went from a 4 to a 6 and now a 7/8 8 petites swim on me especially in the waist! Like you I have a butt and thighs, and that's where most of my weight gain is, plus a little muffin top, I never had any of this before. My measurements were always 34B-28-35, 110-115Lbs. Now get this... 36C 30- 37 and 128lbs. I love it when people tell me I look good, that's bull****, then they say well you are getting older, that's bull**** too and I know it! One of the reasons I gained besides quitting smoking is because I stopped eating and put my body into starvation mode, so my body started holding onto the only meal I would eat, and that was dinner. Now I'm here at MFP because my Dr. said no diet pills, shakes, or anything, so I'm watching what others are doing, that I may have forgotten! I will share all my secrets to help anyone, and I have to remember I have Graves disease, so who knows what will, or will not work for me! Being a fitness buff this weight gain is depressing, and that makes your body release something called Cortisol. My hormones are totally out of whack, and I'm not allowed anything high impact, This really sucks, but I can help healthy people lose!
So if you want a friend, let me know, and I'll get you there FREE OF CHARGE :bigsmile: After the third week, and I have seen what you are doing I will be able to give you a time frame for what you want to lose! Hopes this helps, and I wrote so much today because I wanted you to get to know me! :flowerforyou: LYN