18 months 163 lbs GONE!!

larsen626

I started my Journey in July of 2012 when I attended an informational session for bariatric surgery. I had struggled with my weight all my adult life I have always been the big girl. I wanted help but never knew what to do. I had been using weight watchers for 3 years and walking a mile a day for most of those 3 years. I never lost any weight but managed to gain 30 lbs. I got the consult with the surgeon on July 17th weighing in at the heaviest I had ever been at 400 lbs with a bmi of 73.3! The surgeon had told me that I had to lose 50 lbs to be eligible to have surgery do to the fact that your liver needed to shrink. I went away from this appointment devastated depressed and overwhelmed. How was I ever going to lose that much weight? I started to cry and think if I could lose the weight on my own why would I be asking for help. I even had a dr I only saw for a short time tell me if he wired my jaw shut I would lose the weight. This was frustrating. I had a friend who said that he was losing weight with My Fitness Pal I had never heard of it but anything was better than nothing and the fact that I was killing myself! I started using it told me to eat 2500 calories so I ate 1500 the first 2 weeks I felt starved I cried and wanted to quit. I had lost no weight and said I was not going to live like this. I did not give up and it got easier and I did start to lose weight slowly. I feel great I weigh 237 I am wearing a size 16-18 I realize this is still a plus size but it is amazing! I began this weighing in at 400lbs and wearing a 34-36 and t-shirt size 6X I now can wear a xl comfortably who knew I could do it Guess what not me!! I had to re learn to eat and what worked for me I had so much fun this past year surprising people with my weight loss! I hope that in the next year I can lose what I remaining weight I have to lose 87 lbs to my personal goal. This will be in Overweight according to the BMI But I was in super morbid obesity when I started with BMI of 73.2 I need to lose 19 lbs to say goodbye to morbid obesity today my BMI is 43.3 a difference of almost 30 which is normal BMI so I have lost a normal person. I will continue on this Journey to see where it leads I have been happy with the progress up to this point. I am thankful to all that have assisted me and supported me been there for me cheered for me cried with me thanks

larsen626

justlosingit4

Amazing story! You go girl!!!

kmfolkins

Congratulations! Keep up the good work:drinker:

PolacaFL

Wow! Congratulations! When you first started and had to lose 50lb you cried and now that you are this far and want to lose 87 you KNOW you can do it. Good job! I wasn't able to see the image.

noneya2010

That's wonderful - congratulations! I have 100 lbs to lose and it is very disheartening on so many levels for me. Seeing your story has inspired me today, thanks! Where were you activity-wise when you started out compared to where you are now?

Thanks!
Tiffany

CulturedCowgurl

Thanks four your testimony thus far!!! U absolutely are an inspiration and keep up the great work.

klb0809

Wow such and inspiration

Lotte34

Congratulations!!!

Hearts_2015

larsen626's Before and After

I started my Journey in July of 2012 when I attended an informational session for bariatric surgery. I had struggled with my weight all my adult life I have always been the big girl. I wanted help but never knew what to do. I had been using weight watchers for 3 years and walking a mile a day for most of those 3 years. I never lost any weight but managed to gain 30 lbs. I got the consult with the surgeon on July 17th weighing in at the heaviest I had ever been at 400 lbs with a bmi of 73.3! The surgeon had told me that I had to lose 50 lbs to be eligible to have surgery do to the fact that your liver needed to shrink. I went away from this appointment devastated depressed and overwhelmed. How was I ever going to lose that much weight? I started to cry and think if I could lose the weight on my own why would I be asking for help. I even had a dr I only saw for a short time tell me if he wired my jaw shut I would lose the weight. This was frustrating. I had a friend who said that he was losing weight with My Fitness Pal I had never heard of it but anything was better than nothing and the fact that I was killing myself! I started using it told me to eat 2500 calories so I ate 1500 the first 2 weeks I felt starved I cried and wanted to quit. I had lost no weight and said I was not going to live like this. I did not give up and it got easier and I did start to lose weight slowly. I feel great I weigh 237 I am wearing a size 16-18 I realize this is still a plus size but it is amazing! I began this weighing in at 400lbs and wearing a 34-36 and t-shirt size 6X I now can wear a xl comfortably who knew I could do it Guess what not me!! I had to re learn to eat and what worked for me I had so much fun this past year surprising people with my weight loss! I hope that in the next year I can lose what I remaining weight I have to lose 87 lbs to my personal goal. This will be in Overweight according to the BMI But I was in super morbid obesity when I started with BMI of 73.2 I need to lose 19 lbs to say goodbye to morbid obesity today my BMI is 43.3 a difference of almost 30 which is normal BMI so I have lost a normal person. I will continue on this Journey to see where it leads I have been happy with the progress up to this point. I am thankful to all that have assisted me and supported me been there for me cheered for me cried with me thanks

Traci, I was able to put your photos up from PhotoBucket but can't resize/edit them for you. If you go back to Photobucket you'll be able to edit the size.
Terrific Job!!:drinker:

shaynepoole

Awesome story and congratulations on all of the hard work

hmaddpear

Awesome work! Congratulations on sticking with it for a year and a half. Good luck with the last third of your journey.

40andFindingFitness

Awesome job! Keep up the good work. :0)

larsen626

my pics are at http://s894.photobucket.com/user/Traci_Larsen/library/?sort=6&page=1

newjojie

Incredible work! Very inspirational!

CarolinkaCjj

Wow. Just wow. Fantastic! :flowerforyou:

larsen626

That's wonderful - congratulations! I have 100 lbs to lose and it is very disheartening on so many levels for me. Seeing your story has inspired me today, thanks! Where were you activity-wise when you started out compared to where you are now?

Thanks!
Tiffany

I walked as much as I could about 1 mile took me 1 hr I can now walk 2.5 miles in an hr I swim 2-3 days a week I play with small weights when watching tv I am mindful of how long I sit I stand while cooking and I squat down to get laundry out of the basket to fold and walk each piece to their place in the house I know that it is funny but it works weather permitting clothes all go on the clothesline

larsen626

http://www.slideshare.net/tracilarsen7/142-lbs-down-sucess-on-an-increadable-weight-lose-journey here is my Powerpoint that I created as well

mel5580

You are an inspiration!!! Congrats to you!!!!

PolacaFL

I am mindful of how long I sit I stand while cooking and I squat down to get laundry out of the basket to fold and walk each piece to their place in the house

I'm going to do this. The little extra movement could add up!

Livin4me1969

Congratulations!! That is an amazing job and you should be extremely proud of what you have managed to do! Good Luck with the rest of your journey! :drinker: