One year on and so glad I didn't give up...

pauljsaunders · July 2014

One year on.... So glad I put the effort in...
I reach 1 year into the MFP journey on the 3rd July 2014, and I’m pleased I made the effort. Without putting too much to paper it has certainly been a roller coast year..
Like some it started with a letter from the Doctor stating “get the Cholesterol level down and lose the weight”. At that time I was 221 lbs (100 kg – 15st 10 lbs on a good day)
I found MFP through a friend, a little skeptical at first as like many I’d tried other weight loss methods only to find I lost the strength to keep it up..
Setting goals, calorie counting on this site was made so easy and the simplicity kept it high on my priority to do list, I had got to well into the 300 days of login before I forgot due to my wife’s birthday (what a downer) and lost the lot, just the desire to beat my MFP friends made it so enjoyable..
Exercising started off slow, it took too much time to get a good workout done where I felt I was doing something positive to lose the weight, but the days went, the weeks went, to find myself on workouts such as H.I.I.T, Tabata, Insanity going from 10 min’s to up to 50min’s and that’s not including the jogging and cycling... The DVD’s were expensive to purchased so I didn't bother, much of my workouts are based on YouTube videos, Fitnessblender, I watched the shopping TV channels at all hours just to get ideas (it didn't cost a penny) and other such websites, the hardest thing was to remember them all lol I would suggest that you purchase a heart Rate Monitor purely to find your workout zone (too avoid over doing it)..
The negatives:
Standing up to those who put my efforts down, the comments that would put even the hardest person down.
Shift work making a it difficult to have set times for meals that could be well planned .
Mood swings where I just wanted to give up login day after day.
Scales that never moved for weeks on end
Becoming obsessed with loggin and work outs to the point that I could easily get grumpy if I missed a planned workout.
Feeling sick in the early days of MFP where I’d not eating enough
Sick and tired of constant workouts
MFP members that talk to you as if your an imbecile
Those are just the worst...
Positives:
The wealth of knowledge on the blogs, community that’s shared between all cultures, countries
Feeling physically fit to get up the stairs with out losing my breath
Fitter than I was ever at school
All exercises are body weight driven at home
Two lots of daily medication taken off by the Doctor due to the weight loss
Meeting my goal of 175 lbs, but now a comfortable 180/183 lbs
I’m no poser but to look in the mirror and actually see someone that you like makes all the difference to the day
Clothing that fits the needs
I've made friends that have supported me with such kind words of encouragement when things seemed impossible to get out of.. (I’m so grateful to you all)
I've stopped the comfort eating although one day a week I allow what ever I want on the plate lol

So to avoid boring those that read this, what I've written is just the tip of the ice berg for me personally and any one that puts the effort in, has a strong desire to change their life for the better can get the results, just take it slowly, you only need to compete against your self......

Best of luck to you all

Paul