6 months, 37 pounds (pic heavy)

Options
helenium
helenium Posts: 546 Member
in Success Stories
Hello everyone. I've got to start this off with a huge disclaimer: what you are about to see contains a lot of references to the company Apple. This is rather embarrassing, but unfortunately circumstances led to these being the best pictures. I am an app developer for iPad/iPhone so they feature heavily in my life... and someone asked me to dress up as an iPhone for their party, IT'S NOT MY FAULT! :laugh:

I'd unwillingly done a lot of crash diets under my mum's guidance (situation was complicated, but essentially my mum did not allow me to eat > 700 calories per day for weeks at a time to get my weight down). Then I'd binge secretly at night-time on CHEESE and rebel against my mum. You can see how my weight fluctuated at my blog post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/helenium/view/why-yo-yo-dieting-is-a-waste-of-time-106015 - anyway, December came round and I got up to my highest weight ever (191+ lbs) and I went on another crash diet - 600 calories per day + hours of exercise.

Then I found MFP!

I signed up, started counting calories... reached a plateau... then started reading all those forum posts regarding starvation mode and whatnot. I became convinced I was doing it the wrong way. Then I started the long slog of trying to convince my mum I could eat more... we fought quite a bit, but eventually I won. I ate 1200 calories a day + exercise calories. Plateaued some more (as expected), but soon began to drop again. I WAS dropping again, without starving myself completely!! I increased to 1350 a day and am still dropping. I've lost a stone (14 pounds) since eating healthily and eating enough, and my mum's shushed and is just letting me get on with it. This is an NSV!

OK, here we go, picture time.

This is me at approximately 12 st 12, or 180 pounds. I know I'm dressed as an iPhone. Don't laugh. :blushing:

fat3-26062010.jpg

Then I went to the party. This was taken by someone on my own phone. Needless to say it never went on Facebook.

fat4-26062010.jpg

Things got worse (185ish lbs):

fat2-01072010.jpg

And even worse (191 lbs):

fat1-25102010.png

Now, after the crash-diet-followed-by-a-real-lifestyle-change, I'm at the lowest weight I've been since 2008, which predates my entry into university. I'm sorry, I couldn't find my real camera (but be impressed with my balancing act):

during1.jpg

And my face.

during2.jpg

Hope this is useful to someone out there... this is what it looks like when you drop almost a fifth of your body weight.
«1

Replies

  • redfroggie
    redfroggie Posts: 591 Member
    Options
    Congrats! You look amazing and your face is so stinkin' cute! Well done, you are an inspiration!


    P.S. Love your 'home' button :laugh:
  • KatyE213
    KatyE213 Posts: 446 Member
    Options
    You are doing great, really well done :smile: xx
  • Monkeymin
    Monkeymin Posts: 197 Member
    Options
    Well done, you look fantastic.
  • sparky11
    sparky11 Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    congrats on all your hard work so far! keep it up! Youll reach your goal in no time :)
  • mrmarius
    mrmarius Posts: 1,802 Member
    Options
    wow you've done a great job keep it up
  • bigmamma3
    bigmamma3 Posts: 134
    Options
    Well done you look amazing
  • FabOma08
    FabOma08 Posts: 500
    Options
    Excellent! Great job on the weightloss and on standing up and doing what you knew was right! I'm sure neither one was easy! Congratulations!
  • rchristison
    rchristison Posts: 25 Member
    Options
    Great Job - Thanks for the inspiration, I am only 2 weeks in to MFP and posts like yours really make my day :)
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
    Options
    You truly look amazing! Thanks for sharing!
  • helenium
    helenium Posts: 546 Member
    Options
    Great Job - Thanks for the inspiration, I am only 2 weeks in to MFP and posts like yours really make my day :)

    That's lovely - I am amazed if people can take inspiration from my humble weight loss journey! It's great you've started yours - you'll reap the rewards soon.
  • helenium
    helenium Posts: 546 Member
    Options
    P.S. Love your 'home' button :laugh:

    :blushing:
  • SCC88
    SCC88 Posts: 215 Member
    Options
    WOW skinny minnie! I would be super happy with my figure if I had one like yours! xx
  • helenium
    helenium Posts: 546 Member
    Options
    WOW skinny minnie! I would be super happy with my figure if I had one like yours! xx

    Thank you so much Shmophie! I should listen to you, take stock, and instead of pointing out all the bad bits and saying "this needs work" I should give myself 5 mins to be happy about how far I've come :)
  • runlorirun
    runlorirun Posts: 389
    Options
    I love your story and pics! You are looking awesome!
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    Options
    You are looking really good :)
  • pmusholt
    pmusholt Posts: 22 Member
    Options
    great job keep it up
  • karencalleja
    karencalleja Posts: 61 Member
    Options
    My God Helen you look absolutely fantastic - awesome hun well done and keep it up love xx
  • Improvised
    Improvised Posts: 925 Member
    Options
    You look really great!
  • ceirawillsucceed
    ceirawillsucceed Posts: 519 Member
    Options
    you have done fantastic. well done. you look great. you are an inspiration.
  • emsibun
    emsibun Posts: 208
    Options
    Congratulations on your metamorphosis - you've come so far and lost so much!

Categories

Do you Love MyFitnessPal? Have you crushed a goal or improved your life through better nutrition using MyFitnessPal?
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!