For those who are just beginning...

PedalHound

Well, I've been on MFP for 5 months now. We're having a family emergency today so it's a rough one and I decided I'd write a post on here to help focus on some of the amazing things I've done. (My Father-in-law had a massive heart attack today and is critical. This really hammers home the value of HEALTH.)

5 months ago I woke up sick and tired of being overweight and not feeling like myself. I found MFP and began this journey. I was very healthy for my adolescence and have always been interested in health and fitness but I've also always been overweight to some degree. When I began reading success stories on here I was really hoping to see someone who had always struggled with this issue and who had succeeded because I had truly come to believe that being fat was just part of my destiny. My father's whole family is obese (I wasn't raised with them at all) and it just seemed like my destiny. I have always been active, I grew up in a household of very nutritious food and positive healthy role modeling. But I was still fat. And I let things slide as my babies were born.

In June I woke up and was DONE. Finished with feeling doomed. I started here, followed the numbers and saw some great progress in the first few weeks (those motivating water lbs and recently-added lbs of fat that come off easily). I've had fast periods, slow periods, a 5-week plateau (seems I needed to increase my calories!) and I am now over half way to my goal. This New Years rather than hoping this is the year I'll finally find the "magic" key to making this life-long dream come true, I'll know I've lost at least 50lbs. That's the goal anyway . And I'm confident that next year I'll meet my goal size.

Every single body has the ability to lose fat and gain healthy muscle. You need to work with the numbers and also experiment to know what works for your body specifically. When you first start out your metabolism has to make adjustments. Assuming you've taken on a calorie deficit your body needs a chance to believe that you're going to keep feeding it and that you're not in fact entering a famine so be patient if you don't see results instantly or if you even gain a couple of lbs. My two greatest pieces of advice are: don't weigh in too often. At first it's tempting but the fluctuations really can mess with your emotions and can actually CAUSE destructive behaviour because you can get bummed and compensate with food or lack of activity etc. And weight really does fluctuate naturally. One weigh-in is not NEARLY as important as a trend over time. ALSO, this is nothing if not a game of patience. Think stock market. The rule is that regardless of market fluctuations if you leave your investments over a very long stretch (decades!) you remain unaffected in the end. The road you are starting here has many ups and downs and its fair share of challenges but if you learn to truly trust that patience and perseverance are paramount you will ultimately succeed. Make the right choices at least 80% of the time, try to avoid major preventable set-backs and when they happen (which sometimes they will!), learn to move on immediately. Not "tomorrow" but right now. The very next time you have a chance to make a decision, big or small, make it a good one. Don't let the lapses run you.
You can do this. Just keep following the numbers and it will work for you too

I have a before picture in my profile. I'll get a body in progress picture some time soon. Good luck everyone, or more so good WILL. Believe in yourself!

PedalHound

Well, I've been on MFP for 5 months now. We're having a family emergency today so it's a rough one and I decided I'd write a post on here to help focus on some of the amazing things I've done. (My Father-in-law had a massive heart attack today and is critical. This really hammers home the value of HEALTH.)

5 months ago I woke up sick and tired of being overweight and not feeling like myself. I found MFP and began this journey. I was very healthy for my adolescence and have always been interested in health and fitness but I've also always been overweight to some degree. When I began reading success stories on here I was really hoping to see someone who had always struggled with this issue and who had succeeded because I had truly come to believe that being fat was just part of my destiny. My father's whole family is obese (I wasn't raised with them at all) and it just seemed like my destiny. I have always been active, I grew up in a household of very nutritious food and positive healthy role modeling. But I was still fat. And I let things slide as my babies were born.

In June I woke up and was DONE. Finished with feeling doomed. I started here, followed the numbers and saw some great progress in the first few weeks (those motivating water lbs and recently-added lbs of fat that come off easily). I've had fast periods, slow periods, a 5-week plateau (seems I needed to increase my calories!) and I am now over half way to my goal. This New Years rather than hoping this is the year I'll finally find the "magic" key to making this life-long dream come true, I'll know I've lost at least 50lbs. That's the goal anyway . And I'm confident that next year I'll meet my goal size.

Every single body has the ability to lose fat and gain healthy muscle. You need to work with the numbers and also experiment to know what works for your body specifically. When you first start out your metabolism has to make adjustments. Assuming you've taken on a calorie deficit your body needs a chance to believe that you're going to keep feeding it and that you're not in fact entering a famine so be patient if you don't see results instantly or if you even gain a couple of lbs. My two greatest pieces of advice are: don't weigh in too often. At first it's tempting but the fluctuations really can mess with your emotions and can actually CAUSE destructive behaviour because you can get bummed and compensate with food or lack of activity etc. And weight really does fluctuate naturally. One weigh-in is not NEARLY as important as a trend over time. ALSO, this is nothing if not a game of patience. Think stock market. The rule is that regardless of market fluctuations if you leave your investments over a very long stretch (decades!) you remain unaffected in the end. The road you are starting here has many ups and downs and its fair share of challenges but if you learn to truly trust that patience and perseverance are paramount you will ultimately succeed. Make the right choices at least 80% of the time, try to avoid major preventable set-backs and when they happen (which sometimes they will!), learn to move on immediately. Not "tomorrow" but right now. The very next time you have a chance to make a decision, big or small, make it a good one. Don't let the lapses run you.
You can do this. Just keep following the numbers and it will work for you too

I have a before picture in my profile. I'll get a body in progress picture some time soon. Good luck everyone, or more so good WILL. Believe in yourself!

Mangoaddict

Thank you so much for sharing. You are a real inspiration!

ranaelynn

I am so sorry to hear about your father inlaw - If you read my info you will see loosing several people to heart problems got me off my backside and down the path I am now on. I hope he pulls through, and I hope for continued success in your journey as well. To quote our new president YES WE CAN!

alisha123

I just had to reply to you to say thank you for sharing this. It's very inspirational and helps to keep moving forward :flowerforyou:

pdxmomof2

Pedal- I love it. And today I needed to read that! I am fortunate to hear your words of wisdom almost everyday and it is always inspiring and educational on this long road to weight loss!

My fathers untimely passing of a massive heart attack in his sleep at age 55 is what got me to this website but I do find that I need to be reminded every once in awhile just how much I need to take care of myself.

Thanks!

Amy

Nonibug

Thank you for the awesome, inspiring post!:flowerforyou:

~Roni

mbb8682

Thank you for sharing your story with all of us. I have had several family and friends family die of heart attacks and that is one reason I joined this site and to meet people to keep motivated. Your family is in my prayers and thoughts.

chrissypoo

I so enjoyed reading your post. what a letter!
very motivating and inspirational.
thanks

chrissypoo

how do you get your ticker to post with your reply? i mean what am i doing wrong?

ranaelynn

first you go to tools and creat the ticker you want.

then copy the code

then go to settings

under there you will see an option for changing your forum signiture - this is where you need to past the code you copied regarding your ticker - once you save that then everytime you post your replys your ticker will get added once it posts

PedalHound

Thanks for the feedback, people!
I posted this on the challenge I'm involved in and thought it may be useful to someone here too. It helped me twice just today!

When I was about 16 I had this epiphany which has revisited me recently in a new context. People can often be heard (or hear themselves) wishing they could have a second chance to make choices in a day or week or on a particular occasion. I thought, imagine this: Imagine we had made some choices we really REALLY wished we could re-make. We wished it so much that a divine hand offered us that chance - a SECOND CHANCE! to change decisions we wanted to change. But there was one condition. We wouldn't remember we'd asked for the second chance. We would have to rely on our intuition, our inherent good judgment and following what we know to be right. So imagine today is that day. Don't waste your choices because what if this IS your second chance to put things right?? It's a bit abstract, but sometimes is genuinely helps me make the choice I know is TRULY the best. The "what if this IS my second chance" choice. I hope that makes sense :happy:

arewethereyet

Thank you for this wonderful post.

:flowerforyou:

joann

The longer Im on this site the more I see how many people share the same experiences. Last Nov. my husband had to have triple by pass (he is 55) This is the second time he has had this operation. That was certainly the wake up call. Since then between the 2 of us we have lost over 110 lbs. This site has help us both so much although he doesnt know it:happy: He is doing really great and his doctors are so pleased with his weight lost. Good luck everyone and just remember nobdody is alone.

domjar

Thank you for the post.... it is going to keep me going for the next week!!!

janellybelly

Great post! Congrats on your weight loss! :flowerforyou:

rlh0614

Thank you for the post... And I am so sorry about your father in law. All the more reason to be healthy - so thanks for sharing. What a great story - congratulations to you.