Goal Met & EXCEEDED! 37lbs lost w/ pics!
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jkuhn71
Posts: 199
Hi Everyone!
I finally tracked down some 'before' pics. I was always the one TAKING the pictures because I never wanted to have my picture taken! So tracking down pictures that I was in turned out to be quite an adventure!
My story...
If my memory serves me correctly (I AM 40 now, so the mind's slipping a little!), I've been struggling with my weight since I was about 12 years old. I think I hit my all time (non-pregnancy) high weight during the months following the birth of my 2nd daughter (close to 10 years ago). I was about 195 lbs at 5'4" tall - NOT a pretty sight! This isn't the best picture - but this was me when my 2nd daughter was a few months old:
I honestly don't think I weighed much less in this picture, which was a few months before I got pregnant with her:
I've lost weight off and on over the last 10 years, the most significant being back in 2004 when I went from 195 to 143:
I maintained that for a couple of years, but then I let myself get wrapped up in a bunch of other 'life' things, quit the gym, and slipped back into old, bad habits! Over the next several years, I slowly gained back over 30 of those 50+ pounds I'd worked so hard to lose!
Back at the beginning of March, I had the slap in the face revelation that I was going to be 40 in August and I did NOT want to continue down this path that I was on! I decided it was time to make a major change in my life. I needed to change the bad habits that continually got me in trouble. I needed to make a lifestyle change in how I ate. And I needed to find exercise that I enjoyed and WANTED to do! To get myself back on track, I joined the gym I belonged to years ago and started a nutrition/exercise program with a coach there. I WILL NEVER LOOK BACK! I've become a gym rat! I don't think that's something I EVER thought would be possible! But I absolutely, positively LOVE going to the gym. I've developed a passionate relationship with weight lifting (shhh - don't tell my husband!)! I look forward to classes like BodyCombat & BodyStep, and gasp....I enjoy RUNNING! I was in track in HS, but I was a sprinter - if I had to run more than 200m, I was NOT a happy camper. Now I run 3 - 3.5 miles at a time, 2-3 days a week, and I LIKE IT! I found MFP in May and I can't say enough great things about it! The fact that it's a FREE tool is amazing to me! It's so easy to use and I LOVE that I have access to everything on my phone, too! In addition to having somewhere to log my food/water/exercise, having these message boards to get a 'pick me up' if I need one, learn something new, and/or have a laugh has been awesome - and I know staying active here will help me to continue with this healthy lifestyle! Thanks MFP and MFPers!
I started out in March at 174 lbs and 34.7% body fat (obese - ick!). I'm now 137 pounds and between 20 & 21% body fat! If I don't lose more weight I'm fine with that because I've actually exceeded the goals I've set for myself and gone farther than I thought was possible. But at this point, I'm just going to continue to do what I'm doing and see what happens. I'm honestly THRILLED with where I am today. I feel strong, healthy, and HAPPY! I have so much more energy and I've become a positive role model for my family and friends! My husband actually joined me on this journey - he's lost about 35 pounds AND he logs his food/water/exercise here on MFP, too! This healthy eating and physically active lifestyle has become a FAMILY affair...and that is the greatest accomplishment of all to me!!!
So - here's me last summer vs this summer:
And here's me celebrating my 40th b-day in NYC with my best friend, who just happens to be my husband!
If you're still here - thanks for reading my novel! :flowerforyou:
Jess
I finally tracked down some 'before' pics. I was always the one TAKING the pictures because I never wanted to have my picture taken! So tracking down pictures that I was in turned out to be quite an adventure!
My story...
If my memory serves me correctly (I AM 40 now, so the mind's slipping a little!), I've been struggling with my weight since I was about 12 years old. I think I hit my all time (non-pregnancy) high weight during the months following the birth of my 2nd daughter (close to 10 years ago). I was about 195 lbs at 5'4" tall - NOT a pretty sight! This isn't the best picture - but this was me when my 2nd daughter was a few months old:
I honestly don't think I weighed much less in this picture, which was a few months before I got pregnant with her:
I've lost weight off and on over the last 10 years, the most significant being back in 2004 when I went from 195 to 143:
I maintained that for a couple of years, but then I let myself get wrapped up in a bunch of other 'life' things, quit the gym, and slipped back into old, bad habits! Over the next several years, I slowly gained back over 30 of those 50+ pounds I'd worked so hard to lose!
Back at the beginning of March, I had the slap in the face revelation that I was going to be 40 in August and I did NOT want to continue down this path that I was on! I decided it was time to make a major change in my life. I needed to change the bad habits that continually got me in trouble. I needed to make a lifestyle change in how I ate. And I needed to find exercise that I enjoyed and WANTED to do! To get myself back on track, I joined the gym I belonged to years ago and started a nutrition/exercise program with a coach there. I WILL NEVER LOOK BACK! I've become a gym rat! I don't think that's something I EVER thought would be possible! But I absolutely, positively LOVE going to the gym. I've developed a passionate relationship with weight lifting (shhh - don't tell my husband!)! I look forward to classes like BodyCombat & BodyStep, and gasp....I enjoy RUNNING! I was in track in HS, but I was a sprinter - if I had to run more than 200m, I was NOT a happy camper. Now I run 3 - 3.5 miles at a time, 2-3 days a week, and I LIKE IT! I found MFP in May and I can't say enough great things about it! The fact that it's a FREE tool is amazing to me! It's so easy to use and I LOVE that I have access to everything on my phone, too! In addition to having somewhere to log my food/water/exercise, having these message boards to get a 'pick me up' if I need one, learn something new, and/or have a laugh has been awesome - and I know staying active here will help me to continue with this healthy lifestyle! Thanks MFP and MFPers!
I started out in March at 174 lbs and 34.7% body fat (obese - ick!). I'm now 137 pounds and between 20 & 21% body fat! If I don't lose more weight I'm fine with that because I've actually exceeded the goals I've set for myself and gone farther than I thought was possible. But at this point, I'm just going to continue to do what I'm doing and see what happens. I'm honestly THRILLED with where I am today. I feel strong, healthy, and HAPPY! I have so much more energy and I've become a positive role model for my family and friends! My husband actually joined me on this journey - he's lost about 35 pounds AND he logs his food/water/exercise here on MFP, too! This healthy eating and physically active lifestyle has become a FAMILY affair...and that is the greatest accomplishment of all to me!!!
So - here's me last summer vs this summer:
And here's me celebrating my 40th b-day in NYC with my best friend, who just happens to be my husband!
If you're still here - thanks for reading my novel! :flowerforyou:
Jess
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Replies
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You look FANTASTIC!!!!0
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You are beautiful! Wow, look at how healthy and happy you look! Just congratulations all around and be SO proud of yourself!! An inspiration. 0
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You look GREAT!!!!!!!!!! You are very pretty BTW!0
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Amazing success. Congratulations!0
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You look positively radiant! Congratulations!!0
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Excellent and inspiring!!! Way to go!!! :drinker: You look amazing!:flowerforyou:0
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congrats u look fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thankz for sharing
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Wow, congratulations to you and your husband too! You both look great and so happy! And happy and healthy birthday to you! I hope to be where you are next summer! Thanks for the inspiration. 0
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You look terrific!! Thanks for sharing your info! You really are an inspiration!! Congrats on a job well done! :flowerforyou:0
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Well done - you are an inspiration! I'm new to using this fantastic app - and I'm loving it!!! You look fabulous and I hope to lose the same amount! This will be a great app to keep the healthy lifestyle for life too!0
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Congrats to you both!:drinker:0
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big time CONGRATS!!!!0
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Wow, congratulations to you and your husband too! You both look great and so happy! And happy and healthy birthday to you! I hope to be where you are next summer! Thanks for the inspiration.
Your story is great, hits right in my backyard, I too hope to be where you are next summer!!! Come on Jenna we can do it!!!
Congratulations and happy 40th!0 -
You've done such an amazing job! You look so beautiful and so happy! Congrats on hitting your goal
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well done you look amazing!0
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What a success! Super job!0
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You look awesome and so HEALTHY.
Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!0 -
WTG!!!!! You look amazing, girl!0
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You look incredible!! Congrats!! 0
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You look great! Congratulations!0
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