To anyone that has had a NSV or success story...

shovav91

My inspiration, not only in things regarding body-image and health but in life in general, is all of you MFP'ers.
Taking control of your life and no longer letting food rule is one of the HARDEST things you will ever do, yet you're all doing it. It may not be easy and it may not be fun, but the fact that you know what your doing is what's best for you is enough.
Take a look at yourself- you may have good days and bad, but you are changing your life for the better. You may have wanted to throw in the towel a million times, but you stuck with it for yourselves and your family. That is not something to turn your nose up at- that is a huge accomplishment.
Whenever something is difficult in my life, I look to all of you- your dedication to yourselves and your health through this difficult journey is awe-inspiring. I truly believe that each and every one of you has the capabilities to accomplish your goals, and I am thrilled every time I see another post about "success stories".
To the people considering giving up for good because they aren't at the results they were hoping for, don't give up just yet. If getting the body you wanted were easy, wouldn't everyone look like barbie? I know you can do this, and I cannot wait to see your name next to a post about your personal success story.
So thank you all... thank you for the inspiration and for the knowledge that nothing is impossible.

As a side note, feel free to friend me or message me if you need support, motivation or even just to vent

shovav91

Bump!

JNettie73

I love what you wrote.

I have been on here since the end of the summer and have had several NSVs! The NSVs that stand out in my mind the most are:

1. Being able to get through an entire workout without being winded!

2. Have so much more energy and always want to get up and do something.

3. I can feel my muscles becoming more defined under that layer of fat! I am quite obsessed with them and cannot stop feeling them when I flex! :blushing:

4. Coming home from a day of work and school and discovering I had saggy crotch. My pants were officially too big for me and were falling off. OK that one was embarrassing at the same time because it looked so horrible. Clearly I could have been a candidate for What Not to Wear! :blushing: But nonetheless a great victory!

5. Being able to take my jeans off without unbuttoning them first.

6. Feeling like my posture has improved and that I stand taller and prouder each and every day!

7. Going into my closet and trying on something that used to be too small/ tight and having it fit once again!

8. Being able to walk up a flight of stairs at school and not getting winded!

I know there are so many more that I have experienced but I cannot remember them all. I think it is important to remember while you are on your journey (not diet - I hate the word diet) to keep the following in mind: there will be days/ weeks the scale moves and others it does not. Do not get too hung up on what number the scale is spitting out at you. Use this number as guidance but also pay attention to other things as well. Pay attention to your measurements, how you look and feel, and your NSVs. Give yourself small attainable goals and work on them. Once you achieve them build upon them and keep adding goals until you get to the place you want to be. Stay strong and remember you can do this! :flowerforyou:

StacyLynn8241

Thanks for the words of encouragement I am just finishing up my fourth week and I can tell you that I have had my highs and lows for sure and at one point almost gave up. I have to keep reminding myself that I didn't gain it overnight and I'm certainly not going to lose it overnight. I found a quote that I read every day that states "Never give up on a dream just because of the length of time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." I love reading quotes and tidbits that remind me that I can do this. This website and all the people that are a part of it really keep me going!!! Special thanks to everyone who has posted their success stories and those who are still on their journey. You motivate me to do better and to try harder!!!! I hope that one day I will be able to post my success story as well!!!!

shovav91

I love what you wrote.

I have been on here since the end of the summer and have had several NSVs! The NSVs that stand out in my mind the most are:

1. Being able to get through an entire workout without being winded!

2. Have so much more energy and always want to get up and do something.

3. I can feel my muscles becoming more defined under that layer of fat! I am quite obsessed with them and cannot stop feeling them when I flex! :blushing:

4. Coming home from a day of work and school and discovering I had saggy crotch. My pants were officially too big for me and were falling off. OK that one was embarrassing at the same time because it looked so horrible. Clearly I could have been a candidate for What Not to Wear! :blushing: But nonetheless a great victory!

5. Being able to take my jeans off without unbuttoning them first.

6. Feeling like my posture has improved and that I stand taller and prouder each and every day!

7. Going into my closet and trying on something that used to be too small/ tight and having it fit once again!

8. Being able to walk up a flight of stairs at school and not getting winded!

I know there are so many more that I have experienced but I cannot remember them all. I think it is important to remember while you are on your journey (not diet - I hate the word diet) to keep the following in mind: there will be days/ weeks the scale moves and others it does not. Do not get too hung up on what number the scale is spitting out at you. Use this number as guidance but also pay attention to other things as well. Pay attention to your measurements, how you look and feel, and your NSVs. Give yourself small attainable goals and work on them. Once you achieve them build upon them and keep adding goals until you get to the place you want to be. Stay strong and remember you can do this! :flowerforyou:

This made me grin! Thank you so much for sharing your NSV's- you have come a long way, and are an inspiration! I love what you said about it being a journey. I always call it a lifestyle rather than a diet, because it's not a diet. It is a conscious choice to make a permanent change. Thank you so much for your reply and your inspiration! Keep up the fantastic work, and I can't wait to hear about more of your NSV's!

shovav91

Thanks for the words of encouragement I am just finishing up my fourth week and I can tell you that I have had my highs and lows for sure and at one point almost gave up. I have to keep reminding myself that I didn't gain it overnight and I'm certainly not going to lose it overnight. I found a quote that I read every day that states "Never give up on a dream just because of the length of time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." I love reading quotes and tidbits that remind me that I can do this. This website and all the people that are a part of it really keep me going!!! Special thanks to everyone who has posted their success stories and those who are still on their journey. You motivate me to do better and to try harder!!!! I hope that one day I will be able to post my success story as well!!!!

Wow! Congratulations on sticking with it through the first four weeks! I feel like those are the most difficult. I am inspired by the fact that you didn't give up, even when things got hard. Thank you for sharing that quote... It's beautiful and so true. Things worth accomplishing take time! I cannot wait to hear about your NSV's as they start to happen!

sc1572

this sooooo much!

LorinaLynn

*Applause!*

shovav91

I'm just being honest
You guys are my inspiration 100% and I couldn't thank you enough if I tried.

JNettie73

This made me grin! Thank you so much for sharing your NSV's- you have come a long way, and are an inspiration! I love what you said about it being a journey. I always call it a lifestyle rather than a diet, because it's not a diet. It is a conscious choice to make a permanent change. Thank you so much for your reply and your inspiration! Keep up the fantastic work, and I can't wait to hear about more of your NSV's!

Thank you so much. Many thanks for calling me an inspiration. Though I have made many accomplishments, I don't feel like an inspiration. I just feel like me but only better on so many levels! AND I am loving each and every minute of it!

I agree with you, it's not a diet. I actually over the years have learned to despise the word diet for several reasons. All my life I have struggled with weight issues, several times if I was eating something healthy like a piece of fruit people would say to me "What are you on a diet?" or "What are you trying to lose weight?" Being an over weight person, I know I am fat. I don't like to bring any unnecessary attention to it and most of all I don't like people reminding me that I am fat. I know they didn't/ don't mean any harm, but their simple questions hurt my feelings and made me feel bad about myself. Needless to say now I cringe when I hear the word "diet". Also, to me, a diet is something "temporary" that you do briefly to achieve some weight loss but you do not follow it long term. Hence, gaining that weight back and then some (or A LOT if you are like me). I prefer to call my changes that I am making a journey because I am striving to reach a destination. That destination being a completely healthy me on several different levels - body, mind and soul. Being that I am making changes and want to keep these changes for the rest of my life, I feel I am making lifestyle changes. I love all the progress I have made so far and look forward to the day when I meet my destination! I know it is off in the far future but I take comfort in knowing each change I am making right now is another step in the correct direction to my destination!

Wishing everyone many successes on their journey! :flowerforyou:

shovav91

This made me grin! Thank you so much for sharing your NSV's- you have come a long way, and are an inspiration! I love what you said about it being a journey. I always call it a lifestyle rather than a diet, because it's not a diet. It is a conscious choice to make a permanent change. Thank you so much for your reply and your inspiration! Keep up the fantastic work, and I can't wait to hear about more of your NSV's!

Thank you so much. Many thanks for calling me an inspiration. Though I have made many accomplishments, I don't feel like an inspiration. I just feel like me but only better on so many levels! AND I am loving each and every minute of it!

I agree with you, it's not a diet. I actually over the years have learned to despise the word diet for several reasons. All my life I have struggled with weight issues, several times if I was eating something healthy like a piece of fruit people would say to me "What are you on a diet?" or "What are you trying to lose weight?" Being an over weight person, I know I am fat. I don't like to bring any unnecessary attention to it and most of all I don't like people reminding me that I am fat. I know they didn't/ don't mean any harm, but their simple questions hurt my feelings and made me feel bad about myself. Needless to say now I cringe when I hear the word "diet". Also, to me, a diet is something "temporary" that you do briefly to achieve some weight loss but you do not follow it long term. Hence, gaining that weight back and then some (or A LOT if you are like me). I prefer to call my changes that I am making a journey because I am striving to reach a destination. That destination being a completely healthy me on several different levels - body, mind and soul. Being that I am making changes and want to keep these changes for the rest of my life, I feel I am making lifestyle changes. I love all the progress I have made so far and look forward to the day when I meet my destination! I know it is off in the far future but I take comfort in knowing each change I am making right now is another step in the correct direction to my destination!

Wishing everyone many successes on their journey! :flowerforyou:

I wish everyone could read what you said about it being a journey... it would save people a lot of grief. Many people try to do too much too fast and end up either gaining the weight back or just giving up. It is a journey and a lifestyle choice, something to stick to for the long term. It's a marathon, not a sprint! It's so admirable that you've been able to stay so motivated. I'm sure your body thanks you!

shovav91

And I don't know why people feel the need to comment on food choices... it's a very personal thing. They don't understand the hurtful undertones pf some things they say... it is a constant reminder to be mindful and sensitive to others.

JNettie73

I wish everyone could read what you said about it being a journey... it would save people a lot of grief. Many people try to do too much too fast and end up either gaining the weight back or just giving up. It is a journey and a lifestyle choice, something to stick to for the long term. It's a marathon, not a sprint! It's so admirable that you've been able to stay so motivated. I'm sure your body thanks you!

I agree 100%. So many people try to do it all at once. I think that is because they are excited, it is new and they want to make changes. But once they see how much there is to change they find it very difficult and unfortunately give up.

When I first started, I gave myself small goals that I knew I could achieve. i.e. get in at least some type of physical activity 4x a week for at least 30 minutes. This of course was in addition to logging my calories. After I was able to do that, I gave myself the goal of aerobics 4x a week. Now I am trying to do 6x a week cardio every other day and strength training on opposite days. As far as food, I really didn't change much except for my portion sizes and limit my intake of cheese. I still allow myself to have it but not several times daily like I had prior to MFP. Two huge changes I made were 1) cutting out iced tea and only drinking water and 2) eating some type of breakfast every day. I did not have a hard time with the first one but the second one was difficult. I have never been a get up and eat breakfast kind of person. It took me quite a while to get into a routine but eventually I got there. Now I find if I don't eat by 8 am I am ravenous!

I have not seen too many people being over critical of food choices. At least none of my friends on here do that to me. The way I look at it is, it is their choice what they put in their mouth just like it is my choice what I put in mine. I know sometimes what I eat is not perfect but it is what works for me. Based on that principal, I feel I really have no right to judge someone else being that I am not perfect myself. The only time I ever offer critical advice about foods is if the person is asking for it.

It's amazing how after starting on MFP within a week I felt so much better. I felt like I had so much more energy, felt like my posture improved and felt really good as a whole. I've noticed so many more benefits too like pre-MFP I used to get headaches quite frequently, not I hardly ever get them. Not to mention all the NSVs I posted earlier.

I can't say it enough. I really really love MFP, it has helped me make some major changes and regain my own life! :flowerforyou:

JNettie73

Having problems tonight with MFP sorry.

shovav91

Having problems tonight with MFP sorry.

How so??

JNettie73

With quoting. The text I typed was coming up in blue like I quoted it. I figured it out though.....user error! :blushing: