Goal Achieved - 40lbs in 3 months! (w/ Pics)

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_Ben
_Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
Hey there my fellow MFPers,
3 months ago (actually 90 days exactly), I began my weight loss journey. I had tried using weight loss programs before, Carb starvs, NutritionKing, and even a brief attempt with MyFitnessPal, but all of them failed because I only did them to prove I could do them, but I wasnt all that motivated.

Some History:

I come from a pretty obese family, some ranging from 250-350 lbs. My family has a history of heart problems, weight issues, high blood pressure, and other serious conditions. I knew that these were things I never wanted to develop, and I knew I had to take action to prevent

Track back to earlier in the year, I was studying a ton, getting very little sleep, and in order to keep myself awake, Id eat. And Id eat terribly. My favorite late night snack was Ritz Bitz with cheese, or a Wendy's Double stack. I ate out (which nothing wrong with eating out, just not with how I was eating) constantly, and my only real attempt ever at being healthy was the fact I always drank diet, never used butter/cream cheese/cheese/etc. But in the end, I was eating terribly.

Flash to around 8/7/11, and my girlfriend, the most gorgeous and beautiful woman, was looking at some photos from the fourth of july on facebook. And then we came across these three photos:

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As soon as I saw these photos, I was disgusted. I was fat, jiggly, and unnactractive. Worst of all, I could tell my girlfriend was a little grossed out. I wasnt as thin or in as good of shape when we started dating, and needed to do something. Of course my girlfriend still loved me just the same, but she is a smoking hot girl, very successful, and the most wonderful personality; and I believed the guy shes with should match that.

So after seeing these photos, comparing myself to my family, and looking at the future, I decided to jump into MFP hardcore.


I began my journey with a weight of ~184. I didnt weigh myself properly when I started, the weight was within the range of 180-185, ended up deciding 184 was a good number.

I began immediately with the calorie counting. Im a person who can only do weight loss by calorie counting. Its not about eating processed or unprocessed, clean or dirty, for me its just calories. I know this doesnt work for everyone, but it does for me. Im a person who is happy with eating just a slice of pizza, instead of eating an ginormous salad, if pizza is what I am craving, I have to eat it.

I also increased my exercise as I started to plateau on my dieting. First I was just doing Dance Dance Revolution, then did two workouts a day, then joined a once a week hockey league (I already teach karate once a week), then I started doing the 30 Day shred, doing about 90 minutes of exercise a day.

With a combination of exercise, zig zag dieting, I feel I was able to achieve my goal. I rarely ate back my calories, and only twice went over my net calorie goal. I stuck to my higher calorie days on the weekends, lower on days I have work and out and about driving.

I did plateau a few times, experienced a week of being "backed up", but in the end, I powered through.

So here are the weight loss photos:


184lbs - Here is from where I started, on 8/9/11 (actually taken on 8/10/11):

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IMG_20110810_125459.jpg






145lbs - 11/05/11 (Day 89):

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Here is the final comparison photo (green lines is where I am now):

Final1.jpg



Thank you for all your support, encouragement, and entertainment. Now Im going to work on maintaining, while trying to build up muscles. Hope that all of your weightloss is going well, and I hope to be able to post some pics of me in a few months being super ripped.

Final:
Age: 20
Weight: 145
Height: 5'9"
BMI: 21.4
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Replies

  • rv40
    rv40 Posts: 99 Member
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    Wow!! You have done so awesome. You look great and so much younger!!
  • Helice
    Helice Posts: 1,083 Member
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    Wow.
    You look amazing!
    Comgrats! ^_^
  • lauramonster
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    So much progress! Awesome job!
  • DakotaKeogh
    DakotaKeogh Posts: 693 Member
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    Great result! Still can't quite fathom the speed of it. Maybe it's youth. We old guys take some time to give up the fat. Either way, it's great and I'm happy for you. Never forget your girlfriend deserves the best you you can be.

    Now, about that Darth Vader figurine.....
  • Angelic1971
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    That is so great you are truly an inspiration, thank you for sharing
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
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    Great result! Still can't quite fathom the speed of it. Maybe it's youth. We old guys take some time to give up the fat. Either way, it's great and I'm happy for you. Never forget your girlfriend deserves the best you you can be.

    Now, about that Darth Vader figurine.....

    Actually have 2, one is a 12 inch, other is a 3.75 inch. Not worth to much, but pretty cool though.


    I do contribute a fair portion to my young metabolism, but like I said, I exercise daily, eat very healthy (calorie wise), and stick to my zig zag diet
  • MamaCat9
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    Congrats and thanks for sharing. Your commitment and success are inspiring!
  • amanday88
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    Amazing! You are great motivation!
  • Jdr8023
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    Good job man, now add some muscles to that frame !!!!!!!!! LOL jk


    JDR
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
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    Good job man, now add some muscles to that frame !!!!!!!!! LOL jk


    JDR

    Totally agree. But I needed to lose the weight before the muscle gain. If the scale moved up at all because of muscle gain, I would have been to discouraged to continue
  • aarroyo0529
    aarroyo0529 Posts: 46 Member
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    Wow! You did great, thank you for posting this. I just started with MFP and I have tried other things and have not stayed motivated. I want to loose 40 pounds also therefore you have really shown me that it is possible. THANKS & CONGRATULATIONS!
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
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    Wow! You did great, thank you for posting this. I just started with MFP and I have tried other things and have not stayed motivated. I want to loose 40 pounds also therefore you have really shown me that it is possible. THANKS & CONGRATULATIONS!

    Absolutely is possible. Stick with a healthier diet, exercise daily, drink lots of liquids, and its totally possible
  • SouLThinking
    SouLThinking Posts: 308 Member
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    Wow, it's like with those 40 lbs you also took away 10 yrs. You look like a teenager in the goal pic LOL ..please take that as a compliment.
    I'm 6 lbs from goal and I can't wait to post goal pics.

    Great job!

    P.S. Zig Zagging has really helped me in so many ways.

    Nichole
  • amdsdc
    amdsdc Posts: 23
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    Great job! What an inspiration!
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
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    Wow, it's like with those 40 lbs you also took away 10 yrs. You look like a teenager in the goal pic LOL ..please take that as a compliment.
    I'm 6 lbs from goal and I can't wait to post goal pics.

    Great job!

    P.S. Zig Zagging has really helped me in so many ways.

    Nichole

    Im 20 btw, so took a year off? Lol, I appreciate the compliment
  • KettyLan
    KettyLan Posts: 440 Member
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    Great job!
  • SouLThinking
    SouLThinking Posts: 308 Member
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    Wow, it's like with those 40 lbs you also took away 10 yrs. You look like a teenager in the goal pic LOL ..please take that as a compliment.
    I'm 6 lbs from goal and I can't wait to post goal pics.

    Great job!

    P.S. Zig Zagging has really helped me in so many ways.

    Nichole

    Im 20 btw, so took a year off? Lol, I appreciate the compliment

    Well the before picture you look close to 30 LOL so I would say it took off 10 but yea you at least look your age now!
    Great job!
  • Vino81
    Vino81 Posts: 16
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    WOW WOW WOW is all that comes to mind! Well done and Congrats. :drinker:
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
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    Wow, it's like with those 40 lbs you also took away 10 yrs. You look like a teenager in the goal pic LOL ..please take that as a compliment.
    I'm 6 lbs from goal and I can't wait to post goal pics.

    Great job!

    P.S. Zig Zagging has really helped me in so many ways.

    Nichole

    Im 20 btw, so took a year off? Lol, I appreciate the compliment

    Well the before picture you look close to 30 LOL so I would say it took off 10 but yea you at least look your age now!
    Great job!

    Appreciate it never the less
  • Captain_Mal
    Captain_Mal Posts: 946 Member
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    Great work so far!
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