My imperfect weight loss journey

Mallory0418

Today I stepped back and took a good look at how far I've come. I don't necessarily have a "weigh-in day", I just look at the scale from time to time when it's been a while since I last checked. Usually, it's a .5 lb loss here, or a 1.5 lb loss there, or no change at all. Which is great and I give myself a little pat on the back and move on with my day. Today, I stepped on the scale, and the whole thing hit me like a ton of bricks...I've lost 54 pounds!!! More than 50 lbs of what used to be me is gone! When did that happen? Why have I not noticed it before?? Sometimes, when you are so focused on your goal, you forget to notice how far you've really come in the process. I'm not done yet, but I thought I should give myself this little NSV anyway because I've never made it this far before.

I've gotten some questions from some of my dear MFP friends and I thought I would share my answers here...

I weighed around 220 lbs at my heaviest and am now at 165.4 lbs, and am 5'8". The last time I saw that number on the scale...I believe I was 17 years old, and 2 sizes bigger.

My first attempt was not a healthy one. I wanted to lose the weight but I wasn't willing to put in the work so I took some stupid short cuts and lost about 45 lbs quickly. Within a couple months, I had gained 30 of it back. I quit with the short cuts and just kind of half-a**ed it and stayed at about 200 - 210 lbs for another year.

This time last year, I had enough of the fluctuating and feeling sorry for myself and buckled down and worked my butt off to where I am now. If you're one my friends, you've seen my work outs and my diaries, and that's what I've been doing for the past year. There's no secret to it. Eat as clean as possible, and work. Do not make excuses.

I hope this doesn't lower your opinion of me by knowing my journey did not start out perfect. This is me, and this is real. I learned from my mistakes and am so proud of myself now. Trust me when I say, if I can do it...YOU can do it!

Starting at 220 lbs:

[img
13363_632138307905_30415241_36473592_1296047_n by Mallory0418, on Flickr[/img]

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n108301726_30764134_320189 by Mallory0418, on Flickr

165.4 lbs: (Sorry, I don't have many recent photos)

[img
390171_566435537564_108301726_31575404_919446860_n by Mallory0418, on Flickr[/img]

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429233_574492506334_108301726_31613035_860974572_n by Mallory0418, on Flickr

Hope this pics work.

melsy21

Oh my goodness.. I SO wanna see your pics but they didn't show up yet :S

kriskaryl

Isn't it great to know you have worked so hard and have succeeded so well? You have lost the equivalent of a 3rd grader! Putting it into perspective, imagine carrying around 3rd grader all day, everyday and trying to sleep with that child laying on your chest.

Great job! Keep up the good work and take pride in what you have done.

Mallory0418

There we go. LOL

sexyminxinthemaking

cant see your after pic:sad:

sexyminxinthemaking

WOW GIRL you have done an amazing job well done :flowerforyou:

Bethee101

Wow.. you look amazing!!!

SassyMrsSpencer

lol sounds like me love!!! but well done!!!
we need to trip up now and then to realise what we had and to work hard to get want we want!!! (my option)
I've been like that for the past 8 years.... and NOW I've finally getting my A into G!!!!
Well done and keep up the fantastic work!!

peacemongernc

Perfect stories don't inspire me at all. Plus, I think when we try different things and have to figure out our path, sometimes we understand what works and what doesn't better than we would otherwise.

AT least that's what I'm telling myself!!! lol!

Great job! Thank you for sharing!

TCWE

The transformation is so apparent!! you look incredible:) WTG!

Monica_in_MO

You are simply radiant! Congratulations.

futiledevices

you look awesome!

cutiekay99

You look great!!! Congrats on your weight loss!

HangoverSquare

You look great. Well done!

chrislin2011

Amazing! You look like a different person. Congratulations:)

bigtone34

WOW, Great Job!!

MaximalLife

Great work!

chaval33

You look amazing and are doing a great job...I don't think anyone will think less of you because you had a rough start, I think we all have that. Congratulations and good luck on the rest. I will be looking to make you a friend just so I can see your workouts...Thanks for the encouragement! :happy:

speedyf

You were beautiful before, and you are now amazingly beautiful! :flowerforyou:
And you look so much younger!

Great job lady! :drinker:

Thanks for sharing. This is great inspiration for all of us!

Kal43

That's awesome!!!!! It just shows that hard work really does payoff ... Keep up the good work

andrejjorje

What a pretty girl!! Congrats.

bjthompson09

I think your story is inspiring! Great Job on all the work you have done.
I started my journey last year after I went to the Biggest loser open call. Not getting on the show really made me see that I didn't want to wait for another season, I wanted to do then. So I started going to weight watchers, I did that for about 6 months and I lost 20 lbs. I was on and off with it and I know I could have done better, but all I could do was look to the future. I was lucky enough to have a gym membership to a great place in my town, I started do really hard boot camps 3-4 days a week, and then I found myself signing up for a 5k training course. Before I knew I was doing running over 3 miles and I had gone from 249lbs to 214lbs. 35 was gone and I could not believe it. Now I am training for a half marathon, I am not even close to my goal weight wise but I feel like I have accomplished so much and come so far.

Thank you for sharing your story.

Travelfixer

You are beautiful! It's hardly looks like the same woman, you look so much younger and happier!

soccermum75

You look amazing!!!! I think most of us have tried silly things until we found the not so secret formula: eat less, move more. LOL But congrats on your success!:drinker:

CDresp

Success in life is not about being perfect. It is about being as true as you can be one day at a time. Which is all we really have anyway. Focus on doing something today that your future self will thank you for. One day, one pound, one success at a time and let go of the negative feelings about the not so good days. Negative feelings only lead to additional failure. Think positive for positive results. Congratulations on your success!!! You look gorgeous!

BeautyFromPain

WOW! You look even more beautiful!

kdfulgham

I love the fact that your journey was "imperfect". Great lesson to be learned! You look great, and your story is inspiring. Excellent!

Edward220

Congratulations !! I enjoy reading success stories like yours !! Nice way to start my day. Thanks for sharing !!! Keep up the hard work...

rebelo3

I like you story because it is REAL! No one is perfect. But you look beautiful! And SO happy, congrats you deserve it!

mdebbie1026

Oh Yeah! Way to Go!

dguetre

Glad to hear another imperfect weight loss journey. And, holy hot mama, in your bottom pictures. Congratulations on a huge accomplishment; you earned it.