One year in, 78 lbs. down
webdiva1
Posts: 326 Member
Today marks one year since I joined MFP. Oh, the changes I've made, and the things I've learned!
Thought I'd share a few of them here. They might mean more to folks who have lots to lose, but feel free to use what you like and roll your eyes about everything else.
Back story first. I started MFP just shy of 300 lbs. I've been way overweight all my adult life (and still am ... just not for long). Despite that, I was a decent athlete -- lots of volleyball, softball and soccer back in the day. Did lots of knee damage, though; had my first knee surgery in the late 70s and finally had both knees replaced in 2003, after hobbling about with a cane for 6 years. Thought that would be the event that would get me off my keester, but nope. I was able to walk like regular people again (which still blows my mind, by the way), but I kept living the unhealthy lifestyle I had before.
Three things changed it up for me.
Last January, I was at the grocery store to stock up before a Midwest blizzard, and I had this stop-in-the-middle-of-the-aisle, John the Baptist sort of epiphany: I realized that every single thing I was gonna buy was unhealthy. Really, REALLY unhealthy. I actually stopped dead still and said "Wow" out loud. That moment, I started to think differently about food and the role it plays in my life. I thought about it A LOT over the next few weeks.
A couple weeks later, I discovered one of my clients had lost 98 lbs. without surgery, just by exercising and eating differently. Yeah, yeah -- we've all seen those stories. But this is someone I KNEW. Moreover, she's one of THE most stylin' women I know ... she always looks so put together. OK, I thought: I see now that it actually CAN happen, and without surgery. (I'd been seriously considering lapband surgery at that point, but hadn't taken action. You're detecting the pattern there, right? "Inaction" was my middle name, for a very long time.
Finally, a week or so later, a friend told me about MFP and suggested I give it a shot. I was completely skeptical but decided to sign up anyway. I committed to losing the minimum amount a week -- 1/2 lb. -- and NO exercise. Didn't tell anyone about it; didn't come near the forums; just started tracking what I ate quietly. Five days in, I was 3 lbs. down ... and I've never looked back since.
The number one thing that's made this lifestyle change happen for me is this: I had to get my head in the right place FIRST.
I'm addicted to food. Knowing you have a problem is the first step, right? So for me -- for now -- I'm OK with that. But NOW my focus is on what healthy choices I can make ... at the grocery store, at restaurants, whatever. Next, I knew I had to be willing to making changes for **life**. After knee surgery, I knew a time would come when healing and rehab would be done. But this journey I'm on now will NEVER be over. That was daunting for me; for a long time, I just didn't think I could do it. So I started with small, easily attainable goals. I stayed under the 1980 cals a day MFP assigned me back at the beginning. I drank less tea and more water. I kept an eye on what I ate, and I tracked it all in MFP. I forgive myself if I blow it, and remember that every day is a fresh start. And I'd focus on losing 5 lbs. at a time.
It worked. With so much to lose -- my goal is somewhere around 150 lbs. -- the weight came off fairly easily for the first 9 months or so. I was learning about the food I ate -- such as the insane levels of sodium in everything -- esp. lunch meat and canned soup, both of which I ate a lot. I started to lurk on the forums, and picked up some good tips and tricks from lots of smart folks.
I started drinking water to flush out the sodium. About 7 years ago or so, I finally kicked my addiction to Coke -- as in The Real Thing, with all those stoopid calories, sugar and caffeine. Mine was a serious addiction; I drank on average two 2-liter bottles a day for years. (Yeah, I know: insane. That was then, and those days are OVER.) So I switched to Diet Green Tea with Citrus. Somewhat better -- no calories, but fake sugars and still some caffeine. And they were expensive, too -- ridiculously so, for stuff that has no nutritional value whatsoever. Once I joined MFP, I gave up the green tea and switched to water, and that's what I drink now almost exclusively. I drink LOTS of it, every day ... 14-18 8-oz. glasses on average, I think. Having a bottle of cold water within arm's reach pretty much all the time works for me. There are about 15 bottles of filtered tap water in my fridge at all times now; when one's done, I grab another.
Next, I started focusing on fresh food -- nothing boxed or canned. I added LOTS of veggies and fruit to my diet. My fave way to get these in is to hit my grocery store's salad bar and make a ginormous salad that will do me for a couple of meals; it's fast and easy. The difference between what's in my grocery cart today, and what was in it a year ago January, is night and day.
About mid-March last year, I decided to take a little walk. Nothing major; just a walk around a couple of blocks in my 'hood. Good grief: you would've thought I'd just run a marathon! I was seriously whipped, and it only took a couple of blocks to do it! I was ... ticked. Irked. Really, really annoyed. THAT turned out to be a great motivator for me. A couple of days later, I did it again. The next day, again, and just a little further this time. I was still tired, but I was realizing that a whole lot of the tired was in my head. If I *thought* it was gonna be hard, it was. So I worked to change how I was thinking about that, too, and just stayed with it. The first time I walked a mile ... about a month after I started walking regularly -- I cried happy, happy tears. Did it again when I walked three miles, about three months into what had become more or less routine. When I walked eight miles late last fall, up and down hills, without taking a break, well ... you can imagine. I came home and wrote my orthopedic surgeon a thank-you note for my bionic knees. Without them, the Miracle of 8 Miles would never have happened. But I also know that *I* was the one who really made it happen. That sense of empowerment is ... remarkable, and the feeling I get now when I exercise carries me through. For me, it's very, very motivating.
Finally, I made a few friends here on MFP and for me -- it's made all the difference. My MFP pals sustain me, encourage me, support me and keep me going ... and they welcome the same from me. If you don't have a few really great MFP friends yet, seriously: find some. Just ask. That support network of people who are in a similar place, who understand where you are and what you're trying to do ... well ... I can't say enough. You friends of mine -- and you know who you are -- I love and thank you all. We totally rock.
At this point, I'm over halfway to my goal. I've joined a gym and go with a friend three days a week or thereabouts. A couple of months ago I switched up my goals in MFP myself, and am currently at 1400 cals a day. But I'm gonna switch it up again here before long, to 1600 or so, just to see what happens. Speaking for myself, I like to change things up occasionally. I look at it this way: what's the worst that could happen? If I gain a couple of pounds, no problem; I'll just switch things up again. It's the what's the BEST that could happen where things get interesting.
For me, this journey isn't about hope, or luck, or wishing. It's about DOING ... or in some cases, NOT doing. I have great days and less-than-great days ... sometimes I have epic fail days. Doesn't matter ... the key is to get up and get back on track. That's all. All that negative energy we waste feeling bad or berating ourselves for failures is such a waste. It's done; we can't change it. But we CAN change what we do next.
So. My journey continues, and I can't wait to see where I'll be this time next year. Forward we go!
Thought I'd share a few of them here. They might mean more to folks who have lots to lose, but feel free to use what you like and roll your eyes about everything else.
Back story first. I started MFP just shy of 300 lbs. I've been way overweight all my adult life (and still am ... just not for long). Despite that, I was a decent athlete -- lots of volleyball, softball and soccer back in the day. Did lots of knee damage, though; had my first knee surgery in the late 70s and finally had both knees replaced in 2003, after hobbling about with a cane for 6 years. Thought that would be the event that would get me off my keester, but nope. I was able to walk like regular people again (which still blows my mind, by the way), but I kept living the unhealthy lifestyle I had before.
Three things changed it up for me.
Last January, I was at the grocery store to stock up before a Midwest blizzard, and I had this stop-in-the-middle-of-the-aisle, John the Baptist sort of epiphany: I realized that every single thing I was gonna buy was unhealthy. Really, REALLY unhealthy. I actually stopped dead still and said "Wow" out loud. That moment, I started to think differently about food and the role it plays in my life. I thought about it A LOT over the next few weeks.
A couple weeks later, I discovered one of my clients had lost 98 lbs. without surgery, just by exercising and eating differently. Yeah, yeah -- we've all seen those stories. But this is someone I KNEW. Moreover, she's one of THE most stylin' women I know ... she always looks so put together. OK, I thought: I see now that it actually CAN happen, and without surgery. (I'd been seriously considering lapband surgery at that point, but hadn't taken action. You're detecting the pattern there, right? "Inaction" was my middle name, for a very long time.
Finally, a week or so later, a friend told me about MFP and suggested I give it a shot. I was completely skeptical but decided to sign up anyway. I committed to losing the minimum amount a week -- 1/2 lb. -- and NO exercise. Didn't tell anyone about it; didn't come near the forums; just started tracking what I ate quietly. Five days in, I was 3 lbs. down ... and I've never looked back since.
The number one thing that's made this lifestyle change happen for me is this: I had to get my head in the right place FIRST.
I'm addicted to food. Knowing you have a problem is the first step, right? So for me -- for now -- I'm OK with that. But NOW my focus is on what healthy choices I can make ... at the grocery store, at restaurants, whatever. Next, I knew I had to be willing to making changes for **life**. After knee surgery, I knew a time would come when healing and rehab would be done. But this journey I'm on now will NEVER be over. That was daunting for me; for a long time, I just didn't think I could do it. So I started with small, easily attainable goals. I stayed under the 1980 cals a day MFP assigned me back at the beginning. I drank less tea and more water. I kept an eye on what I ate, and I tracked it all in MFP. I forgive myself if I blow it, and remember that every day is a fresh start. And I'd focus on losing 5 lbs. at a time.
It worked. With so much to lose -- my goal is somewhere around 150 lbs. -- the weight came off fairly easily for the first 9 months or so. I was learning about the food I ate -- such as the insane levels of sodium in everything -- esp. lunch meat and canned soup, both of which I ate a lot. I started to lurk on the forums, and picked up some good tips and tricks from lots of smart folks.
I started drinking water to flush out the sodium. About 7 years ago or so, I finally kicked my addiction to Coke -- as in The Real Thing, with all those stoopid calories, sugar and caffeine. Mine was a serious addiction; I drank on average two 2-liter bottles a day for years. (Yeah, I know: insane. That was then, and those days are OVER.) So I switched to Diet Green Tea with Citrus. Somewhat better -- no calories, but fake sugars and still some caffeine. And they were expensive, too -- ridiculously so, for stuff that has no nutritional value whatsoever. Once I joined MFP, I gave up the green tea and switched to water, and that's what I drink now almost exclusively. I drink LOTS of it, every day ... 14-18 8-oz. glasses on average, I think. Having a bottle of cold water within arm's reach pretty much all the time works for me. There are about 15 bottles of filtered tap water in my fridge at all times now; when one's done, I grab another.
Next, I started focusing on fresh food -- nothing boxed or canned. I added LOTS of veggies and fruit to my diet. My fave way to get these in is to hit my grocery store's salad bar and make a ginormous salad that will do me for a couple of meals; it's fast and easy. The difference between what's in my grocery cart today, and what was in it a year ago January, is night and day.
About mid-March last year, I decided to take a little walk. Nothing major; just a walk around a couple of blocks in my 'hood. Good grief: you would've thought I'd just run a marathon! I was seriously whipped, and it only took a couple of blocks to do it! I was ... ticked. Irked. Really, really annoyed. THAT turned out to be a great motivator for me. A couple of days later, I did it again. The next day, again, and just a little further this time. I was still tired, but I was realizing that a whole lot of the tired was in my head. If I *thought* it was gonna be hard, it was. So I worked to change how I was thinking about that, too, and just stayed with it. The first time I walked a mile ... about a month after I started walking regularly -- I cried happy, happy tears. Did it again when I walked three miles, about three months into what had become more or less routine. When I walked eight miles late last fall, up and down hills, without taking a break, well ... you can imagine. I came home and wrote my orthopedic surgeon a thank-you note for my bionic knees. Without them, the Miracle of 8 Miles would never have happened. But I also know that *I* was the one who really made it happen. That sense of empowerment is ... remarkable, and the feeling I get now when I exercise carries me through. For me, it's very, very motivating.
Finally, I made a few friends here on MFP and for me -- it's made all the difference. My MFP pals sustain me, encourage me, support me and keep me going ... and they welcome the same from me. If you don't have a few really great MFP friends yet, seriously: find some. Just ask. That support network of people who are in a similar place, who understand where you are and what you're trying to do ... well ... I can't say enough. You friends of mine -- and you know who you are -- I love and thank you all. We totally rock.
At this point, I'm over halfway to my goal. I've joined a gym and go with a friend three days a week or thereabouts. A couple of months ago I switched up my goals in MFP myself, and am currently at 1400 cals a day. But I'm gonna switch it up again here before long, to 1600 or so, just to see what happens. Speaking for myself, I like to change things up occasionally. I look at it this way: what's the worst that could happen? If I gain a couple of pounds, no problem; I'll just switch things up again. It's the what's the BEST that could happen where things get interesting.
For me, this journey isn't about hope, or luck, or wishing. It's about DOING ... or in some cases, NOT doing. I have great days and less-than-great days ... sometimes I have epic fail days. Doesn't matter ... the key is to get up and get back on track. That's all. All that negative energy we waste feeling bad or berating ourselves for failures is such a waste. It's done; we can't change it. But we CAN change what we do next.
So. My journey continues, and I can't wait to see where I'll be this time next year. Forward we go!
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Replies
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You Rock and I am so happy that you are on my Friends list! you have inspired me in so many ways and have given me motivation when I need it most! So happy you are here!0
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Awesome! I so needed to hear this today!0
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Find who you are - check you've done that.
Find what works for you - check you've done that and willing to see if there's more.
Find friends who help you along the way - check you've done that!
Congratulations for having the strength to make the choice 1 year ago to make the difference in you, your life, your health and your happiness.
I applaud you!
Peg
**And I'm extremely proud of you and to be your friend and motivator!**0 -
WOW !!! Amazing!!! I needed to hear this today too as I just want to give up and eat something really unhealthy and yummy but this is inspiring!0
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what an inspirational story...congrats!!0
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You really are an inspiration to me! What a great story....I can't wait to see what you can accomplish this second year. And I hope to still be your friend when you achieve your goal. Amazing job...:flowerforyou:0
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You are an incredibly amazing woman and this brought tears to my eyes. SO very proud of you and absolutely honored to be your friend.
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Great story and so proud of you for finding your motivation! Here's to another great year!0
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Great post! Well done and all the best for the rest of your journey :flowerforyou:0
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I am so glad that we met. You are such a wonderful motivator, inspiration, and friend. I am so proud of you for your efforts, your strength, and your ability to make others feel good about themselves and their choices as well as being proud of yourself when you accomplish another goal on the list of many. You are such an amazing woman and I really hope that you never forget that!
I simply cannot say it enough... ☼YOU ROCK!!!☼0 -
Awesome story and great results, congratulations!!!
It sounds more like a Paul the apostle on the road to Damascus enlightenment than a John the Baptist epiphany...0 -
Outstanding!0
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I am amazed at the progress you've made!0
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I applaud you, and love your testimony, I was right there with you in the highs and lows, you hit a key that I just learned and that is forgiving yourself. And to move forward Thank you for your story.0
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It has been an honor to know you. You are one of the most inspirational supportive friends I have ever had. You earned your body and I am so proud of you! Here is to another year! :drinker:0
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THANK YOU for sharing your story. This is what I needed to read. You are a true inspiration! Keep up the fantastic work!0
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This is the best story I've read on MFP! What an inspiration you are. I was in tears reading your story.
Keep it up and would love to be friends with you if you's like more.0 -
It sounds more like a Paul the apostle on the road to Damascus enlightenment than a John the Baptist epiphany...
Dang. I'm sure you're right, now that I read it. Though I'm sure BOTH had plenty of epiphanies, it was indeed the one on the road to Damascus I was thinking of. In my case, it was in the aisle at Price Chopper. 0 -
Thanks for the kind words, peeps -- means a lot. You all inspire me every day. Rock on! 0
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Congratulations! What a Motivationg Story. Good For YOU!0
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Absolutely incredible! So happy I caught this today! I understand everything you have went through! I lost -120 pounds and then ended up with having 2 hip scopes down, and I'm only 31!, turned out it was genetic! But man it feels good to reach those goals! I still struggle everyday to forgive myself for my past, something I still need to comes to terms with! Thanks for sharing your story! Keep on going girl!0
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Your story soooo inspired me! Thank you so much for sharing in such exquisite detail your thoughts and the journey you've taken this past year. Congratulations on your weight loss success!0
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Excellent post!! I'm recommending it to a friend of mine to keep her motivated as she's just started on her journey. (I'm almost to goal after losing 58 lbs. in one year).
Keep up the good work!:happy:0 -
That is a remarkable story. It motivates me. Thank you and Congrats on your success!0
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Thank you for sharing this wonderful story. Truly inspirational!!0
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Great story! Congratulations on your progress! I love the comment you made about "Every day is a fresh start". That is a great perspective and source of inspiration. This is how I've naturally attacked my transformation, but it brings it more to light when formulated and presented the way you did. I am going to pass that knowledge onto MFP buddies. Some stuggle from time to time. It can see how this can be a very powerful personal mantra.0
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You make me smile, you give me hope and strength! You are one strong sassy woman! LOVE IT!0
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Thanks for your post! I've been in a rut lately, and it helps to read something so inspiring.0
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that is such an awesome story and pretty much the same for me....once I got my thought process about healthy living straight and eating straight it didn't seem like such an effort, more like a life change...I try not to focus on the scale but it does get to me at times...then I just have to remember that no matter what the scale says, I know that I am much healthier than I ever have been before and that keeps me going....
Congratulations to you an an awesome accomplishment!!! keep up the mind blowing work.
Lisa0 -
Fabulous story! You are amazing and an inspiration to us all! Keep up the excellent work! We are on this journey together. 0
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