Before and After pics NO STARVATION

retirehappy

I "beg" that what I'm about to type doesn't "offend" you. I am in recovery from an eating disorder. Two years ago I was in the icu being intravenously fed.
People asked me all the time "How did I let myself get so thin?" It goes both ways. After I was medically stabilized they put me on this unit for other people with eating disorders, I wasn't allowed to go home till I gained 22 pounds. Telling an anorexic they are trapped in an enclosed space with strangers till they gain 22 pounds is what panic feels like, knowing you have ****ed up so bad that you are no longer capable of making decisions for yourself...that is panic. Not your "pants feeling tight". The unit also housed people with other easting disorders. One patient in particular comes to mind...She literally would eat until she threw up. Her stomach was damaged from how much food she would eat at a time. Panic is eating an eating and not being able to stop. Also, "fear of gaining weight' alone does not turn into an eating disorder.;

I am so happy for you that you are here learning to eat right and get fit. I have yo-yoed between too slim not anorexic thin but very small for my frame, and too fat. Trying to find a balance and keep it is hard work.

All the best on your journey of healing.

retirehappy

Great job everyone who has posted here. Thanks for sharing your success.

JohnMatrix

About 40 pound difference. After pic was last Saturday.

missmuse1

I come from a parent who was always overweight and blamed it on having babies. I had a baby and feared getting fat. I am now thinner than i ever was. My fear of weight gain escalated to an eating disorder. I have always wondered how people let themselves get so far overweight. Like if my pants feel tight i panic! Some people just go buy new pants. Why do people let themselves go so far? I beg that nobody be offended by me. Its just an honest question that i have always wanted to ask.

It seems you suffer anxiety when you feel you're getting fat. Other people's anxiety is tied to other things. That's all.

Workinonit123

Not offended. Can only answer for myself. Gained 60 pounds in 3 months while fighting PTSD. Finally lost it. 20 years later gained 60 pounds in 6 years whil unable to exercise cause of phn in my leg and a couple of years of frozen shoulder.

suzanneh197

bump

emlee01

Before 241
After 157

I've just hit target, it took 18 months ish

Xx

Wow!! Very inspiring! (And love the smile!!)

areseejay

No starvation here. My tastes have definitely changed (for the better!) so what I love to eat now is different than it used to be. But I do not starve.

Before: I was about a size 20/22 and XXL or 1X.
After: Now I am a size 8ish and a S/M. I even have one dress that is size 6 that FITS me. (NSV!)

Most of the "befores" were taken in the Summer of 2012. Obviously the afters are quite current.










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shell2belle

In 9 months I have lost 85 pounds and dropped 65 inches. That is at 1500 calories a day, but I eat more if I'm hungry (truly hungry) after a big workout. I have been at this for 38 weeks. That is 266 days. I lost at a rate of 2.25 pounds a week and 1.7 inches a week. I ALMOST didn't post this picture after reading the comment of the girl who doesn't understand how someone could "let themselves go." I don't have a response for that. I just have this picture. This picture... my before picture... is a picture of a girl who stepped up and did something about her weight. I am strong! I am brave! I have my life and weight under control, and I'll show it proudly.

And you are awesome!!!! Way to go!!!!

dragonflyjill

To the person who asked why we "let ourselves go":


Agreed, not sure why this was here.

I used to weigh 255. I had a husband, I was raising two little (now bigger) kids, a great job, lots of friends and family who loved and accepted me. I felt great about all of these aspects of my life. People often assume the overweight are walking balls of self-loathing trapped in a hell of their own making. I had a good life then, I have a good life now. I wear smaller clothes now, and can do some things better. I am awesome no matter how much I weigh. I didn't let myself go as much as I had other priorities.

The dude who said to another girl on this thread "I will date you if you get to 165" seems to me to exemplify the attitude that people are only worth spending time with if they look a certain way. I like to look good, feel great about myself and am working on my fitness. But I sure as hell do not want to hang out with people who will drop me like a hot potato if I put on 10 pounds. Who does?

Amanda_Tate28

I come from a parent who was always overweight and blamed it on having babies. I had a baby and feared getting fat. I am now thinner than i ever was. My fear of weight gain escalated to an eating disorder. I have always wondered how people let themselves get so far overweight. Like if my pants feel tight i panic! Some people just go buy new pants. Why do people let themselves go so far? I beg that nobody be offended by me. Its just an honest question that i have always wanted to ask.

Dear Dumbass,
I "beg" that what I'm about to type doesn't "offend" you. I am in recovery from an eating disorder. Two years ago I was in the icu being intravenously fed.
People asked me all the time "How did I let myself get so thin?" It goes both ways. After I was medically stabilized they put me on this unit for other people with eating disorders, I wasn't allowed to go home till I gained 22 pounds. Telling an anorexic they are trapped in an enclosed space with strangers till they gain 22 pounds is what panic feels like, knowing you have ****ed up so bad that you are no longer capable of making decisions for yourself...that is panic. Not your "pants feeling tight". The unit also housed people with other easting disorders. One patient in particular comes to mind...She literally would eat until she threw up. Her stomach was damaged from how much food she would eat at a time. Panic is eating an eating and not being able to stop. Also, "fear of gaining weight' alone does not turn into an eating disorder.;
You are a tool. Kiss my *kitten*.
Love,
Jamie

......and to the people who posted pictures

you all look fabulous and are very inspirational to me!

Agreed! Great Job everyone! Oh and to the dumbass you should just leave mfp

Amanda_Tate28

In 9 months I have lost 85 pounds and dropped 65 inches. That is at 1500 calories a day, but I eat more if I'm hungry (truly hungry) after a big workout. I have been at this for 38 weeks. That is 266 days. I lost at a rate of 2.25 pounds a week and 1.7 inches a week. I ALMOST didn't post this picture after reading the comment of the girl who doesn't understand how someone could "let themselves go." I don't have a response for that. I just have this picture. This picture... my before picture... is a picture of a girl who stepped up and did something about her weight. I am strong! I am brave! I have my life and weight under control, and I'll show it proudly.

Go girl!

tedrickp

I come from a parent who was always overweight and blamed it on having babies. I had a baby and feared getting fat. I am now thinner than i ever was. My fear of weight gain escalated to an eating disorder. I have always wondered how people let themselves get so far overweight. Like if my pants feel tight i panic! Some people just go buy new pants. Why do people let themselves go so far? I beg that nobody be offended by me. Its just an honest question that i have always wanted to ask.

I actually don't find this offensive. Maybe it wasn't asked at the right time, but I don't see any innate meanness in this message. I think it is curiosity more than anything - and to be honest I have asked myself the same question many times before.

Answer - not sure LOL No idea. Kind of freaks me out, wondering if whatever held me back for so long will rear it's ugly head again as I continue towards my goal weight...

srenea9

In 9 months I have lost 85 pounds and dropped 65 inches. That is at 1500 calories a day, but I eat more if I'm hungry (truly hungry) after a big workout. I have been at this for 38 weeks. That is 266 days. I lost at a rate of 2.25 pounds a week and 1.7 inches a week. I ALMOST didn't post this picture after reading the comment of the girl who doesn't understand how someone could "let themselves go." I don't have a response for that. I just have this picture. This picture... my before picture... is a picture of a girl who stepped up and did something about her weight. I am strong! I am brave! I have my life and weight under control, and I'll show it proudly.

You look amazing, Congrats on your weight loss so far.

Rosiemac2

{I reread his post and he said when he is at 165.....not her}....

.I think one of the reasons people can gain weight is that everywhere you go there are planty of igh fat high salt and high sugar options available...not too many healthy ones.....I used to weigh 213 now I am 161 and a healthy size 6/8.....It is very easy to gain a pould here and a pound there and one day look in the mirror and not recognize yourself.....The cool thing about this site is that people here are making a difference in their lives and getting healthy....Don't let one person being judgemental stop anyone from being PROUD of what they have accomplished....The photos on this thread are a testament to that:) One must really think hard that if they have to prefice a statement with this may offend you...then don't write it:) This site I thought was supposed to be a no judgement zone....Lord knows there are plenty of people out in society who love to judge...MFP is a nice oasis where we can share our struggles and successes:)

aharrington84

Holy cow JohnMatrix-- I just had to stop and stare at your arms for a second. You look awesome!
Everyone's Before/After pics are great; congrats!! I especially love the quote about the before pic being of a person who is strong and brave

davypr86

I come from a parent who was always overweight and blamed it on having babies. I had a baby and feared getting fat. I am now thinner than i ever was. My fear of weight gain escalated to an eating disorder. I have always wondered how people let themselves get so far overweight. Like if my pants feel tight i panic! Some people just go buy new pants. Why do people let themselves go so far? I beg that nobody be offended by me. Its just an honest question that i have always wanted to ask.

I think we have situation here of ignorance from the girl that posted this and of people who have a long history of struggling with their weight and may perhaps find this offensive. As someone that really let my self go and have being struggling with my weight all my life, I did not find this offensive at all. Here my best way to put it.

I haven´t been in my ideal weight since I was 9, at best. I was fat all the way through high school. My senior year I lost a lot of weight and went down to 192 lbs. But in my 4 years in college I went all the way to 283 lbs.

Why did I let my self go? Those 4 years were not easy for me. I suffered a lot of depression because of cold environment, the cultural differences, the harder work...ect. Food, especially junk food, seemed to make me feel at ease. It gave me a calming sensation, if only for a little while. I also took up drinking a lot, which always contributes to gaining weight. And, of course, there were the after party munchies like Pizza, burgers, cheese fries...ect.

After college I started losing weight, but then I got stuck. I went up and down and never made any real progress. I would work out, yes. Vigourously. But you can´t out exercise a bad diet. Plus, when ever there are other exams or bar exams, the nerves would get the better of me and, not only eat more, but stop exercising.

I have lost a lot of weight since I started myfitnesspal and later P90X and now the Focus T25. But not overeating is a day to day struggle because I like it so much and makes me feel so good.

I hope that addresses your question.

mrdmevans

sawshuh

People gain weight for a variety of reasons. I've never really overeaten, but I also didn't cook from home or exercise, so my husband and I had takeout. Even with single portions of takeout, you're looking at 750+ calories per meal. I also had an ovarian cyst that went undiscovered (despite all my visits to the doctor and ER) until it was the size of a watermelon (sitting vertically in my torso). I dropped 25 lbs in 4 weeks after surgery. I've since dropped another 7 on my own.

I'm eating about 1700 calories a day baseline and aiming for 2100+ burned. If I go over 2200, I generally eat more to make up for it. I exercise 5-6 days a week now. I snack on veggies and watermelon most of the time, but I also enjoy cheesecake and french fries. I'll get to a clothing size I'm comfortable with eventually, but for now, I'm more focused on a better lifestyle than *I* was living previously.

One size doesn't fit all when it comes to weight loss OR weight GAIN.

qtgonewild

awesome successes everyone!!! cant wait to be here with yall in a year!

qtgonewild

x

littlerjh

You look awesome! Boy oh boy what an inspiration you are! Be so proud of yourself, you have done great! KEEP ON KEEPIN ON!

suebrekenfeld5

Wow! Yeah for YOU!!!!!!! I am so encouraged by your progress. No, make that INSPIRED.
)

WDEvy

Before 241
After 157

I've just hit target, it took 18 months ish

Xx

OMG, OMG. WOW! my mouth is literally opened in awe! You girl are amazing! Wow.

challenger9509

About 40 pound difference. After pic was last Saturday.

Had to kind of stop when I got to this..wowwww! Great job!

lyricalkee123

Amen to that!!!

Sassyallday

I am not sure how to do this. But I thought that in an earlier response to this subject, I saw someone pose the question of why some people "allow" themselves to become overweight. Specifically, she asked, "Why do people let themselves go so far?" I'd like to respond:


I think it can be hard to really understand someone else's journey. And whether or not you mean it, it is hard not to find some judgement in your question. You presume that those who are overweight are capable of controlling it and just don't do so. Not so.

For some of us (and for as may reasons as there are people) balancing intake with activity so as to maintain a healthy weight is a challenge. It can be as simple as bad food habits that we learned earlier. Or as complex as emotional issues that govern our food choices rather than hunger.

Once we realize that we don't have the natural instinct to eat properly, we start to probe and ask ourselves more about what we are doing and why. It is then that we can get to work on addressing it. Getting support from others with similar experiences can make all the difference in finding the tools to do that and maintaining the commitment to use them.

You don't really have to understand it. Just as there are those who might not understand how a fear of being thin could lead to an eating disorder. All you have to do is what you would want others to do for you. . .accept that we each have different concerns and support one another in addressing them.

mkufahl

!

TrishaTripps

Well put, Deekay!

AleciaG724

I come from a parent who was always overweight and blamed it on having babies. I had a baby and feared getting fat. I am now thinner than i ever was. My fear of weight gain escalated to an eating disorder. I have always wondered how people let themselves get so far overweight. Like if my pants feel tight i panic! Some people just go buy new pants. Why do people let themselves go so far? I beg that nobody be offended by me. Its just an honest question that i have always wanted to ask.

Posting this on someone's success story is beyond poor judgment and poor taste... You actually congratulated her three minutes prior, then posted another reply to ask this question? Not sure what you were thinking, but maybe you could have started a new topic in the forum to satisfy your curiosity rather than rain on someone's parade and steal their thunder.