Absolutely Flabulous

mogletdeluxe

Hello MFP peeps.

Slightly wanky post (or, more relevantly, pose) incoming.

Those on my friends list will know that I updated my status recently following me taking my measurements. To cut a long story short, my waist is 11" smaller than it was 18 months ago. I took my (Athena poster/gayboy pose) progress picture, had a little smile and that was that.

I was digging through some old photos earlier and came across this one of me larking about with some friends (I'm sure the pose was both relevant and hilarious at the time), and did the natural before/after comparison.

What had me quietly taken aback more than anything was my happiness with my body as it is. Pooch included (I have what I call flabs - sneaky, shy little abs with stage fright wrapping themselves in a velvety curtain of fat, squealing NO NO I DON'T WANT TO GO ON-STAGE YOU CAN'T MAKE ME).

Is there room for improvement? I guess. But for someone who was historically dissatisfied with their body, and now sometimes scrutinises it more than I really should, that quiet satisfaction really hit home.



ETA - ignore the druggie dark circles in the after shot. I'm blimmin' knackered.

Nix_

Fair play, you've done amazing! Well done!!

llahairdna

You look incredible!!

tempest501

What a transformation!!! You look awesome

pastryari

You look fantastic!! Congrats!

mckellipgirl

Holy crap what a transformation. Great work!!!!!

McLifterPants

Damn girl, you have done any amazing job! Congrats to you

sk2775

Wow....you look wonderful. What a great transformation. Keep up the great work :-)

Vercell

Wow I think you look amazing ,great job.

lorettaasmith

You look absolutely FABulous!! Way to go!

LeslePG

Wowza! Absolutely amazing!! Great job :happy:

Bluejay789

You look wonderful! They say a picture is worth a 1000 words! Your cheeks should hurt from smiling all day long! You are an inspiration to us all!

livestar

You look fantastic! Congratulations.

Goal_Line

Wow!

SocWkrBee

You look absolutely FABulous!! Way to go!

^This!!! You have no need to point out minor flaws (that I don't even see). You look amazing and have done an awesome job transforming your body. Good job, you!

Sammylynn89

wow! you look absolutely great! awesome job!

annadunn12

Great job hun!! What an amazing transformation and completely inspirational! Well done you!! x x

mogletdeluxe

Thank you all very much. My stomach is my problem area; but looking at that photo I thought shy abs were better than no abs! I'll always have a degree of loose skin, I think, but that's okay - a reminder

CressidaJL

Awesome work, girly. Look at you! I cannot imagine EVER standing in front of a mirror with my abdomen out & not feeling repulsed. You've done SO amazingly well! And, the abs are DEFINITELY there!!

In slightly related news, I do love the dress in the 'before' shot, though.

MrsWilsoncroft

You look fantastic hun.

Well done xxx

Cherry_star

THIS is why I tell you that you are my inspiration. You're a friend, you've been there and you've done it, worked your *kitten* off and got the version of you that you wanted to be. You're are proof that it can be done and that with the right effort, I can get there too.

So bloody proud of your achievements, and so proud to call you friend.

Big love, gorgeous x

HauteHauteMami

My hats off to you . . . You are truly a success story . . . Your transformation is amazing and you ARE fabulous!!!

Fannyannefeisty

Wow!!!

Cherry told me about you (all good stuff I can assure you) and said what an inspiration you are to her, and NOW I see why!

Incredible is an understatement, I don't think I truly believed I could get slim, properly slim, ever again. Sure I could drop a stone but not make a huge difference to my body. You just blew that out of the water. Maybe there is a small me still in here somewhere.

Anyway, enough about me - this is all about you!! Fabulous work :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

mogletdeluxe

Oh wow, thank you so much for your responses

I know what peeps mean about thinking that you can't change your body that much. My mantra always used to be (at the start of yet another failed diet) "well, I'll only get down to a 16 or so, because I've got broad shoulders". Read: I am totally and utterly daunted by the work associated with being any smaller than that.

Also, my shoulders aren't that broad!

Thank you again. I swear, swear SWEAR (I typed 'sweat' then...I also do that) that if I can do it, anyone can.

Robyrob33

WOW!!!!! You look AMAZING!!! Thank you for posting such inspiring photos, and thank you for sharing your journey with us. All I can say is "AMAZING"!!!!

Fannyannefeisty

So how do you get past the three month mark, when frankly I get bored and the food gets appetising? What's different this time for you, is it internal or external?

Are you eating the same food as you used to but in moderation, have you swapped out some key ingredients but kept mainly the same or completely revamped the whole thing?

There are so many questions above I feel like I just opened the Spanish inquisition on you!

debobrien1

Not only do you look amazing, you are absolutely hilarious!!! Personality and beauty! You've got it goin' on girl!!!

Curvimami

YOu've done an amazing job!!! :drinker:

mogletdeluxe

So how do you get past the three month mark, when frankly I get bored and the food gets appetising? What's different this time for you, is it internal or external?

Are you eating the same food as you used to but in moderation, have you swapped out some key ingredients but kept mainly the same or completely revamped the whole thing?

There are so many questions above I feel like I just opened the Spanish inquisition on you!

Plainly put, I had a bit of a nasty wake-up call health-wise (blogged about it hear in TL;DR detail: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/mogletdeluxe/view/to-start-at-the-beginning-248433) and was really, truly at the pinnacle of being unhappy with how I looked. Unhappiness is a hell of a driver when it wants to be.

I also banished the word 'diet' or the concept of being 'good' or 'I can't'. I had a terrible binge-eating problem and my relationship with food was hateful at best; so it was time to look at that differently.

I eat what I want...in moderation. I've dabbled in different diets: for example, I tried low-carb (not for weight loss, but for my bonkers ovaries) and whilst some weight did come off I personally didn't find it sustainable, although naturally that varies from person to person.

I stopped seeing this as a diet, more a lifestyle change - could I imagine a life without chocolate, cake, wine, sweets, Chinese takeaways, JAMMIE DODGERS? Not likely. But instead of densely populating my life with said sweet thangs, I decided to exercise. Hard. Some people said eat to exercise, not the other way around, and I largely agree - but tell me that when I'm doing zumba and circuits on a Friday night because I've got a hot date with China Kitchen.

I also started focussing on strength, health, well-being; rather than whether I could fit into a certain size. I also stopped being so bloody hard on myself - I'm still susceptible to the odd binge, even now. Whereas before that was an excuse not so much to fall off the wagon as jump off and set said wagon on fire, now I just pick myself back up and start afresh.

In essence, in terms of diet - just sensible eating, really, with portion control. I have a man-sized appetite and am not a man, so therefore had to calm it down a bit. No fad diets, no starving myself, just everything in moderation. Including, sometimes, moderation.

EPIC. Hope this helps

mogletdeluxe

Not only do you look amazing, you are absolutely hilarious!!! Personality and beauty! You've got it goin' on girl!!!

What a really lovely thing to say, thank you! xx

ramgi

Oh my goodness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You look so tough and strong:-) Congrats! You could be a super hero.