Hello from Monterey, CA

ronaldo4ka

Hey there, I'm Olga and I'm 27. My boyfriend made me sign up for MFP because it's easier to lose weight together and I finally agreed that maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the long run is better for me than crash diets.

I am 5'9 and 4 years ago I weighed 183lbs. I never stuck to any diet before and decided to try Atkins. I started on January 4th 2008 and by mid-May I was 153lbs. I did look great and didn't need to lose any more weight. However, as soon as I went off the diet the weight started climbing back. I worked out with a personal trainer who was really awesome (cannot afford her anymore), and that is why it took me more than 3 years to gain all that weight back. I stopped working out with her about a year ago, then I moved in with my boyfriend and started cooking a lot for him and... voila... On July 9th 2012 the scales showed 193.4 lbs. I was crying. I never weighed that much. Plus, I don't look 193 - for me it's something too big to be me.

Long story short, I started tracking calories same day and doing 30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week and I am 188.4 today. It looks like if I keep going on approximately the same track I could lose 30-35 lbs by New Years. What do you guys think?

I should probably do those before and after pictures but I am kinda embarrassed taking pictures in such a fluffy shape that I am now.

I find this message board very inspiring, so many amazing people and wonderful transformation stories... and I think I can do it. I still wish the 35 lbs would come off overnight, but I know it is impossible)) Maybe when I get to 155 lbs I will set even better goals for myself, who knows.

Thanks!

Olga