How Wrong I Was! 600 Days of MFP. Lotsa pics.

LorinaLynn

Holy crap. I’ve logged into MFP for 600 days in a row. I actually registered on the site on December 20, 2010, so it’s actually 607 days that I’ve been here, but I didn’t start using it right away. In fact, when I signed up, I really didn’t think I’d lose weight at all. Every past attempt to lose weight failed miserably, or just plain left me miserable, so why would this be any different?

Let’s go into the Wayback Machine, Mr. Peabody.



Uh… maybe not that far back. But that’s me at age 11. I was a skinny kid. A very skinny kid. I’m pretty sure our dog Bandit outweighed me by a good 20 pounds. I stayed skinny through my teens and early 20s. Gained a little weight when I got a desk job, met my husband, and discovered Ranch dressing. On everything. Lost weight when I had a jaw joint problem and couldn’t chew. Gained it when my mouth worked normally again. Tried to lose by cutting calories too much and failed. Gained when depression and anxiety took a hold on me after losing both parents and my job within a year.

And that lands us in late 2010.

I knew I needed change. All I wanted to do was be healthy enough to run a 5k. I accepted my size and weight as fact, certain that I had a bad metabolism and that weight loss was just not going to happen, but I knew I could still be healthier. And I thought, if I can run a 5k, then I’d be healthy, no matter what the number was on the scale. I started Couch to 5k and MFP.

This is how I looked in July 2010. Not bad, but not as good as I wanted to look.



This is how I looked yesterday. A slight bit better, I’d say.



In more clothes…



So why did this work? Because I finally stopped following what I always believed to be true, and tried something different. I kept an open mind.

I used to think, “I’m just not a runner.” I was the kid picked last in gym class. I was a geek and a nerd, not an athlete. But… my brother and his kids were athletic. AND smart. I’m not so genetically different from them. Why can’t I learn to run?



Oh, hey… look at that. Little Miss Always Picked Last with my first gold medal in a 5k. I’ve since picked up another gold, plus a silver in a 10k.

I used to think losing weight was supposed to be uncomfortable. That it meant cutting calories, avoiding your favorite foods, being miserable. I remember my Mom dieting when I was a kid and eating ice cubes as a snack.

Now, I know that it doesn’t require major deprivation. Just eat less than the total number of calories you burn. So if I use about 2300 calories in a day, I don’t need to eat a half or third of that to lose. Just cut a little bit off. I ate a total of 1800-2000 calories the entire time I lost weight.



And I still ate food I loved. Like a post race donut. Pizza at least once a week. Pasta, garlic bread, potatoes. If it fits my macros, I’ll eat it. I aim for at least 100g of protein a day, but pretty much let the rest fall where they may.

I used to think the scale was the best way to track progress. Once I get to my goal weight, everything will be fine, right? Wrong. Keep muscle, lose fat, and you’ll reach your goal body before your goal weight.

Or to illustrate it further… these are the size 8 jeans I was so happy to fit into when I lost weight 5 years ago and got to 130 pounds. Eating under 1000 calories a day. And on top of them are the size 5 (in juniors… in misses, I’m a 2 or 4) jeans I’m wearing now. Eating twice as much.



And this is me those five years ago at 130 pounds, and me this Spring at 133 pounds.



Then, I still had double chins, back fat rolls, muffin top, ginormous thighs. I lost weight, but too much of it was muscle, so I was a big pile of Marshmallow Fluff.

Screw the scale. Track your progress through fitness goals (Woo! I can lift heavier! I can run further!), measurements, how clothes fit, and most satisfying… through photos. You won’t see changes in the mirror. You see yourself every day. It’s like watching grass grow. Put photos side by side, and you’ll see the difference.

I used to think of exercise as punishment for a slothful life. “Ugh… I gotta undo the damage I did! I hate my body! I have to get rid of this gut, these thighs, that *kitten*…”

Now, it’s something I enjoy. I realize that it’s a gift I’m giving my body. Something I do because I love myself and want to feel strong and beautiful. Well, to be honest, I don’t always enjoy it. Sometimes it’s not fun. But I consider it just part of my basic maintenance and grooming, like washing my hair, flossing my teeth, shaving my legs. I wouldn’t say, “I just don’t have the motivation to shower anymore.” You do it because it’s your routine.



And crossing that finish line always feels amazing.

Weight lifting. Ugh. I wasn’t afraid that lifting weights would turn me into Arnold Schwarzenegger in a push-up bra. I knew that the hugely muscled body builders did that professionally and I was in no danger of looking like that from casual use of weights. But I did think that weight lifting would make me lose my curves and look more boyish.



Huh. Wrong again.

I did have some concern that weight lifting would make my arms bigger. I hated when I would find a shirt I liked, and it would fit just fine, but the sleeves would feel binding and constrictive.



You guessed it. Wrong again. Strength training made my arms smaller and more shapely.

I used to hate my big thighs. Even look back at the first photo, of the super-skinny 11 year old. Even then, I had meat on my legs. When I was little, my mom used to have to add elastic to the back of my jeans because if it fit my legs and bum, it was huge in the waist. I still have that problem.



But now, I love my big thighs. They’re powerful. They can propel me up steep inclines when trail running. They can lift heavy things. They look good in a tight pair of jeans. Better in a short skirt. And better still in even less. I no longer think, “Oh, ****. These jeans are too small for my giant *kitten*.” I think, “My waist is tiny!” I’m curvy, strong, fit, and healthy. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

I used to think dieting was temporary. Eat less, lose weight, then go back to “normal.” I was right about that. Dieting is temporary. And so are the results. Eating right and exercising is for life. That doesn’t mean you have to kill yourself at the gym or eating perfect all the time. Just do an amount of exercise and eat in a way you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life.

I’ve been maintaining my weight for over a year now, within 10 pounds or so. It’s no different than when I was actively trying to lose. I have a little more wiggle room, and I don’t always log my food (and never on weekends or holidays), but I’m mindful of what I eat and still run three times a week, and lift weights two or three times a week. One or two weekend days are for rest. And now more than ever, the scale is meaningless. I’m up about 8 pounds from my low weight in October, but I can’t see any difference in photos and my clothes fit the same. Said it before, and I’ll say it again. Screw the scale.

The TL;DR version:

Don’t starve yourself.

Eat at an appropriate deficit for the amount you have to lose.

If you’re using MFP to calculate your calorie goal, eat most of your exercise calories.

Exercise regularly.

Lift heavy things.

Don’t stress over the scale.

Take pictures.

Love your body.

Have patience.

deepbreaths_strongmoves

You look absolutely wonderful and you have such an inspiring story!! Love all of the pictures. Thank you so much for sharing!!

kylejh

Way to go!! You look amazing.

Karenvonw

Congratulations on your success! You look great!

carebear7951

What an inspiring story you have! I was a skinny kid too (my dad called me Olive Oyl-from Popeye!) and then in my early 20s I started to gain. Infertility and miscarriage meant more weight....then I had kids. 4 of them! (Yeah, no longer infertile haha) Lost weight after #2. Antidepressants meant more weight gain. Lots more. So, here I am. Thanks for the hope that I can be thin again and won't have to deprive myself totally to get there!

theaimster30

Thanks for sharing! My stats right now match your beginning stats. I'm aiming for 130 ish and some muscle! Thanks for the inspiration and hope!!

healthy1215

Great advice and thanks for addressing some of the same concerns that I have about lifting! Love the pics and the inspiration to carry on!

Eupho

Ahhh.. I think I might just love you!

What a fantastic inspirational post. .. You made me laugh, Made my eyes 'moist' a few times.. I loved the tracking with all the pics..

and you look AMAZING! ..

I'm going to post this on my 'wall' .. so that my friends get to see it too.

THANKYOU! :flowerforyou:

lilyinlove

Your story is amazing and inspiring.

Lyssa62

Loved your story. I too am stuck with the big thighs. I can't say I've decided to "love" them yet..but maybe I'll get there. Right now I'm learning to "tolerate" them.

yroma

Your story is so inspiring and very important! So much to learn on this journey. Thanks.

Sabine_Stroehm

Great thread! Congrats!

Michelleypoo82

Lorena, you are amazing. Thank you for all that you share with us. I really needed to read an uplifting and inspiring true story today to nudge me along.

myth4ever

A-Mazin!!!!

lilacsun

Thank you for sharing your story. I see a lot of good advice. Time for me to start stealing my husbands weights;-)
Ps You look absolutely wonderful'

Jimmytreatingtons

Check you out! Amazing, well done you, you look great and I bet you feel even better!

Fantastic results fantastic effort!

Christylee76

Wow, I love,love the story.. I felt almost like your story was a movie playing in my mind... I laughed and teared up a few times, as my story is similar.. Thanks for sharing and what a huge accomplishment for you... What an example you have set for the rest of us...

selwonk

Congrats! So if my BMR is 1680, I need to eat under 1680 to lose weight( around 1400 calories)?I lift weights (2x a week with hubby) and do cardio a 4x a week.Eating the right amount of food is always the tricky part.

Appreciate any tips

MinMin97

As always, great posts, pics, and great counsel!
What is your height?

JoolieW68

You are definitely one of the most inspiring people on this site. Even though I've lost a lot, your story inspires and motivates me so much.

Congrats on your awesome achievements!

texastango

Holy crap. I’ve logged into MFP for 600 days in a row. I actually registered on the site on December 20, 2010, so it’s actually 607 days that I’ve been here, but I didn’t start using it right away. In fact, when I signed up, I really didn’t think I’d lose weight at all. Every past attempt to lose weight failed miserably, or just plain left me miserable, so why would this be any different?

Let’s go into the Wayback Machine, Mr. Peabody.



Uh… maybe not that far back. But that’s me at age 11. I was a skinny kid. A very skinny kid. I’m pretty sure our dog Bandit outweighed me by a good 20 pounds. I stayed skinny through my teens and early 20s. Gained a little weight when I got a desk job, met my husband, and discovered Ranch dressing. On everything. Lost weight when I had a jaw joint problem and couldn’t chew. Gained it when my mouth worked normally again. Tried to lose by cutting calories too much and failed. Gained when depression and anxiety took a hold on me after losing both parents and my job within a year.

And that lands us in late 2010.

I knew I needed change. All I wanted to do was be healthy enough to run a 5k. I accepted my size and weight as fact, certain that I had a bad metabolism and that weight loss was just not going to happen, but I knew I could still be healthier. And I thought, if I can run a 5k, then I’d be healthy, no matter what the number was on the scale. I started Couch to 5k and MFP.

This is how I looked in July 2010. Not bad, but not as good as I wanted to look.



This is how I looked yesterday. A slight bit better, I’d say.



In more clothes…



So why did this work? Because I finally stopped following what I always believed to be true, and tried something different. I kept an open mind.

I used to think, “I’m just not a runner.” I was the kid picked last in gym class. I was a geek and a nerd, not an athlete. But… my brother and his kids were athletic. AND smart. I’m not so genetically different from them. Why can’t I learn to run?



Oh, hey… look at that. Little Miss Always Picked Last with my first gold medal in a 5k. I’ve since picked up another gold, plus a silver in a 10k.

I used to think losing weight was supposed to be uncomfortable. That it meant cutting calories, avoiding your favorite foods, being miserable. I remember my Mom dieting when I was a kid and eating ice cubes as a snack.

Now, I know that it doesn’t require major deprivation. Just eat less than the total number of calories you burn. So if I use about 2300 calories in a day, I don’t need to eat a half or third of that to lose. Just cut a little bit off. I ate a total of 1800-2000 calories the entire time I lost weight.



And I still ate food I loved. Like a post race donut. Pizza at least once a week. Pasta, garlic bread, potatoes. If it fits my macros, I’ll eat it. I aim for at least 100g of protein a day, but pretty much let the rest fall where they may.

I used to think the scale was the best way to track progress. Once I get to my goal weight, everything will be fine, right? Wrong. Keep muscle, lose fat, and you’ll reach your goal body before your goal weight.

Or to illustrate it further… these are the size 8 jeans I was so happy to fit into when I lost weight 5 years ago and got to 130 pounds. Eating under 1000 calories a day. And on top of them are the size 5 (in juniors… in misses, I’m a 2 or 4) jeans I’m wearing now. Eating twice as much.



And this is me those five years ago at 130 pounds, and me this Spring at 133 pounds.



Then, I still had double chins, back fat rolls, muffin top, ginormous thighs. I lost weight, but too much of it was muscle, so I was a big pile of Marshmallow Fluff.

Screw the scale. Track your progress through fitness goals (Woo! I can lift heavier! I can run further!), measurements, how clothes fit, and most satisfying… through photos. You won’t see changes in the mirror. You see yourself every day. It’s like watching grass grow. Put photos side by side, and you’ll see the difference.

I used to think of exercise as punishment for a slothful life. “Ugh… I gotta undo the damage I did! I hate my body! I have to get rid of this gut, these thighs, that *kitten*…”

Now, it’s something I enjoy. I realize that it’s a gift I’m giving my body. Something I do because I love myself and want to feel strong and beautiful. Well, to be honest, I don’t always enjoy it. Sometimes it’s not fun. But I consider it just part of my basic maintenance and grooming, like washing my hair, flossing my teeth, shaving my legs. I wouldn’t say, “I just don’t have the motivation to shower anymore.” You do it because it’s your routine.



And crossing that finish line always feels amazing.

Weight lifting. Ugh. I wasn’t afraid that lifting weights would turn me into Arnold Schwarzenegger in a push-up bra. I knew that the hugely muscled body builders did that professionally and I was in no danger of looking like that from casual use of weights. But I did think that weight lifting would make me lose my curves and look more boyish.



Huh. Wrong again.

I did have some concern that weight lifting would make my arms bigger. I hated when I would find a shirt I liked, and it would fit just fine, but the sleeves would feel binding and constrictive.



You guessed it. Wrong again. Strength training made my arms smaller and more shapely.

I used to hate my big thighs. Even look back at the first photo, of the super-skinny 11 year old. Even then, I had meat on my legs. When I was little, my mom used to have to add elastic to the back of my jeans because if it fit my legs and bum, it was huge in the waist. I still have that problem.



But now, I love my big thighs. They’re powerful. They can propel me up steep inclines when trail running. They can lift heavy things. They look good in a tight pair of jeans. Better in a short skirt. And better still in even less. I no longer think, “Oh, ****. These jeans are too small for my giant *kitten*.” I think, “My waist is tiny!” I’m curvy, strong, fit, and healthy. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

I used to think dieting was temporary. Eat less, lose weight, then go back to “normal.” I was right about that. Dieting is temporary. And so are the results. Eating right and exercising is for life. That doesn’t mean you have to kill yourself at the gym or eating perfect all the time. Just do an amount of exercise and eat in a way you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life.

I’ve been maintaining my weight for over a year now, within 10 pounds or so. It’s no different than when I was actively trying to lose. I have a little more wiggle room, and I don’t always log my food (and never on weekends or holidays), but I’m mindful of what I eat and still run three times a week, and lift weights two or three times a week. One or two weekend days are for rest. And now more than ever, the scale is meaningless. I’m up about 8 pounds from my low weight in October, but I can’t see any difference in photos and my clothes fit the same. Said it before, and I’ll say it again. Screw the scale.

The TL;DR version:

Don’t starve yourself.

Eat at an appropriate deficit for the amount you have to lose.

If you’re using MFP to calculate your calorie goal, eat most of your exercise calories.

Exercise regularly.

Lift heavy things.

Don’t stress over the scale.

Take pictures.

Love your body.

Have patience.

Awesome job. Love following your story. Keep writing chapters and demonstrating how you evolve!

galilanee26

Oh my goodness, you look amazing! Thanks for sharing your story... I'm off to read your blog Congrats!!!

badgeratheart

Thanks for sharing your incredibly inspiring story. I love the way the pictures illustrate your points so clearly!

dq_diva

Great post! Thanks for sharing!

Love that you eat your exercise calories and that your progress has been slow, steady and healthy

Maddi_InBetweenDays

After reading your section on strength and weight training, I have to ask, what do you do for strength training? You look amazing and all your hard work has paid off!

docdrd

AWESOME POST!!d And best of all, great advice! Thank you! Good to know that even from goal weight you not only maintained, but have gotten stronger and faster and more happy with how you look. Well done!! Thank you for sharing your story with us! Cheers!

NewBeginnings0148

Congratulations, you look amazing as well as happy and healthy! Thank you so much for sharing your story with all of us and also for sharing so many great pictures. You inspire all of us on what we can accomplish with hard work and perseverance. Thank You!

LorinaLynn

Thanks everyone!

I'm 5'5 and 40 years old. I feel like a cheesy infomercial. "I'm 40 years old and in the best shape of my life!" :laugh:

Congrats! So if my BMR is 1680, I need to eat under 1680 to lose weight( around 1400 calories)?I lift weights (2x a week with hubby) and do cardio a 4x a week.Eating the right amount of food is always the tricky part.

Appreciate any tips

Nope. Your BMR is the absolute minimum your body needs to maintain it's weight, just doing basic things like keeping your heart beating, lungs breathing and spleen doing... whatever it is spleens do. As soon as you wake up, you're burning more calories than your BMR. Your deficit comes off your TDEE - total daily energy expenditure - not off your BMR.

My BMR is somewhere around 1300. My TDEE is around 2300.

As for strength training, up until about a month ago, I used the machines at Planet Fitness. I hated going to the gym, so I got a cheap bench and barbell set for home use, and feel like I get a much better workout. I'm not following any particular plan or program, but I probably should. I just warm up, then do the basic moves like squat, deadlift, overhead press, chest press, rows, calf extensions, etc. Pretty much, the same stuff I did with 5# dumbbells before I lifted heavy, and the same stuff I did on the machines, just without the machines and with heavier weights.

navygunner

You look fantastic! I have been in MFP half that time and you just gave me another shot of inspiration! :happy:

Alexstrasza

You are so beautiful! My goodness what a difference!! Your advice is amazing as well.

SerenityGelsinger

You look fabulous! And I LOVE all the comparison pictures!