Well….EMTWL is working for me. (Picture heavy)
Yanicka1
Posts: 4,564 Member
I am sure you have seen it, people that say eating more to weigh less is bullpoopoo, since eating more is what made them fat in the first place, and swear that 1200 calories or less has no negative impact and it work for them…..end of story.
I am not here to tell anyone how to lose weight and get healthy…..I can only tell you what work for me.
In October 2010, I gave birth to my 4th surrogate baby, a precious little girl, into the arms of her parents. It was a bit of a rough end of pregnancy with gestational diabetes and high blood pressure but she was out and she was healthy. 3 days after giving birth, my blood pressure started being uncontrollable and I was DX with pre-eclampsia. It usually happens before giving birth but I like to do things my way. After spending 5 days in the hospital, hooked to so many beeping machines and scared to death of leaving my own kids without a mom, I was released home and more than ever convinced that I wanted to be healthy. My high blood pressure had nothing to do with my weight but I never feel that sick in my life if I can help it.
IMG_2717 by yanicka, on Flickr
On November 11th 2010, I logged on MFP for the first time. Like everyone else and their cousins, I was put on 1200 calories a day. I also started 30DS and C25K. The results didn’t wait and lost 15 pounds in the first 3 months, I also lost my will to live……ok ok it was not that bad LOL but I was low in energy and high in irritability. The worst part is that, while I lost weight….it didn’t change my shape. I was a smaller version of my fat self. So I was miserable, hungry, irritable and still soft…..that was not good, I had to find a better way.
dan,kids party, liam poop , lucie dogs 037 by yanicka, on Flickr
I started reading and researching, I knew that 1200 calories were not enough so my first step was to up those to 1400-1500 calories a day. It was a lot better but my weight loss was very slow and has been ever since. Then in the summer of 2011, I ordered the book “the new rules of lifting for women” Upped my calories again to 1600 on days I didn’t lift and 1900 on days I did. Let me tell you, that fist day in the big boy part of the gym was intimidating. There was no way for me to blend it!!! But I faked confidence and did my things. It was pretty much love at first rep!!! The first 6 weeks, I lost a total of 6 inches but the scale didn’t move. I didn’t care since I was looking better and better.
For 6 months, I did the program, ate my calories and saw no changes on the scale or on the measuring tape. I do not know if it because I am stubborn or stupid, but even with the lack of results I just did the program…..and I am glad I did. What I learned is that the tools I was using were the problem….not my body. I was also feeling so much better!!!!
By the time February came around, I was done with the new rules and it was time to try to shed my last 10 pounds so I lowered my calories back to 1400…..mistake….bad bad mistake. In that month I had a cold from hell, my lifting got horrible, I had headaches, mood swings, my cycle turned into a 3 weeks affaire. I was not having fun. I also lost 5 pounds but at a very high price. I then went back to maintenance for a month then did another cut cycle. I had plan for a 1 month cut cycle but didn’t last a week. This is when I contacted Kiki because I was very lost and I trust her judgment. I really wanted to lose the last 10 pounds. We calculated my TDEE (2000 calories!!!) -15% (1700 calories!!!!) and to try that.
Try that I did!!!
First…..yay…food!!!!!
Second yay…..food!!!!
My running got better, my lifting got better and best of all, my body was changing.
But but but you ask…..what about the scale? Well it stayed the same. In fact….in the 20 months I have been doing this, I lost 15 pounds in the first 3 months, than 5 pounds in the other 17 months. Let just say that view from the outside, it is hardly impressive!!!!
From my own point of view…… I am in the best shape of my life, I feel sexy, lifting give me strength….muscular for sure but also mental and emotional strength…..and that makes the number on the scale insignificant.
SAM_1657 by yanicka, on Flickr
I am not here to tell anyone how to lose weight and get healthy…..I can only tell you what work for me.
In October 2010, I gave birth to my 4th surrogate baby, a precious little girl, into the arms of her parents. It was a bit of a rough end of pregnancy with gestational diabetes and high blood pressure but she was out and she was healthy. 3 days after giving birth, my blood pressure started being uncontrollable and I was DX with pre-eclampsia. It usually happens before giving birth but I like to do things my way. After spending 5 days in the hospital, hooked to so many beeping machines and scared to death of leaving my own kids without a mom, I was released home and more than ever convinced that I wanted to be healthy. My high blood pressure had nothing to do with my weight but I never feel that sick in my life if I can help it.
IMG_2717 by yanicka, on Flickr
On November 11th 2010, I logged on MFP for the first time. Like everyone else and their cousins, I was put on 1200 calories a day. I also started 30DS and C25K. The results didn’t wait and lost 15 pounds in the first 3 months, I also lost my will to live……ok ok it was not that bad LOL but I was low in energy and high in irritability. The worst part is that, while I lost weight….it didn’t change my shape. I was a smaller version of my fat self. So I was miserable, hungry, irritable and still soft…..that was not good, I had to find a better way.
dan,kids party, liam poop , lucie dogs 037 by yanicka, on Flickr
I started reading and researching, I knew that 1200 calories were not enough so my first step was to up those to 1400-1500 calories a day. It was a lot better but my weight loss was very slow and has been ever since. Then in the summer of 2011, I ordered the book “the new rules of lifting for women” Upped my calories again to 1600 on days I didn’t lift and 1900 on days I did. Let me tell you, that fist day in the big boy part of the gym was intimidating. There was no way for me to blend it!!! But I faked confidence and did my things. It was pretty much love at first rep!!! The first 6 weeks, I lost a total of 6 inches but the scale didn’t move. I didn’t care since I was looking better and better.
For 6 months, I did the program, ate my calories and saw no changes on the scale or on the measuring tape. I do not know if it because I am stubborn or stupid, but even with the lack of results I just did the program…..and I am glad I did. What I learned is that the tools I was using were the problem….not my body. I was also feeling so much better!!!!
By the time February came around, I was done with the new rules and it was time to try to shed my last 10 pounds so I lowered my calories back to 1400…..mistake….bad bad mistake. In that month I had a cold from hell, my lifting got horrible, I had headaches, mood swings, my cycle turned into a 3 weeks affaire. I was not having fun. I also lost 5 pounds but at a very high price. I then went back to maintenance for a month then did another cut cycle. I had plan for a 1 month cut cycle but didn’t last a week. This is when I contacted Kiki because I was very lost and I trust her judgment. I really wanted to lose the last 10 pounds. We calculated my TDEE (2000 calories!!!) -15% (1700 calories!!!!) and to try that.
Try that I did!!!
First…..yay…food!!!!!
Second yay…..food!!!!
My running got better, my lifting got better and best of all, my body was changing.
But but but you ask…..what about the scale? Well it stayed the same. In fact….in the 20 months I have been doing this, I lost 15 pounds in the first 3 months, than 5 pounds in the other 17 months. Let just say that view from the outside, it is hardly impressive!!!!
From my own point of view…… I am in the best shape of my life, I feel sexy, lifting give me strength….muscular for sure but also mental and emotional strength…..and that makes the number on the scale insignificant.
SAM_1657 by yanicka, on Flickr
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Replies
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You rock. I hope those outside of EM2WL see this, too.
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I admire you.0
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Good for you! Great fantastic fabulous!!0
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You're a rockstar and have always been one of my MFP heroines Yanicka
I've just had a health scare and need to properly work on lowering by body fat, and you've helped inspire me to do it properly :flowerforyou:0 -
Seeing one of your earlier posts inspired me to start lifting in March (probably the best thing I could have done). And seeing this, as I struggle now with that damn scale, I am once again inspired to keep plugging away.
You are awesome!!0 -
You are amazing Yanicka! (even more so with being so wonderful to have given 4 couples the gift of life through your body).
Thank you so much for sharing your story.... I am guilty of wanting to lower my cals lately because of the damn scale... I am in Stage 3 of NROL4W, I know my body needs time to change and your post has confirmed for me that I need to see this through without letting the scale be my boss.... Ironically our story is much alike, I lost 15lbs in the first three months of MFP (low cals of course) .... and since then (8 months later) only a further 2lbs....I'm eating more to fuel my workouts and keep headaches and crankiness away! But I know my body looks different and it will keep changing with time. PATIENCE is a virtue.... just not a given, hehe.
Thank you for this, it was exactly what I needed! :flowerforyou: 0 -
What an amazing journey! Thank you for sharing your story. You look great!!!!0
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You are fabulous and oh so cute!0
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Oh YEA!!!
Awesomeness : )0 -
Amazing story! 6 or 7 days ago I increased my calories and I feel so much better. Your story reinforces that I made the right decision. I'm also not seeing much movement on the scale but my clothing is looser
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Awesome work! Thanks for sharing.0
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Congrats! The proof, as always, is in the pudding....or, in your case, in the gym....0
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Thank you for sharing your story. You look amazing!! Am feeling frustrated and unsure of the process, but am trying to hang in there b/c of stories like yours. You give me hope!0
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..you look amazing...and with having PCOS...0
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I love your story! Anks for the inspiration, you look fabulous!0
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Thanks for sharing. Fantastic 0
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Thanks for posting this. I just started EM2WL last month and have begun NROL. Your story is inspiring. 0
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Well done! :flowerforyou:0
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You look amazing!!!
Just like you, for me the man cave was love at first rep (even though it took me months to walk in, lol).0 -
That's awesome.
There have been so many "this doesn't work" posts lately, I was feeling discouraged. You made me feel better.
And how wonderful you are for giving parents such a wonderful gift, by carrying a baby for them. That is amazing!
Finally, I also got the ecclampsia post-partum. Mine was full blown after the birth of my third son. I had a seizure in my living room, nearly scared my husband to death.
Again, thanks for posting this!0 -
Excellent results for all your hard work.
Impressive patience not giving in, knowing mentally it was a better routine for your body, and listening the right way to it, it worked better.
Great job putting the other details in there for inspiring to correct action.
You need to put it out on the general topics so others can discover there are other options besides standard 1200.0 -
Inspiring0
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bump...
SOOOO happy to see your results. You look amazing. You are a a vey dedicated person to change your life this much. Thank you so much for this post! Everyone on MFP should be reading your results and looking at pics.
HATS OFF TO YOU.......0 -
Wow, what an amazing story! You look absolutely awesome!0
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Thank you for sharing your story! Your persistence and determination are amazing!0
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wow you look amazing!!! interesting in what you said about being a smaller version of yourself on VLCD, I have done SW & WW over the years and yes lost weight but not really changed shape.
Only just embarking on EM2WL and I'm not losing the lbs as much as losing the inches. I have been waiting for the gym at work to open your pictures & story have made me think that why wait??.... just get going, even just using my lil old dumbbells.
And can I also congratulate you on being a surrogate mum, what a fabulous job to do for someone, I cant have kids and to know there are angels like you out there giving so much of yourself to make it happen, thank you. You're amazing and deserve to get your body back into shape for you.0 -
You are beautiful inside and out!0
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What an inspiration. Thank you for posting this.0
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I'm about to start the EMWL, so this is extremely encouraging, you have done amazingly well & look fantastic, well done, true inspiration 0
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amazing!!!0
