One Year on MFP--Story & Pics
nationalparklover
Posts: 120 Member
Well it’s been one year since I started this little journey. When I signed in a year ago, I had no idea what MFP was all about. That morning, I decided to keep track of what I was eating because I have always had a difficult time keeping weight off of my 5’3” “athletic” frame. Growing up, I was always muscular but because I was an athlete, I was never considered fat.
After being a college athlete (diver) for 4 years, I went to work, got married, and started having kids. 4 boys (and 4 c-sections later), I was 30 pounds over where I wanted to be. After my 4th was born, I remember being 172 AFTER my “baby weight” came off those first few weeks. Yikes! I discovered the South Beach Diet Plan and followed it diligently for about a year and a half and eventually got down to around 140. I felt great but couldn’t seem to keep my weight below 140 for the life of me. I started eating some of the things I had deprived myself of for that year and a half and slowly but surely, I started gaining weight back. Then this financial downturn happened (my husband was a builder and owned his own business), there was about a year and half when we didn’t even get a pay check. On top of that, my oldest son got extremely ill and that plus other normal stresses added even more weight.
By this point, I was 46 years old and I could hardly stand to look in the mirror. To make matters worse, I am married to a very handsome man who is 6’3” and has had 6 pack abs since the 5th grade! He is addicted to working out and just doesn’t understand why I struggle so much. The weight was stopping me from wanting to do anything social because I couldn’t find anything that looked even decent on me. When I couldn’t participate in many of the activities on vacation the summer of 2011 and finally in October, on that day I signed into MFP, I decided I’d had enough. I have to admit, I didn’t really think this would work though. Why would it? I had tried to do the SBD a half dozen times since that first successful time and failed every time. I’d tried my own diets and other people’s diets and if I was “good” for a day or two and the scale didn’t move, I quit. Why would this be any different?
Here is a picture from July, 2011--This was not quite my heaviest but it was close. I remember it being a really hot day, and I was hosting a grad party for my oldest son and 3 of his friends. It was 4th of July but I was in all black (though my shirt said "red, white, and blue on it) because I wanted to look as thin as possible. I barely fit in my XL shirt/skort.
A month later, I was on vacation at a family camp and someone snapped this picture of me. When I saw this, I cried.
I don’t really have a plan. I have tried to keep my calories around 1200-1400/day. If I exercise, I usually try to eat back some of those calories. The same day that I logged onto MFP that first time, I also decided to quit drinking Diet Coke. I haven't had one sip since! I am a working mom of 4 very busy boys so I honestly don’t get that much time to fit in exercise but I’ve slowly been losing weight all year. I lost the first 10 pounds fairly quickly (which kept me interested and motivated). The next 10 were much slower and frustrating but at the same time, I was still allowing myself to eat some crappy foods including pizza and sugar filled items here and there. I just made sure that they fit into my caloric allotment. Over the summer though, I started to see a few of the 20 pounds starting to creep back on so after our annual family trip in August, I got serious!
I began cutting the crap out of my diet….no more bread, rice, pasta (white). No sweets. More veggies like broccoli, green beans, and zucchini (those are the ones I like). More water—I got a big quart size water bottle and my goal is to drink no less than 3 of them a day (I just refill it at work). I’d like to say that I’m exercising like crazy but I'm really not. I still have a little ways to go and of course, I’d like to tone up this flabby body of mine. For now, I’m happy with the 34 pounds that I’ve lost. There are some people on here that have lost 3 times the amount of weight that I have in the same amount of time. I’m guessing they don’t have 4 kids to take care of, a full time job, a lot of leftover financial stress, a mother who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and the myriad of other stresses I have in my life. Or they might. Who knows? I’ve stopped trying to compare myself to everyone else and am focusing on what I can do today to make me feel better about myself. I would still like to lose another 20 pounds or so. Maybe even 25. I’m not in a rush though.
I know I couldn’t have done it without this website. Thanks so much to MFP for this amazing site and the tools you offer to us FOR FREE. Thanks to the amazing “friends” I’ve met and to those who I have I encouraged to join me on here. Without your love and support, I know I would have left a long time ago. I appreciate every little “wtg” you all put on my wall. Thanks for letting me tell my story. I hope to be here a year from now showing you my “goal weight” pictures…..and best of luck to all of you!
This was me yesterday:
Patti (nationalparklover)
After being a college athlete (diver) for 4 years, I went to work, got married, and started having kids. 4 boys (and 4 c-sections later), I was 30 pounds over where I wanted to be. After my 4th was born, I remember being 172 AFTER my “baby weight” came off those first few weeks. Yikes! I discovered the South Beach Diet Plan and followed it diligently for about a year and a half and eventually got down to around 140. I felt great but couldn’t seem to keep my weight below 140 for the life of me. I started eating some of the things I had deprived myself of for that year and a half and slowly but surely, I started gaining weight back. Then this financial downturn happened (my husband was a builder and owned his own business), there was about a year and half when we didn’t even get a pay check. On top of that, my oldest son got extremely ill and that plus other normal stresses added even more weight.
By this point, I was 46 years old and I could hardly stand to look in the mirror. To make matters worse, I am married to a very handsome man who is 6’3” and has had 6 pack abs since the 5th grade! He is addicted to working out and just doesn’t understand why I struggle so much. The weight was stopping me from wanting to do anything social because I couldn’t find anything that looked even decent on me. When I couldn’t participate in many of the activities on vacation the summer of 2011 and finally in October, on that day I signed into MFP, I decided I’d had enough. I have to admit, I didn’t really think this would work though. Why would it? I had tried to do the SBD a half dozen times since that first successful time and failed every time. I’d tried my own diets and other people’s diets and if I was “good” for a day or two and the scale didn’t move, I quit. Why would this be any different?
Here is a picture from July, 2011--This was not quite my heaviest but it was close. I remember it being a really hot day, and I was hosting a grad party for my oldest son and 3 of his friends. It was 4th of July but I was in all black (though my shirt said "red, white, and blue on it) because I wanted to look as thin as possible. I barely fit in my XL shirt/skort.
A month later, I was on vacation at a family camp and someone snapped this picture of me. When I saw this, I cried.
I don’t really have a plan. I have tried to keep my calories around 1200-1400/day. If I exercise, I usually try to eat back some of those calories. The same day that I logged onto MFP that first time, I also decided to quit drinking Diet Coke. I haven't had one sip since! I am a working mom of 4 very busy boys so I honestly don’t get that much time to fit in exercise but I’ve slowly been losing weight all year. I lost the first 10 pounds fairly quickly (which kept me interested and motivated). The next 10 were much slower and frustrating but at the same time, I was still allowing myself to eat some crappy foods including pizza and sugar filled items here and there. I just made sure that they fit into my caloric allotment. Over the summer though, I started to see a few of the 20 pounds starting to creep back on so after our annual family trip in August, I got serious!
I began cutting the crap out of my diet….no more bread, rice, pasta (white). No sweets. More veggies like broccoli, green beans, and zucchini (those are the ones I like). More water—I got a big quart size water bottle and my goal is to drink no less than 3 of them a day (I just refill it at work). I’d like to say that I’m exercising like crazy but I'm really not. I still have a little ways to go and of course, I’d like to tone up this flabby body of mine. For now, I’m happy with the 34 pounds that I’ve lost. There are some people on here that have lost 3 times the amount of weight that I have in the same amount of time. I’m guessing they don’t have 4 kids to take care of, a full time job, a lot of leftover financial stress, a mother who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and the myriad of other stresses I have in my life. Or they might. Who knows? I’ve stopped trying to compare myself to everyone else and am focusing on what I can do today to make me feel better about myself. I would still like to lose another 20 pounds or so. Maybe even 25. I’m not in a rush though.
I know I couldn’t have done it without this website. Thanks so much to MFP for this amazing site and the tools you offer to us FOR FREE. Thanks to the amazing “friends” I’ve met and to those who I have I encouraged to join me on here. Without your love and support, I know I would have left a long time ago. I appreciate every little “wtg” you all put on my wall. Thanks for letting me tell my story. I hope to be here a year from now showing you my “goal weight” pictures…..and best of luck to all of you!
This was me yesterday:
Patti (nationalparklover) 0
Replies
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Well done! What a fantastic change!0
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You look wonderful!0
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You look great! Congratulations on your progress
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thanks for sharing, patti! admittedly i skimmed your story since i'm in a post-lunch haze, but you are amazing! 0
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you look great! you must be so proud. 0
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I love your detailed story and envy your bravery of sharing pictures. I have ten pounds more to loose. Actually lost it and gained it back. Your story motivated me big time. Thanks and congrats.0
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Awesome, you're looking much happier and relaxed (even if there is a ton of stress in your life).0
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as you know i think you are amazing!!! congrats and enjoy it you are beautiful inside and out and an awesome inspiration 0
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You look amazing. Great job! 0
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Thank you for sharing your story.
I have to say, you really look great!!0 -
You look great!!!!!!! :happy:0
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Fantastic job, Patti, and what a nice story you tell! You are proof that hard work and dedication over a long period of time really pay off. We didn't get heavy just overnight, so the changes have to be methodical and long-lasting as well.0
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You are so cute!!! And, you look wonderful. (don't you love being able to tuck in your shirt for a change?) Great job, Patti!0
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Wonderful dedication!0
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This sounds (and your pix look) so much like me! It is really hard when you're a working mom with all those stresses (almost the same as mine, except I have 2 boys). I know the journey you've been on very well, and it is not easy.
Congatulations on your victories!
I hope it is encouraging to you to know that I've maintained my loss fairly closely now for about 3 years --You can do it too!! Make good choices on mot days. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Etc.
Hang in there.0 -
You look great, definitely look younger. Well done!0
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You look absolutely stunning! Keep up the great work!!!0
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What an amazing story!! Congratulations on your victories! I love that you admit to having some "crappy" foods, every so often.. that's what makes it easier to stick to changing the eating habits. You look amazing and should be very proud!0
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GREAT JOB!!! thanks for sharing your story, I can relate to a lot of it. I have a picture or two that I need to get up the nerve to print and keep in strategic places in my house to help keep me focused........ I am very close to my goal and I plan on staying there (oh don't we all) but I also know how easy it is to slip back into the old habits that got us where we were when we finally had had enough, and started the journey back to healthy and fit.... Sounds like you know what you need to do to get to where you want to be (???did I say that right?) and your mindset sounds like it is where it needs to be to get the job done. Congratulations!0
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Good Job!0
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COngratulations, you look amazing!0
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You've done great!0
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So happy for you! What a wonderful and honest story! I love MFP, I have very positive Pals who cheer me on and give me motivation to get to my goals too!0
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Absolutely wonderful ! ! Well done ! !
You look much YOUNGER and happier ! ! WootWOOT ! !
.:flowerforyou: .0 -
So proud of you, Patti! You look healthy and happy!
Let's keep going together! We've got more pounds to REMOVE/DISCARD!
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Good job!0
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Fabulous! You look great... and thanks for sharing. :happy:0
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great job I know it isnt easy but you did it and you are committing to doing even more. It will pay off an we look forward to the pics next year all toned up
Please don't ever say you are sorry for the rate of loss you do what you need to do in your time frame its your journey I have lost 4 or more times but it took me 40 years to finally get started after my health was terrible and I just feel good for doing it not bad for the timing
enjoy your journey and good health and good losing0 -
You look amazing!! Thank you for sharing your story with us!!!0
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You look amazing! Keep up the absolutely fantastic work You CAN do it. 0
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