23F, 5'4", reached my initial goal, ~75 lbs lost! Pics!

maeganhaha

Hi MFP community! I recently met my initial weight loss goal (140 lbs!) and I wanted to give back! Throughout my journey (and still now) your progress pictures and success stories really inspired me to keep going. I hope this can do the same for some of you!




If I can do it, you can definitely do it too. It just takes pure determination. I stayed at around 1200 calories a day and didn't deprive myself. If I wanted some chocolate for dessert, I'd break off a couple squares of dark chocolate and save some extra calories from lunch.

I also did the Couch to 5k program, and now I run all the time, and I actually enjoy it, which is something I NEVER would have DREAMED I would love. I do have to say though, at first I had to use the elliptical at the gym to work up to running. If you find your chest heaving and hurting when you try to run and it seriously causes you pain (like it did me), definitely use the elliptical first and slowly add in running.

If you have any questions, just let me know, I'd be happy to answer them! My new goal is to reach ~125 lbs, but I mostly just want to get fitter at this point and improve my running. Now what you really care about, more pics!

H: 5'4"
SW: ~212
GW#1: 140
GW#2: ~125
CW: 138


Christmas 2011 (I started my journey on January 1st, 2012)


After a 5k on October 27th


Face picture from December 2011


Face picture from September 2012!


Also, as a side note, I probably wouldn't have been able to find so many delicious low calorie recipes and blogs without Pinterest. It's one of the most useful websites ever (other than MFP of course)!

BehindBlueEyes988

Wow! Great job!! You look like a completely different person!! I'm doing the C25K too, and I'm so in love with it. I ran before, but lost it all after I hurt my ankle (damn Nike's didn't give me support). My friend and I started a couple weeks ago and are just starting Week 5! Today was our huge milestone. We both actually enjoyed our run for the first time since we started. We laughed and were so thrilled!

Keep up the great work! We have a very similar goal! I want to be 125-120 at 5'2"

calabrdm

So awesome. Your progress is absolutely awesome!

Cyngen

So very awesome, very very awesome.

maeganhaha

Wow! Great job!! You look like a completely different person!! I'm doing the C25K too, and I'm so in love with it. I ran before, but lost it all after I hurt my ankle (damn Nike's didn't give me support). My friend and I started a couple weeks ago and are just starting Week 5! Today was our huge milestone. We both actually enjoyed our run for the first time since we started. We laughed and were so thrilled!

Keep up the great work! We have a very similar goal! I want to be 125-120 at 5'2"

Thank you so much! And awesome, congrats! It's so awesome when you finally start enjoying it! When you get to the point where it doesn't feel like you're dying and you feel like you can run without having to stop it's just amazing!

U81fA1th

:happy: Congrats on your success and for inspiring me to continue on my healthy lifestyle journey. I joined MFP June 2012 and so far I have lost 30 pounds :happy: Thanks again for the inspirational push :happy:

BigMan_D

Thanks for sharing! I admire your dedication and your results speak for themselves-you look fantastic!

vguynes

Congratulations on your success! You look AWESOME!

thingeringer

Great success for you. Congratulations! And inspirational for me. Thank you.

cmccoy0901

Amazing job you look fantastic keep up the good work.

Maddi_InBetweenDays

Good for you! You look great! I started around the same amount and have a similar goal... unfortunately I still have some to go, but your post is inspiring!

NavyKnightAh13

You look amazing!!!!!!!!!!!! I haven't reached goal (i'm 5'2" and am hoping to get to 125) but you are inspiring!!!!!!!!!

rhardy69

That is Awesome!!!!!! Great job!!!

ChadB74

WoW!!! Good for you, I hope I get same results...you look amazing

12skipafew99100

UH UH UH, I can't even speak! WOW

ok, now I can speak.
I have to say, I was inspired until you said you were running. I will never run. I don't have the knees to run so that is out for me. Can I still do it with walking? WIll it just take longer? Please say yes.

hollyjane77

So inspiring! You look amazing! Thanks for sharing :-)

QueenofComeBacks

wonderful job! your results are really inspiring!!Thanks for sharing!

johned63

Amazing results, congratulations on your success!

starletlove

thats amazing!!! just showed i can do it as well thx for sharing
:flowerforyou: congrats:flowerforyou:

mdj1501

Fabulous work! Thank you for sharing

maeganhaha

UH UH UH, I can't even speak! WOW

ok, now I can speak.
I have to say, I was inspired until you said you were running. I will never run. I don't have the knees to run so that is out for me. Can I still do it with walking? WIll it just take longer? Please say yes.

The answer is: yes! Weight loss is approximately 80% food intake and 20% exercise, and definitely walking counts as exercise, and it's definitely better than nothing at all! Have you tried the elliptical? I found running hurt A LOT when I first started, and the elliptical took a lot of the stress off of my joints, but I'm not sure if that would work for you too. But yes, you can still do it! I love running, but I'm not the RUN EVERY DAY type person... some weeks it's 5 days, some weeks it's 2, so it's not something that was absolutely imperative for me to lose weight. YOU CAN DO IT!

maeganhaha

Thank you so much everyone! I'm glad I could be of some help/inspiration to some of you, you're all amazing!

BehindBlueEyes988

Wow! Great job!! You look like a completely different person!! I'm doing the C25K too, and I'm so in love with it. I ran before, but lost it all after I hurt my ankle (damn Nike's didn't give me support). My friend and I started a couple weeks ago and are just starting Week 5! Today was our huge milestone. We both actually enjoyed our run for the first time since we started. We laughed and were so thrilled!

Keep up the great work! We have a very similar goal! I want to be 125-120 at 5'2"

Thank you so much! And awesome, congrats! It's so awesome when you finally start enjoying it! When you get to the point where it doesn't feel like you're dying and you feel like you can run without having to stop it's just amazing!

Yeup! I love crossing that threshold of breathing hard but still being able to carry on! I use to run for 40 minutes straight and it was liberating. The thing about running is once you get bit, it's hard to shake! My favorite cardio by far!

momof4greatkids1

Congrats! Thanks for sharing your success and inspiration. You look incredible! I bet you feel great to. Good job an bravo for sticking with it. Love what you said about it being 80% diet, 20% working out...that is so true. You cannot out exercise a bad diet. You did fantastic!

TropicalFlowerz

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sleepygirl38

awesome job. I appreciate you sharing your story. I find it inspring as I continue to aim for my goal weight

altarimage

You look so great!

gmansmom2

Amazing job! You are such an inspiration!!

4strings4him

Congratulations on a job well done!

VanessaLysette3

You looks amazing! This is such a beautiful transformation and is a huge inspiration to me. I also believe you're one of the few that I know that has kept their New Year's Resolution goals, and that is fantastic! I'm guessing that's when it started at least. Keep it up shrinking girl:)

maeganhaha

Thanks everyone! It makes me so happy to maybe inspire some of you!