How long has it taken you to get where you are?

jjmeyers2010

I absolutely love reading and seeing all of the success stories but they don't alway say how long it has taken to lose their significant amount of weight. So, I would LOVE to hear how much you've lost, and how long its taken you. What has been your biggest hurdles? and how did you get over them? Congrats to everyone who's reaching their goals, and for all of us who have made the choice to get healthier......... can't wait until I'm able to post a before and after picture. lol Thank you everyone who shares their amazing pictures as well.

Love_flowers

It has taken me a year and a half. However, inbetween there was a 7 month period were I did not make progress.

So far I have lost 9kg (7 on my own and 2 with MFP)

It has not been funny, alot of tears and letdowns, too many "start fresh" days and way too many self sabotaging weeks.
However, I have become stronger every time and find it way easier to pick myself up again when I fall.
I have gained so many positive things as well that all of this struggle is worth it.

5kg to go

Railr0aderTony

I started on Jan 6th of this year, so right at 11 months to lose over 100lbs. It can be done. I have about 70 more to lose but I am sure it will take longer. the smaller you get the harder it is to lose.

Lyra89

I've been maintaining within the same weight range now for about a yearish...it took me two years to lose 55/60lbs I took the healthy route and ate between 1400 to 1800 calories a day of healthy foods with one *cheat* day every weekend where I could have ANYTHING and everything I wanted...also I incorporated walking, running, workout dvds & light weights into my routine I have off weeks here and there, but I find it easy to stay at my new weight. You really don't need to be as strict once you make new habits they will stand for you Sometimes I NEED to log on here to get myself back on track after an eventful or stressful week of over consumption, sometimes I log diligintly...sometimes I don't log, but I still sign in to keep up with my MFP friends who have helped me so, so much!

Never starve yourself.
Eat more fruit and veg.
Drink more water.
Get enough sleep.
Move your body.

^ it works!

Tyrone_S

Took 3 years to get half way. Took 4 months to get the second half when I actually knew what I was doing. Wish I educated myself a long time ago.

ash190489

I started on the 5 Jan this year. I've lost 30lbs (13-14kg) and I have staggered around this weight since March... however with strength training and HIIT (high intensity interval training) and have been able to tighten everything up, put on muscle mass, lose body fat% and lost another dress size. I went from a very tight size 12 (size 14 in some things) to a size 8 (Australian sizes). I past my goal weight in 2 months and dragged it on for a few more kilo's - however my true goals now are based on how I am feeling, definition that I can see in myself and my confidence. I still like to keep my eye on the scale and check body fat %.

ferrytrip

198 days to lose 36lbs. I'm 10 lbs away from the midway point of my journey

rubixcyoob

It took me around 6-7 months last year to lose 57lbs. I was very strict with my eating and did not have one cheat weekend, or meal really, in that period of time. I exercised nearly every day also.

Since October last year I seem to be maintaining my current weight, and I only have around 14-20lbs left to lose. Right now I keep dipping in and out of my EDNOS tendancies making it harder to lose weight, but I'm hoping the arrival of my new workout dvd will help me on my way again.

The only good thing I've taken from this plataeu is that I can maintain if/when I reach that level.

wanttobehealthy6

My journey began on July 25th - only 17 weeks ago. When I got on that scale and saw 205 - I cried.... I had no idea where to turn, as I truly felt I KNEW how to lose weight - although obviously, I didn't. I sat at a 10hr a day, very stressful job, ran home to run 4 kids around (also sitting in the car) and knew that I had to change something - fast.
I joined a program at our hospital - and tweaked it to make it my 'own'. They have a website that I use in conjunction with MFP - I honestly have not 'cheated' at all. I stick to the calories set for me, by my team of Doc's and dieticians. If I want something - I plan it in my day or take out something else. I (really) work out at the gym 4 days a week - and meet with my personal trainer about every 5 weeks, to make sure that I'm staying on track.
42 pounds down - and I have 28 to go, to meet my goal.

I never, ever knew what feeling healthy was. My husband of 21 years is incredibly PROUD of me - and my kids? The tell me each and every day how proud and excited they are of me. It's like I've started a whole new, fun chapter in my life!

Justforme104

My heaviest was 288 lbs. About 7 years ago I lost 80 pounds then gained back 60 so in May 2011 I started at around 268 pounds. I set and made my first goal to be under 200 pounds by the end of that year -- on January 1, 2012 I weighed 196 pounds. I made my self a new goal of 170 pounds by the time my son graduated in June. At his graduation I weighed 160 pounds! The lowest number I've seen on the scale is 149, but, for the past few months, I have been happy as long as I have stayed in the 150's, and I have been hovering around 155.

It took me right at a year to lose 100 pounds, and I've lost an additional 15ish pounds since then. I've revived my goal to reach 144 pounds which will be 1/2 of my heaviest. I hope to make it there by February. That goal is just so I can say that I did it. I really want to get down to <25% body fat regardless of what the scales say.

My biggest battle in this journey has been with my mind, and my perception of my self-worth. I still have to remind myself that my health and feeling and looking great are important and worth the effort, but those reminders are necessary much less as time goes on.

Best wishes on your journey!

realdog2usa

You guys & (gals) are amazing!!!! I've lost 18 lbs since March, so that's 8 1/2 months. 178 lbs to 160 lbs a couple days ago I weighed in at 158 lbs. My goal is mid 140's. 2 1/2 years ago I hiked 300 miles on the Appalachian Trail, my goal was to go all the way from Georgia to Maine, My Dad's health rapidly declined and I had to come home to see about him. When I got off the trial I weighed 146 lbs. Long distance hiking requires lots of calories. You can eat all you want. I ballooned up to 186 lbs before I knew it after I returned home. I'm very active, hiking, bicycling, zumba, beginning dancing classes this week. I believe your heart is a muscle that must be exercised. I'm 59 years old... and look forward to doing many things on my bucket in the next decade... I must be fit to follow my passions. I really didn't see a pattern of success with the weight loss until I started logging my food on my fitnesspal.

If it's 10 miles into the woods, it's 10 miles out... I have miles to go before I reach my goal ... and I will keep putting one foot in front of the next... taking one step at a time! Cheers~!

Justforme104

I've been maintaining within the same weight range now for about a yearish...it took me two years to lose 55/60lbs I took the healthy route and ate between 1400 to 1800 calories a day of healthy foods with one *cheat* day every weekend where I could have ANYTHING and everything I wanted...also I incorporated walking, running, workout dvds & light weights into my routine I have off weeks here and there, but I find it easy to stay at my new weight. You really don't need to be as strict once you make new habits they will stand for you Sometimes I NEED to log on here to get myself back on track after an eventful or stressful week of over consumption, sometimes I log diligintly...sometimes I don't log, but I still sign in to keep up with my MFP friends who have helped me so, so much!

Never starve yourself.
Eat more fruit and veg.
Drink more water.
Get enough sleep.
Move your body.

^ it works!

Kagami_Taiga

I started on the 21st of July. It's been 16 weeks. So far I've lost 5 stones or 70lbs.

My biggest hurdles are the random weeks where very little or no weight has been lost.

BeckyJayneGJ

I started on the 21st of July. It's been 16 weeks. So far I've lost 5 stones or 70lbs.

My biggest hurdles are the random weeks where very little or no weight has been lost.

You're similar to me! I started in July also and have lost 63lbs (4.5stone) and am about halfway on my journey.

I let the random weeks where the is no movement on the scale get to me too.

Also I'm job hunting at the moment so I have nothing to keep my mind off of weightloss so it really annoys me for the whole week if I don't lose.

poedunk65

I have dropped, i preer that to lost cuz i don;t EVER wanna find it!,lol 60 lbs in 7 months.

pinkraynedropjacki

9 months & 5 days. 69lbs or 31kg. No cheat days, no slip-ups, no days off from working out. 10km a day I run perhaps more (today I did 12 before I stopped) and I refuse to have a day off even when injured (currently a back injury for the last 3 years & now to top it off.... shin splints)

I push myself hard & if I don't feel like I did good enough I make myself feel bad about it till I do something about that, even if that's the next days workout.

I refuse to get back to being fat. I refuse to get into that mindset that it's ok to have a day off or have a cheat day.


But that is just me.

michelleindeed

I started on the 1st of August, and have lost 53.5 lbs so far.
So, 16 weeks?

Starting weight was 322.7 and yesterday I weighed in at 269.2

AntWrig

5 years.

ferrytrip

I started on the 21st of July. It's been 16 weeks. So far I've lost 5 stones or 70lbs.

My biggest hurdles are the random weeks where very little or no weight has been lost.

Wow, great work

BradHallFitness

Started 11/4/10. So just over 2 years to get where I am. Not done yet.

John2347

just over 25 years

bluefox9er

I started April 2011 and hit my goal and dropped 85 lbs by October 2011. I have yo-yo'd by 10 lbs here and there since October 2011 until July 2012, where I have managed to maintain ± 3 lbs from my goal weight.

Thank you, c25k!

amackenzie85

Its taken me 4 months to lose 33lbs
Initially i lost 2st in 6 weeks then did 7 weeks of maintenance now im back on plan and lost another 9lbs so far.
Only 9lbs till i reach my goal

Journalartista

six months and a lot of dedication!

P05T5CRIPT

I started on the 18th June this year, so that's nearly 5 months and I've lost 55lbs. I've had weeks I didn't lose then others when I've lost 6lbs, but now it's beginning to slow down to 1-2lbs a week. However I'm happy with that, slow and steady wins the race

I don't take cheat days, I don't eat junk food or drink any sodas and I eat way more protein, veggies and fruit. I went from not being able to run for a minute to completing a 5K race and workout 5 days a week.

EricNCSU

I was at my absolute heaviest the summer/fall of 2009. So technically it's taken me over 3 years to get where I am. I lost some weight "naturally" once I started working and I wasn't sitting at home all day, and then I lost a little bit through exercise and diet and a work health program in early 2010 (which I promptly gained back). I joined MFP in Oct 2011 at 308 pounds (my heaviest was 355) and so I've been on MFP for a little over a year now. I've lost 67 pounds on MFP and 114 total. I still have another 30 pounds to go which will carry me well into 2013, so the answer to the question is 4 years+ but I didnt REALLY get serious about it until a year ago when I joined MFP.

oldbooh

Very inspiring!

sueb12345678

bump

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

3 loooong & painful years but its all worth it

CFam5

wow that's impressive!

oOMusicBabii

For this most recent attempt, according my MFP count, I've been logging for 107 days (sooo 3.5 months?). In that time I've lost 19 pounds, many inches and gained confidence and improved my fitness. My heaviest was prior to MFP and it took almost a year to lose the 10 lbs to get down to my MFP starting weight because I made limited changes. My diet is no where close to perfect, but I try to make better choices when I can and I'm learning to not hate food...for years it was the enemy as I'd just eat eat eat when I was stressed then blame it when I gained (a lot).

Best thing I ever read when starting on here: this is a marathon, not a sprint. If you treat it like a marathon, you will pace yourself, make small changes that will equal huge improvements in the long run. If you treat it like a sprint, you'll be all amped in the beginning, loose too much too quickly and in an unhealthy manner and more than likely gain it back plus a few.

I look forward to posting before and after pics (I haven't been actively taking them but I know I've had many pics taken with friends since starting so I'll use those) and I look forward to seeing your before and after pictures as well