ME - Before (scary!) and After (happy!) Pics

gym_rat

I find the best motivation for me to lose these last 10lbs-15lbs is to constantly remind myself of how far I have come. I swore off calorie counting for a while because I thought it was making me obsessed and miserable but now I have come to realize that it's the only thing that has worked for me in the past.

So here I go, attempting to post pictures for the first time. I hope this works!

Okay so it didnt work! Going to keep trying to post the pics!

Okay I think I figured it out....


Me in Mexico.


Mexico


Gulfport, Mississippi


Graveyard in New Orleans with my mother-in-law

I just remember how hard it was to do EVERYTHING when I was heavy. I was always sweating, my thighs would rub together, and I would avoid the camera like the plague. I just need to keep reminding myself why I lost the weight to begin with and look at these photos when I see my motivation lacking. Now I run half marathons and lift weights and do cardio daily. I've come so far and it just feels amazing.

Keep going everyone! Don't give up!!!

lina1131

All I see are red x's.

gym_rat

All I see are red x's.

GAH!
I guess I didn't figure it out
Okay, well they are on my profile.

gummibaehr

The code for posting an image is: [IMG][/IMG] Replace the space in the code with the url to your image and change IMG to img (lower case). Can't wait to see the pics!

gym_rat

The code for posting an image is: [img][/img] Replace the space in the code with the url to your image and make sure that the "img" is in lower case. Can't wait to see the pics!

I don't get why the pics show up on my screen tho.
i'll keep trying.

lina1131

I see them now and you look absolutely amazing! Good work! Very inspiring.

gummibaehr

I see them! :-D Congrats on your amazing transformation! You're an inspiration.

txcwgirl

All I see are the red Xs but I figured it was something with the work firewall.

However congratulations on the weightloss

Ok now I see them, they updated while I was posting. You are looking great!!!!

Channing

yaaaay!!!! You look amazing!!!

I think you're right, it's all about the fight and how far you've come.

Congratulations!

rmchan

so share what you think worked...what made the difference? Tell us a typical day when you were losing..what did you do..eat..etc? I've been killing myself with workouts...have logged in and counted every calorie for over 35 days...down only 7.5 pds...any suggestions? What was your beginning weight/current weight..and how long did it take you...Sorry for all the questions..just trying to get some help! So I can have a success story like you.. PS..YOU LOOK AMAZING!!!

BADGIRLstl

You look fabulous!!!! I want to know how you did it and details....Please share your awesome story!

gym_rat

so share what you think worked...what made the difference? Tell us a typical day when you were losing..what did you do..eat..etc? I've been killing myself with workouts...have logged in and counted every calorie for over 35 days...down only 7.5 pds...any suggestions? What was your beginning weight/current weight..and how long did it take you...Sorry for all the questions..just trying to get some help! So I can have a success story like you.. PS..YOU LOOK AMAZING!!!

Thanks everyone so much for your words! It is nice to hear compliments and sure helps with motivation.

Those pictures in Mexico I was around 230-235lbs. I couldn't even run 30 seconds without wanting to keel over and die.

Okay so a typical day when I was losing weight....
- 5am wake up with my husband (boyfriend at the time)
- 5:15am eat something light like a half cup of diced pears or a 100 calorie yogurt
- 5:45am - 7:30ish am was at the gym. I would really switch it up. I would do at least 45 minutes of INTENSE cardio and often times I would go up to an hour or an hour and a half. I would do anything from spin, stair climber, elliptical. At least 3 days of the week I would do weights for a good 45 minutes.
- 8:30am we would be back where we lived. We were living overseas at the time so we had to walk everywhere. I found that helped a lot because I would walk anywhere from an hour to two hours a day just to get from one place to another.
- after the gym I'd have some whole wheat toast with peanut butter and maybe a banana
- lunch would always be the same. I'm a creature of habit. I love spinach chicken salads with light italian dressing. I would put all sorts of veggies in it like onions, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, etc.
- I was a teacher at the time so I would coordinate snacks between classes. Usually around 2:30 I would eat some celery and carrots or sometimes an apple. Around 4 I would have a fiber one bar just to hold me over until I would get home for dinner.
- I never restricted myself when it came to dinners. That being said, I didn't go overboard either.

A lot of days I would hit the gym twice just to get in an extra 30-45minutes of cardio.

I kept my calories around 2,000. I could never eat 1,200 or even 1,500. I never wanted to feel like I was "starving."

So my starting weight was about 230-235 and in the above pictures I am about 157-160lbs. This morning I weighed in at 159. People tell me that I don't look like I weigh that much. I think it's the weight-lifting. Now, I lift weights about 5 times a week for about 40-45minutes. That makes the biggest difference with how your clothes fit.

I lost all that weight in under 10 months.

Sorry for the novel. I hope it helps!

gym_rat

so share what you think worked...what made the difference? Tell us a typical day when you were losing..what did you do..eat..etc? I've been killing myself with workouts...have logged in and counted every calorie for over 35 days...down only 7.5 pds...any suggestions? What was your beginning weight/current weight..and how long did it take you...Sorry for all the questions..just trying to get some help! So I can have a success story like you.. PS..YOU LOOK AMAZING!!!

Oh, and I was a diet soda junkie. I would be that person ordering a supersized meal from McDonalds but would get a diet coke. I would drink up to 4 or even 5 cans a day. It was bad. So I cut that out completely and only allowed myself to have a diet soda when I would go out to eat somewhere like Subway, which was maybe once a week.

kimber607

WOW..amazing!
You need to send them to fitness/shape magazine....great great job!

Kim

kandyjo

I'm echoing what everyone has already said! You look fabulous!!! Congratulations!!! You have come so far...I'm sure you will finish out strong!

princesspurple

Fantastic! You just look Fantastic! Congratulations!

rmchan

Thank you so much!!! OK so I think I'm on the right track..Your menus sound exactly like mine..I eat a lot of the same things..I'm also strength training and doing Hal Higman Training for a marathon training..I'm running a 1/2 marathon in April...So you were losing an average of 7pds a month...that's kinda where I am.. I'm a little less than that actually! I'm trying to stay within my calories and I do eat my exercise calories..I may need to up my calorie intake a little? I'm reading Jullian Michaels book and she recommends for my size, etc.. I should eat 1400-1600 per day..and I'm not sure if that's without exercise or with? I just have to take it one week/one day at a time! I hope in 10 months to be where you are! Again thank you...I think it is so important to learn from others especially the ones that have been successful! Thanks for sharing!!

Shannon023

You look fabulous!! Great job!! :drinker:

rmchan

so share what you think worked...what made the difference? Tell us a typical day when you were losing..what did you do..eat..etc? I've been killing myself with workouts...have logged in and counted every calorie for over 35 days...down only 7.5 pds...any suggestions? What was your beginning weight/current weight..and how long did it take you...Sorry for all the questions..just trying to get some help! So I can have a success story like you.. PS..YOU LOOK AMAZING!!!

Oh, and I was a diet soda junkie. I would be that person ordering a supersized meal from McDonalds but would get a diet coke. I would drink up to 4 or even 5 cans a day. It was bad. So I cut that out completely and only allowed myself to have a diet soda when I would go out to eat somewhere like Subway, which was maybe once a week.

OMG..I think you are my twin...I used to do the same thing...I had a diet coke this past weekend...it was the first one I have had in a long time..it was good..but I really don't miss them. I used to keep a case of diet coke in the fridge...now I have a Brita Pitcher...LOL

chigirl_j

Thanks for the motivation! I have a ways to go with my fitness goal but seeing your pics inspires me to continue the good fight =:)