60 yo Aussie - 25 kgs (55 lbs) in a year

ChristineS_51

Hi there

When I first started REALLY doing this, I found other peoples stories and pictures inspiring, so I am sharing my story in the hope of inspiring others. I am a 61 year old Australian, female - I was 60 when I started this! Just after Christmas 2011 I weighed in at 98 kgs (216 lbs) - and that was my "moment", my trigger. I did not want to go into triple figures. I had been worrying about my weight for ages - years, even joined MFP in the middle of 2011 but never did anything about it.

Once I determined to start it was easy - honestly. I thought I was quite well informed about dieting, foods etc. Perhaps for me the biggest thing was to eat enough - to eat to my target, not to restrict myself to tuna and lettuce leaves as I had in the past. I did that once, took me 18 months to lose 10 kgs. And then put it all back on as soon as I relaxed and ate normally. Eating a decent amount has worked for me. Eat to your target, get some exercise, and log faithfully every day. This is not a "diet" - been there, done that,came "off" that; regained the weight - it is a lifestyle change - incorporating better food choices and exercise.

My exercise started with me walking around my backyard 10 times as quickly as I could, (it was a small back yard!) then 15, 20, 25 times. I got up and did this at 6 am before I had even time to think about it. Sometimes I pumped my arms as I went - no one could see me! :laugh: Then I started to do some longer walks around the block. I tried to find opportunities to move my body wherever I could - walk the long way around to the shops, walk instead of emailing colleagues at work, walk in my lunch break for 10 minutes. I made better food choices (but at no time have I felt deprived or deprived myself - look at my diary and you will see it littered with cake, chocolate, fish and chips - but within my limits - usually :laugh: ). I stopped having milk and sugar in my coffee and "spent" those empty calories elsewhere! I eat a good protein breakfast with carbs.

Most of my weight came off in the first four-five months, as I have got closer to my goal the weight loss has slowed right down, but is still trickling off slowly. I think that the next step is to start doing weights, I just need to get my son to change the weights on his machine so I can MOVE the things!!

I have gone from an Australian size 20-22 (US 16-18) to an Aust size 12-14 (US 8-10) depending on the make and what it is - I tend to be 12 in pants, 14 in tops. I have given away bags and bags and bags of clothes to the charity shops, but I did keep the aqua top in the before photos. Might get a photo in that to compare! All the pants fell off so they went!!

I want to thank my true blue MFP friends who have stuck with me daily, encouraging me and sharing my victories - :flowerforyou:

And now - drum roll (I hope I can get these to work!!) my pictures.


This one was taken just after Christmas 2010 – scary – but it was not enough to make me do anything. I was 96 kgs. I got fatter.

This one was taken about a week after I started this “long and winding road” (yes I was a teenager when the Beatles were around!! 98 kgs


And from the side – awful.


By 26 Feb 2012 I was down to 89.6 kgs – not quite 10 kg lost but I could see a difference – front & side




By the time my daughter got married at end of August, I was about 75 kgs and feeling great – family who came for the wedding couldn’t believe it! I lost 3 kgs after I bought the dress, glad it still fitted!



And today … 72 kgs (158 lbs)




And face comparison …. Botheration as Winnie the Pooh would say! If you right click and open in new tab it should pop up OK.



One of the best things has been finding “me” again – for so long I have looked in the mirror and not known who looked back at me – I’m back!

MFP has been the best thing for me, I intend to be here for a long time monitoring and ensuring I never go back.

Farmerj2000

Great Job, I tried fixing your pictures but no luck. You have them tagged right they should work. I think it may have something to do with dropbox. You may want to create a photobucket account. And just to make it easy dont include any spaces in the Album and file names.

ChristineS_51

Great Job, I tried fixing your pictures but no luck. You have them tagged right they should work. I think it may have something to do with dropbox. You may want to create a photobucket account. And just to make it easy dont include any spaces in the Album and file names.

Thanks! will go and try - I think perhaps because the dropbox has the "s"?? Watch this space :laugh:

Thank you photobucket!! :flowerforyou:

JimmyJazzMX

Good for you, you look great... Congrats!

Daysednconfused

Congratulations! What a fantastic transformation!

ChristineS_51

Thank you!

luvmydog2

:flowerforyou: Yes my friend you have done well :drinker:

Happyme2009

Lovely! What a will! Stunning transformation, thank you for posting!

mrsna

Great transformation!! You look amazing!

manohirarevolutions

You are my inspiration!

I'm 97 kg, i plan to seriously start my journey after my defense (in january) and expect to get to 72 kg by the end of 2013.
Currently I still cannot avoid empty calories in my coffee *sigh*
But I already learn to log my food and start exercising.

BlueJue2

You are AWESOME!!!! Great job!

Foie_gras

You look just lovely! Biggest congratulations! You're an inspiration. Keep up the great work!

brunettesrule

Christine, that is an amazing and inspiring story. You look absolutely fantastic in after photos. You are a true success story. Glad I got to know you on MFP and will start logging again.

Again, congrats on your success story :flowerforyou: chat soon.

ChristineS_51

Thank you everyone for your kind words. I didn't think I could ever budge that weight, but once I started doing something about it - it went!

ChristineS_51

You are my inspiration!

I'm 97 kg, i plan to seriously start my journey after my defense (in january) and expect to get to 72 kg by the end of 2013.
Currently I still cannot avoid empty calories in my coffee *sigh*
But I already learn to log my food and start exercising.

If you have started logging, and doing some exercise, you have started - don't wait for anything! Every little step, every little new good habit helps. Good luck on your weight loss

Celeigh12

You look wonderful! I think you lost a least a decade along with those 55 pounds!

florymonde

What a change! Great work!

lisabinco

OUTSTANDING !! You look fabulous, dear. What an accomplishment -- you done good. And yes! you look a good 10 years younger, too. Just wonderful!

Nacho12

Wow. You look great! So what is the translation in pounds? What was your starting weight and finishing weight? Amazing transformation--
Congratulations!

ChristineS_51

Wow. You look great! So what is the translation in pounds? What was your starting weight and finishing weight? Amazing transformation--
Congratulations!

@Nacho12 - my starting weight was 98 kilograms which is 216 pounds; now I am 72 which is 158 pounds. I have lost 26.3 kgs or 58 pounds so far - most of it in the first few months. I am still losing - today I am 71.5 kgs which is 157.6 pounds - I would *like* to get to 68 kgs which is a shade under 150 lbs - that would make my BMI in the healthy range - according to BMI I am still overwieght. I was about 140 pounds when I was much younger so at 150 I am still not as skinny as I could be, but at my age a bit of fat helps fill out the wrinkles :laugh: :laugh:

Thank you for your kind comments.

PS I use these converters because I am no mathematician!

http://www.unitconversion.org/weight/kilograms-to-pounds-conversion.html

http://www.unitconversion.org/weight/pounds-to-kilograms-conversion.html

http://www.unitconversion.org/weight/stones-uk-to-pounds-conversion.html

Lns25

You look amazing From a fellow Aussie, WELL DONE!!!!!

plynn54

way to go!! love the blue dress

ryansgram

Beautiful!

ceceoplaymate

Congrats!!! You look so amazing!!!!

simplyshrinking

Congratulations for the pictures, you look amazing!

WDEvy

Great job! You look wonderful! I love the blue wrap dress too!!

Nacho12

Thank you for the translation! You are close to my weight now. I just hit 148 lbs, was up to 165 when I started 4 months ago. My
highest weight was 180. I have exercised for years so have always had alot of muscle, people don't usually think I weigh as much
as I do. Would be happy to be a friend to keep each other motivated if you would like.

kathyd0829

You are so beautiful inside and out and I am so proud to be your MFP friend. You have inspired me on more than one occasion and I wish you continued health and happiness. Your transformation is amazing and inspirational to all that can see it.

ChristineS_51

You are so beautiful inside and out and I am so proud to be your MFP friend. You have inspired me on more than one occasion and I wish you continued health and happiness. Your transformation is amazing and inspirational to all that can see it.

Thanks Kathy, I am glad you are my friend, you inspire me too - maybe that's why we are good friends :flowerforyou:

ChristineS_51

Thank you everyone for the kind comments, it feels so good to be here posting my success, and I wish you all success in your goals.

Isn't my dress gorgeous!! A designer dress - never had one before, what a thrill when I went to buy that - the stylist at the store took one look at me and whisked me off to the Anthea Crawford section, pulled out a 14 - no said I, that'll never fit. :noway: It DID and I just felt so great in it. I tried on several different ones, then came back to this one and POW just felt right!! This is the website,

http://www.antheacrawford.com.au/

Dress is too big now! :laugh:

tubbyelmo

You look wonderful, well done! Have a lovely Christmas x