Third Year MFP Anniversary
JeanneTops
Posts: 2,640 Member
Three years ago, this coming Saturday, I joined MFP. I set myself one goal - to not gain the weight back.
I'm 5'6", it was my 58th birthday, I weighed 242 pounds. I'd been fighting being overweight all my life. I'd lost 50+ pounds and then regained it plus more, at least once a decade. Although I'd always been healthy, I was facing the last third of my life and I knew I was destroying that good health.
I used the MFP tools to figure out how much I could eat once I reached a healthy BMI and that's been my calorie goal (including exercise calories) ever since. I lost 67 pounds the first year and 28 pounds by August of the second year. I've been maintaining that weight loss for the past 16 months.
I log everything I eat after I've eaten it.
I started out exercising on our elliptical trainer for 20 minutes at a time, 5 days a week. Now I run, bike, swim and use the elliptical for an hour every day, 6 days a week.
Very importantly, I've made some good, supportive friends on the Motivation forum (yay Black Team of Champions!), something I never expected and they've helped me tremendously through maintenance. I wouldn't have lasted this long without them.
My weight fluctuates within a five pound range on a day-to-day basis. I weigh myself every morning but I only record an "official" weight on Wednesdays. I use the top range times as motivation to be careful, I use the bottom range times as motivation to stay being careful.
I posted this on an earlier thread about maintenance and I'm going to repeat it here:
Maintenance is harder than losing because:
1. You exercise all the same self-restraint that you do when losing and it doesn't get much easier to do;
2. You don't get any of the thrills of losing - no lower numbers, no smaller clothes, no excited compliments. You and everybody else get used to the way you look. Life becomes normal.
3. There is skin sagging somewhere on your body.
4. Life has the same hard/sad/devastating moments that it always had. You can't comfort eat your way through them anymore so you have to find new strengths.
On the other hand,
1. You never look in the mirror, see a photo, catch a glimpse of your reflection and have that automatic cringe response. Lots and lots of times, you have a "looking good!" response.
2. You feel great physically. Your doctor loves you. You can read every article on "how to eat healthily" and think, "Yup. Got that one." You have bursts of joy when you run/bike/swim or just move. You don't get out of breath unless you want to get out of breath. You start taking up activities that never even crossed your mind before just to see if you'd enjoy them.
3. You have deep down pride in yourself. You're living life the way it is meant to be lived. You start applying what you learned about yourself to your other problems. You start owning your life.
To have those last three, I'll log every bite I eat and work out every day for the rest of my life.
And now, the pictures. The top is me about three months into MFP. The bottom three, from left to right, are me on my first, second and third MFP anniversaries.
My advice to everybody is: only do what you know you will do for the rest of your life. Take it one day at a time. Be patient and persistent and persevere through the tough times. Start learning how to love yourself today and you'll make it through.
Jeanne
Edited to add:
To those of you who have been fighting weight for years, here's my blog post from August 2011 when I officially was at a healthy BMI. It's full of pictures of my weight changes from age 11 and on.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/JeanneTops/view/official-135794
My goal is now and always will be: To Not Gain the Weight Back.
I'm 5'6", it was my 58th birthday, I weighed 242 pounds. I'd been fighting being overweight all my life. I'd lost 50+ pounds and then regained it plus more, at least once a decade. Although I'd always been healthy, I was facing the last third of my life and I knew I was destroying that good health.
I used the MFP tools to figure out how much I could eat once I reached a healthy BMI and that's been my calorie goal (including exercise calories) ever since. I lost 67 pounds the first year and 28 pounds by August of the second year. I've been maintaining that weight loss for the past 16 months.
I log everything I eat after I've eaten it.
I started out exercising on our elliptical trainer for 20 minutes at a time, 5 days a week. Now I run, bike, swim and use the elliptical for an hour every day, 6 days a week.
Very importantly, I've made some good, supportive friends on the Motivation forum (yay Black Team of Champions!), something I never expected and they've helped me tremendously through maintenance. I wouldn't have lasted this long without them.
My weight fluctuates within a five pound range on a day-to-day basis. I weigh myself every morning but I only record an "official" weight on Wednesdays. I use the top range times as motivation to be careful, I use the bottom range times as motivation to stay being careful.
I posted this on an earlier thread about maintenance and I'm going to repeat it here:
Maintenance is harder than losing because:
1. You exercise all the same self-restraint that you do when losing and it doesn't get much easier to do;
2. You don't get any of the thrills of losing - no lower numbers, no smaller clothes, no excited compliments. You and everybody else get used to the way you look. Life becomes normal.
3. There is skin sagging somewhere on your body.
4. Life has the same hard/sad/devastating moments that it always had. You can't comfort eat your way through them anymore so you have to find new strengths.
On the other hand,
1. You never look in the mirror, see a photo, catch a glimpse of your reflection and have that automatic cringe response. Lots and lots of times, you have a "looking good!" response.
2. You feel great physically. Your doctor loves you. You can read every article on "how to eat healthily" and think, "Yup. Got that one." You have bursts of joy when you run/bike/swim or just move. You don't get out of breath unless you want to get out of breath. You start taking up activities that never even crossed your mind before just to see if you'd enjoy them.
3. You have deep down pride in yourself. You're living life the way it is meant to be lived. You start applying what you learned about yourself to your other problems. You start owning your life.
To have those last three, I'll log every bite I eat and work out every day for the rest of my life.
And now, the pictures. The top is me about three months into MFP. The bottom three, from left to right, are me on my first, second and third MFP anniversaries.
My advice to everybody is: only do what you know you will do for the rest of your life. Take it one day at a time. Be patient and persistent and persevere through the tough times. Start learning how to love yourself today and you'll make it through.
Jeanne
Edited to add:
To those of you who have been fighting weight for years, here's my blog post from August 2011 when I officially was at a healthy BMI. It's full of pictures of my weight changes from age 11 and on.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/JeanneTops/view/official-135794
My goal is now and always will be: To Not Gain the Weight Back.
0
Replies
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Looking fantastic! Well done and happy anniversary for Saturday!0
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I normally do not read longer posts, but I was so glad that I read yours! You are an inspiration and when I am older, I can only HOPE to look as smokin' hot as you do!
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I so needed to see this right now since I officially switched to Maintenance Mode today. It's kind of scary! I've been on restriction mode for so long that it feels crazy to add in all of these "extra" calories. I don't plan on stopping my exercise so that's even more calories that I get to eat back. I'm planning on continuing to log so that I don't fall back into old habits and get lazy.
One more thing.... You look amazing!!! :flowerforyou:0 -
Very nicely said! Congratulations on your anniversary and all the best in the years to come 0
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You look fabulous!!!!! inspiration and motivation really appreciated
Namaste:flowerforyou:0 -
Great work!!0
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Whoa!!! Look at those arms! Amazing and congratulations for maintaining. You're an inspiration.0
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Great post! Congrats!!! You look amazing!0
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Wow, what a great example to those of us working our way into a healthier, happier lifestyle!0
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Happy Anniversary!0
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You are amazing inspiration Well done and good luck for your future! 0
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Wonderful journey and great inspiration a out sticking with it in maintenance0
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Awesome! You look GR8T! Thanks for sharing:):) 0
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What a wonderful post, and what a wonderful accomplishment. I have bookmarked this so on hard days I can reread it and remotivate. You look amazing and your attitude is fantastic. Thanks for this:flowerforyou::flowerforyou:0
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amazing! My favorite line is "only do what you know you will do for the rest of your life"
Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Love ya woman:drinker:0 -
Thank you so much for your story. What wonderful motivation as I have been a yo-yo dieter for years. Happy MFP anniversary and have a wonderful birthday on Saturday!! 0
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Awesome post and congrats on your next anniversary. Thanks.0
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this!!!! I am 44 and a little over where you started. I, too, had always been relatively healthy, but at this age, the extra weight is taking it's toll. You help me to know this can be done.
By the way, you look AMAZING! I love seeing before and after pics, and it always amazes me how much YOUNGER everyone looks in their after pics....along with, of course, looking much smaller and toned!
Again, thank you!!!!0 -
I enjoyed reading about your journey and how you plan to continue this journey. It is a little disappointing to have it reiterated that the journey doesn't end when the goal weight is reached but I thank you for being candid and so honest and SO correct. You look amazing and your attitude is fantastic! Wishing you all the continued success, somehow I know you've got this!!!0
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I am blessed to see you wisdom on a regular basis. Your wisdom and steadfast dedication are an inspiration. So proud of you! You look absolutely amazing!!!!0
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Great story! Congratulations! Very inspiring!0
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Jeanne, you are my inspiration daily. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your insights with the rest of us. You have the uncanny ability to empathize with the struggles of maintenance without giving us permission to give up. I repeatedly find myself reading your posts and thinking, "Yeah, that's what I would have said [if I had the ability to be as eloquent as Jeanne]!" Happy birthday, and happy anniversary...almost. We're so blessed to have you.0
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You look great and have given great advice and encouragement . Enjoy !0
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