Nothing tastes better than success!

CLynch309

A little over a year ago, I had 153 lbs on my 5'3" frame. My sweetie is a professional photographer and I hated the way I looked in pictures.He's good -- with both the camera and with photo-editing software, but there's only so much you can do! The camera can'tt lie any more than the button or snap or hook on the waistband of a pair of pants. I hated shopping because I didn't want to go up yet another size. I don't know what pushed me over the edge, but somehow, I got to the point where I'd had enough of feeling like that, and I made some changes.

My first stop was at my doctor's, who gave me a referral to a nutritionist. The nutritionist didn't do what I expected her to do (yell at me because I hate broccoli, and spinach and asparagus and pretty much anything any suggests is "good" to eat). She had me make a list of what I was eating and liked to eat, and she suggested substitutes that would taste very similar but would help me lose weight. I bought a food scale and prepared to start logging my intake here.

My next stop was at a private online group of friends who had the same issues and similar goals to garner support. We all bought FitBit Ultra devices to measure our steps and stairs. We would support each other by listening to each other whine when it got hard, pick each other up when we inevitably fail or failed to succeed fast enough and needed help to get back on track or just stay on track.

I started "officially" on Jan 1 last year. It didn't go in my mouth until I weighed, measured and logged it, so I would always know my intake. I dislike going to a gym - I hate the smells, the attitudes, communal locker rooms ; it's just not me. I've never been able to run. So I started walking. I have two extra large Australian Shepherds who need a lot of activity, so we have been walking every day. It occurred to me I could double my distance by walking the dogs separately, so I started doing that.

My job is about 50% travel. That means a lot of airplanes, hotels, dining and drinking with clients, and very long hours where exercise just isn't going to happen. I knew that what I'd been doing leads to trouble, so I faced each challenge, one at a time. At airports, I used to drag a rolling bag as my carryon, buy whatever fast food appealed at the moment and then sit at the gate and eat and read until they boarded the plane. Now, I use a backpack style carryon, and I walk around the airport terminal, back and forth, getting in as many steps and stairs as I can until it's time to go. I don't buy snacks from the flight attendants: I bring healthy, good for me, low calories snacks with me (like protein bars, beef jerky, pre-measured 100 calorie bags with almonds and raisins). When I park some place, I park as far away from the door as possible. When I arrive at a hotel, I request a room on floor 5-10. After getting my bags to my room the first time, I take the stairs from then on, not the elevator.

The other 50% of my job involves telecommuting from home. Sitting on my butt in front of a computer all day, with the kitchen conveniently close by. So I made sure there was nothing bad for me to get from the cabinets or the fridge, and/or the bad-for-me treats that my sweetie likes (he's not on a diet, and he doesn't need to suffer because I was unhappy with MY weight) are kept in a separate cabinet that is all HIS stuff; I just never go in there, the same way I wouldn't read someone's diary. It doesn't belong to me.I realized I wasn't literally chained to my desk: I own a cell phone, which means I could take breaks and during those breaks I could take walks. I could also very conveniently drink a LOT of water instead of eating at my desk. I kept a pitcher and a glass at my desk, so that I could constantly refill.

So it's been almost a year. Where am I today?
- 120 pounds.
- Size 4 in most clothes. Occasionally a 2 or a 6, depending on the brand. (At Chico's, I used to wear a 2 or 2.5; now the 00s are loose.)

Lost the majority of the weight in 7 months and have been maintaining or losing just a tiny bit more very slowly for almost 4 months.

Success tastes better than anything I ever ate.

amyplaysflute

Awesome job!

Shock_Wave

cliffs notes?

liapr

That's awesome! You look fantastic too.

Your subject line is a great mantra to keep in mind for me over the holidays too...