Weight Loss Questionnaire
Replies
-
• Gender: female
• Age: 23
• Starting weight: 265
• Current weight: 212
• Goal weight: 160
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which)
Self confidence, health
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?)
I was always heavy and most of my family was. My parents did not eat nutritiously or instill that in me when I was young. It really got out of control in middle school. My mother then went to the hosipital with a brain infection for about 4 yrs and during that time I binged a lot.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder?
No
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered)
When I was younger (early teens) I suffered from bulemia
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate)
Of course, you see all these gorgeous ladies. Even the larger ones are usually hourglass shaped.
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration?
I can't think of her name, but there's this plus sized model (size 12) that's just awesome
• Why do you want to look that way?
She's gorgeous & realistic
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…)
Daily 2 hour workout, weight loss pills, major food overhaul- cutting out all pop and most carbs
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over?
All over but specifically stomach and underarms.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated)
Motivated! I'm finally getting back into it.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online)
My boyfriend, my friends online
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public)
Idk
• What motivates you?
My skinny jeans!
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset)
Soooo disappointed
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible)
Optimistic. Hopefully 3-4 months.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal?
Comfortable in my skin
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next?
Get counseling? I know this is a healthy weight for me
• What is your biggest worry?
Not being able to maintain
• What have you learnt on your journey so far?
Love yourself and the rest falls into place0 -
• Gender: Female
• Age: 31
• Starting weight: 178
• Current weight: 128
• Goal weight: 120
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which) More energy for my kids, look good in clothes, getting married.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?) Always unhappy with my weight began after my first child, depression, divorce, etc
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder? No
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered) no but I abused weight loss pills over 10 years ago
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate) no
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration? Jillian Michaels
• Why do you want to look that way? I don't necessarily want to look like her just be fit like her
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…) Running, circuit training, portion control, counting calories, had a tummy tuck and breast reduction 3 years ago
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over? Inner thighs
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated) Positive in my weight loss
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online) Yes both online and real life
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public) Family thinks I am losing too much weight (realistically I am in a healthy weight range) People are nicer to me, get more looks from guys (sick)
• What motivates you? my kids, pissing off my ex-husband
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset) motivated to do better
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible) right around the corner!
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal? Satisfied, comfortable, accomplished
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next? I feel that way now, I took a month off to see how well I could maintain, I know I will be just fine
• What is your biggest worry? Gaining all the weight back
• What have you learnt on your journey so far? Time, it takes time and lots of patience, determination, dedication
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote? It's not about perfect. It's about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that's where transformation happens, That's how change occurs....Jillian Michaels0 -
• Gender: F
• Age: 33
• Starting weight: 191
• Current weight: 149
• Goal weight: 135-140
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which) Appearance & Health
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?) I come from an overweight family and I started packing on the pounds when I was about 7 or 8 years old which coincides with when we moved to the country and there were no children who lived nearby to play with. I ended up feeding my loneliness and sneaking food.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder? No
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered) Yes when I was a teenager
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate) No
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration? Female fitness competitors in general
• Why do you want to look that way? I think strong is beautiful
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…) I lift weights 4-5 days a week. I take Creatine, whey protein, and BCAA's as supplements. I'm also a runner and run 4 days a week. In terms of diet, I try to eat as cleanly as possible by eliminating processed food. I eat at TDEE - 15-20%
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over? My tummy is a problem area but it's just the last area to go since I'm close to goal.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated) I feel amazing about my loss. It's changed my life and made me discover I love health and fitness.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online) Yes both. Very supportive husband and friends. Great online friends as well.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public) Jealousy from one friend. Guys flirt with me now. I think the general public treats me nicer now that I'm not overweight.
• What motivates you? I continually set new goals as I achieve the old so that I'm always working towards something. Goals motivate me and my new found happiness and confidence motivate me to keep going.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset) I feel pissed off with myself when I fall off the wagon but it doesn't demotivate me. I brush myself off and climb back on.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible) It's very close (only 9 pounds away). I feel really good about it because I earned it. The journey is never over though. Once I reach my goal I'll create new goals because there's always room for improvement. The new goals would be fitness goals, not weight goals.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal? I think I'll feel a great sense of accomplishment and empowered. If I can commit to something for this length of time then I can achieve anything I decide to do.
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next? It still won't change the happiness and confidence I've gained in this journey so I will continue doing what I'm doing to maintain my happiness.
• What is your biggest worry? I don't have one related to weight-loss.
• What have you learnt on your journey so far? That you can eat lots of food and still lose weight.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote? "Suck it up now or suck it in later"0 -
• Gender: F
• Age: 28
• Starting weight: 170
• Current weight: 168
• Goal weight: 130
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which)
I did lose weight and get down to my goal, but forgot about maintenance. I want to lose weight because I feel better at a healthy weight, I can run faster, and I look better. I'm getting married in October and running my 7th half marathon in November. I'd like to reach my goal by September.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?)
I never cared about my weight and was just completely ignorant about nutrition, calories, and fitness for most of my life. I grew up in the the south east United States. I was never really over weight, though never really thin either, when I was growing up. I lost a little weight my freshman year in college, then gained a bunch after that. I reached 193 pounds about a year after college. It wasn't really a special event... I just realized I was really unhappy with many things about my life. I decided to be happy and made a bunch of changes, one of which included losing weight. I got to 128 pounds, regained about 15 pretty quickly, maintained for a couple of years, then slowly gained until I was at 170 again.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder?
No I don't think so
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered)
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate)
Maybe I used to, but I'm pretty independent so mostly I just want to be the best version of myself and don't try to imitate anyone else
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration?
Not to sound conceded, but I have to be my own inspiration... I want to be the best version of myself
• Why do you want to look that way?
As far as I know, this is the only human body I will ever get to inhabit. I want to make the best of it and see what it is capable of.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…)
I'm basically just obsessively logging in MFP and exercising to burn enough calories so that I can eat more than the 1200 calories MFP suggests. My TDEE is currently 1875, so I aim to net 1125 calories per day by eating 1500 calories and burning 375 calories.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over?
I'd like to firm up my arms and tummy, but as you (hopefully) know, you can't spot reduce. I'm trying to tone while losing so eventually when the layers of fat around my muscles are reduced I will have some definition
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated)
I feel pretty positive and motivated most of the time. Sometimes I'll slip and will just not care. I am happy with myself and my body, but I know I could/should lose 40 pounds.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online)
Yes, my MFP friends are very supportive and my best friends and fiance are supportive as well. Sometimes my fiance just forgets I'm doing this and will try to offer my sweets, but he's still supportive
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public)
When I lost weight before, I did receive a lot of compliments. Honestly it made me feel bad sometimes because I wondered how bad I must have looked before I lost the weight. Now I really don't care what anyone thinks because I'm doing it for myself.
• What motivates you?
Trying on wedding dresses is pretty motivating. Wanting to wear some of my skinny clothes again so I don't have to go buy new clothes is pretty motivating. Wanting to set a half marathon PR is motivating.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset)
Sometimes I honestly just forget. I'll eat something without even thinking about it then later be like "oops, I should log that." I'm also very busy with working two jobs, helping my BFF with her wedding, and planning my own wedding, so I'll be too tired to care. It's easier to order pizza than to make a salad when you work late and are tired.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible)
I don't know. I'm pretty determined. I actually know I will get there. I just need to stay determined and motivated enough to do it a little quicker. I'm losing less than a pound a week at the moment and I'd like to lose closer to 2 pounds per week. It seems sort of far away and difficult, but definitely possible.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal?
I'll feel excited, but nervous about potentially regaining. I will probably struggle with my weight for the rest of my life. Accepting that makes easier to focus on the fact that reaching my goal isn't the end of the journey. It's the beginning of maintenance, which will be just as challenging as losing the weight in the first place. This is a lifestyle change, not a diet or a phase I'm going through.
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next?
There's no other way to feel, otherwise I'll gain the weight back
• What is your biggest worry?
Regaining the weight after I've worked so hard to lose it
• What have you learnt on your journey so far?
Losing weight is less than half the battle. Maintenance is a lifelong journey.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote?
"There will be a day when you can no longer do this. Today is not that day."
"It is a shame for a [woman] to grow old without ever seeing the strength and beauty of which [her] body is capable." - Socrates0 -
• Gender: Female
• Age: 22
• Starting weight: 310
• Current weight: 275
• Goal weight: 170
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which)
I felt unhealthy and sluggish, I was being asked if I was pregnant, I couldn't tie my shoelaces without effort.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?)
I've always been unhappy with my weight. I've always been "big" tall and overweight. When I got on birth control, I gained 60pounds within a year.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder? No
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered) No
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate) No
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration? Curvy, thick, athletic women with hourglass figures, not neccessarily celebrities, but fit, in tone, that look great in a bikini playing beach volleyball.
• Why do you want to look that way? Because to me it symbolizes being healthy and strong, not skinny. I'd be able to run, jump, and sprint with no problems.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…)
Low carb diet, eliminating most processed foods. Once I get half-way to my goal, start incorporating cardio and exercise so I won't be so hard on my joints.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over? I'm trying to change all over.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated) Positive and motivated at the moment. But sometimes negative when the scale doesn't move as fast as I'd like it to.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online) My boyfriend, mom and dad in real life. And instagram friends are very supportive. MFP has the best advice and encourgement.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public) Yes. Some people don't hang out with me as often, since I can't par-take in Happy Hours, and pizza parties.
• What motivates you? Getting healthy, getting married in my dream wedding dress, getting into single digit clothing, my boyfriend.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset) Motivated to do better. We are all humans, and we all make mistakes now and again.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible) It's far away, but it's one step at a time. And mini goals help me immensely.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal? Energized, accomplished, enpowered.
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next? Do some soul-searching, focus on why I'm not happy.
• What is your biggest worry? Failing myself and my friends and family.
• What have you learnt on your journey so far? Progress, even big or small is still progress in the right direction. This isn't going to happen overnight.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote? "If you want to stop re-starting this journey, stop giving up"0 -
• Gender: Female
• Age: 31
• Starting weight: 221
• Current weight: 182
• Goal weight: 135-140
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which) Feel healthy, hopefully solve some fertility issues and like the way I look.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?) I was never very big growing up, very active in sports and with friends, about the time that I became old enough to drink I had a lot of stress with my parents and then was sidelined with back problems that resulted in 3 years of pain before having back surgery. In those three years I was in too much pain to be active, so enjoyed my University time and early 20's eating badly and partying too much. It took a good 5-6 years after the surgery to be able to be active and workout, so now I am getting back on track.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder? I have had some issues with Bulimia
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered) Mostly recovered, have a problem now and then.
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate) Nope - some people are just either blessed with genetics, have a lot of money and time to work out and eat healthy or are more dedicated than the rest of us.
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration? Me, I know that I will not look like anyone else and I just strive to have the best body that I can for my shape
• Why do you want to look that way? see previous answer
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…) - Working out and eating basically the same diet, just with portion control and the "bad" items in moderation.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over? At this point there is fat to loose from all areas of my body
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated) Great, down almost 40lbs, have hit a plateau recently and am focusing on my loss so far to motivate me to pick up the pace
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online) The people on here have been great and honestly I get tons of support from family, friends, even our neighbours that see me out running.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public) No change
• What motivates you? The progress I have made, my cousin/best friend and the slim hope that this will help with the fertility issues and we will be blessed with a child (can't cling to that or I would be destroyed if that didn't happen)
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset) A bit annoyed with myself, but always look at each day as a new day.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible) Still far away, but I am about halfway there so it seems possible, maybe not in the time frame that I had originally hoped.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal? Proud and hopefully healthy, a little less tired would be nice
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next? Pretty sure I will feel proud, so have not really thought about this.
• What is your biggest worry? This weight loss won't help to get me pregnant and that I will get injured and not be able to keep running.
• What have you learnt on your journey so far? Reminded of how strong my body can be and how strong I am mentally.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote? "Be Miserable. Or Motivate yourself. What ever has to be done, it's always your choice"0 -
• Gender: Female
• Age: 49
• Starting weight: Two years ago: 200. This time: 170
• Current weight: 160
• Goal weight: 150-155
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which) I wanted to lose more weight to see if it would improve my running, and in hopes of getting rid of belly fat.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?) I was very active throughout my teens and early twenties, and didn't gain weight significantly until I went back to college in my late 20s and suddenly became very sedentary. It took a few years for the weight to creep up, but I was 200+ in grad school by the time I was in my early 30s. Had a kid. Got even heavier when I was home with him from age 1-2, probably hit about 220. Got a retail job and 20 or so pounds came off. Stayed around 200 for a few years, then changed my diet significantly (no more red meat at home, more beans/legumes, more soy products, wouldn't buy a lot of the treats I loved) and got down to 175 in 2001. Within a few years, though, I'd back slid on many of the changes, added back a lot of the treats, and spent most of the next decade in the 180-190 range. The holidays combined with unusual stress put me back to about 200 at Christmas, 2010. January 2011 I started tracking calories, lost over 30 pounds, kept if off within 5 pounds, came back to tracking (at MFP) in January 2013 to lose some more weight.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder? No.
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered) No.
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate) Not now, no. I certainly always wanted to look like the models in magazines when I was younger, though.
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration? I like the look of healthy, strong women--think Xena, Warrior Princess.
• Why do you want to look that way? I don't, particularly. But I want to be strong and healthy--and my looks should reflect that if I succeed.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…) I run, currently 20-25 miles per week, and take Pilates classes twice a week for overall strength. For weight loss, I count calories on MFP, with a goal of losing half a pound a week. I don't deprive myself of any foods I love, just fit them into my calorie allotment.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over? I specifically would like to lose enough weight so that my belly gets smaller.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated) I feel proud that I lost weight two years ago, happy that I improved my health significantly. Because I did it before and was successful, I had a lot of confidence starting it up again this time. Experience also taught me that a simple calorie deficit works, and to just be patient.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online) My husband is a great support. I have MFP friends, too.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public) I've been told by some friends that my weight loss is inspiring.
• What motivates you? I want to be a better runner. Two years ago: health.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset) I'll let you know if it ever happens. I think I don't go overboard with eating because I can fit the treats I like into my day without going over. And if I do go over on a day, it's no big deal (but I've never gone over by more than a few hundred, so it really hasn't been a big deal).
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible) I don't have that far to go (less than 10 pounds), but I'm taking it slowly so it could take months. I know it's not impossible. I'll get there. It is hard to see weight loss sometimes when you're only shooting for half a pound a week, and your weight varies by up to 3 or 4 pounds a day. But the trend is downwards, so I'm happy.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal? Satisfied.
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next? I would take a look at what I was still unsatisfied with, and see if it was something I could change or whether I'm maybe not being realistic. I'm 49. I'm never going to look as taut as someone in her 30s. I think I would stop with the weight loss and give myself time to get used to my shape as it is at goal weight. And since my overall goal is to be a faster runner, the weight loss alone isn't going to accomplish that--I'll still need targeted speed work, so it could be quite a while before I really can assess results.
• What is your biggest worry? About weight loss? That my boobs disappear completely.
• What have you learnt on your journey so far? To be more relaxed about food. Eat food packed with vitamins, protein, healthy fats, minerals, etc. to meet my body's needs, then round things off with treats to meet my body's likes.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote? Patience is a virtue.0 -
Gender: Female
• Age: 57
• Starting weight: 261
• Current weight: 202.7
• Goal weight: 175
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? Multiple reasons to lose weight--starting with: I don't want to have to take a bunch of medications to control Type II diabetes. Strong family history of osteoarthritis, which was passed down to me, and I grew tired of having my hips and knees ache constantly. I was also tired of getting short of breath if I climbed more than 1 short flight of stairs.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?) As a child, I was normal weight. When I was in 6th grade, I was taller and weighed more than all my classmates, which led me to believe I was "fat" Adolescence also brought life changes which caused me to eat more, when I felt that was all I could control. I lost quite a bit of weight at 23 through eating healthier and exercising--but lost my motivation after age 25. Settled into marriage and cooking--my husband and I both love to eat! Didn't watch the scales until I weighed 240, but wasn't successful sticking to a "diet". My absolute highest was 295 I believe; when I was 39.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder? Does "sneak eating" qualify as a disorder? Yes, I buried my feelings under food also!
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered) In the past, see above.
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? I used to feel that way, but am past all that now!
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration? One of my inspirations is Tina Turner--dang that woman looks great for her age! Also myself at 23--I have a couple pictures of that which make me smile!
• Why do you want to look that way? I've hidden under layers of clothes for long enough! I want to show off my body and feel proud of it again.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…) I am trying to exercise, although this winter has been very hard on that aspect. I cannot follow any specific diet--just say the word and I head toward the refrigerator! Faithful logging of my foods, taking responsibility for what I put in my mouth, and purely being stubborn is what is working for me. I only take regular multi vitamins and my glucosamine/chondroitin supplements.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over? I am trying to change all over. I have loose skin under my arms, on my lower abdomen, and my upper thighs that I want to firm up.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated) I am very positive about my weight loss and fully acknowledge the effort required to get to where I am today.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online) My husband is my biggest supporter, he says I am his motivation and I say he is mine! He's on MFP also. Online friends here at MFP are wonderful supporters. It's nice to have even little things acknowledged!
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public) I have people saying they don't think I need to lost any more weight (haha to them). At first, having my weight loss recognized and praised scared me-I didn't want to be noticed. It almost drove me back into poor eating habits. I've overcome that scary stuff (mostly) now.
• What motivates you? My husband, my family.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset)
I allow myself a cheat day a week. Some weeks it's not much of a cheat! Other weeks--it's like WOW, where did all those calories come from?
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible) I am getting so close I can taste victory!
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal? It's an arbitrary goal--I may revise it once I get there.
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next? As I said, it's an arbitrary goal, just my initial stopping point! I will probably want to go down at least 20 more pounds once I get there. I'll just set another goal!
• What is your biggest worry? That my loose skin won't go away! EWWW!
• What have you learnt on your journey so far? I have learned just how many calories I was consuming in a day and am surprised that I didn't weight more than I did. Now when I look at some of the treats I used to eat regularly, I realize that they didn't taste as good as I thought. I will have maybe 1/4-1/2 of some treat instead of the whole thing. The initial couple of bites are yummy, and it sates my "sugar monster"
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote? I found this one on MFP and have it on my fridge and my wall at work: :bigsmile: Don't wait until you've reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching that goal.0 -
• Gender: F
• Age: 22
• Starting weight: Unknown (140-155)
• Current weight: 128
• Goal weight: My natural weight
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which)
Originally it was to feel better about msyelf. Now I find the only way for that to happen has to come from within. I now just want to have the healthiest body I possibly can- and weightloss will merely be a side effect of that.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?)
As soon as the teasing started in school, so around grade 4. I was 13 when I started to feel chubby, and only took drastic measures when I was 17. My mother, sadly, I think taught me my bad habits. Snacking constantly, and sugar was a definite trigger food of mine.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder?
Yes. When I was 17, I started cutting out unhealthy foods from my diet. Eventually that led to excessive limitation of food intake and calorie consumption (600 calories a day maximum).
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered)
Yes, I was an annorexic turned compulsive over-eater. It was near the end of college and the beginning of my career was when I made the switch to help me handle excessive stress.
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate)
Yes, at times. But I now am so focused on health, those advertisements mean little to me. I know that the majority of what we see in the media is not reality, in fact, it is far from real.
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration?
Kris Carr. Author/Director of Crazy Sexy Cancer. My perfect body starts from the inside out
• Why do you want to look that way?
Originally I wanted to look like a hot chick on the cover of a health magazine. But I later found out, that they really only look that good for weeks at a time. After discovering that, I began searching elsewhere for the perfect body. I have found, that the perfect body- is my own. Just in its peak level of fitness, happiness and health.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…)
I am trying to eat as many raw foods as possible.
I drink (preferably green) homemade fresh juice every morning, and often times a green smoothie as well. I load up on chia seeds, green veggies, vegan protein powders (sometimes), raw nuts, homemade almond milks, fruits etc.
I am trying to maintain a vegan diet (kind of necessary if you want to go raw, too!), but on special occasions when I do not cook my own food- I will eat eggs and fish as well.
I exercise as often as I can, but do not hesitate to rest if feel my body is in need of it.
Currently, I am doing body weight exercises, running, walking, belly dancing and turbo fire.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over?
Of course I do, but it's healthier for me to focus on the mental side of it and be happy and continue to improve rather than FOCUS on my problem areas. That is a slippery slope, and triggers unhealthy thoughts which lead to disordered actions and negativity.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated)
Positive. I love how I feel, and I am so excited to see and feel my body change further.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online)
Most consistently: MFP, my boyfriend and one friend of mine whom works out with me often. No one is against my journey in health, as I have sadly had to cut ties with those whom were exceedingly negative and hindering my progress.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public)
Not really.
• What motivates you?
Raw food/health related articles, books, success stories, new health-helping kitchen appliances (blender, juicer), new raw food/vegan restaurants, recipe books, recipe/health related sites, movies and health ambassadors such as Kris Carr.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset)
Like I need to go to Whole Foods and buy a ****ton of dark chocolate. And then eat it. And then get over it and move on.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible)
I don't have a real goal, which is something I should work on. For now, I am loving the ride and journey. I always strive to grow and improve in this arena, and hope to one day inspire others to do the same.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal?
Unstoppable!
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next?
Strive to improve, and take it one day at a time.
• What is your biggest worry?
That I will become lost, and lose sense of who I am. That is why it is important to keep other passions alive and well in your life always.
• What have you learnt on your journey so far?
It is not about the number on your scale, but moreso about how you feel. What you put in your body has a direct impact on your body, even if it doesn't show it with fat storage. Whole foods are the foods our bodies were designed to thrive on.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote?
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" -Hippocrates0 -
• Gender: Female
• Age: 58
• Starting weight: 210
• Current weight: 162
• Goal weight: 150
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which) I want to lose weight to be healthy and control my diabetes.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?) I have been heavy since I was 10 years old...started out slowly. I always had low self esteem. But I was never obese until adulthood and, then, not till after I had my kids. I have been up and down in weight most of my adult life.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder? No
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered) No
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate) Not as much now as I did when I was younger. When you get older and face mortality, you tend to just want to be healthy and not skinny.
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration? Marilyn Monroe...she was perfect.
• Why do you want to look that way? She was a size 14..probably about a size 10 today. I would satisfied to be that size.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…) I eat low carb because I have diabetes. I try to eat as little refined sugar as possible. I eat more fresh fruit now, although, again, I have to watch the carbs. I exercise much more than I ever did...bicycling, power walking and swimming in season. I do a little weight training but its minimal.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over? Mostly my belly....I never had one till I got older. I always lost weight in my waist first but now it looks like it will be the last place I will lose it. My hips, too....right now they are very lumpy and the skin is saggy. Don't know if that improve or not now.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated) VERY positive. I had my doubts that I could actually do this, Its the longest amount of time I have been on a successful weight loss program. And the more I lose, the more motivated I am.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online) My MFPeeps are here for me. My b/f is also very supportive....he likes what he is seeing. The rest of my family are encouraging but its not the same as supportive involvement.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public) I would say not. I am still the same person on the inside, as far as my friend and family go. And I haven't noticed any difference from strangers, although I may in the future.
• What motivates you? Answered that above....my weight loss. The more I lose, the more I want to keep losing. But its also clothes. I LOVE being able to shop in a regular misses or even juniors department in the store and know I will find attractive clothes that will fit and look good on me. I also want to influence my kids...they both need to lose weight. And I have a new granddaughter...I want to healthy for her.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset) Depressed....but I suffer from chronic depression (take meds for it). But it passes and I get sympathetic words from my friends here. It doesn't last long.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible) I feel very sure I will reach it. But I have felt that way from the first day I started (with a few bumps along the way). I am really looking forward to spending the rest of my life light and active.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal? FABULOUS!
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next? I can't see that happening, but in any event, I wont go back. My life depends on it now.
• What is your biggest worry? That my skin will sag so much that I will look awful in summer clothes and bathing suits.
• What have you learnt on your journey so far? That losing weight is something anyone can do as long as you are ready to do it. If you aren't, don't bother because you will only frustrate yourself and its better to just wait till its the right time. And you will know when its the right time. Also, I used to think that keeping track of your food wasn't necessary....well, for me, its been a major reason for my weight loss. Seeing what you eat on paper goes a long way.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote? "Never go out of your WEIGH to please anyone but yourself."0 -
Ill have to do this later thanks0
-
Bump for later. Cool, though; I'll get back to it.0
-
sent a message! 0
-
• Gender: Female
• Age: 34
• Starting weight: 250 lb
• Current weight: 238 lb
• Goal weight: 174 lb
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which)
Mainly health, but also to look better and set a good example for when I have children.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?)
Was skinny through childhood, except for age 9 when I think I just hit a weird phase. After university, started gaining weight for a variety of reasons, including mental health, medications, and a relationship with someone who reinforced my bad habits. I always had a weird relationship with food and body image, though, thanks to my mother.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder?
Yes.
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered)
Yes.
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate)
I try to ignore it, but it's always there.
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration?
Myself around age 19-20, but more muscular.
• Why do you want to look that way?
Because I know it's achievable and I know how to build muscle now.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…)
Counting calories - trying to stick to TDEE-20%, and doing more exercise - walking, hula-hooping, body-weight circuit training, and will be getting into punching a heavy bag when we get it hung up in the basement.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over?
I've been told that "spot correction" is not possible, so I'm trying to change overall. Though if I could magically get rid of my double chin, that'd be #1 on the list.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated)
Positive about my loss so far and motivated to keep going.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online)
Yes, my husband. We are working together to get healthy. Also, the MFP community as well as a different online community where we weigh in once a week and talk about stuff.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public)
I'm not sure since there's not much change in me yet. People are generally excited when I tell them what my husband and I are working on.
• What motivates you?
The progress I've made and the way I feel, as well as my long-term motivation of wanting to set a good example for future children.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset)
I feel a little down and maybe confused, but I get over it quickly because I know that it's normal.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible)
It's pretty far, but I feel like I can do it. 1 pound at a time.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal?
From what I've read from other people, it will probably take some time for my brain to catch up. But I think once I realize what I've done, I'll feel a great sense of accomplishment and I hope a general sense of lightness.
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next?
I'll keep working on my body composition, maybe try and work on muscle definition.
• What is your biggest worry?
That I'll come back into contact with my mother and she'll sabotage all my hard work. A small part of why I want to lose weight is to spite her. That sounds bad, but I don't care, it's honest.
• What have you learnt on your journey so far?
That I'm not on a diet. Not to stress. That maintaining muscle is of the utmost importance so I look good when I slim down.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote?
"Progress not perfection"0 -
Gender: Female
Age: 18
Starting weight: 160lbs
Current weight: 145lbs
Goal weight: 125lbs
What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which)
I want to lose weight, mostly for vanity reasons, but also, for me it's not about the actual weight, but the increased fitness and a generally healthier lifestyle
Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?)
Overweight from about the age of eight, until about sixteen. I used very dangerous strategies to lose the weight, and I was unhappy. Got stuck in a viscous cycle of guilt, starvation and lies for two years until I decided to screw the loneliness and eat like a normal person
Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder?
No, but rather some disordered habits and thoughts that I'm fighting
Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered)
Not diagnosed, but when I was eating no solids for weeks at a time and trying to throw up food, yes, or when I was restricting intake to 700 calories a day and lost my period. I genuinely believe that I'll go back to it one day. I think I'll be in a cycle of wanting better but getting too scared of weight gain to ever be happy and healthy
Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate)
Yes, I think that thin is seen as the ideal for many people my age, but pressure (albeit indirect) has also come from my family and perfectionist personality, so I don't think it's all the media
Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration?
I don't have one. Just anyone who is genuinely happy with the way they look (does it exist!?)
Why do you want to look that way?
Don't have a specific idol
What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…)
Eating ~1700 calories a day, running probably every three days (2-6 miles), going to the gym and doing strength (low weights, high reps) twice or three times a week, yoga once a week
Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over?
My thighs are the worst
How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated)
Sometimes I look in the mirror, feel a bit thinner and it makes me have a good day, but often I will have negative thoughts and think I will never be slimmer, and I'll never get to where I want to be, because I've never gotten there healthily before
Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online)
Nope
Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public)
Losing the weight definitely changed the way I was seen by family, respect comes from looking good (not being healthy by a long shot). I guess I was growing up and it signalled the end of the puppy fat, so the end of baby me and suddenly I was someone who they could have a conversation with
What motivates you?
Slim girls, like my uncle's girlfriend who isn't that slim naturally, but runs and eats well to stay that way, because one day I want to be like her
If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset)
Upset, and like a failure the next day, but satisfied and full on that day
How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible)
Definitely feels far away, even though I've reached it before, but I was pretty messed up, hungry and sad at that point
How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal?
Probably like it's not enough
What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next?
If I feel content with myself, then I'll carry on running and eating right. If not, I'll keep a calorie deficit
What is your biggest worry?
Never liking myself, and never having people who like me because of that
What have you learnt on your journey so far?
That I am capable. I can run 6 miles, I can eat right, and I can, occasionally, like the way I look
What is your favourite (relevant) quote?
Don't have one0 -
• Gender: Female
• Age: 33
• Starting weight: 340
• Current weight: 234
• Goal weight: 160
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which)
Health and to be more active
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?)
I was always overweight but didn't start hating my body (and myself) until I was about 12/13
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder?
Not really. Prior to changing my life through better nutrition and exercise I would say I did. I used food as a mindless filler, to fill some sort of void that always wanted more.
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered)
Yes, I binge ate.
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate)
Yes, to not be fat. It's just not acceptable to be a fat woman. Period.
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration?
Gina Carano. I love her muscles and the fact that she can choke a guy out with her thighs. Woof!
• Why do you want to look that way?
Muscles, strength, beauty. I love that she is not the norm, I love that she is strong and athletic.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…)
I've adopted an entirely different way of relating to food. It is fuel. Excercise is no longer to lose weight, it's to challenge my body. I drink a gallon of water. I eat non-processed healthy foods. I am mindful of everything I eat. I log everything I eat. I see a personal trainer 3x a week. I've had a sport physiical.. I see a nutritionist. I read about health. I take multiple supplements to attain nutrition goals and make my body healthier.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over?
I'm trying to change my whole body.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated)
I feel ****ing awesome about my weight loss!
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online)
My boyfriend is my biggest supporter. MFP friends are super supportive too and I really enjoy seeing them cheer me on. I've done better since joining MFP.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public)
There are some women in my office that are really *****y towards me. Family is proud.
• What motivates you?
The scale. Cute clothes.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset)
I've only had 2 cheat days in 2 months. I feel terrible and guilty and it's extremely motivating to get back on track. I don't punish myself, mostly I just get cranky.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible)
My goal is so much closer but it feels like i'll never get there. I am excited to reach my goal weight but I fear that I still won't be happy.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal?
I would think proud and happy.
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next?
Search for things to make me feel happy.
• What is your biggest worry?
Failure or injuring myself and having to stop exercising.0 -
Female
26 yrs old
• Starting weight: 160
• Current weight: 152
• Goal weight: 120
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which) Lose weight. The biggest reason is I feel my self-consciousness about my weight is holding me back from many of the things I'd like to do in life.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?)
I was always itty bitty. My mom told me all that would change after I got to a certain age. I didn't pay her any attention. Well, she was right-- it did! As it did, I became less and less active which only made it worse!
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder? No.
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered) I've never been anorexic or bulimic. But I'm an emotional eater. It used to be really bad where I'd eat a container or something instead of the designated serving.
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate) I do, but I also know how I used to look and feel and I think even if I was never introduced to any "skinny" media, I would still want to lose weight.
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration? I can't think of a specific person, but I would love a flat stomach!
• Why do you want to look that way? So I don't have to purchase clothes to ensure my stomach isn't buldging out.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…) I have great intentions to eat 1200 calories a day and not exceed 30 grams of fat, also to work out 4-5 times a week.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over? All over mostly. If I had to pick problem areas, I'd say stomach, inner thighs, outter thighs.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated) Overwhelmed and lazy. It's so much easier to DREAM of being healthy and fit than it is to do the work it takes to get there.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online) MyFitnessPal has been a nice little support group. My husband "supports" me by saying I'm beautiful and not fat. What I REALLY need is for him to hold me accountable to the bad choices I seem to make quite regularly.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public) I don't "diet", but when watching my calories, I get lots of comments like, "Oh, you don't need to lose weight!" Granted I don't LOOK overly obese, my body fat percentage is very close to the obesity line. Besides, even if it weren't, I know my body and thighs haven't always rubbed together! (Haha)
• What motivates you? I have hopes and dreams of having a gorgeous photo session with my husband after I shed some pounds. Also, the thought of going through my closet and actually fitting into some jeans and things I placed aside for "when I lose ____ lbs" would be SO liberating.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset) Like a complete failure. Negativity swarms inside my head-- "Why do I even try?"
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible) It seems so out of reach. Sad thing is, I'd probably feel sooooo much better if I just lost 5 lbs... yet somehow it seems so unattainable.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal? More spontaneous, more outgoing. More alive.
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next? Try and step outside my comfort zone.
• What is your biggest worry? I'll never lose this weight- and maybe even gain a bunch more weight. I can imagine all the many things that would keep me from doing. I think mostly about the future, starting a family, having kids.
• What have you learnt on your journey so far? There's still so far to go.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote? "Discipline is remembering what you want."0 -
I'm doing graphic design at university and my current project is titled "A journey of 1cm" so naturally I'm doing weight loss. I need to gather some first hand research so I've put together a questionnaire I would like as many people to answer as possible.
All questions are optional but please try to answer as many as possible. If you do not want to give an answer, or a question is irrelevant, please put N/A as the answer instead of leaving the question blank.
Note: Some questions are quite personal, however all questionnaires will be kept anonymous. If you do not want other people to see your answers feel free to message them to me instead of replying on here.
• Gender: Female
• Age: 32
• Starting weight: 190 (highest weight)
• Current weight: 148
• Goal weight: ~140 (not totally sure, depends more on how I look and feel).
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which) Originally it was to look better and feel more confident, but now it is just as much about health and fitness and being in good shape when I'm old so I can still enjoy life.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?) I was pretty thin up until my mid-20's even though my diet was atrocious. Then over 3 years I gained 50 pounds, partially due to a medication I was on, and partially due swicthing from an active to sedentary job without changing my eating habits. Probably just a slowing down of my metabolism as well.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder? No.
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered) No.
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate) Somewhat. It can be hard to feel confident in your appearance after looking at pictures of actresses and models even though rationally I know they have hair and makeup people, good lighting and photoshop working for them and I'd probably look pretty fierce too with all that.
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration? There isn't a particular person. I found a picture of a woman lifting weight who has a similar body shape to me (busty and muscular legs, evenly proportioned) and I taped that up on my wall as inspiration. She looks healthy, fit and strong, not skinny.
• Why do you want to look that way? Because it looks good and healthy. It looks like she can do anything she wants, like strap on a backpack and go hiking for days!
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…) I cut way back on "bad for me" foods and drinks, drink a lot of water and try to eat more fruits and vegetables. For activity I increased to about 3x or more per week doing running, long walks, hikes, ypga and strength training.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over? At this point I just have some stubborn bits in the midsection and upper thighs. I'm pretty happy with everything else now that I've lost 42 pounds.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated) I feel very proud of how much I've accomplished. it's been a slow process (2+ years) but it's been maintainable. Sometimes I get frustrated with how slow the last bit is coming off, but I know I'll get there.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online) Yes, both real life friends, and people from MFP and Tumblr.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public) Yes. People talk about my weight and body a lot more now, especially people at work who have noticed the changes. It'sa bit weird that people are paying that much attention to my body, even in a positive way. Also, men are friendlier. Some people have showed signs of being jealous, others have been inspired to start making changes themselves because of my loss, and that makes me feel awesome.
• What motivates you? My own progress motivates me. I went from only being able to run for about a minute to running a 5k in about 30 minutes. Fitting back into my old skinny clothes. Seeing others' before and afters. Reading fitness blogs and forums.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset) Sometimes physically gross depending on what I've eaten. I don't tend to feel too guilty I just get myself back on track quickly.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible) I feel like it is pretty close, but I also feel like it will be a lifelong project - not to keep losing weight, but to stay fit and keep improving my fitness/strength/flexibility.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal? Pretty damn good.
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next? Keep working until I feel totally confident in a bikini.
• What is your biggest worry? I don't really have any worries about it. I've been steadily losing for over two years with no yo-yoing. Now that I know I can do it, and know I'm committed to maintaining or improving, and I'm pretty happy with my body, there is nothing to worry about!
• What have you learnt on your journey so far? That living a healthier lifestyle really does give you more energy and make you feel better. That I love running even though I always thought I'd hate it. That I have more self control than I ever gave myself credit for. That I can set and achieve goals and stick to something long term. that other people's reactions to my weight loss are varied and interesting.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote? I don't really have one.0 -
I'm doing graphic design at university and my current project is titled "A journey of 1cm" so naturally I'm doing weight loss. I need to gather some first hand research so I've put together a questionnaire I would like as many people to answer as possible.
All questions are optional but please try to answer as many as possible. If you do not want to give an answer, or a question is irrelevant, please put N/A as the answer instead of leaving the question blank.
Note: Some questions are quite personal, however all questionnaires will be kept anonymous. If you do not want other people to see your answers feel free to message them to me instead of replying on here.
• Gender: female
• Age:44
• Starting weight:203
• Current weight:163
• Goal weight: 145
• What are your reasons for wanting to lose/gain weight? (Please state which) I want to lose the weight to feel better myself & to give my husband a wife to enjoy looking at.
• Tell me a bit about your past… (Were you always unhappy with your weight? Did it begin in childhood? Did a specific event trigger unnatural eating habits?) I Have always struggled to keep weight under control. I lost that control four times since I was 21. Once was a pregnancy, the others were stressful times. I tend to be a stress eater. I am learning to stop at this ripe old age.
• Would you consider yourself as having an eating disorder? no
• Have you ever had an eating disorder in the past? (If you are now recovered) no
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way? (If so please elaborate) Of course, as much as any other woman. We are told to have any curves is ugly and shameful. Unless it involves fake boobs...
• Who has your ideal body/Who is your body inspiration? Pink, her abs are amazing. She looks fit and strong.
• Why do you want to look that way? To look better in clothes and without them.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…) Striving for a 1000calorie per day deficit in calories in/out. Walking most days for 3-5miles. Taking Pure Barre classes 4-5days/week.
• Do you have ‘problem areas’ (please specify) or are you trying to change all over? Yes, abdomen and upper arms. Abdomen fat has been creeping up on me after age 35. Arms are looking my age.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated) I feel much better and have much more endurance than when heavy.
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online) My 20 y/o daughter is my exercise buddy. She turned me on to using MFP last year.
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public) Family is happy for me and tells me I look great. There are the occasional "friends" that seem annoyed by it. I have regained the attention of random men in stores. That sometimes can make your day.
• What motivates you? Seeing inches disappear. Also, use a Fitbit. It keeps your mind thinking about moving your butt.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset)
I do not feel bad for the occasional falling off the wagon. This is a journey not a sprint. If I overdo it one day, I workout longer the next. I get so irritated when people whine about that.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible) It seems very hard to obtain. I have 18lbs to go and they are coming off very slowly.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal? Very proud of myself
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next? If I do not feel the satisfaction at my goal weight, I may attempt to lose an additional 10 lbs.
• What is your biggest worry? I do worry that I will reach my goal & slowly put it back on.
• What have you learnt on your journey so far? I have learned that I am still just as strong today at 44 that I was at 24.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote? Keep moving, unless you die.0 -
• Gender: F
• Age: 19
• Starting weight: 115kg or 253lbs
• Current weight: 97.5kg or 214lbs
• Goal weight: 60kg or 132lbs
Reasons:
My Husband
My Health
Children
Past:
I was skinny as a rake as a child, when I hit puberty (which unfortunately also came in perfect timing with my mum being diagnosed with a sister disease of MS) I comfort ate, and due to travelling back and forth from the hospital daily for upto 2 months at a time when my mum was re-admitted, we ate a LOT of junk food, which ultimately led to me being 80kg at age 12, my mother and aunt tried a bunch of diets to help me lose weight (Soup, lite n' easy, celebrity slim etc.) Nothing ever worked, because we would still eat crap, I left school at 13 due to bullying, and ended up going into a massive depression until I was 17, when I met my husband online, at this point I was drinking 1.2litre bottles of soda daily, sometimes could drink a bottle of vodka in a day, I actually recently worked out on mfp what I was consuming calorie wise at least twice a week, and it came out to over 6000 calories (wow right?!)
Disorder:
I wouldn't consider myself as having a disorder of any kind, but I am able to purge without a second thought if I'm feeling upset about what I ate, currently trying to stop this as much as possible, I also noticed when I finally gave up the crappy food, I can happily eat around 600 calories a day, so for me it's been all about finding the "balance" as it seems like I can either completely go nuts with food, or not at all.
• Do you feel pressure from the media to look a certain way?
Not at all.
inspiration:
Definitely Marilyn Monroe, a lot of people think she's a modern size 16 or something absurd like that, she wasn't she was absolutely tiny, and had an abnormally small waist, which created the illusion of having fuller hips and a larger bust. She had the perfect body in my opinion.
• What are you doing to change your weight? Please give as much info as possible (Specific diet/workout plan/taking supplements/surgery…)
Biggest thing was cutting out the crappy food, which I did with surprisingly easy, Stopped drinking any soda whatsoever (except when I'm sick and it's a glass of dry ginger ale) I bought an exercise bike and try and get half an hour in 5 days a week, if not that I'll do some gardening or walking.
Problem Areas:
I want to change the whole body, but my paranoid area is definitely my arms, I'm extremely paranoid about them and worried they'll still be bingo wings when I've lost the weight.
• How do you feel about your weight loss/gain? (Positive/negative/motivated)
Mostly positive, I've been down a few times when I haven't lost much or all in a week, but I get over it fast when I look at my weight loss pics and see how much difference there is
• Have you got people who support you? (In real life/Online)
Husband
• Has dieting changed how people see/treat you now? (Friends/family/public)
Well not much, I feel like people don't look at me in public anymore, my friends have noticed the weight loss and praised me for making a change
• What motivates you?
Living.
• If/when you ‘fall off the wagon’ how do you feel? (Like giving up/motivated to do better/like punishing yourself/upset)
I haven't truly felt like I've fallen off the wagon in the last 5 months.
• How do you feel about reaching your goal? (Is it close/far away/does it seem impossible)
Almost halfway there, at first I was super excited because the weight melted off for the first three months, but has now slowed to about 3 kg a month, It doesn't seem impossible but I'm bummed as originally I should have been to goal weight in July, but now looking at October.
• How do you think you will feel when you reach your goal?
I'm not sure, this is the first (and hopefully only time I'll ever have to do this) so I'll get back to you on that lol. But my biggest fear is I will look in the mirror and still see the fat girl.
• What if you don’t feel that way? What will you do next?
Well I guess that's when I go to a counseller haha.
• What is your biggest worry?
If I stopped losing weight completely.
• What have you learnt on your journey so far?
That while 1200 calories a day worked really well for the first 15kg I stalled and had to go upto 1700cals to start losing again.
• What is your favourite (relevant) quote?
I really don't have one.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392.9K Introduce Yourself
- 43.7K Getting Started
- 260.1K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.8K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 415 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.9K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.6K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.5K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions