50lb Weight Loss Goal Reached (pics)

In December 2010 / January 2011, I reached my highest non-pregnancy weight, approximately 195 lbs. I started MPF in January 2011 and logged in off and on for a while. During the summer of 2011, I ate better and biked and did the 30 Day Shred. I got down to around 172 lbs, but once the weather got colder (I live in the US upper midwest.), I quit exercising, and my eating habits fell by the wayside, too.

Right around Easter this year, I started reading about how full of sugar and processed food the western (American) diet is and how all those foods can affect your body. That, coupled with a health issue, gave me the motivation to start eating better. First I cut out most added sugar from my diet (still ate fruits). The next step was cutting out lots of processed foods. I suppose by the strict standards, I don't eat "clean," but I now eat many more fruits and vegetables, a lot less processed food. I don't eat low fat but instead eat full fats from coconut oil, olive oil, and dairy (plain yogurt, milk).

I got serious about logging in to MFP and tracking what I ate. That accountability helped me so much!

The next step for me was adding in exercise. I've never run in my life, but I downloaded the c25k Christian indie podcasts and started doing the program using the track at a nearby high school. I finished the program about a week ahead of the c25k schedule and even ran my first 5k in August in just under 35 min!

I usually did the c25k program 4x's/wk. On the days I wasn't doing that, I biked, except for Sundays which I took off from exercising. I continue to run 3.25 miles (13 laps around the high school track) 3-4x's/wk and bike just over 8 miles on the other days, still resting on Sundays.

With the support and encouragement of family and friends and God's grace, I reached my goal weight of 145 lbs, losing 50 lbs from my high, on August 29, 2012. Today I had my hubby take goal weight pics of me.



The knowledge that the cold weather is coming and I won't be able to exercise outside as much anymore scares me somewhat, but I am working on a plan on what to do. I know I need to work on building muscle, too, so I plan to incorporate that into my exercise.

I don't look at the way I eat or have been eating while losing weight as a diet, but a lifestyle change. It really hit home for me one day when someone asked me if I could eat something on my diet and my first thought was, "I'm not on a diet." I think that mindset will also help me maintain and not backslide in the months (and years!) to come.