12 Weeks - Progress Pics
WendyTerry420
Posts: 13,274 Member
I really hadn't planned to do progress pictures yet, but for some reason I decided to have hubby take them, and I'm glad I did! :bigsmile:
It is *so* hard to really notice a difference when you look at yourself every day, but pictures tell the real story. I just shy of being 1/3 of the way to my goal. I already feel so much better than I have since I was a young adult, headed off to college. And I have been taking measurements, so I know that I've lot inches, but it is a huge motivator to see it.
BEFORE: (Beg of August 2012)
12 WEEKS OF MFP: (9/27/2012)
I will be keeping track of my progress on my new Photobucket account:
http://s1321.photobucket.com/albums/u550/Wendy_Terry/
For those that will ask, I will share a little of what I've been doing. I began with just tracking my food and trying to stay under my calorie goal without being hungry. MFP wanted to start me off on 1200 calories, so I switched my settings to only losing one pound per week, and it brought me up to 1580. I survived on that for about a week until I found Dan's "In Place of a Road Map" and learned about TDEE. I wasn't really exercising regularly yet, but reading exercise books and doing some light calisthenics. (about 3 minutes worth, honestly:blushing:) ... So, I kept with my "sedentary" calculations and upped my calories to 1700. That made a *huge* difference in how I felt.
Soon after, I read about the Couch to 5k program and decided that it sounded like the perfect program for someone like me. I ran a lot in high school, including long-distance track plus sports like soccer, basketball, softball and volleyball in the summer. I also spent a couple days a week in the school's weight room. I remember bench pressing 150 pounds and considering how cool it was to be able to bench more than my body weight. (Now 150 is my goal weight.) When I graduated high school, I joined a gym and lifted there, plus killing myself on the stair-master and such. I always loved being active when I was a kid. I loved the way it made my body feel to test my muscles and my skills and endurance, to play without feeling as though I might have a heart attack. But then life happened and I had two kids (c-section), then desk jobs with excessive trips to the snack machine, etc. Before I knew it, I was too fat to sit comfortably in a movie theater seat. :frown: :blushing: ....... Soooo....
Around week two or three of C25K, I did some more calculations with my TDEE and decided to eat at 1800 calories per day, whether or not I exercised, then not eating back exercise calories. At that amount, I feel like I am eating "like a normal person" again and still shedding fat, left and right. I've added strength training exercises and a resistance band (thanks to a generous MFPer that mailed them to me at her cost) I am mostly still doing calisthenics, along with the C25K. I have finished week seven of Couch to 5k now. For the first time, I made it a road run instead of hiding in my bedroom. It was so brutal compared to being barefoot on the flat carpet, but I managed two miles. :bigsmile: :drinker:
So I am now reading "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" and plan to begin lifting in the next few weeks. There is a community center here with a weight room that has a cheap annual membership. I am pretty stoked about it. I am sure that my bench press will be down to about 50 pounds, maybe 80, I don't know. It's been a *very* long time.
But none of that matters. I have changed my lifestyle now. I am no longer the mom that sits around the house in the evenings. I jog (outside even) and I serve vegetables with dinner and I don't mind cleaning the house so much anymore. I track what I eat, even though my diet still needs improving. I am improving myself, and I'm proud of myself.
And I MFP! Cheers! :drinker: :bigsmile:
It is *so* hard to really notice a difference when you look at yourself every day, but pictures tell the real story. I just shy of being 1/3 of the way to my goal. I already feel so much better than I have since I was a young adult, headed off to college. And I have been taking measurements, so I know that I've lot inches, but it is a huge motivator to see it.
BEFORE: (Beg of August 2012)
12 WEEKS OF MFP: (9/27/2012)
I will be keeping track of my progress on my new Photobucket account:
http://s1321.photobucket.com/albums/u550/Wendy_Terry/
For those that will ask, I will share a little of what I've been doing. I began with just tracking my food and trying to stay under my calorie goal without being hungry. MFP wanted to start me off on 1200 calories, so I switched my settings to only losing one pound per week, and it brought me up to 1580. I survived on that for about a week until I found Dan's "In Place of a Road Map" and learned about TDEE. I wasn't really exercising regularly yet, but reading exercise books and doing some light calisthenics. (about 3 minutes worth, honestly:blushing:) ... So, I kept with my "sedentary" calculations and upped my calories to 1700. That made a *huge* difference in how I felt.
Soon after, I read about the Couch to 5k program and decided that it sounded like the perfect program for someone like me. I ran a lot in high school, including long-distance track plus sports like soccer, basketball, softball and volleyball in the summer. I also spent a couple days a week in the school's weight room. I remember bench pressing 150 pounds and considering how cool it was to be able to bench more than my body weight. (Now 150 is my goal weight.) When I graduated high school, I joined a gym and lifted there, plus killing myself on the stair-master and such. I always loved being active when I was a kid. I loved the way it made my body feel to test my muscles and my skills and endurance, to play without feeling as though I might have a heart attack. But then life happened and I had two kids (c-section), then desk jobs with excessive trips to the snack machine, etc. Before I knew it, I was too fat to sit comfortably in a movie theater seat. :frown: :blushing: ....... Soooo....
Around week two or three of C25K, I did some more calculations with my TDEE and decided to eat at 1800 calories per day, whether or not I exercised, then not eating back exercise calories. At that amount, I feel like I am eating "like a normal person" again and still shedding fat, left and right. I've added strength training exercises and a resistance band (thanks to a generous MFPer that mailed them to me at her cost) I am mostly still doing calisthenics, along with the C25K. I have finished week seven of Couch to 5k now. For the first time, I made it a road run instead of hiding in my bedroom. It was so brutal compared to being barefoot on the flat carpet, but I managed two miles. :bigsmile: :drinker:
So I am now reading "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" and plan to begin lifting in the next few weeks. There is a community center here with a weight room that has a cheap annual membership. I am pretty stoked about it. I am sure that my bench press will be down to about 50 pounds, maybe 80, I don't know. It's been a *very* long time.
But none of that matters. I have changed my lifestyle now. I am no longer the mom that sits around the house in the evenings. I jog (outside even) and I serve vegetables with dinner and I don't mind cleaning the house so much anymore. I track what I eat, even though my diet still needs improving. I am improving myself, and I'm proud of myself.
And I MFP! Cheers! :drinker: :bigsmile:
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Replies
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Good job! I am all about pics. It's crazy how we can't see it until we see it in a picture. Keep up the great work!0
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Excellent job! Keep up the great work you are doing! Nice going! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:0
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You're story is great! What an inspiration.
Seems like most of society has been programmed to think that the only way you can lose weight is to not eat and "starve" yourself. I appreciate the fact that you are eating at a comfortable level and still losing weight. Gives me hope.0 -
YOU GO GIRL!!!! You are doing awesome!!! YOU ROCK!!!!!0
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Awesome job. Very inspiring!0
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WAY TO GO!!!! You totally rock!!! Keep it up, you're definitely on the right track and with time and determination you will reach your goal guaranteed!! I feel like saying "YOU TOTALLY ROCK SQUIRT!!!" "Noggin'" "DUDE!!!" Finding Nemo moment but it works really.
Keep it up and rock on my friend. Own your fitness and health.0 -
You are doing an awesome job!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!0
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Thank you for the inspiration! This is what I needed. I have been doing some of the research and just upped my calories to 1800 tonight. I have been worried about doing that and gaining but from what I have read I think it will work. After your story, some inspiring words and info from someone else I'm sure it will work!0
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Wowwww! What a big difference in such a short time, Your hard work is sure paying off! Great job!0
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Great job!!! Keep up the awesome work and thank you for sharing your story!0
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Wow you can really tell a difference when looking at your pictures. You are doing so great with your loss and consistent logging. I'm so happy that you went outside to jog and are getting up there in miles! Keep it up. I used to do all my exercises at home barefoot and read that its best you do them in your workout shoes no matter what it is you are doing. I felt a difference. Thought i would share that with you
Keep up all the hard work and cant wait to see the next picture.0 -
Thanks, everyone! And to those who are scared of eating a higher calorie amount, don't be! Figure out your TDEE and cut from that. 1200 calories a day is for the birds (or for special circumstances). I am definitely bigger than a bird! :laugh: Eating too little can be just as bad for you as eating too much.
This is such a wonderful community, and I am glad to have found it! :flowerforyou: :drinker:0 -
YOU GO GIRL!!!! You are doing awesome!!! YOU ROCK!!!!!
Aww, my NoFluff! You have been with me since the very beginning of my journey and always so encouraging! :flowerforyou:0 -
Wow you can really tell a difference when looking at your pictures. You are doing so great with your loss and consistent logging. I'm so happy that you went outside to jog and are getting up there in miles! Keep it up. I used to do all my exercises at home barefoot and read that its best you do them in your workout shoes no matter what it is you are doing. I felt a difference. Thought i would share that with you
Keep up all the hard work and cant wait to see the next picture.
Ladyark, you do so well at keeping me accountable and ecouraging me. Thank you so much for all your comments! You many think you are being "mean," but you are very polite and understanding. I appreciate it very much! :flowerforyou:0 -
You are doing great!0
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ur results are amazing.0
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You are doing very well hun, keep up the good work x0
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