Together we've lost 166 lbs. BFFs. Lots of pics!!

Hey MFP world!

My name is Joy and I started out in August 2011 at 5'8" and 270lbs. I now weigh 165.6lbs.

Let me introduce you to my bestie Heather (mfp username hg5159). She started in November 2011 at 5'7" and 222lbs. She now weighs 159.8lbs.

In less than 15 months, we've shed a total of 166.6 pounds. :happy: And we're NOT DONE YET!! We both have goals to lose more as well as tone up and just get healthier and more fit.

We're both 32 years old and between us we have five children, two husbands, two mini vans, and two busy schedules packed as tight as can be. Oh and let me mention that Heather and I live 360 miles apart from each other!!! We visit each other whenever possible, usually every other month one of us will drive to visit the other.


Here's a picture of us from 2009. Heather is on the left. I'm on the right.


Another shot from 2009. I'm on the left and Heather is on the right.


2011


2011


Our get togethers used to consist of a lot of cooking and eating. Mostly throwing parties with tons of cake and frosting, and eating it along our way.

In 2011 something changed. We both decided we didn't want to be slow, unhealthy, unfit women for the rest of our lives. We're too young for that! We both joined MFP and started tracking our food, and started exercising. First walking, using the elliptical at the gym, then running, and now running plus weight lifting.

That's what we did. No surgeries, no pills, no special diets. We just did the whole "eat less, move more" thing. Be accountable to your MFP diary, and exercise as much as you can.

Now whenever we get together, we exercise together. I bring her to my gym for weight lifting, she brings me to hers. We run around our neighborhoods together. That's only about 6x/year that we're actually in person together. The rest of the time we keep each other in check over text, email, etc. We share our training plans and encourage each other to make good nutrition choices and to get our butts up and moving to the gym!


This past weekend I visited Heather and we ran in her first 5k race together. It was so great. There were a ton of hills and we finished in 31:08, placing #31 and 32 out of 88 in our age group of females age 30-34.

Zombie shirts for the halloween race


Approaching the finish line


Halloween party at Heather's house that night


In our race shirts


Besties!