Then and now (hopefully with pics!) - Size 20 to Size 6!!!

AWESOME!! How long did it take you? Do you have any advice to offer someone else?

It's been almost exactly a year since I started working out with my trainer and I've been logging on MFP since the end of May 2012. I'm 5'6" and my highest weight was 252 lbs (but, when I started working out a year ago, I was 222 lbs). As of this morning, I weigh 136.8 lbs (my goal was 145 but I lost a little after that. I've been pretty steady between 137 and 140 for a couple of months now).

I wish I had brilliant advice for people but I honestly find a lot of this to be very trial and error. When I started, MFP allotted me 1740 calories/day to drop a pound a week. I work out a lot and often netted quite a bit less than that (probably in the 1300-1400 range). I lost quickly in the start and, as I neared my goal, that slowed down. By the end I think I was down to 1540 calories/day to lose 0.5 lb/week (I didn't want to drop below that). When I switched into maintenance back in November, I actually dropped 2-3 lbs pretty quickly and then lost a bit more very slowly. I couldn't tell you why, but it was a nice surprise lol.

Now I try not to be a slave to my scale (though I'm not always successful at avoiding it). Instead, I've tried to turn my focus to other goals. I'm running an 8K (5mi) race on my birthday in April, I'm doing two mud runs this summer, and I'm running a half marathon at the end of May (which I still can't believe!). I also continue to work with my trainer twice a week.

I think if I could suggest anything, it's not to give up in those weeks where the scale doesn't seem to move (or, if it does, it's in the wrong direction). I started out with a weight goal but this process has been so much more than that. I have a life again. I can participate fully with my very active husband and children and I feel amazing. That, to me, is so much more important than anything a scale could give me