It's my 50 pound-iversary!!

I have lost and maintained my weight (and lost a bit more in the last few months) for ONE YEAR!!! :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

I made the decision to finally do something about my weight when I peaked out at 199 lbs. (at 5'3") in the summer of 2008. A lot of things finally came together to make me decide to change. I can't pinpoint one exact thing, but one huge motivator was the realization that I had spent a majority of my 20's feeling so tired and unenergetic. I was the oldest 25 year old I knew! I didn't have the energy to carry my kids, go to the grocery store, take the kids to the park, etc. I would spend most afternoons just so exhausted and depressed everyday. I have always been overweight or obese--since I was about 7, but I'd usually just been on the chubby side--not a size 18 and climbing.

I lost my first 25 lbs. between the summer of 2008 and Christmas, when my brother was in a very serious accident that had me out of town for a lot of December. I maintained during that time, and also graduated from college that month. In January I got back on the wagon, and lost another 25 lbs. by May. I did all of it with LOTS of exercise and counting calories. I definitely wasn't perfect--I would fall off the wagon on a weekly basis, sometimes for a few days, but I just kept at it. My goal was to get to 145 lbs. which would put me in the healthy BMI range. I had never been in the 140's since about puberty, so that goal seemed really daunting. I was very scared I would gain it back, but over the last year I've successfully maintained it and in the last few months I dropped another 10 lbs. At this point I'd like to lose a little more, but I am healthy now, so really, that's just about my vanity

I want to say to those that are losing or maintaining that I do think there is one key to maintainig weight loss and that is exercise. Daily exercise, including strength training, is what I really credit with being able to keep the weight off (I do not credit exercise so much for the weight loss-that's all about the food). I don't always log my food, but I still work out faithfully almost everyday and set new fitness goals all the time. And I really believe the strength training and addition of lean muscle, has been why I don't have to be so strict about what I eat anymore. I used to think I had a very slow metabolism and gained weight easily--but I don't think I do anymore. I think I've totally changed my body's metabolism with my exercise.

Anyway, I'm pretty proud of myself --I've lost a few lbs. here and there in the past, but never been able to maintain it for more than a couple of months, but this time I can feel that I changed "me" forever. Thanks for letting me share!