I honestly didn’t know I had a success story!

jpolczak
jpolczak Posts: 15 Member
in Success Stories
This is terribly embarrassing for me. I just wanted to let you know that what you weigh isn’t everything. The picture on the left is three months after my first 5k (12/25/10). The picture on the right is from last Saturday (2/2/13). I weigh about the same in both pictures. In the picture on the left all of my clothing is skin tight. In the picture on the right I am wearing 4 layers including a sweatshirt and a tutu. I have a hard time seeing what I accomplish because I am always staring at the scale. I want to inspire you all too just keep trying! Because even if you may not see the numbers you want; if you just keep trying one day you might be surprised.
~Just so you know the weight is a 7 to 10 lbs difference in the pictures~


Sidebyside_zpsf8f61907.jpg

I haven’t consistently run for two years. I would give up because I was so sore all of the time. I didn’t see any weight loss. Then went a month without running, and had to start all over again and again and again. I felt so frustrated! About 3 weeks ago I went to the doctor. I asked the doctor in tears why I can’t lose weight I work so hard. She said lets test your thyroid, and I asked her what happens when it comes back normal. She said we will just try it and see what happens. Yes it did come back normal. I know I have a race that I need to train for so I can’t just stop because my feelings are hurt. Last night the kids were looking threw some old pictures and I saw myself from 2 years ago. Tears just started running down my face. This picture isn’t even me at my heaviest. It was a picture after months of training for my first 5k. For the first time I saw what my hard work had done.

Replies

  • rininger85
    rininger85 Posts: 131
    you look great, keep up the hard work, its working in ways you don't realize =)
  • danibu98
    danibu98 Posts: 281 Member
    you really do look great! Be proud!
  • sammiz1
    sammiz1 Posts: 54 Member
    Thank you for sharing. You do, indeed, have a success story!! I am much the same...I keep staring at the scale, hoping to see the numbers move down. Some of my clothing fits better...some has become too big...but I find I keep fixating on the numbers.

    I can see changes in my body, and I feel better about myself. I am enjoying this journey to becoming healthier. But sometimes need to be reminded to stop thinking about numbers and look in the mirror! I think I spent too many years avoiding the mirror...it is hard to retrain the mind!!

    Thank you again for sharing...and reminding us all that this journey we are on is about more than what the scale tells us!!
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    Pictures really are worth so much more than a number on the scale. You look amazing but I can tell from your post, you feel amazing too which is even better. Congrats on everything
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    That is something else! you look 40 pounds thinner! Who cares what the scale says.. keep taking those pictures and measuring and seeing how your old tight clothes start fitting.

    Sometimes I find I can obsess and get down over wanting something I already have. I just need to step away and look at things a bit differently because there it was all the time....just not presented in the way I think i should find it.

    I think this is what has happened to you.

    You look fantastic! (love the tutu too)
  • eandrsmom
    eandrsmom Posts: 119
    You are rocking that tutu! Keep it up!
  • wowsrz
    wowsrz Posts: 50 Member
    YOU are truly inspiring!! Thanks for sharing :)
  • Barbara48
    Barbara48 Posts: 9 Member
    You've done what we're all trying to do: you've changed the fat to lean ratio. You've lost are more pounds of fat than you've gained in lean! Wow!
  • jpolczak
    jpolczak Posts: 15 Member
    Thanks so much everyone! :) I wish everyone would read this so they don’t have to feel like I did for so long. I should have put a better title lol. Changing your life is such a mental game. When you think you are heavy you hide from the camera, don’t go shopping and you dress to hide your body. How do you see the difference if you always wear yoga pants and a baggy sweatshirt? Or if you never let people take pictures of you. Even when you do lose size your brain tells you that you are fat. I seriously didn’t have a clue! I so badly want to help people from feeling like I did! I think I might just repost the story so it can reach more people. Love you all! I love that we can give positive motivation to one another, and change lives together.
  • bootsandfros
    bootsandfros Posts: 81 Member
    you look great! nice job!
  • pinata825
    pinata825 Posts: 4
    Thank you for this post! Today is my 2nd weigh in(2nd week on MFP) and I am down .7, with a total of 4.2lbs. lost. I am happy with my results so far and this is a total lifestyle change for me. Overall I am really enjoying this so far, not when I ate all of my calories by 4pm on SuperBowl Sunday, but just feeling healthier. You look great!! I love the title of your post because we are so much more than a number on the scale... Keep up the good work!!
  • danielleclarks
    danielleclarks Posts: 2
    Wow! I struggled with WEIGHT LOSS too, and I felt like I'd never overcome it. I must say I got a lot of help from Heal Your Hunger, you should check them out.
  • dreamchaser12
    dreamchaser12 Posts: 223 Member
    Thank you SO much for sharing your story!!! I really needed that right now! It has taken me almost 11 months to lose 20lbs and I get so disheartened because I've made huge changes in my life. Mostly the addition of exercise, but have done work on my diet as well. I've gone down clothes sizes, my body has changed, I'm stronger, more fit, and really feel great!! But the scale doesn't move much. I have decided to stop weighing myself, maybe once a month now (new years resolution). You look fantastic!!!! Keep doing what you are doing because its working!! You should be very proud!
  • RekindledRose
    RekindledRose Posts: 523 Member
    That brought tears to my eyes! Just from seeing other people's pictures I'd have guessed 40-60 pounds difference, depending on your height. There is no doubt in my mind that you are SO much healthier!

    I just started Eat More to Weigh Less and NROL4W, plus I do some jogging and I'm doing my first 5k event his Saturday. You inspire me!
  • TheRunningGuppy
    TheRunningGuppy Posts: 651 Member
    You've inspired me to take a "before" picture. I have lost 10 lbs, but I have a loooong way to go. I hate having my picture taken because I just look like a fat blob. So there's hope that I can get over this :)
  • bttrthanevr
    bttrthanevr Posts: 615 Member
    Amazing! You look fabulous! Your title is perfect. I will be sharing this with friends who need it AND keeping it in mind myself for times when I get discouraged!

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