58 Years Old and 81 Pounds Gone (Pics too!)

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Replies

  • PAZlady
    PAZlady Posts: 59 Member
    Great job. You give me hope
  • uwdawg07
    uwdawg07 Posts: 372 Member
    Congratulations! You are amazing!
  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
    Awesome job!
  • Slimdownmb
    Slimdownmb Posts: 130 Member
    Hi there!

    Oh my gosh! You look AMAZING! congratulations :-)
    i am determined to post my pictures here with my very own success story..

    :-) SO HAPPY FOR U X
  • hayleyxx93
    hayleyxx93 Posts: 12 Member
    Bump

    Also well done you've done amazing! :)
  • elove89
    elove89 Posts: 33
    Great Job!!!..... Keep it up
  • MrsBiscoe
    MrsBiscoe Posts: 177 Member
    You are inspiration, you look great for a 50 year old. I am also 52 and my heaviest weight was 205 lbs, today I weigh in at 190. I am trying to lose a total of 65-70 lbs. Today I started doing the 30 DS and have been doing walking at home with Leslie Sonsone; you have inspired me to do it, if you were able to get your weight down I should be able to do it to, Thank you for the pictures.
  • figureformin
    figureformin Posts: 70 Member
    Wow such an amazing story and inspiration! Thanks so much for sharing;)
  • nomayo
    nomayo Posts: 228
    Your journey is very inspiring. I admire you, very very much.

    You look awesome BTW :)
  • BlueInkDot
    BlueInkDot Posts: 702 Member
    Thank you so much for sharing and well done!!!

    I'm always touting how your mindset has to change before you can have success with your body. So I'm glad you focused on that in your story. Very well written. *applauds* ^_^
  • annanderson77985
    annanderson77985 Posts: 57 Member
    Thank you for the OP!! I'm 59, and am shooting for an 80 lb. loss ultimately.. It's nice to know that it's possible to lose the weight and have a 'good' body at the end. I've been concerned about loose skin, frankly..
  • lfergurson1
    lfergurson1 Posts: 137 Member
    Thats amazing I am 47 and about 14 weeks into my lifestyle change and Im hopeful you bring even more hope. You look great!
  • Seaglass1123
    Seaglass1123 Posts: 500 Member
    Congrats!!! You look amazing and should be so proud of yourself!
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    You look like so great! Younger too!!!
  • lisabinco
    lisabinco Posts: 1,016 Member
    Loved your story! I really get a lot of inspiration from other people's success stories and am very glad you decided to post. You and I are the same age and I know all about the jiggly excess skin and stuff. You are awesome!! You look so happy and healthy today. I am currently stuck at about 11 pounds above my goal weight but I am grateful every day that I am where I am right now, and not stuck at over 60 pounds overweight.
    THANK YOU for sharing.
  • tlvasa
    tlvasa Posts: 60 Member
    You did a fabulous job and are a wonderful story teller, too! I enjoyed reading your story! Congrats!
  • sbeasl11
    sbeasl11 Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for sharing your story. You look great!!
  • terlyn20
    terlyn20 Posts: 142 Member
    great job.....
  • J3nnyV
    J3nnyV Posts: 114 Member
    I loved reading your story! Thank you for sharing it! If you wrote a blog, or a book, I'd read it!

    Congratulations on your achievements - you look happy and amazing!!
  • VictoriaFitness2010
    VictoriaFitness2010 Posts: 175 Member
    First, CONGRATS! What a great accomplishment! From the numbers you posted it appears that you lost weight gradually and that is great! Speaking of numbers, thanks for posting your weekly weight loss numbers. It's reassuring to know that we only need to focus on a 1-2 pound weight loss per week and that losing weight in a moderate fashion reaps huge rewards!

    Great work!!! You look wonderful!
  • amstone7
    amstone7 Posts: 13
    I absolutely loved reading your story. You see, I will be 57 this year, also menopausal and weighed 236 last week. I really appreciate how you give specific details of what worked for you. I have also lost weight twice before, down to 155 lbs and then gained it back plus more.
    Thank you so much for sharing. I'm inspired now~
  • monstergirl14
    monstergirl14 Posts: 345 Member
    Health at every age!! So inspirational!! Congratulations!
  • dvw443
    dvw443 Posts: 8 Member
    Amazing! You look great :)
  • gigi_RN2013
    gigi_RN2013 Posts: 141 Member
    way to go!
  • teresab101
    teresab101 Posts: 56 Member
    Bump
    to read later
  • maleeca
    maleeca Posts: 14 Member
    You are such an inspiration! Wow.
  • HealthyHoney30
    HealthyHoney30 Posts: 43 Member
    Go you! Such a great story and you look great.
  • Jullessi
    Jullessi Posts: 38
    I am a 58 years old, 5' 8" and menopausal--and in one year (well...51 weeks) I have managed to lose 81 pounds going from 236 and reaching my goal weight of 155 on Easter Sunday. No Hocus Pocus....just through moderation in food choices, logging in MFP and exercise. Here's some background and then the pics:

    One year ago I was sitting in my recliner, watching "Celebrity Apprentice," eating a huge bowl of Theater Butter Popcorn (to which I added extra butter and grated parmesan cheese) and drinking a diet cola. The task for the celebrities was to develop a marketing campaign "Walk With Walgreens." People would sign up on Walgreens website, stop by the store and pick up a gift box that included a pedometer, and assemble on-line groups to log in miles walked to win points for coupons and such at Walgreens. The celebrities related how walking helped them overcome various ailments and injuries and how starting a simple walking program had made a great impact on their health and well-being.

    I looked down at the big bowl of popcorn resting on my big belly and my greasy, cheese-coated fingers--then I looked across to my treadmill sitting dusty and alone in the corner of the room and decided that I would give it a shot. That night I signed into the Walgreen's website, got on a team (the Walkie Talkies), and started logging and posting my miles. I also stepped on the scale for the first time in a few years and it said 236...the highest weight I've ever seen on a scale with me standing on it!

    I decided that cleaning up my diet was also a wise choice, so I started working on eating better breakfasts and trying not to eat after 8pm; I also started drinking lots and lots water. This was not my first rodeo...I successfully dropped 68-pounds through diet and exercise about 8 years ago (dropping from 225 to 157)...I looked great and felt proud...but it was a REAL struggle--my mind consumed with thoughts of food and dreading exercise sessions--it was TORTURE! Then a hurricane hit and we were without power for 8 days; standing in line for ice, food and water; cleaning up debris and helping others do the same. Comfort foods were provided by Red Cross, churches and various businesses--donuts, pizza, hotdogs, burgers--I was in Nirvana!

    Once things got back to normal, I was Off-Diet and started slowly transitioning back to my old ways. The weight stayed at bay for about 3-4 months, then the clothing started getting tight; with the exception of my "Size 22W Trophy Fat Pants," I had given all my "fat clothes" to Goodwill (because that's what we're supposed to do to not be encouraged to gain it back--yeah, right) and I had to buy some bigger pants. From then on I just started buying bigger jeans and tops (size 14, 16, 16W, 18W, 20W and then the costume of choice...black stretch capris 1X & 2X...the Trophy Pants stayed in the back of the closet--I didn't want to admit that I fit back into THEM).

    During the years of gaining, I happened to see Eckhart Tolle on the Oprah Show talking about his book "The New Earth." It was about being mindful and paying attention to the voice in your head and the lies it tells. Kinda woo-woo stuff, but something in the message clicked. Around the same time I read "Women, Food and God" by Geneen Roth--it too speaks of being mindful and aware...especially when it comes to emotional eating. THAT WAS IT...I knew I was an emotional eater and had an addiction to food...food was my drug of choice which I used to quiet the voices and emotions I feared I didn't have the courage to face. Food was also my emotional companion and friend--always there, in good times and in bad. But I knew it was an addiction I had to overcome and the only way I could do that was to question the judging voices, painful emotions and let them come to the surface where I could release them. With the help of information and techniques I learned through reading books by Tolle and Roth and through meditation, I was better prepared to make a lifestyle change consisting of healthy food and regular exercise. The Celebrity Apprentice episode with the Walgreen's Walking Program came along at the right time and place and I started my journey one year ago.

    At first I didn't know about MFP so I didn't log any meals; I just posted my walking miles on the Walgreen site. From April 8, 2012 to July 19, 2012 I lost 13 pounds. Then in mid-July I bought a Nexus 7" Tablet and I found the MFP App! I signed up and started logging in daily. I bought a food scale and started weighing my portions. I bought a personal blender and started drinking a delicious Protein Whey and fruit smoothie almost every morning for breakfast (I love them!). In July 2012 I also gave up my diet cola addiction--my drinks consist of water, milk, coffee, tea, V-8 and smoothies. I still have "bad" foods in moderation or make healthier alternatives (pita pizza & veggie burgers for example). I have one square of Gharadelli 72% Dark Chocolate with my coffee every, single night for "dessert."

    The VERY BEST thing that happened was that my sister became my MFP Pal (my ONLY pal because that's the way I roll) and together we've been changing our lifestyles and cheering each other on every step of the way (she's down 97 pounds so far!!). In October 2012 I signed up to walk my first 5K and my sister surprised me by driving 600 miles to walk it with me!! The following week I did a 4-mile bridge walk. And just recently (January 2013) I joined a "Weight Warriors" 8-week program where I was introduced to various exercise programs like Zumba; Spinning; Step Aerobics; CardioSculpting and weight training. Up to that time my workouts were mainly cardio either walking outside, on the treadmill or using Leslie Sansome Walk-Away-The-Pounds videos. Now I do weights 2x a week; take 2 exercise classes per week; still do Leslie Sansome DVDs; and am on week #4 of C25K because I have signed up for a 5K Mud Run in May 2013.

    I accomplished my goal of 155 (154.4) on Easter. I'm still working on tightening up some squishy and wobbly bits but I'm very pleased that I went from "Obese" to "Healthy" BMI. MFP and all the success stories I've read kept me going when the going got tough. I feel I need to Pay-it-Forward by hopefully encourage other "mature menopausal goddesses" out there that it is not impossible for us to drop the pounds and get healthy. But doing so entails much, much more than just better eating and exercise--you must confront the REASONS you turn to food in the first place and drum up the courage to feel the emotions you try to avoid by eating or the emptiness you try to fill with food. If you do not overcome this, you WILL struggle removing the weight and find it near impossible to keep the weight off.....that was why I regained all that I lost and MORE during my previous "diet."

    .....SO...without any further ado...the pics

    The first wasn't at my heaviest (believe it or not) I was 215 (August 2012) in the first pic and 154 now

    sidebyside_zps0caf1666.jpg

    BEFORE 236+ This was May 2010
    MEBEFORE_zps9361d459.jpg

    MAY 2012 - One month in (232 pounds)
    May22012OneMonthInemail_zpsaad7416a.jpg

    OCT 2012 - First 5K (200 pounds)

    RUNFORREEFemail_zps9b224435.jpg

    CHRISTMAS 2011 (236 pounds) vs CHRISTMAS 2012 (178 pounds)
    bth_CHRISTMASBEFOREampAFTERemail_zpsdd8d5f97.jpg

    APRIL 2012 - 154.4 GOAL!

    MENOJACKET_zpsa3c40333.jpg

    BELOW IS A WEEK-TO-WEEK RUNDOWN OF MY WEIGH-INS FOR THE PAST YEAR (i WEIGHED ONLY ONCE A WEEK)

    Apr 8: 236
    Apr 15: 234 (-2)
    Apr 22: 232 (-2)
    May 6: 232 (-0) (Rtn from vacation)
    May 13: 231(-1)
    May 20: 230 (-1)
    May 27: 228 (-2)
    Jun 3: 228 (-0)
    Jun 10; 225 (-3)
    Jun 17: 224 (-1)
    Jun 24: 222 (-2)
    Jul 1: 224 (+2)
    Jul 8: 222 (-2)
    Jul 15: 221(-1)
    July 20: 223 (+2) START MPF :-)
    July 22: 218 (-5)
    July 29: 216 (-2)
    August 5: 215 (-1)
    August 12: 213 (-2)
    August 19: 212 (-1)
    August 26: 210 (-2)
    September 2: 208 (-2)
    September 9: 205 (-3)
    October 3: 202 (-3) (after vacation)
    October 7: 200 (-2)
    October 14: 200 (-0) (after 1st 5K)
    October 21: 196 (-4) (5-mile bridge walk) BMI Overweight!! AND ONE-DERLAND!!
    Oct 28: 193 (-3)
    Nov 4: 194 (+1)
    Nov 11: 189.8 (-4.1) ( (new scale)
    Nov 18: 186.8 (- 3)
    Nov 25: 185 (-1.8) (50 POUNDS GONE!!)
    Dec 2: 184 (-1) Jingle Bell 5K
    Dec 9: 181.4 (-2.6)
    Dec 16: 179.6 (-1.8)
    Dec 23: 178.2 (-1.4)
    Dec 30: 176.6 ( -1.6)
    Jan 6: 171.8 (-4.8)
    Jan 13: 170 (-1.8)
    Jan 20: 168.6 (-1.4) JOINED WEIGHT WARRIORS
    Jan 27: 167.6 (-1)
    Feb 3: 166.6 (-1)
    Feb 10: 165.2 (-1.4)
    Feb 17: 161.4 (-3.8) HEALTHY BMI
    Feb 24: 160.2 (-1.2)
    Mar 3: 159 (-1.2)
    Mar 10: 157.6 (-1.4)
    Mar 17: 156.8 (-0.8)
    Mar 24: 155.4 (-1.4)
    Mar 31: 154.6 (-0.8) GOAL!!




    You are a total inspiration - thank you for sharing
  • shadiel
    shadiel Posts: 59 Member
    Amazing and very motivating!
  • whitedove4
    whitedove4 Posts: 5 Member
    You look amazing!!! I'll be 58 yrs. old next month and after seeing your pics I now feel like the best in life is yet to come. Thank you! You're an inspiration!
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