Any Success Stories for Women about 300 Pounds??

Have a lot of weight to lose and am looking for women who are 5'8" who started at about 300 pounds. What worked for you? ANY tips, help, advice would be GREATLY appreciated. Any how long did it take?? Thanks everyone!
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Replies

  • anybody?????
  • CrysOmboli
    CrysOmboli Posts: 9 Member
    I was just about to post something similar. I lost 40 pounds last year starting at 318. The biggest thing I did was stick to my calories. It was hard and at this beginning of this year I started to fall off the wagon into full blown bad habits again. So I'm starting anew. I have been sticking to my calorie goals and I am starting to lose weight. I am also trying to do low level cardio most days of the week even just 30 minutes a day. It's hard to do high levels of activity when I am this size. So Stick to it! If you need a friend, I log in everyday for almost 600 days now :)
  • Thank you for responding. Send you a message.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    I've seen lots of success stories for bigger ladies. I bet they just haven't seen this thread. Keep bumping it up. :smile:
  • Will do..thanks!
  • C12254
    C12254 Posts: 198
    I started at 306. im not a success yet but im getting there. there is no perfect secret. you get up and be active, eat healthier, and eat less. thats all there is to it.
  • So much easier said than done....:wink:
  • Mgregory723
    Mgregory723 Posts: 529 Member
    Hello. My highest weight was at 350 lbs. I had just had pneumonia for 3rd time and each time I had a huge dose of steroids which made me gain like 70 lbs. I had lost some of that before starting MFP (not sure on how much) and I have been going here ever since except for like 6 months or more when I had no internet.

    This is what is working for me:

    * Log in everything (even bad stuff)
    * Don't beat yourself for going over, just move on. (there will be days like these)
    * I am finding pre-planning is helpful; meals & snacks
    * Find good friends that will support you NOT your diet!
    * Move more and eat less (even if you have to start out at doing 10 mins of anything and build up)

    Feel free to send a F/R if you like.
    Good luck to you :flowerforyou:
    Melissa
  • MzsCherise
    MzsCherise Posts: 25 Member
    I started at 334 and am currently 291...Keeping motivated is what is key....you would think that loosing almost 50 lbs would motivate me enough to keep going but i hit a stage where i stopped logging I stopped drinking my water and i started to slack on the exercise,,,for 3 weeks i went up and down 4 lbs....then i started to challenge myself with different exercises and such...just started logging again....logging is important because it keeps you accountable and aware of what you are putting in your body....drinking lots and lots of water was huge for me as well...the energy i got from the water alone was phenominal. Also the support from others too...on here , your family, your friends...keep them updated on your progress weather they ask you or not....eventually they will start asking and noticing!! talking about it makes it so doable do research on nutrition and you will learn alot....dont get caught up in Fads....make this a change of lifestyle not a diet plan...because if its a diet then what do you do when you loose the weight ?...you go off the diet and the weight comes back....move more and eat less......and when i say eat less i dont mean starve yourself i mean eat less then normal....eat clean stay away from as much process food as possible....I do not deny myself of any food that i like and its pretty much all food i like lol...i just eat it in moderation.....i also allow myself a cheat day once a week.....hope this all helps...add me if you like!!! and good luck on your lifestyle change :)
  • hatersgonahate
    hatersgonahate Posts: 52 Member
    I started at 319, and hit 199 today. You can ask me stuff if you'd like
  • TinGirl314
    TinGirl314 Posts: 430 Member
    Hey there,

    I'm a bit taller than you (5'11") but I started at like 350...and I'm down to 215.
    I've done most of it walking and logging and I do weights when I can afford my gym membership.
    Feel free to friend me or ask any specific questions you have.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    *waves* I started at 300. I started last August and got down 30lbs before starting MFP on September 30th. Since then I have lost another 87 pounds and am now down to 183. I started with Aquafit classes and progressed to a recumbent bike and now I go to kickboxing classes and regularly use a treadmill and an elliptical. I bought a Bodymedia Fit in February and have found it to be a great tool, both for accurately counting my TDEE and for motivation to exercise. Generally I eat at a weekly average deficit of 7000 calories for a 2lb loss. I eat 80% clean, 20% junk/sugar/chips. :laugh: You have to find a lifestyle that you can see yourself sustaining not only through to your goal, but into maintenance and beyond. One of the best places to start on here is with this forum here. Start at the top with The Basics Don't Complicate It and work your way down.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    I started at "only" 281 but I'm a good deal shorter and I've really only just begun but so far things are working out well as I try to retrain myself to eat under a calorie limit. My aim is to lose enough to reach a healthy BMI by my 65th birthday or a total of 141 pounds in 150 weeks. Keeping track of the weeks and pounds is helping me to stay on track.

    I've chosen to do TDEE-20%, sticking to home cooked food as much as possible. I keep the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate in mind as much as possible. It's at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/

    I love looking at the success stories because they let me know that what I am trying to do is definitely possible. The only one who can do it for me is me.

    WE CAN DO THIS!!
  • AMHouse85
    AMHouse85 Posts: 285 Member
    Well, I'm 27 and 5' 7" I started at 262, which had I not found MFP I would have continued to put the weight on and 300 would have come and gone with my head buried in denial. I started with a few small changes, drinking more water, eating smaller(measured) portions and doing Leslie Sansones Walk Away the Pounds. It was just the 1 mile walk every day M-F, then I upped it to the 2 Mile walk and then I jumped in for the 4 Mile Super Challenge. Now I am down to about 165, I still walk at least the Super Challenge 1x a week. I recently started to lift heavier weights to give myself strength and shape. Anyone who want to be friends are always welcome. I log daily and love to branch out and meet new people.
  • dontgobacktosleep
    dontgobacktosleep Posts: 144 Member
    Started at 289 last November. The big kick in the pants for me was reading Cade Courtleys Navy SEAL survival guide. While I doubt Ill be facing combat ever, it really helped me focus. The author basically says a good baseline for fitness is could you rescue your family from a burning building? Well, now at 210 I probably could.

    I think the key here is thinking highly of yourself, dont ever give up!!
  • blacklaceroses
    blacklaceroses Posts: 48 Member
    Use to be 310 pounds now im 160....seems like it never exist though have kept the weight for pass four years.
  • Keiras_Mom
    Keiras_Mom Posts: 844 Member
    I'm 5'9" and started at 278 (though my pregnancy weight was right at 300) lbs. I did alternate day fasting for the bulk of my weight loss. I'm currently maintaining right around 150 lbs. (I go between 148 and 155, usually around 152-153.)

    The best tip I can give is to find a WOE that's sustainable for you. Trust me, I tried everything, and always gave up at around 3 months in. I can't do "forever" restriction, so for me, the alternate day diet worked great because I would severely restrict one day, then eat normally the next, lather, rinse, repeat.
  • toscarthearmada
    toscarthearmada Posts: 382 Member
    I'm 5'7 and started at about 300 pounds. I went to the doctors when I was around 256 because I was so sick. I found out that I had PCOS and Insulin Resistance and I started the Insulin Resistance (link and balance low carb) diet in April of 2012. It's been a lot of work but it CAN be done.
  • Neeser926
    Neeser926 Posts: 100 Member
    I'm 6 feet tall. And 50 years old! Starting weight was 318. Current weight is 189. So though I'm not quite to goal I'm only five pounds from a healthy weight!

    Beg, borrow or steal the money to invest in a fitbit. Just seeing the numbers makes me move my *kitten* more.

    Don't deprive yourself of anything--just fit it in.

    Log everything, every bite, BEFORE you eat/drink it. Sometimes you will change your mind about eating it when you see what it does to your numbers.

    Those are the three things I most attribute my success to.
  • I'm 5'11". By no means a success story as yet, but I keep that as yet as a motivator in my head because I want to be able to be one in the future. Or at least feel like it. I started at just under 294. That's the highest weight I knew. I could have been heavier, it's possible. I've lost about 60lbs of that and I feel great. I still have my struggles and sometimes it can feel like every day is a challenge - but I get through it. Not by some miracle, but by accepting that I'm human, I may make mistakes - but I learn from them and move forward. I had lost about 84lbs initially and then had a time where I lost alot of motivation to keep going. But I'm back on track now. Logging really does help. Having people on MFP as supporters is awesome.

    Amazingly enough it really is just as simple as "eat less, move more". When I first started I cut out all sodas and fast food and tried to incorporate more salads. Started walking 2-3 times a week for about 30-45 minutes. In one month - 20lbs had vanished! No clue where they went, or how fast I lost them but that was a serious eye opener and caused me to really want to get into doing more exercise.

    I'm just a girl trying to develop a healthy relationship with food and keep moving forward one day at a time. But I have learned this in all of my time trying to become healthier: fail to plan, plan to fail. Pre-planning and logging has really been extremely helpful with allowing me to count calories and watch what I eat. So take it one day at a time, but also try to plan ahead. At least for the week! :)

    You can add me on MFP as well. Good luck!! :)
  • xxnellie146xx
    xxnellie146xx Posts: 996 Member
    I started at 315 in May 2012. I was down 100 lbs by Christmas. I lost the first 100 with mainly diet. I started exercising in the gym on a regular basis in Jan/Feb and began running around April.

    Log everything you eat. You can lose weight without exercise, but if I could redo it, I would have worked out with more frequency in the beginning.

    Edit: I'm 5'4
  • StillStrugglin
    StillStrugglin Posts: 43 Member
    I started at 319, and hit 199 today. You can ask me stuff if you'd like

    WAHOOOO!!!!! ONE-DERLAND!!!!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • StillStrugglin
    StillStrugglin Posts: 43 Member
    About 8 years ago, when I was 35, I had gastric bypass surgery. I weighed 345 at the time and had been dieting since about 1981 so figured it really wasn't working for me! :) I know wls isn't for everyone, so I'm not promoting it. But just wanted to let you know that, in a variety of ways, it can be done. :) NOW, maintaining it, well gurl, that's just a whole other story! (I'm 182 lbs this week.) Add me if you like!

    Best of luck either way!

    PS - I was 5'4" when I started, but gained an inch as I lost weight! Cool, huh? Helped in the old BMI department!
  • DaisyDi65
    DaisyDi65 Posts: 70 Member
    Hi! I'm 5'10" and started at 310 in December. I'm now at 275. My advice is log everything you eat. Don't think you had a bad day and choose not to log, only one you lie to is yourself . I purchased a Fitbit in February and use it as motivation. I set little goals and try to break them. Also drink water. It helps to keep things flushed. I think others have stated move more, eat less. That is the best advice. If you are currently inactive, start by parking further away from the store or work, add those additional steps. Take an additional flight of stairs. Cliche, but if I can do it anyone can. Also, get friends on here for support. I rely on my friends for that extra push. Best wishes to the healthy side. Feel free to send a friend request.
  • MuseofSong
    MuseofSong Posts: 322 Member
    I'm a shortie, but I was over 300 lbs when I was ~finally~ diagnosed with PCOS in 2009, which I've had since my teens but it was overlooked. I was put on yasmin, and nothing changed for 6 months, and then the weight started slowly coming off. I stopped birth control last year when my insurance stopped covering yasmin and I had terrible side effects, including major water weight gain with ocella.

    I had lost 77 pounds while on yasmin and the addition of metforim, which started in 2011 . But, without the birth control pills, my weight started to go up again. I wasn't logging or keeping track of what I ate either, which I KNOW was a real problem, not just the coming off the pill. Although, the hormone changes definitely add to it.

    I was started on spironolactone to help with PCOS symptoms in November 2012 and my weight kept creeping up, up, up with spiro and high levels of job anxiety, watching my co-workers getting pink slipped all the time is not fun, and am I next? There's a reason why it's called 'comfort food' and I eat it when I'm stressed. I had gained back 35 of those lost pounds, and now I'm here!

    And so far so good, so even if you're starting at a high weight, even if you're having work stress and hormonal issues, this can be done. With light exercise (10-30 minute sessions) as I get used to it again, I feel better and less stressed. I am hoping to hit my goal weight in a couple years.

    The tools at MFP are great, and there are so many successful people here who already did it! ^_^
  • kcaffee1
    kcaffee1 Posts: 759 Member
    Now that the weight is coming off, I'm actually getting my full height. I'd been told by a doctor that I had a few inches hiding in a couple of compressed disks due to my weight, and they were right.

    I actually started up around 415, may have been a bit higher, but that is the number I remember clearly. Medical issues started the weight loss, but I've taken the reins to keep it rolling. I log after I eat, but I also LEARN how my food affects me so I'm not tied to prelogging everything. Also have had to learn how foods affect me due to the medical condition.

    Exercise - I have access to the school gym, so I have no reason NOT to exercise. I just have to remember two hours is too much, I don't have to put in that much! I just hit the exercise high, and often forget about time.

    I keep track of the scale, the tape measure, and body fat to keep things moving the right direction. I don't beat myself up if any one or two of the three head in the wrong direction at the same time. I just buckle down harder to convince them all to head the SAME direction that I am next time.

    Find what motivates YOU. Look at that motivation, DREAM about that motivation, to the best of your ability LIVE that motivation. Things will be tough at times, but with your motivation being the driving force, you will be able to get through the tougher times.

    If you want more about my story, here is a link to the thread(s) I update monthly regarding my journey. The first part is one more jump back.
  • XXbrendaXX
    XXbrendaXX Posts: 169
    I started a little over a year ago at 320 lbs, and today weigh 195. I am also 5'8". My main advice is just that you really have to want it bad enough. For me it was about being healthy, not thin. I started eating healthy foods and moving my body. That's what it really comes down to. If you want it bad enough, you will make it happen. You CAN do this!! :smile:
  • SheilaG1963
    SheilaG1963 Posts: 298 Member
    I started at over 300 and am down 111 pounds. Tracking, even the bad days, moving and great support on here. You can do it.

    Feel free to add me if you want!
  • TattedCharli
    TattedCharli Posts: 85 Member
    I am 5'6". Started at 290 lbs, have lost 70 lbs in 8 months.
  • Luckee_me
    Luckee_me Posts: 1,425 Member
    Hi,
    I started at over 400 pounds on January 2nd 2012,
    Here's my advice for what it's worth
    Log in everything,
    Give yourself a break if you have a not so great day,
    Try to concentrate on having one good day instead of how much time you think it might take you.
    You just need to have one good day at a time.
    Good luck to you,
    Feel free to add me if you think it might help you.
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