Before and After: 83 lbs lost in 15 months

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  • sparklelioness
    sparklelioness Posts: 600 Member
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    Thanks so much to everyone who replied! <3

    A few more things that I do to lose weight. As always, YMMV, this is what worked for ME.

    One "free day" a week. Yes, I did this and still lost weight. I don't call it a cheat day because I'm not "cheating" on anything - I just have a day with no restrictions. Interestingly, the further I got into my new way of eating, the less I wanted to pig out on sunday. For a long time now, on sundays I've been having just a normal breakfast, maybe one snack or a Sbux in the afternoon, and then a nice dinner. I dont even have a big dessert, I usually have my "diet" dessert, which is a Jello Pudding cup (Oreo flavor, so good) topped with fat free whipped cream. About 160 calories. So my compulsion to overeat has vastly diminished. Free days were important for me. I've been thinking of cutting them down to twice a month, but I'm not sure yet. Knowing I just had to wait a few days if I really was craving something, helped me stay on track during the week.

    I eat fat. When I fry I cook exclusively in duck fat. One day I was reading the back of a spray oil can and it said zero calories for a 1/4 second spray. Who in the - in -tarnation- sprays spray oil for 1/4 a second? I googled, and they say for the amount of time most people spray, it's 20-30 calories.

    You know what else has 20 calories? Half a teaspoon of most fats. Then the light went on - why the hell am I cooking in nasty *kitten* spray oil when I could be using real, wholesome fat? At first I used (NON-hydrogenated - it's hard to find, I had to mail order it) lard, which is great, but as I said, it's hard to find. Whole Foods stocks duck fat, so I tried it and actually like it better because it browns food more.

    I usually have eggbeaters, chicken breast strips (fresh and plain, not breaded), and veggies for breakfast (with some salsa and light quac or light sour cream on the side) for breakfast/lunch, and I always coat the strips iin Weber's Beer Can Chicken seasoning (I'm addicted to that stuff, it's so good), and fry it in a half teaspoon of duck fat. They come out golden brown and SO good. I dont feel like I'm eating "diet food" at all.

    I combine breakfast and lunch. This is just what works for me. I dont like eating three tiny meals, I like eating two decent sized ones. I usually eat breakfast around 10. 4 oz of chicken (or turkey sausage, or soy chorizo), a big helping of low cal veggies, a half a cup of eggbeaters, and a generous amount of salsa & light sour cream or guac. Oh - and I drink a latte everyday. I like to feel human, so sue me :) I just fit it into my calories.

    Veggies - pad every meal with them! In the beginning especially, my stomach was so stretched that regular sized meals felt tiny to me. Veggies (Broccoli is awesome cos it's filling & low cal) helped me feel full while my stomach shrank. And it WILL shrink. I eat normal portions now & feel full with them. But yes, it took a while. 3-4 months. But it DID happen.

    exercise.

    change your mindset. Before, if I messed up in the morning & said the hell with it and got a croissant and a large sbux, messing up my calories for the day, I'd be like "to hell with it. I"ll just use this day to eat whatever I want, as much as I want, and start over tomorrow". Now, I'm like "well I'll have a little smaller dinner, and exercise a little longer. One mess up isn't going to kill me. You need tto eat 3500 calories above your regular amount to gain a pound". Attitude. Mindset.

    And lastly... I was just tired of being fat. It affected everything I did. It was keeping me from doing things I wanted to do and making changes I wanted to make. I've done so many cool things recently, that wouldn't have been possible last year. It's been so, so worth it.

    Besides, we all know the food doesn't make you happy. Not really. It only works while you're eating it, and maybe for a half hour afterwards. Then you're back to feeling how you were before. It doesn't WORK. Losing weight and gaining the confidence to attack your problems, and go after what you want. That's what works :)
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
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    you look great!!! Way to go!!
  • rhondamik
    rhondamik Posts: 21 Member
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    You can do it! Just take it one day, one step at a time. Look at it as a life change, not just a diet!
  • FourIsCompany
    FourIsCompany Posts: 269 Member
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    Huge congratulations to you! Great job!

    I have also said I will never post my "before" pics... We'll see.
  • Hanablu2
    Hanablu2 Posts: 134 Member
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    Excellent job! It's as if we are looking at two different women of different ages. You inspire me!
  • rhondamik
    rhondamik Posts: 21 Member
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    I actually was posting this for someone who replied to your post : ( You look awesome! Congratulations for hanging in there and getting through the relapses into old habits!!
  • beekuzz
    beekuzz Posts: 428 Member
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    Awesome transformation! :flowerforyou: Congratulations!
  • SlinkySpencer
    SlinkySpencer Posts: 139 Member
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    Thanks so much to everyone who replied! <3

    A few more things that I do to lose weight. As always, YMMV, this is what worked for ME.

    One "free day" a week. Yes, I did this and still lost weight. I don't call it a cheat day because I'm not "cheating" on anything - I just have a day with no restrictions. Interestingly, the further I got into my new way of eating, the less I wanted to pig out on sunday. For a long time now, on sundays I've been having just a normal breakfast, maybe one snack or a Sbux in the afternoon, and then a nice dinner. I dont even have a big dessert, I usually have my "diet" dessert, which is a Jello Pudding cup (Oreo flavor, so good) topped with fat free whipped cream. About 160 calories. So my compulsion to overeat has vastly diminished. Free days were important for me. I've been thinking of cutting them down to twice a month, but I'm not sure yet. Knowing I just had to wait a few days if I really was craving something, helped me stay on track during the week.

    I eat fat. When I fry I cook exclusively in duck fat. One day I was reading the back of a spray oil can and it said zero calories for a 1/4 second spray. Who in the - in -tarnation- sprays spray oil for 1/4 a second? I googled, and they say for the amount of time most people spray, it's 20-30 calories.

    You know what else has 20 calories? Half a teaspoon of most fats. Then the light went on - why the hell am I cooking in nasty *kitten* spray oil when I could be using real, wholesome fat? At first I used (NON-hydrogenated - it's hard to find, I had to mail order it) lard, which is great, but as I said, it's hard to find. Whole Foods stocks duck fat, so I tried it and actually like it better because it browns food more.

    I usually have eggbeaters, chicken breast strips (fresh and plain, not breaded), and veggies for breakfast (with some salsa and light quac or light sour cream on the side) for breakfast/lunch, and I always coat the strips iin Weber's Beer Can Chicken seasoning (I'm addicted to that stuff, it's so good), and fry it in a half teaspoon of duck fat. They come out golden brown and SO good. I dont feel like I'm eating "diet food" at all.

    I combine breakfast and lunch. This is just what works for me. I dont like eating three tiny meals, I like eating two decent sized ones. I usually eat breakfast around 10. 4 oz of chicken (or turkey sausage, or soy chorizo), a big helping of low cal veggies, a half a cup of eggbeaters, and a generous amount of salsa & light sour cream or guac. Oh - and I drink a latte everyday. I like to feel human, so sue me :) I just fit it into my calories.

    Veggies - pad every meal with them! In the beginning especially, my stomach was so stretched that regular sized meals felt tiny to me. Veggies (Broccoli is awesome cos it's filling & low cal) helped me feel full while my stomach shrank. And it WILL shrink. I eat normal portions now & feel full with them. But yes, it took a while. 3-4 months. But it DID happen.

    exercise.

    change your mindset. Before, if I messed up in the morning & said the hell with it and got a croissant and a large sbux, messing up my calories for the day, I'd be like "to hell with it. I"ll just use this day to eat whatever I want, as much as I want, and start over tomorrow". Now, I'm like "well I'll have a little smaller dinner, and exercise a little longer. One mess up isn't going to kill me. You need tto eat 3500 calories above your regular amount to gain a pound". Attitude. Mindset.

    And lastly... I was just tired of being fat. It affected everything I did. It was keeping me from doing things I wanted to do and making changes I wanted to make. I've done so many cool things recently, that wouldn't have been possible last year. It's been so, so worth it.

    Besides, we all know the food doesn't make you happy. Not really. It only works while you're eating it, and maybe for a half hour afterwards. Then you're back to feeling how you were before. It doesn't WORK. Losing weight and gaining the confidence to attack your problems, and go after what you want. That's what works :)

    Thank you for this! It seems like you have a great attitude, and you look wonderful! You've definitely inspired me :)
  • jodyblanchard
    jodyblanchard Posts: 99 Member
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    This so motivates me. Thank you so much.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    Congratulations! You look terrific!
  • clepant
    clepant Posts: 3,373 Member
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    excellent work! You really do look fantastic. If I could be so bold as to suggest - you might start a heavy lifting routine. After seeing the results of so many women on this site who started with body types similar to what you are right now, I'm even more convinced that heavy lifting is a great way for women to progress. Good luck with whatever you choose!

    P.S. get a better potato to take your progress photos ;)

    I agree with the lifting but I also think heavy weights are not necessarily what all women need. I like doing weight but more repetitions for longer, leaner muscle definition. Also at my age, I have a years of competitive sports injuries from gymnastics and volleyball. I am paying the price for it with a shoulder and knee.
  • teamAmelia
    teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
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    Wow. Great job! :flowerforyou:
  • cgil
    cgil Posts: 1 Member
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    This is just what I needed to read. Thank you.
  • newlife6745
    newlife6745 Posts: 129 Member
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    Great job. Thanks for sharing.
  • sparklelioness
    sparklelioness Posts: 600 Member
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    If I can inspire people, then that makes me happy :) My life is a lot better now. I want everyone to feel the happiness I feel :) It doesn't magically get rid of all your problems, losing weight, but it makes most of them easier to deal with, and enables you to find other ways to get through the hard times.

    Also, I wanted to say that the reason I have something resembling a waist, is that I do Jillian Michaels' Six Week Six Pack dvd 5-6 days a week. It really works, and the workout isn't too long - especially for me, because I've only been doing the first round :p I'm still on the beginner workout, you run through it once and then do it again, a little faster. I've been doing it 2-3 months now, and I still only do the first round - and I'm seeing good results. I've started going into the second round now, so hopefully in another month I'll be doing the whole thing, but even just doing the first round got me a much more toned, tighter waist. I can't recommend it highly enough.
  • tryin08
    tryin08 Posts: 41 Member
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    Thank you so much for posting your success. I am currently where you began and we are the same height. I have not seen the one hundreds since I was in high school. I have a ways to go, but it's so nice to know that it is doable.
  • sparklelioness
    sparklelioness Posts: 600 Member
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    Thank you so much for posting your success. I am currently where you began and we are the same height. I have not seen the one hundreds since I was in high school. I have a ways to go, but it's so nice to know that it is doable.

    It's definitely doable. From your ticker it looks like you're doing great so far! Just keep at it - time WILL go by, and pounds WILL fall off :)
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
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    Very awesome!!!!!
  • fitnessflow
    fitnessflow Posts: 10
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    Amazing progress!!! xx
  • chubber231
    chubber231 Posts: 41 Member
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    Congrats! Your hard work and tenacity paid off :happy:

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