365 Days, 66 lbs, 26F 5'6 - PICS :)

One year ago today I decided to give calorie counting a shot.

365 days later I can say that I have lost 66 lbs, and 37 inches all over (including 13 inches in my waist alone).

My sizes have gone from:
22+ to 16 (pants)
XL to M (shirts)
42DD to 38D (bra, and I'm one of the few that is ecstatic about the fact that my chest got smaller)

SW: 249
CW: 183
GW: 149

My goal weight is 149, to make an even 100 pounds. I expect to have another 8-9 months of losing ahead of me to make that goal and then it's on to maintenance. For someone who's been overweight their entire life, this transformation has been amazing, awesome, life-changing, and wonderful, to say the least. I'm now thinner than I have ever been in my young adult or adult life and I'm grateful for it everyday. I've become a more active and healthy person in the process too, and I'm even more grateful for that.

For those who are interested, I've used the TDEE method more or less to determine my total calories, but a lot of this was trial and error and ultimately I just stuck with what worked for me. I workout 5 times a week, Monday through Friday at lunch. On the weekends I often get out and walk or bike or hike, but I don't plan on it, it's something I opt to do because I want to. I also have never set foot in a gym during this process, there are so many resources available for those of us who can't or don't want to go to the gym. But as they say, weight loss happens in the kitchen and the reason for my success is the counting, 100%. The workouts are just a bonus.

It's been important for me to stay focused on my NSVs and take things one day at a time. Little milestones are good too, instead of looking ahead at how many pounds you have left to lose. I'm always looking at the next step down. I finally just crossed out of the 'Obese' range on the BMI scale, and my next milestone will be at 174 when I'm officially 75% done.

If I could offer just one piece of advice to those of you who are reading and just started, it's TAKE PROGRESS PICTURES. You may hate the way you look now, but trust me, when the scale's being a jerk and measurements haven't changed and no one's noticed, it helps to look back and see how far you've come. If I could offer other advice it would be to take measurements too. Don't just rely on the scale. Sometimes it is a jerk, it's just the way it is. Cardio's great but strength training is great too. I was never the type to care about my muscles, but I love the way they feel and are starting to look (now that the fat is disappearing and I can actually see them!). I know they say that muscles can't be built when you're at deficit - but I'm here to vehemently disagree. They're not huge, but they're there and rock hard, and they definitely were not before. Remember that if you screw up, it's just one day. As long as you don't let everyday become that way, just move on. We all need a break from it every once in awhile.

And finally, remember that your goal weight is not the magical number where you will feel good and attractive and everything will be sunshine and rainbows. Right now I'm still 34 pounds from goal and there's still parts of myself that I look at and wish were smaller, but despite that - everything is sunshine and rainbows. At this point I can shop wherever I want and find my sizes, I can do things with ease that damn near killed me before, and for the first time in my life I don't feel like the fat chick. I feel normal-sized.

Lastly I wanted to give a shout out to my awesome MFP friends. You guys are so amazing, I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate your support. When I'm excited about an NSV, you are too. You're always in the mood to talk about macros or calories or recipes or workouts, even when everybody else in my life wants me to shut up (not that my family and friends haven't been extremely supportive). I love you guys - especially my BFP jessspurr

If you got through all that, thanks Here's what you really care about - pics! First - here are the pictures I took exactly a year ago the day I started:



Looking at those pictures now (and actually at the time too) disgusts me. I don't even know how I let myself get so fat.

Next are my before/during. The first is a pic of me at my aunt's wedding almost exactly a year ago. This was "that picture" that made me realize how big I'd really gotten. That is in fact the same dress, but it's pinned in the second one



And finally, face progression: