Birthday progress w/ pics

06/10/14

Today is my 52nd birthday. And my 492nd day of daily MFP logging. This has been one helluva year and I want to share it with you.
Many people refer to their weight loss/fitness experience as a “journey”. To me, a journey is traveling from one place to another, with a definite starting point and a pre-determined destination. I prefer to think of this as an adventure. I am traveling through uncharted territories, unaware of the pitfalls I will encounter, nor of the surprises I will find. Hell, I don’t even know where I will be when I complete this adventure. I don’t know where it will take me.

As I mentioned, this is the 492nd day of this adventure, my logging streak began on Monday, February 4, 2013. But the adventure actually started several months earlier. I joined MFP in October 2012 in order to lose weight for my upcoming wedding. My intentions were good but my follow through was lousy. On December 15, 2010, my husband of 10 years and I finally had our church wedding, renewed our vows and had our civil ceremony convalidated by the Catholic Church. When I looked through the pictures, I saw a very happy bride. A very happy, very fat bride. Over the years, I had gained about 100lbs. During those years, my husband never *****ed about my weight; he loved and accepted me just as I was. When I remembered all that we had been through and all the support he showed me over the years, I thought “He deserves more than a fat, unfit, dumpy and dowdy wife. He deserves a wife he can be proud of.” (Little did I know that he has always been proud to call me his wife.) Then I thought “Hell, I deserve to be more than a fat, unfit, dumpy and dowdy woman.” I was 50 years old and tipped the scales at 232lbs. My motivation for change was born. Something lit a fire in me. I wasn’t doing this for him; I was going to do this for ME. Because I am worth it.



I started walking and being more aware of what I was eating. I logged in sporadically. I guess I saw a bit of progress; I was able to walk further and further each week. I was feeling better physically due to the light exercise, but I still wasn’t counting calories. I liked food too much to really consider a diet. But I wanted to change for the better. I logged a day of hypothetical eating – 2700 calories! No wonder I was obese! I had to change my eating habits. On 02/04/13, I started logging my food.

I started eating 1200 calories a day, just like MFP told me to do. I felt so righteous eating Laughing Cow cheese on a dry English muffin for breakfast, a salad for lunch and small portions at dinner. I joined the local gym and was amazed when I was able to walk for 30 minutes straight on the treadmill. I was doing awesome! But I was also hungry, kinda miserable and definitely wanting the good food I was accustomed to.

I started spending my time in the MFP Community. (MFP soon replaced FaceBook as my social media outlet). I started reading in the forums and found “In Place of a Road Map”. That single post changed my life! I learned about TDEE, BMR and a sustainable lifestyle. My weight loss strategy suddenly changed from a temporary diet to a long term way of life – one of eat a little less, move a little more. I also learned about the benefits of strength training, the wonders of C25K and the folly of raspberry ketones and detoxes.

I continued to walk daily. In April 2013, I started waking early and was walking 3 miles most mornings and evenings. By my 51st birthday in June 2013, I weighed 207lbs, a loss of 25lbs in 5 months. By July, I was starting SL5x5 and learned what it felt like to be a bad-*kitten*. I started C25K and in October, I ran my first 5K in 44:01 minutes. By November, I added weekly 6 mile hikes with Cora, my blue heeler pup. On November 8, I weighed 199.8lbs – ONEDERLAND at last! The first six months of 2014 have resulted in another 23lb loss, for a total of 48lbs. I weigh 184.6lbs as of this morning. My body fat % is at 41.3%, down from 56.2%. My BMI is 31.6, down from 38. I have gone from measurements of 49-43-52 to 43-37-42. (sorry this is so blurry :grumble: )



I get a thrill out of feeling muscles emerge from under that layer of fat! I even have baby guns!




I still have much more to accomplish. I still want to lose another 20-40lbs more. I have yet to get consistent with my weight training (I’m praying that small spark becomes an unquenchable fire burning in me). I have yet to complete C25K and I can’t run yet (thanks to bone-on-bone knee problems). But I have gained the courage and confidence to post a pic of my booty for all of MFP to see – thanks to two special friends, you know who you are!

I want to especially thank all of the wonderful guys and girls on my FR (I’m getting teary-eyed now) for all the wonderful knowledge, support and inspiration you have given me. You guys are AWESOME and I hope to run as far and lift as heavy as you one day. I really don’t think I would be where I am now without you! And you continue to encourage me to keep working to achieve my best. But my adventure has only just started. This has been an awesome year for me. And I CAN’T WAIT to see what I accomplish in this next year. The possibilities are endless!

The cake, ice cream and champagne are on me!!