50 Pounds Down

I started with MFP in 2011. I was exercising regularly with some of my coworkers and had lost 33 pounds. After each workout, I could barely move so I gave up. The weight came back on, of course.

In 2014, I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my hips and back. The pain was excruciating, and I couldn't rise up from a seated position without literally screaming. I weighed 204 pounds at that time and knew things wouldn't get any better if I didn't get some weight off. I knew it would be a challenge as I also have Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, which has robbed me of my balance and deteriorates the muscles in my hands, arms, legs, and feet. It also has caused scoliosis from muscles overcompensating for the ones I've lost.

It's funny, but my own doctor never really prompted me to lose weight. My son's, however, had the courage to set me straight. My son has weight issues too, along with an underactive thyroid. His doctor looked at me and said, "How can you expect your son to lose weight if you don't?" That reality check and the pain I was in from the arthritis was more than enough motivation for me to get into action.

I rejoined MFP in July, determined not to let arthritis and CMT keep me from my goal of losing at least 74 pounds. It has been slow going, as the only exercise I got was in my pool last summer. I tried walking, but the hip kept giving me all kinds of grief. I've managed, through my food choices alone, to lose 50 pounds. I am so excited!! I can finally see my toes again without bending over! I was growing out of a size 18 into a size 20 last summer, and now my size 14's are getting loose. I have 24 more pounds to go before I reach the goal I set for myself. Several of my coworkers have even called me "skinny", which I never thought I'd ever hear again!

I'd love to hug the creator of this amazing site. You've been the catalyst for change in the lives of so many, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Without the support of MFP friends and the accountability of my food diary, I don't think I would have made it this far. Just goes to show, if a middle-aged woman with medical challenges can do this, so can anybody!