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  • MsMarlaJean
    MsMarlaJean Posts: 1,741 Member
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    Hi There! My name is Marla Jean and I just got engaged this month (9.6.2015) and it will be my 1st wedding, which is a little goofy to me since I am 44 years old and was thinking I wouldn't ever get married, but when you finally meet "The One" everything changes right!?

    We've set the date for 9.10.2016, so I have just under a year to plan and continue forward with my health and fitness goals, I had a bit of a relapse or re-gain, if you will, this past year (Jan-Sept). It's been a year of peaks and valleys for sure, but while I never quit, a wedding is giving me a new sense of motivation.

    My first goal is to shake this fitness funk I've been in and workout! Second I'd like to lose the weight I've gained this year which is approximately 18-20 pounds. After that, I'll re-*kitten*...

    We live in S.E. Alaska and the one thing my fiance has insisted on is having the wedding here in our hometown. This offers some challenges because it's an island and vendors and the like are limited. We're obviously still in the brainstorming phase, but some things are falling into place...our save-the-dates are pretty clever I think, and will be going out with our Christmas letters since out of town guests will need the extra time since we live on an island and it isn't cheap to get here...

    Well, before I write a book I'll stop :lol: Looking forward to learning more about you all and your weddings! How exciting this all is.
  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
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    Welcome Marla Jean! and Congratulations! Glad you found your "One". Hopefully we can help support you through your challenges and you'll be able to offer suggestions as others are going through their own peaks and valleys.

    Sarah
  • Alioth
    Alioth Posts: 571 Member
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    Hi, I'm Lizz.
    My boyfriend and MFP member, PrivateerKhan, popped the question yesterday. My head is spinning since there is so much to plan. We've been dating 14 months now. In that time, I've gained about 20 lbs. The wedding will probably be this spring or early summer--after he gets out of school because he is an elementary art teacher. I would like to tone up and get back into the 130s before then. My cousin is sending me her wedding dress. She's shorter than me, so I have no idea if it can be altered to fit me until after I get a chance to try it on. But almost all dresses now are the sleeveless type. I do not want my back flab bulging out over the top of the dress. And let's not forget the wedding night and honeymoon swimsuit issues. :s I have a lot of work to do!

    H: 5'4"
    CW: 157
    GW 1: 144 --Healthy BMI
    GW 2: 136 --A good "normal" for me
    GW 3: 128 --Haven't seen this number since college!

    My fiancee is well within a healthy weight, but he plans to tone up over the next several months. Good for him, but that just puts more pressure on me to do the same. He runs. Losing weight is easy for him. I hate running. I've gotten to the point where I hate working out at all. I hurt all over at the end of every work day because I'm on my feet as a barista. I have trouble keeping healthy food in the house because my family will eat it all before I do. They cook really fattening food too. It's going to be a rocky road losing weight this time. I really could use some support from you guys.
  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
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    Welcome Lizz, and congratulations! It's a lot, but it is manageable. The 21-29 lbs in 7-8 months should be doable, but it will be tough. My fiance's a runner too (I'm kind of trying, but not really my thing either). If you want to tone and not just lose weight (make sure you take measurements and not just look at the scale), make sure you include some kind of strength training in your routine. If you're on your feet a lot during the day, can you do more low impact exercise (swimming? biking?)? Sorry I don't have much help on the food/family challenges since I've lived on my own through my journey until my fiance moved in. Maybe others can help. Good luck and hopefully this group can be a resource and source of support.

    Sarah (brisingr86)
  • CostaRica120
    CostaRica120 Posts: 274 Member
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    Hi Lizz! Congrats!!! So fun that you're both on MFP :) We're a small but supportive group, so welcome! Take one day at a time, check in here often, and I'm sure you'll make great progress towards your goals :)
  • Alioth
    Alioth Posts: 571 Member
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    Thank you! I did take starting measurements. I'm feeling overwhelmed with all I need to work on, but I know it will all get done eventually.
  • Chezzie84
    Chezzie84 Posts: 873 Member
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    Hi all.
    I got engaged in March and we have set the date for 2nd September 2017.
    I have found THE DRESS and tried it on this weekend, I felt so amazing until I looked at the photos of myself in it. I look so fat and dumpy (205lb - 5foot 5inches).
    I have until September next year to lose weight before my measurements are taken. I am aiming for 40lb.
  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
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    Welcome Chezzie! and congratulations on your engagement. Forty pounds in 10 months should be doable without any unhealthy measures (and even if you aren't quite where you want to be, you still have plenty of time to continue your journey until the wedding, fittings are there to make adjustments). Please take a look at our discussion boards and join in wherever. We typically set monthly goals (sometimes with a theme; this month is around avoiding bad habits and improving nutrition) and check in approximately weekly and then there are side discussions if you want to bounce ideas off the group, get ideas, or just need to vent about the challenges of planning a wedding. I hope this group can be a strong support for you on your journey to look your best on your big day!

    Sarah (Brisingr86)
  • CostaRica120
    CostaRica120 Posts: 274 Member
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    Hey Chezzie! Congrats! Love fall weddings :) You can totally do it! There will def be some struggles but if you keep moving in the right direction as consistently as possible, you'll achieve that goal! Welcome :)

    - Jill
  • Chezzie84
    Chezzie84 Posts: 873 Member
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    brisingr86 wrote: »
    this month is around avoiding bad habits and improving nutrition)
    Sarah (Brisingr86)

    This is a very apt goal for me since my eating habits had started to slip =)
  • samlovesthesnow
    samlovesthesnow Posts: 173 Member
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    Hi All and congratulations on your engagements! I'm Sam. I got engaged in June and am getting married in February 2016 in Scotland.
    SW 190
    CW 140-144 (now in maintenance)
    I'm planning to maintain until the end of the year then may try to drop another 5lbs in January to make my arms look nicer in the dress.
    Very excited - almost there now!
  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
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    Welcome Sam! Congratulations to you and way to go on your fantastic weight loss and being in maintenance. Please join in on the discussion boards and tell us about all your plans and strategies. Only a couple months to the big day; how exciting!
  • Alioth
    Alioth Posts: 571 Member
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    Hi Sam! Good job with losing so much weight up until now. You must feel great!
  • clairice2
    clairice2 Posts: 11 Member
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    Hi All,
    I'm Claire, I'm getting married to my wonderful fiancé Brian in May 2016. Only 4 months away.
    I've been on MFP for over two years, I lost over 15 pounds in the first year and maintained it for the 2nd year, but in the past 3 months, I've found the weight creep back up and I'm up over 10 pounds. :s Not great when the wedding date is getting closer and closer.
    So I'm back with determination, gym classes booked and the food scales out.
    Add me, the motivation I get from other MFP members really helps. :)
    Cheers to getting married in 2016. :)
  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
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    Welcome Claire! We usually set goals monthly and check in to help with accountability and motivate each other. We also have several discussion topics on more wedding related stuff. Please participate as much as you can. Hope this group can help motivate you and/or serve as a sounding board or just a safe place to vent about the stresses of being a bride.
  • 12kcooper88
    12kcooper88 Posts: 16 Member
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    Hi!
    I'm Kristen, and I'm getting married in June 2016. I am in maintenance. Almost two years ago, I lost 30 pounds (long before I imagined I'd be getting married in the near future!). SW was 155, and I am now 125. My lowest weight throughout this process was 121. I have my dress, and it fits perfectly, so I am looking to maintain my measurements while toning up. I wouldn't mind losing a few "security pounds" though :wink:
    Congratulations to all of you!!
  • purebells
    purebells Posts: 83 Member
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    Hey all - I'm Rach and getting married in April 2016. On the home stretch with 2-3 kilos to lose - hopefully more but we will see. SW was 78 and I am now 73. Waiting for my dress to arrive - which should be any day now :):)
  • xxghost
    xxghost Posts: 4,697 Member
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    Hey!

    I'm Shelby, and I'm getting married on June 24th of 2017. I have a lot of weight to lose, with a SW of 280 and an ultimate GW of 199. But I'm confident that I can do it! I've been on MFP for a long time, but mostly to run challenges, and help others hit their goals. I haven't spent enough time on myself, but I'm going to change that this year.

    Congrats to everyone on their engagements! This is so exciting. :)
  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
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    Welcome and congratulations to all! If you didn't read back to the beginning, I'm Sarah and the moderator. I lost about 35 a couple years ago with MFP, then gained about 10 back last year. My wedding is late July 2016, so at this point, targeting to lose 20-25 and tone up. We have a small group of active participants and hope you'll join. We usually set goals at the beginning of each month based on where we are (so for those in maintenance or with only a little to use, you can focus on your strength workouts or eating healthy rather than moving the scale) and personal challenges (trying to break bad snacking habits or limit alcohol intake). I hope this will be a source of support for physical and emotional/mental stresses during this exciting period of preparation.

    Kristen, congrats on your great loss and making it to maintenance! Since your goals are more around toning, are you focusing on strength work rather than cardio?

    Rach, good luck with the last few kilos and making it to the homestretch! You're probably a bit further in some of your planning so hopefully you can offer some tips and lessons learned to those with a bit more time or just starting the planning process.

    Shelby, you have tons of time so you can totally lose that weight (in a healthy and sustainable way)! I hope that this can be a supportive place where you can be supported and get as much for yourself as you have been giving to others. Feel free to offer suggestions for new challenges that could be done on this group, but absolutely make sure you're doing what you need to do for yourself.
  • CostaRica120
    CostaRica120 Posts: 274 Member
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    Hi ladies, and welcome! Congrats to you all and I'm so excited that this group is growing :) I find a lot of support here!

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