Thinking about ... a year ago ...

Machka9
Machka9 Posts: 25,731 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
As we're coming to the end of 2015, I've been thinking back to where I was and what/how I was doing a year ago, so I thought I'd ask the questions:

How were you doing ... a year ago?

What has changed in your life since then, over the past year?

Replies

  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    Love this question. I (for many years in a row) haven't reached my ultimate goal, but I found MFP which makes my logging easier (as opposed to word documents and recipe calculating by hand!). I'm about 10lbs less than I was then and it's great.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,731 Member
    edited December 2015
    A year ago ...

    I was busy getting medical tests done. I had visited my new Dr early in December. She told me that my bloodwork was borderline problematic, and that if I lost 10 kg, things would likely improve. However, if I didn't lose weight, things would likely get worse. She was also concerned about two other unrelated issues and sent me off for tests.

    The results of those tests had me seeing a specialist who was concerned enough to squeeze me into a special appointment on Dec 23 (Merry Christmas to me!) ... and I was into a pair of surgeries, a week apart, in early January. One surgery confirmed that everything was all clear (no cancer), the other indicated that what they removed was benign, but there is enough of an indication of the possibility of cancer, I have to go for follow-up tests every 6 months for several years.

    In December, I had started exercising more and watching what I ate ... and I lost about 2 kg. But during January, I hit the highest weight I've ever been. Possibly some of that was surgery-induced water retention, but it startled me enough that in February I joined MFP ... determined to lose the weight and be healthy again.

    I was tired of medical tests, of borderline results, of struggling to breathe walking or cycling up hills, of not being able to wear most of my clothes, of feeling like a dowdy middle-aged woman.

    A year later I'm 25 kg down! :) It's amazing what a year can bring. :)

  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    As far as weight loss goes, I've basically spun my wheels this entire year. But in terms of personal growth, I've made enormous strides.
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    So, a year ago...

    I was wrapping up my first semester of nursing school and in pretty good health; I think I'm more caffeinated now (I have become addicted to sugar free Rockstar this semester). Instead of gaining the freshman 15, I lost the freshman 15 over the past year. My average daily insulin dose a year ago was about 25.5 units, and I'm now down to 17.5 units -Reducing my TDD by 8 units is saving me close to 3 vials of insulin a year. My average BG also dropped from 123mg/dL to 109mg/dL, and I increased the amount of readings that I have within 80-150mg/dL (from 56% to 69%).
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    I year ago, I was 25+ pounds heavier than I am today. My activity level/exercise was minimal. I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, which throws a monkey wrench in a lot of things, and I've been using that as a crutch for why I couldn't do x, y or z thing. That's a whole other issue, though.

    My boyfriend mentioned a Biggest Loser-type competition that he and some of our other colleagues were going to do, and suggested I join in.

    I did.

    And I won.

    I lost ~20 pounds during the contest. Over this last year, I've trained for two half-marathons (completed one), as well as worn through 2 pairs of running shoes. I've taken the time to learn more about batch-cooking, which in turn means I spend less on groceries, as well as food in general since I don't feel a need to pick up food on weeknights if I don't have the motivation to cook.

    I now make a focused effort to be more active. I have a Fitbit to track my steps. I run once a week with a group, and do my best to get in 6k-8k steps on the off days.

    Overall...I'm in a better place now than I was then.

    Here's to an even better 2016.

    :)

    ~Lyssa
  • knelson095
    knelson095 Posts: 254 Member
    Hmm...well a year ago I was living in my parents house with my husband and preparing for him to go off to officer's training for the Navy. Also I desperately trying to make the holidays the best one yet because I knew everything was about to change. Didn't go well but that's a whole different story...never has a Christmas tree been dismantled and hauled outside so quickly, I swear. Rage is an efficient fuel, for sure.
    Since then I have had to move pretty much as far away from home as I can get within the continental United States, decided that since I'm not doing anything else I may as well get in shape, lost 28 lbs so far, and I'm well on my way to becoming a hermit. Although a much smaller one.
    This year has been weird.
  • debtay123
    debtay123 Posts: 1,327 Member
    I was 10 lbs heavier than I am now. I am still not at my goal weight but I am making progress. I am emotionally healthier and have learned so much about health , fitness, and most of all doing things God's way!!!!!
  • cheryldowney86
    cheryldowney86 Posts: 30 Member
    I was 40lbs lighter but ive also had a baby 1 month ago so thats where the weight has come, definately did not think a year ago i would have a one month old baby, hopefully next year when we are looking back to today i can say im 40lbs lighter!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    A year ago I was so close to goal I could feel it ...but I knew it was going to take time because I'd reduced my cut to less than 1/2 lb a week.

    I was looking back on the previous year thinking how did I turn from that (couch potato) to this (active and a bit of a gym freak)

    I was starting to feel a bit smug at finally having got close to my goal weight, at finally having kicked asthma into touch, at finally trusting my body again

    I've spent most of this year focusing harder on maintenance than I had to on cutting ...still smug though ;)
  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
    225 lbs with 25% body fat. After making progress in therapy for depression, lost 50 pounds but more importantly got body fat down to 17-18 percent.
  • Linseymout
    Linseymout Posts: 159 Member
    A year ago I had high blood pressure. Got out of breath just walking around my house.....

    Now, weigh 33kgs less and cannot go a day without working out!

    Still have about 10kgs to go to reach my goal but will get there in the new year.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    edited December 2015
    I'm no longer lazy. I'm no longer 'overweight'. I'm no longer uncomfortable in my skin. I'm no longer the shy, quiet type. I no longer make excuses. I'm no longer sad. All of this in a year :)
  • duddysdad
    duddysdad Posts: 403 Member
    One year ago I was 340 pounds, researching how to lose weight. I finally joined MFP on 12/29 of last year. Today I am 180 pounds and on maintenance. I would say it's been a very good year :)
  • threadmad
    threadmad Posts: 190 Member
    PinkPixiexox wrote: »
    I'm no longer lazy. I'm no longer 'overweight'. I'm no longer uncomfortable in my skin. I'm no longer the shy, quiet type. I no longer make excuses. I'm no longer sad. All of this in a year :)

    This is me to a T!
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,289 MFP Moderator
    I love this thread, and I love your stories. You guys are amazing - thanks for sharing!

    A year ago I had just hit maintenance and was really worried about ballooning back up to 200 pounds, so was even MORE neurotic about logging than I was during the loss phase.

    Today, I'm still in maintenance, though creeping a little closer to the top of my maintenance range thanks to lack of control around holiday sweets. Both work and home stress have been pretty rough for the past few months, and I've managed to stay in my maintenance range (yay!).

    This time last year, I began training for a half marathon in March, which I attempted but DNF'd due to an ankle sprain during the run. Finally completed a half marathon in September (knocked that off the bucket list), resprained the ankle last month and am now road biking for endorphins (forget fitness... I exercise solely for endorphins... and beer and chocolate). And I miss running. :)

    Anyway, today I am much more comfortable with myself. I don't worry that I'm going to have to re-buy all those size 16 pants. I've been wearing the same size now for over a year, and that makes me smile.
  • hmaddpear
    hmaddpear Posts: 610 Member
    Technically a bad year for me - this time last year, I was in a hiatus, after losing almost 80lb. Unfortunately, 16lb of those crept back on before I said 'enough is enough' and came back a couple of weeks ago. On the plus side - I'm fitter than I was last Christmas, thanks to completing the Couch to 5K back in the Spring, and finishing 3 races this year! Looking forward to building on that in 2016.
  • eviegreen
    eviegreen Posts: 123 Member
    edited December 2015
    A year ago, I was morbidly obese. I went to the clinic for a routine physical and got on the scale on the scale and the GP made some noises about my weight. Suddenly I was just so tired. Tired of every visit to the Dr turning into a discussion about my weight. Tired of being fat (I've been overweight my whole life, so I've never seen myself differently). And even though going to the gym almost every day made me a healthy fat person (good blood pressure, good cholesterol, etc), I was tired of not seeing those efforts in my physical shape.

    So I made the decision one year ago to seriously commit to logging on MFP, weighing my food, lifting heavy, and losing weight. I've lost 43 pounds and gone from the low end of morbid obesity to a healthy weight for the first time in my life. I look different and I feel more confident and fit and happy. It's been a great year and I'm so glad I made this choice to commit. Next year, I'm looking forward to hitting goal and maintaining.
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
    This time last year I was starting to try and lose 10lbs. By May 2015, I had lost 18. I'm still within 5lbs of that loss...maintainace is tough but I'm making it through...
  • Dreysander
    Dreysander Posts: 294 Member
    This time last year I weighed close to 220 lbs. I actually wasn't thinking about going into 2015 with a plan to lose weight at this time last year, I was just pigging out on holiday goodies and not giving a damn.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,213 Member
    A year ago, I was preparing for bariatric surgery. I weighed 295lbs, was constantly hooked to a heart monitor, and revamping my Will, because I could literally keel over dead at any moment from heart failure.

    Today, I'm 11mo post-surgery. I weigh 165lbs, I'm off 3 of 6 prescription meds (I'm not giving up the other 3, because they keep me in my human form so as not to terrify people), all of my blood work is within normal range, my latest FMRI shows a completely normal heart minus the damage that will never heal, my T2D is in remission, and I started running last week for the first time in about 15 years.
  • Rags2Righteous
    Rags2Righteous Posts: 200 Member
    It's awesome to reflect on the process! A year ago (December 2014), I decided to give up soda and I haven't looked back. I also restarted my fitness journey in February 2015, and I've lost 60 pounds since then, making me the lightest and fittest I have been in years. I have not missed a day on MFP, being brutally honest with logging my meals, water, and workouts (the good, the bad, the ugly, and the amazing). What has changed the most in this year is my mindset; I had to make the decision that my health and fitness were a priority, and that it was going to take hard work, patience, and me being realistic. I am halfway to my "resolution" weight, and I know that if I don't get comfortable, it will come to pass. Then maintenance will be another new season to learn and grow.

    Happy Holidays to you all, and congratulations on making it this far! :)
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    edited December 2015
    A year ago I'd been 'maintaining' (i.e. deliberately bulking and cutting) for about a year. I'd started running that summer and finished a half marathon training program at Thanksgiving. Just because. I haven't raced, and feel no urge to start.

    Nothing much has changed weight-wise, but I have stopped lifting for now and am doing a marathon training program. I was scheduled for a 17 mi. long run this weekend, but strained my ankle some so I'm this into a 'run as long as it feels good' week instead. I'll probably pick up lifting again once the program's done. I'm feeling a decrease in strength, though it may be all in my head. I tested myself and I can still do the same number of pull-ups I could before.

    Kind of excited to try some modified versions of squats - see if I can fix some form issues I could never get past.
  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
    A year ago I was working on my relationship with food. For the first time in my life I was able to enjoy the holidays without the binge/diet cycle. Thanks to that mental break, this year I am entering the holidays diet stress free.
  • alizesmom
    alizesmom Posts: 219 Member
    Good idea for reflection. A year ago I weighed 202, no exercise, drank too much Diet Coke and moaned because I couldn't make it to church. Took an honest look at myself and have lost 64 pounds, 4 months since my last Diet Coke, walk 3-5 miles M-W-F, strength train T-Th-Sat and make it to church most Sundays. I've become proactive about my chronic depression and SAD and feel better than I have in years.
  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
    A year ago I was around 30 pounds heavier having started serious logging and exercise in July 2014. I had also just started lifting 3x a week after joining Anytime Fitness the day after Thanksgiving. I had proudly finished a 20 mile bike tour in September of that year and since then have ridden 20-25 miles several times through the last spring, summer and fall with my personal best now at 30. Next year I hope to be at maintenance (am now 5-7 pounds from goal and it's HARD to lose that last bit). I also hope to have a 40 mile bike ride under my belt (or more).
  • ekruska802
    ekruska802 Posts: 79 Member
    I don't have a scale so I don't know my weight. But.... A year ago I had started to put on some pounds. I hurt myself in October of 2014 and didn't know what I did or what to do. I had a searing, burning pain in my hip and I assumed it was some kind of hip tendon problem. I rested a lot and thought it would go away. It didn't.

    Finally I went to a sports therapy specialist/chiropractor and he immediately figured out my problem was in my back. Several adjustments later and I could finally go for a nice walk or ride a horse without searing pain in my hip. This was the best thing I've done for myself in years. The weight has started to come off slowly and I can wear my clothes comfortably again.

    Also, I got to pet American Pharoah on the nose during 2015. That was actually the best.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
    A year ago in July, I had gotten to my highest weight at 262lbs, about 70lbs heavier. I had decided to quit smoking on my own, and ate the whole break room in my office.
    I had ovarian cysts and injured myself from simply picking my son up out of his crib. My cholesterol was atrocious. Every one of my doctors told me that losing weight will help. So, with the help of my dad and joining MFP, I started logging my food and walking with my dad twice a day.
    I dropped 50lbs by December. Then for the New Year my office had a Biggest Loser competition as well. I won with 7% body weight lost in 3 months. I was losing pretty fast still. I had just seen a 1 in front of my weight. The weight loss has slowed, and the past three months I had put on 10lbs due to some huge stressors in my life. I am happy to say that I have nearly lost those 10lbs and am on a better path to a better me. :)
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    edited December 2015
    I had many a great adventure this year and reached many of my athletic goals - learned to swim, swam 1 mile continuosly, completed my first tri, podiumed at my last tri of the season, became a faster runner and PR'ed every race, averaged close to 20 mph at a 100 mile cycling event (riding non-stop) - built up some awesome muscle tone, and finally embraced my new body which has allowed me to eat the foods I want and overindulge at times without fear of regaining (I worried too much my first year of maintenance).
  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
    A year ago, I was up with all the 10 lb I had lost on MFP at the start of 2014 and may be 5 on top. I was tired and stressed for all sorts of sad family reasons but I knew the weight had to go.

    I am now 20 lb down from then, lost mostly again in the winter but this year, despite all the stress of graduation and job search and new job and health and family issues... I kept the loss off (basically watching the scale and every time it went up more than 2-3 lv, logging for a couple of weeks to bring it down again). I have recently started losing long-term again.

    It was an important year beacuse it showed me that it's not about whether you "fall off the wagon", but what you do once you're off. I kept my loss and got on MFP again, slow and steady. Started lifting again too :)
  • missm2
    missm2 Posts: 608 Member
    For me I've finally got down to a size 12. It's taken me nearly 10 years to get there but it has happened and I'm more content with my size but still working on my stubborn stomach :)
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