250 days on MFP - 115 days left to "Fit by 40" w/pics :)

hoffmann2828
hoffmann2828 Posts: 15 Member
edited December 1 in Success Stories
I started my journey on Sept 8, 2015 - the day after my 39th birthday. I realized another year of blowing out the candles wishing to look and feel better wasn't actually working out. That damn birthday fairy never delivered. I decided that I needed to get off my tush and eat healthier if I had any chance of not spending the next (hopefully) 40 years as fat as the first.

I started out at 218.7 lbs. I'm wearing size 18 pants in this pic along with a 2xl t-shirt.
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It's been 250 days and I'm down to 159. I have hit a hard plateau and have gone nowhere for weeks. I still have a goal of 135-140 in mind.

Here is me at 159. I can't believe I made it this far! I'm wearing 5/6 jeans in the top pic and a medium shirt. :smile:
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FYI, my hubby has also joined me on my journey and has officially passed me up and lost over 60 lbs too! We feel amazing!!!

Any tips or tricks to push through my plateau is welcomed!!! :smiley:

Replies

  • sparklyglitterbomb
    sparklyglitterbomb Posts: 458 Member
    You go, girl!!
  • shank35l
    shank35l Posts: 102 Member
    Congratulations. Right there with you. Will be 39 this summer and I plan to have the flab gone by 40.
  • suemcmurry
    suemcmurry Posts: 188 Member
    WOW!! :)
  • Pam_1965
    Pam_1965 Posts: 137 Member
    You really look fabulous!!
  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
    Awesome! As far as your plateau, have you adjusted your calories for your lower weight? And do you use a food scale to weight all solids?

    You look younger and very happy!
  • littlewomensmom
    littlewomensmom Posts: 54 Member
    Congratulations on your incredible results! How exciting! Looks like birthday wishes did come true - after some hard work on your part!
  • hoffmann2828
    hoffmann2828 Posts: 15 Member
    Thanks everyone! It is hard to even grasp my results so far. Definitely A LOT of hard work, but it is definitely worth it.

    Rose...I have updated MFP and am still staying close to calorie limits. I do use a scale for most items. My mom reminded me to keep doing it - she calls it "portion creep" where you start eyeballing portions and then it gets back out of control. I am trying to be good - I think sometimes I'm being too good! LOL
  • AmandaOmega
    AmandaOmega Posts: 70 Member
    You're doing FANTASTIC! And you're looking fantastic, too!

    Also note that when you weigh less, you burn less calories when you exercise (as you have less weight that needs to be moved with each motion). So unless your exercise machine gives you an opportunity to put in some measurements (like age, weight, height, etc) before you use it, then your exercise machine is probably overestimating how much you are burning. :) I use a heart rate monitor and app that lets me put in age, height, and weight, and it seems to do a fairly good job of giving me accurate calorie burns.
  • reneedaniels13
    reneedaniels13 Posts: 3 Member
    You look GREAT!!! Congrats!
  • busyblkgirl
    busyblkgirl Posts: 264 Member
    You look fabulous! I actually just started my fierce by forty mission. Your pic encourages me so much!
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    AMAZING!!! You must feel like a million bucks right now!
  • HannaJJ1
    HannaJJ1 Posts: 13 Member
    Congratulations! you should be so proud.
  • nwd1976
    nwd1976 Posts: 40 Member
    You look fantastic. Push harder at your exercise for and extra day or two each week.
  • lemonfix
    lemonfix Posts: 13 Member
    Inspirational - I'm right back where you were 250 days ago, only a decade older (it took me a little longer to realise the birthday fairies just weren't up to it!) Congratulations, you look great - and so happy! As for the plateau, you already know to keep hydrating and watch the portion sizes, have you perhaps thought about trying something completely different exercise-wise to give the body a bit of a shock?
  • ceirawillsucceed
    ceirawillsucceed Posts: 519 Member
    You are doing great!!
  • annamariedormile1972
    annamariedormile1972 Posts: 4 Member
    :) Great achievement- well done! Any top tips you could perhaps share?
  • hoffmann2828
    hoffmann2828 Posts: 15 Member
    nola_freebird wrote: »
    You look fabulous! I actually just started my fierce by forty mission. Your pic encourages me so much!

    OMG. This seriously made my day! I never, NEVER, thought I could ever be an inspiration to others before. I hope you know you totally can do it. It is mind over matter!!! Just remind yourself every single damn day that you are worth it and you control your body, not the other way around.
  • hoffmann2828
    hoffmann2828 Posts: 15 Member
    nnji wrote: »
    You look fantastic. Push harder at your exercise for and extra day or two each week.

    I love this advice! I actually just started doing a second walk (3.8mph/30 min) a few days this week and I am going to my first (EVER) workout Dance class tonight to amp it up. :)
  • hoffmann2828
    hoffmann2828 Posts: 15 Member
    lemonfix wrote: »
    Inspirational - I'm right back where you were 250 days ago, only a decade older (it took me a little longer to realise the birthday fairies just weren't up to it!) Congratulations, you look great - and so happy! As for the plateau, you already know to keep hydrating and watch the portion sizes, have you perhaps thought about trying something completely different exercise-wise to give the body a bit of a shock?

    Those *kitten*! They just don't deliver! LOL

    You can do it. I know it gets harder, but it's so worth it.

    Definitely trying something different - tonight, I dance! We'll see if it helps or just makes me unable to stand for a few days. LOL
  • hoffmann2828
    hoffmann2828 Posts: 15 Member
    annamariedormile1972 wrote: »
    :) Great achievement- well done! Any top tips you could perhaps share?

    A few things I've done that may help.

    1. Find out what motivates you. For me, it was going on Pintrest and pinning new clothes, and motivational quotes. I read them every darn day! Over and over. If I felt like skipping a workout, I read things like "If it is important to you, you'll find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse". It kept me going until the real weight loss started happening and then that was my motivation!

    2. I didn't cheat. Not even a little. Halloween candy? Not a piece! Christmas cookies? Not a one! And I made it through Girl Scout cookie season without eating ONE cookie. Here's why...I control my body, it doesn't control me. I said no. I said it was junk food and therefore didn't belong inside my belly. Everyone knows cookies are crap - no nutritional value. So why bust my hump working out to offset a cookie? 2 Samoas (my favorite GS cookie) are 120 calories. YIKES. I have to workout for a long time to burn those off!!!! Worth it? Nope. Makes it much easier to say no when you are making the choice.

    Not much else I guess. I just have a killer playlist on my phone for workouts and I enjoy my "alone" time. I also go to a low-key local gym where I feel safe enough to jam out and "dance" - even while I'm on the treadmill :) And because it's small, it has pretty short hours - which means I have to get my tush going. I can't push it off too long, or I'll miss my chance to workout. Actually does make me MAKE time to go.

    Good Luck!
  • ClarissaCLD
    ClarissaCLD Posts: 212 Member
    You are doing amazingly well. Do you do any resistance training? It's better for weight loss than cardio as it keeps working for a few hours after you stop.
  • mmjclark04
    mmjclark04 Posts: 54 Member
    I'm in a similar boat! You look fabulous! I can't wait to be where you are. I'm at 218 now. Do you have loose skin? I'm a little anxious about that!
  • bekim123
    bekim123 Posts: 391 Member
    Super job! You look great.
  • hoffmann2828
    hoffmann2828 Posts: 15 Member
    ClarissaCLD wrote: »
    You are doing amazingly well. Do you do any resistance training? It's better for weight loss than cardio as it keeps working for a few hours after you stop.

    I do. I do about half hour of cardio per day, plus each day I focus on a body part/region to strength train. Today was leg day. :)

    I should probably do a little more strength training, but it's kinda difficult to decide what to do - there are so many different exercises out there!
  • hoffmann2828
    hoffmann2828 Posts: 15 Member
    edited May 2016
    mmjclark04 wrote: »
    I'm in a similar boat! You look fabulous! I can't wait to be where you are. I'm at 218 now. Do you have loose skin? I'm a little anxious about that!

    I do. :(

    I actually have some extra on the armpit (right next to the boobs) and the bottom belly roll. :neutral:

    I'm hoping that will eventually go away - we'll see. It's not too bad, but I won't be wearing a bikini or wearing only a little tank top any time soon.

    Much luck to you! You can totally do it. It isn't as hard as it seems - you just have to make yourself a priority. :)
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