Slow & steady progress check-in

Meg5065
Meg5065 Posts: 33 Member
It's been almost three years since I began this journey. It has been slow, but not terribly burdensome, to loose weight. I am a 5'3" 66-year old woman. I have always struggled with weight to some extent, but after a major illness and 6 months of steroids, I was technically obese for the first time and felt like a whale.

So, after I regained my health, I started my journy by quitting drinking (which likely contributed to the health catastrophe), and focused on that for about a year without worrying about my weight. Then, when that was comfortable and easy, I began what I think of as another lifestyle change rather than a diet. I began logging my food and keeping to within a couple of hundred calories of the myfitnesspal-selected calorie goal for losing weight every day. Regardless, however, I logged whatever I ate, even if I blew the goal completely. According to MPF, I've logged a 466-day streak so far.

My highest weight ever was 194 (Jan 2014), including pregnancies. On Mothers' Day of 2015, this picture with my brother inspired me to start working on loosing weight. By July (second picture) I was down some from my highest weight and feeling better. I have gradually come down to picture three: today the scale read 157.
My goal is 135, but more important than that is to continue with this way of eating (and probably tracking) for the foreseeable future. I stay (sort of) within my macro goals, I eat mostly veggies & fruit, whole grains, healthy protein, and only occasional fatty, carbiforous treats. I allow the occasionally cake or cookie indulgence, but always track it. I've also tried to add some exercise, but I'm not too regular about it--walking, occasional bicycling, or lap swimming. Still trying to add a regularity to the exercise regimen--that's a work in progress. If you do the math, you will see the weight loss has been VERY slow (about a pound a month, sometimes even less), but I figure I am getting older regardless of how much i weigh, so I might as well eat this way as that happens.

So there you have my story.

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Replies

  • stephyc2016
    stephyc2016 Posts: 46 Member
    Good job! Slow and steady wins the race and you're right on track. :) Keep it up!!
  • 320sycamore
    320sycamore Posts: 54 Member
    Inspiring - and the difference between picture #1 and #3 is amazing. Part of it is the weight loss and part of it is your beautiful hair cut and color!
  • Meg5065
    Meg5065 Posts: 33 Member
    Thanks,Steph. I've decided MFP is just part of my life and I now automatically log everything. It helps keep me aware of what I put in my mouth☺️
  • Meg5065
    Meg5065 Posts: 33 Member
    Hair color is now mine; I quit fighting being a white-haired old lady & decided to embrace it!

    Meg
  • Meg5065
    Meg5065 Posts: 33 Member
    One other piece of my success so far--I did buy o food scale, and I do weigh and measure everything whenever I am eating at home.

    Meg
  • kayms13
    kayms13 Posts: 47 Member
    Thank you for sharing your story and reminding me that slow and steady is ok, as long as we keep working at it!
  • TheBuffster40
    TheBuffster40 Posts: 23 Member
    Well done. Love your hair now too
  • cmjlavallee
    cmjlavallee Posts: 28 Member
    You look great! Amazing work!
  • Christinaluvly
    Christinaluvly Posts: 116 Member
    You look much healthier and happier! Good Work!
  • Meg5065
    Meg5065 Posts: 33 Member
    I am much healthier and much happier. Sobriety is wonderful, and not carrying that lost weight makes for much easier days, and better sleep, for sure. --Meg
  • rebeccaEsmith
    rebeccaEsmith Posts: 1,136 Member
    Congratulations!
  • ClareGxxx
    ClareGxxx Posts: 18 Member
    You have dropped the years too. Amazing work
  • blackchick46
    blackchick46 Posts: 27 Member
    good job,slow and steady is the way to go
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    Well done! Very inspiring.
  • agbmom556
    agbmom556 Posts: 694 Member
    Great Job!
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