From dieting to a lifestyle change, inspired by my future (with pictures)

At 25, I had been battling weight for 7 years. I was in grad school, working 4 jobs to have the best chance at getting the job I wanted after graduation. That was my focus, not my health. I was eating out every day, and eating junk when I wasn't out. I made no time for exercise, and spent any free time hanging out on the couch with my roommates. I didn't go near a scale because I didn't want to know the truth.

I had gone through a gallbladder surgery gone very wrong, and knew what poor diet could lead to. I had also shown signs of endometriosis for years, something my mom had that made her nearly unable to have children. My doctor suggested I could have PCOS also. That was it--I wasn't going to have two things holding me back from having a family. I knew the best way to deal with PCOS was to lose weight, so that's what I had to do it. I'd done it before, the crash diet. I ate my 1200 calories and skipped going out with friends, and sweat away after work on an elliptical. I'd get to my goal and slowly slip back to my old ways. Something had to change, for good.

I looked around for inspiration, especially to my parents. 15 years before, my dad had decided to make a change himself. He started walking, cooking better things, logging what he ate (paper and pencil, he used--he's in his 70s, so not online diary for him). Meanwhile, my mom had yo-yo dieted my whole life. Nutrisystem and step aerobics, then gain weight, Weight Watchers and Curves, then gain weight... she was overweight and not doing anything about it anymore. I'd been through cancer and two heart surgeries with my parents, and didn't want that for my kids, if I could help it.

I decided I'd lose the weight slowly, something I'd always known to be better for you, but never wanted to take the time to do. It's frustrating to see the scale move slowly, and those water weight gains can get you down. But I wanted to be able to go out on weekends, enjoy holidays without guilt. I started walking my new 10 lb puppy. Any labrador owners know how much they need their exercise. It was small at first, a couple of half hour walks per day. I found I liked it a lot, could use that time to relax. I'd meal plan, think about upcoming lesson plans (I did get that job I wanted), and schedule out my week.

I also learned some new things. For instance, if I'm not excited about what I'm making for dinner, the likelihood of me eating something less great skyrockets. I decided I'd learn to cook things I love in a healthier way. Skinnytaste and similar blogs were helpful. I tried out Thai, (Americanized) Chinese, Korean, Latin American (this was already really familiar to me), Italian, Mediterranean, Indian... basically I'll try anything! I love it, and I look forward to my own cooking way more than restaurants. It was intimidating at first, looking at long ingredient lists or things I hadn't done, but it's been fun learning.

Fast forward to today: That puppy is 90 lbs heavier and I'm 60 lbs lighter. The walking is about 10 miles per day now, and I run 3x/week and lift weights 3x/week. It's great for stress, and the results get me excited for the gym like I never was before. I cook nearly every night, always trying new things, and can enjoy the special occasions. It's a lifestyle that I'll someday teach to children. I don't have PCOS, by the way, but the endometriosis was surgically diagnosed. My doctor is confident I'll have no trouble conceiving, but for now I'm cherishing my full nights' sleep. I'm getting married this year, and there's no pre-wedding diet to add stress.

MFP has been a big part of my success, and these forums have done everything from answer questions I have, gives me ideas for exercises and recipes and how to be successful, find new people with similar interests, and inspire me. I hope I can inspire someone to make the change, now for the scale or the mirror (though they don't hurt), but for their future and their family's future.

[post edited by MFP moderators]

Of course, gotta have the visual proof:


Before: 175 lbs 5'3"





After 115 lbs (not any taller... )

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