Celebrating 6 months of Maintenance after over 100 pounds lost!

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caramel827
caramel827 Posts: 163 Member
in Success Stories
Starting Weight/Size/BMI
July 2015: 249 pounds/Size 20/BMI 33
Sept./Oct. 2016: 149 pounds/Size 6

Current Weight/Size/BMI
March 2017:139 pounds/Size 4/BMI 22

I am so excited to be able to post this! Today I celebrate 6 months of maintenance after reaching my goal weight!!! I am even under my goal and that's because I truly listened to my body! I tend to weigh within a range of 139-143 now and that's what works for me! I am so grateful for MFP for finally helping me see the reason I failed at diets is because a diet is difficult to maintain. I truly had to simply focus on amount of calories in and amount of calories out! And with the help of Fitbit to help me see I did not have to go to the gym every day I really feel empowered!! Yes I still log daily and I still use my fitbit- I have even started C25K. Not because I have to but because I really want to do so!

Please feel free to ask any questions. I don't know all the answers but I will gladly share what worked for me! I want to pay it forward as these boards are a true support and continue to be for me! I am on day 588 of logging and I still weigh in weekly. These are small things when I look at the big picture of having a healthy bmi, being able to keep up with my five year old and ten year old and just feeling better about life!! No matter what is happening in your life remember that you can do this. You have the power. Slow and steady truly does win the race!

Here is the original post for when I reached my goal:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10466302/goal-reached-down-103-pounds-size-20-to-size-6#latest

This is a post I made along the way about 30 pounds from goal:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10411906/part-ii-size-20-to-size-10-71-6-pounds-gone-tips-for-those-who-want-them#latest

Here is a tips post I made:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10411906/part-ii-size-20-to-size-10-71-6-pounds-gone-tips-for-those-who-want-them#latest

Today I celebrate with this post and by cleaning out my closet so I can donate my larger clothes to Goodwill. I had been hesitating to do this holding on to them out of fear but fear no more! I plan to return here every 6 months to celebrate my own and the success of others! I am embracing my healthier self!! Thank you reading!

Replies

  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    edited March 2017
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    Good job! Congrats!

    I can't wait to get there too.

    ETA - you look amazing!
  • TxTiffani
    TxTiffani Posts: 798 Member
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    That's incredible! You look fantastic! Congrats on continued maintenance!
  • fostersu
    fostersu Posts: 327 Member
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    This is wonderfully inspiring! I'm so happy for your success, thank you for sharing
  • 1SewinSusan
    1SewinSusan Posts: 8 Member
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    Congratulations on your success! I'm sure your family is extremely proud of you! I just put a bag of my LARGE clothes in the car to donate to Goodwill myself! Healthy Blessings!
  • stick2itjudy
    stick2itjudy Posts: 3 Member
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    What was your calorie budget while losing compared to maintnence? Did you go as low as you could go? How long did it take you to meet your goal?
  • bertygriffith
    bertygriffith Posts: 48 Member
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    Wow! Congratulations!
  • cbl40
    cbl40 Posts: 281 Member
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    Amazing!! Bravo!!
  • ggeise14
    ggeise14 Posts: 386 Member
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    Congrats and thanks for sharing!
  • caramel827
    caramel827 Posts: 163 Member
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    stick2itjudy wrote: »
    What was your calorie budget while losing compared to maintnence? Did you go as low as you could go? How long did it take you to meet your goal?

    When I first started MFP I went as low as I could go setting my goal at 2 pounds loss a week- that was 1220. I didn't exercise nor have a fitbit then so I pretty much stayed around that goal.

    After about 50 pounds loss I read on the boards you should slowly introduce your body back to more intake and I changed it to 1 pound loss a week. Plus I had my Fitbit then but I always left my exercise activity at inactive as well- though at this point I was striving for at least 10K most days of the week. MFP set me at 1440 at that point.

    When I hit goal (Highest weight July 8, 2015 goal reached September 26, 2016) it has me set at 1660. This is without factoring in exercise calories. It was slower than when I was in my 20's single no kids and could go to the gym every week but in the long run this is a lifestyle change so I just tried to remember slow and steady!

    I never ever eat all of my exercise calories though. I do allow myself half if hungry. I realize from reading the boards that's probably why I at times would hover below my goal weight. I am just trying to learn what my body needs.
  • sophia5_k
    sophia5_k Posts: 20 Member
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    Congratulations on your maintenance! How did you deal with hunger when you first started? My biggest hurdle is starving at the end of the day on 1200 calories.
  • caramel827
    caramel827 Posts: 163 Member
    edited March 2017
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    sophia5_k wrote: »
    Congratulations on your maintenance! How did you deal with hunger when you first started? My biggest hurdle is starving at the end of the day on 1200 calories.

    Thank you so much!

    I was never hungry nor did I feel deprived. For me I started immediately trying to look at where I wanted to intake most my calories. I am a light lunch heavier dinner person. I think my breakfast would be middle range though most say make that your heaviest meal. If I had a heavy breakfast that would have just been a waste for me because I would still intake the same calories at dinner. Plus I think the fact that I only ate things I liked helped too. I did MFP about ten years ago before getting pregnant with my first child and lost 30 pounds but I did it by eating what I thought were the only foods I could eat- healthy ones I cut out all kinds of stuff. When I got pregnant and returned to the regular world of food the pounds came back like lighting!! Now I know to enjoy and eat what I want as long as I stay within limits. And I never feel hungry because I ate on my terms what I like and enjoy. I also discovered what fills me up- for me oatmeal versus say a boiled egg (but I like them) is an example.... maybe track a few days while playing with having more calories at a specific meal or more snacks. Maybe that will help!
  • stick2itjudy
    stick2itjudy Posts: 3 Member
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    Thanks so much for the tips!

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