Has anyone on here been obese all their life and lost all the weight and kept it off?

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  • sml1231
    sml1231 Posts: 10 Member
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    I was chubby my whole life, from being a "butterball" baby to a "big-boned" young adult. At 20 (5'8 and ~190 lbs), I studied abroad and lost about 50 pounds without trying. I didn't have a car, so I walked everywhere, went swimming and dancing a lot (for fun not for a workout), and didn't snack as much. I didn't restrict any of my foods, and I didn't ever "work out". When I came back to the US, I gained it all back within 6 months.

    At 27, my friend asked me to go on this diet with her, for support, so I did. Basically, the diet was just good eating. Five veggie servings a day, two low fat dairy, three meat/protein, two natural fruit, two whole grains, and reasonable amounts of healthy fats/oils. I exercised (walking, running, elliptical) 3-5 times a week and did some simple dumbbell weightlifting and crunches. To be fair, I didn't eat a chip or cookie or any other processed junk food. At all. I was pretty hardcore. I subscribed to Cooking Light and actually learned how to cook decently, and I made healthier versions of my favorite things. I lost 60 pounds in about 6 months (195-135 lbs.)

    When I started teaching, I gained about 20 back over about five years, but I was still in a healthy weight range. I've gained another five, because I've been traveling for my new job a lot and eating out and having catered lunches, which are delicious but super junky, so I'm currently cracking down on sugar and carbs (my faves). Getting rid of all the processed foods, sugar, and carbs is what worked for me. Tracking calories, and more importantly nutrition (am I getting enough of what I need) has helped me stay on track.

    I used to have a very unrealistic weight loss goal and idea of what my perfect body should be, but now I just want to be healthy and fit into my pants. I don't feel like I need to be a size 0 or look a certain way. If I feel good, get enough nutrition, and can go out and run a 5k for fun without dying, I consider that a win.

    I am in no position to give advice, but I will anyway. It helps to have support, whether in person or online. It helps to measure progress and celebrate little victories on your way toward your big goal. And it helps to not beat yourself up over failures and not to give up and self-sabotage (like, well I ate that cookie, so now I may as well eat an entire bag of cheesy puff corn and a pizza, because my diet is blown anyway).

    Best wishes to you on your journey! It's inspiring to see all the support in these communities - it takes a village.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    Coconut_Tim wrote: »
    I have been overweight my entire life. I was always the heaviest in school. I was 300lbs at 16. I was 425lbs at 25. I am currently 187lbs and maintaining for the last year. It took about 4 years to lose the weight. It came with lots of ups and downs. I would lose it, then gain it, then lose it.. etc. I have found a good place with my calories and my level of activity. Toss in my cheat day and I maintain pretty well. +/- 5lbs. I didn't do any weird diets or surgeries. Just healthy eating and being active.

    It's just accountability. If you are not accountable for yourself then you cannot achieve victory that lasts. I am sorry if this is controversial but losing weight is easy. I was 425lbs and I lost 20lbs my first week just because I stopped drinking pop! Keep that trend going, cut the bad foods from your diet and anyone can lose weight. Simple CICO.

    Since losing the weight. I get more attention from people. Not just sexually but in general people will be more open and willing to talk to me now that I am not obese. I feel more confident. I take better care of my appearance and hygiene. I am more active because I want to be, instead of because I have to be.

    I went from a shirt size XXXXXL to a S/M. I went from pant size 50x30 to a 32x34.

    I am having a plastic surgeon consultation next week to discuss skin removal. I have loose skin issues.

    Incredibly inspiring - well done you for getting it done and keeping the weight off.
    A changed man indeed.
  • Coconut_Tim
    Coconut_Tim Posts: 63 Member
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    Graelwyn75 wrote: »
    Coconut_Tim wrote: »
    I have been overweight my entire life. I was always the heaviest in school. I was 300lbs at 16. I was 425lbs at 25. I am currently 187lbs and maintaining for the last year. It took about 4 years to lose the weight. It came with lots of ups and downs. I would lose it, then gain it, then lose it.. etc. I have found a good place with my calories and my level of activity. Toss in my cheat day and I maintain pretty well. +/- 5lbs. I didn't do any weird diets or surgeries. Just healthy eating and being active.

    It's just accountability. If you are not accountable for yourself then you cannot achieve victory that lasts. I am sorry if this is controversial but losing weight is easy. I was 425lbs and I lost 20lbs my first week just because I stopped drinking pop! Keep that trend going, cut the bad foods from your diet and anyone can lose weight. Simple CICO.

    Since losing the weight. I get more attention from people. Not just sexually but in general people will be more open and willing to talk to me now that I am not obese. I feel more confident. I take better care of my appearance and hygiene. I am more active because I want to be, instead of because I have to be.

    I went from a shirt size XXXXXL to a S/M. I went from pant size 50x30 to a 32x34.

    I am having a plastic surgeon consultation next week to discuss skin removal. I have loose skin issues.

    Incredibly inspiring - well done you for getting it done and keeping the weight off.
    A changed man indeed.

    Thanks. It takes time but totally possible for anyone to get healthy. It took me changing my mentality before I could change my body.
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
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    I was obese from age 8-14, then "just overweight" from 15-19. With the exception of 2 pregnancies, I have been normal weight from 19-37.

    My weight issues stemmed from bigger family issues. Once I moved out of my parent's house to attend college, I was able to take responsibility for my weight. I cut out the unnesscary things...soda being the biggest. I figured out what foods I over ate (mostly desserts) and cut WAY back on those things. I added more "filling" foods like plain veggies, plain oatmeal, and drank more water.

    I walked A LOT around campus...saved up some $ from a part-time job to buy a treadmill.

    I just made better choices and developed better habits. I weighed 190 at my highest. I started at a size 20, got down to a 2, but am at a 4-6 now.
  • okohjacinda
    okohjacinda Posts: 329 Member
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    Coconut_Tim wrote: »
    I have been overweight my entire life. I was always the heaviest in school. I was 300lbs at 16. I was 425lbs at 25. I am currently 187lbs and maintaining for the last year. It took about 4 years to lose the weight. It came with lots of ups and downs. I would lose it, then gain it, then lose it.. etc. I have found a good place with my calories and my level of activity. Toss in my cheat day and I maintain pretty well. +/- 5lbs. I didn't do any weird diets or surgeries. Just healthy eating and being active.

    It's just accountability. If you are not accountable for yourself then you cannot achieve victory that lasts. I am sorry if this is controversial but losing weight is easy. I was 425lbs and I lost 20lbs my first week just because I stopped drinking pop! Keep that trend going, cut the bad foods from your diet and anyone can lose weight. Simple CICO.

    Since losing the weight. I get more attention from people. Not just sexually but in general people will be more open and willing to talk to me now that I am not obese. I feel more confident. I take better care of my appearance and hygiene. I am more active because I want to be, instead of because I have to be.

    I went from a shirt size XXXXXL to a S/M. I went from pant size 50x30 to a 32x34.

    I am having a plastic surgeon consultation next week to discuss skin removal. I have loose skin issues.

    That is amazing and inspiring! Congrats on the weight loss and maintaining! Hopefully everything goes great with the skin removal because you've definitely worked your *kitten* off for it!
  • okohjacinda
    okohjacinda Posts: 329 Member
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    highlightshadow wrote: »
    I've been big all my life.... i'm uk so don't normally deal in lbs but since it seems most on here do i'll use those...

    At 15/16 i was approx 220lb ... been up and down since then .... past 2 years due to high stress/depression and other things i hit my max, 408lb on 1/1/17.... it was, for me, really do or die, since then i've gone to 348lb today... long way to go still ... wanna be back at my age 15 weight at least but taking it slowly..

    I sometimes feel i'm not losing it quick enough (this past month it's been very stable despite deficit each day).... but hopefully that'll change .... have been able to start excecising again now cos my joints don't hurt so much.

    For me it's been watching my parents trying to keep up with my kids .... they're late 60's and heavy too ... they just can't vs my wife's parents who can chase them around in the garden etc .... i don't wanna waste any more years ..

    I have a goal that by next May (next vacation) i wanna be light enough to go on the things i couldn't this year because i was too heavy...

    I'm still struggling massively with feeling any accomplishment on my loss so far this year (60lb) - people tell me a lot that i'm doing 'so well' etc ... just don't feel it ... i feel its inadequate (part of the problem)

    Good luck to all here.

    Wow your story sounds a lot like mines. I have always been a very depressed kid. My grandma calls it "heavy thinking," but I know that its much deeper than that. Last year when I got down to 80lbs lost and in the 100s, I sabotaged my efforts because of stress/depression and now I am starting all over again. Looking at pics from when I was in the 190s now I realize that was a huge mistake because I did look different, but when you're in a depressed state, you don't really see it. Having to start over again was a depressing start, but I knew if I kept on being negative, I would never get the weight off or just end up sabotaging my efforts like the first time.

    One of the things that was holding me back from being successful was thinking that I wasn't losing it fast enough. Let me just tell you...60lbs in 7 months is amazing and inspiring at any weight. Please don't fall into that trap like I did of thinking this is a race when this is an ongoing marathon. Relish in every milestone and be proud because that is a lot!

    And stalls are going to happen but the scale doesn't tell the whole story. I lost 34lbs in almost 3 months and I was so frustrated that I wasn't seeing it in the mirror and then all of a sudden yesterday when I went to try on a couple of blouses for an upcoming event, I saw there was a big difference from when I started. My tummy has gone in a bit and my face is a bit slimmer.

    So do me a favor and measure yourself because that tells more than anything else that you are going in the right direction. And be patient. The lost will show up on you when you least expect it!


  • heyjude345
    heyjude345 Posts: 66 Member
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    My highest weight was 296 five years ago. I hurt every day and I'll be honest...self care/cleaning was getting difficult. I couldn't get the tray down when flying because I was too big. I finally had enough and I just started with MFP in the middle of the week (I always would wait and binge eat and "start" on a Monday). That was my first clue that this time was different. I also didn't tell anyone. This was for me. I am the type of person that doesn't need accountability so I just kept it to myself.

    After dropping to around 230, I added exercise and began the C25K. I ran my first 5K when I was around 200 pounds and last May ran a half marathon. I will never be a fast runner, but I am a persistent runner.

    I now weigh around 175 and I still log every day because I need that self accountability. I mess up from time to time and then I get right back at it. This is a long journey, and I was frustrated quite a lot. Still am. I want to lose more and I know that I will, but I am healthy now and I have the patience to continue the course.

    Feel free to add me!
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
    edited August 2017
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    I wrote way too much and changed my mind, sorry!

    I was 5'4" and 140-ish pounds at age 10. Big kid, bigger and taller than a lot of my teachers.

    I hit 5'8 (my full adult height) and around 180-190 at age 14-15.

    From the age of 17 to 35, I was always well above 200 lb and usually in the range of 260-275. I hit 299 lb once, and my HW of 307 lb once. But generally was around 260-275 lb for eighteen years.

    Now at 40, I'm around 170-175. I started MFP in March 2013 weighing 272 lb. Hit my lowest weight of 166 in May 2015. Have now bounced around between 166-177 for two solid years but totally okay with that. I am fine with doing that forever and keep logging as well. I don't really care if I go below 160, I'm happy with my body now. But when the scale goes 174, 175...I know it's time to do more hiking and less movie watching, eat more veggies and fewer sweets.

  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    While OP was more obese than I at a young age, I was obese at a young age, being heavier than my 4 year old brother when I was 2. After a brief spasm of weight loss at 14, I ballooned up to 270 at 18, 285 at 24, 3- or 4-something by 38, then with 1/1/2000 my brain toggled away from suicide by food and I lost about 100 lb. I weighed 272 when I found myfitnesspal in January 2016. Using the calorie counting method, I've lost a further 100 lb and continue toward my initial weight loss goal a few lb lower. I still use the food diary to log my food and I don't anticipate that will ever end for me. It's too easy for me to gain weight quickly.
  • okohjacinda
    okohjacinda Posts: 329 Member
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    bobbydunx wrote: »
    Maybe not obese, but really heavy for 3 decades. I decided at 48 it was time to make a change and it will be 4 years tomorrow that I've not only kept it off, but added muscle and am in the best shape of my life at 52. jsw72ytp9o3u.jpg

    Wow that's just incredible!

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