Turning 45 Sunday, Lost 100+ lbs last year & have maintained for more than a year!
ChelleDee07
Posts: 396 Member
September 15th, 2018 made 1 year of maintenance for me.
I lost over 100 lbs from January 11th, 2017 to September 15, 2017. That is exactly 8 months and 4 days.
Of course the very first question everyone asks is, How? Honestly, it is as simple as eating right and moving more. I got up off the couch, got into the gym and started moving more along with changing what and how much I ate. I didn't completely remove anything from my diet. I continued to eat carbs, dairy and even sweets. However, I learned how to eat appropriate portions by weighing and logging my food using MFP.
I wasn't always obese, but after having my first son and continuing to eat like I was pregnant... the pounds started packing on. I actually dropped pretty much all my weight after having him, but put it plus more right back on. Got pregnant with our second son and more weight came. Son number three, even more. They were 10 lb babies, but I had no gestational diabetes or anything of the sort... Just big babies. My sons have never seen me at a normal weight until last year when I hit goal and my oldest turns 24 in just a couple of weeks. My youngest son turned 20, today. So that tells you... I was obese for a LONG time. I wish I would've made the changes earlier. Maybe if I had, my knees wouldn't be in the shape they are now from carrying around all that weight for all those years. BUT know that it is NEVER too late!! If I can do it, you can too!!
So now it has been more than a year and I have kept the weight off and am actually even a little lower. I started at 260 lbs on January 11th, 2017. Today, October 3rd, 2018 I currently weigh 157.8 lbs.
Stay the course. Set Goals, short and long term. Take Progress pictures frequently. Weigh & Log your food. You can reach your goals and you can lose the weight!
Since being in maintenance, I take my weekends off meaning I don't weigh/log my food and I tend to eat less healthier options. I rarely hit the gym on the weekend either. First thing Monday morning, I get right back to it. Eating healthy and getting my exercise in. This method has worked for me for more than a year now. I like having the freedom on the weekends to be more relaxed with my eating. I just thought I'd share this for anyone wondering about how maintenance will work. I have seen so many posts from folks struggling with maintaining. It is truly about what you do the majority of the time.
I've included a lot of pictures below to show you where I was and where I am now. The last two photos were just taken last Thursday, Sept 27th.
I lost over 100 lbs from January 11th, 2017 to September 15, 2017. That is exactly 8 months and 4 days.
Of course the very first question everyone asks is, How? Honestly, it is as simple as eating right and moving more. I got up off the couch, got into the gym and started moving more along with changing what and how much I ate. I didn't completely remove anything from my diet. I continued to eat carbs, dairy and even sweets. However, I learned how to eat appropriate portions by weighing and logging my food using MFP.
I wasn't always obese, but after having my first son and continuing to eat like I was pregnant... the pounds started packing on. I actually dropped pretty much all my weight after having him, but put it plus more right back on. Got pregnant with our second son and more weight came. Son number three, even more. They were 10 lb babies, but I had no gestational diabetes or anything of the sort... Just big babies. My sons have never seen me at a normal weight until last year when I hit goal and my oldest turns 24 in just a couple of weeks. My youngest son turned 20, today. So that tells you... I was obese for a LONG time. I wish I would've made the changes earlier. Maybe if I had, my knees wouldn't be in the shape they are now from carrying around all that weight for all those years. BUT know that it is NEVER too late!! If I can do it, you can too!!
So now it has been more than a year and I have kept the weight off and am actually even a little lower. I started at 260 lbs on January 11th, 2017. Today, October 3rd, 2018 I currently weigh 157.8 lbs.
Stay the course. Set Goals, short and long term. Take Progress pictures frequently. Weigh & Log your food. You can reach your goals and you can lose the weight!
Since being in maintenance, I take my weekends off meaning I don't weigh/log my food and I tend to eat less healthier options. I rarely hit the gym on the weekend either. First thing Monday morning, I get right back to it. Eating healthy and getting my exercise in. This method has worked for me for more than a year now. I like having the freedom on the weekends to be more relaxed with my eating. I just thought I'd share this for anyone wondering about how maintenance will work. I have seen so many posts from folks struggling with maintaining. It is truly about what you do the majority of the time.
I've included a lot of pictures below to show you where I was and where I am now. The last two photos were just taken last Thursday, Sept 27th.
100
Replies
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Very impressive, congrats to you. You look amazing!2
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Congratulations! You look amazing! Thank you for sharing your maintenance tips. I am also mother to three wonderful sons.2
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What can I say? It seems you did everything right, you lost the weight and maintained for a year now
I congratulate you and you look wonderfull 2 -
Thanks for sharing. This is really motivating for us still at the beginning.
Wow. That's a great birthday gift to yourself! Hitting 45 with one year maintenance behind you. Congrats2 -
Thanks for sharing your story. As I get close to my ideal weight I do worry about maintenance. Your strategy seems a good one. 😊1
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You look fabulous! Keep up the good work. 😀1
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Well done you're an inspiration to what we can all achieve1
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Congratulations! A job well done and loved your story. When we tell newbies it's that simple--they don't believe it. You worked hard and it shows.1
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You look amazing; thank you for sharing your story and all the pictures! I especially love the outfit of the jeans, boots, and gray sweater, but I love your style in general. God willing, I want to dress like that one day. 2
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Gorgeous collage!!
I love it!
Thank you for sharing..1 -
Thanks for sharing! You look so happy and healthy - very inspiring. 1
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You look so pretty, stylish and healthy! Thanks for sharing how you’ve kept it off.1
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You look so much younger! And the short haircut is AWESOME!! I have curls, but I'm always envious of women who can rock the super short cut. You look fantastic. Keep it up!!!0
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This is so inspirational! Great work, you should be so proud. I am hoping to lose 80 in 10 months and am already 2 months in and have lost 25. I am doing everything the same as you in terms of food and exercise. Did you ever plateau at any point? I am so scared of a plateau!1
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ChelleDee07 wrote: »September 15th, 2018 made 1 year of maintenance for me.
I lost over 100 lbs from January 11th, 2017 to September 15, 2017. That is exactly 8 months and 4 days.
Of course the very first question everyone asks is, How? Honestly, it is as simple as eating right and moving more. I got up off the couch, got into the gym and started moving more along with changing what and how much I ate. I didn't completely remove anything from my diet. I continued to eat carbs, dairy and even sweets. However, I learned how to eat appropriate portions by weighing and logging my food using MFP.
I wasn't always obese, but after having my first son and continuing to eat like I was pregnant... the pounds started packing on. I actually dropped pretty much all my weight after having him, but put it plus more right back on. Got pregnant with our second son and more weight came. Son number three, even more. They were 10 lb babies, but I had no gestational diabetes or anything of the sort... Just big babies. My sons have never seen me at a normal weight until last year when I hit goal and my oldest turns 24 in just a couple of weeks. My youngest son turned 20, today. So that tells you... I was obese for a LONG time. I wish I would've made the changes earlier. Maybe if I had, my knees wouldn't be in the shape they are now from carrying around all that weight for all those years. BUT know that it is NEVER too late!! If I can do it, you can too!!
So now it has been more than a year and I have kept the weight off and am actually even a little lower. I started at 260 lbs on January 11th, 2017. Today, October 3rd, 2018 I currently weigh 157.8 lbs.
Stay the course. Set Goals, short and long term. Take Progress pictures frequently. Weigh & Log your food. You can reach your goals and you can lose the weight!
Since being in maintenance, I take my weekends off meaning I don't weigh/log my food and I tend to eat less healthier options. I rarely hit the gym on the weekend either. First thing Monday morning, I get right back to it. Eating healthy and getting my exercise in. This method has worked for me for more than a year now. I like having the freedom on the weekends to be more relaxed with my eating. I just thought I'd share this for anyone wondering about how maintenance will work. I have seen so many posts from folks struggling with maintaining. It is truly about what you do the majority of the time.
I've included a lot of pictures below to show you where I was and where I am now. The last two photos were just taken last Thursday, Sept 27th.
1 -
Wow. I am new to MFP. You are so inspiring. You look amazing!!!!
I was doing weight watchers. But tired of paying1 -
corkygates wrote: »Very impressive, congrats to you. You look amazing!
Thank you! I appreciate the compliment.Congratulations! You look amazing! Thank you for sharing your maintenance tips. I am also mother to three wonderful sons.
Thank you so much! Nice to hear from another mom of 3 boys too!What can I say? It seems you did everything right, you lost the weight and maintained for a year now I congratulate you and you look wonderfull
Thank you!!Thanks for sharing. This is really motivating for us still at the beginning.
Wow. That's a great birthday gift to yourself! Hitting 45 with one year maintenance behind you. Congrats
Thank you! Yes I think it a pretty good gift to myself too.motivatedmartha wrote: »Thanks for sharing your story. As I get close to my ideal weight I do worry about maintenance. Your strategy seems a good one. 😊
I worried about maintenance, myself. That is why I wanted to put this out there. Not everyone goes about it the same and that is okay. You just have to find what will work for you. This is a method I can see myself being able to maintain.seaturtle7 wrote: »You look fabulous! Keep up the good work. 😀
Thank you so much! I intend to!Well done you're an inspiration to what we can all achieve
That is why I share my story... I hope to inspire others. Even if it is just one person.snowflake954 wrote: »Congratulations! A job well done and loved your story. When we tell newbies it's that simple--they don't believe it. You worked hard and it shows.
Yeah, I know. So many want it to be magical or a one pill deal and it just happens... just not the case.bobsburgersfan wrote: »You look amazing; thank you for sharing your story and all the pictures! I especially love the outfit of the jeans, boots, and gray sweater, but I love your style in general. God willing, I want to dress like that one day.
Thank you and YOU WILL!! Just believe that you can and don't give up!!Gorgeous collage!!
I love it!
Thank you for sharing..
Thank you!gabi_texanmom wrote: »Thanks for sharing! You look so happy and healthy - very inspiring.
Thank you! I am very happy and definitely improved my health.You look so pretty, stylish and healthy! Thanks for sharing how you’ve kept it off.
Thank you!!girlwithcurls2 wrote: »You look so much younger! And the short haircut is AWESOME!! I have curls, but I'm always envious of women who can rock the super short cut. You look fantastic. Keep it up!!!
I have had the short hair for such a long time... but went much shorter as I lost weight. Thank you for the compliments!
1 -
This is so inspirational! Great work, you should be so proud. I am hoping to lose 80 in 10 months and am already 2 months in and have lost 25. I am doing everything the same as you in terms of food and exercise. Did you ever plateau at any point? I am so scared of a plateau!
I did hit a plateau. It lasted about 28 days and I remember getting frustrated, but I held tight and kept weighing and logging my food and getting my workouts in. Eventually, the weight shifted. Don't get discouraged. Find something to help you continue to push onward. You can do it!! Believe you can! Set short term and long term goals. You've Got This!!2 -
Wow. I am new to MFP. You are so inspiring. You look amazing!!!!
I was doing weight watchers. But tired of paying
I think you should do what works for you. The end result we work for is much the same, but how we get there can sometimes be different. For example, the Keto Diet. I have a few friends who have went that route and have had great results, but it is not something I ever even considered. It simply doesn't appeal to me, but that's me. I knew I wanted to make changes that I could continue with for the rest of my life. Calorie counting/weighing your food and logging can feel very time consuming at first until you do it so much it is second nature. I can pretty much accurately guess at the correct serving size now, but I still weigh to be certain during the week when I am home and able. If I am out... I estimate the best I can. I knew I wasn't going to live the rest of my life not eating carbs or sweets. Not happening! BUT I could learn to cut back. I never omitted anything from my diet. You have to figure out and decide for yourself what is going to work for you not just today and tomorrow, but next year and five years from now. You have to make it a lifestyle change or the weight won't stay gone. Hope this helps!! You can do it!!2 -
You look incredible! I love your approach to weight loss. I feel similarly. I can’t totally eliminate food groups. It’s nice to see someone who has been very successful eating this way. It’s sometimes easy to feel like you are doing things wrong if you aren’t following one of the more restrictive diets. I hope to have some rocking after pics like yours in about a year.1
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Wow you look wonderful and how awesome you must feel.......I struggle to get motivated and which program .will work...so much information out there , two girls at work on Keto and have done great.....but as you say is it for me ...do I try it for a month for a kick start ....what exercise to do ...work is so busy and I do books for husband as well so time is tough and end of day I am tired or am I tired because of no exercise ......anyway thanks for the post ....what calorie range did you eat and what was your exercise program look like ....thank you1
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You look incredible! I love your approach to weight loss. I feel similarly. I can’t totally eliminate food groups. It’s nice to see someone who has been very successful eating this way. It’s sometimes easy to feel like you are doing things wrong if you aren’t following one of the more restrictive diets. I hope to have some rocking after pics like yours in about a year.
You can and will. Just stay focused. I promise if I can do it... anyone can! I used to always say "The only way I can lose weight is if I stop eating entirely." I convinced myself that I'd always be big. I would even say that I would one day be the fluffy grandma who always had something warm out of the oven anytime the 'future' grand children would come to visit. I never would have believed that I would have lost all that weight. So thankful I did. Just believe in yourself, set goals (short and long term) and don't give up. You can do it!! You can!!1 -
charliebaxter wrote: »Wow you look wonderful and how awesome you must feel.......I struggle to get motivated and which program .will work...so much information out there , two girls at work on Keto and have done great.....but as you say is it for me ...do I try it for a month for a kick start ....what exercise to do ...work is so busy and I do books for husband as well so time is tough and end of day I am tired or am I tired because of no exercise ......anyway thanks for the post ....what calorie range did you eat and what was your exercise program look like ....thank you
Thank you. Yeah, there are many options out there now. I just wanted to go with something that I could continue with. I didn't want to remove food groups... because I wasn't looking to remove them from my life. That is why I chose to make healthier choices (food type and serving size) and move more. They are things I can do for the rest of my life and still enjoy 'all' foods in moderation. I entered my specific information into the MFP app and it suggested that I eat at 1200 calories. I never altered that until I reached goal of more than 100 lbs gone. I rarely ever ate into my exercise calories. I didn't assign myself a 'cheat day' as most people call it. I rarely ate over my 1200 calories. Once in a while for a birthday celebration or such, but I almost always had exercise calories for those times. As for exercise... In the beginning I started with about an hour to an hour and half an average of 3 to 4 times a week. As I lost the weight, I found myself in the gym for longer periods of time. I found that I just enjoyed it. Now, I avg 2 to 2.5 hours in the gym and usually Monday through Friday. I rarely go on the weekend.1 -
Very impressive! Congratulations!1
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What an incredible inspiration you are! I started WW, in Jan of 2016 weighing 264 lbs. The highest weight I've ever been.
It's been such a struggle for me to change my behavior. I've lost 44 lbs. and I now also track on MFP because I'm so sick of the games and want this weight off!! Thanks for inspiring me and showing me that it can be done. 2 -
You look wonderful! Congratulations on meeting your goals!1
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Wow. I am new to MFP. You are so inspiring. You look amazing!!!!
I was doing weight watchers. But tired of paying
I SO get what you're saying. I did WW on and off maybe 1995-2012. I think my mindset was that if I pay someone else the burden is kind of on them that I must lose weight. It's almost like I felt I was buying success. The problem is that it just comes down to me, and me alone. I've had the most success I've ever had here and it doesn't cost me a dime. Very easy to join targeted groups (same age, same goals, same problems) for support, unlike going to meetings. Bottom line is that it's up to me.1 -
AustinRuadhain wrote: »Very impressive! Congratulations!
Thank you!TeresaW1020 wrote: »What an incredible inspiration you are! I started WW, in Jan of 2016 weighing 264 lbs. The highest weight I've ever been. It's been such a struggle for me to change my behavior. I've lost 44 lbs. and I now also track on MFP because I'm so sick of the games and want this weight off!! Thanks for inspiring me and showing me that it can be done.
Thank you! You can do it!!You look wonderful! Congratulations on meeting your goals!
Thank you!!
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great story, great results, congratulations0
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I love seeing your updated pics! You look so amazing. Congrats on maintaining!0
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