um...yes you can! *vent of sorts*

katharine1229
katharine1229 Posts: 51
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
April of 2010, I was 256 pounds, and I know exactly how I got that way. I had been back and forth between 180 and 200 for years, and ate whatever I wanted to. I didn't even see it was a food addiction until my most recent weight loss journey. I had tried dieting before, or joining a gym but only going for 3 weeks, and getting frustrated from not losing weight quickly enough. I then used the gym as an excuse like 'hey i worked out today i can eat THAT'. I wouldn't ever calorie count, I didn't care about nutrition. I just wanted to eat what I new tasted good and didn't want to try anything new. Somehow though, I still had myself convinced that as much as I would try, 'I can't loose weight'. I had a lot of good excuses too. I have an autoimmune disease, I have asthma, I have hypothyroidism. I take prednisone every couple of months. I have CFS, I have fibromyalgia. I have a slow metabolism. These were all of the things I would say, and they are all 100% true...or they used to be.

After my son was born, my attitude changed. My mindset went from 'if i loose this weight' to 'when i loose this weight'. I was ok with it taking a while and not looking for a next week fix. It became a lifestyle change and not a diet. Working out became a sort of therapy for me. And while I still have my autoimmune disease that even causes a bunch of joint pain and swelling, my asthma is bad, and of course I still have hypothyroidism, I have lost 104 pounds in 16 months, with 22 more to go. The fibromyalgia is gone. My metabolism picked up. The CFS is a whole lot less hard than it used to be. I still push though, I still work out, and about 85% of the time I eat right. I'm at a point where I know once I get to my weight, I will be able to maintain.

That said, I have a lot of people come up to me now, at the gym or out and about, asking me how I did it. Telling me that they try and they can't loose the weight. I used to feel like I could help and encourage...but now its just starting to get to me (that is when i hear this from the same people over and over gain). First off, if you are calorie counting and not going over, and you are working out, you are going to loose weight. You can't NOT loose weight (except for points in time where you will plateau, or when you start gaining muscle). But really....loosing weight is not some impossible thing. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Theres no excuses here. I've even had two surgeries in the last 10 months....even without being able to work out, i was still losing.

So ok, I'm done, just needed to get that off my chest.

Replies

  • aldale
    aldale Posts: 118 Member
    I love this!!!!! It is so so so true!!!! Thanks for sharing!
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    Congrats on your weight loss and your willingness to help others is awesome!
  • kasmir8199
    kasmir8199 Posts: 507 Member
    Thank you so much for sharing this!! Have you written this in a blog? So many people need to read your story!
  • risefromruin
    risefromruin Posts: 483 Member
    Our stories sound suuuper similar!! Congratulations on your weight loss :) You look wonderful.
  • bigyax
    bigyax Posts: 3 Member
    Wow, that's really inspirational!

    I myself was in surgery twice last year, and have asthma, gout and other health problems as well. It's very easy to slip into the mindset that it's just too hard, or it can't be achieved because of xyz. But I think sometimes we need to remember all that's at stake. Our health, happiness and self esteem are just too important for us NOT to see this through. We all have those moments of clarity when we realise that, but it's keeping hold of that day to day through all of the problems, big and small, that life throws at us that will determine whether we stick to our plans.

    Sounds like you've found a way to do that, and your reaping the benefits. My weight loss journey is only really just starting, but it's posts like these that help to give me the kick up the butt that I'll need from time to time :)
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    thanx for sharing that and well done on the super amount you have lost xxx

    can i ask you said you had 2 surgerys and you could not exersice,did your weight loss go down alot or was it pretty stable still?and how long were you out of action(if you don't mind me asking) x
    as i also have to have 2 surgerys sometime on my hips and will be out of action a month or more on each go!

    good luck and thx
  • katharine1229
    katharine1229 Posts: 51
    thanx for sharing that and well done on the super amount you have lost xxx

    can i ask you said you had 2 surgerys and you could not exersice,did your weight loss go down alot or was it pretty stable still?and how long were you out of action(if you don't mind me asking) x
    as i also have to have 2 surgerys sometime on my hips and will be out of action a month or more on each go!

    good luck and thx

    wohooo way to go your your loss so far! I kept losing but it slowed down a bit, and I think part of that as well was pain medicine makes me retain more water than normal. Each surgery was a different elbow, so I was only out of the gym for about 2 weeks, and when I went back in I wasn't doing any lifting and not using my arms much. Running was awkward but after about 4 weeks I had full use of whichever arm was done minus heavy lifting...So yea hips are going to take you a bit longer I can imagine! Its really hard to to fall into a slump while recovering. I have another surgery in 2 more months on the one elbow that wasn't deemed a success, and knowing more about myself now (being, that I need that endorphin release at least once every 3 days or my mood definitely goes down hill) It will be easier to tell myself to maintain weight rather than loose it for a couple weeks I think.
  • katharine1229
    katharine1229 Posts: 51
    Wow, that's really inspirational!

    I myself was in surgery twice last year, and have asthma, gout and other health problems as well. It's very easy to slip into the mindset that it's just too hard, or it can't be achieved because of xyz. But I think sometimes we need to remember all that's at stake. Our health, happiness and self esteem are just too important for us NOT to see this through. We all have those moments of clarity when we realise that, but it's keeping hold of that day to day through all of the problems, big and small, that life throws at us that will determine whether we stick to our plans.

    Sounds like you've found a way to do that, and your reaping the benefits. My weight loss journey is only really just starting, but it's posts like these that help to give me the kick up the butt that I'll need from time to time :)

    yep its so easy to blame the medical issues, but its so worth it to push through them!
  • Tegan74
    Tegan74 Posts: 202
    I think I'm going to print this out and show it to a friend of mine who has alot of the same health issues, minus the CFS ~ she weighs around 300lbs and all I hear all the time is that she's too tired to work out, she cant watch what she eats, she doesnt eat that much anyway, she just really cant lose the weight cause of blah blah blah health problems. All excuses for not wanting to put effort into getting healthy!!
  • geekymom57
    geekymom57 Posts: 176 Member
    First, OP, congratulations on your persistence! You've made excellent points. I've come to the not all that remarkable conclusion that the tools and strategies that longer-term and/or more overweight people need to adapt for effective weight loss aren't the same as those that someone who needs to lose 10-20 pounds. Perhaps we (first group) are the tortoises, and the second group are the hares in this "race."

    I look at things like 30 day shred and think, well, I could do that but will I get frustrated or dispirited because 30 days isn't going to get me where I need to be, etc. I also come from a family with hereditary degenerate joint and connective tissue issues, so I'm focused on exercises that will avoid or delay those--extreme exercising isn't necessarily a good thing for me.

    So I am sticking with the calorie and nutrition tracking via MFP, exercising 5 times a week for a resaonable period of time so it's do-able and sustainable in the long-term. I know that if I am doing those things, I will eventually lose weight. It really helps me stay positive and focused during the plateaus, daily weight fluctuations up/down, etc.
  • katharine1229
    katharine1229 Posts: 51
    First, OP, congratulations on your persistence! You've made excellent points. I've come to the not all that remarkable conclusion that the tools and strategies that longer-term and/or more overweight people need to adapt for effective weight loss aren't the same as those that someone who needs to lose 10-20 pounds. Perhaps we (first group) are the tortoises, and the second group are the hares in this "race."

    I look at things like 30 day shred and think, well, I could do that but will I get frustrated or dispirited because 30 days isn't going to get me where I need to be, etc. I also come from a family with hereditary degenerate joint and connective tissue issues, so I'm focused on exercises that will avoid or delay those--extreme exercising isn't necessarily a good thing for me.

    So I am sticking with the calorie and nutrition tracking via MFP, exercising 5 times a week for a resaonable period of time so it's do-able and sustainable in the long-term. I know that if I am doing those things, I will eventually lose weight. It really helps me stay positive and focused during the plateaus, daily weight fluctuations up/down, etc.

    We are definitely the tortoises! If you can't do it long term its not going to happen. I think exercise wise, the smartest thing I did was join a gym that had classes. I already know that doing the same thing over and over again bores me to death and I wouldn't keep up with it. So, even days where I am not feeling very motivated to work out, I have just enough motivation to make it to the gym into the class, where positive peer pressure gets me though it haha
  • Fit4sure
    Fit4sure Posts: 63 Member
    I lost over 120 lbs. and then went on to work for a weight loss organization as a motivator~group leader.

    I totally "get" what you're saying. I heard "I can't because"....more times than I can count and it hurt to hear it!

    I've also heard, "even if I lose it...I can't keep it off". I had to de-bunk that one too as I've maintained my weight loss for 5 years and running now. I beat the stinkin' statistics and I still hear..."I can't" from others. They look at me and say..."I don't know how you did it...must have an iron will or something..." and I have to BITE my tongue!

    I'm with you, girl! Vent away!
  • Fit4sure
    Fit4sure Posts: 63 Member
    oh...by the way..."You Go, Girl!"

    You look awesome...great job!!
  • katharine1229
    katharine1229 Posts: 51
    I lost over 120 lbs. and then went on to work for a weight loss organization as a motivator~group leader.

    I totally "get" what you're saying. I heard "I can't because"....more times than I can count and it hurt to hear it!

    I've also heard, "even if I lose it...I can't keep it off". I had to de-bunk that one too as I've maintained my weight loss for 5 years and running now. I beat the stinkin' statistics and I still hear..."I can't" from others. They look at me and say..."I don't know how you did it...must have an iron will or something..." and I have to BITE my tongue!

    I'm with you, girl! Vent away!

    lol totally late response but i'm glad you know what i'm talking about haha
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