385 days - my progress

Lietchi
Lietchi Posts: 6,034 Member
edited August 2020 in Success Stories
Today is day 385 of my streak on MFP.
I’m a 37-year-old woman from Belgium, 166cm/5’5”, and I had been gaining weight steadily ever since my early twenties.
Last year, something finally ‘clicked’ in my head: I started a free trial on Noom and then quickly switched to MFP.

So here’s my journey so far, in numbers:
- 385 days of logging everything I eat on MFP
- I’ve lost 20.5 kg (45 lbs) from a starting weight of 94.2 kg (207.6 lbs) to my current weight of 73.7 kg (162.5 lbs),
- I’ve lost 22 % of my original bodyweight
- I’m down from a BMI of 34.2 to my current BMI of 26.75
- I’ve logged a daily deficit of 336 calories on average: I chose a weight loss rate of 0.25kg (0.5lbs) per week, but occasionally stayed slightly below my calorie goal.

My strategy?
Calories in (MFP) versus calories out (my fitness tracker)
+ slow and steady wins the race
+ no foods are off limits

Behind the numbers:
- For all of my life, I have heard my mother say weight loss is impossible, I’ve heard her complain how she gains weight after every family dinner party, etc. Her favorite motto: “A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips”. I thought I was doomed to follow in her footsteps, gaining weight gradually through the years. But after discovering MFP, what a revelation: I had no idea weight loss could be so easy. If I had known 10-15 years ago, I never would have ballooned to 90+ kg and I would have saved myself a lot of stretchmarks.
- I’m not at my (first) goal yet, a normal BMI, but I am no longer (by far) the fattest person in the room in most of my social circles. I can look in the mirror (clothed) and feel quite happy with my figure. I no longer need to shop ‘plus size’. A lot of my wardrobe is no longer wearable, and the clothes that are still wearable (because they were too small :smile: ) look a lot better on me.
- I feel a lot fitter. I haven’t been hiking in proper mountains yet (the real test) but I can hike a lot further and faster on flat terrain and moderate inclines than before. I can also jog for 1h30 non-stop (although there is still lots of room for improvement where my speed is concerned :smiley: ). Only now do I fully realize how unfit I was and how my weight was holding me back and making simple things, like tying my shoelaces, harder than necessary.
- I feel much better about myself. I have lots of self-discipline and concentration issues, but this success has shown me that there is a disciplined person hidden deep within me :lol:

Some images to illustrate my journey:

1) August 6th 2019 – July 31st 2020:

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2) August 22nd 2020:

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3) My weight loss graph:

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4) My step count, which has increased dramatically since last year:

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And now? I’m slowing down my weight loss rate a bit, to give my skin some time to recover, and focusing more on strength training while continuing to jog/run. Still 6kg/13.25lbs to go to get to a normal BMI, but I’m in no rush, I’ll get there when I get there.
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Replies

  • rontuueyeslikeafox
    rontuueyeslikeafox Posts: 99 Member
    Great job!
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    Fantastic job and what a great attitude!
  • ktmiowa
    ktmiowa Posts: 13 Member
    Great job! My mom was exactly the same. It was always about weight and food. Glad to hear I am not the only one who experienced this!
  • 65rsyb
    65rsyb Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you for your post.
  • ms_maruska
    ms_maruska Posts: 119 Member
    Great job!!
  • walidaam
    walidaam Posts: 1 Member
    💪👌
  • malston7
    malston7 Posts: 1 Member
    Congratulations, keep at it. My journey is so similar except I lost control of my weight in my mid 30's and finally at 68 decided to get my body back in shape. I started in October of 2019 and have lost 44 lbs. MFP has been such a huge part of my success, keeps me accountable to myself.
    Good luck in getting fitter and enjoying life more.
  • snewton80
    snewton80 Posts: 2 Member
    Wow! Look at that straight line. If I got to posting my line it looks like a mountain range
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    snewton80 wrote: »
    Wow! Look at that straight line. If I got to posting my line it looks like a mountain range

    I would guess that it did not feel that straight when it was happening!
  • momefee2020
    momefee2020 Posts: 1 Member
    Excellent! I love your approach and realistic life style change. You are a inspiration.
  • GummiMundi
    GummiMundi Posts: 396 Member
    Excellent progress, congratulations on both your weight loss and your insightful approach. Best of luck on reaching all your goals! :)
  • 1poundatax
    1poundatax Posts: 228 Member
    Congratulations! I love what you said about slow and steady wins the race. I also like that no foods are off limits That is my approach, I know the weight will come off as long as I make good choices most of the time. You are an inspiration!
  • jamesha100
    jamesha100 Posts: 214 Member
    Inspiring - well done and thank you!
  • lilicm855
    lilicm855 Posts: 1 Member
    You look great!!
  • stillsfan
    stillsfan Posts: 3 Member
    Thanks for sharing your story! I started about 6 weeks ago and have lost 13lbs so far. I have a long road to my goal of 70lbs but am hoping I keep the pace I am currently one and get there in 7-8 months. I need to add more exercise. I am in AZ and with record highs it is way to hot to do anything outside. I put my bike on an indoor stationary unit so I just need to commit to doing more of that. Thanks for those that shared their graphs. I weigh every day but have only been logging when I have lost past the previous entry. I of course fluctuate which was discouraging but glad to see it is pretty normal to lose and then regain a lb or two and still continue the downward trend long term. The biggest eye opener to me so far using MFP is the amount of sodium in everything! It is very hard to stay around the 2300mg but I am doing my best.
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    A little update:
    Only 26 days later and my weight loss has caught up (I was slightly stalled) to reach 22.7kg.
    I live in a decimal country, but this time I prefer looking at it in lbs: 50lbs lost!
    And at a BMI of 25.9, my goal of a normal BMI is so close.

    I've also been on a 2 week holiday in the French Alps and I did hikes/climbs I haven't been capable of doing in probably 10 years (and even then I was out of breath faster).

    So you have achieved your mountain walks as well as the 50lbs! Fantastic! Good luck for reaching normal bmi. From your photos you look as though you are there already, so this will hopefully not be too long now.

    And thank you for the fabulous mountain photo! I am experiencing mountain envy... (I have not been away from home since the end of March, though to be fair i have been in two different homes.)

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,400 Member
    Congratulations on fantastic progress!
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