Women 200lb+, Let's Be Unafraid This August!!!

girlinkaz · August 2021

@JNettie73 I totally get what you mean about feeling more comfortable in your own body! I was at a dinner with friends on Saturday night and one of my friends has the same body type I used to have before starting this journey. I watched him all night constantly have to adjust how he was sitting, adjust his clothes so they wouldn’t stick to his body, be more quickly winded, etc. Of course, I have absolutely no judgement for him at all because for so long that was me too - it just struck me that I don’t have those habits anymore! I am much more comfortable sitting on any type of chair (because I can comfortably CROSS MY LEGS, what!) I don’t feel the need to pluck my shirt off my fat rolls when I sit down because my bulge is so much smaller, etc. So many good changes!

JuneyCleaves · August 2021

Meal prepped my work lunches for the week.

A breakfast/snack box (252 cal)
and a hot lunch (191 cal).

Would love to hear your simple, satisfying lunch ideas!

Wishing you all a successful week ahead!

seltzer_lover · August 2021

@JuneyCleaves - One of my faves to prep is a taco salad from skinnytaste.com. Minimal effort, lunch all week! Is a little high in sodium, so I work in a lot fo extra water when I make this. https://www.skinnytaste.com/taco-salad-meal-prep/

Congrats on meal prepping for the week! It makes things so much easier.

seltzer_lover · August 2021

Hi everyone! Happy Monday!

I was a little absent from the forums last week - big project to wrap up at work, but stayed on track with eating and exercise (despite the weather was was 95 degrees or more every day). On recovery days from my HIIT class, I would normally take a long walk with the dog, but that just wasn't possible this week. Instead I did some YouTube yoga and walk at home classes in the air conditioned comfort of my living room!

Ally
39
SW 300
8/2: 295.8
8/9: 294.4 (-1.4)
8/16: 292.4 (-2 week over week, -7.6 total)
GW for August 288-290

goal06082021 · August 2021

@JuneyCleaves that looks tasty!

This week for lunch I have a pasta salad (390 cal), accompanied by a hard-boiled egg (70 cal) and one of those mini bananas (about 100 cal). The pasta salad is tricolor rotini, red onion, yellow bell pepper, cremini mushrooms, black olives, feta cheese, Polish sausage, and some zesty Italian salad dressing. Very flavorful and a nice cold lunch for these hot hot days. Next week it'll be chicken salad with crackers - I sub most of the mayo in my chicken salad out for plain Greek yogurt, and use just enough to coat the other ingredients. I'm not a fan of gloppy chicken/egg/tuna/etc salad, LOL.

pamiede · August 2021

Happy Monday❣️

Had a pretty good week. Managed to get to a wheelchair scale thanks to my sister. I can use it to monitor my loss. Happy to repost a loss 😊

Height: 5’4”
SW: 4/2019 307
CW: 7/22. 235
8/15. 231 (-4 lbs)
GW (Aug). 225
GW. 175

I’m going to continue hydration; increase cardio and core workouts, and use manual chair to increase steps!!!

Have a great week❣️

justanotherloser007 · August 2021

5'3 48 Aug 1: 203.6 Aug 8 201 Aug 16 200.8 (mid-cycle with water retention, so very good). Last week kinda felt like I won the bonus round!

Added Physical therapy on Aug 12, 2021. So while it doesn't really give me any calories per se, I need to walk some day - I need the physical therapy. Man it is sooo hard!

New goal: PT Every day except Sundays.
Observed goal: 1200 cal or less every day except Sundays, 1440 maintenance on Sundays. KEPT! Woo hoo! This is a really good goal for me, a total keeper habit so I am ready for maintenance someday.

Also, on Sunday made a keto brownie for the hubby (who is diabetic), and was able to keep the calories low enough I could have 2 servings of it and only had 1245 calories on Sunday! Usually keto is so crazy with the fat calories so I modified it. Low fat butter, almond milk + sugar free caramel syrup made this a very very very good treat!! So yummy and satisfying! I plan on making a nice keto cake for his b-day that won't kill the calorie bank or the carb/sugar bank for him! Very excited for this. He always needs help with keeping to a low carb/low sugar diet. And since it is just us two, I need the calories to be reasonable.

JuneyCleaves · August 2021

seltzer_lover wrote: »

@JuneyCleaves - One of my faves to prep is a taco salad from skinnytaste.com. Minimal effort, lunch all week! Is a little high in sodium, so I work in a lot fo extra water when I make this. https://www.skinnytaste.com/taco-salad-meal-prep/

Congrats on meal prepping for the week! It makes things so much easier.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll definitely check it out.

JuneyCleaves · August 2021

goal06082021 wrote: »

@JuneyCleaves that looks tasty!

This week for lunch I have a pasta salad (390 cal), accompanied by a hard-boiled egg (70 cal) and one of those mini bananas (about 100 cal). The pasta salad is tricolor rotini, red onion, yellow bell pepper, cremini mushrooms, black olives, feta cheese, Polish sausage, and some zesty Italian salad dressing. Very flavorful and a nice cold lunch for these hot hot days. Next week it'll be chicken salad with crackers - I sub most of the mayo in my chicken salad out for plain Greek yogurt, and use just enough to coat the other ingredients. I'm not a fan of gloppy chicken/egg/tuna/etc salad, LOL.

Sounds great!

Man, I wish I liked hard boiled eggs but I cannot get a hard yolk down.
They're something I try every so often to try to acquire the taste but it hasn't stuck yet!

holdthefries · August 2021

Mid month check in has me down 5 pounds. Woohoo!! continuing with early morning walks with a friend -a 30 to 40 minute zippy pace with some gentle hills. I find it so much easier to get up and go when I have a pal relying on me being there. so much easier not to ditch the walk if it's raining or if I don't feel like it when she has made the effort. Looking forward to exercise feeling a little easier in a month and two months time. I recognize how important the food tracking is for my weight loss though. The walking is to improve my heart and mental health but seems to have very little impact on weight loss for me. Still a challenge to stick to a sensible eating plan every day but I can plainly see on the days that I don't that the scale sees all.

sarah12277 · August 2021

August Challenge Weigh In Day

Age 44
Height 5'4"
SW 249 3/2020
CW 218.2
GW for August 214
UGW 145

8/1: 217.2
8/8: 217.4
8/15: 218.2
8/22:
8/31:
Total month loss:

Weekly goals:
-Continue logging on MFP
-Work out 5x per week – 3 cardio & 2 strength
-64 oz of water each day

Up this week. Many reasons. Food was okay but probably had some high sodium items Saturday. With logging it doesn't seem such but still holding. Might have to experiment a bit on that.
My trending app I'm not liking at the moment. As reality is for it's predictions the next goal may not hit until next year. That may be about right for what happened the last year though. If I could speed up my cycles so they don't wreck things more that might help - HA.

Vet visits surrounding the weekend. Since it's in a nearby city I went to Mom's house as that's less travel. Nerve wracking for 2 of the pets. Well my oldest cat is the most concerning. She's being diagnosed as hyperthyroid. She was slightly high last year (and I thought she gained weight) and this year really confirmed (she lost weight now). The other vet had always been concerned with her weight (chunky) but now it's the opposite trouble. Had to survey friends and found a fb group to determine the best path to go with as my vet, while giving the options, wasn't giving any recommendations either way. The dog yesterday, I at least knew the troubles. Now it's following up with other vets to find who can accommodate her tumors she has.

Gym last night for strength training after picking up cat's meds and before leaving Mom's house to come back home.

Renewed2021 · August 2021

Age: 38
Height 5'3"
SW 250
CW 249
GW for Aug 245
UGW 140

8/1: 250
8/8: 249
8/15: 249
8/22:
8/31:
Total month loss: 1 pound

I'm late posting as we went away for a mini vacation and this slipped my mind. I'm still struggling with the mindset of, "I'll just start tomorrow." I need to get past that. I'm only sabotaging myself.

On our mini vacation we spent 2 days at a water park. I wore my swimsuit and basically looked like an apple with legs. I was horrified. I saw the stares and the pointing. I stayed in the pools and under the water as much as possible. At one point my son wanted to go down the water slide and I was legit afraid I wouldn't fit. My husband reassured me I would and I did but I hated having that thought!

I know the mechanics. I just have to follow them. I need to make that last switch over and do this. I hate how I am. I know people say embrace your body and love your body but I cannot embrace or love something that I have destroyed and is essentially destroying me. Gonna try again this week.

tuddy315 · August 2021

@Renewed2021 I felt the same way when I first started this journey in 2016 at 252lbs. I kept telling myself that I hate the way I look and feel until I just finally said "that's enough. Do something about it". So I did and lost 89lbs in a year and a half. Then my mom got cancer and I put myself on hold to care for her and gained 50lbs back. Now I'm at it again because "I'm not going to put up with this!" Since April 1 I've lost 19lbs which is right on target for my 1lb a week loss. Maybe just thing about all the stuff you hate about carrying the weight around and then say, "I'm not going to put up with this!" You will get there. I have no doubt you can do this!!!! Re-read your profile logo "be ye transformed by the renewal of your mind" and believe it.

sargemarcori · August 2021

@JuneyCleaves have you tried cooking them less? I do them in my instant pot--5 minutes cook, 5 minutes natural release, 5 minutes in ice water, and they come out with the yolks creamy, not hard. they shell easier too!

@Renewed2021 maybe hating isn't the motivation you need? Being angry and hating where I was only made me want to hide more, which made me eat more. I have decided to love my body, and thus I will stop abusing it with fat. I love me, and I deserve to go hiking (a thing I love. Maybe waterslides and playing with your son can motivate you?)

I lost weight years ago, and gained it back, and spent five years kicking myself for not just getting back in the saddle, but just like yelling at my kid never helped, yelling at me doesn't help. My kid needed my compassion and teaching--and so do I.

kadohi · August 2021

Hi, Wednesday post
Age 47
Height 5’ 6”
SW 244 (June 1, 2021)
7/28: 225.8
8/4: 224.8
8/11: 223.7
8/18: 220.2
Current goal: 220 by end of August and keep exercising when work starts up (school)

So! Great week, dropped 3.5 pounds, but I know it’s really 5.6 over three weeks and the weight loss is uneven from day to day or week to week but steady over time — so glad we post and track here! I hit my end of the month goal, I’ve worked out three days back at “work” (just teacher in service so far), and that was really my summer goal — 10% of my body weight.

Renewed2021 · August 2021

@sargemarcori
I don't see it as motivation, but rather what it really is: a sad state to be in. It's hard to love something that has never been celebrated or affirmed. I was never told I'm beautiful or pretty. I've always been the "cute" one which has been nothing more than a polite way to address me being fat without calling me fat. I've never been good enough, but always had to see how much better everyone else is. I do hope to get to the point where this is a thing of the past and I rise above it, and I'm cautiously hopeful that I will. In the meantime I'm trying to get some sort of foothold to move into that space. Thank you for the encouragement and best wishes for you on your journey!

justanotherloser007 · August 2021

Renewed2021 wrote: »

It's hard to love something that has never been celebrated or affirmed

You sound exactly like my God-daughter who has struggled with severe anorexia since she was 13 yo she is 29 now. You do know that you are more than your body right? Because all this severe hating seems as if your body is you. Your body is a gift given to you for physical expression, however it works or looks. If your body was a pet, would you hate it so much? What if it was a child in your care? Your body is a thing to care for as you have decided. So MFP is a physical training manual, but losing weight will NEVER address your self-loathing or hatred, just as my God-daughter every time she gains a pound never likes herself a bit more. Your size will not change your attitude, you are going to need to do that.

girlinkaz · August 2021

Friday weigh in!

Age: 31
Height: 5’6”
SW: 222 (Feb ‘21)
August SW: 164.6
August GW: 158
UGW 154

Aug 6: 164.6
Aug 13: 161.9
Aug 20: 161.2
Aug 27:

-0.7lbs this week, which makes sense after a larger loss last week. It’s still a loss and I’m happy about it! I ate significantly over my calorie budget over the weekend for my best friend’s birthday and had some wine too, which I mostly stay away from these days - no regrets, it was all delicious! 😉 On Sunday (the day after the event), I felt gross all day long though - I’m pretty sure it was mostly because of the sugar I’d had the day before. It was helpful to notice that small treats are usually consequence-free but larger deviations from my food plan really don’t leave me feeling my best.

This week I made stuffed peppers, chili, pesto chicken, and a chicken vegetable soup, all of which were winners! It seems like they might reopen my pool soon too (it’s been closed because we’ve been in quarantine), which would be a game changer.

I made an appointment today to cut and color my hair - I haven’t done anything to my hair in almost two years (I could blame Covid but some of it was me too) and it’s way past time. At first, I wanted to wait and update my hair as a reward for reaching UGW but then I figured that my reward will be all the cute clothes I will get to buy, so why not do the hair now! I’m hoping it will be a fun treat as I practice taking care of all parts of my body.

Hope you all have a fantastic week!

goal06082021 · August 2021

I was really looking forward to buying a cute dress I found on Amazon as a reward for reaching the -40lb mark, which I should have been on track to hit this month, but I don't know if that's going to happen.

I mean, I'm still going to buy the dress when I do reach 40lbs lost, but it's just going to take longer than I want it to, LMAO.

I am absolutely loving how my legs look these days. I'm not even specifically trying to build muscle right now, still eating at a deficit for weight loss and not prioritizing protein, but I've developed some amazing definition in my calves and quads. I also came across a post on the xxfitness subreddit today of someone asking for tips and advice for how to crush a watermelon with her thighs and damn, if that wasn't a goal before it sure heckin' is now! Now I gotta look up best ways to train hip adductors...

edit to add: one more NSV, my collarbones are back! I mean, they never went anywhere, but now I can see them at the top of my chest again. CW for parents having opinions about teenage daughter's bodies, but at one point in high school I dropped about 30 lbs and my mom commented--in an approving way--that my collarbones were prominent and looked nice.

Renewed2021 · August 2021

but losing weight will NEVER address your self-loathing or hatred, just as my God-daughter every time she gains a pound never likes herself a bit more. Your size will not change your attitude, you are going to need to do that.

@justanotherloser007
When I read what you wrote I wanted to be so angry at you. I wanted to write a long, nasty reply and just unleash every thought in my mind. Instead, I walked away and tried to put your post out of my head. It didn't work. It stayed with me all day. Almost haunting me in every silent moment. I slowly began to realize that I wasn't angry because of what you wrote. Your words were so kind. I was angry because I realized that you are 100% right and that cut straight to my core. You helped me to start to see why I am so scared to do this and why I haven't succeeded....I'm terrified to face my demons and every bad thought that's landed me where I am. I've fooled myself that food isn't my comfort or my escape. I've fooled myself that I'm not hiding behind the fat. That's exactly what I'm doing.

From the bottom of my heart...thank you for helping break through and make a crack in this armor so I can see the light. You made a tremendous impact on me and my journey today. I am deeply grateful.

girlinkaz · August 2021

@Renewed2021 Thank you for honoring us with your vulnerability. ❤️

I know everyone’s story is so different, but for me, I couldn’t start to lose the weight and change my life until I came to terms with who I was at my heaviest weight. It took 2 years of big emotional work to be able to truly see myself as beautiful and strong, even with the excess weight. When I really believed that and embraced that about myself, then I was ready to change my outward appearance because I had changed on the inside first. Of course, I know this is just my story and certainly doesn’t have to be this way for everyone, but it was so important for me to learn to love myself before (not after) I changed myself.

azalea4175 · August 2021

Renewed2021 wrote: »

If I'm gonna get serious about this, I need to remove temptations. Purging my cupboards today. Fortunately, there's not much to purge but there's enough to do some serious damage to my weight loss journey. I'm not ready for moderation yet, so I'll do without and allow myself small treats on occasion. This is my tipping point. If I can hold out and not restock my cupboards with junk, I know I can do this!

I find if I can get myself to go out and purchase an individual treat, I do much better than "a big package that I can preportion". If I do the preportioning, I just eat 2 - or 3 portions!! good job cleaning out temptation. i too have trouble with moderation!

azalea4175 · August 2021

JuneyCleaves wrote: »

Man, I wish I liked hard boiled eggs but I cannot get a hard yolk down.
They're something I try every so often to try to acquire the taste but it hasn't stuck yet!

Try taking the yolk of the egg out, mix with a little bit of avocado, then have "deviled" eggs with it. you can add any spices you like. The avocado will take place of the mayo, be heart healthy and gives the yolks a much better texture!

sargemarcori · August 2021

@Renewed2021 I wish I could give you a big hug. I've been surprised here and there by emotions that I wasn't ready for, as I lost (28 of probably 100-130, so not even that far in my journey!) Something in me is very afraid of letting go of this fat shield. So I'm there with you, working to get out of hiding too.

I'm the same with moderation. I can eat a pint of ice cream, or I can leave it in the freezer (and fight it off day by day.) I cannot--so far--eat a serving of ice cream and put the rest back.

goal06082021 · August 2021

@Renewed2021 and @sargemarcori - I think you're both hitting on a deep truth that resonates for me, too. I don't know how to be a not-fat person. I've been a fat person all my life, and there are days when the enormity of this undertaking really hits hard. I'm worried that, since I've never been a not-fat person, I won't be able to figure out a new way to live and I'll stay a fat person because that's all I know how to do. My future has a lot of question marks in it right now. But I am figuring it out, step by step, pound by pound, day by day. I don't *need* to figure it out all at once, much as my jerkbrain thinks I do or I would like to, because - convenient as it would be - I can't just unzip my fat body and step out into the light at goal, it's a process of gradual change.

It's like I'm standing on the side of a mountain overlooking a valley, and I can see where I want to be across that valley. But it's really far away so I can't make out much detail, and the valley is full of mist and fog so I can't quite see the path across it, from where I'm standing. But I can see the path right in front of me, and forward a little ways; and I know roughly in what direction I should be facing; and the sun's coming out, so as I get closer to my destination I'll be able to see it all more clearly.

That metaphor got a little tortured but I hope you get my meaning.

justanotherloser007 · August 2021

sargemarcori wrote: »

letting go of this fat shield

This morning, I had to walk the dog from the vet. Simple act, 1.8 miles, I was ready. Yet, all I could think of was, "I wish I was fatter so no one would proposition me, or honk at me, or look at me." That was totally real. But then I remembered, that random persons are not living me I am. Yeah, but it was there. Remember how comforting it was to be morbidly obese, completely invisible? Like I am only 80 down 70 to go. So I am halfway there, on a really slow journey. Imma take my time and learn so I can maintain. Honestly, I wasn't really invisible then. And I had the same amount of honks, propositions at my highest height. It is just when I was younger it was horrifying and terrifying. I am a bit shy, and I do not like to "stand out" at all. But I can't control stuff outside of me, I can barely control me - so I have to learn how to deal with my thoughts and all of the situations I find myself in. I know this. It is just random thoughts, was there ever a fat shield? What did it really shield me from? I don't really know. I thought it was there, I thought it was real...

seltzer_lover · August 2021

I'm off for a mini-vacation this weekend! Spending it with my parents in celebration of my mother's birthday. It'll be my first time in a hotel in over a year and a half, which feels insane. I'm very used to frequent travel.

I booked one of my OrangeTheory HIIT classes first thing tomorrow morning (persuaded my parents to pick a hotel VERY close to an OTF) so I at least know I have a baseline of activity and a calorie cushion for the day. Plus, lots of city walking, so just focused on making good food choices at this point.

Have a great weekend everyone!

@Renewed2021 - Thank you for your vulnerability and honesty. It brought tears to my eyes. I also need to do some of the same work and it is an emotional minefield.

HeatherBBetter · August 2021

Update:
SW: 216
8/8: 208
8/15: 208
August GW: 199

I found myself a bit frustrated this week when I weighed in and had not changed a bit. But then I remembered that two days before I recorded my 8/8 weight, I was at 210. Then I did a mid-week weigh in and I'm down again. So my CW is actually 205 and I've lost 11lbs overall. Which is at least going in the right direction.

For the last year I have started a diet and then lost about six pounds before I went back to old habits. I think my body was just expecting the same thing again so when I lost 8 pounds and hit 208, my weight loss stalled for a minute. I feel like it's kicked back into gear now which has made it easier to stick to my calorie and exercise goals.

I'm using a method called habit stacking to build healthy habits. This month I'm working on the following habits:
1. Drink 85oz of water daily - I'm pretty hit & miss on this one. I hit it about 50% of the time.
2. Stay within my calorie goal 5x/week - I'm holding strong to this habit and am tracking and hitting my calorie goal at least 5x/week. This has really allowed me to give myself grace and not feel so deprived.
3. Move intentionally every day - I'm learning that everyday is a vast difference from what I normally do and it's overwhelmed me quite a bit. So I'm showing myself grace here, too, and trying to stay active more than I'm not (at least 4/7 rolling days)
4. Weigh in once a week - I've been weighing in twice per week. I need to cut it back because I feel I am putting too much emphasis on that number and not enough on how I feel.

NSVs this month:

Tight Jeans fit again! Yay!
Can feel myself becoming more full with less food.
Did a 3 mile hike last weekend when a month ago I could barely walk to the end of my street
Sex drive is coming back finally!

jenstress · August 2021

Great to find the group. I am just starting. 17 months of having covid symptoms took a toll on my fitness and weight. I've been living in a little bubble of delusion about how much weight I gained (okay, lol big bubble of delusion). Now that I'm physically ready to do a calorie deficit, I'm having to face how far I have to go and what a lifestyle change this is going to be. This is always the hardest part of working to lose weight - how in touch it puts me with my heavy weight. My goal for the rest of the month is to decide I can love myself with open eyes at this weight without beating myself up, that I don't need to beat myself up in order to make healthy choices.

Renewed2021 · August 2021

@goal06082021 @sargemarcori @justanotherloser007

I resonate with so much of all you have shared, and I cannot explain the comfort in knowing that I am not alone in these thoughts and this struggle. I really thought I was.

I absolutely love the metaphor/illustration of the mountain and the valley. I'm starting to believe if I saw the whole journey I'd quit now. But the next step is visible and it doesn't look that hard....

Women 200lb+, Let's Be Unafraid This August!!!

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