Women 200lb+, Let's Have A Momentous May!!!

Thanks @RavenStCloud

Keri
69 years old
5'6"
SW: 266ish
CW: 250.6 new scale weighs me 6 lbs heavier than old one so not sure about how much I have lost.
Halfway GW: 199.5
UGW: 150
April GW get back into and stay in the 240s

🌻 April GOALS! 🌻

🟨 Log daily on MFP and track on my spreadsheet
🟨 Keep making progress with walking longer and try to get to 6 days a week
🟨 Add strength training (weights, body weight and stretching)
🟨 plan and cook healthy meals at home
🟨 Set a sensible deficit

Thank you @RavenStCloud for starting these threads.

I weigh in on Mondays.

Started 2/5/22
SW: 288.8
CW: (starting weight for May TBA)
GW for May: (TBA- lose 6 pounds)

5/2:
5/9:
5/16:
5/23:
5/30:

Goals for May:

🍎 Keep eating 4-5 fruits and veggie servings per day, at least 5 days a week
🧘🏼‍♀️ Start Leslie Sansone DVDs and work up to 5 minutes at a time by the end of the month
💭 Start seeing new therapist
⬇️ Lose 6 pounds (but I’ll be happy with any loss)
🥳 Hopefully get myself some rewards that will help me continue to make healthier changes

I might add to this on Monday, I’m not sure yet lol.

Nice, got the May thread a little early! Thank you @RavenStCloud for keeping this group going.

Template for later:

Age: 30
Height: 5'3"
SW: 252.8 lb (11/13/2020)
CW: 185.8 lb (4/30/2022)
5/7:
5/14:
5/21:
5/28:
GW for May: 180
GW for 2022: 155

For exercise, I'm continuing what I started in April. 2 days per week each of arm-focused strength training, cardio, and yoga, with Sunday as a rest day. I'm also going to add daily evening yoga - I subscribed to Yoga with Kassandra and I've really been enjoying her videos, and she's releasing a playlist for May that's all strength-focused power yoga. I think I'm still very much a beginner, but I've made it through some videos marked "intermediate," so I'm going to try these and see how I do. I think my body is stronger than I want to give it credit for most of the time and I want to really explore that - my personal sense of, like where my body is in space and how much space I occupy has never been great (for probably a lot of reasons), so I think the yoga is going to really help to cultivate that sense of proprioception. I still find it hard to believe that these things fit my body when I fold laundry and hold up what look like a tiny pair of shorts - my body schema is still significantly wider than my actual body is.

Glad to be back and Thank you @RavenStCloud for this thread. Great support here!
Mary from Pennsylvania 65 NOW! 5'4", Heaviest weight 255 lbs twice. :-(

UGW-122 lbs. I was there in 2009/10 and kept it off for 5 years then got lazy.

My goal is to continue with what seems to work for me. 1000-1200 calories, low carb 15 Net +/- 3(My body seems to not do well with carbs. It doesn't know how to burn them and hangs onto them way too much!), minimum 70 + oz of water, 2 meals/day on my days off(3) and 3 meals on my work days(which are long), exercise on my 3 days off. My weigh in day is Sunday.

9/14/20 SW-255 lbs
5/3/21-240.5 lbs Emergency Gallbladder surgery
5/14/21-232.2 lbs started MFP and Low Carb/1000-1200 calorie while recovering
6/1/21-228.8 lbs
7/1/21-222.2 lbs
8/1/21-212.0 lbs
9/1/21-200.0 lbs
10/1/21-191.4 lbs
11/1/21-181.8 lbs
12/1/21-176.2 lbs
12/26/21-165.6 lbs
1/1/22-168 lbs
2/1/22-157.4 lbs
3/1/22-155 lbs. Down 100.2 lbs so far!
4/1/22-156.4 lbs
5/1/22-

Thanks @RavenStCloud

Hi, my names Amanda. I’m 30 years old (31 on the 11th). I live in Machesney Park,IL.

SW: 258
CW: 215.6
UGW: 145
April GW: 210

Weights
5/3:
5/10:
5/17:
5/24:
5/31:

🌸April GOALS! 🌸
❤️Log food everyday.
🧡Weight in on Mondays.
💛Exercise 30+ minutes a day.
💚Drink 64oz of water.
💙Walk 6k steps a day.
💜Take 20 minutes to clean a day.

“While learning can be rushed, changing can’t be…don’t forget why you’re here and what you’re chasing.” Not my words, it’s from the book “Chasing Cupcakes” by Elizabeth Benton.

Michelle
47 years old
Height: 5'6"
Original SW May 2013: 301.2 lbs.
SW (5/1/22): 205.4 lbs.
May SW (1/1/20): 205.4 lbs.
May GW: Under 200 lbs.
GW: 150 lbs (then reconsider)

My goals for May are:

• To re-achieve a 100-pound weight loss from my recorded original start weight. I am confident I’m down more than 100 pounds from whatever my all-time high was.
• Return to daily weighing. It’s not for everyone, but to me it is data and helps me. Sunday is my usual "reporting" day, and today just happens to also be the first of the month.
• Cardio for 45-60 min, 5-6 times a week, 3 of the sessions Couch-to-5K workouts
• Advance in the Couch-to-5K plan to Week 4 workouts. I plan to repeat each week of workouts 3 or 4 weeks, depending on how my lower-body joints are holding up
• Planks 3 times a week – definitely forearm, considering also doing side planks
• Take better care of my skin in hopes it will start to regain its shape. If I don’t say it, I won’t do it.

I’m back to this group after about a year-and-a-half absence. I’m not a “deadline” sort of person when it comes to taking care of yourself, but there are a few reasons today is the day.

Today is the Broad Street Run. I wish I was out there. No excuses here, but I spent the last two years in a continuous state of training for this race as the organizers pushed the race date back in hopes the pandemic would wane and things would be back to normal. It’s a 10-mile race. I ran it virtually in September 2020, and in person last October. I was hurting when I ran in October, and I needed an epic break from that amount of stress. I know people who run marathons nearly every week (really!!). That’s not how I was made. I’m starting to build myself back up with Couch-to-5K once again.

It's been six months since my Dad died. (Literally, the last thing I was able to tell him was that I’d finished the Broad Street Run, via a messaged picture of me at the finish line.) I don’t dare pretend this is the end of the grief process, but I need to shift from the cycles I’ve been lost in and start becoming more aware of everything.

To be honest, I am somewhat surprised that I’m over 200, but not overwhelmed with shock that I’m here. The surprise comes from other factors I’ve used to gauge my weight since I stopped weighing in October: how my clothes fit, how any activities I’ve been undertaking are going (including tracked workouts) and what I look like in the mirror.

But I’m also happy to have only gained about 22 pounds. The last time I faced any life events coming close to the magnitude of all I’ve experienced in the last few months, I gained about 80 pounds. That’s progress in my book. I’ve internalized something. And I remain happy that I have not ever fully regained ALL the weight I’ve lost since starting 9 years ago – the statistics related to that situation aren’t good. I don’t want to be complacent about the weight I’ve lost, I believe I’ve still been doing the work and my instincts are better than what they were.

I can be a bit "tough love" – I know it’s what I need – but I’m built that way. I come from people who have overcome and persevered. My grandfather lost his leg in WWII and went on to live to 80. Maybe not exactly the life he thought he had, but he was independent to his last days. My father overcame a lot throughout the course of his life: a car accident during which the steering column nearly split him half, and he returned to an active job in which he walked several miles in the course of a shift; having half his lung removed and then start scuba diving; being so weak from an infection he couldn’t see that he fell into his tub and couldn’t get out and was rescued four days later when someone heard him screaming and called for a wellness check, he ended up needing his leg amputated; and even more. My mother had to have her aortic valve replaced when she was in her early 50s, suffered a stroke in which she (thankfully) temporarily lost her sight; she’s had to have two more valve replacements since, including an emergent one in March 2021.

Some may say it’s a trauma response, the overcoming of adversity on what seems to be a constant basis. Personally, I run for a lot of reasons. And I do it with all the following: a torn ligament in my left ankle (2009?), for which weight loss was the only thing that truly helped alleviate the pain; a cyst on the bottom of my right foot (2012) which is still there and won’t be removed unless it starts causing a “bigger problem”; a healed stress fracture in my pelvis (2015); a broken metatarsal in my right foot (2018) which did not heal, so I have avascular necrosis at the joint between my toe and the unhealed fracture; and truly terrible knees all my life – which believe it or not are better when I’m running/walking regularly. (Also: when I say I’m dead inside you know I literally mean it.)

I’ve overcome a lot to get where I am. And I know that I got tired of being a spectator of everything in life. Of everything happening for other people but not for me. And finally realizing that I had to stop watching and waiting and start doing, no matter how small each step forward was.

Another quote I’ve been repeating to myself recently is this one, this time from the TV show “This Is Us” by the character Beth Pearson: “I can, and I will.”

Thanks @RavenStCloud for another month! I really enjoy this group 😀

Age: 44
Height: 5'10"
HW: 290.6 (4/19/2021)
SW: 287.4 (7/16/2021)
CW: 209.8 (5/1/2022)

GW for May: 205
GW for 2022: 170
UGW: 170

5/7:
5/14:
5/21:
5/28:

Reintroducing myself since there are lots of new faces here. I am Lynn from the bay area, California. 44, divorced, 4 kids - 1 grown and out of the house, and 3 littles (12, 10, & 7) that I have the majority of the time. I work full time from home, and don't have a lot of "me time". No major health problems. Started my weightloss journey in July of 2021 when my Dr asked me if I wanted to consider bariatric surgery. That was the kick in the pants that made me realize I was seriously over weight, class III obese to be more specific. I joined MFP fully expecting to prove to my Dr that I wasn't eating too much, and there had to be some other reason I was gaining weight, lol. I was definitely suprised to learn how much I was eating, and have been making slow and steady progress since then. I am actually looking forward to my next physical when I can show her my progress.

I have a pretty consistent routine - weekday morning cardio sessions of 15-25 minutes, followed by some planks and other body weight exercises. I don't restrict anything (besides full sugar soda), just watch my portion sizes and reduced takeout from like 5 times a week to maybe 1.

I am moving this month, so I am anticipating more challenges staying on track later this month once the kitchen gets packed. As such, keeping my weight goal on the lower side. Feel free to send a friend request if you would like. Wishing you all a successful month!

Goals for May:
- Meet fiber goals at least 3x per week:
- Meet protein goals at least 3x per week:
- Minimum 6000 steps daily:
- At least 8 glasses water daily:

Good afternoon everyone, happy May!

Busy month! I'm back from my trip now, and I'm going on another trip this coming weekend for Mother's day. It's been and is going to be a challenge to keep a deficit through all this, but I'm doing my best. I did manage to stay below maintenance for all the time I was away this weekend, which I am going to go ahead and pat myself on the back for.

I'm looking forward to warmer temperatures, making progress both with weight loss and my squat rack, and generally having a good time outside with my kids.

I don't like to make number-based goals for the month, but I'm going to get as far as I can so I can hit my halfway goal weight (183) in June, hopefully. Then June, I have another diet break to coincide with a vacation for 10 days! I really think this way of dieting is the way for me. The weight loss isn't as fast, but I'm having a lot of fun.

Haven't weighed in today, as I always do it in the morning and I was at my SIL's, so the little hula lady on the beach will reappear tomorrow.

Christina
33 years old
5'4"

SW: 220ish
Re-SW: 200.4
Halfway GW: 183
UGW: 150
CW (as of 4/29): 189.4

May goals! 🌷🌷🌷

🤍Log every food in grams.
🤍 Get 7k steps every day, no excuses
🤍 Lift weights 3x week
🤍 More than 100g protein every day
🤍 20 minutes to clean a day

Inaugural May tag party!
@RavenStCloud Thank you as always, and I'm so excited to see you joining us this month! Balance is a good goal to go for.

@KeriA great goals, and you've got this.

@Generic_Excuse One thing I love about your goals- mileage walking goals! I think that's so neat, you could see how far you've walked toward a fancy destination or something.

@bonniemcc4 Therapist! Therapist! You're making good changes in your life, and I hope they really pay off for you this month.

@pamiede Hi again, welcome back! It seems like the 2020 crew is all coming back, recently, haha! I'm happy to be seeing you around these parts again, although I wish it was for different circumstances.

@goal06082021 I love the idea of yoga, and strength yoga sounds super neat! I'll have to check her out on Youtube- I know I've done at least a couple of her videos before.

@Cluelessmama1979 those look like great goals. I honestly love the "no grubhub" one the most, it is so easy to do, but so expensive, both in $$ and calorically! I hope you achieve everything you want to this month.

@swimmom_1 yay for may!

@roz0810 Hi Roz!!! I love the cat emoji, it looks so fun on my computer, haha.

@biohazardinc that cleaning one realllllly resonates with me, lol. I added it to my goals, because yeah, cha girl really needs that. I hope you had a good concert weekend! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

@AlexandraFindsHerself1971 Sink Zero! I just had flashbacks, lol. Sink Zero is very helpful, though. Blessed Beltane to you!

@mmdeveau I can, and I will is a great personal mantra. I like it very much. And I believe it for you.

@lmgoff232 ah, the dreaded food diary revelation! We hate to see it, lol, but I've watched you progress- you know what you're doing, and you do it.


oh PS: For those following along at home, I did decide to keep MacroFactor, lol. But if anyone is curious about my food diary (I am definitely a nosy person, I get it!) I will post a screenshot any time. I'm not going anywhere, I'm still here for weight loss related socials, posting food pics, and talking about my ridiculous car Quest bar habit.

Have a great Sunday, everyone! See you bright and early tomorrow!

@pamiede Glad to see you back. I was missing for a long time too until I rejoined in April. We both needed to recover. Knowing you, you will be making progress soon.
@roz0819 we have a bonded pair of twin cats.
@AlexandraFindsHerself1971 glad you have figured out how to get to the gym with a new morning routine.
@mmdeveau Sorry to hear about your father. Congrats on the Broad Street Run. I just rejoined the thread last month again after a serious health issue kept me from logging on MFP. Luckily I didn’t gain but only made very slow progress.
@RavenStCloud I like your exercise schedule. I am thinking of reinstating our Y membership so I can get back to 3 day a week water exercise I was doing before the pandemic.

I enjoyed reading all of your posts and seeing some old friends. I now have 2 weeks of my spreadsheet and was able to see what my average calorie intake is now, what I lost in the past 2 weeks, my average and weekly calorie deficit etc. Since I have lost in the last 2 weeks I will keep my calorie goal the same but I hope to up my exercise a little each week as I have been doing. I have gotten to 5 days a week but upped the minutes I exercise some each week. I hope to add in a strength training day each week as well. Since I am not working now I have been able to meal plan and make healthy meals at home, which is the best thing for me for weight loss.

The reason I was MIA on MFP and this thread was that last summer I was diagnosed with breast cancer but fortunately it was low grade, early and low stage and slow. However if it wasn’t for the pandemic I would have caught it earlier. As soon as I was fully vaccinated and the rates went down last year I started to get caught up on medical appointments and that is when I found it. I continued working full-time taking only a few days after surgery off. Working remotely helped a lot. I didn’t need chemotherapy and the radiation therapy was very focused. Although I didn’t gain weight I wasn’t able to get much exercise although it is recommended. So I am slowly getting back into shape. Also there were times when we were all so busy working that we got take out more than our 1 day a week limit. I really miss my wonderful limited duration job. I wish it could have lasted one more year when I would be ready to retire. Now I am wondering what will be the best next step for me. The one thing I know is that I want to get healthy, lose weight and start exercising more. I also just want to get more active. Today we started cleaning out our large carport. Lots more to go but we made a dent. So although I didn’t go for a walk I was more active. One thing achieved during the pandemic is we have gotten our finances on good footing. Still have more home repairs to do.

So I am wishing we all have a great week and great month. However it all starts with tomorrow. Let's do it.

Something happened the end of last week that I am not sure I understand. I went out Friday for my walk. I started walking down the block and hadn't gone far and my body said no I do not want to do this. It wasn't my mind and it wasn't due to motivation. So I listened and turned around and went home. Yesterday I was worried. What will happen if I try to take my walk today? My husband and youngest were out. I put on my running shoes and started walking. It was just how it usually is when I started walking. Happy to be out and getting a walk in. In fact I pushed myself another block than I have been doing on the days I feel up to a longer walk. 1 more block is really 2 more blocks since I turn around and walk back the way I came. I do not know why I didn't want to walk Friday but somehow I think I did the right thing not to continue but that is hind sight. Now I know that I was fine walking the next day.