Finally on track again after a 6-year 70+ weight gain!

I'm not new to the MFP, but just haven't had much time to look at the forum. I've lost 48 pounds since joining this site on June 2, just under four months. I had some success with Atkins in the past, but wasn't able to continue it long-term. I just love my fruits which is a no-no on Atkins.

My back was injured in a car accident in 2005. At the time, I was walking two miles a day and had lost 35 pounds. I had to stop for 9 months while my back healed and now live with chronic back pain from arthritis that set in after the injury resolved. During those 9 months and the 5+ years since then, I slowly gained over 70 pounds. Along with that came high blood pressure and borderline diabetes. At the time of the wreck, I was also going through menopause, so lack of sleep was also an issue. I had zero energy and couldn't sleep more than 2 hours straight.

In July 2010 I had a sleep study done and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I began using a C-pap machine, but didn't sleep any better. I tried every generic sleep medicine out there before my insurance would finally pay for the name brand Ambien CR. Suddenly, I was sleeping but had no more energy during the day.

Then a new symptom started - depression. It crept up on me slowly at first. Then one day it was like someone turned a switch off in me, and I couldn't get up off the couch. I missed my daughter's baby shower. Then one night after I had taken my sleep medicine, it occured to me it might be a side effect of Ambien. As soon as I stopped it, I began to feel better. The depression was gone, but I was back where I had started almost a year before. No sleep = no energy = no will power to diet or exercise.

Finally a few weeks later my doctor did a saliva hormone test. I started using a progesterone cream and immediately started feeling better. I also learned that when you aren't getting enough sleep, you're tired all the time and your body craves carbohydrates and then stores them as fat.

On May 28, my second beautiful grandson was born. On that same day I learned about My Fitness Pal from my daughter's doctor. He had lost weight using it, so I thought I'd give it a try.

I quickly learned that to stay under 1200 calories, I'd have to cut out the fats, mostly meats. I had never been successful with low fat in the past, so I doubted it would work for me. I was a meat eater. Meat-lover's pizza was my favorite. Now I can't stand the thoughts of putting all that grease in my stomach.

It was difficult at first, but My Fitness Pal given me all the tools I needed to be successful. I learned to read labels and control portions. I also learned that eating lots of fruit (something I had been depriving myself of or feeling guilty about indulging in since Atkins) gave me the fullness I needed for little calories.

I've now lost 48 pounds and gone from a size 20 to a 12. I hope that by Christmas I'll be in a 10. When I started in June, I could barely walk 3 mph for 20 minutes. On September 2, I walk/ran a 5K in 47.01 minutes. I may have only been number 992 in the race, but I beat 47 other people!


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