Won my work weight loss challenge! (with in-progress pics)

emuhawk
emuhawk Posts: 62 Member
in Success Stories
Around the same time I got serious about losing weight in early February of this year, my office started a biggest-loser-esque challenge. I figured I would sign up as some extra motivation to keep me on track. About 10 weeks later, we had our final weigh in, and it turns out that I had the highest percentage of weight lost in the group at right around 11%. The competitive part of me loved winning (plus the free gym membership that came with it!), but more importantly, for the first time it made me feel like this is really happening and I can actually accomplish my goals. I know the scale has been going down for the past few months, but somehow in my head it just seemed like a fluke. This finally made me see that it was for real, and I am more determined than ever now to get to my goal and make it stick.

I was going through some photos on my phone recently and saw that I had taken a picture of myself right around the time I started losing weight. I did my best to re-create it today (same clothes, etc.), and I was surprised at what a difference there was. It isn't really obvious in the photo, but those jeans that were probably a size too small in the first picture are now literally falling off. I've never been so happy to need a belt :happy:

inprogress.jpg

(also, this is my first attempt at posting a photo, so my apologies if this doesn't work!)

Replies

  • jpbrk
    jpbrk Posts: 8 Member
    Wow, you look amazing and that is such an achievement in only 2 months. What were the main things you did differently?
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
    You look AMAZING
  • JediMaster_intraining
    JediMaster_intraining Posts: 903 Member
    wow you look great! :) congrats!
  • TheDoctorDana
    TheDoctorDana Posts: 595 Member
    Awesome results! Congrats on your win :)
  • MallyPie
    MallyPie Posts: 81
    You can totally see a difference! You look wonderful.
  • aliciagetshealthy
    aliciagetshealthy Posts: 946 Member
    Outstanding job! You look fantastic!
  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
    Wow...cute! Congrats on such good success in a relatively short time! Isn't it great when you realize you need new clothes because your current ones won't stay on anymore? :happy:
  • Crazy4Healthy
    Crazy4Healthy Posts: 626 Member
    You look great.... and I can definitely tell those jeans are smaller (ooops bigger). What a great feeling.... congrats. :happy:
  • 2FattyXFatty4
    2FattyXFatty4 Posts: 215 Member
    You are amazing and you look fantastic!

    I can totally relate to this part: "I know the scale has been going down for the past few months, but somehow in my head it just seemed like a fluke."

    Someone once told me that you can lose weight over the course of a year but it takes your mind another year to lose weighty thoughts!

    Congrats, you've done well!
  • mnmfum
    mnmfum Posts: 4
    You look great! Id love to know how you lost that tummy so fast!!! wow!
  • Lachiesmum
    Lachiesmum Posts: 13 Member
    you look great :)
  • caseydimples
    caseydimples Posts: 173 Member
    Congratulations on your success - you look AMAZING!!! Your hard work and dedication has paid off.
  • lilpe5512
    lilpe5512 Posts: 397 Member
    WTG! Congrats on your win:happy:
  • cranford_s
    cranford_s Posts: 55 Member
    Wow, looking good!
  • Astephens1984
    Astephens1984 Posts: 57 Member
    Amazing job! you didnt look bad before, but you look great now! Would like to know what you did to lose in 2 months?
  • MollyDukes
    MollyDukes Posts: 233 Member
    You look awesome and you can definately see a difference, way to go girl, enjoy your free gym membership.
  • lorierin22
    lorierin22 Posts: 432 Member
    You look amazing! Great job...all your hard work has really paid off!!
  • love22step
    love22step Posts: 1,103 Member
    A winner and a loser at the same time! Can't beat that. Congratulations!
  • frosty73
    frosty73 Posts: 424 Member
    You can definitely see the difference! Great job, congrats!
  • Ralstonk2
    Ralstonk2 Posts: 345 Member
    Wow, you look amazing and that is such an achievement in only 2 months. What were the main things you did differently?

    ^This! :) What did you do?
  • lrob100
    lrob100 Posts: 122 Member
    Awesome! You look beautiful, fit and healthy!
  • gnat45
    gnat45 Posts: 833 Member
    Your waist is tiny!
  • emuhawk
    emuhawk Posts: 62 Member
    Thanks everyone!! I really appreciate all your support!

    The biggest change I made was tracking everything I eat, and I mean *everything.* I definitely have days when I go over my calorie goal, but I track every last delicious, terrible bite of those days too. And then I feel so bad when I have to track all that indulgent food, I don't want to do it again for a while. I do my best to stay right around my goal each day, but I really focus on the weekly totals and make sure I'm not hugely over (or under) for the week. I've also started making a lot more food at home, WEIGHING out my portions (that is a big one) and bringing my lunches in to work rather than eating out every day like I had done for years. It's probably a lot healthier all around (not to mention cheaper), but I started doing it simply because I wanted to know exactly what was in the food I was eating so my tracking could be accurate. Now I eat out for lunch maybe 2-3 times a month at most. Really, it all boils down to being accurate and honest with myself about what I'm eating, and making sure I'm within my goal on a weekly basis.

    For the first month I was healing from a stress fracture in my leg, so I didn't really exercise at all. Now I'm trying to get into a routine, and my next goal is to start seriously lifting weights. The gym membership should be a big help with that one!
  • jillybean
    jillybean Posts: 57
    Great job! Your hard work and dedication paid off! Thanks for sharing your sucess, now go enjoy that free gym membership! And kudos to your workplace for being health conscious:)
  • emuhawk
    emuhawk Posts: 62 Member

    Someone once told me that you can lose weight over the course of a year but it takes your mind another year to lose weighty thoughts!

    I love this! So true!

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