Why did it take me this long to figure it out? (PICS)

:drinker: Well here it is..........

My story...(*yawn*)

Currently I am 27 years old.....and most of my life up until I was about 20 I could eat whatever I wanted and I never gained a lb. I was pretty active nothing to serious though then I discovered the depo birth control shot. Sure I was told there might be some weight gain so I started concentrating on my drink and food intake. No matter how good I ate I started gaining a few lbs here and there. Well that soon turned into 30. I decided to get off that crap and still couldnt loose weight. I tried the Weight Watchers, Adkins, exercising, fruits & veggies, starving myself you name it I did it. I gave up................and then I thought to myself I'll prob always be this heavy this is what my plan was. So I started gaining even more over the years 5 here 10 there....then I'd loose 10 gain 5.....I felt like a Yo-Yo....it wasnt until last summer when I really started to notice a huge difference in my clothes and the way things started to fit. I couldnt even wear a fitted shirt anymore everything was hanging out everywhere I saw pictures and notice I could barely see my eyes I had the biggest chipmunk checks ever!! So I started wearing bigger clothing to hide it. I was depressed.....I had just gotten out of another failing relationship and realized I had let myself go and that it was time to change. I weighed in at the doctors one morning in Oct 2011 at 218. I said "WHOA" I have never weighed this much in my life........SOO then it really hit me......I ran to the grocery store and filled up a carriage with healthy foods....next day I started eating 4-5 times a day smaller portions and gave up diet sodas! I figured that was a start.....I went to the gym a few times a week and did spin and occasionally I would throw in a Bikram Yoga class here and there..... I lost 10 lbs over the course of 4 months. I thought to myself....well this is alot slower process than I imagined. Then.....

My friend and I were talking one day and she told me about MFP....so I figured "hell why not a app on my phone? should be easy!" I joined MFP in Feb at 208 lbs. MFP gave me a calorie intake of 1360 so I stuck with it. I lost another 10 lbs within the first month weighing in at 198. ( Do you have any idea how great it felt to be under 200 ??!?!?!!?I nearly cried) I started measuring everything and weighing all my meats. I made alot of new friends on MFP who also encouraged me to figure out my TDEE and subtract 15% which gave me 1997 calories a day. This number figures in my exercise calories so I really don't have to worry about it unless I have a huge mega burn. I joined the group Eat more Weigh Less....which I encourage everyone to do. I found a new love for lifting weights which I do 3 times a week and some cardio here and there I have a desire to have some lovely muscles eventually Today I currently weigh in at 187.......and have been here for a few weeks and I am ok with it. I upped my calories when I hit a plateau and according to what everyone tells me sometimes it can take 3-6 weeks to break it. I am not going anywhere this is a life long journey. A change for the better.......it took me years to put on the weight....I don't expect it to fall off overnight....

So as of today I am about 31 lbs down....and I have about 20 more to loose.....here's some photos of my journey.... :blushing:



I am on the right at a concert last June 2011


At a work function (right)


softball 2011


softball 2012


Not a huge differece but left is Feb 2012 and the right is April 2012 my stomach is a bit smaller


Same here left is Feb 2012 and right is April 2012....looks like my butt is a bit smaller and stomach and boobs haha shucks.



after my 5k race March 2012...beat my time from last year by 3 mins!


This past weekend....

:flowerforyou:

Half way there

If I can do it anyone can, I have been down this road many mannnnny times. I believe this is the easiest way and the healthiest way to loose weight or maintain eat right and work out! ...If it goes in your mouth then write it down...its simple. Results will come but they will not come overnight! Believe in yourself, because I believe in you

New friends? Yes I am always looking for new friends for motivation and to give support to. So feel free to ask :):)