This group has been the greatest thing to ever happen to my self-image and my expectations regarding fitness goals. When I began my MFP journey in April I was focused on one thing: getting the number on the scale down. I had a number in my head (who even knows where that came from!) and I was determined to get there. Like everyone else, I began the 1200 calorie torture. Thankfully, I found you guys very quickly into my journey, began my reset, and almost immediately the slew of side-effects I was experiencing went away. I feel great on the reset, not gaining or losing really, and completely relishing in all the wonderful food I get to eat.

I am already very close to my goal, so I am sure all I need to do is focus on heavy lifting and I will be able to get there. I am thinking when my reset is over in 3 weeks that I will continue to eat at TDEE and make sure I am lifting 3 times a week. I am SO happy that I no longer think I will have to feel deprived in order to look the way I want!

Finding this group and going through this reset has allowed me to completely change my perception of a healthy body. I am no longer focused on being skinny, but rather on being the best me I can be. I have realized that being fit is not about suffering for a while and telling myself it will all be worth it in the end. I have learned to ignore the number on the scale and focus on the countless other accomplishments I have experienced along the way.

I knew I had to share this with you guys after I just gave myself the mother of all face-palms. A very close friend of mine just posted the following on Facebook:

"I've finally figured out that the key is just low calorie diet with lots of exercise! I'm done with shakes, pills, diet plans ..... just old fashioned aerobics and about 1000 calories a day! I make sure that I am sticking to my diet and doing at least 1 hour of exercise a day. It is super hard to stick to, but I love seeing the results on the scale!"

The EM2WLer in me wanted so bad to chime in, but I bit my tongue, had a good chuckle and went back to making my Skinnytaste stuffed shells.

So THANK YOU ALL for the support, the encouragement, the advice and the laughs. There are absolutely no doubts in my mind that I will accomplish all that I set out to do because I have been equipped with such an amazing foundation.