One year and 55 lb down

I can't believe it but I have been using MFP for a whole year! I can't remember a single other weight loss journey I've been on that has lasted this long so just staying the course is a major achievement. So how did I land up using MFP? I eat because I love food, I don't eat for emotional reasons, when I'm depressed I stop eating so the fact that I got to the whopping weight of 107 kg (236 lb) on a very small frame - I'm 1m 56 cm (just over 5'1"), tells you that on the whole I have been pretty contented. The problem is that I want to eat all the time, if I'm not busy eating I'm thinking about what I could be eating. Unhealthy eating wan't my problem either, I cook most of my own food from fresh ingredients and I'm a good cook (that's part of my problem), portion size was the big issue. If I made something good I would eat the lot even if that meant that I went back for seconds or thirds of massive platefuls. The result wasn't pretty and I finally realised I had to do something serious when I discovered that I was teetering on the edge of developing diabetes, I was having digestive problems and (although I didn't realise this was because of the weight gain), I'd become really unstable on my feet and nervous about crossing the street or going down stairs in case I fell.
I couldn't face going on yet another diet though because I always overreact to restrictions imposed on me, rebel and land up bingeing on everything I've been told I can't eat. So I decided that what I had to do was continue eating everything that I do eat, but work on getting portion sizes right. The world we live in tends to create a false sense of appropriate portion size. When you go to a restaurant they have to cater for tall men and short women and everything in between so they make a single portion which will happily satisfy a tall man. The problem is that short women like me, eat the same portion and would feel cheated if the restaurant gave us a serving of half what our partner got. So I had no idea what an ideal portion was for someone of my size. I decided that the only way to figure that out was to count the calories in my meals and adjust portions down to the recommended calories. I went onto the Apple App store to find a calorie counting app and by good fortune came upon MFP. 
It did come as something of a shock to discover how little I was supposed to be eating compared to what I had been eating and that was at the higher level that you can eat at when you start at a high weight, the gradual reduction of available calories that goes along with weight loss is something I am still having to come to terms with. As is the fact that once I finally get to maintenance I'll only be able to eat 1400 calories a day (not including exercise) - it's tough being a short food addict!
 For the first couple of months all I used MFP for was counting calories, but I kept being told having MFP pals would aid the weight loss so I got more involved in the social side of the website, got some great weight loss buddies and realised that everyone was exercising as well as watching what they eat. I was so unfit at that stage that all I could face doing was a bit more walking, and finally, after more than 20 years away from the pool, I went swimming. I felt like the biggest whale in the pool and even one lap was tiring but strangely enough I did enjoy that first swim, and have been swimming ever since. My exercise is moderate though. I try and get 10 000 steps of walking in a day (and manage to hit that target about 4 days out of 7) and I swim 2 to 3 times a week for 40 minutes. I do the occasional other exercise class, and try for an energetic session of gardening once a week. I am definitely much fitter than a year ago and feel much better about myself because of it.
 So how am I doing with my weight loss? I set my initial goal on MFP to loose 1 lb a week and so far I have lost 25 kg (55 lb) so, despite Christmas, Easter and various birthdays, parties and work dos I have averaged just over a lb a week, which I am very pleased about. When I started my weight loss journey I decided to take it easy and not stress myself with overly ambitious goals so I decided to try and loose all the weight over 2 years. I think as I get lighter though, the weight will come off slower, so I may change my goal to loosing everything in 3 years. I've had some fast losses and two plateaus, one that lasted 2 months and one where I bobbed up and down for 3 months, so now I know to expect them. I've also played around with eating exercise calories, not eating them, using zigzagging and TDEE and all sorts of tweaks. I'll probably keep experimenting too because sometimes these things work for me and sometimes they don't but as long as I feel in control of what I am doing I'm happy.

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Replies

  • thump418
    thump418 Posts: 251 Member
    fantastic job. Happy year one, great commitment
  • SereneRose
    SereneRose Posts: 500 Member
    Very proud of you, your one if my most inspiring mfp pals.
    Here's to another successful year. X
  • MicaMurphy
    MicaMurphy Posts: 23 Member
    Fantastic work! You look amazing.
  • Tat2dDom624
    Tat2dDom624 Posts: 1,226 Member
    Great job!
  • whutzup1
    whutzup1 Posts: 96 Member
    :flowerforyou: Great Job! You look amazing!
  • AliciaStaton
    AliciaStaton Posts: 328 Member
    Well done just keep on going. You look great keep up the good work:bigsmile:
  • jeenim
    jeenim Posts: 37 Member
    I loved your photos and i loved your honest description of your problem and the journey. I've been doing really well but had a major bust out today but when I read your story I KNOW I just have to start again tomorrow... All the best for a wonderful future relationship with all that delicious food@!!!
  • briyowes
    briyowes Posts: 757 Member
    Great job! Thanks for sharing your success story. I wish you continued success.
  • roguestates
    roguestates Posts: 223
    Congrats! It sounds like you're doing it healthfully and enjoying yourself. I was having a similar problem with the diet narrative. I'm not a junk food eater either, so it wasn't easy for me to identify where I could make those changes. I also love cooking, so I'm watching portions, now!
  • Raemama
    Raemama Posts: 203 Member
    What a great story! You've done such a wonderful job so far and your attitude is top-notch. Yay for you!!
  • lorro
    lorro Posts: 917 Member
    Well done my friend, that's an awesome achievement!! You look amazing. No wonder those Brazilians keep coming back to swim with you :bigsmile: :flowerforyou:
  • coloradocami
    coloradocami Posts: 368 Member
    Wow, amazing work! :flowerforyou: Keep it up and enjoy your new healthier body and lifestyle!
  • great job :flowerforyou:
  • jmelyan23
    jmelyan23 Posts: 1,648 Member
    You look incredible. Congrats and amazing job! :)
  • camelgirlmn
    camelgirlmn Posts: 226 Member
    woohoo!!!! Great job, and a long wonderful Journey!!! People like you keep me motivated to keep going!!! Thank you!!!!
  • 2hmom
    2hmom Posts: 241 Member
    Congrats. Loved reading your post,thanks. You are an inspiration.
  • Mishadijo
    Mishadijo Posts: 36 Member
    Very inpsiring!! Congratulations and look forward to your post in another year from now.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
    You look great!!! Keep up the good work!
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
    Fab success, you look amazing.
  • faefaith
    faefaith Posts: 433 Member
    Great Job!!!
  • AZnewme
    AZnewme Posts: 228 Member
    I loved your honest description of your relationship with food and your journey! LOOK at you! You look wonderful, healthy and most of all HAPPY! Congratulations - you are an on-going success story!
  • nevertoolate2
    nevertoolate2 Posts: 309 Member
    Well done - what a year. Hope you are as proud of yourself as you deserve and should be!
  • Jstash88
    Jstash88 Posts: 89 Member
    Congratulations! Love your story..... I can totally relate. Junk food doesn't really tempt me.... but going to the farmers market and wanting to buy one of everything..... aged balsamic is just as fab as a bottle of wine... oh and one of my favorite birthday gifts last year...... gourmet imported cheese. You are right.....PORTION CONTROL! You look great!
  • AstyPasty
    AstyPasty Posts: 70 Member
    You look fantastic - well done, you must feel so proud. You're weight loss journey was really interesting and I can so relate to your problems with portion sizing too. x
  • jb_2011
    jb_2011 Posts: 1,029 Member
    Oh look at you! How great! 55 lbs in a year is wonderful. Keep up the excellent work!
  • fit4lyfeLisa
    fit4lyfeLisa Posts: 529 Member
    Congrats, you look great!!!
  • MarinaPacheco
    MarinaPacheco Posts: 95 Member
    Thank you everyone for your kind words - really appreciated! :flowerforyou:
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