[Candidcamster]

Hi everyone! I weighed in today and the scale blessed me with the perfect number for me at this time, 241.6 which means in just under a year I have lost 60 lbs. on the nose. I was talking to some people about it, and the issue of fat-shaming came up, which is a touchy topic for me as I've been through it my entire plus-size life. From being a child of around 8 years old and having peers, teens and adults remark either to my face or behind my back about my size, to being an adult and to be frank mostly being ignored. I guess that is how the world sometimes deals with us plus-sized adults, instead of picking on us to our face, we deal with being ignored. Though as more and more people are becoming plus size, I think we're breaking through like it or not, but that is another story.

All that said, I don't mean for this to be a negative post, I feel so positively about the future and about this community, and thank you for helping me along the way with my weight loss. When I joined I was in the 290's and had been on my journey for 2-3 months without losing more than 10-11 lbs., but soon after joining something lit a fire underneath me and the weight loss became more rapid, which I am grateful for. I am also happy in many ways about my slow weight loss from the beginning because it taught me patience, and to be in this for the sake of my health, and not for the reward of a smaller size. I knew if I reverted back to not trying at all, that wouldn't lead me anywhere good, it certainly wouldn't have taken me to where I am today. At 241.6 this is the lowest I've ever weighed in my adult life, the last time I probably weighed this, I would have been a young teenager (I'd say 15 or younger).

I'm still 91.6 lbs. away from my goal weight, a place I haven't been since elementary school *sighs* , but I have full faith I will get there eventually. I'd like to share this post I wrote on my facebook page today, expressing the importance of not assigning blame as to why we are where we are, but to focus on the treatment/cure for our "ailment".

"Why fat-shaming doesn't make sense-
You have 2 people, both going outdoors in chilly weather without proper wrappings, one catches a cold, and the other doesn't. Who's smarter the sick one, or the healthier one? Neither, based on that information, they both did the EXACT same thing, but got different results. How many times in our lives have we known that skinny person who can eat "anything" and not gain a significant amount of weight? Is that person superior to me because I can't complete the same action without suffering consequences?

My boyfriend, whom I love dearly, eats like a college kid. He's in his 50's and isn't significantly overweight, but eats ice cream, brownies and other snack foods on a daily basis. Me, a woman in my early 30's w/PCOS & insulin resistance if I ate as he does, I would weigh in the 300's again in no time. Our bodies obviously process these things differently. Saying that all fat people are to blame for our obesity is in short ridiculous, I am not blaming anyone actually, but it is silly to point fingers considering the examples given. Anyhow, I caught the "cold" (mentioned in the first paragraph) and now I am treating it, you don't have to blame yourself for your illness in order to begin your treatment. Feed your body what it needs to get better (lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.), try to avoid things that make the problem w/fat storage worse (such as refined carbohydrates, Soda pops, high fructose corn syrup, etc.) and you can overcome the illness.

Today February 1, 2015 I weighed in at 241.6
February 13, 2014 I weighed in at 301.6
I am exactly 60 lbs. down, you can do it, we can do it, let's do it!"
Before (around 305-310 taken end of June 2013) -


During (242.4 taken 1/31/2015) -


Thank you so much for reading this incredibly long post, God bless us all! <3

[Whoopdidoo]

Thank you so much for posting the pics! I just started losing weight and I'm super scared I won't see a difference untill I lose 100 lbs. You're pictures give me hope!

You've done an amazing job, keep up the good work!

[Rechyl]

you look amazing.

[mountain walker]

This was a truly wonderful post!
You look absolutely amazing!
I am much older than you (been around the dieting block a few times!) but your sentiments made even this old boiler feel inspired!!
Thank you and keep posting!

[JenFZ09]

You are very pretty and look great.

Lots of skinny people can't eat everything and anything and are skinny because they hardly eat at all and are sick for other reasons (eating disorders). They get shamed too, just in the "eat a hamburger" way. Anyway....

Good luck on your progress. You look beautiful as you are and inspire people here who are also trying to lose that much weight.

[TheLastStraw323]

You are doing amazing! So pretty in your pics.

I was pushing 350 when I originally started 3fc in 2012. I never took any pics, I was beside myself. You'll look back on where you started and how far you've come and it will be amazing.

241 is my most recent high after some personal family things and I ate my way back up. I made it as low as 171 and didn't recognize myself in the mirror even though I was the same person on the inside (good or bad).

I look forward to reading your updates. You have a great skill in beautifully writing out your thoughts.

[Ubee]

Great post!
Your words are true and wise.
I especially appreciate the part about learning to be patient.
Keep up the good work.

[BigNomore71]

CandidCamster,

Wish you great luck in your continued journey! Great job done already! You look fabulous!

[Candidcamster]

Thank you to everyone , I loved reading the replies, I nearly cried but reminded myself I'd ruin my eye makeup haha.

BigNomore71 thank you so much, I weigh in daily, and somehow I gained .8 lb. overnight , that is a mystery considering that I skipped dinner last night. However reading all of these posts wiped away that disappointment and helped remind me what I am fighting for. I'm feeling very motivated.

Ubee thank you, and patience truly is a virtue especially to those of us with a long journey ahead of us. I didn't get to be 300+ overnight and I won't be 150 in a week, month, possibly a year. It is worth waiting for, I'm worth the wait, so are ALL of you!

One of my favorite quotes is - "Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -unknown

TheLastStraw323 thank you so much, especially for that last comment, as I don't have a lot of confidence in my writing usually lol. You remind me of these pictures I took in Graceland (Memphis,TN) I was less than 320 lbs., but I looked like I was at my heavier than my heaviest weight (which was 350), I couldn't believe it. I've decided to share those pictures in the next 40-50 lbs. down lol, but they feel too close to home right now, if that makes sense. I want to be a bit further in my journey before posting them. Congratulations on your weight loss, you're where I hope to be in the coming months, never stop fighting for what you deserve, your health and happiness.

JenFZ09 thank you so much for the compliments, I really needed that . About the body-shaming, you are absolutely right, it happens to slim women as well, and it is wrong period. I come from a family with few large people, most of the people are a little overweight to very thin, and I dealt with body shaming from my own family, it was hard. About the thin family members, they didn't have eating disorders, they were big eaters usually, but for whatever reason, didn't retain weight. But I did.

Mountain walker that means so much, thank you! I follow a girl on Youtube named hopeandsmiles or you can find her by kimberlyuhles1 and she's exactly 10 years younger than me, and I find her super motivational/inspirational, she's wise beyond her years. Proving age is nothing but a number!

Rechyl thank you so much! My head isn't in the other picture because my hair was a frizz fest lol.

Whoopdidoo thank you so much! I love your screenname btw lol. I feel the same about other people's progress pictures, I am a little obsessed with before, during and after pictures lol.

[IanG]

Feed your body what it needs to get better (lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.), try to avoid things that make the problem w/fat storage worse (such as refined carbohydrates, Soda pops, high fructose corn syrup, etc.) and you can overcome the illness.

That is how you do it. And, more to the point, that is how you maintain weight loss. Great work on learning that lesson. It has been the most important for me.

[Candidcamster]

Originally Posted by IanG

That is how you do it. And, more to the point, that is how you maintain weight loss. Great work on learning that lesson. It has been the most important for me.

Agreed @ IanG, thank you for replying, I really enjoy your posts!

[TheLastStraw323]

Originally Posted by Candidcamster

Thank you to everyone , I loved reading the replies, I nearly cried but reminded myself I'd ruin my eye makeup haha.

TheLastStraw323 thank you so much, especially for that last comment, as I don't have a lot of confidence in my writing usually lol. You remind me of these pictures I took in Graceland (Memphis,TN) I was less than 320 lbs., but I looked like I was at my heavier than my heaviest weight (which was 350), I couldn't believe it. I've decided to share those pictures in the next 40-50 lbs. down lol, but they feel too close to home right now, if that makes sense. I want to be a bit further in my journey before posting them. Congratulations on your weight loss, you're where I hope to be in the coming months, never stop fighting for what you deserve, your health and happiness.

No crying unless they are happy tears! You are doing wonderfully!

You are so welcome, you word things great. I wish I was as articulate as you.

You do whatever is best for you. You make total sense saying close to home. I've been there, done that. Health and happiness aren't guaranteed with weightloss but they sure are easier to deal with at a lower weight as I'm sure you understand being down 60lbs!

This is a great thread with a lot of helpful posts. Thank you for starting it.

[Jesslan Rose]

You look wonderful!! You're doing fantabulous!!!

[Candidcamster]

Hi everyone, I'm so late replying back, between a recent breakup (yep right before V-day *rolls eyes*) and a non-diet related weight gain, it's been a hectic few days. Thank you so much to Jesslan Rose & TheLastStraw323 for your replies, I am currently dealing with this weight gain, I've been sticking to my calories but it is like my body is rebelling against weight loss? I don't know what in the heck is going on, my body is just acting really abnormal, at this point I expected to be in the 230's based on how I've been eating, but no, I am actually going up. Yesterday I was 242.6 and today I weighed in with clothes on, but I think it is a bit higher than that, , not sure what to do other than to cut my calories.

[JenFZ09]

They say stress affects cortisol...maybe that's it? Sorry to hear about the break up.