[twinmommaplusone]

Hi Everyone! I'm new here and joined a few months back. Thought some extra support right now will be great. I finding a tad bit of mental exhaustion with the 'losing' journey. Sure I have so much to be proud of and I have NO intention on ever looking back, but my issues this whole time has been time. I sorta feel like "I finally get it and understand now, what and how I have to do it" so "lets get it over with already" I'm just excited to get back to a 2000 calorie maintence diet instead of trying to stay within the 1200-1400 calories Range. I battle with PCOS and sometimes thats a trying to knock down a wall at the same time!

Ok, so here is how I did it!

June of 2009 I started to officially try to lose. I was on track for a Gastric LapBand.

By the time Surgery date actually came around in December of 2009, I decided I was doing on my Own! I lost 55lbs through several intake changes
- organic eating
-natural, wholesome foods (whole grains, nuts,veggies/fruits)
-Fresh
-Cut back on freedom sugar inake
-No high fructose corn syrup
-no hydrogenated oils (start using your healthy oils)
-of course no junk food and no soda
-portion control
-cutting out the 4th meal a day I was eating (my husband worked 2nd shift)

Starting in January of this Year I started running- My Husband Inspired me! I saw him start running as a way to exercise. I thought "what is all the fuss" I stuck with it, and lets say jogging when you are 300 pounds or 255 when I actually started to offically 'run' was NOT comfy! everything hurt and I thought I was going to DIE! I couldn't even go a 1/4 a mile without walking- My first ever 5k on a treadmill took me 53 minutes!
Just ran an official 5k for a race in 27:50! PROGRESS through numbers like this are so motivating!

Well I got so addicted, I ran a half Marathon, my husband ran a full. (oh he has is maintaining for the last 6months after 100bls gone!) So I say, gotta find some form of cardio that YOU WILL LOVE! STICK WITH IT, FIND A SUPPORT GROUP, PEOPLE DO IT WITH!

I suppose for me, I've always wanted the journey to be 'quicker' Still amaze myself as to why I set these expectations on myself. I know this is a lifestyle change, I just want to hit goal so badly! I see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm running toward it!
Thanks for letting me share!

Here I am today at 190 down from 309! My Goal is 165- I plan to hit this goal by May 28, 2011 when I will be running my first marathon! I feel in my heart that I will then aim for a new goal of around 145- depending on how the weight rests on my bones. I know for sure that I'll need a tummy tuck by the time I'm done! I'll try to share pics!

[Onederchic]

Congrats and good luck on your goals

[rockinrobin]

Hello and welcome!!

By the time Surgery date actually came around in December of 2009, I decided I was doing on my Own!

I too was scheduled for lap band surgery. I canceled 7 days prior to the surgery.

I sorta feel like "I finally get it and understand now, what and how I have to do it" so "lets get it over with already" I'm just excited to get back to a 2000 calorie maintence diet instead of trying to stay within the 1200-1400 calories Range.

I just want to caution you, that there really is no "getting over it already". I understand that you're speaking about the losing portion of this journey. But I have found (& so have many of our maintainers) that the losing portion of the journey is just about identical to the maintaining part - only it's longer.

Those 2000 calories may turn out to be a dream. Not sure if you'll be able to add in that many extra calories and maintain your loss.

Make no mistake about it, coming from where we have been (super morbid obesity), there really IS a difference. Those calculators and estimates and all that other fun stuff - kinda irrelevant. Trial and error will tell you what calorie count you'll be able to maintain with.

For me, I still count calories, I still eat extremely cleanly, I still eat enormous amounts of vegetables, I still plan ahead, I still pack foods and take them with me, I still exercise, I still avoid most foods out there in the world, I still, I still, I still....

My additional calories (and there's not much of em') comes from the every now and then splurge meal/day.

Anyway, I'm so thrilled for you. A runner! As long as you keep plugging away, that goal weight is yours; in fact there's no way that you can't get there.

Oh and please, stop into the Maintainer's Forum. Lots of valuable information there. Very eye opening.

I look forward to getting to know you better and hearing of your continued progress.

[Sunshine73]

Congratulations on your amazing journey so far!! It gives me so much hope for being able to continue on this path and ultimately be successful!

[gottadoit2010]

Glad you are here...neat story too!

[beerab]

Congratulations! Thanks for posting- I have PCOS too and it just shows if you try hard enough you CAN lose the weight

[findingfawn]

Awesome success you have had, your story is very inspiring!! Stick around this place is the best there is for support!

[Beverlyjoy]

WELCOME!

Glad you posted. Folks here are very knowledgeable, friendy, and helpful.

Congrats on a wonderful weight loss.

[Pacifica Bee]

Great journey story and really happy to see you here. Reading things like your post keep me going, so thank you!

[Eliana]

I'm so glad you shared your story with us! I love reading posts like these. You've come so far and have such great advice...so much to offer to this community.

I have adopted a whole foods lifestyle as well incorporating all that you mentioned, but I have done so gradually. It's become rather a hobby for me and something I truly enjoy rather than something I feel like I have to do.

I'm impressed with your running!! I picked up running, but I did not fall in love with it. I don't think a 5K is in my future, even though I CAN. I'm just thrilled that I can!! I ran four miles the other day but I really just don't love it. I admire people who do! I LOVE spin class, so I agree about finding people to exercise with! I am so motivated by the class environment. I think that's why I don't like running...no one will run with me! LOL!

[twinmommaplusone]

Originally Posted by rockinrobin

Hello and welcome!!



I too was scheduled for lap band surgery. I canceled 7 days prior to the surgery.



I just want to caution you, that there really is no "getting over it already". I understand that you're speaking about the losing portion of this journey. But I have found (& so have many of our maintainers) that the losing portion of the journey is just about identical to the maintaining part - only it's longer.

Those 2000 calories may turn out to be a dream. Not sure if you'll be able to add in that many extra calories and maintain your loss.

Make no mistake about it, coming from where we have been (super morbid obesity), there really IS a difference. Those calculators and estimates and all that other fun stuff - kinda irrelevant. Trial and error will tell you what calorie count you'll be able to maintain with.

For me, I still count calories, I still eat extremely cleanly, I still eat enormous amounts of vegetables, I still plan ahead, I still pack foods and take them with me, I still exercise, I still avoid most foods out there in the world, I still, I still, I still....

My additional calories (and there's not much of em') comes from the every now and then splurge meal/day.

Anyway, I'm so thrilled for you. A runner! As long as you keep plugging away, that goal weight is yours; in fact there's no way that you can't get there.

Oh and please, stop into the Maintainer's Forum. Lots of valuable information there. Very eye opening.

I look forward to getting to know you better and hearing of your continued progress.

Thank You :-)

Yeah, I totally mean the 'getting over the loss' part, lol. I know it's a forever thing, I live very practically. My husband has been been maintaining his 100 loss all year. I brought my calories up to about a 2000 this past september and I didnt gain, so I'm gonna' hope' its a good magic number. I think I can feel very comfy with that number. But like you said...I guess I shall see whats going to work for me once I finally get there. Gosh knows alot can likely change with my running and with my metabolism, heck even my pcos as when a woman with pcos loses, the insulin resistance should become a non-issue. My body and my ovarys love carbs! As a runner, we need them so we'll see how maintence goes once I get there, once I cross that bridge I so look forward to that forum. I think thats why I decided to be here, emotional support is always good!

Thanks and Congrats on your loss and maintenance too1

[twinmommaplusone]

Originally Posted by Eliana

I'm so glad you shared your story with us! I love reading posts like these. You've come so far and have such great advice...so much to offer to this community.

I have adopted a whole foods lifestyle as well incorporating all that you mentioned, but I have done so gradually. It's become rather a hobby for me and something I truly enjoy rather than something I feel like I have to do.

I'm impressed with your running!! I picked up running, but I did not fall in love with it. I don't think a 5K is in my future, even though I CAN. I'm just thrilled that I can!! I ran four miles the other day but I really just don't love it. I admire people who do! I LOVE spin class, so I agree about finding people to exercise with! I am so motivated by the class environment. I think that's why I don't like running...no one will run with me! LOL!

Thanks You!
I'm with you, first I had to learn about all there is to healthy eating and with that takes time, resources, MONEY! LOL. I have 3 very little ones and learning to change over everything still takes time! I LOVE doing it though, like you said it feels like a hobby. I swear I'll enter the healthy foods section of my grocery store and just look at everything and get excited when I find something I can afford to trade up with! Oh and the other thing I didnt include in my list is Mono-sodium glutamate! I only think of this now cause today I was in the natural foods section and bought a can of alphabet soup for the kids and I for dinner one of these nights!
I share the passion for running with my husband, we both do races and I have a huge network of support on Facebook, running page. I'm not sure if you are on facebook or not, but there they have this amazingly large group of running fans and the inspiration is instaneous! I'm proud of you for running since you dont like it much, lol. Not so sure I would ever do it if I didnt fall into love with it. Cause you think to yourself....whats to love, you sweat, everything hurts, it's lonely" LOL but all the pro's for me are "time to self, street running and there is that small part of me that thinks "heck yeah this chubby can RUN!" so can you!" then there is a solitude behind a nice long run by myself out on the streets and run by some very peaceful locations and I'm a freak about being one with nature! Perhaps you could try a trail run? But anyhow, I'm glad you love spinning. I have every intention of cross training on the bike very soon, but the spin class is an hour long and I want to try with a 1/2 hour class first and see if I like it and if my hind end can handle it, lol. How long and how often do you spin? What muscles do you feel it works the best? Just so I know! Thanks!

[twinmommaplusone]

Originally Posted by beerab

Congratulations! Thanks for posting- I have PCOS too and it just shows if you try hard enough you CAN lose the weight

DON'T GIVE UP! Carbs, carbs, carbs, carbs! Watch your carb intake. What carbs you do take in make sure they are complex- whole grain breads, pastas, brown rice etc. BTW- I hardly ever eat pasta/rice and If I do I'll do a 1/2 cup of pasta and maybe a 1/4 cup of rice (whole grain of course) What carbs you intake in the morning, let them make a difference stick to oats for example or a good quality english muffin with a good source of fiber!

CAP Your carbs out to no more than 130mg a day!
So at breakfast if you ate a 30g english muffin that has 5 grams of fiber- you then count 25 grams of carbs toward your daily intake!

We are a CYSTERHOOD- and we must stick together. People that do NOT suffer from Pcos have no idea how much more of a battle it is to lose weight!

Watch your free sugar (I love coffee with some sugar and it's one of my down falls) I do NOT eat artificial sweeteners, they dont fit into my new philosophy of natural eating/foods.

As a matter of fact, I've lost nothing in the last 2 weeks because as we speak I have a cyst on my right ovary- and I sorta fiquired I did because I was a tad tender but beyond that I had no loss for 2 weeks and I was craving carbs and my hormones and body felt different.

Stick with it, if you EVER have questions, please free to message me!

Do you know if there is a group on her for PCOS ?

And Thank You!

[Eliana]

Originally Posted by twinmommaplusone

Thanks You!
I'm with you, first I had to learn about all there is to healthy eating and with that takes time, resources, MONEY! LOL. I have 3 very little ones and learning to change over everything still takes time! I LOVE doing it though, like you said it feels like a hobby. I swear I'll enter the healthy foods section of my grocery store and just look at everything and get excited when I find something I can afford to trade up with! Oh and the other thing I didnt include in my list is Mono-sodium glutamate! I only think of this now cause today I was in the natural foods section and bought a can of alphabet soup for the kids and I for dinner one of these nights!
I share the passion for running with my husband, we both do races and I have a huge network of support on Facebook, running page. I'm not sure if you are on facebook or not, but there they have this amazingly large group of running fans and the inspiration is instaneous! I'm proud of you for running since you dont like it much, lol. Not so sure I would ever do it if I didnt fall into love with it. Cause you think to yourself....whats to love, you sweat, everything hurts, it's lonely" LOL but all the pro's for me are "time to self, street running and there is that small part of me that thinks "heck yeah this chubby can RUN!" so can you!" then there is a solitude behind a nice long run by myself out on the streets and run by some very peaceful locations and I'm a freak about being one with nature! Perhaps you could try a trail run? But anyhow, I'm glad you love spinning. I have every intention of cross training on the bike very soon, but the spin class is an hour long and I want to try with a 1/2 hour class first and see if I like it and if my hind end can handle it, lol. How long and how often do you spin? What muscles do you feel it works the best? Just so I know! Thanks!

I spin at 5:45 in the morning M/W/F and sometimes Saturday. It's a 45 minute class and our instructor says it's like "spin on speed". LOL! It's high packed because it's condensed. I personally feel it in the lower quads but most people feel it in the quads, hamstrings, and gluts. It's definitely a lower body workout. It does hurt the rear end the first week or so, but it eases up quicker than you'd expect. Spinning is great because though the instructor is there to encourage you and give you general instructions, the tension and speed is entirely within your control. You do slow hills, fast hills, big hills, little hills, standing, sitting, jumps (which is alternating standing and sitting every so many seconds)...the list is endless. I love my instructor.

You mentioned MSG...I just plain ditched the salt altogether and one of my switches was to sea salt when I do use it. I have a sea salt grinder that I love. I'm partial to raw sugar too, nothing artificial ever, if I know about it, with the exception of Fiber One...it has aspartame in it. I wish it didn't. Artificial sweeteners usually give me migraines, but for some reason Fiber One does not and I feel like its benefits outweigh the aspartame.

[fitkristi]

Congratulations on your fantastic weight loss. I have PCOS too, so I know how excruciatingly difficult it can be!

Congratulations too on your running! You are totally right about finding a cardio that you love, and sticking with it. I tried running and just DIDN'T like it - but found zumba/hip hop hustle/other aerobic dancing and that was my niche!