[daniela]

Thank you DC!

There are so many women on here, too many to name, that inspire me and keep me motivated. Thank you to all of you that share your pics, achievements, struggles, wisdom!

[Star2Be]

Originally Posted by daniela

Sometimes when I have these ups and downs I get a little discouraged but I know I will keep losing eventually. So I go to the store and try on smaller clothes to make myself feel better.

I just had to giggle when I read this, because I do the *exact* same thing... Whenever I'm feeling a little frustrated or like I haven't been on my best behavior in recent times (especially if that's accompanied with a spike in my weight/a general feeling of failure), usually one of the first things I do is go shopping! It's always such a helpful eye-opener to remind yourself of how far you've come, especially when you're starting to worry that you'll never get any further (though of course you know that's not true )! Nothing puts a smile on my face more quickly than trying on new clothes from a stores stores that I wouldn't even have been able to shop at just < 1 year ago.

And WOW, you look absolutely great!! What a pleasant surprise to find that you can fit into a smaller size! This is actually very inspiring to me, personally, because I just recently found out that I was a size 8, too, and it's very cool to me to think that we might be similar in size--cuz YOU look awesome! (It's really hard for me to get a realistic idea what I look like; my view of my own body is incredibly distorted. ) And I agree with everyone who has said that the "muffin-top" is really not too bad at all, hehe. You are doing SO well, and your joy is really shining through the pictures. Thanks for sharing!

[Ookpik]

Congrats, you're looking great!

[kellygram]

Bravo! Wow, looking at your physique makes me want to pump more iron. You look terrific!!

[foxxy511]

You look AWESOME Daniela! You have such a great attitude and I think that is so inspirational!

[TJFitnessDiva]

Congratulations girlie!!! I think you'll be fitting into those in no time You make me want to concentrate more of weights instead of cardio!!! I'm just now fitting into a size 10 (a miracle in itself...I was shocked!)....but I've got a muffin top too so I won't be going out of the house in them just yet

[ShutterK]

Originally Posted by foxxy511

You look AWESOME Daniela! You have such a great attitude and I think that is so inspirational!

Which is exactly what I was going to say. WTG!

[GirlyGirl]

You look awesome! Very inspiring, and take another pic once you DO get the 8's!

[Nada]

It must be the weight training. When I first read your post I thought WOW an inch makes a big difference, because I'm an inch shorter and just now getting into 12's.

[newleaf123]

You look awesome and are in a whole lot better shape than me! We are pretty much the same height and weight, and I'm squeezing into 12s, not 8s. You ROCK!! Keep up the great work; I'm sure you'll reach the body of your dreams, it sounds like you are really committed.

[Gaea]

I think you are a prefect example of an EXCERSIZED 170! Like other have said it's amazing you are in a size 8 at 170, but it is because you have lean muscle mass. An excersized body ALWAYS looks better than a non-excersized body.

~ Quoted from my Mother LOL~!!

[daniela]

First off I want to say thanks to Meredith, Ookpik, kellygram, Emily, Tanee, ShutterK, GirlyGirl, Nada, newleaf123, & Gaea

Originally Posted by Star2Be

It's really hard for me to get a realistic idea what I look like; my view of my own body is incredibly distorted.

Meredith, LOVE all your posts, you have no idea how excited I was when you posted your 100lbs lost pics! It's been a joy to watch you transform and I SO understand where you are coming from with regards to how we view ourselves. I hope my pics give you a better idea of how you might look because when I see your pics I think you look amazing and I might look some what like you LOL. Like I said what helps me is trying on new clothes because if it's a smaller size it's like okay, yes, I really am getting smaller. Also trying on my old clothes helps me understand how far I've come.

It's taking much longer for my mind to catch up to my fairly fast progress. The best way that I can describe it is that I'm still in my body, I still look down and see a belly roll or my thighs spreading when I sit. For example, I bought a bikini for my up coming vacation (I'm leaving for Kauai this Sunday) and it's not that bad looking until I sit down and I thought oooh this is no good, I don't want to be that girl people look at and say dude she should not be wearing that bikini. I had my husband take some pics of me sitting while wearing it and the photos weren't as bad as what I tought I looked like. Does that make sense? I'm going to be very brave and post the bikini pics...maybe it will help others too. Not sure if I will wear it yet but I will wear the tankini that I also posted



This is the one I will wear on vacation:
If you are wondering about what's going on with the skin on my inner thigh, I have 2nd & 3rd degree burns so the skin is kind wrinkly because of a skin graph.

Originally Posted by kellygram

Bravo! Wow, looking at your physique makes me want to pump more iron. You look terrific!!

Originally Posted by RomanceDiva

You make me want to concentrate more of weights instead of cardio!!!

Real quick LOVE the new pic!!!! So cute, it doesn't even look like you (compared to the last pic) WOW, looking great! You are def one of my inspirations on here.

Originally Posted by Nada

It must be the weight training. When I first read your post I thought WOW an inch makes a big difference, because I'm an inch shorter and just now getting into 12's.

Originally Posted by newleaf123

We are pretty much the same height and weight, and I'm squeezing into 12s, not 8s.

Originally Posted by Gaea

Like other have said it's amazing you are in a size 8 at 170, but it is because you have lean muscle mass.

Ladies do not be scared of the weights Honestly I started lifting in Feb right when I got below 200 (I plateaued for a couple of weeks). I work with a trainer 2x a week for 30 min and then I do weights on my own for 30 min 1 or 2x a week. I truly believe the weights have started to sculpt and shape by body in ways I never knew possible. Yes, I'm 170 and a comfortable size 10, just squeezing into a 8 and I know if I wasn't doing the weights my body wouldn't be this tight. A month ago my body fat was 19%, my goal is to get down to 15-12%. Don't be scared that you are going to bulk up. Look I don't eat enough (1700 cal per day) to gain muscle, all that I'm doing is sculping strengthening the muscle that I do have and you can see it more now that I'm burning off the fat by doing cardio and remember muscle burns calories while you do nothing unlike fat

Originally Posted by foxxy511

You look AWESOME Daniela! You have such a great attitude and I think that is so inspirational!

Hey Emily, thanks! You've touched on something else that I've been wanting to talk about. Yes, I do try to stay very positive. I am so much happier then I've been in a LONG time. I'm starting to live my life the way I want to, do things I've always wanted to do. I'm not talking about being more active and outdoorsy I'm doing it. But along with all that I feel like I have no right to complain sometimes. Look we all know losing weight is hard as **** but I feel like some people think is so easy for me and part of me wants to say slow down this is HARD (maybe not every day but sometimes it can be draining). I have those nights where I stand in front of the fridge or pantry looking at what I can stuff in my face, sometimes I even give in. OMG last week, I stood in my kitchen eating dry croutons out of a bag because we had no bread, I was wolfing them down and before I knew it I ate half the bag...what a mess. Okay I'm rambling...I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I am trying my best to stay positive on this journey. This journey is hard but at the same time SO rewarding. I've been thinking about going to therapy to talk about some of my feelings with this whole weight loss thing. I DO NOT want to be that girl that looks so called "good", "skinny", etc that calles herself fat.

Okay I have to get my butt in the shower so I can get ready for my last day of work before HAWAII!!!! Whoo hoo!!!

I LOVE ALL YOU LADIES thanks again. I might not post as much as I'd like (because I don't think I'm the most eloquent writer, I'm a computer nerd ) but I do come here every day and read a ton of posts. It's comforting to know you're not at this alone.

[daniela]

Originally Posted by GirlyGirl

You look awesome! Very inspiring, and take another pic once you DO get the 8's!

You know I will...I'm kind of picture crazy these days Kind of like some of you other ladies on here hehe

[cfmama]

You are one sexy beast. I love your confidence and your attitude. You are awesome girly!!!!

[Star2Be]

Originally Posted by daniela

Meredith, LOVE all your posts, you have no idea how excited I was when you posted your 100lbs lost pics! It's been a joy to watch you transform and I SO understand where you are coming from with regards to how we view ourselves. I hope my pics give you a better idea of how you might look because when I see your pics I think you look amazing and I might look some what like you LOL. Like I said what helps me is trying on new clothes because if it's a smaller size it's like okay, yes, I really am getting smaller. Also trying on my old clothes helps me understand how far I've come.

WOW, I take that as a huge compliment! So I guess we're both just eyeballing each other to try to get an idea of what we might look like, heh. Which certainly isn't a bad thing, cuz I think if I look anything like you, I have a darn hot body, LOL! Especially in those bikini pics--work it, girly! I have so much loose skin/stretch marks on my tummy that I don't think I'll ever feel comfortable exposing that area, but I think both of those suits look great on you! You look perfectly normal, healthy, and so radiantly happy. I *highly* doubt that anyone would look at you and think Oooh, she should not be wearing that. Hehe! You are going to have so much fun rocking the beach with confidence in your suits!

Ps. Hmmm, now who could these other "picture crazy" 3FC-ers be? Surely I don't know what you are talking about, LOL!!