Oooh, this is a better one that shows my belly and lack of waist...

Um, please ignore the background...that's my teenage room and I liked darkness so I had a comforter hanging from the window...Oy...Goodness, look at all those posters!

Thighs be gone: Thanks! right now, it's trial and error. After that pic, I just avoided mirrors and scales for about 3 years. When I was 21, I recorded a weight of 286 and have gone from there. Some times I have good years and some times I have bad years. I have a cruise to go on in Jan and I would like to wear a takini worry free. So this has to be a good year. I work out every day and drown my self in fruits and veggies.

I've never liked having my picture taken....but my post-wedding photo really did it for me....even though my posture wasn't great there...it's just awful. I also have posted an "after" taken earlier this year...January actually. Not my favorite picture of me because I think I look weird without glasses...but it's the most recent full-length shot of myself.

posting to save... i'll post pics when i get home

Mindi--wow you are looking--well...WHOA! Hot chic alert!

I absolutely love and adore that top you are wearing in the after pic.

Thanks, Thighs Be Gone! I tried that top on a while back and just loved it. It took me a while to wear it because I thought it was kinda bright...that's the ONLY thing I have anymore that fits. Even the pants in the pic look like they fit...but they're entirely too short! I still struggle with finding pants that fit...

Mindi--I have the short pant problem too...the bad news is the smaller we get, the worse the problem will be.. :( totally worth it though..

I did buy some White House, Black Markets recently that are the perfect length..fyi...also jeans wise, I found a brand called Divided that are very long and fit nicely.

Wow , i wish i had a picture to share but they aren't on this computer.
There is one i have in mind too, i had just had my daughter (she was 4 mo old)- weighed about 220+, and i remember thinking there was no way i actually looked like that-
But i did.

Not anymore. I still have a ways to go, but i'm at 180ish right now.


I love looking at all your pics. Its so amazing to see such a huge change in people.

Originally Posted by Thighs Be Gone:
Mindi--I have the short pant problem too...the bad news is the smaller we get, the worse the problem will be.. :( totally worth it though..

I did buy some White House, Black Markets recently that are the perfect length..fyi...also jeans wise, I found a brand called Divided that are very long and fit nicely.

Thanks for the tips! Yes, I've noticed that I can't find pants in long lengths anymore since I'm not a size 14 or 16 or bigger. Right now I'm at 140 and wear anywhere from a 4 to an 8, depending on the brand of pants. Nothing other than "average" or "medium" lengths. A LOT of "petite" sizes. Crazy, huh? Where did you find the jeans you were talking about??

Thought I would share My pics also.
Not where I wanna be yet but I will get there! I am determined.
In my before Picture I always say I think I looked like the marshmellow guy from the old ghost buster movie~HAHAHA~Needless to say a definite Reason for wanting to lose weight is my before picture! I am very happy with my results so far though even though I haven't reached goal.(The before picture was taken about a week before I started calorie counting In Fall of 2008. The after pic was taken about 3 weeks from today and My avatar picture was taken about 2 weeks ago.)
I have lost 49.9 Lbs! Just .1 on scale from 50lbs! I am nearly halfway to my goal also~WOOT WOOT

i have the opposite pant problem, i have to have at least 2 inches taken off each pair i buy! I should send you guys my cut offs :D

i love all the new photos, mindi you have some amazing collar bones! Nice :D And lori, you are looking amazing! Congrats on the almost 50 pounds :D

Thanks Iconized ghost~:hug:

There are hardly any pictures of me at my largest, but here is one where you can clearly see my disgusting double chin (I'm on the right, in white). I love love love having a defined jaw once again! I'm also putting two pictures of my belly - my biggest struggle so far. Even after losing 25 lbs, I looked at that first belly picture and felt disgusting. Now, 6 more lbs off and I'm almost there! It's amazing how much difference there is in those last few pounds.

LORI!

WOOT! WOOT! INDEED!!!!

You are getting cuter by the day--every time you post another pic! What is your secret??? You look amazing. I am so enjoying reading about your journey and you are such an inspiration to us all here at 3FC. Way to work it.

And I will say it again, WOOT! WOOT! :)

Originally Posted by Thighs Be Gone:
LORI!

WOOT! WOOT! INDEED!!!!

You are getting cuter by the day--every time you post another pic! What is your secret??? You look amazing. I am so enjoying reading about your journey and you are such an inspiration to us all here at 3FC. Way to work it.

And I will say it again, WOOT! WOOT! :)

hehehe~THIGHS~YOU ALWAYS MAKE ME FEEL SPECTACULAR!:hug:
I am determined to get to looking as good as you do SOMEDAY~HOT LADY!
hehehehehehehe~My secret is ~I am determined and I have good role models and Much Inspiration from great people like you!!
CALORIE COUNTING HAS CHANGED MY LIFE AND 3FC!!! THANKS FOR BEING SUCH A GOOD FRIEND TO ME.:D


Thighs ~I am gonna take advantage of this moment for any newbies~or Anyone who doesn't know the following info that changed my way of life.
HUGS!!!

I HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE! ANYONE NEEDING HELP PLEASE READ THIS!

Principles
Weight management may be difficult to achieve, but it certainly is not difficult to understand. When you consume food or drink, you consume calories. Your body burns calories to function, burning significantly more calories when you exercise. If you consume more calories than you burn, you gain weight. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight.
Because your body requires energy simply to stay alive, you burn calories even when you are not exercising. In fact, you burn calories directly in proportion to your body weight. On average, a male burns 11 calories per day per pound of body weight. The average female burns 10 calories per day per pound of body weight. These figures are just averages. Some people will be higher or lower, since everyone's metabolism is a little different. Fitness Record allows you to specify the value which is appropriate for you. If you don't know, it is suggested that you start by using the average value for your gender.
For example, if John weighs 150 pounds, he burns approximately 150 x 11 = 1,650 calories per day. If he exercises, he will burn additional calories on top of that, depending on the exercise activity. However, if he does not exercise, he must eat 1,650 calories per day, just to maintain his body weight. If he eats more, he will gain weight. If he eats less, he'll lose weight.
For the purpose of calculating expected weight gain/loss, one pound is 3,500 calories. Each time you consume an extra 3,500 calories more than you burn, you will gain a pound. For example, Jane weighs 130 pounds, never exercises, and eats exactly 1,400 calories every day. Her metabolism is burning 1,300 calories per day, so she are consuming an extra 100 calories each day. If she does this indefinitely, she will gain a pound in 35 days, since 35 * 100 = 3,500.
Fitness Record uses another term, called Behavioral Weight. The idea is that over the long term, your weight is determined by your behaviors, and is best illustrated by example. Consider Jane above, who eats 1,400 calories per day. After 35 days of this behavior, she will weigh 131, instead of 130. This means her metabolism will burn slightly more calories than before. If she continues to eat 1,400 calories every day, she will continue to gain weight, but at a slightly slower pace. Eventually, she will weigh 140, at which time her metabolism will be burning 1,400 calories every day. At this point, she will stop gaining weight, since she is consuming the same number of calories that she burns. Therefore, by eating 1,400 calories in a day, Jane is behaving like a 140 pound person. Her "behavioral weight" is 140.
Exercise contributes to your calories burned. If Jane were to exercise, burning an additional 100 calories each day, then her calories burned would be in balance with her calories consumed. She could eat 1,400 calories per day, exercise 100 calories per day, and continue to way 130 indefinitely.
You may now be asking, "Why can't I just eat low fat foods?" You can eat whatever you want. But, non-fat foods can still have calories. Check the food label to find out if eating the non-fat version of a food is really saving you any calories -- sometimes it's not. Many programs recommend moderating your dietary fat intake, and that is obviously good advice. Eating low-fat foods happens to be an excellent guideline for keeping your calorie intake low. In addition, moderating your dietary fat intake may contribute to your health in other ways. However, it will not alter the mathematics of weight management -- you still have to eat fewer calories than you burn if you want to lose weight.
The problem with the way the human body works is that calories counting is tedious and difficult. Most weight-loss programs, as well as the so-called "fad diets", focus on other guidelines which are simpler to follow than calorie counting. However, none of these guidelines alter the underlying principles of weight management.