25 lbs. lost, please do not return if you find them.
 

Here's my story, as short as I can tell it.

On July 2005 I tipped the scale at 206 lbs. Within 2 weeks I lost almost 40 lbs, my best weight-loss success story ever.

Before you call shenanigans, or start emailing me for weight loss secrets, I have to confess that at 206 lbs I was pregnant with a 12 lb child, had excess amniotic fluid, and was hugely swollen (I had emergency c-section because I got pre-eclampsia). The doctor thought I was gaining weight too fast and put me on a diet, she didn't realize I was just very swollen, within days after my c-section I peed my way down to my pre-pregnancy weight.

With the extreme weight-loss came my nemesis, a huge amount of sagging skin on my stomach. Since I had planned (and did) to breastfeed my daughters for 2 years, and seeing as I looked awful anyways I "decided" to forget about weight loss "for now". What could go wrong?

After a few false starts. I managed to go way over 190 lbs (exactly how "over" I'll never know, I climbed on the scale weeks after I started losing weight). I am not unhappy, I am not unhealthy, I am not stressed, my life is pretty good and I had a loving family as a child. I sure as **** don't know why I am fat, other than the medical condition known as "eating too much and not exercising enough". I just know that my body, under normal circumstances, is apparently unable to get to 200 lbs, else I would be 400 lbs. by now. To my credit I ate very healthy, but even cows get fat on grass. My healthy eating is what probably helped me avoid serious health problems.

Anyway. Here I was fresh out of excuses. I have a gym downstairs, we have a swimming pool, I live near the ocean, this is a walking/running/biking-friendly community. Something "clicked" and I decided that was that. I needed to get healthy like yesterday. I have a 4 year old kid, and a husband who travels a lot because of his work. I needed to be there for my kid, seeing as my closest relative still has to fly in to visit me.

This is what I am doing:
I started the C25K program. I finished weeks ago and I now run 3 times a week. On the other days I either do HIIT on the stationary bike, or the elliptical. I weight-train every other day. I rest one day of the week. My gym time never exceeds 1 hour, or so I try. This is something I'll have to do for life, so I don't want to burn out too fast.

I eat what I always did, but now I keep a journal and calorie-count. I eat my daily-calorie needs minus 1000 (I adjust it as I lose weight), on top of that I had whatever I burned at the gym. I try to eat for volume, I don't want to be hungry.

Well, my modest changes have proven good enough and I've lost an average of 2 lbs. per week since I started. Some weeks I lose a pound and some, some weeks I lose way more than that. It's the average that counts.

I have gone OP once, and still managed to eat just below maintenance level. I called it a "metabolism booster", and went back on plan the next day. No need to beat myself over that.

Aunt Clara,

a wonderful story. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

I sure as **** don't know why I am fat, other than the medical condition known as "eating too much and not exercising enough". - hilarious, but so true!

FT

Congratulations! It's all about finding what works for you and working it. Sounds like you are well on your way :)

Mel

Oh how I loved this line. I laughed out loud. I can totally relate. That sums up how I felt.

Congratulations on making the change!!! Wishing you continued success. :)

Thanks ladies!

The advantage of being short is that any amount of weight loss shows pretty quick. I am wearing the same pants in the first two photos, but in the second I was able to close the darn things.

In the first picture I am wearing a maternity top, and that is my child I am trying to hide behind. I was also sucking in my stomach so bad that I probably toppled some guys toupee when I inhaled air again. It still didn't help that much.

Congrats!! :hug:

Looking good!! :cheer3:

I started the C25K program last week and, so far, so good !!

You are looking fantastic!

Stick to it! I went from 5K to couch 7 years ago, and I was convinced I'd never run again. To prove it I almost fainted the first time I ran 1 whole minute. That was the longest minute of my life. I am now regularly running 5Ks, it's a lousy calorie burner (about 325 cals at my weight), but it's excellent for the heart, and it strengthens the joints. My resting heart rate went from the high 70s (very decent for somebody obese) to the high 40s. I can push my heart rate to over 85% without much more exhaustion than at 65%.

awww great story!

I'm on my c25k right now too, i've been moving realllyyy slowly on it, but I'm not letting myself go to the next week til I can ACTUALLY do it. (otherwise I know i'll just completely fail in the long run) :)

Congrats on your weight loss so far you look great!!

WOW you look AMAZING! Keep up the wonderful work! :hug:

I can see definite progress, you are doing great! Keep it up!

Way to go!!!

Thanks everybody. My weight loss has slowed down to a crawl (1.8 lbs in two weeks), but I am committed to see this through. I'll come back to this thread every time I am feeling like the darn, evil scale is plotting against me.