78lbs lost and 4 months into maintenance - time to introduce myself - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

clawlady · 08-28-2017, 05:52 PM

Almost one year ago today I set out to lose 50 pounds. I didn't know if I could do it, but wanted to try. Now I've lost 78 pounds and am officially a normal BMI. 147lbs at 5'5". I'm down from 225.

I started off downloading the My Fitness Pal and decided to try and learn to track my calories. I stuck to the calorie goals and consistently lost weight; about 5 to 8lbs a month. As I felt better I started adding in exercise, mostly walking and biking. I have done all kinds of diets before and just gained the weight back. I didn't want to repeat the process so I decided to only do things I can do forever. Drink water, but I still have 1 diet coke per day. Keep my calories to the MFP goal and focus on maintenance from the beginning. I don't want to do this in a way I can't sustain it. I've been at 150lbs for 4 months now. I just dropped to 147 this week. This is the longest I've maintained a normal weight since I was a teenager and I'm 38 now.

I thought about posting this when I hit 150, but I wanted to keep it off for a little while first. It took me a while to get to the realization that maintenance is the most important part though. I have tried so many diets - Atkins, South Beach, diet pills, slim fast shakes, I even went vegan for a few months. I could lose weight with all the diets but it was just so restrictive and different from how I'm comfortable eating I stopped and gained all the weight back. I decided this time needed to be different so I focused on maintaining from the beginning. I've read books, listened to podcasts (Half-Size Me is a great one) and read tons on this forum. Once I learned about calorie counting and changed my mindset from how I look to how I feel, it kind of clicked. My eating is much healthier now, but it has been a slow process.

My Imgur before and after pics link is attached. http://imgur.com/gallery/gPANm

EagleRiverDee · 08-28-2017, 06:14 PM

Way to go! And I think you nailed it on making sure you did things you could stick with, I think the reason people fail is they either try to change too much too fast, or they try to adopt changes that aren't sustainable and either way they get discouraged and quit and go back to the old habits that caused them to gain weight to begin with.

clawlady · 08-28-2017, 06:39 PM

Thank so much! I completely agree about changing too much too fast. We just can't stick with it or at least I can't. I had to be honest with myself that I am not going to eat perfectly nor am I going to become a gym rat. Lol That just isn't something I can stick with. It took a long time to get to the point where I understood that even if some diet works for someone else, it doesn't mean it will work for me. I also had to not put as much pressure on myself to go to the gym or exercise too much. Most of the progress (probably 90%) has been with my eating habits. I've had some physical issues this past year due to endometriosis and having surgery for an ovarian cyst so I have not been able to exercise much and so I really focused on my food.

I have also been going to therapy for the past 10 months or so and it has helped me tremendously. Especially in dealing with my mental struggles around feeling unsafe when I got to a certain weight (anywhere close to 160lbs or less). This was due to me having been abused when I was a child and not feeling safe with male attention. I don't think I ever realized how much the weight protected me mentally, even though it was hard on me physically. But I have been taking self-defense classes and feel so much stronger and safer now. I never would have thought about that if not for my therapist.

Weight loss is such a complicated struggle and I learned that for me, it isn't just about the food. The mental process is much more important.

Mudpie · 08-29-2017, 06:20 AM

Clawlady. Congratulations on the weight loss and starting maintenance.

There aren't many of us maintainers but we're a good group. I think the approach you described is what most of us do - find things that we can do for "the long haul" and then stick with them.

Dagmar

traveling michele · 08-29-2017, 10:14 AM

You look great! And congratulations. You seem like you have got maintenance figured out. It's not an even journey. This forum is great. Hang in there....

Sheila53 · 08-29-2017, 10:49 AM

Congratulations! It sounds like you developed the perfect plan for you, one you will be able to continue in maintenance. Maintenance, IMHO, is the most difficult part of the journey, and it sounds like you understand that and are prepared.

JayZeeJay · 08-29-2017, 11:05 AM

Congrats and welcome! I love this line: "Once I learned about calorie counting and changed my mindset from how I look to how I feel, it kind of clicked." That is a breakthrough. And although maintenance isn't as exciting as the loss phase, it's where peace can be found. The longer I maintain, the more I understand my body and how to give it what it needs to feel and function best. After a while, the fear of regaining dissipated because I felt entirely in control. Things I used to struggle with badly, like binging in response to anxiety or loneliness, have nearly vanished because I'm aware of my emotions and how to live with them (not numb them with cookies). I feel much more awake in general.

clawlady · 08-29-2017, 05:38 PM

Thanks for such a warm welcome, Maintainers! I am definitely going to be hanging out in here as I am inspired by you all!

And JayZeeJay, I'm glad you liked that line, it was a breakthrough for me. I am working toward my own peace in maintenance. I will take time, but I am already so much better than I was this time last year. I'm really happy for you with your progress!