Hi Mrs. Jim! Congratulations on your success by the way! I'm sort of new to these boards but you are a legend of sorts on here! Ha! Ha!

I agree with your post about losing weight slow. When I first started out I lost two pounds a week faithfully. Eventually it dropped to one pound a week and then for some strange reason it went to four pounds at the end of each month - which I guess still equivalents to one pound a week. Now, I have eight pounds to go to get to my goal weight and for the last couple of months I'm lucky if I can drop two pounds! I haven't changed my habits and I'm still exercising five to six times a week! I've also varied my exercises between the treadmill, swimming, Jazzercise classes and Tae Bo tapes!

I guess I'm just wondering if it is normal for weight to get slower and slower the closer you get to your goal weight?

I'm going to check out that book, also! Thanks for the suggestion!

Lisa
188/128/120

On the way!!
 

Dear Flib and fellow sojourners!
Thank-you for thinking up this forum. I joined WW Jan.-2001. When you have over 100 pounds to lose it seems like it will take FOREVER. Ah contraire. It has taken me about 42 years to put this 250 plus body together- so what's a year or two to get it healthy.!! I appreciate hearing positive stories from people who did what I want to do. We live in such a quick fix, immediate gratification society. Thank-you for letting the turtle move "slow and steady" to win the race. I'm looking forward to more insights along the way. Take care and keep on keeping on!!

Many Congratulations
 

What you've done is an exceptional achievement and must have taken so much courage and determination. We all know how hard it is to lose weight, especially when it's 100lbs+ (I had 120 to lose, and so far have lost 33 so I'm 25% of the way there). Reading stories like yours helps me think that I CAN do it, and when I'm feeling frustrated at how slow the process is, it's nice to be able to think that if other people can do it, then so can I. I know that losing all the weight won't make things perfect, but at least I know it will help me to start to get my life the way I want it to be.

Well done... I hope you're very proud of yourself - you should be! Hopefully I'll be able to come here and write a similar story sometime in the future. :)

You go girl!
 

Flib, you rock!

First of all Congratulations Flib, Mrs. Jim and everyone else who has lost weight or is on their way!

Devoted....It is very normal for weight loss to slow at the end because for one thing, you don't have nearly as much to lose. Also as stupid as this sounds those few pounds have been the ones your body has been with the longest....so shedding them will be tough. I lost 36 lbs. from August 1999 to April 2000. Those last few lbs are tough but it increases the dramatics of the whole thing because of the anticipation you have for them to get off!!

GOOD luck everyone!

katie

Wow...before I came into this discussion, I was fighting with myself over if I should walk after work today. It is a typical July day here in NY..humid and hot! but the thing is, it's only May 2nd. I am definatly going to the gym after work, so I was trying to get out of walking. I usually walk 2 miles a day at least 4 times a week plus the gym, 4-5 times a week. Anyways..before I began to read the latest posts here...I was unsure. Now, after reading everything..I am going! Nothing is stopping me now! So, thanks!

I have been on my journey for 16 months total now..January 1st, 2000. I have lost 62 lbs..that is an average of 3.8 lbs a month. Well..not really. First month, I lost 17 lbs...10 lbs..8 lbs..4 lbs..2 lbs..no lbs..a small gain here..life took over a few times, emotional eaitng, stress, sickness..all of these things come into play. When I first started out, I swore I would reach goal in 12 months. Well, I still have awhile to go. Sometimes I wonder if I ever will get there..but I will.
Is it normal to have the last lbs take forever to get off? I don't know what is normal..does anyone? Everyone loses differently. Each journey is it's own. I joined a gym in December, haven't lossed much weight since then, but did lose 9 inches. I am aiming to reach my goal by September. I hope I reach it, but if I don't, it's okay, because I will still be going in that direction. That is all that is important.

I applaude all of you who have reached goal, maintained and are still on their journey. This is the toughest personal battle most of us will ever face. And I am so happy that I have "met" so many wonderful people here at 3FC. If anything, my weight problems have taught me many things in the end.

Jennifer, our current weights and our goal weights are almost the same. I too hope to reach goal by September. I'll send strong thoughts your way if you do the same for me! Have a great day, Flib

Message to Jen (and everyone!)
 

Just read the story of your journey - 62 pounds off is wonderful - don't get yourself down! This same thing has happened to me - and I'm sure most of us on this board - SO many times - starting off strong, then you plateau for weeks - months --

After many years of this, I'm convinced that the best way is to lose weight SLOWLY. (I'm starting to sound like a broken record here). If you go to my previous posts, you'll find a couple where I quote Michael Fumento's "The Fat of The Land" in setting small (10% of your body weight at a time, then maintaining for awhile before setting out to lose another 10%) goals for yourself and taking the process step by step.

Face it, there's going to be times in your life that you WON'T want to count calories - when I was in London a few weeks back (can't wait to go again!) the food was so wonderful! If I hadn't eaten what I wanted, I would have really deprived myself of some British culture. Besides, I didn't go absolutely NUTS except at our last breakfast - which held me until 4:30 (when they served dinner on the plane). As I've said before, the portions were SIGNIFICANTLY smaller than we are accustomed to in the US. And since I was eating with a group of people (rather than just myself) most of the time, I was busy talking and I wouldn't have wanted to pig out in front of them anyway!

I digress - back to subject at hand. Right now I am into week 2 of the Body For Life challenge. I don't usually hop onto diet bandwagons, but this plan really makes sense - a great part of the diet is the 'free day' where you can eat whatever - WHATEVER - you want. It really helps to have that day to look forward to! There was a similar sounding article in Muscle & Fitness Hers...

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, it's probably good to give yourself an occasional "vacation" from your diet - just as long as you stay active and don't go absolutely nuts (well, maybe once in awhile...I'm not perfect...)

Whew! Anyway, great going - I'd say you've done great so far!

Flib: wow, that is so great about your loss! Be proud be happy and dance through the streets!!!!

Take Care!

Ali

Fumento Book
 

What a coincidence...I read this thread and found I had the Fumento book right in front of me. I checked it out of the library for some research I'm doing, and you mentioned it. It looks very interesting, so I'll have to delve further into in than just for my paper! Thanks!

Ps- great job to all of you! I'm not really one to talk..I've hardly lost 16 pounds, but at least I did start WW last week and am working on my first 10%...arrgh...20lbs...but that's just cake to you guys!

where is everyone
 

:wave:
how did you loose all that weight? i know about the water and exercise. i don't
much exercise because i commute 2 hours a day and to tired when i get to do much.

:)

see y'all liter
hefty

Hi, ladies! I was looking around for some inspiration today and I found it! Great job all of you. I ahve been aproaching a plateau and feeling like giving up. I even agined at last wiehg in for no apparent reason. I am on my way to my 100 pound goal. All of you made me feel so much better and I know I can do it!

I know what all of you mean when you talked about the click and you are just ready to lose!

Flib, the coat story hit a nerve with me! We used to live in Ct and I needed a new winter coat but couldn't find one to fit. My hubby's size xl fit fine and i borrowed it once. He was being nice so he bought me a new coat for my birthday. he thought since his fit me in a size xl he could buy me a ladies size xl and it would be fine. It fit somewhat but i could barely zip it up and couldn't sit down with it zipped. I wore it anyway and sort of sufferted in silence. I recently saw that coat in the closet. It is now too big! I was so embarased when the coat he bought didn't fit. They don't ahve mush of a coat selection for plus sizes do they?

Well, I better go now.

Thanks for the inspiration!!!
Karen

Plus sizes
 

If you look around, you can find some really great clothes in Plus sizes...check Mode Magazine...if BBW is still being published (haven't seen it in awhile), that's a good place too.

I know it's tough to spend a lot of $$ on clothes when you're fat - it's like saying that you're never going to lose weight. On the contrary - I believe that looking good is important to your self-esteem and, in turn, encourages you to keep up the good work!

When you shrink out of your 'fat clothes', if they're too nice to get rid of, get thee to a tailor ASAP! Otherwise, give them to charity - such as "Dress for Success".

While I believe that looking great (at whatever size) is important to feeling terrific, at the same time I also believe that it is crucial to get those too-big clothes OUT of your closet - keeping them is tantamount to saying you plan to grow back into them one day!

Oops, just thought of another thing - when I attended weight-loss camp in 1979, us campers used to have clothes "trading parties" where we would all put our too-big clothes in a pile - for those who were just getting small enough to fit in them, it was a treat - and for those of us who were too small for any of the clothes in the trading pile, it left us room in our suitcase for the big 'shopping spree' at the local mall the last week of camp! Great fun! (I fondly remember the pair of "must-have" Calvin Klein jeans that I purchased to wear home!)

Just some thoughts. Take care!

Flib: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! You have every right to be so proud of yourself. If I were you, I would be walking through the mall shouting "I lost 100 lbs." I too finally had the "click" about a month ago. I also found 3 FC around the same time. The click and the 3FC have been the best program I can have.

Mrs. Jim: I love how your picture shows a little of your tummy. I can't wait 'till I am proud to show mine. Great website, too.

Hefty: I understand the tired part. I work ten hour days, five days a week, drive 40-50 minutes each way and come home to a two year old and a seven month old. Fortunately, my husband stays home with the children, so I don't have to do some of the work others have to, but I always still felt tired. I would just sit around, watching TV, stuffing my face and feeling sorry for myself. I have no time to go to a gym. Three days ago, I finally tore the plastic off the exercise video I had and just did it. I forced my husband out the room and worked out for all I had. I'm sure I looked like a fool, going the wrong way, lifting the wrong leg, trying to keep up, etc. But I did it and I have done it every night since. That's only three nights, but once you do it, you will be so proud of yourself. You know how you feel after a day of eating and drinking the right things? And how you feel if you "cheated" all day? Well, work out once, and see how it feels. Pretty darn good. And don't worry if you can't get through the whole tape. If you add one minute everyday, you will be on your way. You can talk yourself into or out of just about anything. Or you don't have to do a tape, you can walk or do something else you enjoy. (Here's the disclaimer: Check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.) Good luck to you! We are all on our way.

Hope everyone has a successful day!

What a wonderful story! I have been struggling lately and this is just what I needed to read tonight. Time for me to get organized and plan out my menus for the week. Thank you!! I feel hopeful once again!