Spinsky - Congratulations. I have only just joined WW myself, and need to lose about 60. How long did it take you to lose the 50 pounds?

I found this website last year when I was searching for a diet chat. I had been thin and gained after having my girls ..yada yada. I'm sure you've all heard how that goes! After my second daughter I weighed around 180+ and got down to 146 lbs but I didnt feel like sticking to the plan and immediately put it all back and some! I got up to 194 lbs. I stayed at that weight ,maybe even a little more for about 4 yrs. I was very uncomfortable with myself. It was like being in a place Ihated but I couldnt just get up and leave! February of 2002 my oldest daughter took a picture of me at my request. I knew I was fat but I looked like I had stretched out the picture! I wanted to cry and was upset for a few days but that was the beginning of it all. Soon Istarted walking 5-6 days a week. Quit the pizza .Mcd,chinese,ribs
for a while and started eating right again. By the end of October Ihad reached my goal of 130 lbs! I managed to lose 1 more lb but Igained it and stayed at 130 lbs. IF you want it you can do it.
There is no special diet to make things easy. The rewards are soooooo ooo worth the hard work!!!! Going from a 18 size down to a 5/6 now ! No words could describe that good feeling. Everything changes for the better.I feel great. The hardest part about maintaining is not as hard as people think. If you decide and feel totally comfortable with eating the right foods and choosing the right portions then its not difficult at all. IT gets hard when you think you can eat the same junkfoods everyday and still maintain the weight you lost! I have FREE weekends. Ieat anything on saturdays and sundays...BUT I dont have tons of fattening stuff for breakfast lunch and dinner on the weekends. I choose if I will treat myself to Mcdonald's and then have a sensible dinner or have a sensible lunch and eat Pizza for dinner!
I now exercise at a gym 4-5 days a week. I mainly do the elliptical machine which Iburn 700-740 calories in one hour! That way I am able to have a bit more calories and gain a single pound.I've maintained very well for about 3 months. I know this is a lifetime commitment.Either I eat like a bird and dont exercise or eat really good and exercise . I prefer to sacrifice 1 hr a day and eat what I want!
Here's a link to my before and after pictures
http://www.getting2goal.com/success/gen.php

Gen

I've lost 23 lbs. since Jan. 6th this year. I expect to reach 150 (49 lbs. to go) by the end of July.
How I did it is here at 3fatchicks, on the "Support" board under "Fashionably Loud Chicks".
I have a weight loss plan that I sort of designed loosely based on Bob Greene's that works very well.

As Floating Rose pointed out, keeping it off is much more difficult than taking it off.

I know...I've been there a few times. It's always my eventual downfall. I'd stop exercising and didn't drink enough water and went back to being a night snacker.

I suspect this may apply to others.....While you're losing weight, you think "If I can just get there, then I can relax and not work so hard at this".....
It's a very easy and tempting attitude.....but the real perseverance is finding out how to Keep it off once you get there.
Otherwise you'll end up right back where you started. I know when I'd gain back only 5 lbs., it was so easy to blow off dealing with it till "later"....and later never arrived.

I turn 50 in May......After I reach 150 this time, I don't intend to travel the weight loss road again (at least not more than 10 lbs. worth)....so I have a more specific lifestyle plan in mind for keeping it off this time.

Enjoyed reading everyone's success stories here.
Tremendous accomplishments.

i've lost 13.4 and 126.6 to go. i am going to ww.
glen

Hello I am cubby wubby. I am on Sugar Busters and have been for 3 months. I have lost 15 pounds and have not counted calories, watched my fat intake or exercised. It is phenomenal! All you do is watch your sugar intake, Cholesterol even goes down!!

I have now lost 72 POUNDS. I started out at 362+ pounds.
I go to the gym and exercise. I started out with just water
classes and weight lifting. I now go to step arobics class, play racket ball, use machines, and still lift weights. Ididn't enjoy exercise at first. But I thought postive thoughts until I now truely enjoy it. I cut back on my portions sizes. I still eat the things I love, just not the whole pie. I've lost weight many times and gained it back. I hope since I'm not on a diet, that I won't gain it back this time.

HI! I have lost 50 lbs...woohoooo! But unfortunatly I feel like I am also loosing my dedication to loose more. I mean I still want to so much, but I don't feel as determined anymore.
When I was 50 lbs heavier I thought "man, if I could loose 50 lbs I would be happy" and now that I have, noone seems to really notice. Man does that stink. I bet if i gained 50 they would notice.

Donna

270/220/160

I have lost 74lbs I still have a ways to go but I will get there
I have just been counting calories and fat grams and walking on my treadmill.

Way to go on the big loss everyone!!!!! I was doing ww, counting points but lately I have been lazy and just doing it by ear. I'm trying to get motivated to exercize more but I havent been doing so good there. Also setting small goals seems to help me alot, 10 lbs at a time. Keep up the good work eveyone! 210 HERE I COME.

Donna

Oh yeah, water, water, water and more water!!!