Hey girls! Thanks for the support. How did I do it? By deciding that being fat was not working for me anymore. And sticking to that mantra. Actually, the new mantra is: Nothing tastes as good as thin feels. Period.

I did it by cutting back on carbs, fat, and all the other things I was binging on. Eating less, more veggies at meals, more water. No regular sodas. No pastries of any kind. No donuts. Ever.

I began to substitute the things I love, with lower fat versions. I did not eat only fat free foods, because they take the fat out, but put in more salt, carbs, and other stuff that makes it silly to consider the foods good for you. Lite cream cheese just tastes better too!

I never skip a meal, and eat snacks that are good for me, like fruit, a crunchy apple, or some nuts, trail mix. I don't eat cookies much, but I do have hot fudge sundaes, with fat free hot fudge, frozen yogurt, the lite whippped cream, cherries, and a big banana! Oh, that would make it banana split, huh? It's filling, it gives me the taste I love, and I get to 'splurge'. I do that about once a week. I never feel guilty about it. Ever.

I like whole wheat stuff. I never ever eat white bread. I tried whole wheat pasta, didn't like hte texture. BUt, I did like the spagetti squash, instead of pasta, for spagettia nd meatball dinners. That's yummy!

I never eat fried foods, and if I eat out, I make it good. With a salad, and I dont eat at fast food, and If I have to, it's a chili, or a salad, or potato. No burger, no whoppers, no fries. it may be fast, but it'l be slow getting off my thighs, so it's not worth the gluttony.

I don't eat bread with every meal, like I did when I was a kid. I dont eat bread and butter. But, I love toast, and peanut butter. It' worth the fat, because I love it. Not too often.

I exercise almost every day. I do weights with my aerobics,a nd I switch out what I do, so I have variety. I do a different DVD or tape every time: Pilates, Yoga, Boot Camp Aerobics, Workout Ball, take walks with the dog, I try to stay busy, gardening, housework, anything that's physical, bike rides, hikes, swimming. I never wanna be a couch potato ever ever again. I see people now who have tremendous problems, because they lived a sedentary life, their whole lives. Not me.

I love how I feel, I am trying to get used to how I look. It's a process. That's why I came back here. So, I hope that answers your question of how I did it. And how I'm continuing to do it.

DId you ever plateau for long periods? If so, how did you get out of that rut? That's where I am - that's why I ask.

Your story is inspirational. Thanks for sharing!

GEM/Summer

Hey everyone~
Welcome back (Christy right??) good to see you here and CONGRATULATIONS on your sucess- what an inspiration!! Great job :high:

Tonya and Angie- I highly recommend cutting your hair!! I cut a fun new "do" when I got down to 175 before getting pg with #2...it was so liberating! And I felt so cute. I'm sure it would do wonders for you...You can always go in stages too if you aren't ready for "short" hair...:sp:

Holly- I know you must realize that there is no way (scientifically or otherwise) that you could gain 3.5 lbs of fat from eating 2 brownies!! Please don't be so hard on yourself...you said yourself that your pants (size 12s even!!!!) are getting loose. That is SO the better measure of success than the scale!! You *are* doing it!

Kempy- take-out on the beach sounds awesome!! Have a great anniversary night (and vacation!!) :)

Noelle- hope you are feeling better today!

I'm in a much better mind-set this week. I've been eating well (not much junk) and getting some walks in. Baby-steps I know, but I'm determined to be in this for the long haul. I can either go forward or backward you know??:doh: Duh- I know :)

Well, my sister is visiting us this week - better get back to "hostess" :wave:- hi to everyone else!!

Emily

I plateaued in Oct 02 when I came to 3fc. I coudlnt' get the last 20 lbs off

The way I fought off the last 20 lbs, and then some,, ( i actually kept losing past my goal weight of 150, to my now weight of 135) by increasing my weights. I went from 3 to 5 and then to now 8 pounds. Hey, i'm no heavy weight, i know, but it makes me sweat and i get winded with the 8's.

I upped the workouts, with more lunges, the boot camp training tape, that was what got me pumped.

I also kept up wiht my journaling, and was here every single day. that helped me tremendously, with Noelle, and Kempy and Angie, and Peekaboangel.. they all got me here. I couldn't do it alone, that's for sure.

very nice advice Svelte. :)

do you find it's hard to maintain.. ? some days are a piece of cake for me, and some are hellacious ...


anyhow, to the subject of hair. I dunno how to explain this and have it come out right... but for a very long time, I saw so much bad about the way I looked. and through it all, I have always at least had one thing that I liked a lot about myself, what I have considered for a long time now to be my best feature. My Hair. So to me it's more than just a new haircut, or a new style.. it's like giving up something that defines me so much at this point....

anyhow, here's a few pics of it :

this is me at about 133 pounds, around January time:

http://www.gwells.com/sass/Tonya1.jpg

And this is me at Christmas, my dad begged me to do a picture alone, since I always do pictures with my kids and I ... about 135'ish pounds... not sure exactly.


http://www.acrealplayers.com/gallery...thaw/tonya.jpg

I usually wear it straight most of the time... I just dunno if I am ready to give it up haha, that's why I say I need to really really think about it.. does that sound dumb ?

the other thing is that I can't do the gradual thing...

I have always said that if I do cut it, I am butting off like a foot so I can donate it.. I believe they need at least 8 - 10 inches... not sure exactly.

but I would love to donate my hair, if I can get the guts... that would at least make me feel like I really did something good for someone. They make wigs for children with diseases that cause baldness. they need the hair off like 5 or more heads for just one wig!

Tonya you are a beautiful woman. I love it when we all finally get to put a face with a name.

:wave: Chris I am so glad that you are back! We missed you! :wave:

hey Kempy! Thanks for the warm welcome. Tonya, about your hair, it's georgous! I think if your hair defines you, and you've changed your body so much. Am I right? Then, you oughta change what defines you, and cut it all off. That's my input. I've had friends that had long hair, and it seemed to be like a security blanket. Men loved the long hair, it's so feminie and all. Then, one day, they wanted to 'free themselves' from all of it. So, they literally chopped of fall their hair,a nd just lived with that decision. After a while, and they ended up with shoulder length for life, after a while, it was freeing. They felt less wegihted down, less like they were hiding behind their hair. Their personalities came out, and they were more energetic, and bouncy. It chagned their lives, and they were so happy to let it go. Let it go, like you let the weight of your body go. Start fresh,a nd define yourself b something different, like your resiliency, and your stregnth, Not your hair. It's only a part of the shell we carry around. The true you, the you that those around you love, is inside. Not on the outside. Even though we tend to obsess about the outside, it's soemties about health, and not necessarily about vanity. But, I think, if you're considering it this strongly, then you oughta just do it. Cause you spend your life considering, and never follow through. My two cents. Forgive me if I sound brass. I don't mean to.

no offense taken :)

thanks for the suggestions.. I am just one that has to think about stuff for a long time, and when the time is right, I do what I feel I should. Like my tattoos, I have 2... both of them were contemplated for a year or so before I actually went and got them. And to this day, I still love them , the first one I have had for 9 years now too :)

when I am ready, I will do it, I have been thinking that for a while, and when I do, it's getting donated for sure! =)

Thanks Kempy, you are gourgeous too! as are all you ladies! :)

Yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Hi! How are you doing?

Tonya, a size 9 shoe, how tall are you!

You are really 5`4 and a size 9??? :D Well it is better to have long narrow feet then my feet! I hate my feet! :o

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Yesterday!!!!!!!!

UGH! :hyper:

Here is an incert of SBD! :write:

Why processed foods are fattening


Here's an important rule to remember when following the South Beach Diet: The more food is preprocessed, the more fattening it will be. Why? Consider a loaf of sliced white bread. First, the wheat is stripped of bran and fiber, and then it's pulverized into the finest white flour. The baking process puffs it up into light, airy slices of bread. No wonder your stomach makes such quick work of it. A slice of white bread hits your bloodstream with the same jolt you'd get by eating a tablespoon of table sugar right from the bowl!

Genuine, old-fashioned bread, on the other hand is coarse, chewy kind with a thick crust and visible pieces of grain& nuts your stomach to work. It, too, is made of wheat, but the grains haven't been processed to death. It contains starches, which are just chains of sugars, but they are bound up with the fiber, so digestion takes longer. As a result, the sugars are released gradually into the bloodstream. If there's no sudden surge in blood sugar, your pancreas won't produce as much insulin, and you won't get the exaggerated craving for more carbs.

:yikes:

Thursday I was inundated with work, and getting my drivers license! I have been driving stars :stars:
for many years in the US, but I had to finally convert it, and it was a
difficult task, I have had to do this in two different countries so far!
What a pain! I am doing farley, well. I had a great temptation yesterday!
Ok, good news I passed the test, you would not imagine the difficulties and
the strictness involved, and by the way a Police Officer is your testing
agent! Oh, I did it though! Yeah!

:cb: SvelteChicky: I have family in Maryland actually! All over the East and west coast!

Where abouts are you?

Hi there !
 

Girlfriend do not beat yourself up over it! Really though!!!!!


If you want the jiggles to go away, do 3kg -5kg hand weights ! Do it aove your arms, the butterfly, like your pulling weeds, I do about 100 reps each!

Kudos for sure! It has increased the mucle ( which can weigh more at first) but you will lose those inches and be a happy camper!


I have noticed the more I lose, the skin, will lossen, and the wights do wonders!

Doing your legs and buttocks area will get rid of Cellulite, howeve I am not too concerned with that at the moment, being I figure it will be at least a little bit longer before I go from a full suite to a two peice for swimming, and I will surely now wear a saraong!

Harford County, north east, so close to DE, I could walk, if I was motivated to walk like 15 miles. We can hop to PA easily, DE easily, and NJ in a hop and skip.

Chris are you going to join in one our challenge for next month? I think we are going to start one on this thread.

aH!

My diet is a bit similar to yours, very low-carb or the right carbs.

A breakfast would consist of
2 eggs
Olive Oil
Low-Fat Ricotta
Low-Cal-fat Two Slices of Ham
Sour Plum

Topped on a bed of lettuce
10 nuts

I am on the SBD, I love it, and honestly, I just counted calories before and It was so slow to lose weight!

Now, it is coming off very quick!

Ah, Harford County! I do know where that is actually! I was a shopper, not advid , but when I visted "White Marsh Mall" and the new " Avenue"??

That was nearly three or more years ago! How is it now, anything new there?

Totally congrats on your success! I know, I am not able to enjoy activites, etc. I am not confident, and not so self consious (sp)? as I was, however I am not at my goal weight yet either!

: )

Nice to meet you!