Let's Lose a Person!

[mjrube94]

OK, I haven't checked in for awhile, and just caught up on the last 3 or 4 pages of entries. I nominate CreditCardFree for forum cheerleader! What a great job you're doing encouraging everyone (and succeeding yourself)!

I'm doing pretty well. I'm down 7 pounds from Jan. 1. After 2 weeks of being ambivalent about things (not working out as much as I should, not making great choices (but not bad either), I hit a bit of a wall. But then I was at work on Friday and two friends said "You look like you lost weight". "A little" I said. "You can really tell" they said. Well, that was all I needed to get me right back on the treadmill! Shallow, I know. I should be internally motivated and not depend on the thoughts of others, but it was still awesome to hear. So I did my 40 minutes today and ate pretty well, and I think I'm back in full force now.

Way to go everyone...

[creditcardfree]

Well, thanks for the nomination, mjrube94!!!

I have officially met my weight loss goal today. I have lost a total of 24.4 pounds since January 3rd. That's exactly 12 weeks, so I did average about 2 pounds a week. I now weigh 139.2 pounds...my goal was 140 pounds.

Ah...now to maintain it!!! I have really splurged on food today. My mom was in town so we were out to breakfast, lunch, and coffee. I am so full that I don't know if I can eat dinner. I have no idea how many calories I've had. I will have to start counting to a higher number...and that will be a bit strange after 12 weeks! I'm going to need close to 1800 calories a day or more if I work out as hard as I have been in order to maintain this weight.

Keep up the good work everyone!! It can be done! I will still check in and let you know how it is going on the maintenence side!!

The upside of losing weight is getting new clothes. Unfortunately, that hurts the budget a bit! I'm now a size 10. That is the first time in 11 years, right around the time I was married. Which reminds me that I could not have done this with out the support of my husband, who in the process started counting calories for himself and has now lost close to 25 pounds!! Way to go...hubby!!

[JanH]

Congrats, creditcardfree! That's awesome!

[mjrube94]

Way to go, Credit Card Free! I edited the first post in the thread to show that you've lost 24.4 pounds and I'm down 7. I encourage everyone else to put their totals by their name so we can start tracking how much we've lost. I'd love to get a 1st quarter total.

If anyone needs some motivation, see the documentary called Supersize Me. This perfectly healthy guy ate nothing but McDonalds for 30 days. He had to order everything off the menu at least once, and supersized his meal anytime the cashier asked him. He gained 17 pounds in 10 days! Definitely worth renting.

So I think I'm back in the saddle. This is the 4th day in a row that I've been back on the treadmill for 40 minutes. I'll be weighing in on Saturday instead of Monday, as I'm heading down to NC to see my brother next week...Gotta be diligent down there...

[creditcardfree]

I'll second the Supersize Me video recommendation. I just watched it last week!! The video made me want to do better for my daughters. In particular, I want my kids to begin to make better snack choices. Now that my calories are not as much of an issue, we will eat and make choices together.

Traveling while dieting can be difficult, but it can be done. I always take some FiberOne or SouthBeach Protein bars along as a safety net. If I eat too big of a lunch and can just have a bar for dinner or a better snack alternative...of course fruit is a better choice, but not alway easy to travel with.

Mjrube94, thanks for putting my total up. Is it possible for others to edit your first post? I didn't think we could edit others posts. I only see the edit button on my posts, so I'm curious how it could be done. It would be nice to have everyone check in by the end of March with their current weight loss totals. Can't wait!!!

[laceshawl]

Met my goal! Lost 13 lb!

Spent the afternoon bundling up my now too loose clothes for the Sally Army. When I take them in on Monday I'll get a discount on pretty new ones.

To maintain my weight loss I calculate I need to eat around 1800 calories a day, so I'll keep tracking my food on fitday.com I'm getting real good at seeing which are the healthy foods and where I need to moderate. I can now eat ONE choclate chip cookie instead of four.

[ktmarvels]

Hi! I just found this thread. I'm currently weighing the least that I have in a long time (yay!), but I'm at least 5 pounds, and maybe 10, over where I want to be. I've tried weight watchers a couple of times and always had good results, but I'm having a hard time justifying the money now...especially since I already know the program! What program or diet methods do you guys follow?

[JanH]

Way to go Laceshawl! ktmarvels, I am just counting calories right now. I always lose better when I ramp up exercise, but I've been off kilter lately and haven't done any of it. Hopefully, I'll get going soon.

[laceshawl]

Basically, I followed the Healthy Eating Pyramid, reducing fats and sugars as much as possible. I ate lots of the low calorie foods, like fruit and veg, good carbs, and less of the high calorie ones like nuts and cheese. Recording calories is best because it keeps me honest with myself, like recording spending. Using fitday, I was also able to analyze my eating to make sure I was getting necessary vitamins and minerals. In general I would say eat natural foods as much as possible and steer clear of processed ones - ESPECIALLY DIET FOODS! Start reading the labels like a hawk and you will know those guys are pulling a fast one.

[creditcardfree]

Congrats laceshawl on meeting your weight loss goal!!

I will second the counting calories method. It worked for me. Labels on foods are so helpful to know what you are really putting into your body. Oh, and I also exercised 5 days a week.

I've been able to maintain my weight for about 2 weeks now. I haven't even really counted the calories, but just eat a little more food. I do want to start recording everything again, but after 12 weeks of counting I have needed a break.

Keep up the good work everyone!!

[kateochang]

Woww it is good to see a bunch of forumers who are really into losing weight and practising good health I want to lose another 1-2 pound only and after that it would be perfectly fine.

Let's work on it and blast that fat off!

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I thought of joining this movement back in January with the modest goal of losing just 8 pounds by May 10. I did not officially join, but I had been working for more than a year to lose weight.

Well, you know what? I have NOT lost one single pound since January anyway. There is no way I can meet my little 8 pound goal. But I am not dissatisfied. I've lost 45 pounds since I started and the weight loss has been slow. I count it as a success that I did not gain weight through the end of year holidays. I count it as a success that I have been able to maintain my previous weight loss over these months, even though I wanted to lose this additional 8 pounds.

Maybe my day will come....somewhere down the line. I have not given up hope. I give myself credit for some pretty important discipline and lifestyle changes. It might be that later I will be ready to make more changes, but apparently right now it is all I can do to maintain what I have done.

Now as fellow frugalites, I hope you can get a chuckle out of knowing that my jeans are not staying up well when I walk, but I have been waiting till I lose just a bit more to get some new ones.....But I went to try on all my summer clothes and most of them fit well enough, so there still won't be any new clothes at least till next fall, I think.

[mjrube94]

Joan, I definitely consider it a success when I don't gain weight. Twice during the last month (Easter weekend and during our trip to NC) I definitely strayed from the habits that I've tried to incorporate, but in both cases, my weight stayed stable. I think that's a HUGE success. It didn't go on overnight, it won't come off overnight.

I've dropped one more pound since my last post, so I'm now down 8. I'm really pleased with this. The weight's not falling off, to be sure, but it's slow and steady, and even if I don't lose, I don't gain. I'm finally convinced that it's the exercise that's doing it. I'm still pretty faithfully walking on the treadmill 4-5 days per week, and I have to believe that it's the difference. I'm due back at the doctor at the end of June/early July and I can't wait to go and see what my numbers are.

And, I'm happy to report, that I just went to the store to buy some new clothes for the spring and I bought 2 pants in a smaller size than before. I've always been a solid 14 at this one store, and these 2 pants are a 12. WAHOO! I think sometimes we get so hung up on the number on the scale that we overlook how the clothes actually fit...

Keep up the good work everybody, and for you lurkers out there, it's never too late to join our challenge!

ETA: CreditCardFree, you're right that you can only edit your own posts. I'll read through all of the recent posts, and anytime someone mentions how much they've lost, I'll edit the first entry on this thread.

[mjrube94]

OK, I just went through every post in this thread and updated everyone's totals on the 1st page. So far, we've lost 112.9 pounds!!! Way to go everyone. And there are a bunch of people who haven't posted their progress, so post it here or send me a PM and I'll add your totals to the list. Keep up the good work!

[creditcardfree]

Good job everyone on the weight loss! I have been able to maintain my weight loss for more than a month. I have ordered another book to track my calories that should arrive any day. I need to make sure I keep myself in check...I feel like I'm eating way too much...especially the last few days.