Me, 50 pounds ago

[Bethsunshine]

I just read a journal by a lady who lost a bunch of weight and she posted her "Before" and "After" pics. I lost 50 pounds, just over 4 years ago and kept it off!!! Everyone's next question when they find that out is always " How did you do it?" There's no secret, no diet, no tricks. I cut back on my portions,( instead of eating 4 pieces of pizza, I cut back to one or two. Instead of eating an Extra Value meal, I got a Happy Meal. I also quit eating at night, that was huge!!) drink LOTS of water and exercise at Curves 3-4 times a week. My motivation came when I got a horrible stomach virus and lost 5 pounds in a week. You know how after you've had a stomach bug, that it takes a while for your appetite to come back? I figured, I lost 5 pounds, I can keep it off and lost more. This was 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, 2003. The "Before" pic was taken on Thanksgiving, at my parent's house. The weight started coming off pretty quickly, by Christmas, I had lost close to 20 pounds. The "After" pic was taken about 9 months after the "Before" pic, and the jeans I'm "wearing" were my old size 16's. Now, I wear between a 4 and an 8, depending on the way the clothes are made.

I wasn't always heavy, I was a toothpick until I got married, and gained 50 pounds the first year!! I lost 45 pounds about 2 years later, then 6 months after that, got pregnant with my first. My weight was up and down after that, mostly up, and it wasn't until November of 2003 that I started to lose weight again, and KEEP IT OFF!! Personally, I think it's harder to keep it off than to lose it. It's a total lifestyle change and mindset. You have to change your eating habits, diets do not work.

I try to encourage ANYONE who wants to lose weight, because if I can do it, ANYONE can!!

 

[LauraMi261]

May. 17, 2009 at 4:20 PM

I like what you wrote about the changes you made. I agree that marriage is fattening! I gained weight because my husband eats all the time he is home. He doesn't get fat, good for him, but I can't live like that. Thanks for writing what you did.

[hotchicks007]

May. 18, 2009 at 9:55 AM

Very good journal post.  I really need to lose about 80lbs.

[Girl_Power]

May. 18, 2009 at 11:40 PM

Oh my gosh!!!  Amazing :) Congratulations!