My Weight Loss Story

[TaraEire]

A lot of people have wrote me after reading my "about me" section asking how I lost all that weight so I decided to finally write a journal post about it instead of sending out several emails a week. I am very passionate about being healthy now and I want to share everything I've learned to help others so read away and write me if you have any questions!

My whole life I had always been a "heavy" girl. Obesity runs in my family whether it's a hereditary issue or a learned behavior or a mix of both. Either way, I got it. All through high school and up until I got married I was around 210-250 lbs and wearing sizes between 16-20. After I got married and had 2 kids, I ended up closer to 300 lbs and a size 24-26. I was miserable and was seriously considering having gastric bypass surgery but decided not to because of the cost of it and also because I knew of several people who had it who ended up gaining weight back. I didn't want to spend all that money and re-arrange my insides for something that wasn't going to guarantee to keep the weight off. (Since then I've realized it's not the surgery that keeps the weight off, it's the choices of the people, but anyway.....)

I knew I wouldn't be able to lose as much weight as I needed to on my own since several attempts of mine had failed before. So I ended up going to my doctor to ask her what she thought and she prescribed me an anti-depressant (zoloft) to help with my emotional eating and an appetite suppressant and metabolism booster (phentermine) to get my weight loss started. Not everyone can go on phentermine though, you have to be relatively healthy (as in having normal blood pressure) since it does speed up your heart beat.

It wasn't just the meds that made me lose weight though. Yes, they did give me more energy to work out at first and to not be so "hungry" all the time, but it wasn't easy to wake up every morning and make the decision to workout 2-3 hours! Also, I never realized how much of my eating was based on habit and emotions!  It was still hard to pass up "comfort foods" when I saw them. I stopped having cravings for them, but it had become such a habit to me that if I saw them I would want to eat them just cuz that's what I always did.  So at first I didn't change what I normally would eat, I just ate smaller portions. But now that I've learned so much about being healthy, I do eat differently. I'll write another journal post about how I eat later and another one about working out as well.

It took me about 10 months to lose 120 lbs and I have kept it off for 2 years now . I would ultimately like to lose another 30 lbs, but am content with where I'm at and would be fine if I just stayed this size. I haven't taken phentermine for a long time now too. I took it for about 4-5 months straight when I started and then alternated on and off for a month or a few weeks at a time since my body started to get used to it and I did that for another 6 months or so, but I'm completely off it now. My weight does go up and down by about 5-10 lbs now and again, but that's usually from going on a vacation or getting sick and not being able to keep my work-out schedule. I don't freak out about it though since I now know what to do to get them back off.

Oh, and I have to mention that being on phentermine wasn't just a walk in the park either! There were some side effects of phentermine that I experienced but only after being on it for a long period of time w/o any breaks. Mainly in my moods, I guess you could compare it to "roid rage". I started to get so angry over the littlest of  things. And when I did go off it for good my body had a hard time re-adjusting. I was really tired and depressed for a few weeks till my body got used to not having it anymore. It's actually quite a controversial medicine and it can be hard to find a doc that will prescribe it these days. 

I think everyone is different and has to learn as much as they can about losing weight and then do what they feel would work best for them and what they can do LONG TERM since this isn't just something you do for a few weeks or a few months- it's something you have to do for a lifetime! I tried several good diet plans throughout my life to lose weight but they weren't the kinds of things I could follow the rest of my life so after I started losing weight this time I adapted everything I'd learned from them into my own personal plan. All of those diets and the trying and failing made me lose hope of ever doing it on my own though and that's why I felt I needed something to help show me that I was capable of losing weight. It taught me what I needed to do if I wanted to lose weight and keep it off. I would like to say I didn't need it and that I lost it all COMPLETELY on my own, but it's what I needed to get on the right path. I know it's not right for everyone though so I hope this post doesn't sound like phentermine is everyone's answer to successful weight loss!!! Taking it got me started, but I continued ON MY OWN and have kept it off now on my own as well!

Again, I am passionate about weight loss and wanting to help ANYONE who wants to lose weight, whether it be hundreds of lbs or just a few so let me know if there's anything I can do to help you!

 

Here's the picture I keep in my wallet that was taken a few months before I started losing weight........

 

 This is me now........

Tags: diet, exercise, phentermine, weight loss

Add A Comment

[3starmomma]

Dec. 15, 2007 at 4:27 PM

WOW

[bamawife]

Dec. 16, 2007 at 8:52 PM You look awesome!!! 

[proud2Bmomma]

Dec. 19, 2007 at 7:09 AM Wow.  I sit here reading this needing to lose aprox. 125 pounds.  Finally figured out part of my problem was my thyroid but now what?  I want to be healthy for my kids.  I have 3 and we want more eventually.  Heart disease and diabetes runs in my family.  I need to do this.  Congratulations on your success.  You are beautiful.

[busybea]

Dec. 22, 2007 at 4:50 PM I am so glad that you finally see the beauty that all of us have seen all your life. I love you and I am so proud of you. Love Aunty Bea!

[mom_2_2blondes]

Jan. 22, 2008 at 1:33 PM omgosh! you look amazing!! I to want to lose at least 40lbs but my weight hasnt moved since I've had my son :(. I do everything possible but nothing works so if you have any tips please share!

[Tripin]

Jan. 23, 2008 at 2:15 PM What a great story....you look GREAT!!!  I love that you did it for yourself and by yourself, not by using surgery in order to lose the weight......just you.....and the best thing you have kept it off...way to go girl!!!!  You inspire me!!!

[pinkmommy04]

Jan. 29, 2008 at 9:17 AM LOVE this story and THANKS so much for sharing...by the way, you look HOT!!! ha,ha,ha No really I know the struggle is VERY hard and I am on the same road right now...THANKS again for the inspiration!!!

Crystal

[LILTIGERS]

Jan. 29, 2008 at 9:28 AM

THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS UP HERE. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I JUST GOT PRESCRIBED BOTH OF THOSE MEDICINES. I CAN ONLY GET THE PHEN FOR 2 MONTHS, BUT IM GOING TO WORK MY BUTT OFF. I WANT TO LOSE A TOTAL OF 50-70POUNDS. IM ONLY 5'3 AT 201...JUST NOT HEALTHY, I WANT TO BE A HEALTHY MOM SOME DAY(NOT A MOM YET). MY HUSBAND IS COMING BACK FROM OVERSEAS IN JULY FOR RNR. I WANT TO LOSE AT LEAST 46 POUNDS. 2 POUNDS A WEEK. YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF WHAT YOU DID. IVE WENT TO THE GYM 3 DAYS IN A ROW NOW (I START THEN STOP, BUT NO MORE STOPING FOR ME!). I HAVE CHANGED MY EATING HABITS FOR 14 DAYS. THANK YOU FOR SO MORE HOPE, YOUR PICTURES ARE GREAT!! LOVE THEM! GLAD TO FIND A PERSON WHO HAS DONE IT! GOOD LUCK ON YOUR NEXT 30 POUNDS

[TrypleThyck]

Jan. 29, 2008 at 11:31 AM Wow..you look amazing!! Thank you for sharing your story..it i s going to me my motivaion!!! Good luck o n the next 30 pounds, and keep us informed!!

[haileyannsmomma]

Jan. 29, 2008 at 12:57 PM Wow! Congratulations! You are gorgeous!