I lost 12 pounds and look SO much better

[Anonymous]

I've lost 12-15 pounds which is a FRACTION of what I need to lose - still around 240 at 5'7" - but already I look so much less puffy and terrible in photos. I can actually stand to look at myself in pictures someone else took of me.

Just wanted to offer encouragement to anyone who has a lot to lose. I used to think I would have to lose a lot before noticing a difference off the scale. Just start with 10 pounds and you'll feel so much better about yourself.

[Anonymous]

Congratulations!! Can't wait to lose 10lbs.

[Anonymous]

Yup. I started at 262. Got down to 235. Got sidetracked, unfortunately. I need to start back up. But while I do look better, I FEEL 100x better. More energy, more endurance, less need for sleep.

[Anonymous]

Great point, congrats!!!

[Anonymous]

Congrats! I'm about your size. What have you been doing to lose the 12 pounds?

[Anonymous]

Congrats! I'm down about 4 pounds after a month (I'm 169 and 5'7), but that already meant my jeans started to be loose so I had an excuse to buy a new pair one size smaller. Nice feeling!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Congrats! I'm about your size. What have you been doing to lose the 12 pounds?

Casual intermittent fasting - only eat between 12 pm and 7 pm or so, and totally cut out wheat but still eating carbs (oats, popcorn, rice) just once or twice per day. Sugar greatly reduced, still put a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar in oatmeal and not worried about added sugar in sauces, etc. Not counting calories but eating so much less than I used to and not really eating out. Hopefully it's somewhat sustainable.

[Anonymous]

That’s my goal too, actually! I’m at 224 (baby weight) and I think losing 10 pounds will stop the back pain, give me more energy, and give me the boost I need.

I’m on Whole30 now and hope it’ll jump start the process!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s my goal too, actually! I’m at 224 (baby weight) and I think losing 10 pounds will stop the back pain, give me more energy, and give me the boost I need.

I’m on Whole30 now and hope it’ll jump start the process!

So your goal weight is 214? How tall are you?

[Anonymous]

Congrats OP. What you're doing sounds reasonable and realistic, which is the best way to succeed. I managed to lose 25 pounds last year over the course of 9 months (5'7 and went from 195 to 170), gained back 3-4 over the holidays, but I'm firmly back on track the last week and excited to continue. One thing that served me well last year was looking at plateaus or small gains during breaks and vacations as practice for maintenance. It gives me a chance to see what it will really look like when I stop losing at a certain point and what is needed to maintain that weight, if that makes sense. I'm planning to lose another 20 this year to get back to where I was pre-children, but I plan to do it slow and steady and I'm fine if it takes me 12 months to do it. I realize this is way slower than most people on these boards seem to do it, but this way has worked well for me and feels both sustainable and like the habits are becoming more firmly engrained over time. I like to eat. So I'm making sure that I know how much I can really manage to eat for maintenance, vs. losing, vs. gaining, which is important to my overall success. Previous to having two kids in the last five years I was always slim/healthy weight.

[Anonymous]

Op this is really helpful to me. Thanks!

my overall goal is 23, and it’s overwhelming to get started. I just need to focus on the first 5-10 for now. Once I get rolling I think that in itself will give me more motivation.

I had actually lost 5 very gradually, but my choices during the holidays put me right back at square one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Congrats OP. What you're doing sounds reasonable and realistic, which is the best way to succeed. I managed to lose 25 pounds last year over the course of 9 months (5'7 and went from 195 to 170), gained back 3-4 over the holidays, but I'm firmly back on track the last week and excited to continue. One thing that served me well last year was looking at plateaus or small gains during breaks and vacations as practice for maintenance. It gives me a chance to see what it will really look like when I stop losing at a certain point and what is needed to maintain that weight, if that makes sense. I'm planning to lose another 20 this year to get back to where I was pre-children, but I plan to do it slow and steady and I'm fine if it takes me 12 months to do it. I realize this is way slower than most people on these boards seem to do it, but this way has worked well for me and feels both sustainable and like the habits are becoming more firmly engrained over time. I like to eat. So I'm making sure that I know how much I can really manage to eat for maintenance, vs. losing, vs. gaining, which is important to my overall success. Previous to having two kids in the last five years I was always slim/healthy weight.

I like your post. I see plateaus the same way! I’m never much discouraged by them because they are little milestones of their own. When I see friends get discouraged by a plateau, I wish I could explain how it isn’t their ‘fault.’ What you have said is a helpful way of describing how plateaus are part of the progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s my goal too, actually! I’m at 224 (baby weight) and I think losing 10 pounds will stop the back pain, give me more energy, and give me the boost I need.

I’m on Whole30 now and hope it’ll jump start the process!

So your goal weight is 214? How tall are you?

Where did you read 214 is the *goal* Weight? I read the post as 214 being the weight where she’ll start to feel more energy and “give the boost” to continue on with the healthier eating and weight loss.

[Anonymous]

I recently lost just 7 and I feel the same way. Even the slightest loosening of clothes is a great motivator! Keep up the good work!

[Anonymous]

I'm 5'1" so even 5 lbs can mean a world of difference in how my clothes fit. But it is also a great motivator. sometimes we convince ourselves that we can't lose weight for x, y, z reason and we realize its just not true. It may not be easy but it can happen.