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Your 'Aha' weight-loss moments
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122 Pounds Gone & Still Going
I was the typical yo-yo dieter. Every fad that came out I tried and as typical with those types of diets, I would lose the weight, go back to eating like before and gain all the weight back plus more. Then in February 2005 I had to have a knee replacement at the age of 50. During the surgery, the doctor accidently broke my leg and my recovery was a nightmare. Additional surgeries were required, mobility was even more of an issue after the surgery than before.
After that I became a certified couch potato. My other knee was giving me problems but I was terrified to undergo surgery again. So I put it off until I couldnt stand it anymore. So in January 2011, I went under the knife again. Happy to report that this knee replacement was a total success.
In September of that year, I was realizing that my back was giving out. I couldnt do simple things, like make a bed or load the dishwasher, without horrible pain. The MRI revealed multiple bulging discs. My body was a mess and I had just turned 57.
I was given options for surgery, injections or to lose weight. My doctor told me I would qualify for gastric bypass surgery but I was totally against it. I told him I would do it on my own. I think he probably thought, yeah I've heard that one before. So I asked him to send me to a dietician. I needed to learn about food the right way and needed someone to guide me thru this journey.
The day I saw the dietician I weighed in at 290 pounds. So close to 300 pounds, the thought terrified me. Well after the appointment, we went out for "my last dinner". LOL I came home and looked up the calorie count for that meal and it was 2,250 calories. I was totally shocked.
The next day I joined the YMCA and MFP (myfitnesspal.com). That was October 20, 2011. Honestly, I figured I would maybe make it two weeks and with the holidays just around the corner, there was no way I would get thru those and stay on track. The first week I lost 10 pounds and 3 pounds the second week.
I dont mean to sound glib but I was finding it easy. Logging every bite that went into my mouth and tracking my exercise. My Dad and partner was encouraging me daily plus all my friends on MFP. Days were turning into weeks, and weeks turning into months.
I was seeing my dietician every month and my doctor every 3 months. Following one blood test, my doctor discontinued several of my medicines for high cholesterol and triglycerides. Plus my blood pressure had dropped dramatically to 85/45, so all of my BP meds were discontinued except for one small dose.
Also, I have had sleep apnea for years and slept with a CPAP machine. Another sleep test revealed I no longer had sleep apnea and was able to come off the machine.
Well, it's been 14 and 1/2 months since I started at 290 pounds. Today I weigh 168 pounds. I've aged a year, now 58, but feel 10-15 years younger. I started out wearing size 26W and now wear size 12 (loosely) in pants and size Medium in tops. I will lose another 23-33 pounds before I'm ready to go into maintenance. So hoping that 2013 will be the year that I make that happen.
My two biggest vanity moments were going from plus size to regular size and reaching Onderland (199). All my health moments are much more gratifying tho. Eating healthier, exercising, being able to say NO, bloodwork with all the numbers in the "normal" range, etc.
My bucket list includes being in People magazine for losing half my body size. However, I always get the normal email, thanking me for writing but we get so much mail, etc. that I'll probably never make that goal. But that's OK, because I'm doing this for ME!
I want to give a Shout Out to the older folks like myself. You CAN do this! Don't listen to those that tell you that you cant lose weight because of your age! Keep on rockin' it!
After that I became a certified couch potato. My other knee was giving me problems but I was terrified to undergo surgery again. So I put it off until I couldnt stand it anymore. So in January 2011, I went under the knife again. Happy to report that this knee replacement was a total success.
In September of that year, I was realizing that my back was giving out. I couldnt do simple things, like make a bed or load the dishwasher, without horrible pain. The MRI revealed multiple bulging discs. My body was a mess and I had just turned 57.
I was given options for surgery, injections or to lose weight. My doctor told me I would qualify for gastric bypass surgery but I was totally against it. I told him I would do it on my own. I think he probably thought, yeah I've heard that one before. So I asked him to send me to a dietician. I needed to learn about food the right way and needed someone to guide me thru this journey.
The day I saw the dietician I weighed in at 290 pounds. So close to 300 pounds, the thought terrified me. Well after the appointment, we went out for "my last dinner". LOL I came home and looked up the calorie count for that meal and it was 2,250 calories. I was totally shocked.
The next day I joined the YMCA and MFP (myfitnesspal.com). That was October 20, 2011. Honestly, I figured I would maybe make it two weeks and with the holidays just around the corner, there was no way I would get thru those and stay on track. The first week I lost 10 pounds and 3 pounds the second week.
I dont mean to sound glib but I was finding it easy. Logging every bite that went into my mouth and tracking my exercise. My Dad and partner was encouraging me daily plus all my friends on MFP. Days were turning into weeks, and weeks turning into months.
I was seeing my dietician every month and my doctor every 3 months. Following one blood test, my doctor discontinued several of my medicines for high cholesterol and triglycerides. Plus my blood pressure had dropped dramatically to 85/45, so all of my BP meds were discontinued except for one small dose.
Also, I have had sleep apnea for years and slept with a CPAP machine. Another sleep test revealed I no longer had sleep apnea and was able to come off the machine.
Well, it's been 14 and 1/2 months since I started at 290 pounds. Today I weigh 168 pounds. I've aged a year, now 58, but feel 10-15 years younger. I started out wearing size 26W and now wear size 12 (loosely) in pants and size Medium in tops. I will lose another 23-33 pounds before I'm ready to go into maintenance. So hoping that 2013 will be the year that I make that happen.
My two biggest vanity moments were going from plus size to regular size and reaching Onderland (199). All my health moments are much more gratifying tho. Eating healthier, exercising, being able to say NO, bloodwork with all the numbers in the "normal" range, etc.
My bucket list includes being in People magazine for losing half my body size. However, I always get the normal email, thanking me for writing but we get so much mail, etc. that I'll probably never make that goal. But that's OK, because I'm doing this for ME!
I want to give a Shout Out to the older folks like myself. You CAN do this! Don't listen to those that tell you that you cant lose weight because of your age! Keep on rockin' it!
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