Dropping A Diaper Size...

[Codymoogle]

Sorry, I misunderstood your post #191 to mean you plateaued and were getting frustrated.

Nope, what I meant by that post was that sometimes my weight loss isn't as rapid as other times, which can get frustrating. I haven't plateaued recently, though, and I hope I don't until I'm ready to maintain!

~ moogle

[BabyLex]

Heyo all,

Just for curiosity sake I'm curious if everyone could post their current weight loss to date.

For example, since I've started, I'm consistently down 7lbs from when I started participating in the thread. I know some people are down even more. We could add up and post the sum total weight loss we've had to date as well as how many more pounds/kilos we plan to lose.

So I'm down: 7lbs

Need to go: 10lbs

Next person take your weight loss and add to 7 and then add what you need to reach your goal to the 10. (so if you've lost 3lbs and want to lose 5lbs, the new numbers would be: 7lbs lost (from Lex) + 3lbs = 10lbs down, and 10lbs to go (from Lex) + 5lbs = 15lbs to go).

I'm just curious. :-)

Be well!

--Lex

[Codymoogle]

Heyo all,

Just for curiosity sake I'm curious if everyone could post their current weight loss to date.

For example, since I've started, I'm consistently down 7lbs from when I started participating in the thread. I know some people are down even more. We could add up and post the sum total weight loss we've had to date as well as how many more pounds/kilos we plan to lose.

So I'm down: 7lbs

Need to go: 10lbs

Next person take your weight loss and add to 7 and then add what you need to reach your goal to the 10. (so if you've lost 3lbs and want to lose 5lbs, the new numbers would be: 7lbs lost (from Lex) + 3lbs = 10lbs down, and 10lbs to go (from Lex) + 5lbs = 15lbs to go).

I'm just curious. :-)

Be well!

--Lex

I'm confused at your formula, Lexy, but maybe it's because I'm still waking up. I think I've already done that...Then again, I post in this thread so much that I should prolly make a separate weight progress blog thingy for myself so I don't crowd the topic...

Anyways, as I've stated in a previous post:

Starting weight:

202 lbs / about 91.82 kg / about 14.43 stone

Current weight:

133.2 lbs / about 60.55 kg / about 9.51 stone

Goal weight:

115 lbs / about 52.27 kg / about 8.21 stone

to (depending on how I look and feel)

100 lbs / about 45.45 kg / about 7.14 stone

and

Weight lost:

68.8 lbs / about 31.27 kg / about 4.91 stone

Weight left to lose:

18.2 lbs / about 8.27 kg / about 1.3 stone

to (again, depending on how I feel)

33.2 lbs / about 15.09 kg / about 2.37 stone

However, now I'm not focusing on weight loss as much as fat loss and muscle building. Before, I just needed to lose weight, period...

Actually, not even that. I did and still do, but my main goal before (while it was indeed weight loss partially) was mainly becoming healthier when you got down to it - fixing my daily diet as well as exercising more. I knew from years of "yo-yo dieting" that if I didn't make a permanent change to my habits, I would NOT keep any of the weight off. I've been working too hard for too long to go back to my old ways!

Now, after all the pain and trouble of breaking my addiction to simple sugars and generally unhealthy foods, eating healthily is now natural and delicious to me instead of an effort and something boring and bland.

I'm a lot healthier than I once was, and I could stop here because I'm healthy overall...However, I don't want to. I have a lot of "pudge" to go, and while I'm healthy...I'm still heavy, as far as fat goes. So my goal isn't pounds so much now (although I'll probably drop more as I lose the fat and I'll keep my weight goal as a guideline if nothing else). It's inches, burning up the extra fat.

I don't have an "inch goal" in mind though, because it really depends on how I look. I'm short, so I probably have a bit to go, but I'm not totally certain of my frame size. A frame size can most definitely change the way a person looks inchwise, so what size may look totally great on a small framed person might look downright sickly on a large framed person, if it's attainable at all.

Here's all that I've learned so far on my journey:

1. If you want to be healthy, you have to eat healthy. What is a healthy food? Think of it this way...As a personal trainer once put it on this page, "If you were a caveman or cavewoman, could you hunt or gather it?" I know, I know, there are certain things you can't gather or hunt that are still healthy, like whole wheat pasta...But you could gather the wheat to make the whole wheat pasta.

Sure, you could lose weight by following a diet of unhealthy foods as long as you have a calorie deficit - but you'd be losing lean muscle before you'd lose fat. That's "skinny fat"...Where you get skinny, but most of that "healthy weight" isn't lean muscle, but fat. Skinny does not always = healthy, guys, and "skinny fat" is why... When most people think of "skinny", they want leanness, not just weight loss. Which brings me to my second epiphany...

2. To be lean, you have to have muscle. Even if you get skinny, but you have no muscle, you're going to look flabby. Strength training is important to build muscle - and I'm talking real weight, not "Barbie weights". Weight lifting shouldn't be impossible, but it should definitely be challenging. Here's another page by the same guy...I've realized he's right, so that's why I'm referencing him here... And for the girls - NO, weightlifting will NOT make you bulky - just strong and lean!

3. Cardio is important too! Strength training and cardio go together well. Exercise in general is needed.

4. It's definitely about calories in vs. calories out, too! Healthy food is healthy, but too much of any food (read too many calories) will stall your weight loss (fat loss) and may even make you gain weight - healthy or not! Healthy foods are much harder to overeat though.

5. Weight/fat loss takes long term work. It's a lifetime commitment to shed excess fat and keep it off! That's why "diets" don't work - they're a temporary thing, which leads to temporary weight loss. I'm sorry to say this, but there is NO miracle cure, NO magic pill, NO epic fat loss drink...etc to lose real fat! Any weight lost by these "miracle" whatnots is water weight, muscle weight, or both. It will not stay off.

6. Breakfast is important. Always.

7. Fiber, water, lean protein, and healthy fats are your friends.

8. Junk food (any unhealthy food, be it on the supermarket shelves or in restaurants) is addictive. Really. It takes commitment (see number 5) to break out of your old habits. However...

9. You don't have to give up the food you love. If you can't indulge once in a while, you won't stick to healthy habits long term. So go ahead and have a piece of chocolate, or a cookie, or a beer, or whatever! Just remember - moderation is the key. Having a one ounce portion of chocolate a day is moderation - eating an entire bowl of m&m's daily is not.

10. Eat like crap, feel like crap. Food should give you energy, not make you tired and sick.

11. Food is not "good" or "bad". Food is food. All foods have their place, as long as you remember moderation (see number 9).

12. Don't beat yourself up. If you have a day where you didn't do as well as you'd like, brush it off and get back on track.

13. Going along with number 12, there is no pass or fail! There's only what works.

14. It takes time. You didn't gain it all overnight, you won't lose it all overnight. (see number 5.) Don't give up! (see number 12)

15. Think in terms of health, not just vanity. Beauty is nice, but your health is your most important asset.

16. Sleep. Sleep is vital to health, fat loss, and muscle building. Sleep is when your body repairs itself. No sleep, no repairing, no health.

17. Don't go it alone. Have supportive people around, even if the support is just an online community.

18. Don't compare yourself to others. You are not them, you are you. Also, with different frame sizes, heights, muscle vs. fat...What may look good on them may not look good on you.

18. It sounds a lot more complicated than it is. It's really simple, actually. I know you may think I'm crazy, but it is - however, simple does not equal easy. Aka:

19. It's tough, but worth it.

20. Most importantly, you are worth it. Believe in yourself.

~ moogle

[dlinmsp]

I know what everyone is talking about. Weight now is not an issue for me. Feeling better is paramount.

My daily walk is consistently over five miles and coming closer to being over 6 miles daily. Today I went 6.67 miles in 110 minutes. That's an average speed of 3.64 mph. I know that I am burning more calories than I take in and even though the weight loss is slowing the muscle building is increasing, the stamina is increasing and my overall appearance is improving.

My hat is off to everyone who is on this journey. It was far easier to get out of shape than it is to get back into shape. But as I used to say, I was in shape because round is a shape.

Please continue to report your progress. This thread helps us all. We started watching "The Biggest Loser" this year, not because I was ever that out of shape, but because I know one of the contestants who is still in the game. It's an inspiration to watch his progress and to celebrate his successes. Just as it is an inspiration to read all of our progress and to celebrate all our successes.

[Codymoogle]

Right on, dlinmsp!

~ moogle

[dlinmsp]

I hit a new milestone this morning. Walking 7.72 miles in two hours even.

This spring has been fantastic so far. The fact we had no snow in March is unbelievable. March is generally our snowiest month. But it allowed so many of us to get on the trails a month earlier than normal and a chance to push ourselves harder.

May will mark my two year anniversary with the Atkins diet. I have lost, and kept off, over 80 lbs and I feel great. I always use a bowling ball analogy when talking about weight loss. A full size bowling ball weighs 16 lbs and I have lost five times that amount. Now imagine putting five bowling balls into a bag and carrying them around all day. 80 lbs is also two bags of water softener salt.

As I said before let's continue to encourage each other and applaud our successes.

[Diaper Mike 05]

Weighed in at the gym Wednesday when I went after work, weighed 318. I need a scale for home, because I'm sure the number is really lower since my weighing now takes place at like 7 pm instead of first thing in the morning. But at least it is more progress, and it's helping me in the sport I play.