This is an exciting time as well as a frustrating time during my weight loss journey. My first goal has always been to get under 250. I'm now at 252 and these last few pounds seem to be taking forever. When I get to 249 I figure I will make a goal of 239, and so on. But for now I just really want to get to 249. I’ve come a long way, true….and those first 30 pounds came off rather quickly, but lately my weight loss has had a couple of stalls and has slowed to a pound a week or so.

I started this way of life well over 300lbs and when I changed the way I ate, I also changed the way I lived. I started working out at the gym, riding my bike, doing Pilates, and so on. When I started at the gym, I could barely do 20 min on the treadmill on the most basic setting at 3.2 mph and there were a number of machines that I couldn't do because I couldn't fit on them. Last week I worked out 5 days: on Monday I rode 20 miles on our town's bike trail on a fixed gear bike, Wednesday morning I got up at 5 and lifted weights at the gym beginning with 30min on the treadmill before work and I went back at 5:30 for a Pilates class. I got up again early on Friday and did 30 min on the treadmill doing intervals before I lifted weights. I took Saturday off for yard work and went back to the gym on Sunday for weights.

The point of this ramble is not just pat myself on the back, (maybe a little) but to tell myself I am making progress even though the weight isn't coming off as fast as I would like it to. I've gone from 42 waist pants and 3xl shirts to XL and 38's and my 38's and XL shirts are now loose. I can't quite get into 36's but it's not too far off. I wish I had done measurements when I started but I didn’t. All I have to go by is the scale and my clothes. I put on a nice pair of slacks and a shirt for work today that I hadn’t worn in years (they were stuck way back in the closet) and they’re almost falling off of me. When I tell people I weigh 250 they don’t believe it, I’m guessing that I’ve built some muscle and have moved the weight around.

It’s taken a long time but I’m just now starting to get compliments. It’s weird, even when I went from 315 to 275, a whopping 40lbs, hardly anyone noticed. It’s taken getting closer to 250 for people to begin to see a difference. That part’s been hard. After dropping 20, 30, 40lbs, you expect to get a few compliments but there were none. That’s the problem with a starting point in the “obese” category; 5 or 10 or 20 means very little when you’re over 300.

So…..to sum up: Life is good. I still have a long way to go but I feel good about the path I’m on. I’m at peace now with the scale. I know there’s a lot more to me than that number. Six months ago I couldn’t make it up a flight of stairs without having to stop and take a break and now when I go the store I park at he back of the parking lot on purpose. I flew a few weeks ago and was comfortable. I'm looking forward to the summer and taking my kids to a theme park knowing I can fit on the rides. And I will be taking my shirt off at the pool this summer.

Cleave

Cleave sounds like you are doing great. Since you didn't measure when you first started I hope you kept one pair of your size 42 pants. Because you don't have the measurements to look back at if you hit a slump or have a bad day you can always take out a pair of those pants and see what all you have accomplished.

When I started I did take measurements, and could look at my progress and it helped. But there was one day it was just so crappy and I was depressed it didn't even help much and I got to thinking I still had my fat pants (biggest size I ever had was a 14 and I only had one pair) I got that pair of pants out and tried them on so I could physically see the difference - they fell to my ankles - what a difference it made - no more crappy day and much improved my depression that day.

You are doing great - keep it up and you will reach your goals.

Thanks Lynn,

If I can say anything that might give anyone else insight into my journey so far it would be this.

Exercise in non-negotiable. I know you've heard this before, but it bears repeating. And I know there are people here that have stayed on induction levels for months and lost without exercise, but I will argue that's wrong. If you want to run and play with your kids or look better to the opposite sex, then you must do more than change your diet.

It's hard. You already know that. But there are points along the way, not necessarily plateaus, but points of achievement that will be a struggle to get over. These are very challenging times and when you overcome you will be much, much stronger.

When you have a significant amount to lose, your hurdles can sometimes seem insurmountable. That's why you must exercise. Making yourself go to the gym, go on that walk, whatever it is that you do will allow you to get through the tough times. When your fat, what do you do with your free time? You eat. What do alcoholics do with their free time? They hang out it bars and drink. You must replace that down time where you would sit in front of the TV and snack. It's not enough to just change you meals. You must change your lifestyle. You must replace a bad behavior with a good behavior.

Very inspirational. You have done extremely well and given me the motivation that I needed today when I went to the gym even though I didn't want to. I know exercise is the key, but I hate it....but I did it anyway. Congrats to you on your success!

Congrats on your success. I agree with keeping one pair of your biggest pants. I didn't but wish I had....

My biggest size was a bursting-at-the-seams-22 - now I wear a 6/7 and some 5s.

Keep on keeping on!

Julie

WoooHoo!!!!!!

Dropped two pounds this week to 250. Only one pound to get to my first goal of 249!

Down two more pounds this week to 248!!!!

Man do I feel good! I blew right past 249 to 248, and that was with an out of town trip thrown in. I can't believe I lost this week because I was in Vegas for 3 days. But I worked my but off at the gym and continued to eat right.

Next goal - 239 and 36 pants

Cleave,
You look great. How tall are you? My DH is 6'4 & looks good at 230 & he's big boned.

Thanks Josie,

I'm 6'1 and am real close to 240! I don't weigh every day, usually just once a week on Fridays. But lately we are a doing a biggest loser contest at the gym and I've been weighing on Mondays too. On Monday I got a favorable number so I'm hopeful of another good week.

Like I said, my origional goal was to get to 249, now my goal is 239. It will be 229 when I get to 239. I've always thought I wanted to get to 225 but now I'm not sure. I just looked at some spring break beach pictures and it was a lot worse than I thought. And those pics were at 250something.

I'm working out a lot adding muscle so I'm trying not to care so much about the scale, but I just don't know. When I get to 225 I'm probably gonna try for 200. If I can get to 200 with the workouts I'm putting in, I think that would be about right.

Cleave, I think that alot depends on your bones. Because I believe I love best at 110 & my neice whose much larger bone stucture but is inch shorter then me & she looks better at 130.

Are you doing any cardio? I came across threads that are mention when you want to lose fat to mot work out. I find it hard to believe. But I also doubted Atkins at first too so I might give it a shot.

I lift weights M, W, F at the gym and I'm working in hopefully 2 bike rides per week, depending on the weather. My town has a great bike trail that's about 20 miles round trip that I ride at least once per week and I'm trying to get out with the local cycling club once a week for one of their 30 to 35 mile rides. Back in the day I was a competitive recreational cyclist. I doubt I will ever put in the miles I used to but I still love to ride, and I've got too much invested in bikes to let them continue to collect dust in the garage.

Here's my weight routine:

Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Bench press (8 reps x 3 sets)
Incline Dumbbell Press (8 reps x 3 sets)
Military Press (8 reps x 3 sets)
Lateral Raises (8 reps x 3 sets)
Dips (10 reps x 4 sets)
Tricep Extensions (8 reps x 3 sets)

Day 2: Legs, abs

Squats (8 reps x 3 sets)
Leg Presses (8 reps x 3 sets)
Hamstring Curls (8 reps x 3 sets)
Stiff leg deadlifts (8 reps x 3 sets)
Calf Raises (10 reps x 3 sets)
Crunches (10 x 4 sets)

Day 3: Back, Biceps, Forearms

Lat pull downs (8 reps x 3 sets)
Barbell Rows (8 reps x 3 sets)
Deadlifts (8 reps x 3 sets)
Dumbbell Shrugs (hold at the top for 2 seconds)
Barbell Curls (8 reps x 3 sets)
Dumbbell Curls (8 reps x 3 sets)
Wrist Curls (12 resp x 3 sets)

Tues or Thurs 20 mile bike ride on a fixed gear bike. (weather dependent)
Sat or Sun 30ish mile group ride on open roads (weather, family activities permitting)

Cleave, just wanted to drop in and congratulate you on achieving your goal. Keep up the good work. I very often stop to look at the information you post, and usually find something positive to take away.

Thanks Pam,

Sometimes I think my posts are a little self indulgent....but it's positive therapy for me to write down my progress. I'm just really feeling like I'm on a roll right now and believe in the path I'm on. At least it's working for me.

And Josie,

Speaking of being self indulgent, I kind of went off on my workout tangent without regard to cardio. I believe in cardio but I believe more in the weight room. Do some research and search for weights vs cardio and you will find a lot of information on the value of resistance training vs countless hours on the treadmill. Since I've stepped up my weight program I've seen greater losses on the scale as well as the benefit of strength and muscle definition. By the time I was halfway through this mornings workout, I was dripping in sweat and my heart was pumping. So I'm definitely getting cardio while in the weight room.

As far as the bone thing? I'm not sure. I think some people carry their weight differently than others. Some guys carry it all over and it doesn't look as much as it is. That's me. Others carry it in their gut like some girls get the hips. I think bones and are bones. But I think it's all luck from our family as to how we carry our excess.

Cleave, Sounds like you are doing the right things. I know when you build muscle it increases your metabolism. And I heard that if you just lose weight & not build muscle then you'll be flabby. So you should be near your goal weight in no time.

I was thinking about not working out to see if I can lose faster. This is my 2nd week & so far I've lost 5 pounds I normally weight myself on Mondays.

As far as your posts perhaps being self-indulgent, I don't think so at all, but what if they are- so what. This is your journal and you write things in it for yourself and if others happen to read it then all the better. I've picked up great information from people just like who are writing about their experiences losing weight. Keep it up!