I thought I'd give an update. since I have not been around much. I have regained 20-25 pounds from my lowest, so only a net 85 lost now. BUT I have been working my butt off training for first a ten-mile race in May and now a full marathon in November. So, it's still a struggle with the weight but, hey, I can run 14 miles straight now, so who's complaining, right?

Just wanted to thank all who have contributed to this thread recently. Debbie, you might think about going back to the place where you donated and ask if you could have one pair of pants back--they might still be there.

What a great thread.
Just thought I'd pop in and share my story, too!

I, to date, have lost 113 pounds.
It took 4 1/2 years to get here, but what a journey it has been.
As of May 19th, I have begun maintenance because I am comfortable with my size. Maintenance is a new journey, all in itself. So far so good, I have stayed within a reasonable range for myself, and have even seen new low numbers.

I did find that the one thing that has changed since going from losing to maintaining is my image of myself.
I have always seen myself as the fat sister, the big one..etc etc even after 100 pounds lost. I know that I'm smaller, but seeing that I'm smaller is another story. Within the past few weeks, I've taken about 5 minutes each day to look at myself in the mirror, and to really appreciate the changes that are happening, and it's helped. My skin is slowly firming up. My brain is adjusting to the new me.

So I guess what I would like to say...to anyone who is starting, or re-starting, or considering a LC way of life...
"You can do it".
No matter how hard it is, no matter who puts your way of eating down...in the end it works...and in the end...your hard work WILL pay off in the end.

And above everything else, "Thank You" to those of you who have been here with me on this journey, and who have come so far and helped me through!

This forum is such a wonderful place, and is a key factor in my sucess thus far!

Samantha, I went to your gallery and looked at a whole bunch of your photos. What an awesome transformation. You look hot girl! What an amazing journey, and what a great job you have done. Thanks for the inspiration.

I like to bump this thread up every few months.

July 18 was my 4 yr anniversary of havng hit the 100 lbs lost mark.

Still maintaining.....it does get much easier the longer I live eating this way.

Samantha,

I want to tell you what an inspiration you have been to me. When I started back, I noticed your stats, and they seemed like a lifetime away, out of reach on the other side of the looking glass. I remember that . . . thanks for reaching back to share the hope . . .

Thank you Merpig and Kathleen!

So I guess what I would like to say...to anyone who is starting, or re-starting, or considering a LC way of life...
"You can do it".
No matter how hard it is, no matter who puts your way of eating down...in the end it works...and in the end...your hard work WILL pay off in the end.

Samantha

Thanks for the post and your story is so awesome! I loved the photos and seeing your change like a butterfly ............your stomach did become flat!! you are way younger than me but I so appreciated rereading your story and then the photo's!!

I am over half way myself and hope that I keep the fight on regardless of the people who say how bad this way of eating is!! this week has been tough I ended up having the Swine flu!! I have not had the flu in many, many long years so I was shocked! I am on the mend now...............

Can't wait to hear more about your maintanence and I will keep you in my prayers!!

Gloria

Being fair to the TITLE of this thread and my original post (first page...back some time in 2006), due to life I managed to regain most of my 152 pound initial loss. Being fair, again, I did lose most of that weight in the 1st 8 months of LC eating.
Health, foolishness, insanity (to put back on most of 152 pounds is certainly not sane)...all contributed to my fall from health.
I am well on my way to losing again...but I did not want anyone to think from reading page 1 of this that to lose the weight is to automatically keep it off.
Do yourself a favor...in addition to gaining wisdom from the generalists in the TDC...pay special attention to those who have lost and kept it off. I know from experience the hard part is NOT in losing the weight...but in keeping it off once lost.
Nope. I am not suggesting that you follow any particular diet. Just a mindset of those who choose health over the alternative. There are some very wise and healthy people from most every eating program and probably one or two closely aligned with the plan you would like to follow. Find those remarkable few and go back and read their journals from page 1 and follow their journey to health. You will find they have the same problems you will face...the same life problems...the same health problems. As they wrote these journals they probably did not know that they would be one of the success stories worthy of emulation. You may find solution to that which you seek in their heartfelt words.
Remember: there is no failing as long as you sincerely try. The road may be a bit longer...but the goal is the same. And these successes did not happen over night. It took time to gain the weight and it will take time to lose the weight.
I wish you wisdom and every success.

You can say that again!
Losing and gaining come quite easy...it's in maintaining that the toughest challenge comes.

You are all so inspirational. At the moment, I'm going through a frustrated phase. It seems like a lifetime away, reaching my goal. The body does what it wants, when its damn good and ready - and that's frustrating for me.

What I have realized though, like Samantha said, it does pay off in the end. All that blood, sweat and tears, all that frustration dissipates when you see the numbers falling on the scale or that favorite pair of pants buttoning up with ease.

I still have a long way to go. But, I am coming up on a weight that I haven't been in over 4 years. 236 lbs. That is 3.8 lbs away.

That's what this is all about though. Small goals. It all adds up into one huge success and thanks to you all veterans, us still pushing through, thank you!!

Glad you are back Mr E!

I certainly have lost and gained all back and more! I am hoping that by adding a few more carbs and learning to find my CCL that I will be successful this time to keep it off...........of course I am still in the losing phase.

I wondered what happened to you..............O): gloria

Bumping up this thread as I'm now a "member" I guess, as of today I have lost 100 pounds. It feels so surreal.

Thats awesome! Congrats.It sure must feel good

Currently I am just shy of losing 135lbs. Still have another 90 I plan on losing. Not sure of everything on what exactly I will do when I reach goal. But I do have a few things planned for life.

Weigh myself weekly, You can always lie about clothes getting tighter from washing. But you cant argue with the numbers. I went years without weighing in when I put back on my weight. As a teen I was 350, and I dropped it and weighed 170 thru most of my 20's, in my 30's gained it all back plus 75 more.

Never drink live off soda as my main source of liquid.

Things I will try, always be aware of what I am consuming on a daily basis. For instance now, treats are always going around the office, and I am not even tempted by them. At goal I may have a taste, but I want to remember later on a had this so I need to pay for it with less food later...

Stay more active, plan on getting involved in bikinig events, I have loved riding my whole life, and have done quite a bit of it. I already have a plan of rides I am diong this summer and I am not even at goal yet LOL..