Edit: photo link didn't work https://i.imgur.com/7OrkODZ.jpg
28F, 5'5" SW 153lbs CW 135lbs GW ?
Measurement change: I really only measure the largest waist size at the biggest spot. I started at about 36.5 inches and am currently at 33 inches :)
The before is from January right at the start of my weight loss and the after was actually taken last month. It's just taken me that much time to develop the courage to post.
It's strange. I never thought I would be here. It was so slow that I didn't even know it was happening. Then I took that picture for comparison.
Journey
Let me preface this by saying I never truly suffered from being overweight or obese. I played like 342 sports at a time through elementary/middle school. I ran XC/played soccer in high school. College and grad school were all about that education. I played a few intramurals here and there, but nothing that I truly stuck with(although I did train and complete a half marathon for one semester in college, no notable weight loss during that period, unsurprisingly!) I have never really been all that excited about my body either. Like to the point where I was(am??) embarassed to undress into a swimsuit in front of people. When you're approaching 30 and still that self-conscious….I don't know. It seems a bit ridiculous. When was I going to grow up and get a grip? One of my friends actually approached me about it and he told me he felt I needed more self-confidence. I was annoyed at the time, but he was totally right. I did.
Before my "come to jesus" moment earlier this year, I did discover CICO back at the tail end of 2014 when I was finishing up with my education. I was 24 going on 25. I think I was up to 147 at that point, and decided I wanted to fit into my pants properly again. I was still living with the parents without much a care in the world other than getting through school. I successfully lost about 11lbs and was feeling good. But then I did something crazy….I stopped tracking.
I graduated in 2015 and wallowed in self pity while applying to multiple jobs through the end of 2015. I finally got a position in November. I was so proud of all my hard work to get there! But you know what I did? I focused on my job and not me. It was a stressful few years of learning my position, and I packed on some lbs. I got up to 155(highest recorded weight) around Nov. 2017.
None of my pants fit. It was annoying. I have always been a fairly active individual, but it was hard to justify activity after 10 hour shifts. The most exercise I was getting was walking my dog. I didn't feel like myself. I didn't take care of myself with healthy food. I wasn't even taking care of my skin. Like, who doesn't use moisturizer? So strange. I live in Michigan, too. You definitely need moisturizer here…
Anyway, I decided to get my shit in gear and lose weight for the summer. I started in February-Marchish and knew there wouldn't be a huge difference to the summer, but I figured you have to start somewhere. I also chose a super low level deficit. Like around 1500-1600 calories. You don't see a lot of progress at that level of deficit, but I figured I could at least try and see how I did. I also get ridiculously hangry, so a super high deficit was not compatible with mine nor everyone else's welfare.
Another change I made was getting back to a fitness-oriented lifestyle. I LOVE sports. I am so competitive(too competitive?) It's like I forget I'm working out when I play them. I joined a meetup soccer league and met a few people who asked me to play in a formal league with them, and now I play 1-2x/week. In an effort to stay in shape, I also started lifting(currently running Phraks because it's simple and easy) 2-3x/week. Another love I discovered in my journey is rock climbing. Please go try it! It's so fun. I really need some friends to climb with, though. Hard to climb alone :D haha
Now
Here I am. Not even a year later and I fit in my old pants again. At first, I was mad because I had actually bought new work pants that don't fit at all now. But that's what belts are for, I guess. I fit into a lot of old stuff too, which was not an option at my higher weight. My leggings don't flip over/slide down on my belly where I would constantly having to be pulling them up. I sized down in scrubs at work! My arms are slimmer and my tops don't pull as tight across my shoulders. I swear I walk/stand with more confidence. I am making a stronger effort to look people in the eye. I'm a real person, I deserve to be noticed, and I don't need to hide when wearing a swimsuit in public. I know my body isn't perfect, and it will never be, but I can't describe how proud I am of this loss, even if it's minimal compared to most on this sub!
My plan is to continue on my current deficit(usually around 1600-1700 calories) until I am happy with my abdomen. Not sure that's ever gonna happen, but I definitely don't want to quit tracking just yet because I don't need a backslide like last time.
r/loseit, r/xxfitness, r/fitness, r/1200isplenty (disclaimer-NO IT'S NOT FOR ME) were all integral in my success. I learned so much through everyone sharing their tips, recipes and experiences. I just hope that I can return the favor!
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