# My journey back...a weight loss thread



## MsLady

Good luck on your journey. I can't wait to read about your progress.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## WendyJane

Good luck!


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## HombresArablegacy

Excellent, Drafty! That's an incredible achievement. Looking forward to your updates. Hang in there 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## EponaLynn

Congratulations, that is great to hear :loveshower:


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## enh817

Amazing progress so far! I definitely vote yes on the riding. If you're anything like me, anf would rather get hit by a car than set foot in a gym, so it could be a good alternative workout.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Kay Armstrong

WooHoo! Congratulations on a job well done! Keep at it and we'll keep cheering you on.


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## Woodhaven

Good for you, it is hard to loose weight, my husband and I lost some the last year or so, just by having smaller portions.
I know some people have done it simply by using a smaller plate as you don't tend to put as much food on it.

Cheering for you


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## Luvs Horses

Congrats on your weight loss. Hope you get to ur goal. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## dernhelm1984

Good for you, Drafty! It gives me hope to hear your story. Keep it up, lady!:loveshower:


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## DraftyAiresMum

Haven't really gotten any full-body pics of myself (like I said, hate having my pic taken, regardless of what weight I am), but I did get my hair cut and took a pic. Hopefully you can tell a difference...


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## karliejaye

Congratulations on your tremendous progress! What a feat that is.

You mention you notice a difference in your weight and size, what about other parameters? How do you FEEL. How is your energy and mood, do you get winded as easily? 

I ask these questions because so many people get tunnel vision in weight loss and focus solely on the number the scale shows them. It is so much more than that! I think you understand that, but it's good to be reminded of the things we know, right!?

ETA; Love your haircut! Too cute!


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## DraftyAiresMum

I have noticed a HUGE difference!!

It used to be that I would get winded just walking down the hallway at work (granted, our hallway is almost 200ft long, but still!). Going up the stairs was a major ordeal that would leave my heart pounding and me gasping for breath. Now, I can trot up the stairs and walk the entire hotel with absolutely no problems. I don't get winded and my heart has stopped pounding. 

I can also actually bend down to pick stuff up off the ground. That's a big thing for me, as before, I'd have to spraddle my legs and it was just awkward. 

My mood is greatly improved and my energy level is coming back. I still don't sleep well at night, but that's mainly because my bad shoulder hurts so much. However, even sitting down to go to the bathroom is easier than it was!

I think a lot of people don't realize how being heavy/overweight affects EVERY aspect of your life. They think that you chose to be that fat, so you can choose to lose the weight. My fiance and his family didn't get it. They'd say hurtful things and my fiance would make cutting remarks about my weight. Yes, I chose to eat as much as I did, but it wasn't really a conscious choice. It wasn't like I sat down at the table one day and said "I am going to eat enough for two people from now on!" And when I realized what was happening, I _did_ try to change it. But, the change I made wasn't drastic enough. I realize that now. 

I think the thing that's made me feel the best is comments people who know me have made recently. My parents came back from a two-week trip and came to visit me at the hotel. My dad's first words out of his mouth were "Wow. You've lost more weight!" The owner of the hotel was here last week because we had our annual corporate quality assurance inspection. We were talking about the front desk agents being in uniform for the inspection and I made the comment that I am a little more relaxed on the dress code and being exactly in uniform because I know how difficult it is to find clothes that are within the dress code standard in plus sizes (we have very specific color and sleeve length requirements), especially at a decent price. The owner (who is from India and whose wife is about the size of a bean pole :lol: ) looked from me to the other front desk girl with us and said in a scoffing tone "You two aren't plus size and whoever says that is crazy!" Mind you, I'm a size 18/20W and the other girl is a 20/22W, so we are definitely plus size. You sometimes don't realize how nice it is that people _do_ notice. My owner is also the one who teases me that he needs to start charging me for the amount of weight I've lost, since people usually pay big bucks to lose weight like I have. :lol:

And thanks about my haircut! That was taken when I got home after having it cut, so no styling was done to it at all. I'm kind of on the fence about it. I get tons of compliments on it, but I'm not sure it's exactly what I wanted. I can't find the pic on my phone now, but I expected it to be shorter and more stacked, especially in the back. Don't know if it's just that my hair won't do that or what. lol


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## enh817

Smile  Because you look awesome!!!


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## DraftyAiresMum

enh817 said:


> Smile  Because you look awesome!!!


LOL! I took that pic to send to my best friend so she could see my new haircut. I was concentrating on taking the pic and not dropping my phone.


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## greentree

So cute!! 

We can see most of your body, lol....and you look fantastic!


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## MomH

You are so right about people not realizing what it is like to try to loose weight. One of my biggest downfalls was that I used to follow the "government recommended" food pyramid. HUGE mistake for me! After some research I have finally figured out what is good for ME. I do envy your active job.

Keep up the good work! You'll get there before you know it.


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## DraftyAiresMum

Just thought I'd update.

I just weighed myself and I'm at 216lbs, fully clothed and wearing boots.

I'm getting a little worried, though. I'm getting married in 10 days and my wedding dress fit me like a glove when I tried it on almost two weeks ago when it arrived. Now, I'm not sure how it's going to fit. I'm going over to my parents' house today after work (we're getting married at their house, so my dress is over there anyway), so I'll have to try it on and see what my mom thinks. 

A little happiness, though! I have big calves (some of you may remember my search a couple of years ago for boots to fit my "man calves"...turns out Ariats are the only ones that will fit). Fashion boots normally don't fit me, but especially haven't since I have gained weight. Also, my tall socks have been so tight on my calves that I wasn't able to wear them, either. Anyway, my fiance and I were in K-Mart the other night, looking for ties for him and his groomsmen and we saw these quilted tall boots. He loved them, so I decided to try them on. Imagine my surprise when the 9W fit perfectly!! So, I splurged a little and bought them. Then, I got home and tried them on with a pair of my tall socks and my tall socks fit, too!! *happydance* So, I'm going to have to try my Ariat Tombstones on again and see if they'll fit me again. I bought them a couple of years ago at tax time (splurged and spent $180 on a pair of boots :shock: !) and I could wear them for a while, but then I gained too much weight. If I can wear them again, they'll work even better with my wedding dress than my FatBabys that I was going to wear (which are cute 'cuz they have Mossy Oak shafts, but they're round-toe and IDK if they would look "dressy" enough).


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## LoriF

Congrats on the weight loss, you are looking great.


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## Zexious

Congrats! Keep up the good work~


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## elle1959

Congratulations on the weight loss and your upcoming wedding! What an exciting time for you.


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## ShirtHotTeez

Great achievement. Congratulations on the weight loss, it is so much harder than skinny people realize.

Congrats on the upcoming wedding as well, I hope the day is really magical for you.


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## karliejaye

Congrats on your upcoming wedding! I hope it is a wonderful day!


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## EquineBovine

Go you good thing!
Have a wonderful wedding x


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## kiwigirl

Hi Drafty Aires, you are doing so well!!

I love that you said this: 

I think a lot of people don't realize how being heavy/overweight affects EVERY aspect of your life.

It is amazing how we put on weight and carry on with our normal daily lives and things slowly get more difficult - the walking, bending, just life in general. And yet we adapt to the new "normal". 

Many of us end up in a position where we are literally getting out of bed with an incredibly huge pack on our back and trying to live normal vital lives. Imagine your thinnest friend getting out of bed and strapping a whopping 60lb back pack on herself, carrying it around all day and then wondering why she was so completely exhausted at the end of her day. And yet that is pretty much how many of us live our lives.

The crazy thing is we berate ourselves because we consider ourselves so *weak *and* lazy *and* undisciplined. *I think the reality is just the opposite, the fact that we do carry on with our lives, working, running around after families, horses, husbands, making homes is an absolute testimony to our inner strength and perseverance. We have all the strength and fortitude we need, every single one of us, we just need to learn to channel all that strength in the right direction.

Drafty Aires you are amazing, be proud of yourself for everything you are, proud because you carried the weight with dignity and proud because you recognized the time for change and have run with it.


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## Skyseternalangel

Happy wedding day!!!


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## DraftyAiresMum

So, been married now for one day shy of three weeks. :lol:

Not sure what's going on with me, but something is definitely up. I have not changed anything (eating habits, stress level, etc), yet I gained five pounds in the last week. :shock: My husband keeps teasing me that I'm pregnant. It's not outside the realm of possibility, however I'm waiting another week to make sure "Aunt Flo" doesn't make an appearance before taking a test.


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## Mulefeather

If your period is due in the next 7-10 days, there's a good chance it's just water weight. I know I bloat like crazy (sometimes up to a full pant size bigger in my stomach and thighs) when I'm expecting the Red Tide, and women's bodies are EXTREMELY good at holding on to fluid during that point. But obviously if you miss, that'll be the biggest indicator


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## DraftyAiresMum

Mulefeather said:


> If your period is due in the next 7-10 days, there's a good chance it's just water weight. I know I bloat like crazy (sometimes up to a full pant size bigger in my stomach and thighs) when I'm expecting the Red Tide, and women's bodies are EXTREMELY good at holding on to fluid during that point. But obviously if you miss, that'll be the biggest indicator


I've always had "silent" periods. No weight gain, no cramps, no bloating. Not even the inkling of a mood swing. Robert said several times that if it wasn't for the fact that I had to buy feminine products, he'd never know I was on my period. :lol:


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## Golden Horse

So would it be good news, if you are I mean? Just checking...

Weight gain after marriage used to be a real thing, the wedding, honeymoon, cooking for two etc....I guess not so much for some couples if they have been living together beforehand.


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## DraftyAiresMum

Yeah, we've lived together for three years, so the only thing that really changed was that now we have a piece of paper saying we're married and we have matching stainless steel wedding bands. :lol:

And yes, it would be good news! My sister told Robert that she expected us to come back pregnant. The youngest grandchild in my family is now 8, so it's time for another one. Plus, I think my mom and dad really want another granddaughter (they only have one and she's 24 now...the other six grandkids are boys :lol: ).


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## DraftyAiresMum

Been a while since I posted here. 

I've kind of hit a plateau. I'm sitting at about 215lbs and have been for the last five months or so. Kind of getting frustrated. 

I also am here to declare that I hate women's clothes. I hate the way each manufacturer has their own idea of what sizes are. I have a pair of size 18 Mossimo jeans that are literally falling off me without a belt. Then, I grabbed a pair of my old jeans yesterday to wear to go do laundry. They're size 22W and I'm not sure what brand. They have me a horrible muffin top, yet I was CONSTANTLY having to pull them up because they kept sliding down and were so loose I looked like I was wearing a diaper. What. The. HECK?!


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## Saddlebag

That's precisely the reason I wear men's jean. Well....partly because I was more straight than curvy. I just grab size and leg length and done. I stick with one brand that works well. Didn't you know that the more you spend the smaller the size? I wear anywhere from a 6 to a 16 in a blouse.


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## DraftyAiresMum

I'm too curvy for men's jeans. Even when I was skinnier, I couldn't comfortably wear men's pants. Or men's shirts. Too much up top and too much in the hips.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## EquineBovine

I can't fit in blokes clothes either but they are much better quality and range ugh.
It doesn't help that it's cold in your neck of the woods so things naturally slow down. Just keep going!


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## tinyliny

me plateauing, too. but, I know it's MY fault, 'cause I am eating too many carbs.

I rarely wear jeans. I mostly wear kind of yoga pants. Champion makes a nice pair, and I get them at Target. they run large.

in jeans, when i do wear them, i have to get Chico's "boyfriend" jeans. they fit well, and have some elastic built into the fabric, but they are expensive and do not wear a long time, (due to the elastic).


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## Eme1217

You can DO IT!! DraftyAiresMum. Jean's and how they fit completely annoy me, so ignore them and keep doing what you are doing to get healthy!!


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## Golden Horse

You have this Drafty, I need to find a way of 'having this' as well, time to get things happening here, counting down to getting started, has been a LONG countdown.

Womens clothes and horse blankets, there is no set sizing, makes shopping a nightmare.


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## Saddlebag

Drafty, have you tried weight lifting? Our local rec center has a weight room and it's cheap, about $4 a visit. Cheaper than buying weights. You will work the muscles like we don't in doing everyday things. Most of it is repetitions which have the added bonus of burning calories for hours after you're done. Your body will begin to reshape itself as it becomes fit.


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## DraftyAiresMum

Haven't posted in a while.

I have gained about ten pounds in the last couple of months. No idea how or why, as nothing really has changed. 

I really want to start walking in the evenings, but I'm finding myself seriously lacking in motivation. Like, the desire is there, but I just can't get myself to get out there and do it. The fact that evenings are the only time I see my husband, really, and he's usually too tired and sore from work to do anything doesn't help matters any. I would like to take the dogs, but I can't handle both of them at once. Abby is MUCH better on the leash than Cash is, plus Cash is getting older and has a harder time going any distance (we walked about half a mile to the mailbox and back a couple of weeks ago and he was hurting by the time we got home :sad: ). But, Abby is super timid without Cash and has separation anxiety when not with him. 

Any ideas? I have a nicer phone now, so I can listen to music or audio books while I walk (my iPhone didn't have storage for any music and Pandora didn't work well enough to use on it). I also have a Wii Fit that I need to set back up.

My ultimate goal is to get back to where I was when I met my husband four years ago. I was 170lbs and a size 12 (on the way down to a size 10). I want to fit back into my size 12 Banana Republic jeans. I want to look down and not see a belly that's almost sticking out as far as my boobs.

In answer to Saddlebag's ( :sad: ) question about weight-lifting...

My shoulder is really messed up from surgery, no PT, and just hard use. Not sure if I can do weights. We have a gym here that's I think $15-20 for the month to use any time, as many times as you want. I just don't like gyms. I always feel SUPER self-conscious.


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## Zexious

^I wish you all the luck in the world in your weight loss.
I'm in a similar situation. I'm looking to lose about forty pounds at this point. Not an easy trek, but a necessary one. I'm not feeling particularly motivated either ):

I know you said you don't like the gym but, logistically, it's your best bet. 
Are there any in your area that are 24 hr? You could choose off times to go--sure, there will still be people there, but there will be considerably fewer. Plus, you'll drop weight much faster with access to a variety of machine types. 

Have you considered purchasing something to help track your weight loss and activity level? Like a Fitbit or a Jawbone?

I haven't read the whole thread, but what is your diet like? 

The thing that motivates me is rapid weight loss. I see this when I (appropriately) restrict my diet and make frequent trips to the gym.


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## DraftyAiresMum

The only gym in town is 24-hour and my husband went to school with the owner. :lol: Yay for small towns. I was a member of a different gym (that has since closed down) where my dad knew the owner when I was in high school and I just didn't like it. The smell, not knowing how to use the various machines, feeling self-conscious. The only time I had a decent time at a gym was when I went with my sister once back when I was in college. We had a "race" on the recumbent stationary bikes and were laughing so hard we could barely finish.

Honestly, my diet sucks. I eat one real meal a day (dinner) and probably half the time it's fast food or eating out. My husband is a sweets fiend and I have a hard time saying no when it's just sitting there. If it's not around, I don't actively seek out sweets, but if it's already there, I'll eat it. 

I downloaded My Fitness Pal on my phone again. Haven't really looked into a FitBit or anything like that (aren't they kind of expensive?). I do like the look of the Jawbone UP. Seems simple and unobtrusive and not too expensive. I know I'm not active enough. I spend most of my day sitting at a desk and really only get exercise at work when I trot up the stairs or down the hall to check clean rooms.


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## Kyleen Drake

I find this one really inspirational. I thought I would share... perhpas someone here will like it. 

As for myself, doing okay. Down from 220 to 180. I'm trying to break through that 180 and can't seem to. I know I need just a bit more cardio and weights to do it..


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## DraftyAiresMum

Okay. Found this. Similar to the Jawbone and FitBit, I think. I like the look and the price. https://www.amazon.com/Twinbuys-Wri...0&sr=8-54&keywords=jawbone+up+fitness+tracker (looking at the Done 6) or this https://www.amazon.com/Twinbuys-Wri...0&sr=8-54&keywords=jawbone+up+fitness+tracker (the Done 6 Plus).


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## greentree

It is nearly impossible to exercise enough to lose weight....exercise is great for the body in many other ways, but not weight loss. 
Reduce your diet to meat and vegetables. Eat some berries if you have sweet cravings....
Eat only fat and protein for breakfast.
Do not count calories, eat until you are full. 
Tell yourself you "do NOT eat that",(similar to "I don't smoke", when a non smoker is offered a cigarette) rather than "I can't have that because I am on a diet".
Once the withdrawals are over from the opiate like substances in the wheat, your waist will begin to shrink. Be sure you drink PLENTY of PLAIN water during this process. Sugar will make it worse.....
Things that hurt will begin to not hurt.
You will begin sleeping, and feel like DOING things, because you are no longer sleep deprived. 

Good luck!


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## Kyleen Drake

I've done altered my eating habits. I'm on to 100% fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats and whole grains in better portion control than I ever use to. For me, it's activity. So yeah, needed to get up off my bum and work out a bit. I hate it! I'm much happier doing something where I feel like I'm making progress. Like working in a garden and having veggies to show for it. Or hauling hay bails and having a full barn to over winter with.. You can work out at a gym all day, but at the end of the day all you got is sore muscles.. 

The high protein powdered fruit smoothies work for me for breakfast so far. Started adding in vegetables I don't like into them, they're not bad. I can tolerate kale now.

I'm not overly crazy with myself too. If I go out to eat with a friend, it's a no-worries kind of day, I get what I want, then just do another two miles on my treadmill later. I don't beat myself up over it.

Definitely hurting. Add in the riding lessons and I'm hugging that Advil bottle at times. lol


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## greentree

Kyleen, the strange thing is, when you give up the "whole grains" , 95% of that soreness goes away!


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## Kyleen Drake

Not happening, lol. I tried that, it wasn't pretty. I use to have a ton of white bread around here, the high in sugar kind. I changed to whole wheat / whole grains. I can't eat near as much of it because it's so filling. So I don't need hardly any of it. And I can still get my bread-like products on and not feel depraved. For me, it works. I hired a nutritionist to help me work out a game plan. I'm doing pretty good sticking to it. I feel a lot better than I use to. But she and I both agreed, I need to be more active. Majority of my day is spending time with my boys. When it's not as hot as it's been, I get them outside, away from the video games and we go play. Been evenings of trying to teach them to play catch in the back yard. It's been slow going. I've gotten bad at it over the years, out of practice. lol

I did four miles on my treadmill I keep here in the house. It's yuckie outside and I can't go walk, I do my laps on this thing. I keep it under one of my A/C vents, ward off those hot flashes. lol I try to do 10 miles a day, broken up over the day. So I'll drop in another seven tonight after the boys go to sleep and my housework is done. I really want to break though this 180 I've been stuck at for awhile..


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## DraftyAiresMum

My fitness tracker bracelet shipped today. Ended up going with the Done 6. Couldn't see enough of a difference between the Done 6 and the Done 6 Plus to pay $7 difference. :lol:


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## greentree

Please remember that the calorie expenditure thing is only a guess at best. So if it says you are burning 5000 calories a day, and only eating 1000 calories, the math says you should be losing one pound per day, but you don't, and that gets you depressed. Ask me how I know this??

Those trackers are good for motivation! Turned out, I needed a GPS to keep up with me, so I gave the Fitbit to DH! He has to work to get 10,000 steps. It just crushed me to find out that I get over 40,000 a day.


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## DraftyAiresMum

Yeah, I got the tracker more for motivation, not the calorie counting. I don't do well counting calories, so I don't bother.


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