(Today’s guest post is from Diane at Fit To The Finish. She is a successful loser and has maintained her weight for 12 years. I love her advice for the things to do to keep the weight off long term and hope you do too.)
I hope that sharing a little bit about my 150 pound weight loss journey will inspire and motivate all of you. Weight loss isn’t always easy, but the end result is worth all the effort.
Seat belt extenders, plus size clothing departments, and ugly clothes were three phrases I’d use to describe my life 13 years ago. Flight attendants offered me extenders–without any indication on my part that I may need them, although I did. Shopping in plus sized clothing departments made me upset; and I’d have to go eat some cookies from the mall food court after realizing the size 28’s no longer fit. Ugly clothes became the norm, as I resorted to sewing my own dresses due to lack of sizing availability in the stores.
Being obese wasn’t fun, but it was something I had become accustomed to. After 10 years of struggling with my weight, and trying every diet on the planet, I had resigned myself to living the rest of my life as a “plus sized woman.” But one day, while at my doctor’s office for a routine check-up, I got scared. As the nurse moved the heavy weight from 150, to 200, to 250, and then to 300, I felt something I hadn’t felt before: Fear. How much more weight could I gain and still be able to function? Where would I stop? Would I become housebound, and end up like one of those poor people on television, being cut out of their homes? No, I decided. I wasn’t going to get bigger.
That day I drove home, thoughts swirling in my head like clouds. What diet should I try this time? Should I rejoin my local Weight Watchers for the 512th time? When I got home, I sat down, and wrote down all the things I knew about weight loss, and the list was long. I realized I had all the information I needed, so instead of joining a group, I put together a plan for myself. I decided I’d watch the fat content in foods, eat just one portion of a food at a time, and exercise. Simple? Yes. Effective? Very.
The next morning, I put on my ugly homemade jumper, and plodded down the street for 10 minutes. Huffing and puffing, I turned around, and made my way back home. When I got back, I collapsed on the couch, and proudly told John, “I’m now in the land of the fit!” I was far from fit, but I had crossed a major hurdle, both physically and mentally.
Day by day I practiced making good food choices. I stopped consuming entire pans of brownies at one time, quit buying peanut M&M’s “for the kids,” and worked hard at relearning to enjoy healthy, wholesome food. It wasn’t always easy, and I often ate things I regretted, but after 14 months of hard work and dedication, I lost 150 pounds. I went from a size 26/28 to a size 6, and felt 10 years younger.
That was 12 years ago, and I’ve maintained the weight loss, even with 4 pregnancies, 3 state to state moves, and numerous life changes.
There were a couple of things I did while losing weight that made maintenance easy.
1. Because I didn’t diet using a “plan,” there was no plan to quit. I really had made a lifestyle change, and lost weight doing something I could continue indefinitely.
2. I developed a love of exercise. Whereas prior to losing weight the word exercise conjured up feelings of disgust and fear, I discovered that I looked forward to moving my body and seeing it change.
3. I coined my own personal mantra for maintenance. “Never Go Back” I didn’t want to have to diet again. I wanted this time to be the last time I had to lose weight. So whenever I was tempted by chocolate, I remembered those three words, and chose carefully.
I want to encourage you that weight loss of any amount is possible, and positive. As you continue on your journey, don’t just focus on the final scale number, but rather rejoice as you reach your mini-goals. Losing weight and keeping it off was the best thing I ever did for myself, and for my family!
I adore Diane and her blog. Thanks so much for sharing your story!
Oh Diane, you have no idea what a blessing you are to me and countless other bloggers. I love that you used common sense to lose your weight and has kept it off all these years… Those are great strategies!
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I love Diane’s blog – she is an inspiration to me and many others!
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Great post. Maintaining a weight loss for 12 years is wonderful and so rare! But doing it with “4 pregnancies, 3 state to state moves, and numerous life changes” is downright phenomenal, Diane! I think “Never go back” is an excellent mantra to help maintain weight loss and your advice to “don’t just focus on the final scale number, but rather rejoice as you reach your mini-goals” is golden. :-) Wishing you many more happy, healthy years of weight loss maintenance!
–Susan
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@Susan
Definitely! I think Diane’s story is awesome because of all those life changes she went through. For a lot of people those events are things that throw them off track and make maintenance impossible. Diane has done an amazing job!!
I personally know someone who needs to hear Diane’s story, but there’s not one bone in their body that desires change right now. They’re still happily expanding. Too bad.
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Oh, how sad. I know a few people that could also benefit from her great advice but are not seeking any outside input. How do you tell someone they NEED something when they don’t think there is a problem?
Thanks everyone for the nice comments! You are making me embarrassed!
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So funny, when I decided to lose weight for the last time, my mantra was “never go backwards” – very similar! I think that really needs to be part of the overall plan – knowing you’re moving ahead and will NEVER go back. I think if more people thought of weight loss from that perspective, the weight loss would be different (perhaps slower, perhaps more contemplative) but more of us would keep the lower weight. I have trained myself not to even notice the headlines blaring “I lost 268 lbs” because they are always (well 99%) temporary!
I’ve made it my mission to educate people about permanent weight loss, which the medical profession defines as “weight loss sustained for 5+ years.” My weight has been sustained 9 1/2 years. I’m looking forward to my 10 year anniversary next spring.
Thanks Mary for highlighting positive long-term results, and thanks Diane for sharing your story. Keep up the excellent work so more people understand the important of a positive path to a healthy weight.
Pat Barone, CPCC, PCC
“America’s Weight Loss Catalyst”
http://www.patbarone.com
Diane, this was a great post. I think these are the kinds of things all dieters need to hear. While diets and programs are great, it is when we finally decide to change our lifestyle that things finally change. Congratulations on your success!
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Always good to read Diane anywhere with her great & motivational words! Just found her or she found me & I am hooked!
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Great post, and it’s kind of what I decided to do. Keep my calories under 1700, Eat at least two fruits and three veggies and the rest is negotiable and exercise six days a week, for the rest.of.my.life. My motto, emblazoned in neon paint on the back of my five dollar t shirt is this “Do or Do not-there is not try”. Gotta love yoda.
Its really very inspiring story. That why people says that where there is will where is way. If we have great will power so we can do anything nothing is impossible.
I adore diane! Thanks for having her over to tell her story.
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What a great story! Thank you for sharing.
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Wow, 12 years of maintenance! Thank you for the hope.
Thank you Mary for having Diane post today.
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Diane is one of the most supportive people I know out here in blogland always offering support and encouragement to those of us still on our way to goal.
It’s great that you featured her here.
Awesome story It seems unbelievable. In both photos she is looking totally different. Its really a big change seems like miracle. Thanks to share such inspiring story.