Losing weight for our weddings!! See new thread.

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

Lol, I dont have the WW scales! I got some £7 salter electronic ones from sainsburys! Think I may have even used my nectar points!

Ooh I will have a look for some, we don't have a sainsburys near here, but I'll have a look at Tesco! I'll buy some after my hol! That's one thing I find hard is measuring!

 

[torsie24]

16lbs sounds great!

Yeah quorn mince is great, once it's mixed and flavoured by the other foods people can't tell the difference if you don't tell them! We've even tricked a few hard core meat eaters!

 

[torsie24]

All updated!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I posted this long ago, but I thought I would post again to give you all some motivation:

I just cancelled my WW online membership last month because I just don't log in much anymore and I was spending $15/mth for it and it seemed a waste

To update the post..I had surgery again on March 30th to remove my gallbladder and repair 3 hernias (apparently, I have a genetic predisposition to hernias as this makes 5 repairs). I am still swollen from my surgery but today weighed 153 and just bought a size 10 bathing suit:

I posted this on the Wedding Weightloss thread, but I thought I would here too for you all..cause I will tell ANYONE who listens how much I owe WW online! - This morning I was 151.9
2006 - Before my 2006 surgery (i know I gained after that surgery too)

Day I started my diet

Trying on size 16 dress that I loved..it wouldn't zip past my waist so I am holding it with my arms - this is after 3 months of dieting and maybe 15 lost

Actual wedding day..size 16 dress I found that morning at Target

For the newbies..I am Betsy 5'7" and in April 2007 I was 226 and a size 22W. I have had a lot of abdominal surgery (5 in 7 years) and gained due to lack of exercise and love of cooking. I joined WW first to lose weight for a Disney trip in June 2007 and continued it to lose for our DCL VR that was on July 25, 2008. I managed to buy the size 16 dress and then had to have it taken in 2" on each side..
Today I am 151.9 and a size 12! People who haven't seen me in months tell me it has taken years off my face too. That is my biggest motivation..more than all the clothes I get to buy in the regular section now..that my face looks thinner!
I don't log into WW everyday and maybe I should drop my membership because it HAS taught me how to cut my portions and eat better.
I have 3lbs to my goal if 150 (which is my pre pregnancy weight from 1998) but I have managed to remain the same since we got back from the cruise, so I am very happy!

I didn't mean to run on and on..just to give everyone some inspiration. I use to hear people say "i lost 40lbs" and try to extract every bit of information to learn how..
At Vow Renewal

This was taken about a month ago and it isn't a great shot (I changed my hair to red the weekend before my surgery)

Tips I can offer..eat all day..When I first started, I would eat something every 3 hours..it keeps your blood sugar consistent and makes you feel always like you have something..I would measure out 20 almonds and put them in a ziplock... 11 pretzel flats..Portion control was my big problem.

Let me know if I can help...I have kept it off for 1 year now and 2 years ago, I never thought I would wear a size 10 again..

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

WOW Betsy - you look fabulous! You don't look like the same person! I love hearing before/after, successful weight loss stories! It keeps me motivated and inspires me to keep going - I was that size one, I can do it again! When I look at my jeans I don't know how I fit into them... hopefully in a year's time I'll look at my jeans from now and think I didn't know how I fit into them!

I love Weight Watchers - everytime I lose I want to hug our leader I have 2.5lbs to reach my second mini-goal, which is 5%.

Thanks for posting your story, it shows that no matter how impossible it may seem at times - it really is possible!!

 

[torsie24]

I've seen this before but it doesn't stop it being amazing!!

You must be so happy!!! Well done!!

 

[Kimmers127]

Ooooh, count me in!

I would like to lose about 22 pounds and get nice and toned by September 12 if at all humanly possible.

Currently I weigh 159.5, which probably doesn't sound too awful until I point out that 2 years ago at this time, that number was 137. And the new 20 pounds are SOLID junk food. I need to get back into the habit of reaching for healthy snacks instead of candy bars and ice cream. (Stacey I have soooo done the Cadbury egg thing. It's evil how good those are!!) I also need to learn to not eat triple sized portions at every meal.

I am 25 years old and I'm in the worst shape I've ever been in, when I should be in the BEST shape of my life.

I have a diet (scarily similar to Stacey's!) and a gym membership and now this thread, so I'm starting to feel pretty hopeful!!

Thanks for starting this Torsie.

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

This is the girl I mentioned before. She was in a pop band in the 90s, and when the band split up she put on loads of weight. There was a show with her a while back as she tried to lose the weight for her wedding:

 

[Kimmers127]

Betsy, you look absolutely amazing, you really do. You must be so proud of yourself to be keeping it off too!

Torsie, if the goal is through mid August, then I'd say my goal is 18 pounds... then I'll only have 4 more to go before my September trip on the 18th!

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

Sounds as if we all have similar goals! Hopefully we can keep each other motivated and encourage each other to reach them!

Then we'll all look wonderful for our weddings!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Thanks..this is my proudest thing..I HATED my old arms..look at them..they were HUGE...now I have been working on the tone..they are not done..but better..this was hard to take while holding with one hand..but here

and..for the sake of medical advancement..I will show you this..a really horrible picture of me from July 2006...I have this pinned on my bathroom mirror to remind me..I look pregnant!

 

[torsie24]

Betsy, you look absolutely amazing, you really do. You must be so proud of yourself to be keeping it off too!

Torsie, if the goal is through mid August, then I'd say my goal is 18 pounds... then I'll only have 4 more to go before my September trip on the 18th!

Added you on now

If you have already weighed in this week let me know what you lost - or let me know once you have. :

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

You seriously don't look like the same person Betsy, that's an amazing achievement!

 

[keenercam]

Betsy -- You look truly amazing! I am so jealous of your toned arms. Mine are so toned from the front but I have horrible sagging skin underneath from all the weight loss and my family doctor says plastic surgery is the only solution at this point. So, I'll continue to wear longer length sleeves and just be proud of what that saggy skin represents. LOL!

Congratulations to everyone who is working so hard to feel their best by their wedding day. All of your hard work will pay off when you look at your pictures and realize that the way you look is the result of serious effort. It is so easy to let the stress of wedding planning PLUS work and other life stresses cause us to eat (I call it "self-medicating with food" UGH!)

I know I've already had my wedding and I had a LOT more weight to lose in the years leading up to it than any of you here, but I lost 70 pounds from January 2005 to January 2008 and kept it off in the year leading up to our VR in January 2009. I am convinced that following Weight Watchers and changing my eating habits allowed me to keep the weight off, rather than losing for the wedding and then immediately gaining it back. I really agree with Betsy about eating all day. I find that if I have protein at breakfast, I can get by until lunch with only a piece of fruit for a mid-morning snack. My mid-afternoon snack of light microwave popcorn holds me until dinner. My biggest challenge is late-night eating, but now that I'm tracking points again, I "budget" for that and don't feel bad about a late evening snack. Even now, when I am being "bad", my weight doesn't fluctuate very much and I am now back on track, trying to lose the last 40 pounds or so to get to my lifetime goal.

I hope it's okay if I stop in to say "hi" and encourage all of you on this thread. I admire everyone who is making this effort. We are so fortunate that our DFs or DHs love us so much and I never felt I had to lose weight for Howard, but I LOVE that I feel so much better because I lost it (and am still working at it) for me. Good luck, everyone!!

 

[torsie24]

Betsy -- You look truly amazing! I am so jealous of your toned arms. Mine are so toned from the front but I have horrible sagging skin underneath from all the weight loss and my family doctor says plastic surgery is the only solution at this point. So, I'll continue to wear longer length sleeves and just be proud of what that saggy skin represents. LOL!

Congratulations to everyone who is working so hard to feel their best by their wedding day. All of your hard work will pay off when you look at your pictures and realize that the way you look is the result of serious effort. It is so easy to let the stress of wedding planning PLUS work and other life stresses cause us to eat (I call it "self-medicating with food" UGH!)

I know I've already had my wedding and I had a LOT more weight to lose in the years leading up to it than any of you here, but I lost 70 pounds from January 2005 to January 2008 and kept it off in the year leading up to our VR in January 2009. I am convinced that following Weight Watchers and changing my eating habits allowed me to keep the weight off, rather than losing for the wedding and then immediately gaining it back. I really agree with Betsy about eating all day. I find that if I have protein at breakfast, I can get by until lunch with only a piece of fruit for a mid-morning snack. My mid-afternoon snack of light microwave popcorn holds me until dinner. My biggest challenge is late-night eating, but now that I'm tracking points again, I "budget" for that and don't feel bad about a late evening snack. Even now, when I am being "bad", my weight doesn't fluctuate very much and I am now back on track, trying to lose the last 40 pounds or so to get to my lifetime goal.

I hope it's okay if I stop in to say "hi" and encourage all of you on this thread. I admire everyone who is making this effort. We are so fortunate that our DFs or DHs love us so much and I never felt I had to lose weight for Howard, but I LOVE that I feel so much better because I lost it (and am still working at it) for me. Good luck, everyone!!

Wow! 70lbs!! Well done!!! You look amazing in your photos!

I totally agree about weight watchers, it's a great attitude to food and life and it's really taught me what food is 'worth' calories wise.

It's more than OK for you to stop by and say 'hi', I think having people to encourage you who have been there is what makes the difference on the really tough days!!

Well done again!!!!!

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

I agree, I love Weight Watchers! It's so easy to follow and nothing is forbidden which makes a big difference!

70lbs is absolutely amazing! Congratulations on that weight loss! Please do stop by and let us know how you're getting on! I find it really inspiring hearing other people's stories about how they lost weight, I think, I can do that too!

I haven't been out on the town in such a long time - Everytime my friends ask me I say no, I haven't got anything to wear, and I'm the heaviest of both my best friends by a mile. I can't wait to lose some weight and go partying with them again!!

 

[snowpixiemn]

I am totally impressed with the amount of dedication that you ladies have for losing the weight for your weddings. And after seeing Betsy's pictures I have a new motivation to lose weight again. I am 193 after being sick for the last few months. For over a decade I was 186. Ideally I am suppose to be 138. Honestly I was fairly comfortable at 186 and had no plans to lose any weight for the wedding, being as I've tried all the diets and workout plans and none have seem to work. But now I'd like to lose 25 pounds. Has anyone here not done the WW or been a gym fanatic and lost the weight? WW depresses me. It might be different in the states than it is in the UK, but the meetings I went to always tried to reward the people that lost tons and boo the ones that gained. For me the whole point was about support and I switched the meet locations twice and it was the same thing. Any suggestions?

 

[malibustacey]

Ooooh, count me in!

I would like to lose about 22 pounds and get nice and toned by September 12 if at all humanly possible.

Currently I weigh 159.5, which probably doesn't sound too awful until I point out that 2 years ago at this time, that number was 137. And the new 20 pounds are SOLID junk food. I need to get back into the habit of reaching for healthy snacks instead of candy bars and ice cream. (Stacey I have soooo done the Cadbury egg thing. It's evil how good those are!!) I also need to learn to not eat triple sized portions at every meal.

I am 25 years old and I'm in the worst shape I've ever been in, when I should be in the BEST shape of my life.

I have a diet (scarily similar to Stacey's!) and a gym membership and now this thread, so I'm starting to feel pretty hopeful!!

Thanks for starting this Torsie.

the diet plan is hard to go by but when it comes to the salad and fruits - i make sure i fil myself up on them so i dont run to a loaf of bread or the crisp cupboard! i had a gym membership but i havent gone for months and i will start going after i have lost weight because i always gain more when i start excercising (muscle) but i will start the gym soon i promise! haha

Thanks..this is my proudest thing..I HATED my old arms..look at them..they were HUGE...now I have been working on the tone..they are not done..but better..this was hard to take while holding with one hand..but here

and..for the sake of medical advancement..I will show you this..a really horrible picture of me from July 2006...I have this pinned on my bathroom mirror to remind me..I look pregnant!

that is amazing. I cannot belive your arms - i want YOUR ARMS!! they are soooo nice - what excercises did you do to tone your arms?

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

My meeting/leader isn't like that at all - even if it's 1/2lb off, she praises those members - a very 'every little helps' mentality. She'll try and help those who've gained figure out where they're going wrong. It's a shame that your experience has put you off WW though. I suppose it's not for everybody, but I feel like it's really helped me - I'm a planner/organizer by nature, so I like tracking everything I eat. I think Torsie is doing it online rather than going to meetings, and I know someone who's had success with their 'at home' kit too, maybe that's an option? Or you could find a new WW meeting? Or just any eating plan which is right for you.

Another fan of Betsy's arms!! They look fab! I have flabby upper arms which I hate!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I did not do WW meetings..I can't go to a meeting and sit with people..I loved the online..no one to talk to but all the points were tracked..so was the exercise..I just scanned the last chart I printed ..you can see how the WW looks..

I think right now they are having a 7 day free trial..I saw it on the boards yesterday