Has anyone here lost 50 lbs? I need some motivation!

It would also be helpful if you have pics.   I am STRUGGLING.  I can lose 5 lbs no problem.  And that's all.  Then I get frustrated/depressed, give up for a while and gain it back.  Then start over.  I've been trying to get into the 170s for about 9 months now.  

So I would love to hear some 50 lb success stories/pictures and would like to know how you did it and how long it took you.

Thanks!!!!

SURELY someone on here has lost 50 lbs! 

Bump!!

I've lost 77 pounds total in the last year, 50 of them since starting to use CC in February (I started another thread about this yesterday, actually).  I started at 230 pounds (at 5' 6") and am now 153 pounds (ultimate goal is 135).  I don't have any pics though, I'm afraid.  Somewhere there is a before/after pic thread; you should search for it in the forums.

Anyway, I just decided to give calorie counting an honest shot rather than doing the old routine of making a big effort for a week and then giving up when my weight fluctuated or I was in a position where counting was inconvenient.  Once I made up my mind, it was just a matter of time for the weight to come off.  I've been maintaining about a 1000 kcal/day deficit for six months, which is pretty high, I will admit.  I am comfortable eating 1300-1400 kcal/day, though, so maintaining a high deficit hasn't been too much of a struggle.  Keeping the motivation to log every meal takes some commitment, for sure, but it quickly became routine.  Exercise has also just been a matter of creating new routines: walking to the store instead of driving, taking walks during my free time at work, using resistance bands while watching the Daily Show, etc.

Seriously, you can do it!  I remember being in the same kind of discouraged mindset and not very long ago!  All it really takes is a firm commitment to yourself and some time.

Hi there,

I'm almost to 50 pounds, if that helps!  I started my diet at 260 and now I weigh 220.  I'm aiming to reach 175 before reassessing myself and seeing if I need to take off any more weight.

It has been a long process and there are a lot of times where I do not feel like I am pretty or skinny enough.  As a result I took a break these past two weeks to not think about what I was eating or count calories for a day.  Now I'm starting on my diet again (after eating foods at places like Luby's that made me sick...).

I keep my weight progress in a private area so I haven't uploaded anything here, but I can guarantee you that I am making progress.  I've got a chart thingie up on my profile right now.  You can do it, just take it one day at a time.

Never EVER give up!!! Keep going, especially when it gets tough. That's when you'll see results AND keep the weight from comming back.

I've lost 119 lbs (that's right, 119lbs!) as of today. Down from 294 to 175 lbs and I feel fantastic! It has taken me about 15 months to lose that weight. The last few months have been rather slow, losing just 3 lbs or so per month. BUT, that has not stopped me from perserving. I just say to myself that to keep the weight off forever I have to keep making good decisions. The number doesn't matter as long as I'm doing the right and healthy thing. 

I eat about 1750 calories a day and exercise 4-5 days a week. I have one "junk " meal a week. Usually planned around celebrations or events. At those times I don't count calories and I let myself enjoy foods I like. It's not about deprivation but rather healthy living. If you look at it that way, it will be easy to continue and you won't be frustrated. Best of all, you'll keep the weight off for good!

You can do it too! PP said it right. One day, one good decision at a time. That's all it takes. You'll get there in no time.

I lost 50lbs+ about four years ago.  It took six months to break the back of it and another three months to lose the rest (slowly).  And the intervening 4 years have seen me regain a little, lose a little and I find that rather more difficult than the original loss.

I found that I had to commit to the change first and foremost.  I think that's important for yourself.  Clear your cupboards.  Draw a line in the sand.  Look forward not back... all that guff.

Next was to find a pleasant & flexible way to go about it.  Having tried and failed before with various fad diets and get-slim-quick schemes I realised this was really vital.  If it wasn't pleasant I wasn't going to stick with it.  If it wasn't flexible I would end up having to eat different foods to my family or struggling to find something to eat in a restaurant.   So I went for a 1500 cal target each day, good foods, 'normal' looking meals.... No special products or 'funny stuff'.  I kept in the odd glass of wine or the odd meal out.

Finally exercise.  I am energetic but the world's worst exerciser and have spent 4 years trying to find things that I enjoy enough to do regularly.  So all I can do is keep changing it around and hoping I can stick with it for a while.  Currently, (and noone is more amazed than myself) I am putting on a very silly pair of black knee-length running shorts and a vest top and going for a 25 minute run every evening.  It won't last.... LOL!!!

Congrats anjig! you look amazing :)

I haven't lost 50 lbs...but i have lost 10! And that makes me feel great. I still have 18 or so to go, but I just have to keep on track.

I've lost 69 pounds.  I'm 5'6" and started at 226.  157 as if this morning.  You can check out my before and after pics in my gallery.

The last three or four months have been the most difficult.  I've only managed to lose five pounds in the last four months.  My original goal was to get to 154 and boy has it been elusive!

I guess the best piece of advice I can give you is to keep on plugging.  You will have good days and bad days.  The trick is to forgive yourself for the bad days and start fresh the next day.  Eventually I will meet my goal, and you will too!

I've lost 50lb... I was 175lb, I've been around 128ish for this year. I keep thinking I should lose a last 5-10lb but my body seems to like this weight and I think I look good so I might stick here!

I was a slow weight loser, over several years, so probably not what you have in mind. I didn't ever have a goal weight originally, or anything like that, my motto was just "be healthier today than you were yesterday". I made small, easy, sometimes even enjoyable, but constant changes to my diet. I ate half of what I ate before in restaurants. I took up Japanese cooking instead of Italian. Drank less wine (didn't stop!) I walked more. Weight came off, slowly. If I'd calorie-counted earlier it probably would have come off faster. Never regained any though. Started calorie counting at 140lb. Didn't own a scale till I was at maintenance weight though. It probably wouldn't work for everyone.

You will want to lose weight quicker than me of course, but I think long term success comes of not hating your body. When I was a size 14, I enjoyed that. It was slimmer than a size 16. I am passionate about my cooking. That helps.

There are pictures in my gallery - one of me at my biggest and a lot more of me now. Please feel free to look...

Like I said, I lost it very slowly, but I really think it is going to stay off forever.

I went from 412 to 250 then up to where I am now in the 290's after starting fertility treatments. It is a constant struggle. I take each day and each meal at a time.

I had used this website to look up calories in foods for a while now and just this week decided to sign up.

Good luck!!!!

I've lost 70 pounds so far and hope to lose 45 more. I have pics in my profile. I've been working at it since the end of 2006, when I weighed 286, and I'm down to 216 now. My goal is 170.

As for how? Every day is its own challenge. I maintained for an entire year when a new job took over my life, and managed not to gain any weight back, even though I stopped losing. Now I'm back on track again and working toward my goal. Lately I'm going to the gym at least 4 times a week, and my calorie goal is 1700.

I've found it very important to log my calories, even if they're bad for the day; otherwise you chock it up to "it's been a bad week" and lose your motivation. Even though I have gained a lot of skill in estimating calories, when I don't actually log them, I can't keep myself accountable and will ultimately have a late-night ice cream snack, etc.

I lost 65 pounds over 2 years ago - and it took me about a year and a half. Now I have to lose 50 pounds AGAIN because I just had my son a little under 2 months ago! I know I can do it again though, because I've done it before! I just have to stick to a healthy diet and start my work outs slowly so that I can become what I once made myself before...SLOWLY and healthily! You can do this! I've done it, and plan on doing it again! BTW - I've lost my first 5 already just eating healthy in the last week and a half - : D DON'T GIVE UP!

~ Steph

P.S. There are pics in my profile from when I was heavy the first time and what I looked like when I lost all the weight!

I've lost about 60lbs. I have a comparison pic in my profile.