Getting My Confidence Back!
Sydpa97 is no stranger to weight loss - he had previously lost over 80lbs. However, while training for a triathlon he suffered a severe knee injury and gained all the weight back. Since joining Calorie Count, Sydpa97 has lost 60lbs by monitoring his calorie intake, adding exercise and removing processed foods from his diet. The only thing he is gaining is self confidence!
He contacted us through our Share Your Story feature and provided the following answers to our questionnaire.
1. What prompted you to begin this weight loss journey? Did you have an
"Aha!" moment?
I was completely done with not doing something about it! Having been extremely active and fit up to the point I injured my knee more than a decade ago, the pain of doing nothing took over. I decided even if I couldn't work out the way I would like to initially, I could do something about my daily diet at least.
2. What other "diets" (programs, products, plans, or services) had you
tried in the past?
I trained for triathlons a few years back and lost a great deal of weight. Once I injured my knee worse than it already was though I couldn't keep up that activity level and gained all the weight back.
3. Please describe how you reached your weight loss goal. What changes did you make to your usual diet, activity, lifestyle, and attitude? Did you implement any other strategies besides Calorie Count? What was the most important change?
I changed so much about my diet it would take too long to list everything. The main things that had the most impact however were counting calories (while maintaining proper nutrient levels), not going out for lunch at work, and cutting out almost entirely, processed food. The less hands that touch my food from the source, the better! My activity picked up only after I had my ACL surgery (after shedding 35-40 pounds by changing my diet). I've had issues with my knee for more than a dozen years and refused to let it be a reason any longer for carrying around the fat. My lifestyle and attitude are pretty much the same.
The most important change without a doubt has been to keep the food I eat "touched" by as few as possible from its natural source. In my experience the less processed the food I consumed was, the better I felt and the quicker the pounds fell away.
4. Please describe how Calorie Count was instrumental to your weight
loss.
It provided an easily accessible data base that I utilized as a means of accomplishing the task at hand. It was also a great resource in obtaining ideas to try and is a GREAT place to catalogue recipes!
5. What difficulties did you experience losing weight?
Primarily the medical aspects. The knee initially, but now having been diagnosed last week with Hashimoto's (an auto-immune induced hypothyroid disease) clearly it has been both.
6. How long did it take you to see results? When did you realize that you were a success?
Meaningful results for me took three months. It's been nine months currently since I became actively engaged in the process and couldn't be more pleased!
I felt successful when I truly quit getting hung up on the scale and what BMI charts said was the "correct" weight for me. At 5'10" and 210 pounds I'm still considered obese by the BMI standard. I've never been able to meet the "normal" height weight standard and have been extremely fit in the process. I'm fit right now and will continue to build muscle on top of what I already have, but I truly don't consider myself obese any longer and I don't think the image I see in the mirror reflects an obese person either. I feel great, look fit, and can easily work through the most aggressive work-out routines. I could care less about where I fall on the BMI charts!
7. How do you prevent relapse?
By holding myself accountable to my routine and monitoring what I eat. It's important for me to have a plan or something to anchor myself to, to stay on track when life gets in the way. In my opinion the types of foods we eat and exercises we choose are the only ways to do that in any sustainable fashion. Losing weight is as simple as something can be...it just isn't easy. Your body will tell you when you are eating too much of the wrong things once you know what eating right feels like. Until that point use the food logs (and it doesn't hurt to check in on yourself every now and then either...LOL)
Exercise! I don't move through the day the same way at all when it's a scheduled day off from the gym or I miss a day for whatever reason. Listen to what your body is telling you and don't let anything interfere with doing so. For me that means 5:30 am to get it done; not many things competing for my time at that hour...!
8. How has your life changed now that you've lost weight?
I'd say my self confidence is back to where it should be. I didn't really know I'd lost any until it was back. It's strange how that works. I was able to coach my twin son's wrestling club this year in their first year of their participating in the sport. I would not have been able to do that 60 pounds ago.
9. How long have you maintained your current weight?
I've been relatively the same weight the last three months. I don't consider myself as "maintaining" at this point though. I'll continue to work my plan, continue to experience body composition changes and likely some additional weight loss in doing so. I estimate things will settle out around 185 pounds.
10. What five tips do you have for other dieters?
- Aside from the vanity crowd, don't view this as a diet or you will fail (eventually). Rather, view it as an opportunity to transition your mind to a proper paradigm relative to eating and exercise. If your previous one was correct, you wouldn't have the pounds on you that need to be gone.
- Set goals that you need to work hard for. Restrain from setting time limits unless you know that should you not meet your self imposed time constraints, you won't feel defeated and quit.
- Prepare your own food as much as you possibly can and keep track of everything you eat until it becomes more intuitive to do so.
- Construct a work-out routine you can commit to maintaining even after you have lost your weight. You can always scale back on the intensity later, but have that routine structured in such a way that it can become a habit.
- It's o.k. when life happens to take you off your plan here and there, but hold yourself accountable that it will be the exception and not the rule. At the end of the day, it's nobody but you that can do it!
If you would like us to feature your success story, you can submit it here. The most insightful stories will be featured on this blog and in the weekly "Success Stories" newsletter.
Comments
You look awesome, definitely very muscular! I totally agree about eating mostly natural, unprocessed foods. It makes such a difference in not only the way your body looks but feels too.
Aside from the vanity crowd, don't view this as a diet or you will fail (eventually). Rather, view it as an opportunity to transition your mind to a proper paradigm relative to eating and exercise. If your previous one was correct, you wouldn't have the pounds on you that need to be gone
This too is what jumped out at me. Whatever your reason for overeating, there IS a reason. No "diet" alone can change that. There has to be a mind shift to making eating healthy a lifestyle. You've said it perfectly!
Congratulations-- you look great and your common-sense approach will be a wonderful example to those around you!
What an INSPIRATION you are. And WOW.... if those who need it could only adopt your thoughts!! I'm losing weight myself right now....not that I'm was really overweight...just a little over and a bit sluggish. But...about five weeks ago, I decided I was tired of being half asleep, dull, no energy....a couch potato waiting for my heart attack at age 63. So, I pulled the plug! Haven't touched a drop of alcohol in five weeks, nor eaten pork, fatty beef, or processed foods of any kind. I'm strictly on fresh fruits, and produce, seafood, chicken, and lots and lots of fresh veggies. I decided what you said has to be true. If what I was doing was right, I wouldn't feel like a slug in winter and be 20 pounds too heavy. I'm not anywhere near the inspiration to others that you are, but I can say this. In just five weeks, with my new lifestyle, new diet, and an hour and a half of exercise every other day....at 63 I haven't felt so good in 20 years!! I will NEVER go back to hot dogs, cookies, potato chips, and other assorted garbage that I used to put in my stomach. I get out of bed now ready to GO GO GO!! I'm NOT on a diet, either!! Diets will NOT work! All they do is lower your weight so that when you stop dieting you will gain back more than you lost!! I've adopted a new way of life, a new way of eating, an enjoyment of "doing things" (which is what I call "exercise") and I'm not going back to the old days. If you need to lose weight.....Sydpa97 is right on target. Get off your @$%...put down the cigarettes, beer, potato chips, television, and stress. As Royal Carribean Cruise Lines puts it...."GET OUT THERE!" My change is tiny compared to some on this website....but I feel like a million dollars only FIVE WEEKS into my new life. 10 pounds lighter, happier, healthier, and looking forward to tomorrow. DO IT NOW! Life is too short to put it off. Go on! Dance like nobody's watching, and if someone is.....give 'em a good laugh, and laugh with 'em. Hot D%^#&, lets go do something!!!
WOW!!! You look terrific!! I love your definition of 'success'! What a great attitude you have...thanks for the inspiration on a Monday morning!!
Great advice! This is what I've been trying to share with my friends who are on their weight loss programs. You gotta take responsibility for your body and stop blaming it on the food! I know young people who eat junk all day long and maintain their weight, but it's only a matter of time before it catches up to them, either medically or by gaining weight. Keep up the good work, you look fantastic!
Great job! Very encouraging! I have lost 130 through calorie counting and exercise. Love the story!
Chris
see my profile for a link to my story
You look so much healthier, younger, and more fit. Congratultaitons!
Absolutely great philosophy. I love the focus on whole unprocessed foods, and the general change of mind-set rather than 'diet' (I hate that word). I also appreciate the reminder that the BMI does not work for everyone. A few years ago (and 40 lbs less) I was in really good shape with lots of muscle definition, and was still technically overweight. Am working to get back there now and maintain it this time!
What a motivational story! Great job! Feeling good is such an incentive to keep doing what your're doing I'll bet. The advice about setting up a routine for working out and logging food and making a plan is such good advice. When I fail to plan, I plan to fail when life happens.
It's o.k. when life happens to take you off your plan here and there, but hold yourself accountable that it will be the exception and not the rule. At the end of the day, it's nobody but you that can do it!
This jumped out at me and is exactly the mind shift I needed to make a lasting impression on my weight. I still have around 2 stone to lose but to date have lost five stone and realising that at the end of the day only I can do it for me is how I've arrived where I am today.
Thank you for your story you look like a different person and sharing your story has helped me on my path to health, btw I totally agree with the clean eating philosophy it worked for you and it's working for me :)
Thanks for the feed back both on here and the message format! Everything I've read has been very kind.... I was happy to share, which is one of the great things about this site. So many have been motivating and inspirational along this path for me. It makes me feel good I was able to give back in some a similar way. 
Thank you for your story. It is very inspirational.
I have been logging my calories since June 2009. I lost 15 lbs in the first three months. Since Sept 2009, I have been on a maintenance diet. But I log my calories faithfully. Sometimes I do fall of the wagon and eat but the next day, I jump back on the program. Yes, I stay away from processed foods.
I read the success stories every Monday for inspiration and motivation.
I too found this statement to be helpful. I meet with some "calorie counting" members on Wednesday night. I am bringing this up as a testimony to "keep it going". Thanks. By the way you look great!
Just wanted to mention that a benefit I found to eliminating processed food was almost an end to my chronic migraines. I went from one every ten weeks to eight months without one, and I think that one was caused by an overdose of oranges -- knew citrus fruit could cause them but those oranges from Florida in January in New Hampshire looked and tasted so good.
Thanks for sharing your story. I've been sneaking a few crackers occasionally into my diet, and your story reminds me to quit them. I recently read somewhere that if your grandmother wouldn't recognize an ingredient, don't eat it!
fuesriane
I forgot to share having run across this great little read I'll post below. I read it last summer around the time I began actively using CC. When the author covered various topics I remember thinking "Hey- CC does this better than any excel sheet could"! It was written in the 80's, but timeless analogies were used that I found very helpful in keeping proper perspective.
Omg, you look great! Thanks for your story and for giving me the push to loose the last 10.
american
apples
asian
beans
beef
blog
bmi
breakfast
calcium
calories
cheese
chicken
chocolate
coffee
confidence
cooking
dessert
diabetes
diet
dieting
dietsinreview
dinner
eggs
emotionaleating
exercise
family
fiber
fish
fitness
fruit
goals
healthyeating
hunger
hungrygirl
inspiration
italian
loseweight
mediterranean
mexican
mindset
motivation
nuts
obesity
party
pasta
portioncontrol
potatoes
protein
quinoa
recipe
recipes
salad
self-esteem
sleep
snack
snacks
soup
spinach
stress
successstory
sugar
support
tbl
thebiggestloser
tips
turkey
tv
vegan
vegetable
vegetables
vegetarian
water
weightloss
workout
yogurt
Aside from the vanity crowd, don't view this as a diet or you will fail (eventually). Rather, view it as an opportunity to transition your mind to a proper paradigm relative to eating and exercise. If your previous one was correct, you wouldn't have the pounds on you that need to be gone.
I really love this! It's what I've been trying to get to grips with myself!