Pride in Oneself
For Epiphany, a once popular weight loss supplement didn't bring the results he wanted. He then embarked on a healthy diet and a fitness regimen bringing his weight down by 75lbs and he couldn’t be more thrilled about it! Having the right mindset has given him the physical and psychological benefits that come with following a healthy lifestyle.
He contacted us through our Share Your Story feature, and provided the following answers to our questionnaire.
1. What made you decide to lose weight this time?
While on vacation I used my sister's scale to measure my weight and was shocked to see it saying 235lbs. I had never been that heavy before and always thought I was 215 at the most. This is when I told myself enough is enough. Time to get healthy!
2. What other "diets" (programs, products, plans, or services) had you tried in the past?
A year before I started I tried Hydroxycut with walking 5 miles a day 3 days a week. Big mistake. The Hydroxycut made me sick and I actually gained 20 pounds.
3. What changes did you make to your usual diet, activity, lifestyle, and attitude?
I started eating healthier versions of usually high fat, high calorie foods. For example, instead of deep frying chicken and fries I would bake the chicken and the fries completely cutting out the extra added oil. I started walking 5 miles a day 6 days a week and gradually worked up to running 7 miles a day 4 days a week. Before I started I had the worst outlook on life but now it's like nothing bothers me. I'm always smiling, always trying to make other people laugh and keeping an open mind about things in my life. Anytime someone asks me how I'm doing I always reply "I'm excellent". It's all about the self-fulfilling prophecy you know.
4. How did Calorie Count help you to lose weight?
The tools here on Calorie Count are a godsend. You will almost never reach a goal unless you know how you are progressing towards that goal. I now use Calorie Count to check the nutritional values of every single "new" food I eat so I can be sure I stay well within my daily calorie and nutritional goals. Calorie Count also has some of the most amazing people that share their stories of success and failures that help to motivate others and help them stay on the right track.
5. What was most challenging about losing weight?
Actually I found weight loss to be a very easy thing. It's just that I feel it takes too long. But if I was to say something was challenging I would have to point my finger at the people around me in my life. While losing weight I was constantly put down by people saying I can't do it and I would fail. Even after losing 75 pounds I still have people trying to put me down and telling me I will gain all the weight back and more.
6. How long did it take you to see results?
Looking in the mirror I never saw results. Even up to today I still see the same person I saw a few months ago when I look in the mirror. But after about 2 months and 25 pounds lost I started noticing all my clothes getting bigger and baggy and for some odd reason I started having more energy for my workouts and started running instead of just walking.
7. When did you realize that you were a success?
I thought "I'm finally succeeding at this" when people started telling me it looks like I'm losing weight. I've had people come up to me and ask me if I was sick or something. I even had a mini intervention from a few people that didn't know I was actively losing weight to address my "drug problem". I've had complete strangers come up to me and ask me how I did it and people stop me while on my road run almost every day to congratulate me.
8. How do you prevent relapse?
My plan to prevent relapse started two years before I even started actively losing weight. I felt that to stick to anything you have to have good training. I trained myself to accept healthier food that I never liked (veggies), I stopped eating fast food and made the change from mostly fried to mostly steamed or baked foods. I did it slowly over the course of two years so my mind and body would become accustomed to this new lifestyle.
9. How has your life changed now that you've lost weight?
It's amazing the hardships overweight people have to endure. I was constantly made fun of when I was fat. There was nobody in my life that I felt truly close to because everybody focused on my weight, and because of that my attitude was horrible. Now that I'm at a normal weight I've gained more self-esteem, people are much nicer to me and my attitude has made a drastic change for the better.
10. What five tips do you have for other dieters?
- Respect your body, it's the only one you have.
- If you mess up don't be hard on yourself. The only person that
never made a mistake has not been born yet. We all mess up once in a
while and it's what you do after you realize it that counts. - Don't call your diet a diet. Call it a new way of life. Diets are temporary. A change of life is permanent.
- Don't be secretive about it. Let others know so that if something
arises because of your changes to life it won't be a shock to them. - Use your tools!!! By tools I mean Calorie Count. Use the food log,
the weight log, the activity log. Use your journal, read other
people's journals. Read the forums, post messages in the forums, reply
to messages in the forums, and make friends.
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
Congratulations! I am just starting (again) on my weight loss journey. I have accomplished so much in my life, but it seems I just can't get rid of this weight. I have to address my depression problem, and my emotional eating. It has been inspiring to read about you, and this is going to be the first day of my new way of life and hopefully the last. I took a New Year's Resolution this year (2009) to lose this weight and I haven't done that. I don't want it to be my 2010 resolution. I go to Hawaii in October and I want to be 45 pounds lighter. I do work out and eat veggies already (from the last time I tried losing and have kept at it), so now I just have to work on the rest, controlling how much I eat. I don't eat fast food or fried foods or drink soda, so I don't have the usual 'bad' things to give up. I don't think you will gain the weight back, your mindset has changed. THIS is your life now. God Bless.
Congratulations! You look great and you sound very healthy, both physically and emotionally. You dealt with negative comments, but didn't let them get you down or distract you from your goal to get to and maintain a healthy weight. I agree with ariesgirl417's comment that you will not regain the weight, because your mindset has changed. Way to go with the positive attitude. Be positive and positive things happen. Maybe with time you will find that some of your close contacts who have been negative will change their mindset and be influenced by the positive energy you exude.
You should be very proud of your accomplishments. Thanks for sharing your story and helping us all be inspired.
Your story is inspiring, and you look really great. Congratulations, and thank you for sharing your experiences.
Thank you for the great motivation. I love your optimism. Another great way to look at your weight change is NOT to call it weight "loss" but "dropped". It's all a state of mind. When you loose something the goal in your mind is to gain it back. Look at it as 'weight dropped'. If you drop something intensionally, it's gone for good! You didn't loose 75 pounds, you dropped 75 pounds. See the difference?
this is the first story I have ever commented on and that is because it touched me so much - I lost about 25 lbs almost 4 years ago and have been able to keep it off - but it is still something I have to be aware of every day -
what moved me so much in your story was what you told about other people - I had the same things happen - while I was losing -some negative people actually told me I was doing it "too fast" - wouldn't be able to keep it off - etc. - (all while stuffing in fast food!) I had a family intervention as well - with members telling me I was getting too thin (I weigh the right amount for my height -) and they worried I had a "problem" - I think the problem is really that they don't like change - don't like to see change in a loved one - feel threatened maybe by someone who is able to do it when they are not ( they are mostly all over-weight) - feel their social habits are different because we "meet and eat" and the group mentality is like permission and a license to over eat on really really unhealthy food -
like you, I feel like I have a better attitude now and I do feel like that helps people respond to me better - the good news is everyone is used to my new life, look and diet - there are occasion comments still at family gatherings - but for the most part people have accepted that this is how I live now - I eat correctly except for an occasional treat - and I work out nearly every day - I admire you for sticking to it - it is so hard - and you are so right - you CANNOT call it a "diet" - you have to tell yourself and everyone else until you absorb it that this is the way you live your life now - and I'm sure you have found - as I have - that the results are worth it - looking better and feeling better every day are better than the alternative and you can feel like you are investing in your future - if you keep this up you will avoid many of the down sides of getting older! Thanks for your inspiring story - this time of year it helps me to stay motivated!
Congratulations Epiphany
!
I am so happy that you accomplished what you set out to do.
I am ecstatic that your naysayers now have "egg-on-their-faces"!
Keep your water and sugar/sugar substitute handy; when you encounter those lemons again, you'll be able to make and enjoy your lemonade!
Congrats Epiphany - you look great!! Keep up the good work - I know I am and I am slowly seeing results - slowly, but at least I see them and I know they are happening. And to all those negative people who say you can't do it or you'll gain it back - forget them - they are just insecure because you have it going on and can do it and they can't. Take what they say with a grain of salt - you should be proud of what you have accomplished. :)
Great Job! Its always amazing to me to see guys go through weight issues. I think its more acceptable for guys than females to be a lil bit overweight...staying positive is def the best way to go. As I lose weight I feel that certain family members and friends do not want to acknowledge the success because like someone else mentioned they are not able to do it themselves and dont want to give credit where credit is due. Its easier to just not face responsibility. It takes a lot to have self control and fight the daily temptations to self indulge. Thank you for sharing your success story
This is a great story to start the day with and could also be the one that gets my husband motivated - he is also 240lbs and needs to lose at least 35lbs - he is 6 foot 2. I really loved everything you said and you should be so proud of yourself and you do look amazing! congratulations to you for your success!
Great accomplishment and appreciate the insight sharing, i myself started 15weeks ago when i thought enough is enough and i have lost 3 pant and shirt sizes i am 5'6" and i have managed an over all drop in weight from 205Lbs to 168 Lbs a total drop of 37Lbs. The weight loss has changed the outlook and certainly my life style. I managed to get into Abercrombie & fitch muscle fit clothes which i love and bot myself a new set of clothes for the holiday season which is such a great feeling.
I have read over 20-25 magazines on health, nutrition and signed up on forums that help me keep my motivation high as well as answer some of my questions at times such as am i loosing too much too fast, how can i keep it off and how can i go from being obese to natural body building which is my ultimate goal!
I Love calorie count and its tools! This site has given me a lot and thanks to all the subscribers and people who write such encouraging comments to others and positive energy is awesome!!!
Keep up the good work.. You look amazing.. I have lost 97 pounds to date and work at it every day..
Congratulations! You look wonderful and sound wonderful!
Your story brought a smile to my face because people said the same things to me after I lost 30 lbs. - that I was getting too thin and not to lose any more. I am entirely within the normal range for my height - usually those comments came from others who were quite overweight. One friend reminded me that people who say negative things can't themselves accomplish that goal and, because of that, don't want others to be able to either - kind of a "misery likes company" thing.
Your change in lifestyle is so positive and it sounds like you have really thought about your future as a healthy person. You have a lot of wisdom to share. Thanks for sharing your story - you are an inspiration.
Great read. I'm curious - who are these people in your life that actually make fun of you for losing weight? They are absolutely taking out their own insecurities on you (and I'm willing to bet that they're overweight, too). Kudos to you for rising above that. It's not easy.
Dare I say that crappy urban planning and our own public policy has something to do with that? It's very difficult for many to obtain healthy food because it is insanely expensive. It's too easy to just eat fast food all the time, what with burger joints and liquor stores on every corner.
Congratulations on your weight loss and your positive mind set!!! Keep up the good work!
AWESOME! Let the haters be your motivators and keep up the good living
Epiphany, you look great! Awesome job -- stories like yours keep the rest of us going!
Well done! What an inspiring story ... I wouldn't be surprised if a few of the people who have been trying to pull you down end up joining in the new lifestyle! Keep going - you're an inspiration.
Epiphany! What a nice surprise! I am so proud of you buddy. 
So so impressive - good for you! I love how you say you're excellent anytime anyone asks how you're doing - we should all aim to be saying that every day! It must feel pretty great. Enjoy it!
great work and words of wisdom. I agree, some of the biggest challenges are people, especially those who dangle brownies, etc in my face when i've made it clear i want to avoid them. I know i'm responsible for my own consumption, but the relentless confrontation with temptations is a burden. I like your suggestion to call it a change of life rather than a diet. my perspective has shifted. Keep it up and keep us informed. Happy Holidays!
What an inspiring journey you have shared!. Thank you for that. If you can do it, so can I.
congrats keep up the good work I have been there and trying to get back but this time maintain the weight loss
I have to lose 75 lbs. exactly to achieve my ideal. Today is my very first day along the road you already traveled. Your story is very inspiring.
Any tips?
Hi Bro. (hee, hee)
Spectacular!!!!!!!!!! SPECTACULAR!!!!!!! Did I say Spectacular?
Thank you Epiphany!!!
May God Bless your efforts!!
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Reading this was a great way to start out the day. Thanks.