Successful Losers - check in!

Thought it might be helpful/informational if some of our successful weight losers could check in here with a couple of simple stats. Your height/age/starting & current weight and how many calories you typically consume in a day. And for one last note, what do you think was the most important factor in your weight loss (counting, exercise, support, etc).

Thanks everyone!

height 5'2" (158 cm)

age     27

starting weight 165.4 lbs / 75 kg - Apr 2006

current weight 130 lbs / 59 kg

All time low: 122 lbs /55.5 kg -Feb 2008

Goal weight: 120-122 lbs / 54.4 kg

calories 1200-1500

exercise: HIIT on steper 3-5 days/week; weights; tennis (summer); aqua fitness (starting next week)

Height = just under 6'2"

Age = 37

Starting weight = 292 lbs

Current weight = 228.6 lbs

When losing weight I was consuming 1700 on low end to 2000 calories a day 5 days a week, and twice a week I would jump up to 2400 to 2600 calories a day.  Keeping in mind that I have a desk job 10 hours a day, with little physical activity for my first 40 lbs and not much greater activity after that.

I purchased a postage scale, weigh all of the food and pay attention to what I put in my face.  Ha Ha!!  I had no clue how many calories I actually was eating in a day until back in February I kept track.  I was probably eating closer to 3000-4000 calories (maybe more some days) a day.

Reading other peoples stories has been great, learning how to eat smaller portions, and sticking to my Oxidizer rate of 40% carbs, 30% fat, 30% protien along with the metabolic booster days (higher calorie intake) has been my success.

P.S.  I also eat five times a day to try and keep my metabolism boosted.  Even if it is just a low calorie snack between meals.

 

Height- 5'3"

Age- 29

Starting weight- 291 (April 2007)

Current Weight- 186.6 September 2008)

Goal Weight- 150

Calories- 1600 to 1800

Exercise- 40 min of Eliptical daily, and walking 30 min during lunch up to 5 days a week, I am planning to add weight training

Important factors- 1) buying into the idea that this is a life style change. 2) working my butt off when working out and increasing the time, resistance ect... over time 3) Logging everything and making sure I don't restrict my calories too much 4) support from family and friends 5) wanting it and believing that I can do this!

I considered not posting here because I am still a long way from my goal, but I'm proud of my success thus far, so I'll post!

Height - 5'10

Age - 28

Starting Weight - 290  (July 2008)

Current Weight - 248

I've lost 42 pounds in two months.  I know that sounds like a lot of weight, but I have been very active.  I've read posts from others that have needed to lose over 100 pounds that have had the same kind of weight loss.  My doctor is fine with this.

I'm walking 3 - 5 miles daily, either outside or on my new treadmill.  I am eating between 1,600 and 1,800 calories daily, with a "free" meal every two weeks.  (I eat what I want in moderation, not a total binge.)  I have realized I was probably eating over 4,000 calories a day before I started counting calories.

I'm still about 92 pounds away from my goal of 156, but I'm proud of what I have done at this point.

My caloric intake and exercise level has changed and evolved a lot since I began last year but what it has been recently (the last 5 months) I'll list

Age-31

Height- 5'2

Starting Weight -228 (Feb 2007)

Current Weight- 121

Calories a day 1200

 

I can't pick one thing out that has been the most beneficial, more of a total package deal.  I started slowly with the diet and exercise and have worked myself up to a pretty strict point (even though I totally blew it today on all levels damn Dairy Queen) 

Height- 5ft 6

Age- 28

Starting weight- 201 (19th June 2008)

Current Weight- 173.6

Goal Weight- 132

Calories- 1200 if sedantry more if i am exercising.

I think the most importaant factor in my weightloss has been CC. Without you guys I do think i would have been able to keep going sometimes. The motivation and encouraging that you all have given me are priceless!!

Thanks guys *hugs*

PS. Good to see so many people having so much success!

Height: 5'4"

Age: 33

SW: 150

CW: 123

GW: 120-125... I'm there, baby!!!

Cals: ~1350

I've recently started eating 1700 cals, and, dang, it's hard.  So much food.  Mostly I walk the dog and try to swim once a week when the weather's ok.  I also ride my bike once in a while.

I think the most important thing for me has been WILL POWER.  There's a delicious pizzaria literally 30 seconds from my front door and an Italian ice cream shop about 30 seconds farther down the road.  It's been tough passing them up everyday.

tons of great input!

Height: 5’ 4”   

Age: 39

Starting Wt:: 214

Current Wt: 160 (54 lb. loss)

Goal Wt: 144 (16 more to go)

Calories: 1600

The most important factor in my weight loss was making calorie counting quick and easy. I figured out the calories per ounce of all of my usual foods and I weigh everything I eat, so it only takes me 1-2 minutes to count. Also, I have to give credit to Renee Stephens of Inside Out Weight Loss, whose free podcasts helped me to see eating in moderation as self-love, rather than punishment and she helped me to see the connection between overeating and my emotional needs. I walk 30-60 minutes six days/week because it makes me feel good mentally and physically. I also cut out a lot of sugar and don’t keep high fat/high sugar foods in my house anymore, because I don’t have the “will-power” to just say no, although I do indulge about once/week.

Not sure if I qualify as a "successful weight loser" as most people seem to want to be much thinner than me, but I am generally happy with where I am and just trying to lose about 5lb now, and not overly bothered if I don't.

Height: 5'3"

Age: 29

Starting weight: 175lb

Currently weight: 129lb

Goal weight: ? 126lb? Might go for 120lb. Not sure. Trying to tone up really.

Calories: 1300-1500

I lost weight slowly for years and years. First two or three years I simply improved my eating. I never ate junk, but I cooked a lot of beautiful, fattening gourmet food! I switched from pasta and lasagnes every night to asian cooking mostly... healthy homemade thai and japanese food. Was drinking a bottle of wine a night with the boyfriend, now have a small glass a night and two nights off a week (well I try!) Started walking to work, did some swimming, took up hiking as a hobby. The weight came off but slowly. I am a very patient girl though, and was in this for life. Never put anything back on even over holidays. I'd never been a thin teenager, always a UK12 sort of size, so every new size was wonderful and I never hated my figure (still don't, looking back, except 6 months or so when I was a UK size 16). When I hit about 140lb I started calorie counting. I cook all my food and love it, my friends say they don't know anyone who eats healthier. I buy stuff from markets and collect cookbooks. I make little bento boxes (japanese lunchboxes) for lunch, filled with tiny homemade bites of healthy things, they are the envy of the hospital. I eat large, happy breakfasts. I still go to restaurants (only good ones, not chain crap), and eat moderately there. I love fish more than life itself. I have never paid for weight loss or exercise (I currently walk, skip, do weights at home and hike - nearly once a week now the weather is good). I didn't buy scales until I was at my goal weight (or near enough - maintaining is scarier than losing, seriously!)

There are people who have lost more weight and faster than me, but I think my habits are good, and very much my own... I feel like I did it all myself.

I also feel like saying: there is a psychological component to losing weight which catches you out. I look better than I used to, and that means paradoxically I am more selfcritical of my body. When I am sad these days, I have the urge to not eat at all. I lost a lot of weight when my boyfriend's father died as I did not eat much at all for a while, and then people said I looked great. This reinforces bad eating behaviour... I think it is something to watch out for.

Height: 5'-0"
Age: 46
SW: 136 on start date Jan 18, 2009
CW: 118
GW: 110
Calories/day: ~1400-1500

Factors:

Diligent logging of food, by weight not just measuring. You can cheat by measuring, not so much when going by weight. Increased water intake and eliminated soda in any form. Cooking a lot more at home and increasing whole food intake. Practically every meal used to be take out, eating out with friends or prepackaged frozen. Now I'm eating a home cooked meal unless I'm going out with friends. I haven't touched a frozen meal since I don't even remember when. No food is off limits and I'm not militant about the macro nutrients.

Consistent exercise. Run 5 days/week and weights 3 days/week. This equals to ~1 hour per day and ~1.5 hours on my two long road run days. I hate, hate, hate treadmills. I'll run in the rain, the cold, the wind and the heat (and have done) before I'll jump onto a treadmill. I'll go out there regardless of how terrible the weather is and pretend I'm starring in my own Nike commercial. I like being outside and experiencing the natural variations in terrain and the feel of my body propelling itself through the world.

Basically I didn't put anything into place that I didn't feel like I could sustain for the rest of my life. I'd always wanted to be a better cook and now I am. I love opening my fridge and seeing leftovers for the week ahead. Incorporated a realistic exercise plan so one hour more or less of exercise per day. If I can watch television for an hour I can certainly exercise for an hour.

 

 

Just bumping this to see if anyone new could benefit from it or wanted to add to it!

Post from the grave....

Seriously, would love to know how successful everyone has been at keeping the weight off.

My stats are:

Height: 5'-6"
Age: 41
SW: 226 in May '08
CW: 155
GW: 149
Calories/day: 1400-1500

I'm just on the cusp of a healthy bmi for the first time in decades!

 

pchca - By bumping thist thread its nice to see some of the success stories and give me the confidence to keep going. so here are my stats

Age: 29

SW: 300 End of May (highest was 325 a year earlier)

CW: 271

GW:235 (by March 3, 10)

FW 200 (July 1, 2010)

Calories: Try my best to keep it around 2000-2200. I have days where i go over and i just work my best the next day to stay closer to it.

What i have done so far is paid closer attention to what im eating. Tracked everything that i have eaten.Work out before and after work evn if its for 30 min in the morning. Try my best to get atleast 3 different cardio sessions within the week and 3 weight training. My week is Sat - Fri so every saturday morning i sit down, do a check up on myself. like what was my average for the week, did i do all my work outs that i wanted, how many times did i go over, take my measurements, and then set my goals for the week on what i can do better. Ontop of that i try my best to write a journal from time to time on my thoughts just to get them out .

I was just thinking about this sort of thread, however I am a little surprised by how little calories it seems most people are (have been) eating.

I am still in the process but I am

Age:  34

Height: 5'6"

SW: 210 January 08

Started to lose weight...got to about 185, then stopped and got back to 200 in Dec 08

2nd SW 200 January 09

CW: 171

GW: 155

I am all about SLOW and steady....although it can be frusterating, I feel like by doing it this way I can keep going with it....

Calories per day: 1700-2000 (1500 is a very low day and 2300 is a few times a month thing)

Excersize: 30-40 minutes on treadmill  (Burn about 350 calories) 4-5 days a week

Age - 19

Height - 5'5

Starting weight: 172 (June 21st)

Current weight: 156.2

Daily calories: 1650-1750 but I shoot for at least 1700

Exercise plan: 45 minutes on treadmill.. over the summer this was 5-6 days a week but now that I'm a full-time music student again this has been reduced to 2-3 days a week but it's really the best I can do short of depriving myself of sleep to fit in the exercise.

For me, the most important factor in all of this is motivation and being able to stick to this lifestyle every day. I don't cut things out of my diet that I like to eat, but I just do everything in moderation. I know that there's going to be bad days and good days and I just keep going slowly but surely and have lost almost 16 pounds in 3 months

Age- 25

Height: 6'1"

SW: 330 (March 2007)

CW: 196 (lost 134)

GW: 175-180 (16-21 pounds to go depending on how I feel at 180)

I am also about slow and steady....

Calorie Intake- Zig zag between 1500-1750. I suffer from PCOS, and have found the best way for me to lose weight is to limit my starchy white carbs and eat plenty of lean protein, fruit & veggies.

My best piece of advice is to do this slowly, don't deny yourself. If you fall off the wagon, just start over the next day. The main culprit of diet failures is denying oneself and ending up in the inevitable binge!