Posted: 29 June 2007 at 1:46am | IP Logged

Took a new pic this morning before I went in for my weigh-in... Check the first page if you'd like to see a comparison :)

180 lbs:

Posted: 30 June 2007 at 12:21pm | IP Logged

WOW!! WOW!! WOW!!

Posted: 01 July 2007 at 10:31am | IP Logged

look at that rib poking through! what a change sam!!!

you'll not know yourself as the 240lb person now!! bet you're feeling younger these days as well.

doing fantastic!!!

ps no loose skin i can see, dont know where you got that idea from! sometimes the area goes more looser in feel, like kind of wobblier and thats usually when you've had a good loss, but it recovers in no time, and gets more solid after exercise.

Posted: 02 July 2007 at 8:10am | IP Logged

ahh it's just a bit of a jelly belly!  look, whats the most important thing here? to be fit and healthy with a severly smaller stomache that may not be ripped - or being at an unhealthy weight? thats the way i look at it myself. My belly actually looks very similar to yours, my belly button especially, but thats just cos there isnt the fat poking it out, i mean with all the fat we had underneathe the feel was harder and more solid but it was the fat doing that not toning or exercise, we both have the 'arrow' going on - i think its unavoidable to be honest. I didnt lose as fast as you and stayed within the boundaries of whats considered safe, end result same as you who lost it faster, but i wouldnt call it loose skin, thats when you have a bag of skin hanging down, and you aint got that!

End result sam youre doing great, look 100% better and you are buying fab tops to wear!

I believe if you carried on to 'normal weight' then the belly will take care of itself to a certain point, it's just this 'nearly there' stage, you kind of expect perfect end results at this stage (well i did lol) but you cant expect miracles even with tons of exercise, and you have just got to accept that you can only avhieve so much with this as really we ruined our bodies and alot of that is not reversible, but our health is (more important!).

I think the more 'real' weight loss pictures we see the better, as we can be put under a false impression by the media in what we can expect to look like.

anyway, just carry on as you were you're doing FABULOUS!

Posted: 02 July 2007 at 8:19am | IP Logged

after reading what i typed there i think i was actually talking to myself and my own progress LOL

sam hope that didnt come accross as you looked bad in anyway, cos you really dont! I just know what thoughts are probably going through your head, as i have them myself. We read if we do this, this and this then we'll look like an athlete or something, we'll be super toned and muscular - when the fact is 99% of us who have a big loss achieve looking great in clothes and perhaps naked we find lots of faults, and we dont return to how we were pre weight gain and that can leave us disappointed.

What thoughts have you had lately? Am i alone in how i feel?

Posted: 02 July 2007 at 10:44am | IP Logged

Thank you for those posts Rowan, I really appretiate it. After reading what you had to say, I don't feel so alone. Latley I've had a big eye opener when I looked at myself in the mirror... kinda like "look at all those stretch marks, they look even worse now that I've lost weight" and things alone those lines, I guess you can say the media has really warped my thinking of how I want to look at the end of my journey. I don't care much for abs, I just want to be at a healthy weight where It doesnt appear as I have a lot of fat.

I mean I'd be happy to just lose my belly fat/lovehandles and chest fat and I'd be happy with the way I look because with the belly fat I have still, I still can't wear the kind of clothes I want to wear... I guess you can call it motivation.

My belly really does hang down when I eat or drink, it's very bad... and when I pinch the area, its like all I am grabbing is skin.

But all in all, I really do know what you mean... and I feel like it's a neverending battle with image, but I just need to put my ideal images away and lock them out for good, because sometimes it's just not achievable.

Posted: 03 July 2007 at 9:09am | IP Logged

i noticed some of my belly stretch marks got 'crinklier' looking when leaning forward, i dunno i think i expected them to somehow vanish - i mean i had this image in my head that i'd look like i'd never had a weight problem! And no youre not alone  but you do have youth on your side ( i think youre pretty young anyway) so you do stand more chance of looking better than you hoped for in the end (don't want to sound all doom and gloom haha!)

i think it gets quite emotional at times losing weight, but there are the big highs along the way too. I got mine when i tried on some pants that wernt even my biggest size and i couldnt believe i had actually been bigger than that! And when my mum said I was thinner than my sister (who always pulled me down for my weight and who i havnt spoken to for 18 years now because I had just had enough of it) I guess weve got to keep concentrating on the positive and keep going and remember how well we've done!

Posted: 06 July 2007 at 3:11am | IP Logged

Week 15: 2 lbs lost -- 178 lbs

Woot! I'm in the 170's, almost at my goal, 160's is my last stop!

Posted: 06 July 2007 at 8:58am | IP Logged

170's!!!

well done!

Posted: 13 July 2007 at 1:21am | IP Logged

Week 16: 3 lbs lost -- 175 lbs

I'm starting to incorporate normal eating habits (lessening the hardcore diet), and I actually had 1 cheat day! I'm happy with my results.

Posted: 14 July 2007 at 1:11am | IP Logged

All I can say is WOW!! You rock!

If I may ask, what did your "hardcore diet" involve? It's good to see that you're losing steadily.

Posted: 28 July 2007 at 7:36am | IP Logged

It was basically just really limiting a lot of fat from my diet... it mostly ate raw veggies, skinless chicken breast, fruits in low sugar!

I've been maintaining 175 for 3 weeks now, like I said in my previous post I havn't really been on the crazy low fat diet at the moment. I am considering going back to the diet for a few weeks until I reach my goal of 160, then I can start bringing back a less strict diet for when I want to maintain.

Posted: 31 July 2007 at 12:58am | IP Logged

Wow Sam WOW

Seems like you put your mind to something and it paid off-you have to being feeling  a huge sense of accomplishment!!!!  We're so very proud of you

I often think of my stretch marks as a reminder of where i've been, and where i don't want to go back to....but you're young, and they'll fade some-promise

Good for you Sam-you sound like you're in a really good place-and that's a good place to be 

Best of health

Veronica

highest-258

current-158

goal-140-145

height-5'11

Posted: 05 August 2007 at 3:19am | IP Logged

Well I bit the bullet and weighed myself this morning after avoiding it for more than a week now... I was afraid that I had gained like 5 lbs

Week 19: 2 lbs lost -- 173 lbs

I have no idea how it is possible that I have lost weight, I really havn't been trying as hard as I normally have been, but nevertheless I am very thankful and lucky. I think my motivation is back and running in full force... for those of you who told me to weigh myself, it was good advice, thank you!

Posted: 06 August 2007 at 4:34pm | IP Logged

good going Sam you are doing great, don't give up you are almost there!!!

i have been on a low-fat diet for almost two months now, i am losing consistently when i stick to it, do you think that's the secret to your success? it's so hard because even the good fats you have to limit. any suggestions or should i just keep trying to get use to it. i still fight with myself about fats(good fats). i limit myself to under 20grams of fat per meal and all fat free snacks throughout the day. does your body seem to act different while being on a lowfat diet, i know mine has, my fat seems to be getting attacked more while on a low-fat diet. my fat cells are finally being used up. the fat on my stomach is finally slowly going away, i can literally see it melting away. i wish someone would of told me to get on a low-fat diet sooner

please if you have any suggestions please tell me, thanks and good luck!

Posted: 07 August 2007 at 5:04am | IP Logged

I definitley think the secret to my success is the amount of fat I have in my diet, and like you said, I even limit the good fats because regardless, fat is fat. I have my day of the week where I don't limit myself, but I still have very controlled portions, so that it won't have too much effect on me, this is how I am able to mostly stick to my diet. There really are a lot of good low fat foods out there so I didn't find it hard sticking to it. My body acts just fine while on this diet, the only thing I might mention is that digestion is a little rough but other then that, everything is just great. And I know what you mean about your stomach area melting away, it's really helped shrink mine (if you see my first pic, my stomach was bloated to the max, lol)

The one thing I can suggest is have a day of the week where you don't limit as much fat but still eat something healthy... that way your body won't feel awkward because it wasn't getting the same amount of fat it used to.

It's my bday tomorrow and I'm having a whole week of bday dinners with different people (I wish I could just have 1 with everyone instead)... I am dreading the weight gain, but I'm just going to have to work out that much harder the following week. I'm going to be realistic and say that I'll gain a lb or 2, but this is really just a one-time thing for me.

Posted: 07 August 2007 at 7:24am | IP Logged

thanks for the reply, it's a privelege to receive one from someone who has done so well, thanks . i will most definately take your suggestions and run with them.

what did you mean about the digestion probs? i have been having bloating probs the past week, i don't know what it is??? maybe digestion probs resulting in bloating, i bet!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Have a great week! sounds like you will

Posted: 07 August 2007 at 5:39pm | IP Logged

I took this pic today, I really like the effect! I finally have the courage to post a face pic... although its barely visible, that's the best I can do for now! haha

Posted: 09 August 2007 at 4:41am | IP Logged

nice pic, it is pretty neat

one day i'll get the nerve to post pictures, i have taken a few but think OMG! i am not posting those, lol, one of these days.

Posted: 09 August 2007 at 11:52pm | IP Logged

WHEW!!! I went to get myself weighed this morning... I wanted to face the demons and get it over with, so I know how hard to work to get rid of the weight I gained. I've been partying all week and ate out 3 times for my birthday... I thought I had gained 5 lbs.

Last week: 173 lbs (before bday)

Current weight: 173.6 lbs (the aftermath, lol)

Sometimes I just don't understand it. When I think I did really well, I don't. When I think I did really bad, I don't.

I keep getting surprised every week!  I am sooooo happy I didn't gain weight. Going to start doing cardio twice a day starting today!! 30 min cardio morning, 30 min cardio evening + a rotation of weight training (which changes daily so I don't overwork a certain muscle).

Posted: 17 August 2007 at 10:34am | IP Logged

pop art sam!

jewel you should post some pics!!, or send someone them in a pm perhaps? it's a great motivation i think.

Posted: 22 August 2007 at 1:27pm | IP Logged

life is just like that, when we think we are doing good we're not, and when we aren't doing good we are, go figure

good to know no weight gain, an hour of cardio is great, i myself recently started exercising twice a day also, a total of 2 hours a day, i see results already!

lol, okay rowan, you know you are right i do need to post pictures i don't think i have enough nerve to maybe another 20 pounds, lol, i think i said that ten pounds ago lol, lol,