July 29, 2018

Weight Loss


Here it is. The hot topic on my blog: Weight Loss.


When I first started this blog, my intention was for it to be more about maintenance than about losing weight. I had just reached the point of maintaining a large weight loss, and I knew it was going to be a battle. I thought by writing publicly about it, I would feel more accountable and hopefully be able to keep the weight off.

Depending on who you ask, I've done a pretty good job of it. I initially lost 125 pounds, bringing my weight to 128 (for a very short time). Since then, my weight has climbed as high as 160, and gotten as low as 121. To have gone from 253 pounds down to 130, or 140, or even 160, is successful in my eyes. I didn't gain it all back. I didn't even gain half of it back!

I will tell you one thing, though--ever since I started this blog when I reached maintenance, I've learned a hell of a lot about weight loss, weight maintenance, weight gain. I've learned exactly how my body works--what foods my body likes, what it doesn't like, what exercise works well or doesn't work well, mental habits that have helped or harmed, and about a million other things. I know my body VERY well after all we've been through.

And after seeing my before and after pictures, it's only natural that people are curious about how I lost the weight. Here are some posts that I've written specifically about weight loss. I link to these frequently when people email me and ask questions about it. Hopefully this will be a helpful reference!



100 Ways My Life Changed When I Lost 100 Pounds



Fun Posts:

Two Years (Nov 2012)
Typical Meals (Dec 2012)
Interview with Jerry about his Weight Loss (Jun 2013)
Goal Photos (Jun 2013)
Five Years Since I Started Losing Weight (Aug 2014)
The Evolution of a First Time Bikini Wearer (Sep 2014)
What I Eat (Feb 2016)
Seven Year Weight Loss Anniversary (Aug 2016)
Fed Up with Being Fat (Aug 2017)
A Timeline of My Weight Loss (and Gain) (and Loss)... (Jan 2018)


Helpful Posts About Diet:

How Many Calories I Ate While Losing Weight (Dec 2011)
The Basics of Weight Watchers (Feb 2013)
Losing Weight Without Diet or Exercise (Feb 2013)
Tips for the Slippery Binge Slope (Jul 2013)
Food Decisions (Oct 2013)
Is it Worth the Points? (Apr 2014)
Moving On After a Bad Day of Eating (Nov 2014)
How to Count Weight Watchers Points Plus (Dec 2014)
Daily vs. Weekly Food Tracking (Mar 2015)
How the Weight Creeps Up (Apr 2015)
Habits That Helped Me Lose 100+ Pounds (May 2015)
How I Calorie Counted My Way Back to Goal Weight (Nov 2015)
A Series on Binge Eating (Jan 2016)
Losing Weight While Traveling (Mar 2016)
Healthy Summer Indulgence Ideas (Jun 2016)
Lose Weight Eating ONLY the Foods You Love (Aug 2017)
Changing the Habits That Keep Us From Losing Weight (Sep 2017)
How I'm (Finally) Maintaining My Goal Weight (Nov 2017)
My Best Advice for Those With Weight Loss Goals (Jan 2018)
I Know How to Lose Weight, So Why Am I Not Doing It? (Mar 2018)


Helpful Posts About Exercise & Weight:

When Weight Gain Isn't a Bad Thing (Dec 2011)
Weight Loss Affecting My Running (Sep 2015)


The Mental Side of Weight Loss:

What I've Learned After One Year in Maintenance (July 2011)
What Made This Time Different (Aug 2013)
Feeling Fat After Weight Loss (Nov 2013)
Being Photographed (Dec 2013)
New Size, New Attitude (Sep 2014)
Get It Over With! (Stop Procrastinating and Just Do It) (Jan 2015)
Motivation vs. Determination (Nov 2017--an update to the 2012 post)
The Downside of Weight Loss (Sep 2017)
What I Wish I Knew When I Started Losing Weight (Oct 2017)
Feeling Fat at Goal Weight (Nov 2017)
I Know How to Lose Weight, So Why Am I Not Doing It? (Mar 2018)

Other Posts Regarding Weight Loss:

All About Skin Removal Surgery, Part 1 (Jan 2012)
All About Skin Removal Surgery, Part 2 (Jan 2012)
A Little of My History (Aug 2012)
Loose Skin Issues (Jul 2013)
Piles of Jeans (Sep 2015)
What a Difference the Last 20 Pounds Makes! (Feb 2016)
Did Skin Removal Surgery Live Up to My Expectations? (Nov 2017)
A Candid Discussion of Excess Skin (Jan 2018)


My Responses to Questions from Readers about Weight Loss:

People with little weight to lose
How I feel about weight loss surgery
Plateaus
Avoiding eating out with friends
Wardrobe as I lost weight
Update on skin removal surgery
Accuracy of body fat monitor
Weight loss aids
Choosing a goal weight
Getting pregnant while overweight
Fluctuating weight
When did people notice my weight loss
Protruding bones during weight loss
Did I have to resize my wedding rings
Spending money on clothes during/after weight loss
Did I worry about my kids being overweight
Telling friends I was dieting
Hard time sleeping during weight loss
Bra size shrinking
When compliments embarrass me


My Responses to Questions from Readers about Food and/or Calories:

Temptations at the grocery store
Favorite foods while losing weight
Calorie-free drinks
All about wine club
My staple foods
Thinking of food all day
My favorite brand of peanut butter
Why I quit drinking coffee
Calculating calories from a binge
Budgeting calories for each meal
Determining calorie needs
How many calories I eat in maintenance
Examples of lower calorie eating days
Accurate calorie counting
Do I count/worry about carbs



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