I'm asking because I have put that cursed pound back on and bounced back off 12-0 to 12-1... BUT this morning I pulled out an old pair of size 14 jeans, they looked tiny but I thought I'd try to pull them up as far as I could to admonish myself for putting that pound back on- and I am now wearing said size 14 jeans of old. Wow.
This time last year I was squeezed into size 18s.
This is incredible!!! I know it's not the massive change many people have achieved much more rapidly than me, but I also know how I am usually not entirely 'on plan' as it were, being a creature of enormous capacity to snack / eat large quantities... But I'm thrilled omg it's an amazing feeling! Perhaps propelled by that zip doing up I will be more focussed over the coming weekend, during which I have a few social catch-ups lined up...
Keep up the exercise folks I'm sure it has made a difference to the size of my butt and helped to get me into these jeans πππππ emoticon overdose!!!!!
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AvatheGardener
7lbs
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Hi ViaM, thank you so much- yes I didn't phrase the question very well, and having since read a couple of articles (links kindly provided by lowcal, below) it's evident that it really isn't easy to add muscle weight either.
No matter- it was definitely worth hanging on to those size 14 jeans! I'm so thrilled- it's so odd but I don't seem to believe it at the moment. Even though there is no evidence like your clothes...
From what I understand, 1lb of fat takes up far more room than 1lb of muscle. They are still both a lb but muscle is something like 3x smaller than fat.
So, like for like size of both, muscle would weigh more.
Hi Keepongoing, I think that must be the nub of it. All those runs where I didn't think I was losing any weight- well, I wasn't! But I must have been changing shape! I guess that eating healthily reduces the excess you have, and running tightens what you have left
Don't worry about that silly pound. Yay to the size 14 s
(I have a pair in the cupboard which I can get on but not sure I am ready to call it for size 14 yet)
Hurrah and thank you aqua marine! I was also thinking of myself as a 16-18. Mentally it's hard to get my head round the actual change in size, partly because my old body is still wobbly and lumpy- 'love handles', thighs which rub together &c, so it's weird to be able to wear a garment I wore when I was a lot firmer (and younger!).
Here's a thought- just this afternoon I decided to tidy up the rest of the 'too small, but I'm not ready to say goodbye to these yet' bag of clothes. They all fit, and I'm wearing some green cut-offs and a long sleeve tee which were tighter than they now are when I used to wear them regularly. Go on, try those jeans again!
Great news, our weight can go up and down by a 1lb or more depending on when we weigh and how our bowels are/ have been
The truth is and these are the plain facts
You have been living your life but being conscious about what you eat and do in terms of exercise and CLEARLY this has paid of dividends and I think its a MASSIVE change ask anyone on here that's a size 18 jeans size how they would love to be in a14 is a great inspiration and they would love to be where you are now and who knows where you maybe be in the future!!
CONGRATULATIONS ( and do a wardrobe sort out you wont be needing those bigger sizes again ever) it doesn't matter how much it cost don't be saving it there are some charity shops that will be delighted to recycle them)
Oh Prin, I feel as though you're sitting here having a cuppa with me and being such a lovely friend I know this time last year I wasn't at all sure I could hope to be a 14 again. I guess it coming off so slowly is a great way to ensure it's more to do with lifestyle than an unsustainable short term fad...
I did indeed go through my drawer this afternoon - I'm not all the way through this sort out!- and there's a bag of clothes to go out by the front door. This does include three t shirts that are too tight but I have decided they will never suit me anyway (if you have booobs, generally speaking, t shirts with slogans are not a good idea!). The huge jumpers, size 18 white jeans and tiny slogan t shirts will go to a charity shop for a local hospice where my Dad spent his last days. Hopefully someone else will enjoy them, and the small amount of money will help the hospice.
thanks Lowcal! Those were interesting reading- essentially, muscle takes an age to build, unlike fat; and fat is bulkier. Main thing is, I'm delighted with such a tangible proof that I'm making progress!
ooooh asics you're so right. Lots of other ways to look at success in changing lifestyle. Thank you so much!
I unfortunately couldn't repeat wear the jeans because one of my dogs got mud all over them- (no not quite all over them, only 60% of them actually!) but they are in the wash and will definitely get worn again.
What is more I am now wondering if I should go buy a size 14 pair of the style of jeans I have been wearing in a size 16 (they're shape&lift from Next- comfortable, flattering and not too expensive!)
In my younger day I was a 12/14, who balloned to a full size 16 in midlife. Eventually aged 62 I tackled the problem, slowly and safely, and was thrilled to get back into my 14s again.
Then over the next few months, without even really trying, I found another inch disappeared and I had to buy my first size 12s ...
A year on, some days I still slob around the house in the bigger jeans but believe me, once you go out in public a size smaller you feel a million dollars. Enjoy, enjoy and continue to enjoy !!
Via said what I wanted to, but better! In fact all the replies have covered my thoughts. Now as you are on a roll, into that storage to find the size 12s (or the tight 14!). Or that favourite small dress and hang it up where you can see it. We work so much better with a carrot than a stick! I treasure every one of my now-in-smaller-jeans memories. The only one that beats it is going to a cheap shop and getting into their 14. So on with the window shopping!
ah venusflytrap! 12 is a huge ask for me as I have a huge a**e (I am a real womanly shape- small waist mahoosive hips b*m and thighs) but 12-14 is do-able. I would like to do another stone, if possible. I like the idea of hanging a small garment up, and it kinda goes with the whole bedroom clear out currently underway - I haveny been skiing for at least 4 years, and during that time I piled on weight. Guess what though- tried my ski pants on over my thermal leggings and they're all a bit too big- so I'm in smug mode, tinged with 'oh my god this will be expensive if I ever go skiing again'
Oh I do know what you mean, but I am looking at it from the other end. Although it seemed to take me for ever, I finished losing my 5st+ last year. Haven't quite got the gold at the end of the rainbow yet. I have put 10lbs on since then as I try to learn to stay at my chosen weight. But as someone who always felt over hippy, I can tell you when I lost all the fat I shouldn't have been carrying even that bit of me I always disguised is the right size for clothes. And although those clothes are a little bit snugger - I am still standard size 14, even in the cheap shops! But there is nothing nicer than getting into that next size down. Coming down from size 24, each smaller pair of jeans felt like being Queen of the May! Now you've got this far, I bet you will be planning taking your ski clothes on holiday, this time next year. Or even, if you head for the other hemisphere, sooner! We can do it. Onwards and downwards.
Maintaining is difficult isn't it... I have done the 'downward' in my early 30s, 40s and now 50s... but this time it is a huge amount more, from the 'obese' BMI range and to reach the middle of the healthy range is still what feels like a very large 22lb away. But your story is very encouraging, and I'm sure you can shift those regained pounds even if it's slow going. I think it's more reasonable to give yourself a 'target range' rather than a specific exact weight, otherwise you'll become over-obsessive while trying to maintain. After all, it's supposed to be a lifestyle change not a diet regime; and you have to allow yourself some indulgences or you're not really living I think!
I bet that you did feel fantastic in each and every new size of jeans- what an amazing story to have been so strong to come down all that size! I will aim to be a 14 in all the shops I'd like to shop in- but I'm NEVER a standard 14, since the difference between my waist and hips is huge plus I have a long back. When I was in my 30s and at just below middle of the BMI range (a hard to maintain weight for me- calorie counting to 1000kcal 5 days a week and an hour's swim a day) I had a skirt from Austin Reed which had to be taken in 8 inches at the waist. Mad!
5 stone is a massive achievement and check you out in your 14s venusflytrap!!!
If you shed 5 stone and it took forever, that's probably the right way to do it (that's what I tell myself about my 37lb lost last year, the majority of which was gone between Jan & April!) You're inspirational- I can kick another stone away this year I reckon, if you can get half a stone of your regained weight back off so you're in a good target range !!!
You could be me but a little bit younger! One of my issues is I didn't shed in my 50s. Not for want of trying. But being the generation in the middle and working etc just sopped up too much of my time and energy to find any for my personal projects. The only regret about that, is that I'm convinced my skin would have been more elastic and shrunk a little better than it has in my 60s. Feeling a little bit tiger nowadays! If you see what I mean.
My target weight is bang in the middle of my BMI range, and I only want to wander either side of it about 5lbs. My plan was to get to it, then run myself below it so that I had some leeway for high days and holidays. As usual my weight graph looks like a V. With the target being hit for all of one week. Since I got to target a lot of my decisions have gone the wrong way. It's amazing how not having that urgency to get there, takes the foot off the accelerator. I am still under the top of my BMI range - so thankful I've managed that. I am hoping to shed the 10lbs faster rather than slower so that I can actually get on with maintenance. After taking 4 years to shed it, I really thought I'd be better at maintenance. Having done so much of it when stuck on my way down.
You are very nearly there too, aren't you? Only a stone and a half to go. I think nearly all of the health benefits have kicked in by then, from memory. I also found that every time I gained after losing, it was the old maximum weight plus a stone. Do you look back at the first time you dieted and wonder what you thought you were doing? Got a feeling that is a universal female experience too. One of the head issues for me is I grew up very slender and so I've always looked fat to me since. Being an adult size 12 and sometimes 10, doesn't make 14 sound that wonderful. Mind you from memory it was the expensive clothes that were the smaller sizes. I loved that. If you paid more, you could be officially smaller!
37 lbs in under 3 months sounds amazing to me. Doesn't that work out as 3lbs a week with 2 at 2lbs? I have never ever managed to do that kind of loss once out of my twenties. Did your have an exercise bike at work and a treadmill at home? Someone who can plan and follow the plan to achieve that, really doesn't need help from me. I will keep you as my inspiration for my 10lbs. Thanks for the boost. I even managed a glass of wine yesterday within my allowance. First time I've done that since before Christmas. Stayed within my allowance, I mean, not the wine!
Hope you are having a good day and week. Off to sort out the freezer and tin cupboard, to make sure all the things I shouldn't eat are difficult to get my hands on, so that I have time to stop myself going off track. Also I will finally make yesterday's intended sugarfree jelly today, so I can get rid of the remnants of the wrong custard. I found it was the full fat version, not the low fat one I thought. If I spread a spoonful on each of 4 jellies, it will mean I can have some without wrecking the plan. Fancy having time in my life for this level of attention to detail! Old me wouldn't recognise new me!
hey Venus! Lovely post! just a quick reply as I'm going to have to rush out to catch the post- no no no 37 lb since Jan 5th last year- and it was 2 stone by April last year- so not a crash diet
I'm so thrilled with being in the 11s- and at the top of my BMI range- I am definitely having a good day! and I'm going to go run up and down the swimming pool after the postbox!
RS, I thought it was 3 months so I think my Maths is in the game park. Mind you I am famous for being challenged in various ways, and maths is one of them. I still get it to Two and a half stone over about 3-4 months. That is light speed compared to me. Hope you get the post and enjoy your wet walk. You should live here and then you could combine going the post and getting soaked.
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End of the 12 weeks, BMI down from 29 to 25.7 :)
So chuffed with myself
