KWR: Before/After Weightloss

Thank you @Christina!

@VM that's exactly how I am too! I always would let one bad meal ruin a week or even a whole month for me.

I have always struggled with my weight and I've always been self conscious about it. The photo on the left was about a month before we got engaged. The middle one is when I was at my lowest, the day I found my wedding dress. The one on the right is just last month. I've put on a bit since last June but not a ton. I am starting a 10-day cleanse tomorrow to shed this final "yuck" before the wedding in 17 days! I've used Advocare products and exercise to lose the weight---about 50 pounds total.

And you ladies all look amazing! @VM you are so right! It is more than just "get off your ass." It's a constant, daily struggle!

You ladies look amazing!! I have one picture that is my real "before" picture, but I don't have it at the moment. I was over 200lbs (at 5'2"). I am at 130 on a good day now....although I've gained 5-7lbs back during wedding planning! In this "before" pic I was probably around 180. I'm in the middle.

@VM - YOU ARE DOING AWESSSSSSSSSSOME!!!! I was 254 - kills me to say it and now I'm in the 190s. I swear I screwed myself up when I was 19 because I became anorexic, I got down to 130lbs and I'm 5'8"... It doesn't sound like THAT skinny but I seriously just did not eat for months. I only ate chicken broth and green tea. I was passing out all the time and even though you could see all my ribs, I felt fat, ugly and covered myself up. THEN, I decided it wasn't healthy and to stop obsessing, I gained all my weight back tenfold. I feel like I really messed up my metabolism when that little stunt.

@FutureMrsC - you look AMAZZZZZZZZZING also!!! Holy crap. You must be really tall because you look tiny!

I feel all of you on the binge eating. I do the exact same thing. I get really upset at myself about it too. I will do really great with a workout program and eating well for a few weeks and then I undo it all by making bad choices. Sweets are definitely by downfall. Sometimes I don't even crave them, I want them just because...it's so frustrating! I really want to get back on track and be happy with my body for my boudoir shoot in 6 1/2 weeks.

I don't have any fully clothed before and after photos to share and I am at work so....lol

So proud of all of you. I had the problem where I would do soooo good during the workweek and then binge eat EVERYTHING in sight on the weekends. Taco bell? Okay. Ice cream? Yes. Whatever is in the fridge? Sure. An entire box of wheat thins? Definitely! I have a serious problem with not ever getting full or feeling satisfied when I don't take my daily medication. My family genes aren't good (lots of heavy ladies) so I've never been thin other than when I was anorexic. I'm really focusing and hoping that since it is so slow, it won't come back. And if I mess up, it won't ruin everything. Please keep the postiive posts coming! This is definitely inspiring me and I am (sorta) excited to hit the gym during my lunch hour today!

Any suggestions on getting rid of the bat wings?? My arm fat is outta control. I have been dancing/ doing zumba with 5lb weights so I'm hoping that will help.

ETA - @MPHgirl - you seriously look so thin in your photos! Your arm muscles look beast!!! I thought you were like a workout coach or something!

All of you ladies who struggle, I just want to say that I believe in you!

Losing weight is HARD. Eating well, exercising, making good choices...I just can't stand it when people say things like "Just do it." You don't know how hard that can be for people. I couldn't exercise for 8 months because I was in constant pain from my kidney problems. And because I couldn't do that, I started eating badly. I'm an emotional eater, and all I wanted was comfort food. Mac n Cheese. Pizza. Fried chicken...Ice cream.

You all are beautiful women. I love that I don't see "fad" or "crash" diets here. People are trying to listen to their bodies, and being good to themselves.

@Bethie thank you so much! I'm just shy of being 5'10!

Ok, I have to add another comment after looking at all these pics to add how amazing and inspiring ALL OF YOU are!!! Wow!!!!

I don't have before and after pics, I've only lost like 5 lbs but I feel 800 times stronger and I don't feel like I'm on the verge of death in my boot camp lol, but I just want to say @Bethie, VM, all of you, you ladies look killer!! Congrats on making these difficult lifestlye changes and taking it one step at a time. It's a process for sure! I wish I could save this thread to come back and look at it for gym-spiriation!

@LizzyS - sometimes that's all that matters!!! In Fall 2013, I don't even know what weight I was because I didn't weigh myself but before we went to Africa we did Insanity TWICE. Working out 6x a week. We did not do anything different to our diets so I didn't lose any weight, I think I probably replaced some fat with muscle but my body didn't really change too much (kicking myself now for not counting calories at that time) but I felt STRONG. I didn't get winded when I'd run, I felt like I could lift a school bus... It was a great feeling. I hope to get that strength and stamina back with working out more frequently.

Weight has always been a struggle for me as well. The smallest I have ever been was around 145 and that was my junior year of high school. I had had jaw surgery the previous summer and lost a lot of weight because I couldn't eat. Over the years it came back and brought MANY friends with it. The first pic is from about 2011 when I was probably at my heaviest, around 243. The second was taken last weekend. Right now I am right around 160. I did hit 150 about a year ago, but back slid pretty bad putting 20 back on. I have lost 10 of that. My ultimate goal is 140, but I be happy between 145 and 150.

ETA : CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU ON YOUR LOSSES!!

First off Bethie, you look fabulous! Great job! Keep up the good work. I have no doubt that you will be able to accomplish your goal.

VM - You look great too. The struggle is real, but you are succeeding. And the FW has been by your side through all of it. I have no doubt she will continue to be.

As for myself, I am at my heaviest, and struggling to find the motivation to even start losing weight. I know what I want to look like and how much I want to weigh, but I just have no idea where to begin. I guess my biggest thing is exercise. I have changed our diet, and FH has been great about doing it as well. BUT...I just can't seem to find the motivation to work out. Any advice anyone can give me?

I just wanted to tell all of you that you look amazing! Congratulations!!! Bethie, I think it's totally normal to plateau. It doesn't mean that you're off track or that you should lose hope. I encourage you to just keep up the hard work and dig just a little deeper You really look amazing right now just as you are. With exercising, step everything up a notch: if you're doing strength training, increase the weight/reps etc. You can do this!!!

I just finished reading all the comments and I want to congratulate everyone again on how far they have come. You are all doing great!

And

VM....I want your FW's arms!!! One thing I need to do, but never really cared for is lifting. I need to do something about my arms.

You ladies look amazing! You're great motivation for me

This post has been very inspirational. I started struggling with my weight after high school. My boyfriend passed away senior year & I was in a deep depression. In 3 years I gained 50 lbs. Went from 110 to 160. I'm only 5 ft tall so it made a big difference on my body. I never weighed myself so I didn't realize how much I had gained. When I finally got a scale & saw that I was 160 lbs I couldn't believe it. I started to count calories & work out and eventually lost 40 lbs & got to 120 lbs which I was comfortable with. I've gained 10 lbs back & I'm kicking myself for it. I'm really unhappy & I'd really like to lose 20 lbs before the wedding. Below are pics of me at my heaviest and then when I lost the 40 lbs

I don't have Before/After photos to share, but I wanted to offer you some encouragement. You look damn fine, lady!

Have you tried 30 Days Shred or Ballet Beautiful. I've used them both and they worked (when I kept to them.) Sadly, I'm back to my largest size yet 190 lbs.

ETA: You ladies all rock. I mean holy hell -- all the work that you've done. You make me so proud to be apart of a group that's so supportive. (And you also make me resent eating those graham crackers just now.)

Keep up the great work. Thanks for being so inspiring!

I really needed this today, because I've been feeling very not great about my body. I'm bloated and feeling the effects of indulging too much over summer vacations, so searching for my before and afters made me feel better about my body. Gotta remember that I put in a lot of work to get where I am, and one vacation isn't going to ruin it for me!

The 'before' is me at a Cinco de Mayo party my senior year of college, in 2008, about the time I was my heaviest. Hard to find a full body pic, since I was very good about hiding behind people. I'd always been on the pudgy side since I was about 12 years old, so I just figured that was my body, but when I turned 21 and discovered legal alcohol all bets were off. Between the alcohol and the poor college kid diet, I gained a ton of weight. I do not know what I weighed at that time, as I actively avoided scales, but I estimate it to be around 160/170. I am under 5'4". I was wearing size 12, but my clothes were pretty tight (I just couldn't afford new ones) so I was probably more like a size 14.

The 'after' is me now, just this summer in Chicago. I currently hover around 125, and wear a 4/6. It took a lot of dedication to healthy eating, working out, and not drinking every night like I did in college, but I'm pretty happy with myself now, and I feel great!