I lost 45 pounds and it took me one year. At my annual Physical when I weighed in at 205 pounds my brain said -"that is enough - things have to change!" At that time I was a member of DS but looking for answers about colitis and crohn's. Well I ventured over to the Diets & Weight Maint. board and my weight lost journey began. I decided I would count calories and make it work around the foods I liked. I lost slowly - most weeks were only 1/2# but in the end I think that was good for when reaching maintenance. Of course exercise 4-5x a week and making goals was part of the process. Without the help and support of my dear DS friends I never would have stayed with the challenge.

Keeping off or going into maintenance took some adjusting as to how much more could I eat and not gain. But I have maintained for almost 11 months...some day I will be able to say years instead of months.

We are blessed and we are strong!

Thanks Joyce, I love to hear how we did it, and are doing it!!!
It makes me feel strong.

My starting weight was 211.2 pounds taken on a doctors scale in Sept 2007. I joined DS in the fall of 2007 and lost 13 pounds in my first 3 months on DS, but I didn't have a set plan. I didn't know how many calories to eat or what to substitute my junk food with. I was just trying to start moving and being more active and eat better. I stalled out after a few months, and when the new year (2008) came, I read an amazing book called "Confessions of a Carb Queen" and I figured if the author could lost 250+ pounds w/o surgery, I could bust my butt and lose the remainder of my weight. I kicked my plan into gear through counting calories religiously, planning my food out ahead of time, planning my workouts into my days, and rarely skipping a workout day (although I would take easy days and just go for a walk...) I went from 198 in Jan. to 136ish in early July (6 months) and during my first year of maintenance, I dropped another 5-7 pounds as I became an athlete. I hit my two year maintenance mark 2 weeks ago, and I continue to maintain around my weight at 130 pounds, with a 5ish pound range (2 above, 3 below).

thanks Sunny for the wonderful mention Its amazing to see that our stories are similar its amazing when ppl who have seen my sucess and ask me me how I did it They are shocked by my response I always give them the same anwser good old fashioned hard work exercising and eating right no surgeries and no gimmicks ( eat less and move more) They all think that i have some kind of secret but we all know there isnt no secret you have to find something that works for you research healthy habits and see what you can fit into your life if you want it bad enough you will make it happen

I started my journey in 2006 at 310 pounds when I finally got it through my thick skull that my weight was keeping me from the thing I wanted most to be a mom So I started to work So I made two basic change ate less calories by couiing the calories I eat in a day and starting moving a little more I walked 1 mile one day a wekk I lost 60 pounds in Six months by simplly using more calories than I take in Well after that due to my fathers illness and I gained half of that back and got back to work again in 2008 but only lost ten pounds and with anohter stressful sitution I couldnt lose anymore So in march of 2009 I got reminded in a big way of why I wanted to lose in the first place and wanted to feel good about myself again so I started back again and this time I wanted to finish what I started and losing by counting calories and exercising and I had to learn something different in order to push past a point I have never been before and to work out something I could do for my whole life so I started learning about healthy eating and exercise and taking things and integrating them into my lifestyle and it just clicked and havent been the same since Im now holding steady at 175-180 and Im loving it and Im so grateful

Hugs to you both, Lisa and Karen,
Your stories like Joyce's really touch me. We are all in the minority keeping it off. ( from what I understand )
It really blesses me to hear them because I forget how much you lost and how you're keeping it off. Stregnth in numbers, I think is real. Thanks for your answers!!!

I was 162 pounds in 2001. I am now 100 pounds +/- 5 pounds. Initially my Aunt gave me WW materials and I followed those a lot of the time and I also relied on Slim Fast bars for lunch. I cut out a lot of snacking. I was around 110-115 through my final 3 years of college and then started on Curves when I moved back home and the rest came off then. Curves really helps me maintain.

I couldn't have done it without the support of my Aunt and her encouragement. I truly wanted to change, like we all did. I really believe that helps in the weight loss and the maintenance.

Laura, I somehow overlooked your post here. Please forgive me.
I am proud of you and what you have acomplished! How are you doing now, do you still go to Curves?

Yes, I still go regularly to Curves and maintain. People can't believe it when I tell them I used to be 60 pounds heavier.

That's good Laura. It is so good to keep maintaining. I think your self esteem is so much better, one day at a time. We acturally become the slim person in our mind and that's what keeps us on track.