Weight loss and perseverance

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Posting this picture is either an act of courage...or complete lunacy.

I took this today when putting on my workout clothes...

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You can see the loose skin flaps under my arms looking like “bat wings” but in general, my skin is shrinking along with the rest of me fairly well.

Not too terribly bad for a 57 year old guy who started this journey looking like this...

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I’m starting to get excited about losing the last 30 lbs and sculpting my body to be what I want it to be. :)
 
Hell yeah man! Great work! I weighed 25 even this mornin. That's officially 31 pounds gone since December 1st. I'm workin on it.
 
I was going to post this pic after putting my shirt on, but it felt kinda like cheating. Figured I go all in with the shirtless pic.

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Have you hit 100 pounds lost yet? I'm too lazy to scroll back. lol
 
I will say that losing all this weight is making Winter harder to endure. Like a seal without its blubber, it just feels so freaking cold. Every day I wear long johns under my jeans and two sweatshirts and a jacket just to feel comfortable in the house. If I have to go outside, I need to add a fleece liner to the jacket and put on a hat and gloves.

I hope as my weight settles in, I will adapt to fewer layers. Otherwise I will have to move somewhere that’s warmer in Winter! LOL!
 
Well, it’s the start of the new month and I still haven’t gotten quite to the 100 lbs lost mark.

In fact, I gained a couple of lbs...sort of. Let me explain...

February was very snowy and I was shoveling snow for hours about every other day for the entire month. A few of those were 6-8 hour days of heavy work.

While my calorie count says I should have hit my mark, the scale doesn’t. Apparently all the extra physical activity caused my weight to go up with muscle gain and associated water retention. My Electrical Impedance meter says my body fat percentage went down by more than the amount of fat I expected to lose, but my scale weight went up a couple of lbs.

All part of the path and completely understandable...even though I’m not thrilled by what the scale says. Like always, perseverance...it will all work itself out and let me see the gains on the scale that I know I have made toward my ultimate goal. My clothes are noticeably looser and I can see the loss in the mirror...the scale just hasn’t caught up yet.

I just figured I’d share to help others who are on their own journey to not get frustrated and help put things into perspective when the scale doesn’t say what you think it should. Have faith, it will eventually.

Still going!
 
Well, it’s the start of the new month and I still haven’t gotten quite to the 100 lbs lost mark.

In fact, I gained a couple of lbs...sort of. Let me explain...

February was very snowy and I was shoveling snow for hours about every other day for the entire month. A few of those were 6-8 hour days of heavy work.

While my calorie count says I should have hit my mark, the scale doesn’t. Apparently all the extra physical activity caused my weight to go up with muscle gain and associated water retention. My Electrical Impedance meter says my body fat percentage went down by more than the amount of fat I expected to lose, but my scale weight went up a couple of lbs.

All part of the path and completely understandable...even though I’m not thrilled by what the scale says. Like always, perseverance...it will all work itself out and let me see the gains on the scale that I know I have made toward my ultimate goal. My clothes are noticeably looser and I can see the loss in the mirror...the scale just hasn’t caught up yet.

I just figured I’d share to help others who are on their own journey to not get frustrated and help put things into perspective when the scale doesn’t say what you think it should. Have faith, it will eventually.

Still going!
Well, it’s the start of the new month and I still haven’t gotten quite to the 100 lbs lost mark.

In fact, I gained a couple of lbs...sort of. Let me explain...

February was very snowy and I was shoveling snow for hours about every other day for the entire month. A few of those were 6-8 hour days of heavy work.

While my calorie count says I should have hit my mark, the scale doesn’t. Apparently all the extra physical activity caused my weight to go up with muscle gain and associated water retention. My Electrical Impedance meter says my body fat percentage went down by more than the amount of fat I expected to lose, but my scale weight went up a couple of lbs.

All part of the path and completely understandable...even though I’m not thrilled by what the scale says. Like always, perseverance...it will all work itself out and let me see the gains on the scale that I know I have made toward my ultimate goal. My clothes are noticeably looser and I can see the loss in the mirror...the scale just hasn’t caught up yet.

I just figured I’d share to help others who are on their own journey to not get frustrated and help put things into perspective when the scale doesn’t say what you think it should. Have faith, it will eventually.

Still going!
Thanks for sharing. My wife is following along with you and has lost 55 pounds so far but she has been stuck there for about two months. The scale doesn't show it but her clothes definitely fit better because of the excersisiing she has added to her program. You've probably seen this before but she wanted me to post this picture of fat vs. muscle weight in case others haven't seen it.
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Thanks for sharing. My wife is following along with you and has lost 55 pounds so far but she has been stuck there for about two months. The scale doesn't show it but her clothes definitely fit better because of the excersisiing she has added to her program. You've probably seen this before but she wanted me to post this picture of fat vs. muscle weight in case others haven't seen it.
View attachment 1715701773
First and foremost, I congratulate your wife on her accomplishments...great job!

Second, the images she asked to share are spot on, and quite correct. Lean muscle mass may have the same weight as fat, but has far less volume (more dense). So while the scale may not measure that you have replaced one for the other, your size will be significantly smaller.

The added benefit is that having more lean muscle mass increases metabolic demand and therefore helps burn more fat. Win-win!

The insight she has shown means she is well in control of her path and accomplishing her goals. She clearly understands what she is doing and how to get where she wants to go. Well done!

I applauded her and encourage her progress! :)
 
First and foremost, I congratulate your wife on her accomplishments...great job!

Second, the images she asked to share are spot on, and quite correct. Lean muscle mass may have the same weight as fat, but has far less volume (more dense). So while the scale may not measure that you have replaced one for the other, your size will be significantly smaller.

The added benefit is that having more lean muscle mass increases metabolic demand and therefore helps burn more fat. Win-win!

The insight she has shown means she is well in control of her path and accomplishing her goals. She clearly understands what she is doing and how to get where she wants to go. Well done!

I applauded her and encourage her progress! :)
We appreciate the encouragement, it is very much welcomed.
Thanks, Kay & Steve
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This is awesome yall! I am now down 37.1 pounds and Kitty down 26.9 pounds and still comin off.
 
I've lost 45 lbs now and finally saw my Dr. she said it's great I'm losing weight but she wants me to bring the calorie count up to 1200 per day.
I've been doing 800 to 1000 per day, how many calories are you guys doing per day?
 
Been there doing that. I was at 310 six months ago. I went on the Keto diet although I couldn’t figure out how high consumption of fat was going to do it.
Long story short: I’m now down to 245 and lost 5 inches off my waist. As a precaution I get blood work every two months to make sure I’m not wrecking any organs . My blood pressure is way down an I went from full blown diabetic to pre diabetic. It has been extremely difficult to eat only 20 grams of carbs everyday but the proof is in the pudding. Lol
 
I've lost 45 lbs now and finally saw my Dr. she said it's great I'm losing weight but she wants me to bring the calorie count up to 1200 per day.
I've been doing 800 to 1000 per day, how many calories are you guys doing per day?
My daily intake is about 2200 calories and my daily burn rate is about 2500 calories these days.

From the beginning, I have worked to maintain a 300 calorie daily deficit and lose 2.5 lbs per month. My approach is to go slow and steady to allow my body to adapt and not fight back by slowing my metabolism.

It’s what works for me.
 
An interesting day...and a bit of an epiphany.

While after last month’s extra physical activity drove my weight up with increased muscle mass, the first 10 days of this month saw my weight returning to where I expected it to to be based on caloric balance.

Then we got this week of unexpectedly warm early Spring weather and I started doing a lot of extra physical work again trimming trees and digging out a stump from a pine tree that blew down before Christmas.

It was 71* today and this afternoon so I went at it to do a lot more of the work at hand. I carried the tools and ladder up the back slope, climbed, sawed, dug and dragged until it was done. Only took a few hours and while I felt tired from the work, not overly so.

When I came in, my wife was grinning. Really not understanding, I asked her why.

She said “Because I watched you do all that work and you tore into it like you did 25 years ago and didn’t even pause.”

That’s when it struck me. I really have turned back the clock on my physical condition by at least 20 years. Even more surprising (to me) is that I am building substantial muscle mass and strength at 57 years old just by doing more...and feeling like doing it.

My weight is ticking up a little again...but I don’t care. I’m now stronger and more capable.

A far better reward than the numbers on the scale.

Oh yeah, and my body fat impedence meter says I have replaced fat with muscle in excess of what the calorie count says I should have lost in fat alone.

I am good with that!
 
Oh yeah, and I forgot one thing.

My daughter gave me a gift yesterday. It is a “Safety Pink” sweatshirt she bought for me on clearance last Fall with the intent to give it to me as a Spring gift. She didn’t guess what size I would be by now quite right and it’s a bit big, but I still love it.

Besides, I don’t care what anyone thinks...I look good in Pink!

LOL!

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If you ever need some encouragement, go pick something up that weighs just about what you’ve already lost. Shocking to feel how heavy it is in your hands. I broke my back in the army when I was in my mid 20’s, had surgery and gained a bunch of weight. After I recovered I started poking around the gym to see what all I could still do safely. Started learning and dieting. Ended up getting into better shape than most of my younger soldiers and kicked their asses on all the PT tests. Despite this, the kind of implant I had in my back forced me to “retire”.

Got out and started an undergrad exercise physiology/ pre-physical therapy degree and a few certs along the way. Let me tell you. I’ve done a lot of stuff trying to feel good or hide from pain (drinking, recreational drugs, etc.) NOTHING comes close to the way I’ve felt from eating right and exercising. I have my ups and downs now as a husband, father, etc., but each time I get back on that horse I can’t believe I was ever dumb enough to fall off it.

It’ll always be the best decision you could ever make. Consistency and moderation will win in the end! Inspiring thread to read for everyone involved! Keep going!!!
 
Oh yeah, and I forgot one thing.

My daughter gave me a gift yesterday. It is a “Safety Pink” sweatshirt she bought for me on clearance last Fall with the intent to give it to me as a Spring gift. She didn’t guess what size I would be by now quite right and it’s a bit big, but I still love it.

Besides, I don’t care what anyone thinks...I look good in Pink!

LOL!

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As Steven Tyler sings "Pink is my favorite color" lol. I'm down to 247.8 as of this mornin. That's a solid 40 pounds gone since December 1st. Not to highjack or anything. lol
 
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