I'll never diet again!

I've said that before, but this time, it seems real. Today I had both a scale victory (304.8) and many nonscale victories.  I showed my trainer the before and after pic, half a dozen people stopped me with a reaction of "Wow", and in training I accomplished some major moves.  Try doing a high plank then lifting yourself onto a raised aerobic step then doing a pushup (and repeat).  And yes, I did it with flying colors. All this and I am not dieting.  All these calories to fuel my workouts and raise my metabolism--too much food...I still can't handle it.  How amazing to never diet again, to know that you've found the way.  And the great thing?  Regain is unlikely as long as I remain active, whereas when you diet it promotes the potential for everfaster regain. To know that I can eat and enjoy the palate of the world is a wonderful feeling.

On Sunday I was at a picnic and sampled everything...and still lost weight.

Heck--I feel like I've found the holy grail.

Great work!

You must have felt proud when other people acknowledged your changes and hard work after seeing the before photo.

Em

I've been hearing for months that people at the gym saw the difference, but yesterday was odd--it's like people were stopping me to comment, women in the locker room dropping their jaw, etc.  This was a week where there just seemed to be a huge transformation. Honestly though, the pride for me comes from the activity challenges and less the lost pounds or change in appearance.  I'm really driven by what I have to do next, and if it's challenging, working on it.

good for you! I, too am an athlete at heart.  For me, I was never as talented as the person i saw in my mind. I am a very average to low ability softball player.

I love to run but this body was built for endurance, not speed, so for many years i did long slow distance. I would enter area races and never mind that i was one of the last to get over the line - to finish was my goal. I wish more people would accept their own level of athletic ability and just get out and learn and move. My payoff is also a better looking healthier body. I am heavier than many people, but it truly is my network of muscles i have conditioned and developed over the years. I also believe in eating, not starvation-like approaches. My body is very resistant to releasing weight, and I can even deal with that. It's who i am and what i trained my body to do:  use each calorie to build bones and muscle. I certainly do not beleive in giving up and eating just anything in any amount and sitting on my butt.

Again, good for you!

I never saw myself as athleti****il the gym staff called me that. When I was a little girl, I did gymnastics (but stopped because at a then 5'3 and 110 lbs (chubby for a kid) I was "too fat" for gymnastics and my coach wrote notes to my parents to start me on a diet.  My first diet was Lean Line (like WW) and as a kid, going to meetings was AWFUL and scary. Anyway, my teens were spent on my bike, but I still gained weight.  And then I would exercise in spurts, avoid gym class, the whole bit. So to now enjoy a physical challenge is amazing. Here's a story for you.  The swim manager and a staff member were in the pool room and were watching me show a friend an ab exercise (alternating toe touches/crunches) and the manager later told me that he and she watched me, talked about my amazing progress, and then tried what I was doing--and couldn't do it!  OMG!  LOL!  My friend quit and I teased her, "Do you really want me to show you up? LOL"  Seriously, for the 300lber to do something with ease that the 125lber can't, well ((snicker, snicker)).... I've surpassed my sense of struggling with the activities and now am into -- This feels great!  Can I do more please?

Hey Jersey...

Congrats on the Epiphany... I think you have conquered on battle and that is the realization of this whole journey being on going... even to maintain is ongoing.... I think you are on your weigh... congrats on your victories!