Losing inches

Hello to everyone, Today I went to Walmart and purchased a tape measurer. I had cut mine into small pieces at the beginning of my journey. I didn't feel that after 2 week the numbers had gone down enough!!! So out to the store and 97 cents later I was in possession of a tape measurer. I discovered that I had lost a total of 53 1/2 inches off of my body. I am assuming that is the correct number. I also threw the paper away with my beginning stats. I guess I was far more impatient then!! Here are the stats as I remember them, with the help of my other half: neck - 18 inches -- now 16 inches upper arms - 19 inches -- now 15 inches calves - 24 inches - now 20 1/2 inches thighs - 36 inches - now 31 inches wrist - 7 1/4 inches - now 6 3/4 inches ankles - 14 inches - now 12 inches (still suffering from swollen ankles, haven't quite figured out why yet) waist - 57 inches - now 45 inches hips - 60 inches - now 53 inches breast - 54 inches - now 46 inches I have lost 66 pounds since starting this program on July 7. It CAN be done without WLS. I am not the only one on this board to do it. I hope everyone had a wonderful day. Donna

Good job, Donna. I wish I had taken measurements when I started this journey. Best of luck. Kasey 365/215/195 (nonop)

Hi Donna, That's great that you have lost so many inches! Keep shrinking. Lynette

Fantastic!!! Thatsa lotta inches!! I took my measurements in June; I think I'll do a recheck!! I know that when I started losing weight, I was a size 26/28. I'm now a size 20 pants, and 22 shirt (some of us have boob issues...)! So I don't know how many inches I've lost, but I do know for a fact that I have lost a bunch!! Yipppeeeee to you! No more running with scissors and chopping up measuring tape!! From one do-it-yourselfer to another: CONGRATULATIONS!!! Jessica

Hi donna, I was just reading your profile and admiring your amazing progress--those numbers are just incredible. I think you are doing a remarkable and admirable job. I'd also love to know how you modified South Beach for yourself (I've been doing much the same thing--South Beach plus calorie counting plus a little protein supplementation and water loading learned from our RNY and lapband friends). Congratulations, and let's share the non-op mojo!! liz (who grew up just across the river from you) 258/218 since 6/1/05 (non op [so far so good]) -- 22W to 16-18W

Liz, Thank you for the admiration. I always remain a bit humble at my current success because I guess a bit of the old cynic still lives inside of me and is waiting for the other shoe to drop!! As to how I modified the South Beach Diet to work for me, I'm not sure there was a huge scientific method in there! I am a carb addict, so I choose by design to not eat carbs. I was very very slow in adding back even whole grain carbs to my program. In four months I have not eaten a piece of bread, a cookie, a cracker or a bowl of pasta. I just do not have the desire to add those back to my eating. I have, however, slowly added back whole wheat pasta, oatmeal and once or twice a week I will have a slice of oat bran nut bread or flax grain bread with a smear of peanut butter and a bit of sugar free jelly. I stay away from the foods that mimic the ones that got me to where I am today. I don't eat low carb "snacks" or "fake" snacks. I choose instead to eat whole foods. My mantra is that if it hasn't lived in some shape way or form I won't be eating it. It's funny how you compare yourself to a post-op. I think I have actually convinced myself I had the surgery!!! I eat SO little these days it is almost scary. I thin****ep my calorie intake at around 800. I have started back at the gym and I am very conscious of the fact that I have to up that intake in order to sufficiently nourish my body. I track all of my food on self.com which is very similar to fitday. My immediate goal is 200, my doctor claims he wants me at 160. I told him I wanted to win the mega millions too if he could manage it. Right now I feel like I have hit my first plateau. The scale has been playing with my head now and hasn't gone below 276 in at least two weeks. It had gone as high as 282 one day, a "gain" of 7 pounds from the day before. It was after I had started my exercise program so I tried not to freak too badly!!! Now I am working on the whole body approach. The program, exercise and being conscious of how my body is changing. A small wow moment for me was last night when I went shopping and picked up two pairs of 22 pants, one Bill Blass and one Gloria Vanderbilt. I was reluctant because I wasn't sure it would happen but I brought them home and they fit!!! Not even the lay down on the bed and try to button and zip them kind of fit, but REALLY fit. It was a fantastic feeling going from a tight 26/28 to a 22. It's these kinds of moments that keep me on track. Donna