Size 12/14 to size 0!

You're so welcome! When I read your comments about "this too shall pass" being one of your Dad's common sayings, I got goosebumps! Sometimes coincidences like that aren't just random, and I'm so glad it's given you added inspiration. For you to have already lost 25 pounds just 2 months postpartum and be so determined to lose the rest is great! It took me three years after my last baby was born to get the motivation to take action! :eek: I wish I had developed a plan much sooner, or tried harder to loose the accumulating weight between kids! I had always had the weight come off on its own, and being busy with kids I started to look at exercise as a burden or inconvenience. But finally I started looking at it as a REWARD for me...taking some time to do something good for myself on so many levels. So keep at it...if you can lose just 2 pounds a week you will look and feel fantastic in just over two months (early May)!
 
Hi and Congrats!! I was wondering, as you got closer to your goal/final weight how did your workouts change, and if you changed your calorie limit per day.

Thanks!
 
Thank you! The length of my workouts didn't change (35-45 min/day), but I was ramping up the intensity as I got in better shape. Towards the end was when I found Cathe's tapes, and they really helped me kick things up and work some new muscle groups. As I got closer to my goal (and thus weighed less and burned fewer calories), the weight started coming off slower (from 2/lbs per week down to 1 1/2 or 1 pound), but I kept my calorie count the same because I was comfortable at 1300 calories. It just took a little longer at the end, but I was already happy with my progress so it didn't bother me. If I had been in a bigger hurry, I would have preferred to do a longer workout or add an evening walk or something rather than cut calories more. :)
 
Wow! Thanks for sharing your story and details. I wonder if the hypnosis CDs help due, in part, to relieving stress because years ago (when I was MUCH younger), I used to workout like mad, eat great and not have too much success in losing weight, but the daily pressure I put on myself was grueling. When I stopped putting pressure on myself and made consistent changes, bingo, I lost so much weight.

Can I ask you how many times per week you work out? Thank you again for your being so generous and sharing your success with us because I am still on the journey.

Take care.
 
I work out every day (7 days/week). I could cut that back if I worked out longer, but I like the routine of doing it every day. I work out for about 30-45 minutes. I aim for at least 30 minutes of good solid cardio, with weights added in every other day. I also often do ab crunches with my ab lounge before starting.

Your theory about stress is probably a good one...I think when you are stressed out and discouraged about weight loss that you are not as successful. And I know they say that lack of sleep hinders weight loss, too. Plus if you make it too difficult (too much working out, too strict on calories...it's harder to maintain that). The hypnosis definitely gives you a positive mindset about succeeding. When I started my weight loss quest using the hypnosis, I absolutely knew I would succeed and never questioned it. After being depressed about it for several years after my last child was born, it was just like a big weight being lifted and I felt more powerful and in control of myself. I literally jumped into a new routine of eating healthing and exercising daily and never looked back. But it wasn't a crash diet or anything, just a steady loss of up to 2 lbs/week.

Best of luck to you! :)
 
Thanks so much. I am totally convinced of the mind-stress and rest connection in losing weight.

It's our own impatient and unreasonable (for the amount of time we're trying to achieve it in) expectations that do us in.

Take care. Best to you and your family.
 
I bought Tom Nicoli's 2 cd set for weight loss and I noticed it working the first two days that I listened to it, but then I started falling asleep and not waking up when he said to. How do you keep yourself awake? (I've been doing it at night before bed).

Thanks,
Ashley

Make it a great day!
 
I know that the instructions that come with the CD's say to listen to them at a time when you aren't too sleepy. With five kids, it's hard for me to find time during the day to do it, so I do it before I go to sleep. Sometimes I fall asleep, and sometimes I wake up at the end. I figure if I listen regularly, at least it's working often enough to have an effect! You might try listening to it during the day for several weeks until it's really ingrained.

Sometimes when my mind is distracted by other things at night, I kind of tune out the CD and don't listen well at first and then I fall asleep. Or sometimes I'm so tired I fall asleep when my head hits the pillow! I always have the best success when I really focus on his words and on relaxing my body until my conscious brain is relaxed and not preoccupied with other thoughts. I usually focus on a small light in the room (the pilot light on my fireplace, the red light on my motion sensor, the alarm clock, etc.) until my eyes naturally close. Hope these tips help!
 
Thank you for sharing your story.
I am a size 12/14 now and really have a goal to get to an 8. I've never been that small in my life (started losing weight at 260lbs size 22)

I have been on a HUGE plateau for the last 2 years. I've maintained this weight, gone up 20-30lbs lost it, gain some back. I'm really wanting to lose it now but can't seem to get motivated again.

Thank you for your tips on the weight loss hypnosis CD's. I hadn't ever thought of that. I'm definitely going to try them.

Your story was just what I needed to find today. Thanks!
 
Congrats to you on the huge accomplishment you've already made! You've already lost as many sizes as I have. I hope that the CD's will help you out. Another thing that I thought helped was to take a long walk/jog after dinner. I think I read that in "Prevention"...that it helps to jumpstart that metabolism after you biggest meal of the day. Towards the end I started to do that (I still worked out in the mornings). Best of luck to you! Keep us posted!
 
>Congrats to you on the huge accomplishment you've already
>made! You've already lost as many sizes as I have. I hope
>that the CD's will help you out. Another thing that I thought
>helped was to take a long walk/jog after dinner. I think I
>read that in "Prevention"...that it helps to jumpstart that
>metabolism after you biggest meal of the day. Towards the end
>I started to do that (I still worked out in the mornings).
>Best of luck to you! Keep us posted!

Yes, that is something my husband and I want to do as it starts to get warmer out here. (We're still in the 30's right now) Our son is almost 5 so I know that he could use the exercise too. We need to do that instead of going out for ice cream! :p
 
momtofiveboys----WHEN do you work out. My DH and I fight about this all the time. I want to do a daily 5:30 A.M. workout but no matter how quiet I am (set clothes out in the hallway the night before, slither out of bed, etc.) he wakes up and then can't get back to sleep.

If it's not done before the boys (I only have four of them:) ) are up it just doesn't happen. What's your schedule.

Thanks
 
I WISH I had the motivation to get up that early to workout! :) My dh is a very early riser so he would love it if I got up and we worked out together. But I am usually just stumbling out of bed around 7-7:30 as my older boys get on the schoolbus. (My dh is usually gone by 7 if not earlier). So I'll have a light breakfast and then try to work out within the first hour after I get up. If I have a hectic morning or somewhere to be, I will workout in the afternoon or evening. My dh likes it when I workout in the evenings so that he can join me and workout, too. (no I don't mean anything dirty my that! :7 ) I have a four year old at home still, and all five of them are at home during summer/school breaks, but they will occupy themselves. Often my youngest will come and "workout" with me by jumping on the trampoline, mimicking what I do, etc. Or else I might put in a favorite movie or wait until a favorite TV show is on.

Tell your dh to get a set of earplugs and be thrilled that you are motivated to workout! :p
 
I just ordered a dvd from the website? I got the one about clutter... i need to work on that, may I ask how you got the CD on the MP3 player?
 
I used Windows Media to rip the CD to mp3. Very easy to do...and legal because you've bought the CD. Just start Windows Media, insert the CD and follow the instructions (use the help feature if you're unsure). Rip it to a folder on your harddrive, then hookup your mp3 player to the computer and copy the audio files. It's the same way people rip their CD songs onto their mp3 players. Good luck!
 
Can I be nosy and ask what you diet consists of? I just had my 5th child 5 months ago and am a size 14/16... the BIGGEST I have EVER been in my life!! I am so discouraged right now! I would to know what you ate? Or just you just keep to certain calories?
Jen
 
I didn't follow any sort of strict diet plan other than to keep within my alloted calories and work out daily. But here would be a typical day for me:

BREAKFAST-200 calories: 1 c Special K Berries & 1/2 c. skim milk plus 1 can Del Montel lite fruit (50 calorie can, I buy mine at Sam's)

OR

1 pkg Quaker weight loss oatmeal plus 1 can lite fruit

OR

1 lite English muffin (1/2 with sugar free jam and 1/2 with a small amount of low fat peanut butter) plus 1 can fruit and a small amount of lowfat cottage cheese

LUNCH-300 calories:
2 pieces Sarah Lee Delightful wheat or whole grain bread, deli meat, 1 slice Kraft fatfree cheddar cheese, 1 lite (80 cal) yogurt, 1 Lindt chocolate truffle OR frozen meal like Weight Watchers, etc. plus the truffle or an oreo, etc.

SNACK-100 calories:
Any 100 cal snack pack or a Kudos bar, 2 oreos, banana, etc .

DINNER-600 calories:
This would vary greatly depending on what we were making. The easiest to have was lean meat like chicken breast or pork loin (150 cal) bread w/ butter spray (150 cal), a salad with light dressing (50 cal), vegetable (50 cal). I would still have 150 cal left and use it towards my dessert! If I had a casserole or something like that, it would use up the full amount.

DESSERT/SNACK-100 calories

Other fillers were Hunt's sugar free jello (5 cal) pretzels for salt cravings (5 cal), diet soda, coffee, water, etc.

Hope this helps! Like I said, I didn't deny myself anything as long as I did it in moderation and it fit within my calorie count. If it was a holiday, etc. I would sometimes work out for a full hour and gain an extra 350 calories to use up. Or if I went out to lunch and went over on calories, I would compensate by having a frozen diet dinner for dinner and get pizza for my hubby & kids.
 
Sorry i am replying so late. How did you determined that you needed 1300 calories and 30 mins of exercise to lose 2lbs a week?

Your success and story has been amazing. Thank you so much for sharing.

Love,

Yvonne
 
There are several websites that will help you calculate how many calories you burn per day based on size, activity level, etc. Other websites help you determine how many calories a particular exercise will burn per hour, minute, etc.

Total calories burned (normal calories burned plus exercise calories) should be 1000 more than what you eat to lose 2 pounds a week. For me that was 1300 calores (2050 calories plus 350 calories of exercise equals 2400. Subtract 1000 equals 1400). I deducted an extra 100 to allow for food calorie miscalculations, jello snacks, occasional handful of something, etc.

http://www.caloriecontrol.org/exercalc.html
http://www.healthstatus.com/cbc.html
http://www.theindychannel.com/health/3657216/detail.html

There are other sites...just do a google search.
Hope this helps!
 
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