That's awesome Nycmike.....i have eight pounds to break the the 300lb mark, which i don't know the last time i was there....when i do, it will be a total of 141 pound total loss for me...i think i will hit it 1 month early which excites me to no end...I also love when the newer snugger fitting clothes start to become loose.

hello everyone! im new here and also have more than 100 lbs to loose. im just starting my journey and really dont know what im doing yet. im kinda just stumbling along here till i figure it out. ive started doing my log everyday and what an eye opener.... anyways, glad to be here and hope to "meet" a bunch of you that have done it or are doing it. the big 100+ lbs loss that is :D

Welcome! 100+ seems daunting, I know, but it can be done. Just took a look down memory lane (a/k/a my FitDay weight log) and on Thanksgiving last year I was down to a lanky 311 pounds. Now I'm hovering around the 190 mark. So while I only have another 25 lbs. or so to go, I've "been there, done that". If there's anything I can do to help, just say the word!

Regards,
Michael

wow... its so exciting... yet im so scared shitless i cant explain. i think ive come to the point in my life that ive had to admit to myself that i have been hiding behind my weight for years. i cant actually SAY it outloud yet, but i can write it down and that alone is a big acheivment. i am 5'1 and 285lbs. being short you carry weight alooooot differently. 10 lbs looks like 25. 50 looks like 100. id like to get to my before kids weight which is around 140. thats a big jump i know. but i got here, and i want to get back. i know its possible just hope its possible for me. i think you will be seeing a lot of me around here :)

My wife is your height and tips the scales at a tad over 300, so yes, I know about being big and small. Hopefully we'll see a lot less of you soon! ;)

Seriously, though, don't think about losing 100 pounds. Concentrate on losing one pound, which is easy. Then lose one pound again. And again. Well, you get the picture.

Regards,
Michael

I agree, i started out with food logging on fit day, cutting out fried foods, eating more veggies, looking at the foods i ate and tried to make them healthier without giving up everything i love to eat (wheat instead of white, turkey/chicken/fish/lean pork instead of red or fatty meats)...and 7 months i'm down 133lbs....with only a little cardio thrown in here and there....,you cannot allow yourself to get discouraged after 1, 2 or 3 weeks....if you are like me it took a few years to gain this weight, at least give yourself a month, then do a weigh in....when you see some solid numbers, it will inspire confidence that you can do it..

This is my first post here! I am about 100 pounds over my lowest weight ever (which is a large amount for a 5'7 girl). I haven't weighed that since high school, when I worked out a lot and watched what I ate, so I have a lot of work to do :-) I just started this week, but I've already lost 3 lbs (woohoo). I eat healthy foods, but my calories are just too large and I slowly gained the weight over 7 years. So I've started a food journal and worked out yesterday for the first time in 3-4 months (sore today).

Here's to new beginnings!

Lisa, welcome! Congrats on the good start, nothing motivates like success.

You've hit the nail right on the head, portion control is king. I guarantee that if you log all your food into FitDay religiously and maintain a reasonable calorie deficit that you WILL lose your excess weight.

Regards,
Michael

Thanks Michael!! This thread was awesome- 100 lbs seems so overwhelming, but when I see other people's numbers (like yours), it is really inspiring. I can't believe you lost so much weight in just a year and a half! Congrats- that must have been really hard work!

Lisa, the hard part is getting started (which you've already conquered!). Once you've made a plan, made the commitment and gotten going, the battle is mostly won. Really, weight loss is, I think, at least 95% mental. Get your mind right, your "switch" flipped, and the rest it easy.

So, yes, getting started was hard. But really, it's been fairly easy sticking to my basic rules for weight loss. Now, once I get to "goal", the real challenge for me will start. I've never in my life maintained a healthy weight for any amount of time. But, I'm confident that with the continued use of FitDay that I'll be able to do it.

Regards,
Michael

How are my "Big Losers" doing?

Kind of excited, at 185.5 this morning I'm two pounds over my lowest weight of 184 "last time", back in '01. Anything under that will put me at my lowest since, oh, 1984 or so when I lost weight as a teenager. I was probably heavier than that in Jr. High school.

Hope you all are doing well. Keep up the fight!

Regards,
Michael

I'm doing pretty good Michael. Not really losing right now scalewise but in the past month I lost 3" off my hips so I will take that!! :D I have been a bit off of my eating plan as I am sure many are at this time of year. I haven't gained though and that is important to me. If I can maintain for a few weeks then lose some more I am happy. As long as I don't let it creep back up.

You on the other hand are a machine! You are within 20lbs of your ultimate goal now. That is just awesome!!!

04/08/2011 440lbs Starting weight, 5'10", 37 years old

05/08/2011 420lbs -20lbs

06/08/2011 396lbs -24lbs

07/08/2011 376lbs -20lbs

08/09/2011 358lbs -18lbs

09/09/2011 340lbs -18lbs

10/07/2011 324lbs -16lbs

11/10/2011 307lbs -17lbs

12/01/2011 299lbs -8lbs Goal met 1 month early !! Woo Hoo

141lbs lost in @ 7 1/2 months

I knew i only needed 8 lbs to meet my goal for the year, so i allowed this time for me to eat more than i normally do by avg 1700-1800 calories a day instead of 1300-1400 and i still met goal one month early..now back to the grind again....

Pic on the left is one month ago, on the right is Feb of last year this was a 133lbs between two pics

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i8...llerbigger.png

Wow Clay! You have gotta feel like a new man! Keep up the hard work. It is paying off big time!

thanks

Clay,great work! Hope the next 100 comes off just as quickly for you! Things will slow down, eventually, though but it sounds like you can deal with that OK. I'm into scary territory now, around 20 pounds from "goal". That means dealing with maintaining instead of losing--something I've never done before.

Regards,
Michael

luckily i cannot come up with a dedicated "goal" yet, not sure if i want to be at 225, 200, or 185, i think my ideal weight is 174, but i think i would look like a crackhead...i tried working out and thats does not seem to be my thing...i enjoy riding my mountain bike and thats the only real form of exercise i have been doing....my BMR keeps dropping, so i am expecting the weight loss to slow down, but i figure if i keep up eating the way i am doing, i will still loose a little each month which is okay with me..Thanks for all the support, fellow fitdayers

What's up everyone, its been a little while... Things are still going great. I just got back from a cruise with the fam. I was a little worried because cruises are very gluttonous (sp?), but I actually had one of the healthiest vacations that I have ever had... had personal training sessions, took yoga/spin, ran a few times, it was really great. I kept my eating pretty much in check the whole time, it was tough but I survived and felt great when I got home... I am pretty proud of myself.

Today is my 7 month anniversary of starting anew, and I am down 108 lbs. I'm sprinting towards 200 and I cannot wait... all this talk about goal weights, I am thinking about shooting for 185. That will still be considered overweight by some measures but I think that I will be very fit at that point... I am hoping if I say diligent I can hit that by May 1.

Clay- Those pictures are amazing... Keep up the good work. Michael - What are you going to do to celebrate hitting the goal weight?

Hello everyone, I'm new here
 

Hi everyone, My name is Mike. I am 36 years old and I have a LOT of weight to lose :( . I'd like to congratulate all of you who have been successful so far. I'd also like to pick your brains for tips on what has worked best for you all. I currently weigh in at 550 lbs. I have always lied to myself, telling myself it's not that bad....I went to the Dr. today. I almost passed out when I saw the scale. the last 100 lbs was put on over the past year. I was on Zoloft for about 6-8 months. I think that could have contributed to the rapid gain, but none the less, I need to lose it. I have 8 year old triplets who mean everything to me and I need to be around for them. any tips are greatly appreciated.

Mike, glad to hear you're doing well. I'm really in no particular hurry to reach my "goal". To be honest, it scared the bejabbers out of me. I KNOW I can lose weight, and I KNOW (really, really KNOW) I can gain it. As I've mentioned before, the one thing I've never done in my 47 years is to maintain a weight.

Reaching "goal" means that I will have to maintain a specific weight and I think that is going to be pretty difficult. So, my plan is to continue losing, but more slowly. If I lose a pound a week, on average, that gives me around six more months before I hit my "goal" of 165. Perhaps that will be too low, I don't know. I feel pretty good right now, hovering between 185 and 190.

Anyway, that's my plan.

Regards,
Michael

Mike, i started slowly, quite drinking sodas, no fried foods, ate wheat instead of white products (bread, rice), skim milk, ate more vegetables (i got bored of fruits the 1st month so i kinda eliminated them again), used splenda when sugar is called for, ate more chicken, fish and turkey and logged everything i ate, i wanted to be accountable, which caused me to be more cautious of what i ate, because i would have to look at it on the food log. I did not do really any form of exercise for the 1st couple of months, i wanted to get a system down for eating and logging 1st before trying to complicate things. 7 months later i'm down 141 pounds. And last but not least, consume less calories than you burn daily = weight loss

Thanks for the pointers Clay. Congratulations on your weight loss! I will be ecstatic if I do as well as you have so far. I have cut out all soda as well, and I have started drinking a LOT of water. Maybe too much?? I have been logging my food since I started (this past Saturday), and I feel pretty good about it. I'm still trying to transition to the healthy eating. I grew up pretty poor & we ate pretty much whatever we had, which usually wasn't lean meats & vegetables. May I as this, how do you cook your meats? is it best to grill them or bake them? what kind of oil should I use for cooking? I joined a gym last night that offers free trainers to their members, I have my first session tomorrow after work :D

Oh, one more thing Clay, may I ask how many calories you aimed for in a day? I am shooting for 2000 - 2100, but I'm not sure if that is too drastic of a drop all at once. thanks:)

Hello everyone...
 

Well, I decided to join the thread.. I was hesitant but you'all inspire me to get this party started.

I was 404 in july of 2011.. I joined FD and have slowly began figuring this stuff out... It was amazing to see what I had been eating to get there.

I am about a month in (oct 31, 2011) to my serious effort.

I look forward to taking this journey with you all..

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October 31, 2011 - 404
December 12, 2011 - 392

Well, I went from eating whatever it was I was eating (had to have been 4 or 5,000 a day or more) to 1,500. Let me tell you, the weight peeled off pretty quickly. As time progressed, my average went slowly up to around 2K now going on two years (in May) after I started.

So, any consistant calorie deficit will ensure weight loss, up to a point, the higher the deficit, the faster you'll lose. Of course, you may want to lose more slowly, as was my plan this time around. The "last time" I lost a bunch of weight, I was a bit more obsessive having started with a zero cal, 30 day water fast followed by nine months of 1,000 cals.

Just my .02 from someone who's been there, done that. Whatever level you choose, make sure it's something that you can live with and that won't drive you to "cheat".

Regards,

Michael

I only use PAM or non stick cooking spray, i sometimes use non stick skillet, but i mostly use george foreman grill, and use salt and red pepper for seasoning, i know salt is bad, but if it tastes good, i tend to want to "cheat" less, if i do decide to eat more for the day, i might eat more of one of the healthier items. As far as calories, i never logged what i normally eat, the first day i started i was mindful of what i put in my body, and the first week i hovered around 2200 calories with a bmr of about 4100 calories, with carbs/fats/proteins averaging about 40/30/30% which i found out later was a pretty good balance. The 2nd week, i guess because my appetite had maybe "shrunk" my calorie range dropped to 2000 calories, then i purposely limited myself to 1900 calories the 3rd week, and i stayed full all day, and had no trouble maintaining that calorie range, i kept that range for a whole month, then each month i dropped the calorie range by 100 calories, until i reached 1300 calories, then i noticed that i was hungry allot, so i upped it to 1350-1400 calories and that is what i figured the calorie range i am able to handle at this point and still keep losing. Since my bmr will keep going down, and i am still eating that average, my weight loss will start to be less and less each month. Since your starting weight is higher than mine, your bmr will also be higher, i basically used the formula of 1750 calorie difference a day would lead to 1 pound of weight loss every 2 days. Until my bmr became low enough, that now i average 1350-1500 calorie difference, which is still okay as long as i am see results and not gaining. Hope this helps.

Great plan, Clay. I find it very hard to go down in cals once I've gone up, but if one can do it, it's great. I agree that around 1500 "good" calories is a very doable level--no need to get uncomfortably hungry but you can still maintain a good loss.

It's funny, I, too, stumbled upon the "Zone" 40/30/30 mix well after I noticed that was approx. what my numbers were on a consistant basis. I think it works well. Now I don't have the patience to keep that mix every meal like the Zone diets requires, but on a daily/weekly average, it makes sense. I get at least 100 grams of protein a day and don't worry about carbs and fat (though I don't to trans fats at all).

Regards,
Michael

Well I've been really cutting back, and it feels pretty good. I was worried that it would be so hard to stay under 2000 calories, but some days, I'm only getting 1300-1400. I have already taken my belt in 1 notch & today after my workout at the gym, I weighed myself. 530.3 lbs :D When I was weighed at the Dr.'s office on the 9th, it was 552.8 or 558.2. I know that there will be some variation in the scales, not THAT much. I'm feeling more motivated now than ever!!:D

OMG, you guys are so motivating!!! I need to lose 100 pounds but I'd be happy with any downward movement on the scale. I'm aiming for 2000 calories right now but will follow your lead and gradually cut back once I know I can live with 2000. Thanks so much for posting.

Nora, I think you could do very well on 1500-1600. 2000 cals is really quite a lot of food. I did notice your calorie mix looks pretty carb-heavy. I like to keep a loose 40/30/30 carb/protein/fat mix and get at least 100 grams of protein a day. Protein will keep you feeling full much longer than carbs and helps keep your glucose peaks and valleys to a minimum.

But by all means, do whatever works for YOU--we're all different! :D

Regards,
Michael

Michael, thanks so much for your reply. I think you're absolutely right about my protein intake. I'm stuck at work today but will be better prepared for tomorrow. I think I'm upwards of 3000 calories up until yesterday so going down to 2000 doesn't seem quite so formidable. I will set my goal for 1500 - 1600 though. I think it's doable on a rational level, it just doesn't seem emotionally doable just yet. Baby steps. Large, thundering baby steps but baby steps all the same. :)

By all means, find a calorie level you can live with comfortably--it's better to lose slowly then to get so hungry you're tempted to "cheat" or even worse, give up. Just make sure you are eating "good" food--no junk and don't waste your calories on simple carbs, sugar, caloric beverages, etc.

Oh, and keep us posted as to your progress!

Regards,
Michael

Well, I am on week 8 and seem to be doing pretty well...

I have taken the advise of Michael and others and it does seem to get a bit easier the more time you have under your belt..

Thanks everyone..

On to week 9..

it sure does, got to take it one day at a time....and each time you weigh and see it coming off, it gives you that much more reason to continue...

Merry Christmas, friends!

Hope you all have a safe and fun holiday but let's not throw our lifestyle changes totally out the window and be right back on track once things get back to normal.

On a personal note, just took a little trip down FitDay memory lane--Christmas of 2010 saw me at 298 pounds, so 116 pounds lighter this Christmas. What could be a better present? :)

Regards,
Michael

i didn't do too bad for christmas, i still kept a 500 calorie deficit for the day, not as good as i normally do, but better than eating more than i burned...

Good job, Clay. I figure I'm at about a 300 cal deficit for the day, but I am estimating Christmas dinner so it might go either way.

Regards,
Michael

I'm back to a 1630 calorie deficit today and back on track. I have to work nights this whole weekend should be easy to stay on track for the 1st of the year since i met my 2011 goal 1 month early, 2012 should be a great year....now to see how much i can lose for my 20 year high school reunion. I am thinking by my current loses that i might be able to get down between 200-220lbs by August. Can't wait for the warmer weather to start back on my fixie and mountain bike.

Hello!!! I am new to this site....I am 23 and i currently weigh 225 lbs, i was at 242, so down 17!!! i am 5' 2" and a healthy weight for my height is in the 130s...so not totally sure if i'm concidered "need to lose 100+" but i would love to have people to talk to and check in with. I've tried hundreds of ways to lose weight and always give up after losing 10 so i'm doing better this time. I think counting calories is the best way for me to go, and this site is super helpful.

Welcome! Please do join us, no matter how much you've got to lose. We understand where you're at and where you've been (and some of where you're going).

Oh, and congrats on what you've accomplished thus far--keep it up! And I agree that calorie control is the only thing that's ever worked for me in the long-term (and really is what every weight-loss plan/program/gimmick) relies upon, anyway, no matter how else they "package" it.

Regards,
Michael