The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Drama Queen]

Just wanted to join in on the journeling fun. Hope to have time to write more later about this amazing MF journey!

[Drama Queen]

The following was first posted Friday, January 20, 2006

Greetings Everyone,

My MF Variety Pack arrived yesterday and I'm ready to start this life change on Sunday. I've been surfing around the board this past week waiting for my MF to arrive and can't believe how many wonderful supportive folks are out there. You have really helped me in commiting to the MF program. I know I can do this!

A little about myself...I am 53 years old, 5'9", weighing in at 208 lbs. At this age the aches and pains are starting to act up. I finally decided the only thing that will help improve my health is losing the extra 60 lbs. I have been carrying around the last 15 years. I'm tired of feeling exhausted all the time!!

MF here I come!! Sunday is the day I start toward a whole new me!!

I know I'm going to be coming back to the boards a lot for your encouragement and support. So many thanks in advance. Drama Queen

[GucciGoo]

DQ--- was that post above your first post ever?

[Drama Queen]

Greetings,

Thought I would start out by copying and pasting my first post on these boards into this thread. (See Above)

Now that I am closing in on my goal and looking toward maintenance, I can't believe what an amazing journey this has been. MF has changed my life. Not only have I lost weight, I have found myself. The wonderful, confident woman I was 12 years ago before I starting putting on weight. Thrilled at my reflection in the mirror and with energy to spare to do all the things I love.

I remember the end of January when I started MF, setting a goal of losing 60 pounds and having it gone by the end of July. That gave me a little over six months to lose the weight. The negative part of me said, "six months...that's too long to have to be on a diet...you'll never stick to it." The positive side of me said, "the time is going to pass whether I diet or not and if I diet I'll be 60 pounds lighter in August." I'm so happy I listened to my positive self and I'm almost to goal.

I'm not saying this has been a breeze, it hasn't. I desparately miss huge tubs of Hot Buttered Popcorn at the Movies (the smell at the Theatre almost kills me). I miss the Bread & Rolls at my favorite restaurant as well as the Chips and Salsa at Chili's. But those things will be there, in moderation of course, during maintenance.

[Drama Queen]

I have re-discovered a favorite pastime....Shopping and buying new clothes!!!

I have always loved shopping and fashion. For years, while I lived and worked in NYC, My best friend was a Fashion Designer. He helped me lose my College weight (40 lbs.) and coached me on a diet in the 80's that got me down to a healthy Size 6-8. At 5'9 in NYC and weighing in at 130 lbs. people used to stop me on the street to ask me if I was a model. Clothes shopping was a dream...everything fit and everything looked great.

Then I had a year from HELL...tragedies struck that knocked me on my butt. I slipped on the steps coming out of my apartment bldg. and severely broke my foot and dislocated my ankle which put me on crutches for 6 months and ended my running career (I was running 4-6 miles a day), my boyfriend of 10 years broke up with me, I lost my job, I got a new job with a Boss from Hell, and then I lost my Father from a heart attack when he was only 66 years old.

Eating became my friend and comfort for the pain I was dealing with emotionally. I then moved from NYC to Utah in 1991 and my eating and weight spiraled out of control. I slowly added on more weght each year. My dear friend, the Fashion Designer, contracted Cancer and died at age 43. I was devastated. I put on more weight. This past September when I turned 54, I resigned myself to the fact I was going to be heavy the rest of my life. My legs and ankles ached and the pain from the arthiritis I had developed from my broken foot/ankle injury was getting worse every day.

And then shopping gave me my ah-hah moment. This past January I was putting on my size 18 jeans and realized how tight and worn out they were. I needed a new pair so off to the Mall I went shopping. I took a stack of size 18 jeans to the Dressing Room. None of them fit! I couldn't zip them up. Some I couldn't get over my thighs. I needed a larger size. I needed to try on the size 20 jeans, maybe even the size 22's. I burst into tears in the Dressing Room. How had I let myself get into this kind of shape? Why had I done this to me? Was I only going to continue to get bigger and bigger each year? I composed myself, put all the jeans back, left the store and vowed never to buy a pair of size 20 jeans. I was going to do something about this.

I took to the internet and started researching diets and weight loss plans. I stumbled upon the Medifast site and something in the success stories resonated with me. I thought, I think I can do this. I ordered my first 4 week variety pack, set a goal of losing 60 pounds and thought, I hope this isn't a waste of money. I'm a very picky eater and my fear was I was going to hate the products.

My food arrived and I was pleasantly surprised by how good everything tasted. I was on my way. I started MF at 208 pounds on January 22nd and have not looked back. I find the program extremely flexible to my schedule and lifestyle. To date I have lost 54.6 pounds and I am only 5.4 pounds from my 60 pound goal and transitioning to maintenance.

This past weekend I went shopping to buy, you guessed it, a new pair of jeans. My size 10 jeans I bought the end of May were getting a little baggy. In to the Dressing Room I went with stacks of jeans. They all went on easily. Now I just had to decide which ones I liked best. I treated my self to a pair of Tommy Hilfiger jeans in a size 6 and a pair of Polo by Ralph Lauren jeans in a size 8. (I'm always amazed how different sizes are between designers.) I remembered my promise, "I'm never going to buy a pair of size 20 jeans" and recommited myself to it!!!

Oh, and did I mention, I love shopping!!!

[alohacate]

As a former model, I can totally relate to what you have said.
I too had the "ah ha " moment in the dressing room. I gradually glided from a 6, 8, 10, 14, 16 then the size 18 was too snug. Looking into the dressing room mirror I looked pregnant. I decided to stick to my stretchy yoga pants and husband's shirts. I feel so fortunate to have found out about medifast!

[dede4wd]

I'm happy to say I have retired every pair of stretch pants, sweat pants and yoga pants I own...unless I"m in the gym! I loved your post DQ!

DeDe

[Lizabette]

DQ,
I am excited about your journal and your great success.
Please keep it going and tell us how you are transitioning
and maintaining after you goal is reached.

Loved it!

Lizabette

[Drama Queen]

Thought I would go ahead and post my photos in this thread as well.

Greetings Everyone,

I finally got someone to take some photos of me. The first pictures (in the brown pantsuit) were taken Friday at the Hotel were I work in Sales. I just had to wear a little bit of leopard in honor of Nancy!




The other two were taken yesterday in full red wig, make-up and costume. As you can tell from my screen name, my passion is Theatre. I am currently performing as Clelia Waldgrave in the hilarious comedy The Nerd at a local Community Theatre. These were taken right before my third performance of the day.




Theatre is one of the main reasons I want to get healthy. It takes an incredible amount of energy to work a job 40-50 hours a week and also do 8 performances a week. It's like having two full time jobs!! I want to make sure I am in great health so I'm able to keep up my performing for many years to come.

I can't wait to post photos when I reach goal!! Thanks for all the wonderful support from this Forum. You guys are AWESOME!!!!

[Drama Queen]

Sunday, July 16, 2006

As promised here are my almost there pics. I'm just 2.8 pounds shy of my 60 pound goal. I can't believe how great I feel.

I also have a great new smile! (Notice not much smiling in the before pics.) That was my reward along this journey, a Hollywood smile worthy of my theatrical aspirations. (I had an Audition yesterday morning with Call Backs this Thursday...Keep your fingers crossed for me!!) Thanks to MF, I haven't stopped smiling.

Enjoy the photos (emailing to Unca right now) and thanks for the amazing support!!

[Lizabette]

DRAMA QUEEN,

I've seen these pictures, but thanks for posting again.
They are so inspirational
You're smile is contagious.
I'm thankful you are posting on Maintenance to help some of the rest of us along that path.
I hope that every audition you have and want is successful.
You so deserve it!

Lizabette

[Sojourner]

DQ, you look gorgeous! Love the suit BTW.
Congrats and thanks for posting your story,
it's very inspirational.

[Denise]

You look Really Great! Big Congrats!

[Drama Queen]

Now that I have reached Goal and I am transitioning on to maintenance, I thought I would post my statisitcs here in my Diary:

Start Date: January 22, 2006
Goal Date: July 30, 2006

Start Weight: 208
Goal Weight: 148 (147.6 actual weight on 7/30/06))

Weeks on program: 26 weeks
Average loss per week: 2.2 pounds

10# Club - January 29, 2006
20# Club - February 26, 2006
30# Club - April 9, 2006
40# Club - May 7, 2006
50# Club - June 18, 2006
60# Club - July 30, 2006

Starting Size: 18-20 in Misses / Woman's
Current size: 6-8 in Misses

Measurements: (first number is starting / second number is current)

WAIST: 39.5 / 34 - difference = 5.5 inches
BUST: 44.5 / 39.5 - difference = 5 inches
CHEST: 36.5 / 32 - difference = 4.5 inches
HIPS: 45.5 / 38 - difference = 7.5 inches
UPPER ARM: 14 / 12 - difference = 2 inches
ELBOW: 11 / 9.5 - difference = 1.5 inches
THIGH: 25.5 / 19.5 - difference = 6 inches
CALF: 18 / 15.5 - difference = 2.5 inches
KNEE: 17.5 / 15.5 - difference = 2 inches
ANKLE: 10.5 / 10 - difference = .5 inches
NECK: 14 / 12 - difference = 2 inches

Total inches lost: 39 INCHES!!

Check out the Maintenance Thread for my Transition/Maintenance Journey.

[GucciGoo]

You are my idol. You make me want to be a better MFer.