How did you do it?

It all started when I went to my niece's birthday party mid November and saw my sister in law. She was a shadow of her former self. She looked fantastic!!! I didn't say anything that day but texted her that night. She told me about myfitnesspal.com ~ my newest best friend (add me nondustbiter)!


As many of you now know, I have been on a weight loss journey since Thanksgiving of 2010. 
As of today I have lost almost 25 pounds.   How the heck I got 25 pounds overweight is beyond my comprehension but it is what it is...

Every conversation I have lately seems to start with the ever popular "How did you do it?"
Well friends, myfitnesspal.com is how...  (and a little help from modern medicine).

I have been trying for 5 years to lose the weight I gained with Addison.  I have run 3 half marathons, cut carbs and everything else under the sun.  Needless to say, I was not sitting around eating bon bon's all day wondering why the weight wasn't coming off...  I wasn't looking for the easy way. 

So after I heard about this application on my phone, I went to the doctor.
Yes, you heard me right. 
So many people forget about this very crucial step. 
I talked to her about all the things I have done in the past, my frustrations and my goals.  So she checked my thyroid, my blood pressure etc and put me on 4 months of phentermine. 

I am not going to go into all the pros and cons of the medicine - you can do that on your own but I will say that it absolutely helped jump start my habits.  I lost the first 15 with the help of the medicine - took it for 2 months and got off.  The last 10 I have lost on my own continuing to use myfitnesspal.com
It is not magic.  I changed my calorie intake to 1200.  I switched up my exercise.  You will NOT keep it off unless you use it as a means to change. 
I get tons of flack for it but it worked for me.  I had no bad side effects and I am continuing to lose without it. The End.
Enough about that. 

So, finally to the point of my post.  The keys to my success.  My secrets...  You asked so here are a few:

1.Go to the doctor if you need to lose more than 20 pounds. 
2. Download myfitnesspal.com
3. Invest in low calorie bread, non-sweetened almond milk, fiber one original cereal and skinny cow ice cream.  They have been staples in my diet.
4. Get the support of your family
5. Get moving.  Bike, clean your house, run, walk or even garden...  It all counts.  And it all allows you to eat MORE!
6. Do not deprive yourself of anything.  I still eat pretty much what I want - I just do it in moderation and adjust my menu accordingly.
7. Be patient.  I lost about 1 pound a week.  That is NOT a lot.  But as my sister in law told me, it all adds up.  Soon that one pound is two, then three etc.  It comes off slowly but it stays off.  Its not a fad.  Calories in, pounds off.  Simple math.

I will post more another time if you guys are still interested.  Either way, I am pre-baby weight.  It was really hard.  It took a while.  I am still working to make sure it stays off.