The MLP Arena

Pony Talk => Off Topic => Topic started by: SourdoughStomper on January 17, 2012, 10:28:40 AM

Title: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: SourdoughStomper on January 17, 2012, 10:28:40 AM: Of being a member of SparkPeople, that is! I would have posted this yesterday, but I was fighting a fever. (BTW, today I think I won!)

It's a free site that can help you meet your goals of being healthier, more physically fit and losing weight. I think it also helps with budgeting but I haven't touched that area. Or just any lifestyle goals you can think of, I suppose. :) My reason for going there was to lose weight. And I did!

Here are my before and now pictures. They are deliberately small because I'm shy. :lookround: :blush: Please forgive me and break out your magnifying glass. I hope the difference is still noticeable.

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This is almost "before." I didn't take a photo until I was about two weeks into it, but it's close enough. I was 203 lbs on January 16, 2011.

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This is almost "after." I have two pounds to go yet, to reach my goal, so it's not quite "after." But it's close enough. I weighed 143 lbs as of January 15, 2012.

That's not all! I can tie my shoes. My knees stopped hurting. I could dash UP a snowy hill and get to the top before my little boys did when we were sledding. (Well, at least once or twice, anyway.) I can take an 8 mile walk with no problems. Maybe this year I'll challenge myself to go on my own half-marathon. I can go up and down stairs for 20 minutes straight. Probably longer if I didn't get bored of going from the basement to the living room for 20 minutes, anyway. :P My clothes got too big and I can wear smaller things now.

Also, I haven't gotten as sick as frequently as I used to, like with colds and such, and for the most part they are short affairs when I do. So I guess my immunity has gotten a bit of a boost.

I still eat my usual things too, for the most part. I try to fit in a cookie or two a day at least, 'cause I love cookies!

I think one of the fun things I like to show off is my "virtual" walk. I bought a pedometer last year and walk all the time. Even in the house. The pedometer calculates the distance I go and so I used that to calculate how far along I would have been along on a route to my home.

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It took me 10 months to cover the distance of 1,583 miles, or the distance between Lethbridge and Yuma, AZ. Plotting a virtual route is a very good motivator to keep walking.

Anyway, that's my off-topic "brag," but some of the credit goes to SparkPeople, their tools and community. :) Thanks for taking the time to read. :heart:
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: kiwimlp on January 17, 2012, 11:49:10 AM: You look fantastic, SDS. I think it's great how motivated you are and your results speak for themselves. I love your idea of a virtual walk. How interesting to see the total distance you have covered. Those steps sure do add up!
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: Monsterelli on January 17, 2012, 12:00:50 PM: Congrats, you look amazing! visitors can't see pics , please register or login

It sounds like a really great site and I'm happy to hear that it has helped you so much and that total distance map is really cool! It must be so empowering to see that.
:happy:
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: kittybethy on January 17, 2012, 12:06:09 PM: Way to go SDS!!!!
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: ZennaBug on January 17, 2012, 12:43:12 PM: That's fantastic, you are doing so well!!! Congrats! :lovey:
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: BlackCurtains on January 17, 2012, 12:45:46 PM: Massive congrats! You look amazing and it's such a huge accomplishment! :cheer:
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: zabe77 on January 17, 2012, 03:03:10 PM: Happy anniversary and congratulations!!
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: tuneful87 on January 17, 2012, 03:06:32 PM: That virtual walk is really neat, SDS!
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: SourdoughStomper on January 17, 2012, 03:29:46 PM: Thanks, everyone! visitors can't see pics , please register or login
That means a lot to me!
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: kaoskat on January 17, 2012, 04:05:02 PM: Yay!!!!!!!!! Huge congrats SDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post Merge: January 17, 2012, 04:05:48 PM

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Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: fingerpaints on January 17, 2012, 04:49:34 PM: Major congrats sweetie - you are looking amazing, all worth the effort. Also glad you seem to have beat that fever ^^
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: Spiderlegs on January 17, 2012, 05:12:30 PM: Way to go! You look great! :hug:
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: Kiwi on January 17, 2012, 06:06:58 PM: That is awesome Stomps! Congrats :D
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: ashes on January 17, 2012, 09:19:42 PM: I like the virtual walk idea! And you look just fabulous. Maybe I should try it to shake these last few baby pounds. I've just got 15 to go, but man, they are proving difficult to get rid of!
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: BridgetsMum on January 18, 2012, 12:04:36 AM: Huge congrats SDS! I'm so extremely happy for you. Losing weight is an amazing feeling and absolutely not an easy thing to do. You look great!
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: SourdoughStomper on January 18, 2012, 05:46:00 AM: Thanks again, everyone! visitors can't see pics , please register or login

BM posted on my thread! :faint: :shocked: :biggrin: :frolic: :whoa: :good: :iconclap: :banana: Yay! Thanks. :D
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: creampuf on January 18, 2012, 05:55:45 AM: Congrats!

you are such an inspiration!
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: FlyingPonyMonster on January 20, 2012, 01:55:42 PM: Super major congrats!!!
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: SourdoughStomper on January 20, 2012, 02:06:26 PM: Thank you! :joy:
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: Babushka on January 21, 2012, 04:47:50 PM: Way to go! :frolic:
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: okapishomapi on January 21, 2012, 06:57:18 PM: This is so incredible - congratulations for such an amazing achievement and for looking GORGEOUS!!
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: ponylady on January 22, 2012, 05:28:40 AM: Congrats! The feeling has to be wonderful that you accomplished a major goal for yourself. And you look great!
I think trying to lose weight is one of the hardest things to do.
Title: Re: Yesterday was my first anniversary!
Post by: dollhands on January 25, 2012, 12:49:07 AM: Congratulations SDS! You look amazing, well done :good: