Finally got some courage. I'm a little scared and don't even know if this will work, but here is a before and during of me. The first one was taken of me at 265 lbs (most likely at a bit more than that truth be known but I'm not sure.) I was the most miserable physically in my whole life. It makes me so sad. The picture beside it was one my husband took of me last night. We were messing around with the camera for fun. I had just come back from my son's baseball game. I am now at 228. I know I'm still big. I know I have a ways to go. Right now my goal is 190. It will be lower but I don't want to overwhelm myself. The transformation is not phenomenol (sp?) yet but I'm still beaming proud!!!!! :D I have not lost any more weight for about 3 weeks now but I've also started on weight machines. So I gather I'm building muscle because I'm still doing great on the eating... haven't binged or anyting. Anyways let's see if this even works. Hope my pix don't scare anyone away!!!! :(

God Bless!
-Donna Lynn

Wow! What a huge change! That looks like more than 37-lbs. to me... awesome work so far. Keep it up. :tucool:

-R

THANK YOU Bluestreak SO MUCH! How encouraging! WHEW! :p

Holy moly! You must be so proud of yourself! Way to go!

Oh my! Really? Oh thank you so much! I honestly didn't know there would be responses like this! I have tears right now! Oh thank you so so much! thank you! :o

A definite difference :) Excellent, excellent work. Now make dedication your friend and stick you it.

Many congrats to you!

great job! keep it up!

The transformation is not phenomenol (sp?) yet but I'm still beaming proud!!!!! :D I have not lost any more weight for about 3 weeks now but I've also started on weight machines. So I gather I'm building muscle because I'm still doing great on the eating... haven't binged or anyting.

-Donna Lynn

Not phenomenal?!?!?! Watchyou talkin' 'bout, Willis? It's absolutely phenomenal. You have lost 37 pounds of scale weight, and I would bet since you are lifting weights that you've lost more bodyfat than you realize. I think the happy face in your photo says it all. Isn't it a great feeling when you stick with a plan and actually see your body changing? Stick with it, and keep us all updated on how you are doing.

great job! keep it up!


Keep doing what you're doing, Big Difference :)
Glad you're here and with us, once you reach your final goal you will be a HUGE motivation factor to all the ladies on these forums! :tucool:

:claplow: Excellent! :claplow:

Donna Lynn,

You are looking great! You have encouraged me because of your reasons to be in shape...your kids! Up until I saw your first post my fitness was something I did for me, but you have inspired me to make my physical fitness a gift not to myself, but for my kids someday, and Lord willing my grandkids as well! What better gift to give them than a father/grampa that is healthy and fit enough to still wrestle with them at the age of 55-65? I am only 23 now, but I know "saving" up to give them that gift starts now!

I am proud of you and your hard work and obvious results! :claphigh:

Wow Donna, you are looking GREAT! You look MUCH slimmer in your after photo....You've lost some serious inches. Congrats on all of your hard work.

Your story is probably my favorite on this site, so I always love reading your updates. Keep up the good work, and I'll be rooting for you!

You are doing such a great job!!

Oooooh thank you ALL SOOOO much! It has been QUITE a road! I tell you it has! Very scary starting out. Now it is more exciting than scary and is a fun and steady learning experience. I love myself and my life and there are people that cannot BELIEVE I am typing that out, let alone saying something like that aloud. Sometimes I can hardly wait for my next goal though, so I've had to talk to myself and say, "patience, Donna, patience." Gotten a little ancie - but that is better than letting my life pass me by and crying all the time! I just need to smile and find the happy medium now. :whistle:

Anyways thank you so much for the amazing compliments. I don't know if you all believe me but I TRULY did NOT AT ALL - NOT ONE BIT expect this type of response. I promise. I thought maybe some nice "keep it ups" but not the wows and the huge encouragements at all. I can truly say I am shocked. Very nicely shocked. Thank you. I sure do know I've a ways to travel on my little ol' road here. But the compliments were much needed and very welcomed and I just THANK YOU ALL again! ;)

-Donna Lynn

P.S. I posted an adorable picture of Teebie on the off-topic page FYI! Just in case anyone wants to see the adorable little tomboy I rave so much about, and my inspiration for this journey! :cool:

You've got one heck of an inspiring story, I'm glad you had the courage to post and share!

Keep up the good work. :db:

Great job :tu: keep it up.

What a difference!! You look so much slimmer in the after pic. Your face looks really healthy and happy too. Keep up the awesome work! :claphigh:

hey donna lynn,
i have been watching your transformation from the start and i knew you would do well because you are that motivated and you are motivated for the best reason and all i can say is you go girl!!! you are looking that much better, slimmer, happier in the second pic!!! keep it up and you will hit your goals no worries...
take care
~yossel

so I've had to talk to myself and say, "patience, Donna, patience." Gotten a little ancie - but that is better than letting my life pass me by and crying all the time! I just need to smile and find the happy medium now. :whistle:


:cool:

You just said it, PATIENCE :nod: ... thats what I tell anybody that's starting a diet.

Most people just don't see any changes in the first or second week and they want to quit, but it doesn't work like that, you have to wait and it's gonna be worth it after a few months :bow:


just keep doing what you're doing right now and you'll see the great results :claplow:

:gl:

Hi Donna Lynn, let me tell you you look AWESOME!!! and I mean it!!! Your face looks totally different! (both happy AND slim :nod: ) You should be beaming with pride and satisfaction! You look great! :D

Truely inspiring. I am in awe of the way you have completely turned your life around.

Fantastic pics and results.

Well done. :)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! :D :cool: :o ALL OF YOU! WOW!

Wow, you are looking super! Congratulations on the progress so far and congratulations for sticking with it... every day you're getting a little closer to your goal. Keep up the great work Donna, we're all proud of you! :tucool:

Thank you Slush_puppy! All this encouragement is sure good for the heart - I tell ya! It has now become fun, and not "sad" for me. You know? I'll get there - I just know it. Again, thanks for the words of encouragement. Anyone who thinks message boards and forums are silly just doesn't understand what an impact they can be on lives.

Sometimes the words here might be just what someone needs to boost them out to do that run for the day or go get on that weight machine for their set. We never know what that person is facing at home (not that home is bad! Just sometimes ya know!) or what is going on inside them, and sometimes words from a distance can just be such an inspiration! ............Okie dokie I'm off my little soap box now! :tu:

God Bless!

-Donna Lynn :cool:

Donna Lynn,

You are doing fantastic!!! Very insprirational. :tucool:

Thank you so much Yvette - God Bless you! :)

Making good progress Donna, keep up the good work! Your face looks thinner, and your skin looks a lot healthier also - you are glowing. You look healthier! Definitely once you start pushing yourself with the weights, you will be able to break through the plateau you are at. :tucool:

See that is the thing right now - breaking through this dern stand-still! This plateau! I don't like it! No, just kidding I don't mean to sound ungrateful for what I've already accomplished! But yeah I do think the weight training and hitting it harder is going to get my body going again. Thank you for the encouragement.

I had a lady see my pictures (the same ones I've posted here) online the other day and boy did she make sure I knew that there wasn't much of a difference! I'm sure glad I'd had such positive feedback from all of you! She said very crudely, "well, I can sure tell it is happening at the pace of a tortoise." (sp?) I was taken aback a little but I can't get too offended because she is right - it is a slow process with me. I do know that!!!! :( But I guess we all do like to hear the words "good job" and "keep it up!" Anyways I just kept my chin up and smiled and wrote back to her very kind things. But I did make sure to include in my reply that my hips were 57" and now they're 48" and then she wrote back and said "well Donna you have to understand that even though you are seeing a little person other people still see a big person because 48" around the hips is still very large." I kinda sat back and thought "whoa." I mean, I realize what she is saying. I know I am still a rather large lady. I hope I didn't come across on the board as someone trying to come in here and say look at me! I'm tiny. I mean 228 pounds is not petite and I'm not dumb! I guess I'm just excited at the progress because "to me" it is so small right now compared to the 265 I was... anyway sorry to lay all that out there but it was just the most odd email reply!!!!! Anyway I did proceed also to let her know that the the time frame between those two measurements I had lost were from 12-29-04 to this date! Anyway I'm sure in some way, on some level she didn't mean anything but good wishes and she meant well! :d_rolleye

And thank you Boxer-in-training. I know what you mean about getting off this stand-still and that is just what I hope and will be trying really really hard to do! :db:

God Bless!

-Donna Lynn

Delete delete delete that is the only thing you should do with emails like that. It sounds like someone who is jealous of your great progress. Don't let her bother you because she is wrong. A nine inch reduction in your hips is GREAT!! Keep up the good work and don't worry about negative people.

See that is the thing right now - breaking through this dern stand-still! This plateau! I don't like it! No, just kidding I don't mean to sound ungrateful for what I've already accomplished! But yeah I do think the weight training and hitting it harder is going to get my body going again. Thank you for the encouragement.

I had a lady see my pictures (the same ones I've posted here) online the other day and boy did she make sure I knew that there wasn't much of a difference! I'm sure glad I'd had such positive feedback from all of you! She said very crudely, "well, I can sure tell it is happening at the pace of a tortoise." (sp?) I was taken aback a little but I can't get too offended because she is right - it is a slow process with me. I do know that!!!! :( But I guess we all do like to hear the words "good job" and "keep it up!" Anyways I just kept my chin up and smiled and wrote back to her very kind things. But I did make sure to include in my reply that my hips were 57" and now they're 48" and then she wrote back and said "well Donna you have to understand that even though you are seeing a little person other people still see a big person because 48" around the hips is still very large." I kinda sat back and thought "whoa." I mean, I realize what she is saying. I know I am still a rather large lady. I hope I didn't come across on the board as someone trying to come in here and say look at me! I'm tiny. I mean 228 pounds is not petite and I'm not dumb! I guess I'm just excited at the progress because "to me" it is so small right now compared to the 265 I was... anyway sorry to lay all that out there but it was just the most odd email reply!!!!! Anyway I did proceed also to let her know that the the time frame between those two measurements I had lost were from 12-29-04 to this date! Anyway I'm sure in some way, on some level she didn't mean anything but good wishes and she meant well! :d_rolleye

And thank you Boxer-in-training. I know what you mean about getting off this stand-still and that is just what I hope and will be trying really really hard to do! :db:

God Bless!

-Donna Lynn


LOL! She sounds jealous as hell! You are being disciplined and making real progress, and that really frustrates people who aren't making any progress themselves. People do that to make themselves feel better -- It is a defense mechanism. They try and denigrate the progress of others in order to convince themselves that nobody else is making progress either. That makes them feel less insecure about their own state of affairs. John Stone used to get the same type of e-mails all the time....and look at him now!

There are always going to be negative people who try and derail you...who try to frustrate you and who work tirelessly to get you to give up. That way, they don't have to look at your success, and be reminded of their own failures. The best revenge, and the ultimate retort, is to simply reach your goals, and let them wallow in their own self-pity.

You are doing great, and your rate of progress is actually pretty on target. Don't let the bad people get you down. Just keep pluggin' away, one day at a time....and just think of how great it is going to feel to jump in the rollercoaster with Teebie!

post her email address :D im sure we can all have some fun with it!! (sign her up for every possible spam list out there. yes im that bored)

anyway, you're looking great. keep up the good work, you've already accomplished so much.

You were 265 on 12/29/04. You're 37-lbs. lighter today.

Let's think about that. You're down 37-lbs. in four months? That's around 2-lbs. per week - which represents the perfect pace for weight loss - around 2-lbs. per week. That pace requires dedication, a strong mental focus, and courage in posting your pictures here.

Disregard her cowardous comments. She didn't have the guts to post them in open forum, did she? She can officially go to hell with her comments, and you're free to pass that sentiment on to the bitch for me, if she hasn't read it here already.

-R

Sometimes the words here might be just what someone needs to boost them out to do that run for the day or go get on that weight machine for their set.
You know, it may sound really corny, but sometimes when I'm feeling really hungry for some bad snack or when I don't feel like working out or just pushing myself, I'll imagine the people here, their avatars or their faces, and imagine them encouraging me as if they were standing right next to me. This has been one of the best motivational tools I've found. It's like the support isn't limited to right here, the encouragement and support can follow you wherever you happen to be. I can't tell you how many office lunches and workouts some of the members here have made cameo appearances at to help me remember my goals! :lol:

looking good! i have found that once you're motivated to make a change, the changes will happen for you. I don't think it's bad to set high goals for yourself, because you can achieve them!!! keep up the good work. look forward to more changes for you! :tu:

Hey Donna Lynn,

I have also gone down about 37lbs (have to update my signature a bit). A bit more than that in fat, gained some muscle too. I took me longer than it took you, I started on 21st September 2004, so that's eight months.

The reason I write to you here is that I read your story a while back and I relate so completely, and now you get ungraceful comments, it makes me angry to the point that I'd stand up for you if I could. Doing it for our kids is possibly the most powerful reason in the world... of course, this will sound odd to some who don't have kids. My first, main motivation was to be able to better play with my kid and be around for him for as long as I can. As you can imagine, I relate to your goals big time.

Now I read the kind of comments you got from this woman, and I think you're unbelievably gracious to have responded politely. She does not deserve it in my opinion and I could not have kept my cool like you did. I guess it shows self control on your part and a different kind of strength, well done.

Plus you have the guts to post your pictures, I don't (yet - except the little avatar). So hat off to you.

Anyway, you're doing tremendously well. I know you're going to make it because of this goal, and because basically, it is working already. 37lbs is a hell of a difference. Anyone who doubts it can do this simple test: place weight plates on a dumbbell until they hit 37lbs and carry it around all day for one day. To the shops, to work, to the bathroom, the restaurant, everywhere.

Actually, I did that experiment when I had lost 14kg but I just did it again with 17kg (37lbs) and it's REALLY heavy.

That woman could try this as a challenge and find out what a difference it makes. It's a huge change.

As for you, all you need to do is carry on, you know who you're doing it for. Your child, yourself... that's all that matters.

By the way I just burst through a plateau that lasted the best part of a month. Carb cycling did it. That's serious carb cycling with the carbs VERY low on low carb days and not too high either on refill days.

Yesterday I listened to more interviews on www.bodychangers.com . Love that website. I will listen to ALL of them eventually. This interview may well bring tears to your eyes if you take the time to check it out:

http://www.bodychangers.com/rharrington_inter.shtml

We're talking about someone in her fifties with a starting point of 309lbs for 5'7. Yes it took her 3 years, but look at her now!

And one of the most inspirational before/after picture sets I have ever seen (with all due respect to all here who have also also made incredible transformations):

http://www.bodychangers.com/krainey_inter.shtml

Yeah... she was... well over her ideal weight... and now she looks... wow! HOT, if I may put it like that. When I saw her change my eyes popped out and I fractured my jaw when it hit the floor.

Then I listened to the interview. That's when I knew that she also had six kids...

Of course, there are also some who change REALLY fast:

http://www.bodychangers.com/jduke2_inter.shtml

...ok I know, the time span and extent of his change are downright scary! It's only more motivation. Who knows... at some point you may hit the perfect balance of exercise and nutrition and start improving at THAT speed. Just to know that this is possible. Wow.

My own story is here, second part will be online soon-ish I'm told. I wrote it to share inspiration, I'd be happy if you can get some motivation from it, for a workout or something:

http://www.allyourstrength.com/ArticleDetail.aspx?ID=96

mmm... makes more sense when the two parts are read in one go though.

I have been lurking on John Stone's forums for a while before I started posting much. I still don't post very much. Yet I read often, and everyone here is important to me. I love this website where everyone is supportive. No politics here, no arguments... just people of all ages from all over the planet helping each other, just health, fitness, being better, happier people. I feel everyone else's struggles, disappointments and successes. What I'll say is that your story is one of the stories that I most relate to. I COUNT ON YOU, because we're all connected. And I do not have the slightest doubt about what you can do. Your success will be all yours of course, but I will be happy too.

And I bet I speak for just about everyone here, somehow.

Vincent.