Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

[pipee_pl]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Sarina- what more can anyone say??? Congrats on a job well done and I wish you continued success in your life. Your photos are such an inspiration- If you can lose as much weight as you did- I can surely lose a measely 50lbs.

Have you ever thought of sending your pictures to Oprah or something like that?- your story brings so much hope to so many people that need it.

[Valinerya]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

You and I my friend ARE in the same shoes believe you me...you're already in my shoes and don't you forget that! We walk the same walk, side by side down the same path to great health, the only difference is time (when we started our journey)...that's it

This is something I am keeping in my head. Thank you for saying this Sometimes I look at the posts of people who have lost a great deal of weight, like yourself, and think "Wow... it's gonna take me forEVER to reach where they are."

It's good to remember that we were all at the beginning of the race at one point or another. And that this is a race worth running.

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

all i can say is OMG! Wow you are gorgeous. I'm so very encouraged by your pics. Thanks for posting!!!!

Well thank you jmommy123 that's very kind of you to say...what a lovely compliment!

I am so glad to learn that my pictures are encouraging to you...thank you for sharing that with me....it makes me happy that I decided to post them when I hear feedback like yours.

I wish you all the very best on your weight loss journey and look forward to getting to know you along the way....please keep in touch and update us on how things are going for you!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Sarina
-----------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 178 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

You are a serious inspiration! Congratulations on the great success!

Thanks so much yellowsun!

I wish you all the very best in your weight loss journey...please keep in touch and let me know how things are working out for you.

All the best,
Sarina
-----------------

Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 178 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Hi Sarina, Well actually everything was fine UNTIL Thursday, I stepped on the scale and I was up 1#. And it stayed there on Friday, too. I know, this is normal, but after being cheat free, you hate to see the scale go up when you have been 100% legal. I hope Saturday will be better.
I couldn't sleep so I checked the boards for a few minutes and I am going back for a few more hours of sleep! thanks for listening and have a great weekend.
~Mary

Hi Mary,

I tried to send the following response to the pm question you initially sent me but for some reason I am receiving a message that says your account will not allow pm's. So I decided to post my answer to your question here in hopes you receive it.

--------------------
Hi Mary,

I hope this PM finds you doing well, how are things going for you?

Well, I have thought long and hard about your question regarding advice for success....and....I keep coming up with exactly the first thought I had when I read your question initially.

My most important piece of advice is:

Don't EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, give up. It's that simple. Once we give up, it's all downhill from there. There will be PLENTY and I mean PLENTY of valleys and tough times throughout our weight loss journey for us to get through and climb out from and it's is crucial to never, ever, ever, ever give up or give in to these trouble areas along the way.

I once listened to an interview from a man that described being lost at sea for a number of days (physically clinging to a piece of debris in the water) and miraculously he survived being stuck out in the ocean...they asked him how on earth he managed to last as long as he did....I remember his response as clearly as if I heard it today...he said, "Giving up and drowning would have been the easy way out.....fighting for my life and clinging to the hope of making it out alive was the difficult part and I chose to live...I chose life." I have always myself been a fighter and I could relate very much to his answer...and I applied the same philosophy to my weight loss journey....giving up due to rough times along the way would have been easy.....I choose to fight and get through those tough times. My husband said to me a long time ago, "When you find yourself going through a trial, hard times, despair or a sad situation...remember, it's not a question on IF you're going to get through that trial but rather HOW you're going to get through it." I have kept that piece of wisdom very close to me throughout the years...it is something I say to myself time upon time when I'm facing adversity...and I have said this to myself more times than I care to remember going through this weight loss journey....if keeps me on track.

Okay, so I have to say...there are two additional pieces of advice I have to add to the one above.

2nd, believe in yourself and know you're worth every fight along this weight loss journey....this is critical. Know you can accomplish and achieve weight loss success....don't settle for 2nd best and give up.

3rd....What I'm about to describe was and is a big one for me......and I'm sure I'm not the only one that has felt this way.

When I first started out in my weight loss journey, I really didn't think starting out in this weight loss journey that I would actually be able to lose weight let alone the amount I have so far.....I had tried countless times before and never succeeded.....this time couldn't have been any different....(that was in my mind). I am sure I am not the only one that has felt this way.

So what I decided to do was actually "pretend" that I was going to lose the weight this time....by pretending, I "acted" as though what I was doing was going to lead me to success....for example...I made sure I ate properly, I made sure I made exercise a part of my daily routine, I made sure I drank the proper amount of water....I did everything I was suppose to with the idea that "this is what one does in order to be successful and achieve weight loss....even if for some reason it doesn't work for me....I'm going to "act" as though it will"....so I did this for a number of months....by doing so I made it possible for me to learn new, healthy habits, ie: eating properly, making sure I exercised every day no matter how rotten I felt or how tired I was....I was relentless in my "pretending" to be on a journey that would actually produce results.

Before I knew it, the weight was falling off....I finally saw hope! I would think, "hey, maybe I will succeed at this dream." By doing it this way....I developed and maintained what I needed to do in order to create healthy new habits and achieve what I needed to achieve daily to bring me closer to my goal each and every day when I really actually doubted if I could do it.

Then at one point...after "pretending" that I was going to achieve weight loss success...the pretending one day turned into actually believing in myself and KNOWING beyond a shadow of a doubt that I WAS going to be successful and I WAS going to make it.

Hopefully that makes sense.

Thank you for your patience in me responding back to you. I have thought about your question each and everyday since you asked it. I have to say every part of my answer was and is EXACTLY what I thought of immediately upon receiving and reading you pm initially.

So this is my advice to anyone regarding success because it is what I have lived by in order to achieve what I have thus far.

Keep in touch Mary when you're able, I would love to hear from you when you feel up to it.

All the best,
Sarina
-------------------------

Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 178 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Opps...double post

[jmommy123]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

all i can say is OMG! Wow you are gorgeous. I'm so very encouraged by your pics. Thanks for posting!!!!

[yellowsun_5t5]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

You are a serious inspiration! Congratulations on the great success!

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Amazing!!! What great inspiration, and I wish you continued success.

Well thank you Mark!!!

A big congratulations to you in what you have accomplished with your weight loss, you've done an amazing job...well done...most impressive!!!

Keep it up, it's paying off big time!!!

All the best to you,
Sarina
------------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 178 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[mark38]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Amazing!!! What great inspiration, and I wish you continued success.

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Hi Sarina

I just wanted to thank you for giving so much to all of us here at

I've learned a great deal reading your posts, and am so proud of you! You are such an inspiration to people like me, who are just at the start of their journey. One day I hope to be in your shoes. Take care, and again, thank you!

Well thank you Valinerya, I can't tell you how much that means to me to hear!

Congratulations on your 17 lb. weight loss, that is absolutely wonderful...way to go and nicely done!

You and I my friend ARE in the same shoes believe you me...you're already in my shoes and don't you forget that! We walk the same walk, side by side down the same path to great health, the only difference is time (when we started our journey)...that's it

You're at SUCH an exciting place in your life and I am thrilled for you. You've committed to yourself by making the decision to become healthy and implemented the necessary changes in your daily routine to facilitate and nurture your new life....well done and congratulations!

Be sure to keep in touch and let me know how things are going for you...I look forward to your updates and wish you all the very best along this exciting path to great health....we're all in this together!!!

Talk with you soon!
Sarina
----------------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 178 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Good Morning Sarina,

As always, it seems that you have been very busy; your practice of meeting each poster with a warm acknowledgment makes your thread a nice way to start the day. You give a lot to the community here.

One other thing that I've noticed in your posts is that you pay a LOT of attention to your body's cues and work with it to achieve optimal health.
Your answer on vitamins was very interesting. I am currently using a couple of supplements and have taken sort of a 'down the hatch and forget 'em' approach. I'm going to evaluate them more carefully from this point.

I hope that you are well Sarina.

Mick

Well hello my friend, it's great to see you...I didn't see you around last week and was concerned about you....how have you been? I hope all is going well for you and your lovely family.

Thank you for the lovely feedback, it was wonderful to receive and made my day! I love hearing from people who take time to send me pm's, vm's, emails and posts on my threads...I value each and every one of them greatly and I'm always appreciative when people take the time to drop me a line....there are a lot of tremendous people on this board and I am blessed to have been able to get to know many and make some very special friendships along the way.....what an amazing community!

You are so observant and right on the money yet again!!! I do pay a lot of attention to the signals my body gives me...this is something I have learned to develop along the way and has paid off really well for me. My system is a real handful to say the least. It's stubborn, unpredictable and difficult to deal with a great deal of the time so I am very strict and have learned to pay close attention to certain cues along the way and have learned how to compensate in order to keep things going in the right direction.

As mentioned above, I totally support and encourage the use of vitamins and supplements....I believe they play a very crucial part in our daily health routine. I have just had to adjust my way of doing things in order for my system to comply and not react in an adverse way. One thing I did to compensate on having to reduce vitamins (pills or caps) was research the foods that I am allowed to eat that will pack more punch in the vitamin department and focused on consuming the vitamins in that manner....that way I received them still, just in a way that my system would allow and not react poorly to.

I still make my husband take his vitamins each day and encourage others who do not experience the sensitivities that I experience to be sure to take theirs as well.

You make a great point Mick and that is we should be paying attention to what our bodies are trying to tell us whether it be as you describe 'down the hatch and forget 'em' approach when we're taking vitamins....or if we end up experiencing a sudden water weight gain, or fatigue and the list goes on and on. I have learned so many things along the way and one very important yet over looked (at least I did when I first started out) is that this journey is not just about losing weight, it's about getting to know ourselves in so many different ways and identifying what our bodies are telling us if we just listen and pay attention to the cues along the way....what an incredible and exciting opportunity isn't it???

Thank you for popping by, as always it's a joy to be able to talk with you...stop by whenever you have the time and say hello and let me know how you're doing.

All the very best to you,
Sarina
-----------------

Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 178 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Sarina D]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Hi Sarina, Well actually everything was fine UNTIL Thursday, I stepped on the scale and I was up 1#. And it stayed there on Friday, too. I know, this is normal, but after being cheat free, you hate to see the scale go up when you have been 100% legal. I hope Saturday will be better.
I couldn't sleep so I checked the boards for a few minutes and I am going back for a few more hours of sleep! thanks for listening and have a great weekend.
~Mary

Hi Mary!

Sorry for the late response, we've been experiencing additional family emergencies yet again and I haven't been able to pop in and say hello...I have thought of you each day and wanted to stop by and say hello and touch base. Always know if that if you haven't heard back from me right away something is going on but I will respond the first opportunity I get....AND I am still going to respond to your pm question...I haven't forgotten...it's just been tremendously bad timing on my part with serious situations popping up.

Thank you for the update on how things are going for you....you're doing fantastic and I'm proud of you for sticking with things despite the 1 lb gain...which btw is water so don't let it get you bent out of shape or down...well done for keeping everything 100% legal, that's tremendous and you really need to pat yourself on the back for that.

I can't tell you how many times I've stepped on the scales throughout this year and a bit and in one overnight time frame seen things go from great to very frustrating and discouraging due to a sudden weight fluctuation ranging anywhere between a 3 to 9 lb gain...only for it to be a water gain and finally disappear after a few days to a weeks time....this has happened more times then I care to remember!!!! I am very sensitive to salt and sometimes that has had to do with the jump in water gain....sometimes believe it or not it's because I haven't been able to get enough sleep...when that happens I notice I retain a great deal of water and my legs swell...don't ask me how but I can tell you that indeed happens to me when I have not been able to get enough rest and my weight has fluctuated...sometimes it's been my TOM and of course, the most common...some how I've come into contact (consumed) something that I've been allergic to and I've retained water....I have gotten to the point where I can really read what is going on with my body quite well and I make adjustments to compensate for example the water gain and overcome it and keep going forward.

I recently exerienced one of these "joyous" time frames over the last few weeks where I went right back up to 187 lbs....this was me------> but I kept telling myself not to give into the frustration and negative talk because I had been there before (3 to 9 lb gain) and I'd come back down and even lost more....last week I did exactly that...I came back to 183 lbs and then on Sat I FINALLY hit 178 lbs. So, remember....."this too shall pass" but the most important thing for you to do is to just KEEP GOING and don't give up or give in....which I know you won't...you're not alone, I as well as everyone else here are with you side by side You are doing GREAT!!!

I share what I have above in hopes it can maybe give you a few ideas of how to look at your 1 lb temporary fluctuation....and to share a little about how I get through my fluctuations when they happen...and believe me they happen!!!! I think it's important for us to hear that others experience these bumps along the way and how each of us gets through what they do because it helps when we're trying to haul ourselves out of one of those valleys along our exciting journey to great health....it's an adventure indeed!!!!!

Let me know how things are going for you so far this week when you have the time....I am very interested and I'm always listening!!!!

Hugs,
Sarina
--------------------------

Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
5th major goal met - My 1 yr. Atkins anniversary - Weighing 184 lbs. this day
Current weight – 178 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Valinerya]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Hi Sarina

I just wanted to thank you for giving so much to all of us here at

I've learned a great deal reading your posts, and am so proud of you! You are such an inspiration to people like me, who are just at the start of their journey. One day I hope to be in your shoes. Take care, and again, thank you!

[Mick2360]

Re: Before and during - From 400 lbs. to 247 lbs. Not done yet!!!

Good Morning Sarina,

As always, it seems that you have been very busy; your practice of meeting each poster with a warm acknowledgment makes your thread a nice way to start the day. You give a lot to the community here.

One other thing that I've noticed in your posts is that you pay a LOT of attention to your body's cues and work with it to achieve optimal health.
Your answer on vitamins was very interesting. I am currently using a couple of supplements and have taken sort of a 'down the hatch and forget 'em' approach. I'm going to evaluate them more carefully from this point.

I hope that you are well Sarina.

Mick