UPDATE 12/5/21. ETeSelle's Testimonial

[merriweather]

Oh, I needed to read that. FUnny I never saw the click here thing before.
I have been on this for 20 months. I did so well. Was down 55 pounds with 45 to go. Then things stopped, started moving back up. And worse my insulin needs were moving back up.
So this morning I thought "Time to get deeper into Dr. McD"
Got out my MWL book to re read.
Found this post, boy is this ever motivation THANKS>

[evangelin]

ETeSelle's,
I have been a slow learner, I'm sorry to say , but you have been very inspirational in my finally having some success. I can't deviate much from MWL because, although I do feel a lot better, I don't lose any weight. You have provided me a very visual reminder of what it will take if I am ever going to be successful. I have about 30 lbs to lose and have managed to hold the line and go up and down the same 4 lbs or so but I didn't get any traction until I took a less liberal stand.
I am not much of a poster but I do lots of lurking. I have clicked on your pictures ,who knows how many times, when my mind starts straying to peanut butter. I have children so I can't get rid of everything that isn't workable for me, but clicking on your pictures have helped me find the resolve that I have been lacking. I can remember (just barely) being as thin as you are now, and my body build is similar enough to yours that I have been able to relate to it in my brain as being possible.
Thank you very much and I wish you a long,thin and healthy life.
Ev

[ETeSelle]

I have been a slow learner, I'm sorry to say , but you have been very inspirational in my finally having some success. I can't deviate much from MWL because, although I do feel a lot better, I don't lose any weight. You have provided me a very visual reminder of what it will take if I am ever going to be successful. I have about 30 lbs to lose and have managed to hold the line and go up and down the same 4 lbs or so but I didn't get any traction until I took a less liberal stand.

YOU CAN DO IT!!! And yes, for some people, like you and me, MWL will be the only way to do it (and to KEEP it off). Accepting that is a big part of the battle. Experiment w/ recipes and find a few that you just LOVE--I feel that way about Jeff's Longevity Soup (which varies every time I make it). I like it so much that I would happily eat it 3X a day forever. So it is rewarding to eat and makes me happy--just the way "bad" food used to! Knowing that I can always make that soup helps keep me honest.

[cpgraettinger]

Awesome!! What an inspiration you are. Did you really eat as much as you wanted of the food? I too love to eat what seams like large amounts of food - I eat about as much as much as my husband does and he's 6'3" while I'm 5'8". He's nice and trim but I'm about 30 lbs too heavy.

Caroline

[ETeSelle]

Honestly, I do eat as much as I want! I make myself a big bowl of whatever and eat that. If I'm still hungry, I wait 15 min. or so (b/c that's how long it takes your brain to get the message from your stomach about how much room is left). If in 15 min. I'm still hungry, I get more. Sometimes I'm no longer hungry, so I don't get more.

[Teresa1986]

ETeSelle you are certainly where I want to be!! I have been vegan for over 5 years, but as you say I go to junk food vegan off and on. This year I have been better about staying non-junk food, but still go that direction once in a while. The best I ever stayed on the straight and narrow was when i was doing the non processed food last October. Mind you I really don't eat much processed food, but once I got rid of the salt I was on the road. I think my main problem is I don't eat enough. When I look at how much you say you eat, I think oh, my I would gain weight eating that much. But the truth be known when I eat more I don't wander to junk food and I do lose weight. So on ward and up ward. New commitment and staying healthy. I am going to see Forks over Knife's this week. =)

just wanted to tell you how great you look and I want to be you. =)

[ETeSelle]

When I look at how much you say you eat, I think oh, my I would gain weight eating that much. But the truth be known when I eat more I don't wander to junk food and I do lose weight.

YES!!! It is so important. You have to eat enough of the right foods so you feel happy and satiated. Otherwise you WILL stray. I always make sure that I've just eaten (meal or large snack) before going to the grocery store--it's amazing what poor choices you can make when you're even a LITTLE hungry, LOL. So much easier if you have just eaten, and no point in setting yourself up for failure!

GOOD LUCK!! I know you can do it!

[Teresa1986]

Thanks ETeSelle!! I am working towards it. =)

[ETeSelle]

UPDATE:

My BFF came to visit me last weekend and she took tons of pix, so I wanted to share a few of me riding my mare Destiny, who was one of the main reasons I got my act together and lost weight! I didn't ride for more than 2 years b/c I was just too heavy, but now riding feels GREAT!

[Christine in Cali]

You two look great together!! What a beautiful horse. ETeSelle your arms look so firm. Did they get that way cause you shoe horses or do you go to the gym as well? Did your body just naturally firm up? I have a belly and I am hoping that will tighten, but I may have to have a tuck....

[Starchyme]

I agree, you really look happy. Also fantastic! McD'ing really shows on you.

[ETeSelle]

You two look great together!! What a beautiful horse. ETeSelle your arms look so firm. Did they get that way cause you shoe horses or do you go to the gym as well? Did your body just naturally firm up? I have a belly and I am hoping that will tighten, but I may have to have a tuck....

TRIM, not shoe. I'm very anti-shoes.

In addition to trimming horses part-time I also buck a lot of hay, LOL. Just doing barn chores is at LEAST as good exercise as the gym, so I was pretty fit even when I was fat. I just lost the fact and kept the muscle.

I do have some saggy skin, but fortunately not too much and not a lot of it. Not sure if I just got lucky or what--but I've been told (massage therapist, etc.) that I have "good skin" so that may help.

Here I am doing my trimming thang.

[Faith in DC]

Beautiful horse. I am not good with my breeds of horses, but is that a blood bay? I love those red tones in horses.

Since you are riding english are you into jumping etc? I notice the track is soft, which I guess is why you can get away with no shoes. The hoof/foot you are filing certainly looks really strong and healthy heck and clean! My riding is in woods and paths so lots of stones, logs and mud.

[ETeSelle]

Beautiful horse. I am not good with my breeds of horses, but is that a blood bay? I love those red tones in horses.

She's a chestnut (color) draft X (breed). Bay=black "points" (mane, tail, legs)--body color can range from very bright reddish brown (blood bay) to such a dark brown that it's almost black. Chestnut is reddish brown of several different shades, but points are the same color as body (white markings excepted).

Since you are riding english are you into jumping etc? I notice the track is soft, which I guess is why you can get away with no shoes. The hoof/foot you are filing certainly looks really strong and healthy heck and clean! My riding is in woods and paths so lots of stones, logs and mud.

I do dressage--a little jumping but not so much anymore.

Sorry, but you're VERY wrong about barefoot. My horses go trail riding on solid rock all the time--Destiny can canter over rocks the size of your fist! Good feet that have not been ruined by shoes and/or improper trimming, diet, and lifestyle (i.e, grain, stalling, etc.) are PERFECTLY capable of handling whatever mother nature throws at them. Horses evolved for millenia to live on hard, dry, rocky ground--horse shoes are a very recent addition, and one that has caused far more harm than good.

In addition, barefoot horses are far safer than shod ones on the trail. Shoes are slippery--properly trimmed bare feet have great traction. I wouldn't ride a shod horse on a trail for money, quite honestly. I'll take my suction-cups-for-feet barefooters over a shod horse ANY day of the week!

[RAS]

Oh ETeSelle, You look fabulous.Keep the picts.coming as they are an inspiration. The horse is beautiful. RAS