I have been overweight most of my life and have been active on and off throughout as well.
I began seeing the effects of my weight in high school, and got my father to sign me up for a gym membership, which I kept for about 3 years until dropping it to change gyms. I went from 197 down to 160 in a matter of about 3 to 4 months. BUT my right knee continued to give me problems. Lo and behold, when I had my ACL strained back in 2008, no one knew I had torn my meniscus. By December 2012 I had only a few strands of my ACL intact. December 13, 2012, I received knee surgery. My weight of 160 was buried in its grave, and I quickly gained weight until I was nearly 250 pounds. January 2014 I recommitted to fitness and continued my workouts through the gym on a military base. I have lost roughly 50 pounds. My Navy friends keep me motivated, and I have also decided to eventually pursue a career in the Navy. So I had a deadline to make - to be military fit in 4 years if I am able to get my BS degree.
Worst case scenario, I'd be fit and enlisting as an E3 and be finishing my degree and proceed to OCS. Either way my future career and my best friends keep me motivated. I have always been known as the fat girl who's athletic but can't lose weight. And I want to say that our weight doesn't define who we are, it's how we embrace it. I'd be happy if I stayed between 170 and 195, BUT I want to join the Navy which has weight requirements that require me to be no more than 156 pounds.
The hardest things about weight loss is eating right and trying to be consistent. I live in a family household that is filled with carbs, fats, etc., and there's a good deal of Filipino food which is a reason why I gained so much weight. I have always had an overeating issue especially when it came to Asian food. There are also times where I only workout once a week - but then I restrict my calories more on my off days to balance everything out. With the lifestyle of a full-time student and hopefully a part-time worker, I find it so much easier to schedule everything out, not just your time, but what you specifically do. I have set days for certain exercises, and I have set days and hours of when I do my homework, studies, and chores. I even schedule my free time. It's a strict but still fun lifestyle. I keep myself in check through using My Fitness Pal and bodybuilding. And I'm constantly posting healthy pics, motivations, and progress photos on my Instagram to keep track of everything.
