November 8, 2007 at 10:21 am
NyQuil: The ultimate weight-loss drug. Who knew? Back in January of 2005 I started out weighing 372 pounds, so now I’ve officially lost over 200 pounds. I suspect some of that will come back though when I stop eating chicken broth and Jell-O. Seriously, losing 6.6 pounds in two days? Unlikely.
I always imagined this day as some sort of big celebration, but I feel like I won the Olympic medal while on steroids. Yeah, I’ve lost over 200 pounds, but the final credit goes to whatever bacteria or virus has infected my nasal passages for the past three days. Still, woo-hoo! My jeans do feel a little looser and I can sit in those Michael Kors pants I bought at the thrift store even though they were a little bit too small.
The second 100 pounds were definitely harder than the first 100 pounds. It only took me seven and a half months to ditch the first century whereas the second one took another two years and two months. Whenever people hear about how much weight I’ve lost, they sometimes mention that they can’t get rid of the last 10 or 15 pounds they’ve been trying to lose. I completely sympathize. They are by far the hardest and don’t let anyone else tell you differently.
Chocolate & Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn't Go Away
"What distinguishes us one from another is our dreams and what we do to make them come about." - Joseph Epstein
66 Comments
fc • November 8, 2007 at 10:42 am
well let me be the first to congratulate you! you’re my hero :)
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lora • November 8, 2007 at 10:44 am
CONGRATULATIONS! What an inspiration you are to all of us!
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Mom • November 8, 2007 at 10:46 am
I can not believe that I am the first one to get to comment!!!! Congratulations!!!!! I have seen the whole experience from a front row seat and know how very hard you have worked. I am soooooo verrrrry proud of you!!!!!!
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Debbi • November 8, 2007 at 10:47 am
OMG! What a milestone, I teared up as I looked at your scale this morning. I have less than 100#’s to loose but as I look at that number and know that you have had the eye on the prize for so long and you are within 10#’s of your final goal, I feel hopeful. Hopeful knowing that you are getting there, hopeful that I too could get there. Way to go girly! Now, maybe you should get over that cold so you can gloat properly.
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Mom • November 8, 2007 at 10:48 am
Well, I thought I was the first one. I guess my typing speed has slowed down. But I am still so incredibly proud of you and that deserves 2 posts to shout it out to the universe!!!! Loveya, Mom
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PunxyLola • November 8, 2007 at 10:51 am
Aw man…I hope you feel better! Sicko weight loss IS a weird thing: you lose, but you don’t work for it. But congrats anyway! If your throat hurts, I find that hot orange juice is the best. I know it sounds gross, but it works wonders!
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TOWR • November 8, 2007 at 10:54 am
Wow! Congrats! You are totally my hero and yet I’m crippled with jealousy. :)
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Debbi • November 8, 2007 at 11:02 am
I see there’s another Debbi-without-an-E up there. Not many of us around.
Whether any of those pounds come back or not, that’s an awesome photo to put on the refrigerator, and a milestone to be celebrated. Have another mug of chicken soup for me.
Hope you’re feeling much better soon.
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Jessa • November 8, 2007 at 11:08 am
Just de-lurking to say CONGRATULATIONS! I adore your blog, and like many others, look to it for inspiration. Especially on days when the cupcakes are calling louder than the veggies!
Feel better soon!
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Lynn • November 8, 2007 at 11:19 am
Congrats! Take the milestones whenever you get ’em!
Hope you’re feeling better soon!
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A. • November 8, 2007 at 11:22 am
Wow. That is so awesome! You’ve been an inspiration for me for a while now, and I hope I have the mental fortitude to stick it out til I reach my weight loss goal of losing 145 lbs. (I’ve only lost 13 so far…)
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swizzlepop • November 8, 2007 at 11:23 am
Congratulations on losing over 200 pounds, that is such a great accomplishment and inspiration!
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sue • November 8, 2007 at 11:28 am
Many congratulations! What a fantastic milestone, you’re an inspiration to us all! Hope you’re feeling better soon.
P.S. Your mom sounds lovely!!!
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Jen • November 8, 2007 at 11:30 am
congratulations! You have every cause to celebrate!
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dietgirl • November 8, 2007 at 11:50 am
that is so bloody cool :)
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MB • November 8, 2007 at 11:59 am
WOW! That is so amazing and inspiring to see. Even though it is probably due to the sicko diet it is still nice to see that number. WooooHooo!! What an accomplishment.
I have less than 1/2 that amount to lose and it seems impossible to lose and keep it off. You are such a good example of how hard work pays off.
CONGRATS! CHEERS!! BRAVO!! WAY TO GO!
Hope you are feeling better soon so you can really celebrate.
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CurvyJones • November 8, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Wow. Just…………wow. You hear of people who start and then it gets hard and they give up. The really amazing thing is sticking to it all the way through. Congratulations!!!
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jodi • November 8, 2007 at 12:05 pm
what an AMAZING accomplishment! thank you for sharing the scale pic because it makes me feel like i’m right there with you… i can’t even fathom what it must be like to have a body that’s half the size it used to be… i would be touching and looking at it constantly… :o)
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Jenny • November 8, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Thank you for saying that – I get so tired of people rolling their eyes when I say my last 10 are hell because this fat has been around the longest.
P.S. – hope you’re feeling better.
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Chris • November 8, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Awesome awesome awesome! Many congratulations, you should be proud as all get out.
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Diana the Scale Junkie • November 8, 2007 at 1:21 pm
WOW!! I’m so happy for you!! Even if it took a diet of Jello and chicken broth, just seeing that number makes me so happy for you! I know it will be “real” in the very near future for you!
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sheddingpounds • November 8, 2007 at 1:29 pm
What’s cool about you is you longevity. You hung in there, took the good with the bad and kept on rolling. Now you’re so close to your goal you have to be able to taste it. Oreo cake flavored perhaps? I can’t wait for you to reach your goal because you completely rock. I hope you feel better too.
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MaryK • November 8, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Woo-hoo!! Congratulations!! 200 lbs down is just a breathtaking accomplishment, whether you had some help from the cold germs or not. Wow… you are just a tiny hair away from really being down to the infamous last ten pounds! I know you’ll do it and I’ll be cheering when you do!!
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Amy • November 8, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Hot Damn!
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cmae • November 8, 2007 at 1:51 pm
When my husband and I got sick with the flu last year, neither of us could hold anything down for two days. He lost ten pounds, and I gained one. Go figure.
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hopefulloser • November 8, 2007 at 2:45 pm
WOW
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Amanda • November 8, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Sick or not, that is one hell of an achievement to reach in your life! Way to go pasta queen! :)
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erin • November 8, 2007 at 4:10 pm
That’s awesome. Congrats.
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Tia • November 8, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Congrats! As someone told me, if you see it (on the scale), claim it!
Awesome, awesome, awesome!
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Laura • November 8, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Congrats on seeing the new lowest number on the scale; no matter how fleeting, it’s still a victory!
Yep, the last 10 are the hardest. Partly, I think, because they aren’t as consequential as the rest. I’ve definitely let up on my diet strictness–I’m letting myself enjoy food more than I did when I had more weight to lose. In May, I didn’t eat any of my daughter’s birthday cake because I’d only lost 30 pounds. This month, I had cake AND ice cream, but I’ve lost 54 pounds and only have 8 to go. I feel good in my body, and feel like I can now life my LIFE instead of living a DIET. But it slows weight loss down, for sure.
Good luck getting your last pounds off. I plan on being in fighting shape and my lowest weight by the Indy Half. You will be too, I bet!
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Les~ • November 8, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Wooooo hoooooo! CONGRATS girl!
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Dave • November 8, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Excellent!
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JEM • November 8, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Whether its sicky weight or not it must be so exciting to see that number on the scale. Thats amazing!
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Elizabeth • November 8, 2007 at 5:59 pm
OMGosh! WTG!! I have been one of your readers for a looooooong time. Years, I’m sure! I am so happy for your accomplishment!! Sick or not, you deserve that weigh in!!
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Kyle • November 8, 2007 at 6:40 pm
VERY cool! That’s a big milestone!
And you are so right. I have been chipping away at those last 15 pounds for the past year….arrrrgh.
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starbird • November 8, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Congratulatons! What a good-looking number!!!
You may not gain the weight back if you eat lots of bacon and hardboiled eggs, hard cheese and other protein during the first days of wellness. You’ll be really hungry, so you should be able to eat more quantity than usual. These proteins should do it. If I’d known that, the last time I got the flue I wouldn’t have regained all my weight (only 15 lbs, so not so hard to get off again, but still…).
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Susan • November 8, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Hey – take off your socks! They must weigh a few ounces. ;-)
Seriously, you rock. And so does your Mom.
PQ – Then people just make fun of my freakish toes. The socks stay on for photos.
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Lauren • November 8, 2007 at 7:45 pm
great job! woo hoo. Nyquil be damned, it’s all you baby!
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Rachel • November 8, 2007 at 8:43 pm
You are AMAZING!!! I read your blog constantly because I’m always wowed by what you say and how you say it. You’ve got quite a knack for words :)
Be so very proud of yourself….you deserve it!
P.S. Can’t wait for your book!!
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Patty • November 8, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Way to go Pasta Queen! Even if the lower number is because of being sick, wow, nice number.
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SmilynStef • November 8, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Wishing you a return to health … and a big congrats!
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Rah • November 9, 2007 at 12:04 am
2 0 0 P O U N D S ! Awesomely, incredibly wonderful. You are one amazing woman, PQ!
Your metabolism ramps up when your body is busy fighting off the cold/flu–not that it’s the way anyone would want to lose weight. But that has to be an upside to enduring all the sneezing and snuffling.
Congrats!
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kel • November 9, 2007 at 12:25 am
Wow – way to go!!! That is an incredible and very inspiring post. Thanks for your good example and persarverance!!
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Liz in Ohio • November 9, 2007 at 7:30 am
OK…so you lost 6.6 lbs in 2 days due to illness.
A LOSS IS A LOSS BABY!!! WOOHOO!!! CONGRATS!!!
Take care of yourself and feel better soon!
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Lorraine • November 9, 2007 at 9:15 am
You go girl..amazing i’sant a big enough word.. cant wait to see you at goal. You will be a TV star with that accomplishment.
Gonna read your book.
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Rachel • November 9, 2007 at 10:12 am
Congratulations! *golf clap*
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Lora • November 9, 2007 at 10:24 am
“Whenever people hear about how much weight I’ve lost, they sometimes mention that they can’t get rid of the last 10 or 15 pounds they’ve been trying to lose. I completely sympathize. They are by far the hardest and don’t let anyone else tell you differently.”
I can relate to that! :)
Good for you on your achievement! You’ve come a long way!
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Elastic Waist • November 9, 2007 at 12:03 pm
congrats, jennette! hard work does pay off, doesn’t it?
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Alexandra • November 9, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Congratulations! You are an inspiration!
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K • November 9, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Woohoo! I know what you mean about losing while ill, but it’s still amazing.
As for Jello/jelly… I eat it about every other day, because I have a really sweet tooth and it’s low-cal. This may be kind of sad in an adult, but hey.
(Now I’m wondering what IS so allegedly freakish about your toes. You may be provoking even more speculation by keeping the socks on.)
PQ – A year and 20 pounds ago I did post one with my toes. Check out the freakiness!
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Peter • November 10, 2007 at 6:23 am
Hello Pastaqueen
Awesome!!!! What can I say that has not already been said. Your an excellent example of willpower, determination, persistance and hard work. Congratulations. Thanks for sharing your sucess with us.
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Kate • November 10, 2007 at 6:53 am
I couldn’t help but notice the scale you weighed in for your 200 lb loss (and super congrats by the way, I’ve just made 5 stone as of yesterday so milestones for me too) at any rate, I couldn’t help but notice it was a different scale from the one you promote on the right side of your blog. Any reason for this? Do you rock more than one scale? Did the other one turn out to suck?
Sorry I’m such a nerd when it comes to details.
PQ – Yeah, I am a weirdo who has two scales. I started out with the one in this pic because it weighs up to 440 pounds. After a year I got the one in the sidebar because it does fancy stuff like measure your fat and hydration levels, though it only measures up to 330 pounds. However, I still do my weekly weigh-ins on the old scale since it was the one I started on and it gives me a slightly different reading (+ or – .4 pounds) than the other scale. I thought it better to be consistent through out the whole process.
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Cindy • November 10, 2007 at 6:53 am
You are AMAZING! There is no other word for it!
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BrightAngel • November 10, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Sick or not, it is still a NEW LOW, and
for me, reaching that Low a second time is always easier.
Congratulations.
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Marla • November 10, 2007 at 2:03 pm
One time I had pneumonia and lost about 15 pounds in two weeks. Not recommended! Also not permanent, in my case.
Hope you’re feeling better soon.
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Cleo • November 10, 2007 at 4:02 pm
OMG!!!! I don’t post often (in fact this is my second post in almost a year), but I had to congratulate you for this milestone. I have been following your progress for months, waiting to see when you would get to that 200-pound loss mark! As someone who has about 200 pounds to lose, it means that much more to me to see someone achieve that goal without surgery. You have inspired me in more ways than you’ll ever know, and I hope that this success continues to open up even more possibilities for you.
You so rock, you skinny minny you!
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Kim • November 10, 2007 at 10:21 pm
I just stumbled upon your site a couple of weeks ago…and now I must de-lurk to say “WOW!! CONGRATULATIONS!! YOU ARE SUCH A ROLE MODEL!!!” You really are. I’m on the other side, with 100+ to lose and I keep telling myself “it CAN be done.” Thank you so much for publicly telling your story so that the rest of us have the courage to keep going, too. Sometimes it seems like an impossible journey, but to know it’s achievable, and see postcards along the way, really helps. Thank you.
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Frederique • November 11, 2007 at 10:52 am
Hi,
Congrats on reaching this milestone, remarkable. I was so happy to see your “freaky” toes, mine are the same way and I’m equally concerned with keeping them under wraps. Open-toed sandals=verboten in my world and socks are my best (inanimate)friends.
I went to see a podiatrist about it and I was prescribed orthotics. They don’t fix the craziness but they do prevent it from getting worse. As a by-product I’m now able to run longer distances more comfortably and my inner thighs are more toned because the whole leg is in better alignment. Check it out if your insurance covers it. Sorry for providing unsolicited advice but orthotics have made a bizarrely huge difference in my everyday life.
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Migraineur • November 12, 2007 at 11:07 am
So you lost 6.6 pounds due to illness and 193.4 pounds due to hard work. Take the credit, girl – you deserve it.
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n.b. • November 12, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Congratulations! Waiting eagerly for the next “spin me” picture.
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Teresa • November 13, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Bravo, Bravo! What a wonderful job, you must be over the moon. I’m so happy for you.
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tonya • November 15, 2007 at 3:36 am
What an amazing accomplishment! Congratulations!
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Zentient • November 15, 2007 at 8:08 am
Black with red is so cool! I have a loved one who will appreciate it.
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Rhea • November 15, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Losing weight is so incredibly hard to do. Congrats thus far!
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myskinnyfiles • November 16, 2007 at 4:35 pm
I’m sick and on nyquil right now. :-P
I don’t expect to lose 6lbs though but I have lost a bit.
Going to crawl back into bed. Cheers!
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Brenda • November 16, 2007 at 4:40 pm
WOW, that is amazing. GREAT JOB!!!
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