Support group near St Helens, OR

Hi -
I am looking for a support group near St. Helens, OR.  I am 3 yrs out and gaining weight.  I need to get back under control and know I need my support.  Does anyone know of such a group?  Or maybe how I could teleconference?  Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi Lisa,
I'm not sure about a support group near you, but feel free to email me for support to get back on track.  I, too, at 3 years started having a lot of problems - stopped exercising, poor eating, etc.  I didn't really open my eyes until I gained half of the weight back that I had lost (130 lbs. total at that point.)  I got really honest with myself and knew I had a decision to make: did I want to eat myself back up to 316 lbs. after all I went through with the surgery?  NO!  First thing I did was got back into swimming - that had always been something I enjoyed - water aerobic classes or laps.  I've always had the mindset that if I was going to exercise, I wouldn't waste the burned calories on junk, so that helped.  I think I also had to come to terms with that I had always been fat - fat kid, probably 175 lbs. in middle school and 260 lbs. by the time I was a senior.  Years and years of dieting  losing 100 lbs. gaining 100 lbs. got me to the all time high of 316 lbs. (I'm just 5"1).  I also had to accept a thin (or somewhat thin) body in the mirror as being me.

Where this has brought me - now 5 years out total from surgery and really working a program I created for myself, is a loss of over 170 lbs., weighing in at 144 and a size 6.  Never in my wildest dreams would I think I could wear a size 6.  Of course, I do see myself as having to lose more - probably because I have so much extra skin all over.

To quote something I heard one time:  "Don't give up before the miracle!"

Feel free to email if you'd like......
Anne

Thanks,Anne!
I appreciate your offer and will take you up on that!  I am currently doing water aerobics 5 times a week. I enjoy them and plan on doing them even during the winter since the pool is inside.  Now, to cut the carbs and sugar.  I have started journaling again too.  Listing my food and paying attention to portion size. 

Please feel free to chat with me, too.  And thanks for the offer of help. I appreciate it very much!
Lisa 

Sounds, great, Lisa with what you're doing - especially being able to swim 5 times a week.  I belong to the tualatin hills park and rec and also 24 hour fitness.  My work shifts are 12 hours, so I figured with both locations, I can get to some pool.  Unfortunately, I have one favorite - the temp is 89 degrees and feels so good on my muscles, that my 24 hour membership is kind of a waste.  I'm off work now due to health issues, upcoming hernia surgery, don't know when yet, so am more able to get to the pool.

I've found to try and get the protein up to at least 80 grams a day helps with weightloss, of course trying to keep refined carbs low.  I don't do alot of bread, but I'll buy the protein bread and high fiber english muffins, at the orowheat bread store to sneak more fiber in.  I've done it all different over the years as far as sugar goes - at times, cutting out all refined sugar and more recently, since I got back in the losing mode, was to allow myself a few bites or small piece of something occasionally.  I've cooked with splenda and have found like if I make banana muffins with splenda, soy flour, very little oil, flaxmeal, protein powder, etc., I am happy with one because it's not high sugar/high fat combo which makes me want more.  Since I don't do sweets on any kind of regular basis, I've lost alot of my sweet tooth, I think.  My average calories is probably at about 1100, which doesn't allow for much extra.  I drink at least one protein drink a day, sometimes two,to get the 80 grams in.  I like Costco's ready to drink chocolate Premier drinks or I'll mix BSN Lean Dessert vanilla protein and mix with frozen blueberries strawberries or banana chunks, sometimes mixing a little of the SF dry pudding, cheesecake flavor, in there with the berries, along with a little bit of vanillla extract.  I like the ease of the protein drinks - kind of a no-brainer to get 30 grams in easily.

I weighed myself today and kind of frustrated - stuck at 144 for almost one month.  Don't know if I'm done  losing.  I did meet with a plasic surgeon last week as I'm thinking about having a tummy tuck while they do the hernia repair.  She thinks I might have 10 lbs. extra abdominal skin, so maybe that would put me in the mid 130's.  I'm just 5'1, but my bone structure is not really petite,and that may be as good as it's going to get.  At some point, I'll just have to accept where my body ends up - kind of out of my control, if I keep doing what I'm doing, I think, as far as the healthy eating and exercise.