Heyy Everyone

hehehe, I'm actually giggling about "tapewormage." I work in a molecular biology lab (I study cell division in moss), and I keep walking around giggling to myself about tapeworms. I am pretty sure my labmates think I'm nuts. When I went home to visit my family, everyone kept saying to me "wow, julie, what is your secret to all your weight loss??" When I told them that the secret wasn't really a secret at all (Shari, you put it well with "eat less than you spend and you will lose weight," basically what I said to them), they actually became angry with me. They would have been HAPPIER to hear that I had tapeworms than to hear that they had to work hard to lose weight. anyway, thanks. I'll go back to giggling to myself at my lab bench. hehehe.

I have once in a while PRAYED for a tapeworm.  i mean wtf.

Hi Winnie, i've tried every diet under the sun, including the hardboiled egg diet (ugh!), jenny craig, weigh****chers, etc. etc. etc. None of them worked, because I thought about them as a temporary thing ("if I eat these tiny portions of food for six months, lose lots of weight, then I can go back to eating the way I have always eaten..right? RIGHT?!?!") that I had to do to lose weight quickly. Finally, the only thing that was actually successful for me was a total lifestyle change. I finally got off my azz and started exercising (daily!), slowly working my cardio sessions up to 1.5 hours a pop, with 10-20 minutes of free-weight lifting afterward. Additionally, I now eat protein with every meal, and I only eat three real meals a day with snacks in between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner (and by snacks I mean celery, cukes, sometimes if I'm really hungry, a half a slice of toast with some cottage cheese on it). The only way to really drop the weight (for me, at least) is to go negative. Seriously decrease the calories and up the exercise.

I'm bulimic.  Works like a charm.

(Nothing says sarcasm quite like a testy post-op )

Throw dieting out the window. It doesn't work long term.  Losing weight is simple, maintaining your weight is more difficult.

Shari put it best.  Eat tapeworms! lol just kidding.  Seriously though, it's as simple as taking in less calories than you burn.  Your body will start burning it's fat store for energy.  Of course you have to have balance here. Obviously you can't go out there and eat 1 apple a day and expect to have good healthy weight loss.  You have to find a balanced healthy food plan that works for you.  It all depends on your age, height, size and activity level.   For me, I'm 27 (almost 28), I'm between 282 lbs (down from 330), 5'7", and I'm very inactive or sedentary. (I do not exercise and walk less than 20 minutes a day.)  I try to hang around 1600-1800 calories a day.  As I lose weight I'll have to adjust that number because the smaller I get, the less calories my body requires to maintain my current weight.  If I were 120 lbs and eating 1600 calories a day I would likely gain weight.  It's not a proven science about how many calories you need but rather a sliding scale that you have to constantly analyze and work with. I'm not gonna lie, it's very hard work. Probably the hardest thing you will have ever done.  But it's so much more rewarding than any other achievement in your life. Start by focusing on you and making more healthy decisions.  I started by eliminating soda and drinking only water.  As my obsession (lol) with that progressed I started eating less.. Practiced eating slower, drinking lots of water with meals.  Then I naturally progressed into doing my best to choose fresh and healthy foods like lean meats, leafy veggies, dark green veggies, fresh fruits/veggies.  If I have a craving I don't always supress it. Sometimes it's important to give in..especially when you limit yourself on that craving. It's a control thing really. Once you realize you're in control you feel empowered to make better decisions.  Start today.. tomorrow never really comes.

Hi Winnie!  Welcome! I'm very new to this as well- I started the WW flex plan on Monday. I swear I peed a few gallons the first day and actually lost 2 lbs of water weight by the next morning, but I will not weigh in now till Monday a.m.  I'll keep you posted on my status. So far from what I have seen in the WW Flex plan is really great! Like I said- I don;t know how well it WORKS just yet, but from my weight, height, age & gender-  they decided I needed to loose about 75 pounds. They set me up on 25 "points" per day.  But you get an additional 35 EXTRA points that you can spread out over the week- or use in one day if you want. Once that is gone- you don't have that extra 35 until the next week.  The first day I ate 22.5, then yesterday I ate 21. It has NOT been a hard plan to follow and in looking up many splurging foods/snacks... like even a candy bar.... if your careful, you CAN actually enjoy one now & then. It's definitely NOT on my mind now- but someday I can see myself having a few Hershey's kisses or the like & it would not affect my weight.    I think what that gave me was more PERMISSION to have something like that (in time & moderation) and NOT to feel guilty- or that I have really screwed up. It has made me KNOW I can have something and since it's really not taken away.... I don't really need it that bad ;)  And when the day comes that I DO.... I will fit it in. I've been really concerned because I live on an island where we have NO fast food restaraunts- like Micky D etc. But in September I'm taking my kids to a nother town where there IS one!  And I KNOW that since we go maybe once every TWO YEARS, we WILL want to eat there. So I looked up my favorite MILK SHAKE ;)   It says "Fast Food milk shake" 1 item (I assume the smallest size) is 5 points.  So I CAN fit that in if I feel that pull. I'll definately be saving my 35 extras for those few days ;) Anyhow, this seems like a great  plan for ME.... I am pleasantly surprised & hope I am still by Monday's weigh in :) Good luck!  Keep us posted on what you decide! I was in your shoes just a couple days ago:) BTW- I  had enough points saved up by dinner last night that I actually had TWO cups cooked  spaghetti (7 points) & 1/2 cup "bottled" sauce (2 points)... so it was only 9 points for a BIG plate of REALLY GOOD pasta (to ME anyhow LOL)

I am on the violamom plan I eat 7-8 meals per day I drink at least 64 oz of water per day I try to eat about 20% fat, 50% carbs and 30% protein I keep my calories around 1500 per day I write down EVERY bite I take and put it in my daily plate journal