Newbie

Hi Everyone...

I have been debating whether to join this group for a while. I suppose that joining/participating is an admission to myself of what I have become -- so I have been putting it off, putting it off, putting it off.

Well, enough is enough. A few years ago I lost 100 lbs doing it "the natural way" -- ie, eating well and working out as a full-time job. I have since gained all the weight back, and then some. (I was 240, then went down to 140, now I'm at 273.. yikes! I have never wrote that number... as my weight... 273... *cry*)

I'm so lost. I just barely get through every day. I feel like I'm not "living on purpose", I'm just living. I have children, and I live for them. But somehow, somewhere, I lost myself in the mix, and I'm struggling to find myself.

*sigh* Now I'm rambling.

Help? I guess that's what I'm here looking for... support... advice... inspiration... a girlfriend and I have decided to start an accountability log, maybe I will cross post it here as well to further my accountability.

~ Celia

Starting Weight: 273
Current Weight: 273
Goal Weight: ???
Mini-Goal #1: out of the 270's

Hi Celia, you will find tons of support and motivation on this site it has helped me so much. The people are wonderful and so supportive. I like you a few years ago lost quite a bit of weight about 80+ pounds and ended up gaining about all of it but 20 pounds back. I think the mistake I made the last time was I "dieted" and I exercised while I "dieting" this time the difference is I have made a lifestyle change. I 'm only doing what I know I will keep up for a lifetime so I don't "go off my diet" and end up putting the weight back on which is a huge fear for me. So for me the only thing I have done is portion control and counting calories. Logging what you eat is a great idea that's exactly what I do and it really keeps me accountable. I don't limit myself from eating whatever I want as long as I journal it and for me I find I avoid having much "high calorie food" because it means in the end I'm getting to eat much less.  So I know if I give in and have a large piece of cake for instance I'm most likely going to go to bed hungry because I'm going to end up getting much less the rest of the day and wehn I am faced with that a tiny piece of cake looks much better then the larger slice I would normally have.

The one thing I've completely given up is soda I only drink water now (sometimes add some crystal lite to it).  Some people I think do still drink soda but for me I feel a lot better having given it up. I also exercise now reguarly and that's the one thing I plan to keep up even when I hit my goal weight. For me this time I think that will be easy because I go to curves about 5 days a week and I know this time I won't give that up because I'm currently working there so that makes it a lot easier to work out since I'm going to be there anyway working.  I think the best advice for exercise is finding something you really enjoy it makes it a lot easier to stick with it.

The best advice I ever got when I started is you will have a bad day the important thing is don't beat yourself up about it and realize tomorrow is another day it's more important that you get back on the wagon if you fall off. Just don't give up and know that you CAN do it and YOU ARE WORTH IT ! ! ! ! 



Johnita

Thank you so much, Johnita... I need to remember that if I don't start taking care of myself NOW, I won't be around to take care of my family!

Because I have worked through the weight... was able to lose a significant amount -- I KNOW that I can lose weight. I CAN. Now, I need to figure out WHY I gained it all back... it's emotional. Why do I turn to food, emotionally, rather than naturally? Why do I live to eat, instead of eating to live? Why do i resort to gorging myself at the first sign of stress????

During THIS journey, I'm going to have to seriously work on ME and the emotions behind my eating disorder. (I do beleive that emotional eating is a disorder, or even an addiction maybe.... alchoholics resort to alchohol at the first sign of stress... I am doing the same with food.)

I suppose that the first step is admitting you have a problem -- and that first step is for sure the hardest. But here I am. Humbling myself publicly, to admit that I need help.

Well Celia, you've come to the right place for getting support for stress and emotional eating, you are so not alone.  It sounds like you are an expert at weight loss so I'm sure that will be a great asset to our little group, and maybe we can help you deal with the head work aspect of this journey.  If you don't mind me asking, what kind of an eating plan are you on?

Mary 

Mary, I'm on THE simplest eating plan that I've EVER been on!!!! (With the help of the Health Tracker) Basically, I calculated that I would need 1975 cals a day in order to LOSE 2 lbs a week. So with that, I decided to divide those calories by 40%-Protein, 30%-Carbs, and 30% Fats -- the Health Tracker does the math for me!

In doing this... I have cut BACK on the amount of food I eat every day in great amounts! And I'm FULL... I'm not HUNGRY... I'm not craving anything... the food I eat is tasty, healthy, rich in fresh produce (thus rich in vitamins and nutrients), and filling! I have not been able to get my 1975 calories in yet, I'm too full, and don't want to force myself to eat. I've been getting about 1675 pretty consistantly.

That's it! It's that simple! The first two days I ate what I thought was healthy (and at one point in my life, when I was ALOT more active, it WAS okay), but when I plugged it into my health tracker I found that my ratios were ALL off -- too much fats, and not enough carbs and protein... I've been able to put food in the health tracker and see what it does to my overall macronutrient ratio.. and as long as my macronutrients are IN balance, I'm feeling great!!

I think that the key to ANY eating routine, is that you have to feel satisfied, and you CAN'T feel as though you are depriving yoruself of something. That's what I did every other time, "Oh no I can't eat pasta, it wont help me lose weight" -- and then, after my weght was off, I'd eat the pasta -- and nothing but pasta for 4 months, lol. I'm now learning, that a small tiny sized portion of pasta won't kill me, as long as I load up on protein and veggies throughout the rest of the day, and my macronutrients are in check!

I lost another 1/2 pound yesterday

Also, Mary,

I just wanted to add... apparently I AM an expert at weight loss, and an expert at weight gain, too! HAH... clearly, I know how to lose and I know how to gain -- but what I DON'T know is how to maintain any given weight. I can honestly say that throughout my entire adult life I have been either gaining OR losing weight... I have never maintained a given weight for more than a few weeks time...

December 3, 2009

Dear Celia:

I commend you for coming to this board.  I, too, am trying to get thin and fit, as well.  I eat six small meals a day, and exercise as much as I can, by walking outside in decent weather.  I belong to Overeaters Anonymous, too, because I am a recovering compulsive overeater.

I started out in January 2005 at 297 pounds, and now weigh around 240, now.  I've just recently started eating six small meals a day, and don't diet, at all.  Dieting is starvation, you see, and just makes things worse, as far as your metabolism goes.

Take care,
Denise Phares/Highpow

Thanks, Denise! And good for YOU for losing 57 lbs!!

I have looked into OA, but there aren't any near my area in a time that I could make it. I also eat 6 small meals a day... B,L,D, and Snacks in between. My nightly snack is replaced by a protein shake.

Has there been a food log on this board?? Maybe we can start one up if not.... I'm sure after new year's, once everyone starts their new year's diet resolutions many people may be coming by here to participate.