need to be supported

i had surgery 12/04, was 242, now 159. i want to be about 140. have been 159 for at least six months. i dont seem to make good choices, i have no will power. i have NEVER thrown anything up, the one thing that makes me feel yucky is ice cream which makes me dump, so i dont eat it. i wont make that 18 months follow up appt with my dr cuz i am still not at goal and should be. i have never exercised because of time restraints, i am not a good planner for food the next day. i hear i should journal but dont know where to start. is there anyone that can help? Lynn

Is that last 19 pounds just excess skin? WHat is your body fat %. You really should go and have your appt, to at least get your labs checked. A good website to get you motivated and help you plan meals as well as excercise is www.sparkpeople.com

Hi Lynn, Welcome to the grad board. You've come to the right place for support. You haven't started regaining, that's a positive thing. As far as losing again, what you're doing is not working for you, so I would change it up. Make time for exercise. Do start planning your food ahead of time. I use fitday.com to plan my food. It's a free program that allows you to enter all the food you eat, as well as the exercise you do so you can compare. You can see exactly how many calories you're getting, how much protein, fat, and carbs. It's a wake-up call. I would encourage you to not avoid your surgeon's office. The people there can help you. They are not there to judge you, they have seen many others with the same problems, and they have helped them too. Stay here with us, we'll encourage you, and give you a very soft kick in the butt if needed. Hugs, Connie -147#

Go back to basics pure and simple and start an exercise program. Time constraints is no excuse - we're all busy but if something is important enough we will find time to do it. You WILL NOT get to goal and stay at goal long term unless you exercise. That's a fact. Put your before pics in the kitchen where you have to look at them every time you go to eat something. I know that sounds cheesy but it really realy helps stop me in my tracks when I reach for something I shouldn't have.

Lynn, You have come to the right place for support and encouragement! There are very few of us here on the grads board who have not struggled to either (a) get down to goal if we aren't there yet--and MANY are not, (b) stay at our present weight, or (c) get back to a certain weight after re-gaining. I come here so that I don't feel alone in my struggles with the old food demons/habits--AND I get great inspiration from those who have done a great job of staying at goal. I really do think of others from OH as I go about my day and have a feeling of "we're all in this together--they all know how I'm feeling." Look at old & new pics of yourself! The one on your profile is great! I see you don't have anything written on your profile, but if you even read OTHER people's profiles (assuming you don't have any kind of "before" journaling of your own), you will identify with where we've all come from! I read other people's entries--as well as my own--and it reminds me of how hard I worked to get the surgery, how badly I wanted it, and how far I've come. I'd venture to say there's virtually NO ONE here who truly "has enough time" to exercise, but most of us MAKE time to work out. It just has to be a priority. I work at a school, so I'm off in the summer and have a great schedule, but during the school year, I get up at 4:45 and am at the gym from 5:00-6:00. I HATE & DETEST getting up at that time, and occasionally I work out after work, but I just know I have to make this commitment. Start SMALL--just get out and walk for 15 min.--twice a day if you can, but just start somewhere. Or get a workout video and gradually get to the point that you can do it all. Make that follow-up appmt. with your surgeon/nutritionist! They've seen & heard everything, so your being such a small distance from goal is no biggie! I think you'll feel much better after you've been there! (By the way, is 140 THEIR goal for you or yours?) My surgeon considered 175-180 to be a "success" for me--I'm at 155 now--thrilled with that but would PREFER to be about 145--but honestly, I'm happy as a clam! It's no great revelation--you need to go back to the basics of protein & good carbs, not drinking with meals, portion control, and exercise. It just won't happen otherwise. How badly do you want it? Thank your lucky stars that you've maintained your weight loss so far! Keep coming back here and let us know how you're doing! Jo 295/155 (at goal)

Hi Lynn! Make that 18mth appt~it might not be as bad as you think! You've come so far already~be proud of your accomplishments! It sounds to me like you already know that answers to your problem~making good food choices and exercising will really help! Try pushing protein, cut down on the carbs and make time for exercise. I eat alot of the same things from day to day so this helps me not have to make an "official" plan everyday~I just kinda know in advance b/c that's always what I eat. What kind of exercise do you like~walking, exercise tapes, weight training????? Finding something that you enjoy doing really helps with motivation. Good Luck to You! Tracy B 328/150 5'9"

OK Lynn...now it's your turn! No will power? How the hell did you navigate the pre-op process and get to the point of surgery, and then post-op, and then a weight loss of nearly 100#? How did you get up every day and tell yourself that you had to change. That you could not eat a ton of food? That you could not feed your emotions, voids, gaps, rewards with food? You have will power! What you lack is a plan. It's like getting into a car to take a cross country vacation without a map or a destination. Every successful journey starts off with a roadmap. Go get yours! Today! My suggestion is to begin by writing down everything you eat and your hunger level for one week (1=not hungry/5=starving). Don't lie...you only lie to yourself! The next week, do the same...but this time write down the time and count the calories. Remember, in order to count calories you need to measure portions! In two weeks you will have gained awareness regarding what you eat, how often, how many calories you eat daily, and you will have measured your portions...imagine! My personal theory is that the above behaviors are among the key components to success for life. It's just not that hard! Oh, and one more thing...take a walk. It does a world of good. How's that for support?

Karen, Thanks for being the drill sargeant here! Sometimes we all need to hear/read a little of this! Have a good day! Debbie