talking accountability!

Okay gang, its been quite a while since I've posted. Lately, I've been reading other posts for comparison sake and it seems we're all pretty much going through the weight gain thing. I am several years out, I lost about 120#,but never reached my goal weight, I came to a dead stop at 200#  and held there for about 5 years, then I got pregnant, gained about 15 and never lost the weight, but also didn't excercise, or stick to a lo-carb diet or do any of the things I was taught to do at the beginning. I now weigh 225. I just thought that I was normal again, and could eat what I like and go on just any old diet and lose weight, I didn't realize that it would be so hard to take it off! Oh, and I'm a CARB fiend, not just the white flour and pasta kind either SUGAR, SUGAR,SUGAR! I have to admit that for the most part I am pretty good at choosing the right foods when I am paying attention, but there are many times that I will just reach for something sweet and pop it into my mouth and not even realize it until it's going down. sometimes, I 'll spit it out when I catch myself! (not very attractive in public!) it's a lousy habit and it is driving me crazy. I know what I need to do, I just don't know how to get myself moving again. I feel that I am sabotaging my every effort, but I don't know why. I never actually got to that place where I felt good about my appearance, but my health is excellent and I have always felt great about that. I just needed to share this, to hold myself accountable, to maybe let someone else know that they aren't alone. I am 44 years old I have an active three year old son I don't want my every moment to be consumed by weight gain/loss issues. I really believed that I would be able to get back to normal and just live, but my back hurts, my boobs hang and my belly never got flat I can't afford lifts and tucks, but again, I am healthy. I just want get to that place where I am content with my appearance...guess I better get to work!

You still have your tool and it will still work.  Go back to basics, and whatever you do, make sure you exercise!  Regularly....and hard (work up to it).  You've got to build muscle to become a fat burning machine.

Look how far you've come--you can certainly tackle these lbs.  We are here if you need support!

Kim

Hi...we've never met, and for a couple of exceptions (ie pregnancy, being farther post op than me, age) you could be telling my story.  I've been happy with my weight loss but didn't quite reach self-imposed goal of 130 lbs.  And now for the last 3 months I have not found a way to start losing again..it is sooo frustrating!  I so identify with the feeling of not being happy with my appearance (too much skin on tummy and arms) even tho friends and support group all say I look great...I just don't see it :-(

I write all this so YOU won't feel alone ;-)  I do believe, like Kim says, exercise is the key...no matter how inconvenient, boring, or hard it may be. We made the committment to change our life styles when we signed up for this journey...guess we need to follow the rules and exercise is one of them.

I'm game and ready to follow ALL the rules..not just the ones I 'like'..how about you? Together, we can beat the carb addiction!
thanks for posting...honesty is always the best medicine ^_^
Nancy aka Sunray

thanks for replying, yes I do believe that excercise is key unfortunatley I never made that a priority but now I will. I'm going to start with the 5 day pouch test and and just get back to basics, it is the only thing that makes any sense. so how much time should I spend on working out to begin with? that has always been an issue for me or should I say an "excuse"! TIME. I'm ready, I want this as much as I wanted it before, only now I know what to look out for. Thanks again, take care.

the pouch may not be as effective as it once was but the other posts were correct. you do still have it and there are may others on here who begin again/start over/new beginning or what ever else you want to call it. but you are certainly never too far gone to get back on track, just hang in there and try to mimic your original post wls eating habits. you can do this!

When I started exercising at 324 lbs I could only walk for 5 minutes at 2.5 mph on a treadmill--and then everything hurt so bad I'd cry.  I'd also work out with 5 lb weights--that was a little easier for me.  By the time I had my surgery I had been working out for 6 months 5x a week and had progressed to 30 minutes on the treadmill.

Once my surgery was done and I was home, I got back on my treadmill the very next day (slowly of course) and by the 24th day after surgery I went hiking for a 3 mile hike in the Smoky mountains (mostly level trail).

Then I began using the Power 90 DVDs by Beachbody.com.  Once I mastered those, I bought P90X.  Now I am doing P90X plus also.

I am not a gym person, so I knew I'd have to come up with something I could do at home.

I also run now--5 miles a few times a week.  My entire basement has been converted into a home gym....I have a treadmill, an elliptical, a large space with TV for doing DVD workouts, a power tower, a full set of free weights and a nautilus weight machine.  Working out is as routine as brushing my teeth, but honestly it took me a solid 2 years for that to happen. 

Bottom line.  Start.  Today.  Do as much as you can--then add 5 minutes.  Continue to set new fitness goals and push yourself to reach them.  It really will become a part of your life and I believe it is the golden ticket to permanent weight maintenance.  I eat/drink like a normal person, I do not starve and I do not deprive myself......the muscles I've developed and the exercise I do allow me to live like this and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I love how you wrote this. I feel like I can do it too. Sometimes we just really need a refresher course on the bare bones basics. No one forcing us to do something or guilting us into anything - just an honest "hey this is how I did it" approach.
Thanks - Iris

so I'm on day 2 of the 5day pouch test and doing pretty good, I didn't have the protein drinks yesterday and ended up having some carb master yogurt, I think I'm doing great, I'm not hungry at all. its pretty cool. Today, when I had some cream soup I started to feel a little something in there 1/2 way through! thanks for encouraging me!