Yes I know, we are all losing weight together, but it's New Year's and I think it's high time that all of us band together on it - officially I dunno about you, but I'm soooo glad 2007 is O-V-E-R! It was a really tragic year for me, I hate to say. One thing after another, major major events that in a lot of ways I still grieve, and probably always will. But I also believe 2008 holds a lot of promise...I don't know why I feel that way, but I just "know" deep down that all of us are going to experience monumental positive things this year, and losing weight is one of them!

I haven't updated my ticker, but I have lost about 10 pounds in the last two months or so. This time last year, I made a resolution to stop smoking, right. My last day was January 4th, 2007. Sure I'm still using the commit losenges and have to detox every now and then, but I have NOT touched one stinky cigarette in one year (well that one year will be in 3 days ) And I always said if I could do it, anyone could.

But isn't that the same secret to weight loss? Come on....I had to sit down, make a plan, and stick to it, despite the cold sweats, shakiness, sleepless nights, withdrawal terrors... I stuck with it, and I didn't look back. It's a battle every day, you know. I told James the other night, that I STILL to this day, when I go to a convenience store, see cigarettes and for a split second think to myself, "man that would be great to smoke" but the difference is not the temptation; it is the resistance to the temptation....

And I realized something. We all are going to be tempted. In many ways. Maybe by our family. Our friends. Our (shudder) kitchens or (even worse) the evil Krogers Signature store on our Krogering escapades. That evil junk food voice calling "man I taste so good...come on ya know ya want me..." Eek!!! But what made the difference for me in quitting smoking is, I didn't give in. Ladies I didn't quit smoking cause I didn't enjoy it! I did, that was the problem. I quit because I knew I wanted to be healthy. And the similarity is so uncanny...we want to lose weight because we want to be healthy. It's not cause we don't enjoy the food; we do, and that is our problem! We just need to be in this for the long run...no turning back. No looking back.

Let 2008 be your resolution to yourself, and no one else. If you have been on track, why not reaffirm your commitment? And if you've fallen off the bandwagon, let this be the day you jump back on. And don't look back. For heaven's sakes, don't look back.

I personally have tossed my scale. Well, it's here, I just have no clue where it is hahaha! The way I see it, it doesn't matter what I weigh; if I am not happy with my body and what I see in the mirror, that number is not going to change my perception. Not being able to feel the folds on my back; now that will change my perception. Not being able to use my stomach as a drink coaster; that'll do it too. Not getting sores between my thighs cause they rub together anytime I move; yep "that'll do donkey, that'll do."

Guys, I used to be a model; goodness, I was even Miss Houston in the late 90's. I KNOW that gorgeous girl is somewhere deep inside me (okay wayyyyyy deep down there, I think I smothered her!). I look at that picture every day in my pageant dress and crown, and think to myself "girl you can get there again". I was 36-24-34, and a slim size 3-4. These days? I have no idea! I am too scared to measure myself, and frankly, I wear elastic pants cause pants with buttons are soooo uncomfortable for me, so I have no idea what size I truly am. All I know is, that girl in the mirror? She's such a stranger to me....and I want to see the old me in that reflection again.

Sure this is a long post, but I think this is a long time coming, to all of us. I don't know about you, but me? I'm gonna do what I did on January 4th, 2007 when I quit smoking...I'm going to jump on and not look back. And no matter what, I'm not giving up.

Okay so you want specifics? Fair enough... My goal is a minimum of 50 pounds. That's about a pound a week give or take. And you know something? I'm gonna do it!!!!

How's about you? What is your commitment? What are you going to do - for yourself?

Happy New Year everybody - let the good times roll!!!!!!!!!

Holli

Hey Holli! I love how excited you are let's do this! I would love to lose 50 in 2008!

You are so right...no looking back! Your enthusiasm is contagious we all need that sometimes. This is my year to get securely under 200 lbs. and remain there...but I am really hoping to reach goal by the end of the year, but will be okay just with at least hitting 180 and not bouncing back at all.

My big big goal is dealing with my emotional/binge eating and eliminating it completely. I came a long way with understanding some of why I do it, some triggers, and coming up with things to do instead of turning to food...now this year I go one step further and eliminate it. I know the weight will fall off once that is done, so I started with it yesterday and it's MY year to free myself from the addiction to food.

Hi everyone! I'm in for 50lbs...I just want to get under 200lbs again, then I'll keep going!!

Hi Holli. Congratulations on being smoke free for a year! I also enjoyed smoking and quit for my health. And, it really is the same thing with this whole weight loss journey. I enjoy eating my unhealthy fatty sugary foods, but I need to do this for my health.....with the added benefit of looking better!

I have several resolutions....but, my weight loss one is to reach my goal of 150 this year.

Let's do this!

I would love to reach my goal weight by the end of 2008. However,that may be a little too ambitious so I'm going for a 75 pound loss which will put me in ONEderland!!!

We can do this!!

Id love to reach my goal this year. I have my goal set at 196 thats what its been for a while. At that weight I will no longer be obese. Once I meet that goal, I will adjust my goal. But for now Id be happy at that weight. Funny that its exactly 50 lbs from what I weighed yesterday 246.0.

Wow Alana that is uncanny - I'd say there's a bit of hint in timing, yeah? Well hopefully we'll have more that are brave enough to join I've done really well today too, stuck to plan...I know it'll be hard but I am ready!!!

I can't wait to see you guys make your goals! I'm cheering you on all the way!

My goal is to maintain my weight loss for the next year. I've never maintained weight loss for any length of time, but I know this year will be different.

Wow Robyn! Now THAT is a great goal!!!!!!!!!!!! I really do believe you can do it, and I know the other ladies here agree!!! I really, really do!!!

Ya know, I think I will be in your shoes one day; my weight since the birth of my daughter has been up and down, and I obviously wasn't able to maintain it. It's funny... it wasn't food that made me gain weight, but it's sure keeping that weight on!!!

Holli - I totally understand. My daughter just turned 18 and I finally got my baby weight off . It was such a joke to tell people I was working on getting my baby weight off and then I had to tell them how old my baby was. I figured I had to have a sense of humor.

If I can do this I know you can. It's so worth it for you and for your daughter. My kids were and still are my biggest motivator. I love to keep up with my kids now!

AMEN!!!!!! I am in the exact same boat. Perhaps I'll join you for the ride? My goal is to actually lose 100 pounds this year. It's a monumental goal but I know I need to break my food addiction, binge eating, emotional eating, compulsive eating...whatever you wanna call it. I gotta break that first. I can see my triggers. Ordering pizza. Fast food. Regular soda. I REWARD myself with food. I'm a work at home single mother and I work HARD every single day. My daughters are 3 and 1. I use food to reward myself for the suffering I do in my daily life. It's pathetic.

But I can recognize it and I think that is the first step for me. Coming here and seeing that I'm not alone. That's a huge step, too.

So I gotta get off this train wreck waiting to happen... and 100 pounds is my goal!

Queenie--my trigger is any emotion at all, I want to reward myself with food or eat and eat to forget the bad things going on around me. Food has been like my best friend...but it's a best friend that has destroyed everything else I want for myself, so it has to go! I know we can do it I started a little journal to write down each binge, then look up the calories (huge wake up call there) and then what I was feeling, why it happened, etc. I also made a list of things to do instead and I will work my way through them when I want to eat, but know I am not hungry. WE CAN DO THIS!

Purplefirefly: What sorta diet plan are you following, if you don't mind my asking? I'm so tired of the rollercoaster and am lost in a sea of diet plans here at 3FC and not sure which one to try. Being a binge eater really makes ANY plan tough.

When I first started I tried about every diet under the sun, or at least read up on them. I really loved South Beach, but it was too restrictive in the first phase for the amount of exercise I do (I would get really light headed), so what I do now is basically counting calories with a big leaning toward phase II South Beach. I try to eat about half my calories from protein (lean hamburger, chicken mostly) and eat a ton of veggies. Veggies have been a huge key to control my binging, they make me feel very full and I can eat a lot of them for low calories when I am in a "mood".

Another thing is eating smaller amounts more often. I try to eat every 3-4 hours and split my calories throughout the day, that way I don't get too hungry...I find I binge more when I restrict too much during the day and am starving at night.

I drink a lot of water, keeps the belly full...and sugar free gum gives my mouth something to chew when I'm wanting to binge. And i exercise a LOT, it is my #1 thing to avoid a binge...a little movement and I don't want the food anymore, plus exercise frees my mind to think through whatever is bothering me, relieving the emotions/tension/whatever it is.

What got me started was Jillian Michael's book, Winning By Losing. It really is the bare bones of what it takes to take the weight off and keep it off. I use her formula to determine my calories for the week, then split them up so I eat a different number each day. This works for me because I can see what is happening that week, then give myself higher calories on days I might need to eat out, have a special occaison, etc. She opened my eyes that it's not about your intake on one day, it's about the whole week, month, etc. combined that equals out to weight loss.

So, I have kinda made my own plan taking what worked from SB diet and that book. I started out barely able to workout, I hated every second of it, but I found the Walk Away the Pounds videos and improved so quick it shocked me. Now I love to workout and do such intense workouts I am drenched in sweat and exhausted, but afterwards I feel so alive, so energetic it's amazing. Now I can do the 5 mile video with weights and not feel exhausted...it's amazing!

So, basically I count calories, varying the number from day to day and I try to focus on protein and veggies. I eat mostly whole grains instead of all the refined stuff...and I have cut out sugar completely (a LOT of cravings went away once I got off that, I was addicted to it). Then I exercise and drink pretty much only water.

You shouldn't try to jump into all that right off though! I worked up to all this over a year and a half or so, and I am still far, far from perfect. The binges are still happening, though not as often and not on the same types of foods. You have to start making small changes that you can live with forever, and everything else will follow behind. Maybe start calorie counting and some simple exercises, maybe walking, and you'll be doing more and more quicker than you can believe!

If you have Time Warner, you can do some great workouts with Fit TV and the Exercise TV On Demand...I rely on them through the winter.