[astrophe]

Hi:

I'm back on this board after a long break. Years long! I've been hopping across old/new boards lately trying to figure out where I'm going to fit in best for online support.

I suppose that's a reflection of where I am -- starting over again after a long time gone... hopping around trying to get focus.

I'm slowly advancing.

Nov I had logged 5/30 days food and 1/30 days exercise.

Dec I had logged 13/30 days food, 0/30 exercise.

Jan I had logged 15/31 days food, 2/31 exercise.

Feb is off to a promising start. 4/5 food, 2/5 exercise.

I've been reading cookbooks for new recipes, fitness books for workout ideas, I ordered two videos from collagevideo.com... little by little I'm getting a grip on my sleep pattern too.

The results are also starting -- so far down 4 lbs.

My first big goal is to get under 200 lb. My first short goal is to get to 250.

I've told my husband and two friends, and now I'm telling it here.

Wish me luck!
A.

[Arctic Mama]

Good luck! Baby steps in the right direction are fabulous, all you can ever do in this journey is make your very next choice count. Make enough good choices and they culminate into something amazing. Make a few good choices and you're still keeping your head above water as you wade.

Keep focusing on healthy foods and habits, and you'll be well on your way.

[Blondina]

Good luck!

[salsa chip]

That sounds great! Keep going and keep telling us how it's going

[matt_H]

Keep posting here! Welcome back and looking forward to reading about your progress

[Beverlyjoy]

So glad you posted. We are here to cheer you on and help you in this journey.

[astrophe]

Thanks -- can't tell you what the support here means to me. I don't really get a lot of it elsewhere "from the trenches."

DH is VERY supportive emotionally, but he's never been obese. He doesn't get it on the same level. If I'm having a joint pain day because of my weight, he's sympathetic and will help find me tylenol/rub my knee, etc.

But he doesn't know the feeling of being trapped in your own body, nor the frustration like I do. :P

I feel like I also need to talk to people who know it like I know it.

A.

[toastedsmoke]

You can do it!!! Good job so far this month. I'm learning that even when it goes slowly, nothing is slower than doing nothing at all. I find that coming here for encouragement and inspiration is really helpful and everyone here is really great. So honestly, feel empowered. This is doable, you can do it!!!

[LizR]

Keep up the great work and you will reach your goals!

[Eliana]

I love the way you've kept track of your on days and your off days. When I'm off, I bury my head in the sand, and you did not do that! You logged it and came here and admitted it to us! Not only that, but your trend is going in the upward direction! That's fantastic! You're baby stepping into this which is very sustainable. Good for you!

[Bellsybells]

Welcome back! I came back too after a long (8 year) hiatus and although I don't get to post as often as I'd like, I always feel stronger when I do. Sounds like you're making great progress, and I too love that you are logging on/off days (because I'm a head-in-the-sand person like Eliana!). Welcome!

[Judy Lynn]

We all know exactly what you are going through. Welcome back!

[UrthWurm]

Welcome back! I'm so glad to see you're dedicated to making a change! You're making great progress. A big step was reaching out and seeking support. In times of struggle, it helps so much to have people backing us; especially if they're those who understand our plight. You're sure to find an amazing support team here! I wish you continued success in your journey.

Regards,
Kimberley

[PeanutsMom704]

great that you are back and off to a good start this month - keep going!!

[astrophe]

Thanks again for the warm welcome, gang! I really appreciate it.

It's a nerdy relic of my school days to clock it __ out of ___ . I never got excited about blowing a quiz or test. It wasn't about the one time. It was about the grade point average over the whole term/year.

I started in Nov with just the food log because I hoped to avoid holiday weight gain Nov - Jan. (We have a lot of Jan bdays here.) While I didn't log more than 50%, I did avoid the holiday weight gain.

Now I've started trying to put in formal exercise 3x a week at 20 min a pop or so. We'll see what sort of baseline I've established by the end of Feb and then I can think about how to kick it up a notch for March.


A.