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Old 08-09-2010, 12:16 AM   #1  
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Unhappy Back with my tail between my legs

So, I found this place a while ago and it gave me a lot of motivation to start. But then I had a lot of personal issues come up (pretty much became really mentally unstable... I'm in my late teens and thats when a lot of issues crop up) but am now on the right track and getting my life together.

I'm really really ready to start back. I've got a pretty big fear of the gym, but I'm going monday, and my goal is to just walk into the gym and see how that goes. Its not about working out, I love working out. But feeling really judged and things like that. So I'm gonna walk in, see how I feel, and take it from there. Maybe it will take me a few days of walking in, and walking back out. But I'm gonna take baby steps. I WILL do it this time. And its different now. I've come to the realization that I CAN do anything I put my mind to, but its not about "motivation" its about determination and sometime sheer willpower.

Also, I guess.... I was just wondering from you ladies. I know its all a guessing game and how well you stay on plan and stuff. But generally, if you stick to your weight loss plan (I'm going to be calorie counting [zig zagging] and I'm going to being working out just cardio and adding in weight training a bit later) how long does it take to lose the weight? I know its a long process and it varies person to person... but it helps me if I have a general idea you know?
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Old 08-09-2010, 12:24 AM   #2  
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Just wanted to say hello and welcome back. I hope you can get the gym to work for you, I know the first week or two I REALLY felt that waay, especially when DH couldn't come and I went alone.

As far as how long, I have never lost the weight so I don't know for sure. But I keep telling myself that it could be quite awhile...and not to push myself. Face each thing as it comes up and it could realistically take me a year or two...
Good luck though, and welcome back again!
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Old 08-09-2010, 12:27 AM   #3  
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Thanks for your reply I really appreciate it. I'm hoping to really stick around this time and actually utilize the support this time. I realistically feel like a year is a time in which I can loose what I'm looking for, but I don't know if that's accurate??? Maybe I'm fooling myself. lol

But again, thanks for welcoming me back
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Old 08-09-2010, 12:47 AM   #4  
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I am right there with you! Just came back today. Welcome back. I wish us luck
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Old 08-09-2010, 02:33 AM   #5  
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Welcome back! I, too, am pretty young and have been trying to battle weight loss since I was in my late teens. I succumbed to the pressures, but now that I am starting out with my first job from college, I'm finding that I WANT to be healthier, buy the pretty business suits with my new paychecks, and dress to impress, which takes a smaller body. I know I'll never be "skinny", however I can be smaller, and I can fit in with the average American size 10's.

Realistically, I would say to go from 275 to 160, you could definitely have it done come summer 2011. Don't pressure yourself to stay on a strict plan between "now and then" to "get it done" because all that's going to do is have you fail. Say, I will eat healthy and stay on plan 5-6 days a week, and then give myself a break 1 day a week, however, I will start learning the power of "NO" and I will NOT let that 1 relax day turn into a major cheat day, or a day to get me off track permanently.

I started way back in 07, however I never truly got in anywhere but in circles. I got serious last September and started at 248 (down ~20lbs from my highest) and around Christmas I weighed 202. I then ate myself back up to 223, and got back on the wagon March 22. I then bounced back and forth but stuck 75% on plan, and am now in the 190's.

You can do this! Once you start getting under 250, and seeing yourself "closer to 200 than 300" you will really start to gain momentum. When I was in the 230's and 220's, I just kept seeing myself gaining it back. Now that I see 190's, and 180's on the horizon, I tell myself "hey you're really doing this" and just keep working out and eating right with my results in mind. Stay active on these boards DAILY if possible. This weekend I actually binged and went off track b/c friends were in town. Tomorrow morning I will pick myself up and lose the 6 pounds I gained, and then keep rolling towards my goal. Not easy, but definitely not hard because i CONTROL this. You can control you too

Good luck and stick around!!

Last edited by akelly728; 08-09-2010 at 02:34 AM.
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Old 08-09-2010, 02:35 AM   #6  
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Any time anyone comes back and starts again, they're a real winner.

In answer to 'how long'? - a few years ago I lost 100+lbs in 2 years; lots of people here have achieved that much in a year or less. I'm currently losing at an average of 2.25lbs a week, so could maybe manage a year myself BUT while the main key is consistency and persistence and commitment, sometimes our bodies react unexpectedly, or differently to other people's, so it's hard to be too specific.

Good luck!
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Old 08-09-2010, 07:15 AM   #7  
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I think weight loss is a state of mind. When you make up your mind to do ot once and for all you can make it happen. When you do that, your food choices are on plan, you excersise regularly, and your whole life changes. Thats why its a change of life that gets you to your goals and not a diet.

Set a date that you are going to start.
when you get cravings..say to yourself, I made the decision to do this. Its my goal!!
You are the only person that is going to make this happen for you. JUST DO IT!!!! you can do this!!!

I started Jan 18th 2010 and have lost 80lbs so far.

Last edited by Terre; 08-09-2010 at 07:16 AM.
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Old 08-09-2010, 07:27 AM   #8  
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I went from being terrified of the gym to being a gym rat. I find the gym to be a much friendlier place than I imagined it to be. I always had a picture of my high school gym in mind which was not a pleasant to be, or even the gym I went to maybe twice in college. The young adults who frequent those places are in a different place mentally than the true adult gyms. Everyone is very nice and everyone is fighting their own aging process, whatever that may be. Everyone is highly focused on themselves at the gym and will only give you a friendly "hello" and not a thought more.

As to how fast, it varies and it's not important. Everyone loses at a different pace as you already mentioned. I spent ten years assuming I'd just work a little harder than everyone else and get the weight off a little faster. It didn't work that way. I'd find the scale moving too slow for me, determine I must be broken, and then I'd give up. A 30 pound loss wasn't enough to me, so I'd give up. This time around, I decided I was going to give this a go for one year no matter what just to see where I'd be if I didn't give up. I read on this board the quote "One year from now you'll be happy you started today" and I wanted that to be my story. Nine months in (today actually), I've lost 65 pounds.

But just for kicks:
My first few months I lost anywhere from 8-11 pounds per month.

Right around the 200 mark, I dropped immediately to 4 pounds a month. That's where I would have given up in previous attempts. I powered through and came to realize that as you become smaller, so does your average poundage lost. I wasn't expecting it so soon, but there it is.

The best part about this process is that you will feel the fruits of your labor far before you reach goal. I wasn't prepared for how I'd feel just 20 pounds in. And now at 65 pounds, I'm truly very nearly as happy as I thought I'd be at goal. I'm very pleased with my current success.
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Old 08-09-2010, 08:03 AM   #9  
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Untuck that tail! Just coming back and really giving weight loss a go is a good reason you should be wagging your tail!

I'm over 50 and still scared of the gym - so be proud you are tackling it now. I've got a 3 day guest pass at the Y and I promise myself I am really going to try it this week. But even with my slow metabolism (over 50 is slooooooow compared to a teen!) and no gym I've lost about 10 pounds a month with calorie counting.

If this old lady can do it so can you! Welcome back!
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Old 08-09-2010, 09:39 AM   #10  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheActress View Post
So, I found this place a while ago and it gave me a lot of motivation to start. But then I had a lot of personal issues come up (pretty much became really mentally unstable... I'm in my late teens and thats when a lot of issues crop up) but am now on the right track and getting my life together.

I'm really really ready to start back. I've got a pretty big fear of the gym, but I'm going monday, and my goal is to just walk into the gym and see how that goes. Its not about working out, I love working out. But feeling really judged and things like that. So I'm gonna walk in, see how I feel, and take it from there. Maybe it will take me a few days of walking in, and walking back out. But I'm gonna take baby steps. I WILL do it this time. And its different now. I've come to the realization that I CAN do anything I put my mind to, but its not about "motivation" its about determination and sometime sheer willpower.

Also, I guess.... I was just wondering from you ladies. I know its all a guessing game and how well you stay on plan and stuff. But generally, if you stick to your weight loss plan (I'm going to be calorie counting [zig zagging] and I'm going to being working out just cardio and adding in weight training a bit later) how long does it take to lose the weight? I know its a long process and it varies person to person... but it helps me if I have a general idea you know?
Welcome back! Just the fact that you're here is a triumph. Believe me, I know... I've been on and off this board since it started (I became a member in 1998!), coming back each time I needed support and encouragement, and trying to give the same as I could.

I've discovered that for me, I can't focus on the pounds lost. Yeah, I'm losing about 6-8 pounds a month, which is 1-2 pounds/week. But I'm really trying to focus more on my plan, and eating and living on-plan day by day by day. The number on the scale is the result, not the goal. The goal is to work the plan, and make it thoroughly part of my lifestyle.

That's the difference for me this time, or one of them. Like Eliana, I used to lose about 30 pounds and then weight loss would slow and I'd get frustrated, throw up my hands and say "I can't lose all this weight!". But I see women on here who have lost over 100 pounds, and more, and have kept it off! I KNOW it can be done. I've talked to those who have done it, and I read/listen to them every day. They give generously of their time and experience. And even if I don't always agree with them, or I'm on a different plan, just the fact that they have done it means I can, too. And SO CAN YOU!!

My advice is to work out a plan that works for you. Ease into working out if that's one of your big issues. They say that 80% of weight-loss is in the food plan, and only 20% is exercise. Make your food plan workable, and solid, and do the exercises that you are comfortable with. Then you can focus on expanding that later when you want to. You have time. It's not a race!

Remember, even one pound a week, from a solid plan that you can keep at for a lifetime, adds up to more than 50 pounds gone by this time next year! Focus on crafting a plan you can live with, and then focus on working that plan day by day.

The weight WILL come off.
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Old 08-09-2010, 12:34 PM   #11  
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Thank you so much ladies. Reading all your words of encouragement has been really really helpful. The whole weight loss thing is weirdly emotional for me and I just feel like I've been trying and failing forever (my mom had me on "Trim Kids" at age 9 if that gives you an idea o.O).

I'm to the point now where I realized it has to be MY choice to make a lifestyle change for myself. And I'm pretty sure thats what I want.... well... you know I also want pizza and ice cream. But I THINK I want to be healthy more (Its kind of hard to know, seeing as I've always been obese and never been healthy). All of your stories and really your amazing show of dedication to yourselves and changing your lives are really uplifting and help me see that if I really give myself a kick in the *** I can do it.

If any of you have ANY, and I mean ANY ANY ANY suggestions for me I'll gladly take them all. I'm open to anything I can learn and that might help me through this process.

Last edited by TheActress; 08-09-2010 at 12:34 PM.
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Old 08-09-2010, 12:47 PM   #12  
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It's so good that you're back!

I can definitely sympathize with fear of the gym - that's how I felt all through high school. I just had this mentality that everyone who used the gym was already in shape, so I didn't belong there. But it's so not true, and it really is a good place with supportive people.

As far as advice goes, I've found that I lose more when I really focus on my diet. I like exercising, so I always used to think that I could lose weight by focusing on that and half-heartedly dieting, but I would always lose steam when the numbers didn't move. I think the saying that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise is actually pretty accurate.

Good luck!
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Old 08-09-2010, 01:02 PM   #13  
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I have to agree with the previous posters - it's about the plan. For many of us, our real problem is not pounds; our real problem is our eating and exercise habits.

The pounds lost indicate a solid correction in the eating and exercise arena. I'm pretty happy with my current eating and exercise habits, but it has taken many months. I certainly don't take them for granted and work on them every day.

Like many others here, I also set small pound-goals so I can achieve them often, and try not to spend a lot of time thinking about the total number I have to go. Many folks use 5-lb incremements.

Take care - be dedicated, eat healthy, and think of the overall improvement you will bring to your long life by developing a program that works for you.
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Old 08-09-2010, 01:09 PM   #14  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheActress View Post
Thank you so much ladies. Reading all your words of encouragement has been really really helpful. The whole weight loss thing is weirdly emotional for me and I just feel like I've been trying and failing forever (my mom had me on "Trim Kids" at age 9 if that gives you an idea o.O).

I'm to the point now where I realized it has to be MY choice to make a lifestyle change for myself. And I'm pretty sure thats what I want.... well... you know I also want pizza and ice cream. But I THINK I want to be healthy more (Its kind of hard to know, seeing as I've always been obese and never been healthy). All of your stories and really your amazing show of dedication to yourselves and changing your lives are really uplifting and help me see that if I really give myself a kick in the *** I can do it.

If any of you have ANY, and I mean ANY ANY ANY suggestions for me I'll gladly take them all. I'm open to anything I can learn and that might help me through this process.
Just take this one day at a time, it's easier that way.

Set mini goals that way you can start to really feel like you are accomplishing this bit by bit. If you just lose weight with the "160" in mind, you won't ever feel the reward and pride that comes along with reaching milestones. I would try and hit 259, 239, 219, 209, 199, 175 (100 pounds lost for you!), 169, and then goal of 160. Those #'s represent entering new decades, new lows per say. They have oddly spaced gaps in between them but I did that for my own mini goals to keep me motivated. I knew when I hit a certain low, I'd want to celebrate. If there was a 20-25 lb gap to hit my next target, I wouldn't be as motivated as I was when there was only 10 lbs to go. Those small gaps and mini goals add up quick
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Old 08-09-2010, 01:34 PM   #15  
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Originally Posted by akelly728 View Post
Just take this one day at a time, it's easier that way.

Set mini goals that way you can start to really feel like you are accomplishing this bit by bit. If you just lose weight with the "160" in mind, you won't ever feel the reward and pride that comes along with reaching milestones. I would try and hit 259, 239, 219, 209, 199, 175 (100 pounds lost for you!), 169, and then goal of 160. Those #'s represent entering new decades, new lows per say. They have oddly spaced gaps in between them but I did that for my own mini goals to keep me motivated. I knew when I hit a certain low, I'd want to celebrate. If there was a 20-25 lb gap to hit my next target, I wouldn't be as motivated as I was when there was only 10 lbs to go. Those small gaps and mini goals add up quick
Oh, I second this a million times. It's what I did too and has helped me to see myself for who I am now instead of just at goal. I get a big kick out of meeting these goals and even have my ticker set to them.
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