Hello: I just found this site and think it would be helpful. I live in Maine with my husband and a very spoiled cat. I raised three daughter and have two grandchildren.
For the past decade I've been overweight. I was able to lose some of my weight, but I'd lose for an event, like a wedding or a trip, and would always regain.
Last January of 2009, I became fed up with being overweight so decided to learn what works and what doesn't work in weight loss. I also learned that I needed to make a life change.
I learned that when we say a diet doesn't work it's because we're eating too much of the wrong kinds of foods. If we go back to our old habits, the weight will pile right back on. It's not the diet that didn't work, it's the maintenance phase.
This paragraph really brought the importance of maintence home to me:
"Let’s say you have high blood pressure, for example, and your doctor prescribes medication for it. Your blood pressure drops and stays down. If you stop the medicine and your blood pressure goes back up, you wouldn’t blame the medicine. You wouldn’t say, That medicine didn’t work. Sure, it got my blood pressure down, but as soon as I went off of it, my blood pressure came right back up. Ridiculous as that sounds, that’s exactly what many people do with diet."
Statistics for maintenance of weight loss after 3 years is extremely low. I've read where only 5% of us will be successful. OUCH! I want to be among that 5%.
I reached my goal and now am maintaining.
I continue to weigh myself every week. If I'm up a pound, I immediately adjust my food consumption. I eat small meals several times a day so I won't be hungry. If I allow myself be be very hungry, I'll want to overeat. I drink lots of liquids, including plain old water.
Since the statistics are 95% AGAINST my success, I searched for an on-line community in which to give and receive support.
Hi, Theresa, welcome! I am so glad you are here! You are so smart for coming here for support, and also for understanding that maintaining weight is a life-long process!
I am here to try to learn not so much how to lose weight, but how to maintain it once I lose it, mostly. I'm like you, I had yo-yoed within about a ten pound range for many years, and now I'm heavy and looking to lose more than just ten pounds. And I am finally realizing that after I lose the weight I need to lose, I will have to change my eating habits for life in order to be healthy.
Welcome! I look forward to reading more of your posts. I have a very spoiled Himalayan cat at home, too, who thinks of me as her mommy, LOL.
Congratulations on reaching goal. Great idea to get support for maintenance. People often go to message boards to resolve a certain issue and once it's resolved, they often disappear. And also....who better to help others and give advice, tips, etc. than those who have managed to succeed already?
And nothing sells like success.
I also spoil my cat rotten....I rescued her when a neighbor tossed her out, declawed, when she didn't get along with their dogs. Poor little thing was trying to follow everyone into the lobby. I just love spoiling her...and definitely consider myself to be her mommy.
My siblings and my oldest son have already rescued a total of 8 cats...which I'm thrilled about.
Hi, Theresa! I am also new to this forum. I am very proud of you for losing, and maintaining! I agree with you--diets do NOT work. The only sure method to maintain a healthy weight is to maintain a healthier lifestyle. I've got the healthier food thing down--now I just need to stick with my new exercise program (which I love, so I probably will!!).
Hi Lori: Good for you. You know what you need to do and it sounds like you have the determination to do it. My spoiled rotten feline is a blue point Birman who is so cute it's hard to take. LOL
Thank you for making me feel so welcome here.
Theresa
Hi Deena:
I'm learning to navigate this site. It's going to take me a bit. Oh, what sweethearts you and your family members are to have rescued these precious creatures. I find it terribly sad that there are some people who do not value cats. To have tossed out a declawed little one didn't give her much of a chance to survive. How fortunate she is that you came along in time.
You are doing a fantastic job with your weight loss. Congratulations to you.
Theresa
Hi Wiiki: What a great community this is to be so welcomed by you and others. Thank you very much. I see that you are new here also. There's so much I need to learn. It's wonderful to meet you.
It finally stopped snowing here today in Maine. Can I give you a little of our snow in GA? LOL
J: Thank you very much. Congratulations on your 35 pound weight loss. That's fantastic. What darling people here! I'm so happy to have found you all.
Theresa
Hi Theresa!
Sorry if there's any typos, my spoiled kitty is pawing the keyboard for me to stop posting and play with her! Congrats on your success and embracing your life change with such insight and gusto - maintaining is harder than losing - the support you need is here.
Glad to have you join us! There are lots & lots of different groups and forums - I'm sure you'll find some that will keep you motivated and inspired. You'll be a wonderful addition to any of them, sharing your story and giving support to others along the way. There's a great Maintainers section - but browse around and post everywhere, others would greatly benefit from your input.
I've only been here since last fall, having NEVER been part of an online forum. What has been so eye-opening is how much it has helped me. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or defeated, I just log on and read some of the success stories, complete with their before & after photos - or read about others still dealing day to day with their challenges - and before I know it, the time has flown by and so have all the thoughts of going off track or giving up. It has made all the difference in my success so far.
So welcome - you've found the right place - join in by inspiring us and being inspired!
All the best - so glad you'll be a part of this forum,
Lee
Such a warm welcome you gave to me, that makes me feel at home here. I did what you suggested and have been looking around the site. There are so many great threads, and areas to go. I even found one which deals with my passion of quilting, of all things.
It's great to be here with you and all the other members.
First post HELLO EVERYONE!
