[461sarah]

Hi my name is Sarah and I need a buddy so we can support each other!

Im a 20 year old student and over the last year I have really piled it on over the last year although I have struggled with my weight since I was about 15.

Now that Im just coming up to the end of my degree and Im on the brink of life in the real world I realise that its time to sort myself out.

Im not embarrassed to say that I know losing weight is hard and I need some help and support. I would also love to help and support others.

[Kery]

Hi Sarah, welcome to the forums! This is a very good place to get support and help others as well, so I'm pretty sure things will go well for you with this

(And good thought on the sorting yourself out now, and not "keeping it for later" or whatever - I let myself slip something major once I entered the world of "real work", and my, do I regret this now!)

[461sarah]

Thanks Kery, so you seem to be doing well so far, well done! What have you been doing to shift the weight? Any tips?

[CurvyChick]

Hello Sarah I'm new to the site too welcome good luck in your new way of living if you every want to chat PM me good luck.....

[Kery]

Hi again Sarah

Well, what I've been doing so far is first coming to terms with the idea that I'd need to watch my eating and exercise regularly for the rest of my life - I've been overweight since I'm, uhm, 8, and I know that a one-time diet won't cut it if I start eating like before again. I hadn't done this "work" with myself the first time I had lost 15-16 pounds, and I think it's part of why I let myself slip, in a "the weight will never come back" attitude. Yeah, right, genius *lol*

For the rest: I've been cutting processed foods from my eating, and favorizing low-GI foods (the method I follow is close to Sugar Busters, but I'm yet to read the SB book, so that I'm sure I'm not saying something wrong here). Basically, I removed McDo food, bagels, fries, chips etc, and learnt to eat more salads and veggies, which I wasn't doing before >.< As for exercising, I try to do that at the gym 4/5 days a week, with cardio and weight-lifting (the rest of the time, I have my dog to walk, so I move a bit every day all the same); I thought at first that it'd be a bother, but in fact I quite like it.

Of course, I admit that at times, I don't feel like exercising or give in to some cravings and such, especially when I'm out (my own house is safe enough, I threw away all junky snacks and kept only fruits)... environments I can't control are still a problem for me. Fortunately things are getting a bit better, my new eating method allows at times for certain type of desserts and now I have the recipes for them, so I know, even if I don't bake said desserts, that I'm not giving them up forever, and it minimizes the frustration. I also keep healthy snacks (apples, a handful of nuts...) with me, so that I don't jump on bad foods if really I'm hungry, or I go do an activity that isn't compatible with eating, to stop being focused on the cravings. Most of the time it works, now I need to make that 100% I guess

I'd say these are the "main thngs" I've done so far, I may have to find other tips and means if I bump into more difficulties later on. But, each thing in its own moment, I guess. Hope this can help as well