Im new to the site.
 

Hi Tess..

Your story is just like those of many of us here.. I'm an emotional, binge eater too.. But it came to a head when I hit 300 a year and a half ago.. I finally found myself in a mentally able place to start losing weight..

You are so young that once you've made both the subconcious and concious decision to do it, you'll get off the rollercoaster and will just get to it...

You've made a good choice by hanging out here... There is a lot of support and advice to be gleaned..

I've learned that once you make the choice, there's no going back.. You will realize there are better ways to deal with pain and hurt.. Eating through those emotions only makes things worse..

This is not a diet.. This is a lifestyle choice.. Once you make that choice, the only way to succeed is to remove yourself from areas of temptation.. Get your family and friends involved so that when you are with them, they support you rather than put you in a position to cheat.

GET THE CRAPPY FOOD OUT OF THE HOUSE!!!

The first time you choose NOT to give in to a craving or a binge moment, you will get this little burst of happiness.. That's a victory to hold on to.. It's really a shot of endorphines that gives you that extra incentive to keep doing it..

Then you will realize other victories.. When you go shopping and your cart is full of fruits, veg and lean proteins, you will feel SO GOOD about yourself when you see other people with carts full of crap.. Sure, you may miss that food (we all do), but then remember the evil that food does, when eaten in excess.. Is it really worth a few moments of pleasure in the mouth? Pretty soon, you'll say NO!!!!

Join us in the "Losers and Friends" forum topic for general discussion and questions.. Post early and post often!!

Hello from newb
 

Hi everone,

I'm a new member of LAWL, I just started earlier this week. I'm pretty excited about it and really hope this is the last answer to weight loss I'll need, I've tried so many other ways but never had the motivation to stick to it before.

I'm a mother of two young boys age 5 and 2 and also work full time. So finding time for me is not easy as I work oppostie shifts to my husband. When I got married 6 years ago I weighed around 140, now I'm 187. I'd like to the extra 50lbs I've put on over the years.

I did lose weight a few years ago. I was around 150 and somehow, without trying went down to 126. How the heck I did that is beyond me and I've always figured I could do that again, but I never have lucked into that twice. ;)

So I just wanted to say hello, I'm glad I found this forum here and I wish everyone a really great time in their weight loss journey.

Heidi

Hey! I'm Tiffany! Let me tell you a little bit about why I decided this weight loss journey....

It all started over a bottle of tequila in Mexico for New Years 08. My dad got me a little tipsy (I believe he was too) and we decided to make a new year's resolution. Our new year's resolution was going to be eating healthy and working out. I wanted to lose weight. He just wanted to build muscle. So.. here I am.

I started my journey January 3, 2008 by signing up with YMCA. Working out around 3-4 days a week. My starting weight was 185. I also started eating healthier. Then I worked my way down to 170.. simply by working out and watching what I eat. Over spring break, I gained a couple pounds so I am currently at 172.5

Two days ago I went to LA Weight Loss just to see what they had to offer, and see what the program was all about. Sold. I signed up and started the program.

My goal is to get in the 130 range. If I get to 130 and want to keep going...then great but otherwise I would be completely satisfied with 130. It's set up that I should be at my ideal weight by Aug 6th of this year. I know I can do it. I have a lot of motivation, support and just plain will power!!!! I'm not posting pictures throughout my progress. I want it to be a big surprise!! :)

Some of the things I love to do is play with my cats, go out to movies, dining out, going clubbing, hanging out with friends, going to Mexico, going to the mountains, family time, and drinking margaritas on the beach! :) I live alone, well of course I do have some cats but other then that I'm single and just working to get by! :) Hmm, I think that's about it!! See you around! =]]

:belly:Hi everyone! This is the year that I am finally going to lose the weight! I've told myself this many many many times before, but it's never happened.

All my life I've been concerned about weight, I can remember as far back as seventh grade thinking that I was fat. I attribute this to negative feedback from my dad, he meant well... he just wanted me to avoid the problems that my mom had faced with being overweight. Looking back, I wasn't really overweight until my mid 20's when I started gaining into the 130 range. In 1993 I weighed roughly 110, I am 5'0 so this was an ideal weight for me.
I was drawn to LAWL because of a friend that is almost at her goal and has lost 100 pounds on LAWL, she is inspiring! When I started LAWL the 1st week of February '08 I was 185, I set my goal at 135, but have since decided that I think I can make 125. If all goes as planned, I should meet my goal in August/September timeframe.

In the short time I have been a member, the LAWL plan has really changed my life! Already in week 9 I am down 20 lbs and have not felt a need to stray from the plan. Generally speaking, I do really well with rules and checklists, so the fact that all the rules are layed out for me has been a big plus! I am excited to continue onto my goal!

Personally, I am married (11 years) and have 3 children. I work full-time and recently got my bachelors degree.

Welcome Heidi, Tiffany and Jewlz and to all the others I may have missed. This is a great forum and everyone on here is more than willing to help. Just ask a question and someone will be able to point you in the right direction. Come over to the Friends and Losers weekly thread and join us in a chat there.

Welcome again!! Looking forward to getting to know you all better.

Hello, all,
So happy I came upon this site. I've always been the big girl. Heck, I was almost 11 lbs when I was born. I'm tall (5' 10") and I carried the weight well. I quit smoking early in 2007 and just got on this total health kick. I'm a single mom with two kids and a full-time job. It was always easier to swing through a drive-thru on the way home from work than to go home and cook after working all day. That was my downfall.

I started LAWL in March of '07 at 263 pounds. My original goal was 171, just a number I got off some website that said it was ideal for my height and age. Well losing was too much fun so I decided to keep going to be able to say I lost an even 100 lbs. I hit my goal in Feb of '07. Then I got this attitude that, hey, I can eat whatever I want since I lost 100lbs! Wrong!! Luckily, LAWL educated me enough to know what I need to eat. So now I'm back on track. I'm not going to the center anymore because of pressure to buy so much, but I'm using Luna bars instead of Lites and being just as successful. I've started doing some Tae bo at night for excercise and have more energy than I've ever had before. My kids like to excercise with me so it's kind of a family thing now. My son has even lost 15 lbs! I'm so glad I decided to make this change in my life and also glad I found this site to offer me some support.
Thanks, Julie

Hi Everyone! Been lurking forever, just joined the board today.
 

I joined LAWL at the end of Jan. 08. What can I say besides I've struggled w/ weight all my life. Different diets, but never keeping the weight off for too long. I had lost 30 lbs. on WW when I was 18 & kept it off for 5 yrs., then I met my husband LOL! Never liked the group setting of WW so the one on one counseling @ LAWL works better for me. The smallest I've ever been was a size 14 (but not a 14 plus). I was thrilled w/ that & would be happy to be that size again!

My husband & I moved across the country from PA to AZ about a yr. ago & it wasn't an easy adjustment (leaving all my family & friends). Was in a huge depression but now thanks to medication & therapy I am in a much happier place & was finally able to make the decision to do something about my weight again!

This board has given me alot of helpful info. So I thought it was time to stop lurking & finally join, so here I am!

HIYA! New to LAWL
 

I guess I should post a bio... you people are truly an encouragement to me. I am a mom of 4 girls that I love to pieces. I am married 11 years this summer. I stay at home but teach music on the side. I never struggled with weight before and this is all new to me in the last year. To make a long story short.. it has been a REALLY stressful season but I am on the other side. Now that the dust has settled, I have an extra bunch of poundage I am lugging around. I have had 4 kids and the lbs have always come off easily. This time I tried to up the exercise (usually works and I got down to 175 on my own but was stuck) but made the mistake of cutting my calories to under 1000 a day. I think I screwed up my already messed up metabolism. A friend of mine went through LAWL from our old town and I thought I would give it a try as I was tired of trying everything else. I LOVE the program and as much as it hurts our budget, it is worth it and DH supports me. I am making many sacrifices but am SO happy! I am doing this one for me... maybe that is why it is so easy to stick to plan. I am seeing lbs go.. (7 in a week:eek:) and it makes me want it even more. I deserve my old body back and the energy I used to have, no matter what anyone has done to me or what life has brought me. I also want to look good for my man and model good eating and exercise habits for my 4 little girls who used to ask me why I was not eating lunch... (the same reason I don't have a scale is those girls.. i try to measure with my clothes) This is a new start for me and I can't wait to bring the new me for a statement of how I can not only live through ****, I can defeat it! I have not told anyone that I am trying to lose weight, I just want my actions to speak louder than words. :sssh:

I am shocked at the amount of food we are allowed to eat (remember I was eating little and then sometimes binging.. I just never knew what my body really needed). I am doing the lites as I have a huge sweet tooth and I find it curbs my cravings.... Thanks for your honesty and good luck with the road to a healthier, more confident YOU!:bravo:

Newbie
 

Hi!
Glad I found this forum. I am from New Jersey, Married with 2 kids. I work a full time job as a police dispatcher. I joined LAW in 2004, loved the program, hated the center! I lost about 35 lbs then, and managed to find it all within a year of leaving the COD!
I kept all my diet info from the center and have recently gone back to it, minus the bars of course. I work shift work and have managed to follow it as best as I can, hopefully this time I can take it off and keep it off!

:D

Hello, I am a stay at home mom to 2 little girls. I have done LAWL off and on for about 3 years. I love the plan and I especially love the take off and the 2 day take offs. I have learned to weigh myself once a week because if I see weight gains I usually end up quitting. I like the plan but need to learn a little variety in my meals which is another reason why I tend to fail. I hope by joining this site I will learn new recipes that my family and I will enjoy and to get support that will motivate me to keep going.

New to LAWL
 

Hi,

I just want to say first, that this is a great board. I have learned so much in the past few days of joining. Weight loss and a (somewhat) firm body is something that i have dreamt about for many years. This year, i decided that i am going to make it my goal. At 44, i am begining to feel the reality of being overweight with little exercise and believe me, it does not feel good. I have seen others just a few years ahead of me become old because of their poor diet, lack of exercise amongst other things.

I have joined LA weight loss and will be aiming to lose 30 lbs to about 128. But, in honesty, if i hit 140, i will be happy. I would rather be a taut 140 than a flabby 127!!!

Laineey

Hi everyone. Nice to join you.

I am Tanner. I am 35 yo and live in Alberta, Canada with my dh, 2 dd and 2 ds. my kids are ages 3, 5, 9, and 17. I am a SAHM.

I have been working out on a regular basis for 2 years and not an inch or a lb has been lost. I work out hard and sweat mucho . I ate pretty well but nobody is perfect. I had my thyroid checked and that is not the issue.

I am 5'4. I was 110lbs before my first pregnancy (but way too thin). After I was 120lbs (funny thing was that when I delivered I was 9 lbs thinner than I am right now).After my second I was 125 lbs.After my third/4th I never lost the weight. I have never been below 158 lbs in more than 3 years but probably more likely 6 years.

I joined LAWL 16 days ago. My goal is to lose 30-40 lbs and get in shape , firm up. I don't want jello arms any longer. This IS my year to shine!!

I am on plan 2 with 2 lites/day. I stay POP and hope to see some changes. I have also started water workouts.

My quickie bio
 

Hi everyone! I'm 27 y/o Angela from Louisiana. I'm half Filipino and half Caucasian, and I enjoy exercising (I really do, I know that makes me a nerd, but getting all that oxygen in me feels good). I'm 5'1", and I weigh 154.6 as of today (May 4th). I started LAWL at 170.8 so I'm down 15 pounds or so. I should be at my goal weight, but I kept jumping on and off-plan. I called myself a "cheater" because I would cheat so much on this diet.

I'm a News Anchor, so it's part of my job to look good. Just a week ago, a viewer wrote in to me and told me to never wear plaids on television again. That morning, I had put on a colorful plaid jacket because it was warm weather and I felt like celebrating a little bit in my wardrobe. :D Obviously, that was a bad decision, because the viewer berated me and told me that I'm "too big to wear plaids" and I'm "too pretty to be as big" as I am. She told me to get a handle on it while I am young. :?: Way harsh! But she called it like she saw it, and it was sort of a wakeup call that I can't get away with the excess weight like I thought I could. :^:

The viewer didn't know this yet, but 3 weeks ago, something clicked-- I started listening to hypnotherapy tracks right before I went to sleep, and now my willpower is amazing. Usually, I'd want to eat the delicious food in front of my face. Now, I can look at that same delicious food, and feel so little desire to eat it. It's amazing the difference it's made.

I was getting a bit bored with the diet, eating the same foods over and over, but now I have a magic weapon in my arsenal-- "The Hungry Girl Cookbook." I am a huuuuuge proponent of this book! :carrot: It has done so much to make me feel satisfied and happy with what I eat. :) Everything in there might not be exactly on plan, but it's close enough. I will admit that it's slowed down my weight loss, but it hasn't stalled it. And I believe that eating these delicious, feels-like-I'm-cheating foods have kept my resolve strong and helped me to not cheat. :) :) :)

I plan on reaching my goal by September at the latest. Wish me luck! But I'll NEVER wear plaids on television again, you mark my words!;)