Oh my goodness. I don't know where to start. I am so discouraged and disappointed. But, I figure what have I got to lose by posting here again. I posted awhile ago and have been struggling---daily---ever since. You might remember me---the last thing I posted was a trainer had freaked me out by saying what she did---very strict---and that she should weigh and measure me---TOTALLY FREAKS ME OUT!! I did try just counting calories and writing everything down for awhile and my daughter said I started to look thinner. But I still felt I didn't know what I was doing.

I have several health issues---prediabetic, high cholesterol and triglycerides and I just recently had to start med for high blood pressure. I want to be healthy. I am so lost. I have always been very athletic and fit. Until I had to take a medication that packed on the weight (and I am still taking a little of it). I just feel very discouraged. I try every day, but I do not know what to try anymore. I can't seem to figure out a path and follow it. I have tried lots of stuff---WW, counting calories, was going to try L.A. Weight Loss, but that totally freaked me out. I HATE seeing my weight---it is just traumatic to me, so I asked my husband to weigh me, but not tell me, just to have some measure of where I am. Now I am totally freaked out that I have gained even more, but I don't want to know. Last time I weighed, I was 239.5---a few months ago. And that really upset me then. I am 5'9 1/2 inches tall, and need to get down to maybe 160---even that seems high.

Thank you so much, if you have read this. I NEED to get started and keep going with something consistent and start seeing results. I just feel so bad about me right now. I know I need to take better care of myself, but the stresses of life make it so hard. Thanks for listening. It helped to just write it down. Anyone been here and been able to be successful??

Aren't you glad you had this place to come back to? Stick with it Kathy and stick with 3FC. We'll help you along.

Yes to what SusanB said!

I know you're freaked out--I can tell. Lots of us Chicks (and Roosters ) can't stand that scale, and everything about our bodies is disturbing. The thought of measurements... oh no! ...

But you know what, it's better to face the music (as we used to say) and just take it on. Weights, measurements, they are only NUMBERS and they can change. They are also not the sum total of what we are as people! You are more than your statistics, girl!

That said, I hope you can let go of your fear about this, because your fear isn't protecting you from anything, it's probably just holding you back from doing what you need to do.

You said you were counting calories for awhile AND seeing some results... well, go back to doing that! Don't give up on it! Start again. And, take up some sort of easy exercise, like walking. Exercise is really the best thing for all those conditions you mentioned.

Keep going! Don't give up!

Jay

Good for you for coming back and for getting conscious about your health and weight. IMHO, you can only change reality by facing it, so you need to see what you're working with in terms of weight. Facing your weight will help motivate you to get on with your weightloss and will prevent you from hiding your head in the sand while your weight causes ever increasing health problems (though the threat of diabetes and all those needles and stuff would probably be enough to get me serious ).

I had a friend who was afraid of being weighed and measured. What she ended up doing was standing backwards on the scale while the trainer weighed her didnt ask what her measurments were. The only time they would tell her anything is if she lost any weight or inches. Its worked so far, she has lost 16 pounds but doesn't know her weight (she basically is using the pant-o-meter for her goal)

Stay with 3fc there are so many resources here. some of us have been there done that, others are nurses, others are trainers. Every single person here can help someone in one way or another. Join a group, or a challenge to help keep you going. If you don't want to join one in progress, then create your own. Losing weight is so much easier with a great support system like 3fc!!

And if you really really hate the scale...focus on the behavior. Dont weigh at all.

Count the calories, get the workouts in. Focus on goals like "meeting your calorie target for a full week".

Measure your fitness level - like how far you can walk in 15 minutes and focus on improving that. When I was recovering from the birth of my baby, every day I would walk for 15 minutes down the street and at 15 minutes turn around and try to get home in 14 minutes. Every day I would try to go farther in that 15 minutes. 1 driveway, 1 house, whatever. If you use machines it is even easier.

Set challenges for doing one more rep or moving to a higher weight.

Focus on behavior and the weight loss will follow. Look at how to make the changes permanently part of your life, not a diet.

I hate quoting Oprah's whipping boy, but Bob Greene said once if he had his way noone would weigh in for the first THREE months of a lifestyle change. Just focus on changing the life, dont worry about the weight. Weight is too fickle of a measure.

I think, like Mami said, it's important for you to face the truth. You need to know where you stand. It'll help you determine how many calories you should eat and how many calories you're burning during exercise, etc.

I've always had a little phrase I've told myself, "You never TRULY want something bad enough, until you sit down and are commited to doing something about it." I think it's true. It's so easy to make excuses as to why things aren't working for you and everything... but plain and simply, unless you have a medical issue, if you consume less calories than you burn... you WILL lose weight. It's a rather simple concept, if you think about it.

You can do this, and we're all here to support you. Good luck.

Kathy

Hey. I agree with ennay that the scale is not an absolute necessity. It's just a tool that is commonly used and if you are more comfortable using other ways to gauge how you're doing, then go for it. Taking measurements, feeling how well you fit into clothes, gauging fitness level.. all of these are totally reasonable ways to proceed. I do agree with the others that the scale helps to see "where you stand" but only because it gives a relatively concrete answer that can be graphed and tracked easily. It really means nothing.. it's just a representation.

Does any one in here use the food scale? I have found that I do just as well with out the scale.

Hey Linda,

I use a postage scale when I really need to measure, but after awhile it gets easier to come pretty close, e.g., 4 ounces of lean ground beef. Also, some foods are hard to guess at as far as weight, so I often check. It's easy to mistake 2 ounces as being 1 ounce of some foods.

Jay

Kathy please don't let your fears stop you from having a chance at the best life possible foro YOU. Don't let the numbers scare you. They're just numbers. When I first started out I was a whopping 287 lbs at a mere 5 feet. Til I decided to change my life I avoided the scale for 15 years. that's 15 years. Now I love the scale. I let that 287 motivate me instead of paralyze me. I was done avoiding my weight issues and started taking action instead.

Like everyone's said if the scale freaks you out, take it out of the equation. You will know when you are sticking to plan and things are going right. You will feel better, your clothing will start to get looser and then you might decide you want to take a look at the scale... or not. It's your decision.

I know you say it't hard to stay on track with daily well .... life and it IS. But for me it was much harder to stay at 287 lbs or whatever anyone's weight is. I was miserable beyond belief. It was definitely harder being 287 lbs then it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Anything that I thought I was sacrificing by giving up the high quantity of low quality food is nothing, nothing compared to what I have already gained. You will be GAINING a more productive life, with much more activity and joy and lots and lots of less worries. The good thing is you don't have to wait to goal to start reaping the benefits, the benefits start waaaay before. I have seen vast improvement in every single aspect of my life. And you can too.

Good luck and remember we are here for you 24/7.

Thank you, each and every one of you! I have been thinking and reading and I have started calorie counting and making healthier choices and doing the best I can. I need to be healthy and happy. I started the day I posted this. I have a feeling this is IT!!! I have to figure out where to fit in here on the website. But I so appreciate the encouragement. Thank you!