[Cowgirl]

I have not been here is quiet a long time. Poped in once to show a friend the site but I have not been here regularly in probably 2 years.

So most of you don't know me or maybe don't remember me. So I'll give you a brief intro.

I found 3FC from an article in my local newspaper on websites for weight loss. Loved it on first sight. At the time I weighed about 320 pounds, weight I mostlyu gained after the loss of my DH. I simply stoped living for about a year. So I started out on the Slimfast diet, heard lots of negative stuff about it but it worked. I lost about 40 pounds the forst 6 months between the diet and increasing excercise. Lost another 20 over the next year.

I continued to loose slowly and sometimes I regain and sometimes I loose. Was 250 at my lowest and regained 10 so now sitting at 260. I am proud of having lost so much weight on my own. Have not been on slimfast now for about 2 years and have still lost a bit more and gotten in better shape. I ride horses now 3-4 days a week for 2-4 hours. My work in the resturaount is fairly physical and active. I think at this time I am really just stuck. Not really gaining or loosing. Have been up and down the last 10 pounds for several months. But was actualy 275 this time last year so am still down 15 from a year ago. it is so slow because I am not doing a real diet just trying to watch what I eat adn how much and excercise. but right now I have lost my will to keep going. I'm tired of fighting with it. I don't want to gain more and I won't let myself but to push furthur to loose more is just so hard right now.
I thought I was doing great until I saw some recent pictures of myself. I have so far left to go. I don't fee like that fat girl in the pics I feel really great and strong and able to do so much mreo than I could before. Those pics made me realise I still have so much work to do and I need to get myself going once mroe. So I am trying to determine what type of diet to use temporarily to get things rolling again. I dont like the idea of atkins and don't want anything to complicated. Anyone here who can give suggestions or just some prodding and encouragement would be oh so welcome. I want to be thin like I used to be.

[Mel]

Hi Cowgirl Greetings from the other end of the turnpike!

First, congratulations on taking off that much weight and maintaining your loss for so long. That's an accomplishment to be proud of, and shows that you have learned some new eating and exercising habits over the years

If Atkins doesn't appeal to you, there's no reason to do it. Personally, I don't think it's a healthy longterm way of eating. There are so many ways that people have sucessfully lost weight. How do you eat now? What could you change for life without feeling deprived?

I'd suggest getting the book Thin for Life by Ann Fletcher or reading the synopses of it in our Maintenance Forum. It's an excellent tool for those starting on a weightloss journey as well as a roadmap for maintenance.

I personally lost most of my weight doing SugarBusters, then switched to SugarBusters style eating, but 5 meals a day (heavy on the protein) and a lot of weight training. It's very similar to South Beach Phase II. I still eat that way. Maintaining my weight loss looks a lot like the losing phase, with a little more leeway, but not much. I still eat 5 meals a day of unprocessed food, lots of fruit, vegies, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates. Every once in a while I have a treat. Works for me

Best wishes,
Mel

[DesertDustBunnies]

Hi cowgirl...
Congrat on the pounds you have lost so far. What ever diet approach you decide to do, I want to wish you the best.
I started a thread on here for people who want to start posting weekly goals...your welcome to post your own goals to help you stay on track.
Good luck to you...

[Cowgirl]

Thanks so much for the warm welcome. I think I have settled on calorie counting for the moment. Keeping it at or under 2000 to start off. The calculator says I need about 2900 to maintain which sounds about right. Not sure I want a weekly goal perhaps a monthly. I am always happpy to see even a little come off.
For the past few years my goal has been to get 10-15 pounds off per year. Not a lot I know but it was a loss that I could deal with and a goal I knew I could reach.
Focus was on changing eating habits and so far so good. I eat a lot less junk and a lot more veggies. I quit drinking pop/soda and sweetened beverages with a very rare exception. So really my current problem seems to be eating way to many calories. I like the flavor so much I eat more sometimes even if I am not still hungery. I tend to eat to feel good which is really bad I know but it has always been my drug of choice. I am getting away from that more and more but sometimes it returns with a vengance, especially during my TOM.
So yesterday I began. Exceeded my limit by 200 cal because that PBJ was so tasty I had to have another. Well it is my TOM and today I have done much better so far and I have over 1000 left for the day.
I am keeping a food diary and even dove in the trash to find the cinnamon roll container to find how many calories to count because I had two for lunch. Now I just need to plan a reasonable dinner.