Well I've not submitted any photos yet, cause I've barely lost anything. But I am taking photos every friday- I can see every week a subtle difference. IF I don't see the change I try harder to stay on plan the next week.
Try it yourself. You will see it happen. You can do it.
There is some great advice in this thread. Find a reward that isn't food based and try to get some sort of physical activity in, however small.
I wanted to post because I'm brand new around here and I haven't done any sort of meaningful exercise in years. Yesterday, my first day to count calories, I took a walk. It wasn't an especially long walk, only about 15 minutes, but I kept my pace pretty quick and by the time I was halfway through my legs were starting to burn a bit, and by the time I was done I had broken a pretty good sweat. You know what I did when I got home after that walk? Well, first I asked myself why the heck I hadn't changed into something that would chaff less than blue jeans. After that, I did some housework. I felt so good, my body felt so awake and full of energy and I had this positive attitude, I just had to do other things. Dishes, laundry, yard work. And this was all after I had already spent most of the day at school.
It can be tough, especially starting out, but small changes can make a huge difference and exercise is a godsend.
I am sorry but this comment made me upset. Do you know how hard these members have worked to lose weight and you come here and ask if their photos are photoshopped???? Check your attitude! That's downright rude!!
I figured it was more of a "wow, I can't believe you guys did it" than an actual accusation that every member of 3fatchicks photoshopped weight loss.
Tackle the problem you have - eating too much at night. You have a habit, you have to break that habit, which will be unpleasant. First, plan a healthy dinner. Spend the money, buy the groceries, so you won't want that food/money to go to waste.
You can also make something in advance that only has to be heated. On a Sunday afternoon while you have a little more energy, make a big healthy pot of soup or a low fat veg lasagna. Then, portion it into the right size serving. When you get home and you're tired, heat up the right sized portion and boom - done.
Now the tricky part. Declare the kitchen closed. Brush, floss, rinse your teeth. If your habit is to sit on the couch, don't do that. Organize a closet, take a bath, take your daughter to the park, call your mom.
Your habits are like a groove in a record. You must lift the needle and make a new groove.
Only you can do this. Once I embraced that I was the only one responsible for my weight, it actually freed and empowered me. I could do it. I am doing it. I will keep doing it. Just me, and that's okay.
Yes! It was photoshop! And I am so darned good with photoshop that my coworkers and family can see it without the computer.
You've certainly gotten some reactions from people...and you've gotten good advice...so stick around and let us help/watch you progress with your own program.
I am sorry but this comment made me upset. Do you know how hard these members have worked to lose weight and you come here and ask if their photos are photoshopped???? Check your attitude! That's downright rude!!
I don't think the OP really meant it as a rude accusation, but rather as a way to illustrate her feelings of hopelessness. She feels that signifigant weight loss is impossible. When looking at pictures of all the amazing accomplishments that people have made, it makes it look like it was easy (even though it wasn't!) and she is having a hard time figuring out how they did it.
(somebody, please correct me if I am wrong, but that is how I took it)
I know the title might sound rude to many of you but i am starting to convince myself that this is the truth.
Losing weight is the biggest challenge in my life and i am not sure how you guys do it. I read it many times here: Watch what you eat and exercise.
I can watch what i eat until 6 pm every day, but after being exhausted with my work and the kids i feel that i need to reward myself with food. It's the only thing that could make me feel satisfied, ofcourse for few minutes then i start disguising myself and just lay down on the couch so tired.
I just noticed that everytime my daughter tells me to go to the club or play with her i tell her i can't i am so tired. So selfish, i know but i can't help it. Everytime i go out i just wear almost the same outfit and wear my sunglasses hoping that nobody will recognize me and see how i became.
I am not sure why i am writing all this to people i never met or knew before, but i somehow feel may be you have been there before.
My son will be two in January. He has been a pretty easy little boy. He has a HUGE personality and is a great sleeper. But, darn, it is still hard to be a mom!! I was doing the same thing you were doing - I would get home from work and have to rush around getting Logan fed and changed and ready for bed. Then I had to figure out what to feed to myself and hubby. I would just start snacking and not stop. Or I would make us mac 'n' cheese (two boxes - one for each of us) which has NO nutritional value, but it so yummy and comforting and filling.
FOR ME, getting started was about taking little baby steps. Commit to one small change and when that is easy, make the next small change. My first change was banning mac 'n' cheese.
Don't think about everything at once, focus on one thing at a time. Focus on one small eating change or one small exercise change. And I hate to say it, but exercising REALLY will give you more energy.
Evenings are hard for me, too. And my battle still continues. I find sipping hot tea in the evenings to be very comforting. Planning a specific snack at a specific time. I ask hubby to rub my shoulders a lot (poor hubby!) I am thinking about painting my nails tonight. I do a lot of craft projects. Sometimes I find cleaning out a drawer or container or shelf to be very therapeutic. Tuesday nights, I take a Zumba class with a bunch of friends. That is my evening away and I get to chit chat with some of my girls.
What is one small change that you can commit to right now?
I don't think your comment is rude - I understand where you're coming from
One of the reasons you could be so tired is because of eating too many carbs & sugary stuff. Ditch the carbs & sugar and you may feel better.
My advice to you is just try 1 evening of no food.
In the morning let us know if you have any regrets.
I'll bet you won't have regrets and can count that day as DAY 1 On Plan.
Then repeat the day and do it again. Keep coming back and posting.
You CAN DO IT!!!
Good Luck
Last edited by susiemartin; 10-14-2010 at 10:55 AM.
It helps me to plan out my food EVERYDAY and eat on the same shecdule everyday so if Im hungry before dinner and its 4pm I KNOW I can wait dinner will be at 5pm. Also with excerise find what you love to do you dont have to do sit ups, jumping jacks, etc. go for a walk with your little boy 3 to 5 times a week maybe ride a bike etc. this is what I do and I dont even consider it excerising its time spent with my babies or time by myself I enjoy it.
I haven't posted any pictures but I'm a graphic designer... So, I can make photoshop do some pretty wonderful things to a body. But the women here? They all fought, blood, sweat and tears, into their new rocking bods.
I sympathize with you, I work a full time job and by the time I get back from work I am SO tired that I just want to lay down and veg out in front of the tv. I can not imagine my life + kids. Hopefully you'll find some helpful information here.
I totally understand whire u're coming from, OP! There have been many times in my life where others flash down past me in a way that makes me wonder if someone's slipping lard in my tea.
imho though, "watching what I eat" is too vague. I need a calorie and a carb budget, and logging software that makes clear how much I've consumed, and how good the nutritional content was. It can be a real wake up call to realize how some perfectly "healthy" options are so carb or cal laden that you'll never lose weight eating them. Invest some time in one of the free ones - it'll pay dividends!
I am coming up on 100 pounds gone very soon and will post new pictures then too. It is real. It takes time, it is hard sometimes, but it is worth it. It is possible for you, too!
I honestly understand your exasperation, I struggled with it for awhile before I finally got committed to losing weight. But I promise almost all of the people on here are genuine about their weight-loss, and have worked their butts off to lose weight, and all of us have different ways that we have achieved our weight loss.
For me: I watched my calorie intake, and I picked up running SLOWLY. I started with "running" for 10 seconds and am now training for a 10k.
Try to stay positive,
and good luck
Last edited by totsandfries; 10-14-2010 at 12:39 PM.
You've certainly gotten some reactions from people...and you've gotten good advice...so stick around and let us help/watch you progress with your own program.
