Hello everyone! I just joined the site. I was drawn to post in this thread because getting down into the 100's would be a dream come true for me. The last time I weighed less than 200 pounds was more than 10 years ago and it almost seems crazy to hope that I could get back there. But I intend to prove myself wrong, and show that I can do it!
I'm not really sure how this thread works, or if anyone can post and join. I hope you don't mind me dropping in! Please feel free to fill me in if there are specific rules I don't know about.
A quick weight loss background: I was a healthy weight until about grade 12 and I've slowly gained weight since then (I'm 30 now). When I weighed 185 I promised myself I'd never weigh more than 200...when I weighed 240 I promised myself I'd never get above 250...I'm sure you know how it goes. My highest weight was 270 and then, a year and a half ago, I made my first real effort to lose it. I started exercising and eating healthier and counting calories. It actually worked--I lose 45 pounds in 6 months. But then, instead of sticking to it, I got lazy and fell back into old patterns, and went back up to 265. So now I'm starting over almost from scratch. I know what to do, and I know it works...I just need to find the motivation to stick to it for good.
I am hoping to find a supportive group of people where we all encourage each other and provide accountability!
Martini!!!!! EXCELLENT NEWS. Wonderful for you!!!! Just before Xmas is not the best time to be looking for work and/or unemployed. So happy for you that you have given up smoking too, as that definitely ain't good for you!
Just checking in, staying OP and aiming to knock off these 2 kilos between me and my Xmas goal. If I actually achieve this, it will really be a Christmas present to me! Been a long long time since I set a weight loss goal and achieved it...
So glad to have you join is, Severine. This is my favorite group of girls on the forum.Lots of good support and love in this troll!
I'm up late tonight. Couldn't turn off the brain to get to sleep. Trying to stay out of the kitchen but I'm feeling empty and don't know if I can keep myself from foraging for a snack.Maybe I'll get some tea.
My body ia doing that thong again, shrinking before losing weight. Suddenly all my underwear ls roomy! And my forearms are jiggly again. Come on scale! Play nice!
Martini and T, I'm so happy for you both! Hope your new positions are everything you need.
Ok...I'm going to brave the kitchen for some herbal tea.
Hi Severine, glad you here. You can definetely join in here and just drop in. The more merrier. Hope to see you on here daily for your dose of motivation. I try and come on daily to read up and just take some time for myself. Your doing exactly what I am doing. Well, I never got around to counting calories, but that was my intention all along.. Now I just eat majority of fruits and veggies with a little of everything else. Good for you for starting! Glad your here!
Georgia I hope you just had the tea. Night time is hard for me too. The one thing that does help me is when my hubby is up because I feel like I want to do good when he's around.. Silly I know since I do good when he's not around too, but it's just a mind thing. Let us know how you did!
I'm ready for this week to be over since it was a rough one with me being sick my son being sick and I still have to take him to the Dr. today because he has this cough that will not go away. I'm racking up medical bills that I cannot afford, but what are you going to do. I just have to pay payments until I can afford to pay a big chunk. I'm so happy to be changing back to my old insurance in June so I can go back to just paying a co pay and not a deductible. Blah!!!
Now some good news.. Today is my weigh in and I lost 3 pounds. I'm super excited that even though I went off track a little I still managed to loose. yay!! I hope to here from the rest of you to see how your doing!
Sassy, I didn't have anything! I stayed in bed and watched TV because it was too cold to get out from under the covers. This afternoon I had a very strange craving for fried dough with cheese. Very specific! It's all about finding comfort in the cold, I think. Anyway, I let it pass too. Sometimes it's just good to be too lazy to go do something!
Sorry to hear that you and your son have been sick. Hope all is well soon. Good news with the loss, however!
I am sporting a loss too! All my post-holiday indulgence has left the body and I'm back down to 296 lbs. It only took me a whole week and a lot of hiding away from the kitchen! My best friend is coming tomorrow and we'll be a-wassailing all weekend with more friends. I am ready for the challenge to keep from over-indulging whilst "warming our singing voices" with generous libation. I think. I need to figure out strategy for the holidaze!
I just stopped in (lurked) today and have been really uplifted by all the good news and positive attitudes in this thread. When I joined this forum in May I had been losing since mid-January and I was just about to enter Onederland, so it didn't seem like this thread was "my place." I like to come in here, though, because of the really wonderful conversations and attitudes of all you regulars. You guys really pick me up.
I'm with Martini on your lurking here, Lin. I'm actually comforted by it. It feels like you're watching our back and I appreciate it!
I did some big work today. BIG emotional work. I worked on uncovering a deep, difficult emotional fear that affects my efforts to lose weight. I am afraid that I don't really matter.
Now girlfriends, I know that you all want to write back to me and tell me how much I do matter and shower me with all that lovely support you do so well. Trust me, I know that I do matter. That is, I know I matter, logically speaking. But there's that wee small girl way deep down inside me that doesn't trust that and doesn't really believe that. She feels like she really can't ever measure up and that she has to do so much really well just to be accepted. And she's the one that hears the love that people send our way but doesn't really accept or believe in it. Today I'm just honoring that she exists.
I'm recognizing that she's like the motivator of how much effort I put into some stuff and how much I hold back on other stuff. She's the one that tells me I have to work really hard to be everything everyone else wants me to be or I won't really be loved. She's the one that doesn't see how much weight I've already lost and doesn't believe what I've accomplished is good enough. She's the one who looks at how much I still have to do and how even when I do get to goal weight, I'll still have all that floppy excess skin and I'll still be getting older and will tell me that no one will really want me.
Scuze me while I give her some hugs. Sometimes she makes me cry. I'm going to help her out. I don't know how yet. I gotta give her some love. And I gotta take her out for some fun! She needs to smile more.
Georgia - here's the first "you are worth it." I fought with some emotional issues for years. I'm not sure if it impacted my ability to lose weight because I never tried in the past 25 years. Or, maybe that's why I didn't even try. At any rate, I came to terms with some things in the spring and, amazingly, that's when it got easier to stay on plan and do what I had to for ME.
It is amazing how our psyche controls us. In his inimatable way, Yogi Berra once said, "Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical." I believe the same can be said about weight loss. Once you get the 90% mental part, the other "half" is negligible. The other "half" isn't even 10%.
The past is the past. I don't want to force my beliefs on anyone, but it comforts me no end to know that all our past mistakes can be wiped out and we are forgiven. First we have to forgive ourselves. Then we have to forgive others. Not necessarily forget or condone, but forgive. There is a huge liberation that takes place when we do this because we are saying, essentially, "You no longer have any control over me. You are that unimportant in the scheme of things." How amazing to be able to take back that control from someone in our past!
I know you can get through this. I know you'll meet your goal of losing 100 pounds by spring of 2013. I know you can because you really are worth it.
Georgia, I really believe that almost all of us here have these sorts of inner demons ( for want of a better word). If we didn't I doubt we'd be trying to knock off 100 lbs plus. Our Egos would just not have let us get here....
So I say to you - hallelujah sister!!!! I hear you and TOTALLY validate you! You speak from my heart also. But she is a tough little one that one inside, it will take you a lot of work to keep her quiet. I also try to keep the one who tells me I am stupid, useless, weak silent, but one slip up and she has a field day...That is a very negative comment, I know, but its realistic - we will have this battle to fight for a while yet...
And Lin you are entirely correct, we need to free ourselves of guilt for past issues. Look at our accomplishments for RIGHT NOW! I read and re-read Kaplods posts on this matter too....
And I would like also share something with you.
I was all gussied up the other day for my first visit to my new work and afterwards I went to the shops. I got a lot of glances from other women. I wondered why on earth they were looking at me in that critical way????? A different way than other women used to look at me, with a feint air of disgust at my old track pants and stained t shirts.....
Then it dawned on me, I am re-entering the "woman's competition". I am no longer standing outside that as a super obese woman, I am once again "competing"???? Other women are checking out my outfit, my makeup etc etc.
Now, I am not saying I looked like Elle McPherson, far far from it- but I once again I feel, and hope I look "normal-ish"? I am wearing an aussie size 18/20 - US 16 I think, and have also moved into some tighter fitting clothes I've had in the closet. I've cut my hair, and am wearing higher heels, and a light make up as well. Been many years since I've done that......
I am glad in many ways I am in my fifties not twenties. I never did cope well in that arena.
Hi ALL, I'm new to this thread, can join? I'm working towards onederland and my ultimate goal of 160lbs.
Currently I weigh 239.....does it ever feel good to be out of the 240's seemed to drag a long time!
I'm almost at my first mini-goal of 230lbs. This will have me in the first Obese category. I cant wait to weigh in the "over-weight" category. The OBESE work just gets me. I wont be out of Obese category until I get to onederland..
Only 39 lbs to go...to under 200lbs ...
Georgia, I feel it's very courageous to admit the presence of that inner voice, to face it and confront your emotions. I know so many people who don't do that, so many people who ignore the parts of themselves they don't want to deal with. I believe that ignoring parts of ourself is ultimately harmful, because you can't fix problems you're ignoring.
I too have a part of myself that is always critical, never satisfied. I've lost 5 pounds so far and that voice just laughs and says, "that's nothing compared to what you need to lose, and you'll never make it all the way. Why bother?" It's tempting to just ignore that voice, but I think the better response is for me to try to figure out why a part of me feels that way. If I can deal with those demons, maybe I can stop the cycle of self-sabotage I sometimes fall into.
Thanks for sharing! I have a lot of admiration for that sort of personal courage.
MrsTee, it must feel great to see other people reacting to you in a new way. That sort of female competition is something I have never liked but at least it's validation that what you are doing is working. I once read that when you lose weight, it takes months for the dieter's mental picture of themselves to catch up to the new reality. A dieter often has a hard time believing they are really truly thinner. Concrete things, like loose clothing and stares in the mall, are welcome concrete reminders!
Also welcome to SLIMplicity. I'm new too and this seems like a great group of people. Congratulations on your loss so far!
Hi everyone!! Welcome Slim. Glad your here. Your goals sound great and your well on your way I can tell. Hope you see you around everyday so we can get to know ya..
Georgia I here ya and I'm in the same boat as you. I know exactly what it feels like to have that inner "person" dragging you down. This inner person is the reason I have failed at so many attempts to get healthy and change my life. You are so brave to say it out loud and talk about her and how she is trying to manipulate you. You have done so great so far and you will make your goals. We all can make our goals I know we can.
MrsTee you sound so happy about yourself and that is great. I can't wait to feel that way. I know we shouldn't want that validation from other peoples reactions, but it sure helps me get through the day sometimes when I feel like giving up. I know that's probably not healthy, but it's just human nature ya know. Enjoy you, you worked for it!!
I hope you guys are having a great weekend so far. We are here. We have a little Christmas party to go to for my son and he's excited it, then it's off to work for me until 1am again.
Yesterday my hubby and I kinda had it out. Were spending too much on groceries and I can't help it because he's eating one way and I am eating another way. It cost more to eat healthy. I shop at several stores and I try and get the best deals I can. Yesterday I could tell he was upset when we got home from grocery shopping about how much I spent (not allot, 80 at 1 store 20 at another). I kept asking him and he just kept telling me nothing and finally he was like we need to stop spending so much. I told him then he needs to eat what I eat it can't be the other way around. I can't eat all the crap he eats. I know it upset him, but I want both of us on board with eating healthy. I keep telling him just because your skinny does not mean your healthy or will be skinny forever. It's going to catch up with him, but he doesn't care. I have tried to get him to try some of the food I make and he won't even here of it. He says its nasty. So what am I suppose to do ya know. Anyway that's my rant for the day. He was fine today.. I hope he comes around..
Just breezing through quickly today because I had an amazing ah-ha moment yesterday that I just had to share.
But first...!!!!! I love you all so much! You are da bombshells!
And a big welcome to Slim...happy to have you here too!
So, the big moment...I was talking with my Pilates trainer and was sharing about how much I expect from myself and how getting thin freaks me out because I will expect so much more from myself when I get there. It's like I tell mysel this conflicting message that I'm fat, so people won't expect so much out of me, but I'm fat and I need to put-out more in order to get people to notice/like/appreciate me. And then she said the magic words...
"What if you could just be you like you are now, but thinner?"
What? You mean when I'm thin I won't have to be more brilliant, talented, energized, enthusiastic, or whatever, than I am now? That I can still just be quirky, whacky, a-bit-too-talkative, generally unorganized, forgetful, 50+, somewhat lazy, still a good mother and good friend, with occasional flashes of brilliance and thin all at the same time? WTF?! Why didn't I know this before!!!!????
I feel so relieved! It's like a switch went off in my head! And I'm finding today that I am not so worried about the food because I don't feel like eating when I'm not hungry. In fact, I just made a decision to not eat something because I wasn't hungry enough to enjoy it. And if I think about it, food only really tastes good for the first, maybe, three bites. And it turns out I'm really only thirsty right now, so I got a glass of water.
I don't know how long this wisdom is going to stay with me. Probably until the next moment when I experience intense stress. But I'm hoping it's long enough to feel like the new normal. And my inner girl, at the moment, she's just happy to have me for company. She feels safe and cared for. And heard.
Georgia - print your post out and put it somewhere where you'll see it every day. Heck - make a dozen copies and put them everywhere. In your purse. On the fridge. At your desk. On the computer. What a brilliant person your trainer is to hit it so concisely on the head.
We all have to realize that we are who we are! Fat or thin shouldn't really matter except from a health standpoint. I know people judge. But they shouldn't. Most of all, WE shouldn't. Not others, not ourselves. Accepting ourselves is important. You just made step 1. Keep on keepin' on!
Now I just eat majority of fruits and veggies with a little of everything else. Good for you for starting! Glad your here!
Hope all is well soon. Good news with the loss, however!
