[SMarshall]

Hello everyone! My name is Samantha and I am 19(almost 20), married and have an 8 month old son and lots of pets! I already posted my 'About me' in this Forum so check that out for more details!
My journey starts when I was about 14 at my lowest weight ever of 128! Somehow I still thought I was overweight, which IMO lead me to gain. Stupid huh? I graduated highschool 3 years later at 160. I was diagnosed with PCOS at 18 and then met my husband, still weighing 160. We have been together for 2 years in Jan. 5 months after meething him I found out I was pregnant, and I weighed in at 170 lbs. Three days before I gave birth I was 242 lbs!!! AHH!! About 3 weeks after I weighed about 221, and I quickly lost 22lbs and came to a screaching hault at 199. I dieted and weighed 193.5 the day I got married (6/9) and took a few months 'off'. I started this most recent crusade 10/2 and weighed 195.5 I am currently 187!
So heres my recap:
2002or3- 128
2005- 160
2006-170
2007(Preggo) 242
2007(POSTpg) 199
10/2/07 195.5
NOW-187

I am following my own version of LOW CARB and I do not drink soda or beverages sweetened with artificial sweeteners. I also do not eat past 5. For exercise I try to walk 40 mins at least everyother day, but sometimes I just cant motivate myself. I have had one relapse since the beginning of my diet and two "break days"

I hope I can find some support here and some people in my same boat.

THanks for reading, hope to get to know everyone really soon!

[Lovely]

Hello Best of luck to you on your journey!

[Time for a change]

Sounds like you're off to a great start! Just keep doing what you're doing! As for the relapse, we all hit a bump in the road on occassion. Just pick yourself up and dust yourself off, everything will be ok! Also on the same topic, Don't deny yourself a little indulgence once in a while. Just work it into your calories & do a little more excercise. Denial (in my opinion) just leads to possible binging. It's a healthier lifestyle/eating style that we all need, not a diet, something that we can live with forever. After all can you imagine trying to live your life on something like the cabbage soup diet or even Atkins.
As for motivation you have a baby, a husband & yourself. I can't think of anything more motivating & inspiring as that. Good luck to you and welcome!

[shrinkingchica]

Welcome!!

[DENISSE07]

Hi , Well I am struggling with the same problem. My name is Denisse (26)
i've been married for almost 3 years . I have a little boy (Aiden) 19 months old. When i was in High School I was 125 pounds and I thought " O my God i am so overweight." Well know i wish i could turn back time . My current weight is exactly 200 . I never thought i would be hitting the 200's.At first i started ignoring the problem. You know i would just buy bigger clothing but it really hit me when i started shopping for size 16 and then 1x . I am what am i doing this is not for me , i'm only 26 . So i am planning to start my diet next monday ... I dont know why not today but until monday . hahahhaa. I took pic of myself yesterday and believe they are horrible. I am kind of afraid to start a diet and exercise . I really want to change how i look but i guess i am afraid of failure. Well hope we can encourage each other through this weightloss. Stay in touch .

[Shy Moment]

There are a few helpful hints I can give you all that work for me but might not work for you. Worth a try

Eat 4 to 6 meals a day. The body likes food and by eating more times a day you don't get the chance to feel hungry.

Talk to your doctor about what is a good weight for you. The amount we should weigh changes with age and it never hurts to not " think " what you should weight but to know. You can decide after that if you would be just as happy to weigh a little more. I myself, want to weigh on the high end of the chart for me. I like having a chest and curves lol.

Find out a basic plan of calories, fat and carbs you should be taking in. You don't have to be real strict with this but it is always a nice guide line. Mine happens to be 1200 to 1400.

Use fit day or some other way to keep track of what you are eating. You might be surprised to find you you are eating to much or like myself I wasn't eating enough and wasn't getting all my food groups everyday.

Use a salad plate instead of a breakfast or lunch plate. A lunch plate instead of a dinner plate. One of the big problems we have here in the states is that our portion sizes are to big. It is amazing. Do you know 4 or 5 green olives is a portion size? Who would have thought.

When the family is having something that isn't one of my favorites or I can take or leave I have a lean cuisine.

Make sure you are eating your four basic food groups a day. Dairy 2 to 3, Meat 2 to 3, Fruit 2 to 3, Veggies 3 to 4 and Grain 6 to 9 ( I think, might be more on the grain group).

We do not get fat eating before bed time. Calories in and out that is how it works.

The body likes food, it loves food. We need food to live. You don't eat enough the tummy thinks the throat was slit and there is going to be no more food. The body will want to store all it can as fat for later.

Exercise, anyone can find 15 min a day to do a walking video.

It really is simple you take in more than you burn off you are not going to lose weight. BUT you can eat a ton of food, I am still working on getting enough calories in and I eat all the time lol. Not having any problem getting enough fat and carbs in lol.

Don't do without. This isn't about doing without. This is about eating proper portions and getting those basic food groups in. Mountain dew is a food group isn't it? Well if it isn't it should be.

If I have something high in fat or carbs today I watch what I eat for a few days. This is a life change we are doing. Not just losing weight. We want to do this forever. Maintaining weight loss isn't hard ( I have been told by many many people ) IF you are use to eating this way. Make sure you get you favorites in there, just watch portion sizes.

We don't gain weight because of what we eat today. We gain weight because of what we eat all the time, nothing wrong with a little splurge once in awhile.

I have found weight watchers ( no I don't follow their plan, I follow the " Rennie plan " lol have great snacks. Their chocolate snack cakes are to die for and their sherbet ice cream bars and fudge bars are just wonderful and low in fat and calories too.

[Amberelise]

Speaking of WW, I just want to throw this in there. . .

I tried the WW sundae cone last night and was sorely disappointed. My grocery store put my usual Skinny Cow caramal vanilla cones on sale and they were SOLD OUT! I bought the WW sundae cone and it pales in comparision. I treat myself after exercising with the Skinny Cow cone. It makes me want to go to the gym, because I know I'm going to get my 150 calorie treat afterwards. (And, I budget in my daily calories for that cone, so if I don't work out I eat something else, but not the cone! It's for workout days ONLY.) Anyhoo, that really doesn't have much to do with anything. I just wanted to point out that for 10 calories more, the skinny cow cone is better.

For the record, the WW english muffins are pretty good.

[caseygail21]

Rennie, I love what you posted! If you don't mind I'm going to print it off and hang it up in my room, you worded everything perfectly, and I agree with every word!

[Shy Moment]

casey
So glad to help. Some of those are my words. Some of them came from all the great people here. It really does help to check out posts. There are so many great ideas. You are more than welcome to any advice I can give.

Amber
The only ones I found that I really liked are the hugggge fudge bars and the sherbet bars.