I figure that I have about three months to get as much weight off as I possibly can and so far that is pretty much a BIG FAT ZERO.
I have a yearly doctor appt. the first of September and I am scared to death that my blood work is going to indicate....diabetes.
I've been real close in the past lab. work, so I have reason to fear.
I thought that I was doing okay, weight was coming off very, very slowly, but nonetheless coming off. And, then BAM.....right back up to the time I started.
This is the hardest thing that I have EVER had to do in my life.
I've quit smoking.......cold turkey after some 10 or so years of smoking.
I've undergone two awful child births. #1. Herniated and ruptured a disc while birthing and #2. Was a C-section and because of the situation of #1's birth, this second one was absolutely severe pain. I've undergone two major back surgeries and I can't lose weight.
It's tough, but you have to consistently make good food choices every single meal.
What worked for me:
*Limiting sugar/white carby stuff helped immensely, it removed my compulsion to keep eating past a reasonable portion.
* Planning every meal/snack one week at a time and sticking to it.
* Forgiving myself if I did happen to eat off plan adn IMMEDIATELY get right back on track the next eating situation (not the next morning or Monday, RIGHT AWAY)
I used to be a super lazy person with ridiculously bad eating habits, I figure if I can make these changes, anybody could make these changes (barring any medical conditions).
I decided I wanted to do it, and then I did it. I am constantly reminding myself that the flappy thing at the end of my arm is MY HAND and no one puts food in my mouth but me. I have complete control of everything I eat. I don't have to eat things to be polite. I can get healthy food or make a reasonable choice/compromise in nearly any situation.
You can do this! Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom to be able to lift yourself up again!
Girl you and I are in the same position! We even have similar stats. I have lost 9 lbs in the last 3 weeks from watching what I eat. I have been trying to quit smoking too for the last year. I can't seem to kick it cold turkey but I'm still trying-which is better than not.I just saw my doctor on Monday after a year of avoiding him in fear that he would say "diabetes". Absolutely scared to death. But I figured it's better to find out now and use it to fuel the fire to get my butt in gear! Its frustrating as ****, but not impossible.
I agree with Glory87--it can be done, but it requires consistency. Are you counting calories, or tracking your food in some other way? If you're just "watching what you eat" it's easy to eat too much, or to think that a meal out doesn't count, and then be stymied when your weight hasn't dropped.
Change what you're doing. Don't try to cut your calories drastically--use an online calculator like FitDay to give yourself a daily target and help you track. Use the online menus for restaurants to see how many calories different choices have, so that if you go out, you know ahead of time what to order.
Don't try to exercise like a maniac, but figure out how you can go walking or get some form of physical activity in, for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week.
Practice daily, but think long term. The weight didn't come on overnight and it won't leave overnight.
I know that it is hard to get started but you can do this!
Fear of diabetes is one of the many factors that got me started. I agree with Glory and Jay, it requires consistency. Jay's approach would work. I would add one thing, in addition to counting your calories, cut out processed sugar. You can refine your diet further down the road. Walking that 30 minutes a day would also make a big difference. If you can't do it all at once, break it into two 15 minute walks or three 10 minutes walks.
You still have 2 months and you can make a big change in 2 months. Just get started!
When you say you were close the last time, what do you mean by close? Sometimes docs will give you a diabetes medicine even if you are "pre-diabetic". I was put on Januvia last year for pre-diabetes and PCOS (and diagnosed as type 2 a couple weeks later when they got my latest lab results back). I know that I have been able to lose much more easily with the Januvia helping me to control my insulin issues. If your numbers were close then you already have an insulin issue, so maybe in addition to doing all you can before you see the doc you should talk to him/her about some meds.
As far as losing weight now goes you've already gotten good advice. I say plan plan plan. When I first started I went so far as to pre-prep my food in ziplocs and tupperwares and label it as "Monday breakfast", "Monday morning snack", ... "Friday dinner". Since you do apparently have an insulin issue it is extra important for you to cut out the refined, white carbs. You might want to consider lowering your intake of carbs in general. Also, if you aren't already exercising, start doing so. Even if you can only do a little right now, it will help, and the more you do the more you will be able to do. Exercise is important for everyone, but it's extra important for diabetics or those attempting to prevent diabetes since exercise can actually help our bodies to balance the sugar - walking is awesome for that, whether you do it outside, on a treadmill, or in place - it's all good.
It requires consistency, that is for CERTAIN. You can't sometimes adhere to a healthy way of living, it has to be all day, every day. Of course adhering to a healthy lifestyle does not mean have the once in a while splurge, but for the most part, ESPECIALLY during the losing portion of this journey, those will have to be kept far and few between. But I found OTHER things to look at as indulgences and splurges - foods that taste really good AND are good FOR ME. No more settling for foods that simply taste good and then the good is over.
It takes consistency and an acceptance that you just can't have it both ways. You can't have the high calorie/high quantity food AND be fit, trim, slim and HEALTHY. It really is about making a lifestyle change. Changing your habits.
The hardest part is getting started. That's why I think it's essential to just dive in there and stick to it like GLUE - no ifs, ands or buts.
And I'm with Glory - a big part of this is setting yourself up for success - for me that meant, planning, planning and more planning. Going *cold turkey* with the white stuff (easier to do than I ever would have imagined after a tough 2 weeks - a two weeks in which you MUST work and push yourself past the discomfort of saying no to yourself), and also calorie counting as it's built in accountability and portion control.
For me, it meant making the decision to lose the weight once and for all and permanently. I made that decision, the ensuing commitment and therefore I was WILLING to put forth the effort that was needed.
Losing weight and lots of it IS a doable thing. We ALL have the ability to do this. You don't have to be fat if you don't want to be. You don't have to have something just because you want it.It's okay to tell yourself no. Eventually, if you stick with it long enough you will want it less and less and less.... Good habits, once established are just as hard to break as old ones.
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for your response to my venting.
I took everyone's comments in and it felt really good to read all of them. Some very outstanding words of wisdom.
Thank you all again for being there. It really is a great feeling to have a support group around a person when they need it.
Everyone else has already said just about everything I wanted to mention. I have started and stopped so many times but I don't let it keep me from starting again. I only fail if I don't get back up.
I'm So Fed Up!
I know that it is hard to get started but you can do this!
Very Encouraging.
I have started and stopped so many times but I don't let it keep me from starting again. I only fail if I don't get back up.
