Hi,

I have posted here a couple of times before. I just kind of have been reading and not posting. I haven't felt like I have much good advice to give. I am 5'10" and today I weighed 229 pounds. I have been working on trying to lose weight for over a year. I gained 60+ pounds due mostly to medication I took. I have switched to a different antidepressant, and need to take it for awhile. I have been trying to just cut down and do the weight loss following my own little plan. I get very stressed trying to follow someone else's plan, like weight watchers, or whatever. But I lost about 7 pounds, then gained 4 back and am basically staying the same. I exercise a lot, drink lots of water, but am still eating too many calories, I guess. I wonder how I can be successful while dealing with all this emotional stuff--depression and anxiety. I posted here before about it, and felt more encouraged, but now I just feel like giving up. I cried and cried over my weight today. It just feels impossible and I get really down about how my body looks, and just not being able to get to the weight I would like to. Can anyone relate? How do you achieve success in spite of all this other junk (depression and anxiety, and just the stresses of life). I know I don't really want to give up, but I am VERY discouraged. I have basically lost a total of 2 pounds over the last year. I did stop the gain, but I need to achieve my goal of losing somehow. Thank you so much for listening. I feel so bad that I am still asking for help and that I am so discouraged. It just feels like too much stress...

Kathy,
Give yourself some credit girl!
You actually lost this past year. You didn't do like some of us and gain 25!
Discouraging? Oh, you bet!!!
But this is one day at a time--and no matter how much we would like to have a magic pill to make the flab go away-it just aint gonna happen!

Chin Up Kathy!!!!
We are here to commiserate with you, encourage you--we are all in this weight loss boat together.
Make a plan today to do something positive tomorrow-and then do it!
Baby Steps--you will get there--as will the rest of us along this food deprived, daily sweating journey!

Jo

hi tkdkathy,
i know how you feel. i have been over weight for so long. i have put on alot of weigt since i had to stop working over 10 yrs. ago. it's tough when you feel like your the only one out there. i felt that way last week. i cried and vented on 3FCs. this is a good safe place to do just that. i felt like i was lost in space. no one had contacted me. i haven't figured all the ins and outs of 3FCs. i just hung in there and kept posting my heart out intil some one finally contacted me. one thing i did was find several places to post in. there's depression, starting over again, general support. find several places to post. you took a big step in posting today. that was a risky thing to do. i means that you have opened yourself up. take one day at a time. do the valentines day challange. make it something you think you can do. say 1-2 lbs by nest monday. i lb. is alot of work as you well kmow. i'm not following someone elses plan. i know what the right things to eat are. i'm making healthy choices, eating smaller portions, drinking plenty of water and just try and move. i wasn't going to come here and decided i would. look what happened. i read your post and it moved me. have a GREAT evening and an even better tomorrow.
kind regards,
mary

Hi Kathy,

Yes I remember your posts. I do know exactly how you feel. I keep gaining and gaining and I get so discouraged but I keep trying. I just told my friend the other day that I just don't have the strength to fight it anymore but I can't quit. Deep down inside I don't want to quit. I just can't figure out why I can't go more than 3 days on any diet plan or even my own

If you felt encouraged when you posted here last, why don't you join the girls on the daily thread. We don't necessarily give advice each day, what we do, do is support each other, we get our frustrations as well as successes out by telling each other, thats what support is about. We also encourage each other, weather it be a 1 lb lost or just choosing veggies over french fries, you get my drift.

What ever you choose lady, hang in there. Your in alot more company than you know.

HUGS

Hi,

I just wanted to thank all of you for your care and kind replies. I was afraid to post again. I thought no one would respond---like there she is again, discouraged. But your ideas and support really helped me. I know I do not really want to give up. It just gets so danged discouraging. I am going to have a warm drink after dinner and an apple---and try to substitute that for my snacking. After dinner tends to be a challening time for me. I think I just needed to hear someone tell me it is possible, that I can do it if I just keep trying, you know? I think I will check out the chat here. I never am quite sure how to join in. But I will check it out. Bless all of you. Thank you so much.

Hi Kathy Welcome for Everytime you want to come!
we've all been there and are there and its hard but you keep at it thats what I'm trying to learn
Join us on the thread its not all about advice it's about support and while I'm pretty new to our daily thread these ladies have become a vital part of my day
Warm Regards,
Kierie

Hi Kathy,

I can relate! I really can! I tried for 9 years to lose weight with not ONE POUND budging. I'm finally making progress now, but only after doing a lot of research and hooking up briefly with a nutritionist. I don't know your situation, but I mentioned in another post that I think one of the hardest aspects of losing weight is that often, we're not just fighting hunger, we're fighting low blood sugar. Especially when you start a new exercise regimen, or suddenly cut back on your calories (or both), your blood sugar will dip. When that happens, you don't just feel hungry. You are DRIVEN to eat. Your brain requires the carbohydrates, and it wants them now. My nutritionist told me that one of the easiest ways to avoid this is to always oppose any carbohydrate with a protein, and some fat & fiber too, if possible. In fact, I really started losing weight when I stopped focusing on which foods to avoid, and starting *adding in* some foods that I wasn't getting - namely, a little extra protein eaten at the right time. And fruits & veggies really do make a difference. I have all the confidence in the world that you'll reach your goal, Kathy - you're motivated and you're in the right spot to get the encouragement, support, and information that you need!

Everyone's body reacts differently to meds......(I like to think that when I was on Zoloft, it was the reason I would stand at the fridge at midnight to down the pint of Hagen Daz).

sometimes repair to your metabolism is a slow-go........you are exchanging muscle for fat and will succeed in the long run.....

When I get too stressed and feel hopeless i try to plug in the 10 minute work out, I trick myself 10 mins. on the treadmill, or 10 mins. of free weights and do only my "favorite" exercises...(I avoid the floor, the dog thinks its freedom to smell me and lick me in the face). then I don't feel like I completely gave up.

Hang a picture on your fridge of a really nice outfit....and a post-it note to take a hot bath, it's a great treat for me and relaxes me.

don't give up, just take a little break, but re-commit.