Simplyme,

It sounds like maybe you aren't eating enough calories. I have read in magazines, online, books, heard on tv, you name it, that you should NEVER go below 1200 calories a day without the strict supervision of a physician. This puts your body in starvation mode and makes it more difficult for you to lose weight because your body is trying to conserve the weight rather than let it go. For those of us who are very overweight, even 1200 a day may be too low (since our bodies are larger and require more caloreis simply to function even if you are not very active). I was eating 1800-2000 calories a day and not exercising regularly and was still losing weight because it all comes down to calories in vs. calories out, but WITHOUT depriving your body of the essential amount of calories it needs to function. I know, it doesn't really follow common sense (if I eat less, I should weigh less, right?), but it is true and has been proven time and time again, not only by experts, but by real people on these boards who gained or maintained weight at 1200 calories then lost weight when they upped it to, say, 1500-1600 calories a day.

If you think you ARE getting enough caloris, then maybe all you need to do is shake it up a bit. Your body gets used to eating the same things every day and settles into a pattern of satisfaction that does not include weight loss. Try varying your diet a little more or having 3 high-calorie days and 4 low-calorie days a week (to average out to your desired number of calories per day). Often, this will wake your body up and keep it on its toes instead of being contently settled into a pattern, therefore jump starting the weight loss again.

I agree with MrsJim that you may want to eat more frequently, also. Eating every 3-4 hours throughout the day is much better for your metabolism, for it's not so stop-and-go, it's a consistent pattern of working and burning and processing.

I know it's hard to hear "eat more" or "eat more often" when you're dieting because it just doesn't seem to make sense to our minds, but it does to our bodies, and after all, that's what you're after is a better body

well said mrs jim

WoW I am very touched and very moved by what you ladies had to say.THANK YOU!!! I have struggled with my weight all my life and no one has ever had such an impact on me like you have. I guess I have always known how important it was to watch what you eat and exercise, but for me growing up my parents idea of watching what you eat was to watch it go in your mouth. Not exactly right, huh? Any way I just wanted to thank you for inspiring me to pay more attention to my body, and what I am doing to it. Stacey

Are you kidding? I do have a secret to losing weight-it's called getting off my lazy butt and exercising! I tell you, it's a miracle solution.

I think I'm one of the lucky ones, though. I was raised to believe exactly what you said. Whenever I see a new diet or pill, I think, "I'll believe it when I see it."

I read Diary of a Fat Housewife..it was great..but Rosemary either had her mouth wired shut or stomach stapling..I know she had some type of surgery so its not exactly like losing it through diet and exercise

Did you follow a certain diet then to lose your weight? What kind of exercise did you do?

Actually...Rosemary did *not* have her jaws wired shut or WLS.

There are two editions of the book...the 1992 hardcover and the 1996 paperback. The hardcover version ends with Rosemary at around 209 lb, just having had another baby, went to Disneyland with her family and was still dieting.

The paperback contains an epilogue chapter by Ms. Green, which states she lost the last 40 or so pounds (if memory serves) by working with her doctor and using a medically-supervised liquid diet program (sounded like Optifast although she never mentioned the name of the program). The most recent news I've heard, around 2003, is that she was maintaining her weight and hosting a radio program.

Great thread!! What really inspired me to keep working towards achieving a healthier me was a Dr. Phil quote I heard a long time ago when he was still just a weekly guest on Oprah and it's stuck with me all these years until I finally got fed up with being fat. The quote was (paraphrasing here): "Time is going to pass whether you exercise or not. Six months from now you're either going to be thinner than you are today, or the same fat blob you are today," It really struck me that you can't wait for the miracle "loose all your weight in one day without any effort" plan. There are no quick fixes to obesity. Sure it can take you a year to loose 50 pounds, but that year is going to pass no matter what so you might as well make the most of it and DO THE WORK. Otherwise you'll just spend another miserable year being fat.

Hmm why did I think she had her jaw wired shut or surgery? It seems to me that something wasnt right about the way she lost her weight. Is she the one that her hubby LOCKED the fridge door? I remember the book as a powerful one..but I guess I dont remember what happened as its been so long since I read it.
I wonder if she has kept the weight off today?

I find the amusing thing about a magic pill or diet is that there is a 'magic' statment at least: burn more calories than you take in and you will lose weight. It is about a simple a thing to understand as is possible. So....you can a) take in fewer calores you can b) exercise more and burn more calories. You can c) get more muscle mass so you burn more calories, etc.

I do not want to underestimate the challenge of losing weight but I do not believe that thinking about it as this hard mountain, harddddddd to do aspect all the time helps either. It isn't that hard really. I think very few foods are truly addictive like smoking or drugs are. And there are almost an infinite amount of foods to choose. So one of the big things when I start losing weight is what I call the 'undiscovered country'. All these foods and meals that if I take a little extra effort taste just as good or better than the junk I was eating.

So I am losing weight AND enjoying eating more. Just takes effort, it really does. I also find personally that when I start exercising as long as I do not overly dwell on goals, it feels really good also. Feels great in fact to use my body, it is a wonderful gift. Sometimes I do more than I thought I would, sometimes less. The key thing about exercise is I read once the best exercise is the exercise you do. So I try and remember that and do something each day. But I enjoy the positive aspect of what I do and do not think darn I did not do this much this day.

Anyhow the key to me has always been that internal moment when I say....food is to help me live and get healthy and yes to enjoy. But I do not enjoy food when I am abusing it or being lazy. And once I have that internal check saying is this good for me when I am making food choices, everything else seems to follow. And yes I eat things that are not good for me still but I eat slower and in moderation and at the end of the week I have eaten more good things than not and more importantly as that simple equation I started this post with, I usually end up burning more calories than what I consumed.

I'm new here. I just clicked on your profile and saw your before and after pictures.

My first reaction was: Oh. My. Goodness!

You are absolutely beautiful and I am so very happy for you!

I'm about where you were and I'm just beginning, so your story is an inspiration. Bet you haven't heard that one before, huh?

I've dieted again and again over the decades, losing and gaining more weight than I care to admit.

I'm now in my late 40s and going through perimenopause, and I can tell you one thing. Never again will I do the drastic deprivation thing, which can only lead to an ultimate weight gain (with rare exceptions, of which I am not one).

About a year ago, I decided to learn to cook so that I could make nutritious, enjoyable meals, rather than continue to live on the junky convenience foods I had come to rely on. I've come to depend on http://www.recipezaar.com, which is a site where real people share real recipes and give reviews and tips on recipes they've tried. I didn't single out "diet" foods. I just found recipes I liked and tweaked them where necessary to make it more healthy (i.e., subbing apple sauce for fat in muffins, cakes, breads).

A couple of months ago I finally found a reasonable replacement for my Classic Coke addiction, which is carbonated water with a twist of lime. I purchased a home carbonating unit from Sodaclub.com (I'm not affiliated) and I now enjoy my seltzer water more than I ever enjoyed Coke, and saving money to boot!

A year and a half ago I picked up some part time jobs that require some physical activity, which forces me to be less of a couch potato.

My point is I've been gradually making healthy changes in my lifestyle, and I'm finally at a place where I can begin my weight loss journey.

Until recently, I found myself occasionally sliding back to old habits, which resulted in me losing weight for a while and then sliding back to old habits and experiencing a gain. I've flucturated in a 15-pound zone.

I seem to have turned a corner. I enjoy my new eating habits and my stomach turns at the idea of eating some of that junk I used to love so I believe there will be less fluctuating.

It took me losing any concern for what others think of me so that the only reason I'm doing this is for my own health. I'm blessed to be very healthy now, and I want that to continue. So there's no pressure from within for me to meet some kind of time deadline to reach x weight.

Anyway, back to what set off this tirade by me: You were pretty before, and you're the picture of health now, which makes you even more beautiful, and I will again say I'm so very happy for you.

Thanks for sharing your success with us. You're doing more good for other people who are struggling than you can ever know.

Wow! I'm glad I read this, thanks so much for taking the time to post it. It's all stuff I knew, but as always, there is nothing like reading it again and again to make it sink in.

I think eating often is the key! I eat every 3 hours, small meals of course! A packet of oatmeal is my usual! (Only 3pts/packet for you WW people!) I've lost 75 lbs in 8 months, so I'm doing something right! Now if I could just get my butt in gear to workout!

Congrats on your great success in the weight loss department, Jen!!!

I also have to eat at least every three hours or even more often. It really helps.