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Hi!
I need you in my head everyday! You pointed out what we all need to know & hear,but don't always believe.I've tried A LOT of magic potions & wish I had the $$$ back!
Angie
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!
Thanks for all the inspiring words, I've always known the key to losing my weight, I guess I just wasn't ready again until now. I don't even like looking in the mirror anymore, all I see is fat!! I never had a weight problem growing up, I was extremely active, running track, soccer, basketball, swimming, and walking back and forth to school 4 times a day. I could eat anything I wanted, but I had no figure (nickname was Dawn the Un"bra'wn). Now I have the boobs but I also have 70 extra pounds. My weight gain came on slowly after college, I became a couch potato.
I never really noticed that I was gaining weight until I saw pictures of myself on my honeymoon. That was my light bulb moment, so I joined WW in the new year and quickly dropped 25 pounds by chanign my eating habits and exercising to a Cindy Crawford video for 45 mins each day. I felt great and
people were noticing. My self esteem grew, then I found out I was pregnant with my first child I was so happy but had to quit the program( but only gained 24 lbs while pregnant), 8 months later I had my beautiful baby boy. After losing my baby weight I kept it off for a while but slowly over the next 3 years it crept back on and when I got pregnant with my daughter I was back up 20 pounds (whcih the doctore loved to comment on! )
Anyways, I was so sick with her that I couldn't stomach anything and lost 15 pounds during the pregnancy and once I had her I was smaller than I was before I got pregnant. I think I was just so happy to be able to eat that I ate anything in sight. Which brings me to the present, to another light bulb moment. I recently stepped on the scale and nearly passed out, it was 10 pounds heavier than I thought (hmm, no wonder my pants have felt snug!) and I am no on my way again, thanks to your positive comments and my determination to to follow this to the end. Like Meg I want to stand in that change room and try on that size 4 jean (well maybe even an 8).
Good luck to all of you, my heart goes out to anyone struggling like me, but with proper eating, exercise and a lot of determination we will succeed.
PS Thanks for letting me get this off my chest, I know its a little long!!
I find that eating every 3 hours helps me too. I am on NS right now, but instead of doing it every day (I am afraid to go off and gain weight again), I do it every other day and sometimes I skip two days, then go back. I still eat great, but I am educating myself more about what I eat & I think this is really going to be the year!!
I like to load up on cereals lol I have about 20 of them in my cupboard right now and if I get hungry I take out my ½ cup and pour a little milk on it. It seems to be the only "in between" snack that satisfies me. Anything else makes me want to munch on more.
Mrs Jim From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for your inspiration and for quoting Meg's post here. It brought tears to my eyes. Five years ago I was a few pounds shy of my goal and loved feeling so powerful at the gym. I'd often spend a couple of hours there at a time and still not want to leave. I loved the way I felt, even more than the way I looked. Then I let everything get in the way and put all the weight back on and then some. I love this site and all the support available. I'm sure it'll help me keep my eye on the brass ring. Thank you again.
Cathyxxx Glucophage is another name for Metformin and is also used to treat insulin resistance in PCOS.
Wanted to make sure that *EVERYONE* (yes, even you, the casual lurker) got a chance to see these awesome posts by LovesBassetts (Thanks to Mel for bringing these to my attention!).
This whole weight loss thing has been 100% mental for me, too, and (like I said) my trainer has REALLY helped me shift my attitude and entire way of thinking about food, exercise, body fat, etc.
A couple of the biggest and best tips she's given me:
1. It's NOT about a number on a scale. It's about how your clothing fits.
2. Protein, protein, protein. Aim for 100 - 140 grams a day.
3. Be consistent. No excuses. If your goal is exercise 3 days a week, DO IT.
One thing she's really good at is asking great "why" questions when I have a complaint, comment, confession, etc. She's now gotten into my head (so to speak), so when I try to talk myself out of exercise or into a cookie, her "why" pops into my head. Example: if I eat something I really shouldn't have and vent to her about it, she says, "Why'd you eat it?" which makes me really think about it...and the answer is usually boredom, stress, or being tired. Then she'll say, "The next time you reach for something to eat, first ask yourself if you're actually hungry. If you're NOT hungry, ask yourself WHY you want to eat it." It's the same thing with exercise. Cardio, actually, which I despise. I was at the gym Friday and DID NOT want to get on the elliptical. I said to her, "I don't think I'll do cardio today." She said (of course), "Why?" I think I snorted and said, "I don't want to." She looked at me and said, "What DO you want?" LOL...and I said, "to be 135 lbs." So I solved that one on my own and got on the darn elliptical . She's just so fabulous about asking just the right questions at the right time to get me thinking about things...I hope that makes sense.
We also talk a lot about why I was heavy to begin with. And again, it's all about the "why" questions: Why did I gain 50 lbs in college? What was is about college that made me eat so much? Why do I hate vegetables and chicken and CRAVE pasta? Why did I never try to lose weight before? Why did I gain another 30 lbs while I was a teacher?
I won't bore you with all the answers to those questions about me, but I WILL tell you that by breaking down my entire life into little sections -- looking at the times when I gained weight, etc., her questions really helped me focus in on the fact that for me stress + depression = self-medication with food + weight gain. I never made that connection before, but she could see it as an objective observer simply by saying, "Why did you gain 30 lbs as a teacher?" and then listening to me babble on and on during our weight session about the correcting, the parents, the administration, and the sheer EXHAUSTION of dealing with 7th graders all day every day...
As I write this, I'm thinking now that these might be good questions to ask YOURSELF and maybe put down into journal form.
She also asks questions like, "When in your life did you feel MOST healthy?" and then of course, "Why? What was happening in your life then that was different?" And looking back at those healthier times in my life has taught me a lot about what I need in my life to BE healthy. If that makes sense...which it probably doesn't...LOL.
ANYWAY...
She also gave me a whole new perspective on the purpose of food. Which sounds mighty moronic, I know. But for me, food was either (a) bad for you but yummy, (b) good for you but disgusting, or (c) a good, loyal friend on a lonely Saturday night . And despite middle school health class, etc. I never *got* the fact that food is fuel. Food was something my mother never ate (she was anorexic), something my father OVER-ate (he was obese), and something I never learned how to prepare beyond the boil-water-insert-macaroni level. But when I first started out and she had me doing food logs, she went over absolutely everything I was and WASN'T eating. So I learned that my desperate need to sleep every day at 3pm was linked to the fact that all I ever ate was carbs. Etc...
I hope I answered your question, Robin...I fear I may have started babbling BIG TIME!!! As usual.
I used to drink something like 4 - 5 cans of regular Coke a day. And mentally I *thought* I needed it. Like I said, I was a teacher, and somehow I'd convinced myself that I needed the caffeine infusion all day -- 2nd period, 4th period, lunch, faculty meeting, the drive home, etc. When I started seeing my trainer, she said, "How many calories are in one can of Coke?" And LOL...I had no idea. And she taught me a concept that was utterly new to me: "empty calories." Being a nutritional disaster area, I'd never heard of that before. Once I realized I was taking in 500 - 1000 extra, useless, empty calories a day I was like "whoah!" and then took her previous advice to cut back.
I've always known what was "right" as far as food, but I never really understood the WHY -- the MATH behind it.
I also drink a ton of tea, usually in HUGE (10 - 12 oz) mugs...and I never thought about the 3 tablespoons of sugar I used to put in each mug. It makes me sound like an idiot, but I was chugging down hundreds of extra calories a day without even thinking about it...until she pointed it out. Again, she'd already suggested Splenda instead of sugar, but to me it was all about the TASTE of my tea. I think I said something like "no one messes with my tea" . But then she showed me the math. And it clicked.
She also emphasized something that a lot of 3FCers say all the time: BABY STEPS. If you try to change everything all at once, you're setting yourself up for failure. So I cut DOWN on the Coke -- I didn't quit cold turkey. I switched to Splenda. I started reading the nutritional labels on food. She taught me that carbs are basically sugar and that protein goes (practically) straight to your muscles.
I also thought you *had* to lose weight before you started weight training. For some reason I had always thought of the "get toned" process as something for thin people. I didn't know muscle burns calories at rest. I didn't know cardio only was only part of the exercise equation.
MOST importantly, I didn't think I could lose weight. I thought it was 100% GENETIC and that I was destined to be fat forever. My biological mother weighs probably 350 - 400 lbs. She needs a scooter to get around because she is so heavy. And I accepted obesity as my fate. After all, I'd ALWAYS been heavy (or so I thought). How could I possibly lose weight when I hadn't ever been thin? I didn't know what thin WAS.
But slowly....very slowly...she helped me to understand that it WAS possible. That I could do it -- anyone could do it with the right nutritional understanding, perserverence, commitment, consistency, and (most importantly) MINDSET. You have to believe you can do it. You have to tell the negative, self-defeating voice in your head to SHUT UP. And this was probably the hardest thing for me. But as long as you believe in yourself, if you trust the process despite the inevitable set-backs and occasional failures you CAN succeed. And it's easy for me to say that, but unbelievably difficult to put into action.
And the last thing I want to say is something that I wish I could shout from the rooftops: getting fit and healthy CAN change your life. When I complained about my weight in the past, friends would say "being thin won't change your life, Kate. You have to learn to be happy with yourself no matter what size you are." And while that's true on one level, I have to say that (for ME, at least) my life has improved 500% since I started losing weight. Telling my self I COULD do it -- and then seeing progress -- taught me I could do lots of OTHER things, too. I quit teaching, sold my house, and moved to the UK for a year to work on my dream of being a published writer. The old, fat, depressed and self-defeating Kate NEVER would have done that...but the confidence I gained by taking control of my life trickled into other parts of my life. I'm now back in school. I've started a new career that I LOVE. And (the best part) is that some of my writing IS published.
So I guess my (very long-winded ) point is that you have to have faith that all this hard work will not only pay off in weight loss, but it has the serious potential to change your life entirely. I have a confidence now that I haven't had since I was 16. I'm living two dreams simultaneously -- my writing career is (slowly) taking off, and I work with animals. I'm not a different person; I'm the "real" me now. And then there's the "superficial" stuff. I'm wearing size 8 jeans. I feel GOOD everytime I'm out in public. I'm happier, more relaxed, and more willing to interact with other people. I take risks now -- I do things I always wanted to do but never did because I told myself "I'm too fat" or "that takes too much effort," etc.
If there is one thing I want to tell EVERYONE, it's that all the work and struggle and frustration is absolutely, positively, without a single doubt, WORTH IT.
Tell yourself you can do it, and you can.
One of the unique things about the 3 Fat Chicks forum - and the reason that I rarely or never post at any other weight loss forum - is the fact that we have SO many *STARS* here with SO much valuable info to draw from.
IMO, LovesBassetts is worth more than a solar system of Kevin Trudeaus, Anna Nicoles, and all of the other 'miracle weight loss system' infomercial peddlers out there *AND a bag of chips*
Mrs Jim From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for your inspiration and for quoting Meg's post here. It brought tears to my eyes. Five years ago I was a few pounds shy of my goal and loved feeling so powerful at the gym. I'd often spend a couple of hours there at a time and still not want to leave. I loved the way I felt, even more than the way I looked. Then I let everything get in the way and put all the weight back on and then some. I love this site and all the support available. I'm sure it'll help me keep my eye on the brass ring. Thank you again.
No problem...anything to help!
I know that one of the HUGE obstacles to surmount in weight loss (or heck, anything that's worth working for!) is "keeping your eyes on the prize".
I know a lot of people just DON'T care for the gym for whatever reason...the intimidation factor...convenience...fear...whatever. One of the GREAT things about a good gym atmosphere, however, is the MOTIVATION to stay on the path towards fitness, weight loss and overall optimal health - (before I became a gym rat, I used to get the same motivational buzz from Jazzercise) since everyone there is (presumably) after the same goals. It's KEEPING that motivational spark through your non-gym/exercise time that's the bugaboo!
(Kind of reminds me of that old Seinfeld episode where he finds out the rental car agency gave away his vehicle: "your problem isn't TAKING the reservation, it's HOLDING the reservation". )
Journaling is a great tool to use to keep your 'eyes on the prize'. If it hasn't been made abundantly clear by now, it's not all those slick infomercial pills or gadgets or whatever that will make you lose weight - it's 90% head games. Getting the old brain in sync...focused on your goal of changing your habits and lifestyle...KWIM?
Hi all I am new to this site. I found Mrs Jim's post to be awe inspiring.
Thanks
Thank YOU! If my experiences and thoughts (such as they are) can be of assistance in finding the right path to healthy changes - that's all the reward and recompense I could ever ask for.
Additionally - I never have done, and do not ever plan to dispense advice for financial gain. As I stated in the beginning - there are no "deep dark secrets" to losing weight - it's a matter of "calories in-calories out" physically, and changing your mindset, mentally. I've seen so many folks write that they 'can't' lose weight like Oprah or other celebrities because they can't afford that pricey personal trainer or that expensive spa or what have you. PLEASE don't let that stop you - it comes down to goal-setting, planning ahead, motivation, and determination to succeed and 'keep on keepin' on'.
I've been trying most of my life to lose weight, but when I do, I can't keep it off. Now I can't stand to look at myself in the mirror. I work full-time and go to school, so it's hard to get to the gym. Could you tell me what has helped you, besides hiring a personal trainer, which I can't afford?
You say you can't bear to look at yourself in the mirror. I can relate. I felt that way every day I was more than 200 pounds. But I also know that you do not need a personal trainer or a gym to get fit. You need a decision. A decision on your part to take action, which means educating yourself about what to eat and making a commitment to start moving—a half mile, then a mile, two miles, one step at a time. My point is this: If you can't find time to work out, then you don't want to lose the weight. It's simply a matter of physics. So ask yourself what you're willing to do. And if you aren't prepared to exercise and cut down on your volume of food as a way of life, stop wasting time feeling bad about your weight and move on to something else.
I think I've said this before, but heck, if I can do this - lose weight and KEEP IT OFF permanently for (OMG!) sixteen years now (and this after being a chubby kid, an overweight teenager and an obese adult - meaning the odds of permanent weight loss were/are REALLY against me) then certainly YOU, or anyone out there, can do it. Without the gimmicks. Without spending money on 'advice' from 'diet experts' on the Internet and infomercials (not saying that there aren't some really great books out there - most of which you can get at your local library, such as Thin for Life by Anne Fletcher or Body for Life for Women by Pamela Peeke both of which are great sources of valid, realistic information).
Nowadays - my life is pretty sweet . I generally start every morning by heading out to the gym for my AM workout - yeah I know it sounds nutty, especially on a freezing cold dark morning - but it ENERGIZES me. Once you get into these HEALTHY habits, they can be very difficult to break, ya know As far as the eating thing...I think I eat like a 'normal person' at this point, although I endeavor to keep a 'clean environment' at home (trust me...this makes it SO MUCH easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle - if you don't have the crap in the house then you're a lot less likely to eat it!). But there are times when I go out to dinner or lunch on business or when I'm traveling - remember that I live in the San Francisco area which is a foodie mecca
If I'm at, say, Chez Panisse (which has a prix fixe menu each night) or French Laundry, I'm not going to ask the waiter to make me a plain chicken breast with steamed veggies on the side - I make sure I enjoy my dinner, and dessert if I want it. Hubby and I even go out for Mexican food or burgers and fries occasionally - I just don't feel compelled to get a large order of fries for myself - we usually just split an order between us, and I usually end up taking the leftovers home (which hubby has for lunch the next day!). It all comes down to retraining your brain, ya know? Instead of eating this stuff most every day of the week, keeping it down to once in awhile as a treat or special occasion. Good food can be a joyous part of life and home cooking can be a symbol of love; I'm reminded of a song written by buddy of my DH's which he wrote about his mom's soul food:
Quote:
...I know something you may not know
what's good for your heart may be bad for your afro
you might live longer but it don't mean a thing
if the food that you eat ain't making you sing
mama's in the kitchen making something to please you
and when she's done ya'll just do it like I do
grab you a plate and a knife and a fork
stay away from them chitlins you shouldn't eat no pork...
A lot of it comes down in the end to BALANCE...balancing the special occasion once in awhile food with your STAPLES of lean protein, veggies, fruits and whole grains. There's a thread started by Meg some time ago in Maintainers called "We're Different" that is worth a read (heck most if not ALL of her posts are worth a read!!!). It might sound "unfair" but really it's not all that hard - just a matter of finding other hobbies in life besides 'recreational eating' and cutting down on the 'eating for pleasure'.
I give myself a 'five pound leeway' - if my weight creeps up by 3-5 pounds or I just feel bloated or whatever (you know, that Aunt Flo visit...) all I do is cut back a bit. The personal trainers at my gym have an easy system - just cut your calories by, say, 200 or 300 a day - the equivalent of 2 or 3 slices of bread - and keep up my regular exercise and the weight comes off fairly quickly and with minimal effort. Pretty easy, yes?
Food is an essential part of life but it's not the only one...okay I'm rambling here...
(PS...just thought SIXTEEN YEARS of permanent weight loss...man...I have nephews and nieces in Jr. High and High School that weren't even BORN yet...amazing how time flies - doesn't seem like that long ago but my life is so rich and full now - not just from losing the weight but that's definitely been a major catalyst!)
It is amazing that you can see the fruits of your labor after 16 years! I realize that time keeps passing me by. It is now the middle of March, and I wonder what I could have accomplished had I started eating healthy in January like I had planned. I know, though, that I don't want to be in this same place in June saying, "I wonder what I would be like if I had started back in March..." Thanks for the motivation. It starts today. As that new song says "Today is where your book begins - the rest is still unwritten" I love it! ~aholden
I'm not 100% sure what it is, but you should try the "watch your portions; eat lots of fruits, veggies, lean meats, fat-free dairy, and whole grains; exercise more; steer clear of refined and heavily-processed foods" diet--it's the only one that's proven to work!
The voice of reason! I very much agree with you. In fact, Monday I had pizza! 3 small pieces instead of 4-5 large. When I want something I know is not that good for me, we buy smaller sizes. Like the pizza. Instead of buying 2 large ones, we bought 2 medium ones and I hope someday that we can get away with small ones. But I still have 3 growing preteens so it's going to be a while for that one!
Hello, new member here, not new to weight loss or gain or loss or gain or.... well you get the picture! I have just found this thread and read a lot of it but... it's really a long thread so forgive me if I repeat any thing already covered. I concur with the search for the magic pill, potion, diet plan, exercise you don't even have to sweat with......... I found the answer to the all comsuming, oft asked question... How to lose weight and keep it off and keep your health too.... My formula is very simple:
"Eat Less + Exercise More = Success" It really is that simple, and I said simple not easy! I can tell you it's not easy, not by a long shot, and I know... believe me I know. I have however, finally found my goal weight at the end of 110 pds loss. I have kept that weight off for 14 years now, easy? NO... but worth the struggle? YES YES YES!! Follow a healthy plan, balanced, lower calorie with in a healthy range for you, exercise daily if possible, or as often as is possible. Find exercise you enjoy, walking is about the easiest and often the best choice. If you can't walk around the block, so what, you start by walking across the room, then out to the curb and back, then to the end of the block and so on till you can walk all you want. Anything you do that is more than you have been doing is success. Don't give up......... You are not a failure till you stop trying. I did this, you can do it to. I tried many, many fast diets, quick fixes, so sure there was something out there somewhere that would melt those 100 pds off FAST, and like someone said earlier in the thread........ I wasted a LOT of time looking for the magic that really was already inside me. That magic is the desire to do this for me, because I want to, I need to. So if you are still skeptical, still looking for some quick fix, please stop wasting time and just do it the right way, it's gonna take some time to lose........ it didn't sneak up on ya' while you slept one night.... it's not gonna go away that fast either. Come on, you can do this. Oh yes, if you are looking for a really great support group, TOPS (take off pounds sensibly) is IT! That's my plan and I'm stickin' to it. There is a TOPS thread here also. If anyone wants to know more I'll be happy to share info on it. Faith and hugzz to you all, Shirlee
You pointed out what we all need to know & hear,but don't always believe.I've tried A LOT of magic potions & wish I had the $$$ back!
I was so happy but had to quit the program( but only gained 24 lbs while pregnant), 8 months later I had my beautiful baby boy. After losing my baby weight I kept it off for a while but slowly over the next 3 years it crept back on and when I got pregnant
) 
(Thanks to Mel for bringing these to my attention!). 
. And despite middle school health class, etc. I never *got* the fact that food is fuel. Food was something my mother never ate (she was anorexic), something my father OVER-ate (he was obese), and something I never learned how to prepare beyond the boil-water-insert-macaroni level. But when I first started out and she had me doing food logs, she went over absolutely everything I was and WASN'T eating. So I learned that my desperate need to sleep every day at 3pm was linked to the fact that all I ever ate was carbs. Etc...
)
. I generally start every morning by heading out to the gym for my AM workout - yeah I know it sounds nutty, especially on a freezing cold dark morning - but it ENERGIZES me. Once you get into these HEALTHY habits, they can be very difficult to break, ya know 
