OK - I've been on this 'diet' (which is really a lifestyle change for me) since early June.

I feel like it's all I think about! I wake up in the morning & weigh myself, all day long I'm thinking about what I'm eating, or NOT eating, or what kind/how much exersize I'm going to do when I get home. I'm constantly conscious of how my clothes are fitting (are the feeling looser?) & Enjoy the compliments & comments from the people I see during the day when they tell me I'm looking pretty good (people who I barely know - but see weekly as I am a truck driver) These people hardly said anything to me in the past few years & now I get compliments! (I just tell them Thank you) I have a program that I'm spending a lot of time with that keeps track all the food I eat & my fat/calorie/nutritional intake that I find fascinating, Theres so much information and interesting articles as well as ideas for recipes at that site! At night before I go to bed I have to check myself out in the mirror.... see if there's anything noticeably different that I can see.

Anyway - my point is that I feel like this is it... this is ALL I think about! I don't know how to stop! I don't have any hobbies, I just work a lot (driving, which leaves LOTS of thinking time!). I spend some time with my kids & boyfriend, but the kids are often busy with their friends & my BF works more than me & is often sleeping or just vegging out. You can only clean the house so much, ya know??? LOL

HELP!! What do you guys do to keep yourself occupied or thinking about something other than losing weight??

I read 3FatChicks at work. All day. Really. I guess I obsess too!

Oh I am so there with you!

I am teaching myself Japanese (have been for about 1 1/2 years now) and that really helps- though it may be a bit of an extreme hobby for most people! I've also been doing a bit of crochet lately, I'm teaching myself how to cook (better) and am always on the lookout for new recipies, and I exercise a lot, which I find helps me clear my head.

I think you have brought up a very valid concern. The first time I tried to lose weight I went into it 100%. It was the only thing I did, the only thing I thought about for quite a while. I was successfull, but because my life wasn't balanced I burned out- and burned out hard. I got to the point that I just couldn't even think about eating right and exercising anymore and, of course, the weight came back on and I ended up less healthy than when I began.

My suggestion is just to try a lot of things- you might be surprised at what you end up finding interesting!

I tend to get a little obsessive, too. I was dating a lot when I first started losing weight, and that seemed to fuel a lot of motivation for weight loss. When my dating slowed, my weight loss slowed, so I had to find a way to associate weight loss motivation with something other than 'having a boyfriend'. I feel I've learned how to maintain weight loss during the ups and downs of dating, and now I've learned to maintain weight loss WITHOUT dating, but I find myself obsessing a little more about it.

I agree about finding a hobby. While this health initiative has felt like a part-time job for me (cooking at home all the time, learning about nutrition, measuring and logging food, adding exercise), I look at them as separate activities. Learning to cook is a hobby. Exercising is a different (new) hobby. My life is finally feeling like it's reaching an equilibrium with the changes I've made, and now I feel free to explore some new hobbies. I'm looking into taking hula dance classes, picking up some more database skills for work, and learning to sew.

Wolfena -- You've only just started your journey to a healthy lifestyle eventually it won't be such an obsessive thing but rather second nature to eat healthy and exercise... Plus enjoy those compliments now because once you are at goal the compliments get fewer and farther between. When I first started being interested in my health 30 or so years ago , I wanted to devour every magazine and book I could get on healthy eating, recipes, exercising, weight training. I still do the same, well, just last week I went to the library and took out 10 health, diet and exercise books. I think knowledge is power. I don't think you are obsessive at all!

I definitely support the hobby idea. I think i've talked on another thread about this, but yesterday my mom taught me to sew, and i made myself a cute pair of pajama pants. The whole time i was doing it, not once did i think of food, or exercise, or anything, except this sewing machine, thread, and material in front of me. It was fun! I also have my animals to keep me busy. I have 12 chickens, 3 cats, 3 dogs, and 2 cockatiels. Taking care of them takes a considerable chunk out of my day. And when all else fails...well, I read. A lot. lol

I agree with Ilene (actually I almost always do). You are new at this of course it's flooding your thoughts. If you bought a new car, you'd think about it often too. It'll eventually become more pedestrian as you go along.
There is nothing wrong with your health and well-being being forefront in your thoughts.
A fitness model that I admire says something like ... what others think is obsession, some think is dedication.

I absolutely agree with that ....

When I first started my weight loss journey, all I could think of was diet and exercise. Did I look or feel fatter every morning? What did the scale show? Am I eating enough? Am I eating too much? Am I exercising enough? Are my clothes looser or tighter? Did I forget to log anything on my food journal? After a while, I relaxed a little. Not totally but a little. It just became more natural for me not to think about it 24/7. I still enjoy coming to 3FC's everday and seeing how everyone else is doing and getting the support that I need. I am sure my family still thinks I am obsessed, but since they have never been through this they can't understand. I did lose 90 lbs. before and gained it back and don't want that to happen again. It does get better, but it doesn't go away.

Hear, hear!

Thanks for your ideas..... a hobby, huh?? (Where to find the time!)

I've been thinking of looking for a water aerobics type class - my middle daughter (17 yrs old) would like to join one with me. She's got a 10 month old baby & has yet to lose her baby weight.... in fact has gained quite a bit & isn't feeling too good about herself lately. My oldest daughter (20 yrs old) has a 5 month old baby, and she HAS lost her baby weight, which isn't helping my middle daughter feel too great. (they have TOTALLY different body styles though! ...always have) If she gets into this with me then I'll have someone 'real' to share with!! (of course, thats diet oriented too!!) I haven't really said much to her about her weight gain, only listened... but I don't want her to go through life always feeling fat & ugly as I have much of the time. I'd love for her to be able to lose it soon! (I love her either way, and would NEVER tell her she looked bad or anything- because she doesn't!- but I feel her pain & helplessness in being overweight- it'd be nice to see her smile again instead of feeling miserable when we go clothes shopping together)

I think my boyfriend is getting sick of hearing me discuss what we're going to eat, why I'm buying certain different foods now etc.

I'm kinda worried about him - as HE is the reason we started this! He was diagnosed with high blood pressure earlier this year. His doctor suggested a better diet, more exersize and that it could be a good idea for him to lose a bit of weight (which he said he'd like to do anyway) He was really into it at first, then got the flu & never started back up. I wasn't told I needed to lose weight by a doctor, I just knew I'd gained a bit since we'd been together & WANTED to lose it to feel better- figured it'd be easier for him if I was doing it too instead of eating ice cream while he watched.

I'll have to think more on other 'hobbies' to add to my life too. (other than the internet)

OK - I am now an official member (so's my whole family - daughter included) of the YWCA not far from here... they've got water fitness classes on wednesday nights through the end of summer. They say we can go to the first one free to be sure it's what we want to do before we pay the fee associated with that particular class. Hopefully there'll be more evening or weekend classes offered in the fall!