New, 47, NO IDEA WHAT I AM DOING!
 

Well, I have no idea what to do here. I registered, but can't seem to figure out "what to do next". There seem to be no instructions for those of us who are computer-dummies, like, "click here, old lady!"

I am a breast cancer survivor, and had heart surgery 6 months ago. I've battled compulsive over-eating for COMFORT for years and years. People say, and rightly so, "You've been through so much ... it's understandable why you eat for comfort." I know!

I'm anywhere from 115-188. 188 was my peak a few years ago. I hated myself. I lost 45+ pounds thru' Dr. Phil's diet. I felt and looked gorgeous.

I even got remarried! :angel: He's a handsome, wonderful, trim, fit, athletic husband who loves me and encourages me. Shortly after we married, I gained 30 pounds when my daughter left for college. That was 2.5 years ago. I had horrible depression ... it was like somebody poured cement over my soul. I felt guilty because my new husband is WONDERFUL; but I was so sad to have "lost" my daughter to go away to college. (I had been a single-mom for 15 years after my breast cancer.) I cannot begin to tell you how lonely my heart was for my daughter. Is this what an empty nest really feels like?

My doctor put me on Wellbutrin XL, and I lost 30. I felt happy and awesome. Then heart problems started, and I ate comfort food and gained 20. I skied lots and lost 20. I then had open heart surgery on July 28th. It worked, and I was sent to "Cardiac Rehab", where we had heart monitors, nurses, doctors, and they instructed us on monitoring our pulse during exercise, etc. I lost 5. I felt AWESOME. I had muscle tone, my body shape starting shifting (to the right places, finally). I did this 3 times a week for 6 weeks. When I "graduated" I quit exercising. I've gained 25 pounds since September.

Will I exercise? No ~ too fat. Will I choose "heart healthy" foods? No ~ who wants to eat that junk when people around you are eating "fun, American, festive" foods!? I can't even eat healthy at church!

I think all in all, I've gained and lost what feels like the same 45 pounds about 8 times in the past 6 years. My wedding dress was a size 8. I DESPERATELY LONG to wear a size 6. I threw my size 16s away, and now I wonder if I should go dumpster diving for them. I KNOW THIS CAN'T BE GOOD FOR ME. I know it, but I can't stop eating. I'm seeing a new therapist who is helping ~ but this is SO SLOW. The anti-depressants and heart medicines have me totally (how do I say this on the internet?) constipated. My insides feel TERRIBLE, and that makes me discouraged. So, I drink fiber, I eat fiber, I drink water, I even have a prescription laxative that only produces uncomfortable, embarrassing results.

Wa, wa, wa. I do have my work-out clothes on right now. I AM GOING TO GO OUTSIDE IN THE GORGEOUS COLORADO AIR AND WALK MY BELOVED HUSKY.

I looked at my Dr. Phil book today, which is on the shelf next to the DR. OZ book, which is next to the Suzanne Sommers books, whic is next to the Oprah/Bob Green book from years ago, which is next to the South Beach diet my mother-in-law sent to me.

Her answer is that I eat: 1/2 a banana and 1/2 cup of cereal and nonfat milk for breakfast; Lunch is a salad with no dressing, exercise, and have a chicken breast and green beans for dinner. THIS MAKES ME WANT TO GAG, and run to the nearest Italian restaurant.

It hurts when my in-laws ARE ALL SKINNY. They are all ABLE TO CONTROL WHAT GOES IN THEIR MOUTHS, AND THEY ALL EXERCISE DAILY. They are in their 70s!!! I control the opposite: how many bags of Oreos should I buy? Can I really eat an entire can of cake frosting this weekend without anybody noticing? Where can I throw my fast-food restaurant wrappers away so that nobody will look at me and say, "Did you see what that woman eats in her car!?"

I want to get it together, but I realize fully that it will take incredible determination.

I don't want to die; and I'm afraid that I am killing myself with my foods. Through the total grace of God, I've beaten breast cancer, and beaten heart disease ... am I going to continue to make the choices that cause me to hate myself, look terrible, and feel worse?

I want my husband to be proud. I want him to think that I'm beautiful. I don't want other people to say, "He's so handsome and trim ... why on earth did he marry a fat chic? She's so pretty. It's a real shame that she can't control her weight." I don't want my mother-in-law to snear, "FAT, FAT, FAT" when she sees other women that are MY SIZE. (God, does she not get this?) And lastly, I don't want my daughter to lose her mother to FAT when she almost lost me to breast cancer and heart disease.

I promise, I'm really not as stupid as this probably reads.

Okay. Here I go. I will now go out and walk the door. Maybe that will counteract the cold fried chicken I snarfed down about 45" ago. :(

Welcome
 

Welcome, harpandflute. I am a newbie also. I know how you feel about your daughter. I was a single mom for 10 yrs before I remarried. It was an awful feeling and some guilt feelings when I "lost" my son to empty nesting. He chose not to move with me when I got remarried. He wanted to live in the city and I moved way out in the country. That was 3 yrs ago. And since then he has mobved back to our home state of VA. So I have 1 son 6 hrs away and another son overseas in the military, about 16 hrs. away. So it is a lot of long distance phone calls. I hope all goes well with your health from now on. I am 47 also. I would like to lose about 50 lbs. But I will be extremely happy with a loss of 20 or more. I have gained 50 in the last 5 years. All my husbands good cooking. If you ever want to chat let me know. I just started an exercise program. I try to walk 2 miles a day on the treadmill or outside, weather permitting. I would eventually like to do 4 miles a day. Have you started exercising yet? I find it also helps me to get my mind off my sons for a while. I am trying to count calories. I may do Weight Watchers on my own. Well good luck and hope to hear from you. Please keep us posted. I am going to check and see if there is a place to log your exercises or something on this site.

Take care
2beslim

Hello harpandflute and 2beslim, :welcome: I think you will be happy with the decision that you have made to come to this site. I started coming here in January and now I'm addicted to it!! :cheer: So far I've lost 17 pounds and still have about 47 more to go. I've got the Walk Away the Pounds videos and they have helped me a lot. harpandflute--- I also live in Colorado and we have had so much snow that I decided that I could still get my walks in but just do them in the house!! :running: What part of Colorado do you live in?

You can log your calories, and activities on to the www.fitday.com site -- I use it and it is really easy to use and is also free.

I'm glad to meet you both and look forward to hearing more from you both. Karen

I love Colorado!
 

:hug: I lived in Colorado just a bit up the road from Allenspark years and years ago...like 27 years ago...I'll be 47 in June ladies, so we are a threesome.

H&F, you girl have a body of steel to beat what you have beat. You can beat the food beastie too. I love, love, love food and not just for comfort. I just love it. But it's killin' me. Too much of anything will I suppose! We just have to eat in moderation...all right, all right...I know. If I could eat in moderation, I wouldn't BE in this shape.

I have been registered at 3FC since the first of March and post daily in the Journal section and check in to the Introduction Forum each day to see who is new! So far it is helping me. One, I am not boring the heck out of my immediate family and friends with my DIET PLAN or EXERCISE PLAN...for the umpteenth time because I post my daily progress/backslides rather than talk to them about it. I like it. I like controlling when I talk about IT by posting. I also like reading about others' struggles and achievements. I'm not alone! Yeah. I'm not stupid. Yeah.

I like the You: On a Diet and Bob Greene's latest book. I suppose I use their philosophy and I am counting calories. I walk every day for at least 45 minutes. I have slowly (and I mean slowly) have been adding a little strength training and/or stretching. Some from the YOU book and some from the assortment of very little used exercise DVDs I have.

Good luck Colorado Girls. Keep posting. Keep counting. Keep walking. Keep it up; we're here for you at 3FC.

Finally responding!
 

I appreciated your note. It's great to know that I'm not alone.

Tell me more about your success with Bob Greene. I think I've purchased most every diet book every published; I worry that I will waste more money. I bought Dr. Oz book, Dr. Phil, and the last Oprah book with Bob Green (and the journal!) I went like gangbusters on the Oprah book, and somehow it all dissolved and vanished into thin air! I lost probably 20-35 pounds (several times) with Dr. Phil. I bought Dr. Oz thinking it woudl be "the answer" to my diet woes, but to my health issues with food as well. I tried his smoothies, and they were "quite natural" ... with flax seeds and psyllium husks ... I drank them, they filled me up, they worked; let's just say that a Frappuccino goes down much more easily than sifting all that healthy stuff through my teeth! It also all stuck to the glass!!!!

I'm so impressed with your walking. :carrot: I had to walk for 30" a day, 3 times a week, for my heart surgery recovery. I felt like "Rocky"! My legs were looking really great, and my gut was going away (and my rear end). The minute my 6 week "prescription" was over with, and I left the out-patient therapy center at the hospital, I haven't exercised consistently since. I've walked some. I've skied myself some, and totally exhausted myself trying to keep up with my husband.

I lost a 3-4 pounds over the past 2 weeks. I've gained 2 pounds back. BUT IT FEELS LIKE ABOUT 14 EXTRA INCHES TO MY WAIST AND MY ARMS. Today, I was really discouraged.

Oh well. Tell me more about Bob Greene. I have a $5 gift certificate to Borders, that might help me feel "okay" about the cost! :^:

Ready to Learn More!
 

[QUOTE=2beslim;1608146]

Fantastic on your 2 miles! How long does that you?

For about 20-25 minutes, I ACTUALLY TOOK MY SILLY OL', PRECIOUS, PRECIOUS HUSKY FOR A WALK TONIGHT! It was the FIRST time this year that I've been able to take a walk here in "southern" Colorado without a coat and gloves!

The "welcome" responses were certainly appreciated, everybody! I appreciate (very much!) knowing that there are those women out there that understand about the interesting things that are going on in our lives at age 47! Single parenting, divorce, eating, exercising, empty nesting ... yikes!

I would love to know if anybody has tried hypnosis with any success? It's expensive ... about $140 an hour! That's so much money, but I wonder if it would help.

Getting over the discouragement of having my mid-section flop over my jean's waistband today has been a hard one! My consisted of fast-food Italian that I ate in the car between seeing 1 doctor and then driving to my therapist! I did stop when I got full, and saved the rest for dinner. I did, however, eat 6 rice cakes this evening. I guess that won't kill me; but I still feel guilty when I want to keep chewing and tasting! One would think that the red marks left on my belly from my 2 sizes too small jeans would've encouraged me to NOT want to eat this evening. But even as I write this, I'm hungry and wondering, "Hmmmmm, I wonder what 'perfect' food I could find for breakfast that would simply make my life complete! I guess I best plan when I'm going to exercise tomorrow, eh?

Thanks,
harpandflute @ 172 pounds today

Hi Ladies, I guess we all have a love affair with food going on! Problem is, it doesn't love us back. And I refuse to love something/one that doesn't love me! So, i'm trying, once again, to lose and finally find a way to keep the weight off. It only gets harder and your metabolism only gets slower. Why waste one more day not living life to the fullest?

Besides looking better (obvious) there are so many more benefits to eating right and exercising. I just attended a seminar on diabetes and weight. The Dr. said that eating well and getting enough exercise was better than medication for controling diabetes! Plus all the other health benefits. I don't want to end up old, on a bucket full of medication, and fat!! We have the option to change things.

Can I join you on this quest for health and fitness?

Finding Balance!!!
 

By all means ... let's 47-something year olds need to join and conquer! :carrot:

Hey, where is everyone? Lets keep in touch and work through this together! I know I can't do it alone.

Where is everybody!? It's Monday!
 

Hi! Here I am! Today I had trigger point injections into my neck area to help with severe neck pain that I have because of my Harp and Flute career! I have spent the weekend working on:

1. What I don't like about my weight/body: then turning those statements into POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS that describe the RESULTS THAT I DESIRE.

2. I wrote them onto bright yellow index cards, and carried them with me to the Surgi-Center.

3. I actually took the dog for 2 walks this weekend! :carrot:

In the past, when I'm in pain: I binge. When I have been anxious/panic-stricken in the past, I binge.

After reading my affirmations before bedtime and again before the procedure, I have actually had NO desire to binge. The thought crossed my mind after the surgery that chocolate chip pancakes would've been a nice "reward" for having done well at the hospital, HOWEVER, I had no desire to go out, eat, or binge. I came home (this is so weird for me!) and fixed some steel cut oats, and even weirder, I put vanilla nonfat soy on it and a touch of cinnamon sugar!

I feel victorious in more ways than one. I'm more than happy and eager to keeping checking this thread, it just didn't seem like the gals who had originally responded were checking this thread any longer.

Hang in there today! It can be won!
Teri

Hello All,

I am home sick today and bored but too sick to go to work and infect everyone I work with...

I am too a newbie to this website...and I will be "real"...I am not good with internet and websites period...so all of this is really new...I am a single support parent (to one perfect daughter) since she was 8 months old...she will be turning 23 years old in October 2007...

We have an awesome relationship and she currently commutes to university but within the next 1-2 years she will move to be closer to law school...at that I time I anticipate that she will move in with her boyfriend...and I will be an emotional mess...

I feel that pressure of this...and...I fear that old clique/urban legend... that I will become the weird old woman who lives down the street in the huge "Norman Bates" home...alone with a bunch of cats...

Also thrown into this semi irrational fear...is the fact that I will continue to care for my aging mother...

So I have decided to practice what I preach (I am a children's social worker) and be patient...and I will get healthy by not focussing on losing weight but getting healthy...I don't like this...NOPE...not one little bit...I want to be healthy now and get it over and done with...Also, I am a very cheap so I refuse to spend a ton of money...I figured that I have pretty much dieted for about 35 years of my life and I have probably lost at least one average size man (175 lbs)...and...I have probably spent one years worth of salary to the lose weight that I am here to lose again...so I decided in January 2007 that I will not spend any money losing weight this time...Naturally...I decided this after I bought the Bob Greene book and journal...oh yeah I won a pedometer and so I decided to buy a better one ($10)...I am even exercising on my own and not spending $$$ at atheletic clubs...

Good Luck to all including me! We are worth it and we need to start believing it!

Hurray for new beginnings
 

Day #2 of making the best choices I can ... putting myself "out there" in a more positive way ... and looking for the happiness, joy, peace, hope and victory from this prison of food I've built for myself over the past ... 30 years!

I'm a little hungry, and I'm trying to lean into that feeling and make the conscious realization that when my stomach growls, I, in fact, will not die. Amazing, huh? I have eaten 3 squares of 60% dark chocolate ... because Dr. Oz suggests is, and of course, I reread that in April's "O" magazine. Gotta love that. In my "old" frenzied state of "dieting" I would've already downed the next 6 squares. Today, I choose to taste the chocolate before swallowing and savor it. I choose to leave the rest of the chocolate neatly tucked in its' gold foil wrapper for the next 2 days. I FEEL SO EMPOWERED CLOSING THAT CHOCOLATE WRAPPED IN FOIL!

I also ate a leftover chicken fajita in a home-made flour tortilla ... fat and all. But, I reheated it, tasted every bite, and then put the rest of those fabulous tortillas in the refrigerator. Last week, I would've buttered and salted them before I crammed them all into my mouth.

I've chosen water with lemon today too. That feels victorious over the $4.99 I spent yesterday for decaff, sugar-free, non-fat something at Starbucks. :D So, today, I have an extra $4.99 for new clothes and I drink sip it away through a green straw.

And, now, feeling rather "Wow, I'm really rocking with this new concept today", I will go walk my lovable, devoted, Husky. :carrot:

Hello, all! :wel3fc:

It sometimes gets slow in the Introductions forum--try branching out to the others. "Goals" is always inspiring.

About the food--harpandflute--the meals that make you want to gag and run for the Italian :lol: --there are some types of food that have to be off limits, but it's not forever. You can add them back slowly later on. But most of us find we can't eat unconsciously and expect to keep the weight off. So, think of it as a change of lifestyle, not as a diet. I'm sure you know the whole bit, considering your health history.

Good luck, everyone!

Jay

Hi All, I totally agree that this is not a diet, it's a life style change. Who among us hasn't tried every new diet out there and lost some weight only to regain that and more? I have realized I can never eat the way I did before, that is what made me fat! That doesn't mean I can't eat well and enjoy food. I just have to make choices. And i choose to eat healthy food. I think we are all at the cross roads of life when changes are going to make a difference in the way we live. Do we intend to be those sick old people who can barley get around or do we intend to be "older" people who enjoy life. I have grandchildren who expect me to play, run and I intend to be there for them. No food is more important than that!

Hello All,

To "The Slim Me"...so true...that really struck home...I have always made awesome choices in my life but oh how I have struggled with my weight!

I have noticed a couple things after I reached 45...and now I really use these as a mantra...and...I think about these at the same time as I think to Bob Green's hunger scale...OR...When I am really upset, angry, bored, sick, angry, moody and just looking for any excuse to blow my healthy life choices and eat my heart out...and since January 16/07 I have been making some really healthier choices about my life (exercies, food, water).


1. I have such a problem saying no to people who ask me to help them out a work or to do things that I simply don't want to do...and when I don't say no it is generally to my detriment...so really what I am saying is that I don't matter or count as much as the people that I say yes to...SO...I started saying NO...and that includes to me!

*The other day I made homemade chicken soup (with homemade chicken broth)...I make it traditionally Polish the way my Babcia did...So there I sat looking at this bowl of chicken skin which I would normally loved to have eaten but I removed all of it and did not eat any...Huge major break through as I don't have a sweet tooth...I have a fat tooth (Polish heritage love those Pierogi and Kolachky)...and I was really satisfied with myself for being able to do that...

2. I am an immensely strong, independent and courageous woman so why can't I get a grip of this one aspect of my life...I put myself through 5 years of university (including graduate school) and worked to jobs and raised my daughter by myself...so surely I can stop at one portion, or dance to one extra song, or stop eating 2 hours before bed...As there really is always tomorrow and I can eat then...

3. If I don't give myself a pat on the back and indulge myself every once in a while (stay up late and watch trashy old movies) no one will do it for me...

4. And lastly, I am an emotional eater...So What...get over it...lots of people life with much more adversity in their lives so pick up a book or drink some water...or just have one **** of a good cry...but move on!

Just wanted to share...I am really finding this a huge help looking at this website and reading other peoples thoughts..

Thanks So Much for listening...

And Powodzenia!

I think we are all making some life changing break throughs here! We will not DIE if we don't have what we want RIGHT THIS MIN.!!!! We are strong women except in the one area of our lives that makes a difference between sickness and health. We have to take better care of our bodies. We owe it to ourselves and to the ones that love us. We can make the decision each day to make it the best it can be. Today I am making that decision. I will eat to nourish my body. I will exercise to make it strong. I will love myself.

Hey you are so inspirational! I just joined this morning and have gotten so inspired by the comments and threads people are writing. I am going to be 40 in May and really need to make a differnce in my life, myself and make a healthier me for my daughter and husband. I have felt so alone about being overweight but clearly I am not! it's so good to know!

I'm watching a really interesting show on TV about "the Fat Flush Plan". I think it really makes a lot of sense. The author says that if you eat 35 gms. of fiber a day you will lose 23 lb. a year withough doing anything else. It also keep you feeling fuller longer, helps with the insulin resistance. So I guess Grandma really knew what she was talking about when she said to eat lots of fiber!

Hey All,

How is everyone particularly Cleveland...this is such a supportive place to be...especially when you are home sick (I went to the clinic and I have a flu like virus...so I am off the rest of the week)...

"The Slim Me"That Fat Flush plan isn't that were you take some fibre pills instead of say eating to bunches of celery?

Before I joined this website I went on google and searched weight loss websites and I was inundated with so much pay this...buy this...and you will look like this goregous model is 6 weeks...I was so disillusioned...does this fibre thing look reasonable to too good to be true?

I decided the other day to add figs to my snack list because they are full of fibre...but I swear I still need to limit myself...I could eat a sack of those little suckers and I wouldn't necessarily be any fuller than I am when I drink water...

How is everyone staying full?

Tomorrow is my weigh day and I am nervous...I have been home ill all week and I don't feel good about the weighing in...I haven't been drinking enough or eating enough or moving enough...I have really been just a big old slug moving from my bed to the couch and back again...

Hope everyone is doing well...Have a good one....

I got signed up with FitDay. Looks like if I keep up with my life style there I am going to learn a lot about my eating habits. I already feel guilty about some of the food I ate today just because I had to write it down! :o
I think I might go for another walk this evening. It's not too cold here in Cleveland. maybe one day spring and summer will get here!
I love all the emoticons we can put in our posts.

Hi, I'm new, 56, down from my all-time high of 222 of 2003(?), but I'm back to 211. My HS reunion is coming up 6-23-07, and I want to get down to 187. That doesn't seem too unrealistic for 3 months, does it? Two years ago my thyroid stopped working, but it's under control, only now I get cramping in my legs when I exercise, which is kinda scary, since my stationary bike used to be my good friend. Anyway, it is kind of hard to do this website. The one I'm used to is Leaky Lounge (a Harry Potter discussion site), which seems much easier to navigate than this one.

I don't know how to do anything here. But I would like to thank Karen31 for her link to the www.fitday.com site. I joined that one, too, figuring it'd help me keep track of things.

Harpandflute, I'm a pianist & singer, though not that active right now. Good to see another musician!

Hello to all here, I am 48, and I promise my story is so close to harpandflute, hopefully we can all keep in touch and motivate each other, and do the darn thang.....

Hi All, Kimush, sorry to hear that you'e sick. Hope you feel better soon. No, that fat flush plan is not fiber pills, it's just chooseing the right food. I just listened to the program on TV, I still haven't got the book, but I do try to eat a lot of fiber anyway. Have you tried the new Fiber One bars? They taste great and have 9G of fiber and are 150 calories. they also make Fiber one crackers but I haven't tried those yet.

Fattofit, I had problems with my legs cramping when I first started walking too. I remember walking up to the end of my block and I had to sit down my legs hurt so bad. But they get stronger and don't cramp any more. I walk 30 min a day on the treadmill and i'm looking forward to walking outside soon! You do need to stretch your legs after you walk too. A Dr. at the hospital gave me this easy one. Stand about 2 feet away from a wall and put your hands on the wall. Lean forward keeping your feet on the floor and hold that position. It helps.

:wave: I'm a lurker here. I'm not 47 til September. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.;) But I like to see what you folks are up to.

Hey SusanB
How's life in Ontario? I've never visited there. Looks like your cadio and weights combination is working for you!

Well, it's raining and hailing here this morning. I have been in Ohio. You have to go through Ohio to get just about anywhere. When the kids were small we took them to Dayton to the airplane thingee ... it was a fun trip.

Yup, my plan works well. Now if I would work it well .. it'd probably do some more good. ;)

I think Dayton or Lima will be my new home come next year, after hubby retires AF.

Hi all and welcome! :welcome2: I saw this thread early this morning. I am also like you ladies entering my 47th year in August. I've been at 3FC for about 2 months or so and find the information on here wonderful. There's so much that it is confusing so when I find threads that I like, I just add them to my favorites so they're easier to find.

Harpandflute - wow, you have overcome TONS in your life. I so hear you about the food, though. I have been a closet eater forever. Somehow I guess I think that if no one sees me eating a party bag of m&ms that the calories won't stick! What dopey, half-baked reasoning is that??? Don't know, I just know that my hardest time for the food part has always, always been at night. Mindless munching and mindless TV; God they go hand in hand, don't they?.

I gained most of my excess poundage after my kids were born. Got back to my normal 130 lbs. after the first was born but forget about after the 2nd and 3rd. After my son (2nd kid) was born, I gained 10 lbs. due to stress eating (bags and bags of sunchips -- really crunching them hard) Oh, and my husband got laid off and his new job he worked 4pm-12am. We "knew" something was off w/our son but doc after doc said the usual "all babies are different" crap. Well, after countless doctors we finally got the dx (but not until he was 6) we'd figured out on our own - atypical autism. Behavior problems out the wahzoo. He's 13 now. On a scale of 1-10 the stress factor was (and frequently still is) a 15. So . . . I ate. Oh, and I'm a wonderful cook and baker so double whammy for me!

Anyway, long story short I'm trying to get a total of 40+ lbs. off. What I've found this time, thought, is support. This site is just full of info. Read, read, read and then some. What I found this time around, and what I've always believed, is that this whole weight loss/eating right/ lifestyle change is about 90% mental. I knew at Christmas that I had to do something 'cause I literally thought I was going to blow a gasket. So I mentally got myself ready. Weeks of pep talks and positive thinking before I changed anything. Thought about it alaot. The not eating at night was by far the hardest but after the first couple of weeks of just doing it, it actually got easier. I've also done tons of reading and have changed the way (in addition to the what) I eat. I grew up w/the "1200 calories a day" diet mentality. I've thrown that out the window. I eat about 1500 calories a day -- some days more, some days less. I eat every 3 hours or so to pop my metabolism. I try to eat the good stuff -- we all know about the protein, good carbs and fats, and tons of water. Now when I first read the "frequent, small meals" stuff I thought "ooo goodie; pop on the doritios feed bag and have at it". Uuuuhhhh, no. I'll take my total calories for the day and divvy them up into 5 or 6 smaller meals. For exercise I started out on the treadmill walking then running. Ok, I thought it was running. Ummm, a slow jog is more like it. Got bored out of my skull doing this for nearly an hour M-F, for 7 weeks or so. So about a month ago I stopped and started lifting weights. AWESOME is the only word I can use to describe how much I enjoy weights. Had tried them briefly in the past but never lasted more than a week or two. I've added a 3 day treadmill run - yes, really running - back in but change the pace constantly - faster overall pace then intervalling up really fast for 30 secs then back down, off and on throughtout the workout - and am only on the thing for 30 minutes. Walk the dog as frequently as possible. And it is slowly, slowly starting to work.

I've learned (again, alot of it from this site) to constantly tweak, change and improve whatever I'm doing. If I start to feel like I'm in a rut, whether it be the food or the exercise or both - I'll change something. I've also learned that you can have your homemade chocolate cake with frosting and eat it too; just not the whole thing at one sitting! :D Work it into your days calories and enjoy it! :D

I hope you stick around here. I've joined several threads and frequently the people fade away. So I find new threads! I'm around for the long haul.

Jo

Great words of advice. I have issues eating at night too! It takes 21 days to form a habit so I know I can get my weight down if I try and also with the support of other 3FC-ers. I hope to get back into the swimming pool in the next 6 weeks. It's great exercise! At the moment, I am just trying to walk 30 minutes twice a day. Anything to not be so sedintary! Also, reading these threads and reading the success stories reminds me that WE CAN DO IT! It is so good to know I'm not alone out here!

Hey All,

FatToFitVirgo...Hey Welcome...I commend you and I think that you will do it...I can't get the hang of exercise...it is like a great unexplored wonder of the world for me...so what I have decided to do is I wear a pedometer and I need to have 5000 steps per day and if I don't get there I dance crazily (full of vim and vigor) to several really up beat songs...I want to next start with an exercise tape (sweating to the oldies) and then next start to walk 2 km daily...but right now I am really happy getting in my steps...a friend of mine had back surgery (discectomies and fusion) and he lost the use of one leg almost entirely (due to his sciatic nerve being severed to stop pain) but he regained the use of that leg (it is still numb) by swimming and doing water areobics/exercises...he would do 1 hour combined swimming everyday...that was over 2 years ago and he now walks 2 kms and swims everyday (in the winter he mall walks because he lives in Hamilton Ontario and they really get alot of snow/ice)...also FitDay that you joined has the activity area where it tabulates your house work/activities of daily living into calories burned...now that is terrific idea...

Susan B/FindingMe2...WELCOME...We could be neighbours...I am from Brantford Ontario...and we also had some rain...my ears are plugged up so it did sound a tad bit more powerful than normal so maybe we had hail also (I was lying on my couch napping since I have been ill and up all night)...

"Is That Really Me" ...Welcome...I commend you on listening to your gut and perserving against what professionals think... that is what I had to do with my daughter... I lived in **** for 9 months when the doctors told me that my daughter had a possible brain tumor (you never hear the word possible) and GOD bless she doesn't and didn't but it took 9 months and trips to so many specialists in Toronto and London ...This is good place to be and feel understood... I am a children's social worker so my job is very stressful and I work long crazy hours... I gained 50 lbs from November 15, 2004 till January 16, 2007 as a result of quitting smoking and not saying NO to myself... I thought I can't lose weight and quit smoking... so I picked a quit smoking date 1 year away... I thought that I would spend 1 year getting my body ready and train and lose weight first...but I didn't...so my quit date came (8 friends from work all quit at the same time)...and I smoked one entire package in 10 hours (my last package) and then when I got ready for bed... and I never smoked again... I used Nicorette gum when I needed something to get the edge off (at work never needed it at home)...and then I gained and gained and...I don't know it was like I was "playing house" and "pretending to diet" because that is what Society says you should do...so on Jan 16/07 I was watching Oprah and Bob Greene was on and talking about his new book so I tried all his changes first (3 weeks of just trying it out before I bought the book and journal) and then I bought the book and then I modified his life plan and made it my life plan...

I weighed in this morning and I very nervous because I have been ill all week and not eating or drinking the way I should and I still lost 2 lbs...so I am in fine spirits...

Hey Cleveland...Good that is more natural and not one of those eat a pill and drink a potion and we will look like a model...my daughter has irritable bowel and she is prone to constipation and she is a vegetarian therefore she monitors every ounce of fibre she takes in because she becomes very ill if she doesn't eat specific amounts of specific types of fibre (bran vs veggie)...if you get the book/program tell us what it is like and how reasonable...also if you need recipes to increase your fibre that are natural she has a lot that she has modified so that they are healthy and fibre filled...the one thing that she eats is an "All Bran" bar if she hasn't made homemade muffins/loaves as they are high in bran fibre...

Who wants a little laugh...to brighten their day? I told my daugther about this website and that I may need some help with book making stuff on it...so I logged in...she asked my why I was in a 47 year old website...so I said...Hello I am 47 years old...can't go to the 30 year old website...and my daughter stared at me and ruffled my hair and reminded me that I just turned 45 in November and I am in the 46th year...not my 47th year...you can tell that I am a social worker...but I think that the flu bug/virus just inhibited my ability to do math...that is my story and I am sticking to it...

Have a great day everyone...talk later!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: And I thought I was the only one who did that!! When I first read the topic of this thread I thought "ooo, that's me, I'm 47". After an hour or so it suddenly dawned on me that I won't be 47 for almost 6 months! (I'm still sitting here thinking "wait, is that right?"!!). When I was 22 and went to Atlantic City, NJ w/friends they carded me at the door of the casino (I used to get carded waaaaaay after all my friends did). I told the guy I was 18. Everyone looked at me like I was nuts. Ooops, I meant I felt like I was 18 I guess! I frequently forget my age. Wonder if it's age related? :dizzy: :lol:

Congrats on the 2 lbs. down!

Jo

OK. I confess I'm NOT 47 but will be 40 on May 1. This thread seems so much mroe appropriate than the 20-Somethings or 30-Somethings!
Also, I had pizza for dinner. I felt so guilty that I went on a walk just now. 30 minutes but I feel mentally better than if I had just read a book or watched TV with the pizza in my tummy. Besides, while I have nice weather here I have to take advantage. Do you know Cleveland has more rain and/or cloudy days than Portland Oregon?

I am new and don't even know how to do my signature... help!

Hello Guys...

Oh Cleveland pizza for dinner is a good thing...dairy, grain, fibre, veggies, protein...

What my daughter does is makes a whole wheat crust and then veggies...and cheese...

Or you could take one of those whole wheat pitas...and brush a minimual amount of olive oil on it, and put fresh garlic, and some fresh veggies and salsa and you do have a guilt free perfect sized pizza...

Sometimes...I think that I should write my own book and put real normal useful recipes in it...I found this recipe the other day for a different way to make fish that had orka and arugula and zuchini...what an awful mess...I didn't make it...but just the combination of those 3 things makes me think bad thoughts...

You did okay and then you exercised which was better than I would have done...I would have wallowed around instead...

Is That Really Me I am always the most surprised at my own birthday parties as I always think that I am a year older ...when I was turning 44 I was really upset and bummed out as I thought that I was turning 45..."just goes to show you...it is always something...

Perimenopausal awakee's??? Ugh!

Hi Kem and :welcome2: To do a signature, first sign in then click on the "User CP" link at the top left of this page. Then click on "Edit Signature". You can pretty much follow it from there. I think there is also a link on the edit signature page that takes you to an exercise ticker.

Jo

Hi Kem and :wel3fc:

You are going to like this website once you get the hang of everything. Are you subscribed to this thread? You can get sent an email when there is a new message. (Not every new message just until you log back in.) Does that make sense?
You might want to check out Fitday too. You can log your calories and physical activity in there and watch your progress.

SusanB - What? Perimenopausal awakee's? I'm not there yet......

Hey All, Hope everyone is having a great day!

Cleveland...It has taken me forever to get the hang of this...and I am still not there... Because that whole email you can get for new responses confused the heck out me...(it sounds suspiciously like math but I will keep my mind open)...How and where do I figure this one out?

Susan B I think that I may fit into that group...and... with being ill and sleeping/napping all day and evening my sleep is really messed up...you haven't said where you are from I am from Brantford...I could be your weight obsessed neighbour...

Seaforth .... it's between Goderich and Stratford.
I'm seriously trying not to nap today. The temptation is great tho'.

Hey Susan B...we are not that close I don't think...the whole geography thing...it is as bad as my math...

But I hear you...Since I have been off ill this week all I have done is sleep and nap...