Hi everyone. I might have posted here before but can't remember. I'm 33, weigh an extraordinary 211 lbs at 5'4" and am so depressed. It's like I know what I have to do, but the immediate pay off of food and beer at the end of a day with the kids just...I don't know...seems preferable? I know that begets more depression, so, I have to get back to where I was--eating reasonable portion sizes and working out. But...I can't stick with it past a week.

Anyone else relate to this?

Regardless, I'm happy to be here! Hopefully if I get immersed in the community, it will give me more motivation to lose this for good.

Hi PinkBee! Welcome to 3FC

I think that's one of the hardest things about dieting. The taste or the good feeling that food gives in the moment is often more important to us than the long term consequences. I got to a point where I still enjoy all the foods I enjoyed before, but I realized that the taste and satisfaction was temporary while the horrors of plus sized clothing shopping was forever

I hope you like it here, and feel free to check out all the areas here. We have everything from age and interest board to specific diet focused boards... it's really a dieter's dream here

I would love to be your buddy. If you want you can email and we can talk about our daily struggles and victories. I am looking for some one to chat with daily. As I am depressed too about my weight.

Thanks for the encouragement, Michi. I remember a quote from Kate Moss (not exactly a paragon of wisdom, but I digress) which resonates: "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels." I'd like to prove her right.

Tara, I appreciate the offer but I'd like to get to know people on the site before jumping into email correspondence. Thanks though!

I can really relate to how you feel. I am hoping the same thing, that somehow by osmosis the encouragement and uplifting stories and even the shared struggles will somehow help me find the motivation I need to get going again. I have figured out one thing though, that it is a lifestyle change and that I need to focus on becoming healthier by exercising and making better food choices. It is only through these gradual changes that I am going to become successful and not by the "quick fixes" I have been trying. Good luck!!

Welcome Pinkbee! Now that you are here do some exploring, get some good ideas for healthy meals and look to other peoples' success here as an inspiration. I totally understand what you feel - total depression, but that depression will never go away if you don't take control of yourself. There is NO pay off from fatty food. It just furthers your depression and guilt over being unhealthy. Take each day at a time and try to make each day count.

I dont have kids so I don't know the added stress/business that may cause but think about eating healthier meals so that your kids are also eating healthier meals & if you can't bring yourself to run or go to the gym, take walks with your kids, or even just alone so you can destress and have some me-time.

I think the most important thing is to focus on each day and worry about making THAT day the best it can be. Long term & short term goals are important but don't set something unattainable if you are having a hard time getting motivated. Just try to focus on each day & how you can make it the healthiest, whether through healthy food, some sort of exercise or both.

Welcome and don't stop coming to this forum - it's a great source of inspiration for me. When I see everyone elses' success all I want is to be able to move my ticker in my signature to a smaller number and that drives me to keep going. The pay off from hard work will be so great! The pay off from being unhealthy is nothing but depression!

ITA. I have been reading Beck's Weight Loss Solution prior to coming here and it's been enormously helpful in changing some of my thinking (thus far)...but nothing works like being a part of a community! Thanks for the support!

Remarkably, I feed my kids all whole foods from scratch. Sure we have treats, but, I make sure they are fed balanced, wholesome foods and get tons of exercise. What's my excuse? I think it's just a matter of skipping meals then overeating, overvaluing certain types of relaxation, honestly...and getting into a rut. Path of least resistance, or something. My son has aspergers, too, so at the end of a day...I guess it's just easier to watch bad reality tv and snack than it is to work out and take care of myself as much as I take care of others.

Thank you so much for the encouragement! BTW, where did you get the tickers? I want!

I agree that the only way to get into the shape we want is to set very short-term goals. I go hour by hour on some days, writing down my victories, and rewarding myself with something small, like a cup of my favorite tea in a pretty china cup.

Also, I have worked very hard on accepting myself the way I am at the moment. The more I focused on self-hate, the more I ate.

I look forward to seeing you here often.

Best,
Marcy

I can't even tell you how much I relate to that. Thanks for the encouragement!

Hi there,

I am brand new to this - I am now 199 lbs at 5'3" tall, 44 yrs old. I can't seem to get the weight off. I wear a pedometer and I have (most days) 6000-7000 steps, so I really need help on how to diet and how to exercise.

My sister is getting married next summer and I am the maitren of honor! Yikes!

Desperate for help!!!!

Go to "Announcements & Forum Help" thread on the main page of this board. Scroll down just a little to the section with "Sticky" threads, its the second one down "the Ultimate One-Stop Signature and Ticker Thread - Read here if you have questions!"

The second post in that thread has a link to getting the tickers! First enter your starting, current and goal weight. Then click next and choose your ticker design. Then copy your ticker code and paste it into your signature which you can edit in USER CP at the top of the screen in the purple tab.

You can do a short and a long term goal like I did & just enter your own "title" above the code in your signature indicating this your long term goal or September goal! Its SO FUN changing your ticker to a SMALLER number!


It's very good that you take care of your kids so well but (and you probably realize this) it's just as important that you take care of YOURSELF for your kids! If you are making them healthy meals you should just eat that too! so you don't overeat or binge later! Nothing is wrong with watching reality tv (I do!) just eat portion controlled snacks like hummus and baby carrots or a piece of fruit or rice snacks - as long as its not just cheetos etc! Again I understand (and don't at the same time) how busy it must be to have kids and try to keep up - just focus on each individual day and try to make that one count as a healthy day! The reason I have re-engerized recently with my weight loss is because I don't want to waste anymore time. There is no joy in being overweight, I feel like I'm wasting my life, my youth, a perfectly good body. Throwing away happiness and confidence for a cheeseburger is the worst idea ever! I went to a bar last night for a friends birthday party and had water with lime only, meanwhile I'm watching my friends eat cheeseburgers, mac and cheese with pulled pork on top (ridiculous), cheese plates, soft pretzels, guzzling beer but I didn't mind. I knew in that moment I had an addiction to food because I caught myself staring at that food like a fiend but I didn't get sad, I didn't feel sorry for myself because I KNOW there is nothing good that can be gained from eating that food. I took a 5 mile power walk yesterday afternoon, there was no way in HECK I was going to ruin that hard work by just having 1 beer or sneaking a few bites of fries. Not worth it!! I want to be happy and healthy and the only thing standing in my way is myself and my weakness for food. I'm saying goodbye to that weakness and saying hello to a strength I know I have inside of me!!