Hi, Cuddlebug! I don't pipe in often these days but I just wanted to say CONGRATS on quitting smoking! If you can do that, you can do anything! Nicotine is more addictive than heroin, but if you are determined you can accomplish just about anything! My mother quit smoking 2 years ago- mainly because of severe (and expensive) dental issues. She had smoked 2+ packs of unfiltered cigs for decades, and was never interested in quitting, but she did it, and I am so proud of her, plus her house and clothes smell much cleaner!! I think she is proud of herself, too, though she is a self deprecating type.
I also commend you for getting the unhealthy or fattening foods out of your fridge. You will read people here talking a lot about "trigger foods," that we have a hard time avoiding or eating sensible portions. My main one is pasta. Pasta is not a bad food in itself, but a 2 oz "portion" is 200 calories, and I can't seem to eat less than 1/2 a box (8 oz)! And I used to eat it several times a week. I just don't keep it in the house anymore. I try to keep most of my meals veggie-heavy. I like to cook and I love veggies, so that helps, but it still takes some planning. I don't like to clean or do dishes, so that is part of my struggle. If my sink is full of dirty dishes I am less likely to prepare a healthy meal at home.
Anyway, I'm babbling. But I'm so glad you found this site and you are making great steps to getting healthy!!! You have to ignore the nasty voices, especially any that are in your own head. You are headed in the right direction! No need to rush, as people have said, take baby steps. Set yourself up to succeed with small (but meaningful) goals.
Read a bunch of the "goal" stories, and keep posting here- your courage and your success are inspirational to others, too!!!
A year is made up of a lot of days. Keep plugging along and in a year you will have so much more energy for your grandkids and for yourselF!
Most of all, thank you for sharing your story. You are going to do this!!
Hey Cuddlebug! Welcome to the community! I'm a bit more of a lurker than an active poster here usually, but your post really got me and I had to pitch in my support with the others.
First of all, a massive congratulations on giving up smoking. I've never smked, but my mum is a massive smoker and she's never been able to permanently cut down, never mind quit. From what i understand, giving up smoking is a lot harder than losing weight (ex-smokers please correct me if that's not true, haha!) so I think you've made the biggest step already... and of course you were lucky enough to stumble upon this fantastic forum. Everyone here is super supportive and will help you every step of the way. Last year I lost 30lbs and this site helped me to stay motivated - every week I looked forward to typing in a smaller number on my ticker, even if it was just 1lb.
As for more local support, where are you based? Many GP surgeries in the UK at least offer free admission to free, government-run healthy lifestyle programmes, which I joined last year. They usually consist of nutrition education classes and physical activity groups once a week. Get in touch with your GP and ask if anything like that is offered. Something like weight watchers might also be an option, though when I was younger I was so broke I didn't have the money to join a commercial group like WW.
Also also, I find what inspires me is watching the Biggest Loser. Not because I want to work out hard for five hours every day like they do (who else does that, realistically?!) but because I see their transformation episode by episode. The trainers are amazing, and Jillian Michaels is my hero. You can watch Biggest Loser episodes here if you want to give it a look: http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/i.../season_2.html
I wish you all the best, and you gotta let us know when you get on that plane next year!
Way to go, Cuddlebug! That's a great strategy getting rid of foods that are too tempting right now. You arrived here last week and told us you had no idea where to start and look at the great things you've done for yourself in just a short period of time. You go girl I think you seriously underestimated yourself!
You mentioned you're not ready to journal, but you can certainly do it here. Post your successes, your struggles, your menus, whatever will help keep you focused. You'll get great support and honest feedback ( including the occasional )
Keep taking those small steps in the right direction and before you know it you'll be far down the path to a healthier you.
Remember, any step forward is a step in the right direction. Baby steps means progress. Set a 5 lb goal and work towards it. It will add up quickly enough. I flew the to Philippines at my heaviest, and it was not comfortable, but all I could think of was all of the fun, new experiences I was going to have.
They say don't sweat the small stuff, as in the end, its all small stuff. Take each day as an opportunity and have faith in the strength that you have.
Kudos to you for quitting smoking! This is just another step to show the strength that you have.
We're all here for the same purpose, but many hands to catch us if we fall. Just remember that any effort, is 100% better than none. It doesn't go on overnight and it won't come off overnight, but each day is a new day
</sappy sentiments>
Go Get it girl, you deserve it. It's a big step in and of its own to plan the trip. Now, just think of this in the same manner as packing. Think of what you want to take, and move forward to shed that which you want to leave behind.
Cuddlebug,
Just checkin' in with you and hoping you've found a forum or two on this board you can call home because you have a really nice way with words! I'm sure your input/presence is welcome anywhere!
Cuddlebug (love the name!) - Two things occur to me after reading your post:
1. Quitting smoking is said to be the hardest thing to do. You've proven you have that willpower! That's amazing and that means you can do this, too. Hopefully your back is better soon. Have you seen the sub-forum 'dieting with obstacles'? You may find an extra layer of support there among other dieters dealing with diabetes and other health issues.
2. All those obnoxious insulting people you heard on You Tube have problems, too – invisible problems (except for their bad manners!). That's the difference between overweight and normal weight people. You can’t usually tell by looking at someone if their problem is drinking, compulsive gambling, drugs, whatever. But you can tell if someone's weakness is food. Not fair but something to keep in mind.
I hope things are going well for you and you have found a plan that works for you.
I am going to suggest something if you have a kindle. Go to amazon.com and check out The carb Sensitivity Program. I wish I had discovered it years ago.
I hope you are able to make the trip your very good friend offered you. But more so I hope you recover your health.
Milly1, pucedaisy, Marchmallow, mahtha, Tai, RandomPaige, EatMoreCelery, Mountain Mamma, patns,
Omgosh I am overwhelmed to say the very least....first let me thank everyone for your amazing support and secondly, please forgive my lack of posts....I have been away....as my granddaughter the day after my last post approx....had a hot water bottle explode over her....and to make a long story short, was flown to the childrens burns unit in sydney by air ambulance :'( ...I have not been near a computer to update everyong...I am sorry...
Milly1,
Your strength to be able to keep those foods in the house because of others is amazing to me...I dont know I could be that strong...just wow...your idea of replacing those bad food for me with fruit and vegetable is a good idea (whispers..."and I do love fruit" ) ...Please forgive my not replying sooner...Huge hugs and cuddles...hmmm HUGGLES grins
pucedaisy,
Oh wow..thank you for your kind words of encouragement....I hope my family will be as proud of me as you are of you mother....as you know..its not an easy job to give up smoking...gosh she is amazing...and so are you for being so encouraging and proud of her...yes you have given a name to my pain I believe..."trigger" foods....omg I have so many of them...things that are ok in small amounts...but when I have a small ok amount...I just cant stop...again thank you, thank you, thank you..your kindness will be an inspiration to me..HUGS you huge
Marchmallow,
Oh please give your mother a huge hug for cutting down smoking and tell her how wonderful you think she is and brave....even cutting down is so hard....and one day with your support I know she will quit completly...and thank you for your wonderful words for me ... I have to agree with you about how wonderful and supportive everyone here is.. (.including yourself...I would love to give you a huge Hug.... ) ......omgosh I love watching biggest loser too...I just dont know how they do all of that exercise and lose so much in so short a time without having a heart attack O.O ...but i do love the show... I think I will have to try and find help too even if it is just my GP a very good sugestion ..thank you...hug HUGS
mahtha,
Yes I will find somewhere here to post..I feel guilty taking up space here where all the wonderful new people are posting ....I dont think I can do this without wonderful people like yourself helping me along the way....and kicking my butt when I need it too ..... HUGS huge ..( I love your little cheer leaders giggles )
Tai,
Thank you for thinking of me...I need all the good thoughts and friends that I can get...it means more to me than you know that you and others are thinking of me Hugs you
RandomPaige,
You have given me a lot of 'food' for thought....particularly about baby steps...I guess it has taken a lot of years to become this big and so unhealthy..so small steps to become healthy once more and time...You have also made me think about the trip...gosh....you did the trip and enjoyed it and how brave of you .. I have to be brave too..and enjoy what life gives me and be thankful..and brush aside the fear and discomforts .. Everything you have said to me makes so much sense .. HUGE hugs and thank you
EatMoreCelery,
I havent had a chance to find somewhere here to post and call 'home' yet...but I do need too...and I will post in here and let everyone know where ..thank you for your support ..it really does mean so much to me HUGS HUGS
Mountain Mamma,
Thank you so much for your kind and wonderful words...you sound like an amazing and intellegent person... I will certainly have a read of the sub-forum 'dieting with obstacles' and a couple of others as for those who said horrible things on youtube etc...yes ...who knows what issues they may have... it is sad they have to make others feel bad to feel good themselves .. but here I have wonderful people like yourself ....huge HUGS
patns,
Giggles I have not kept up with technology, but after checking it out..I can see that a kindle would be right up my alley..love reading ... once I have saved up for one I will most certainly look up "The Carb Sensitive Program"...I need all the help I can get .. Thank you ...HUGS
Well ...I am sorry if my gramma was off or my spelling...I have been so stressed over my grand daughter and her burns that thinking straight is difficult at the moment...I will try though to find a spot on forum to call home and for now will come in when I can.... love you all ..HUGS HUGS HUGS
Hello Cuddlebug!
I just stumbled across this, this morning. CONGRATS on quitting smoking! I thought it was going to kill me 4 years ago...clearly it didn't. You're a beautiful, worthy person who is capable of making anything happen! One step at a time!
Hey Hey Cuddlebug, welcome! AWESOME SUPER AWESOME & WAY TO GO on giving up the smokes! That is a HUGE success. Now, let's talk.
I too am struggling with weight. I am considered morbidly obese, but that is not going to define me, nor should you let it define you.
Last year I flew to visit a sick relative. I almost needed a seat belt extender and I could tell the person behind me was unhappy to have me spread over his part of the seat. Heck I was unhappy! I flew again in December but went a diff airline with a larger seat. I am flying in August and my goal is to be 70 lbs less than 5 months ago..no fear of an extender...and comfort for myself and my fellow passenger. That is a powerful helping visualization.
Now, what are you going to do to cut down on sugars, white bread etc? Do you have plenty of veggies to snack on and lots of fresh cool water with lemon in it. Small steps, tiny steps, they are all steps towards success. Do you read? There are some wonderful books/articles on clean eating. If it is packaged, processed etc, it isn't the greatest for you body.
YOU CAN DO THIS CUDDLEBUG! you have value, you are worth it!
So sorry to hear about your granddaughter's accident, I hope all turns out ok.
I've been thinking about how weight loss progresses and I agree with everyone's thoughts about water weight and how it goes pretty fast in the beginning. I remember seeing a Richard Simmons feature on Oprah a long time ago. He came on the show with a woman who was obese and felt like her weight loss goal was impossible. After seeing Richard on TV, she got motivated to just take tiny steps. She set her goal to lose 5 pounds and bought some hand weights, like bean bag weights, that strapped to her wrists. She began by simply raising her arms over her head while watching TV and sitting down, and lost 30 pounds that way. By that time, she "graduated" to standing up and doing her arm exercises. Boom, 30 more pounds lost. She could then walk around the house, raising her arms. By the time she was no longer obese, she was power-walking all over the place! I found that story to be so motivating...it just starts with the smallest effort, and before you know it, you're exactly where you never thought you'd be!
I'm a bit more of a lurker than an active poster here usually, but your post really got me and I had to pitch in my support with the others. 
Way to go, Cuddlebug! That's a great strategy getting rid of foods that are too tempting right now. You arrived here last week and told us you had no idea where to start and look at the great things you've done for yourself in just a short period of time. You go girl 
)
.. but here I have wonderful people like yourself ....huge HUGS 
