Hi,
I joined years ago and never did anything, but I am back again. I am 37 years old and I weigh 268.5 pounds.This is the most I have ever weighed. I feel so disgusting. I am so tired of feeling so bad about myself and being tired all the time.Some days when I am not working I take more than one nap. I know depression has led me to gain a lot of the weight. I have gained 68 lbs. alone just during the last 3 years. I need some help with motivation and people that can keep encouraging me. My husband is overweight also, but not as bad as me. I know we eat out way to much and I know I need to change that. I have 3 children that are 18,15 and 12. I hope I can find some weight loss buddies on here because I really need the support.

Shell,

You have taken the first step. It took me a long time and i was much heavier before i finally said, F*** it, this is rediculous. I got on a program and never looked back.

Trust me, it is so amazing to get my life back and have fun again!!!!

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”

That is so wonderful that you have lost so much weight. When you started weight watchers did you start exercising right away? I am seriously considering weight watchers myself. Congratulations on being so close to your weight loss goal.

You may be super surprised when you just cut fast food or eating out from your diet. Those foods have so much extra fat, sodium and extra portions. Your first week without will suck, but at the end of that week I bet you drop some quick weight. I watch my sister in law and brother go through the same thing. I know life is hectic when you have kids and schedules and you are always on the go, but seriously if you take a few minutes each day and prepare your self healthy meals and take them with you where ever you go you will drop lbs fast. Probably the best for you would be something like atkins or medifast (I am doing medifast - its so so easy...) . I eat 5 replacement meals during the day and at night cook a lean meat and eat veggies (this portion is huge and it lasts me all night). In the morning I just pick out my meals from the fridge, put them in a bag and go. I had to choose something super easy too as I am always busy and when you are in a rush you make bad choices. I don't have time to do all of the calorie counting and logging (although I know these methods work well too).

Anyway sorry I am going on and on. Someone like you excites me though because I know if you just changed a couple of small things you will see great results.

Good Luck

JO

Good luck and welcome! Among the many benefits of a healthier lifestyle - I bet your kids will be happy for you and proud of you. (Though being teenagers don't expect them to say much! lol )

There's so much support here.

Let us know what plan you choose.

Looking forward to hear about your success! Good luck everyday is a struggle and we just have to take it one day at a time, some times it is min to min for me.

Hi Shellhev!

My kids are about your ages, 11 (boy), 14 (girl) and 20 (boy) and I did have originally over 70 pounds to lose! It was daunting. I just wanted to die because I was a fitness instructor in a past life (part time) and I was until recently in the health industry, so a cliche too

It was hard to do ANYTHING with the kids (I'm still not 100%), but this is my mantra. Five to 10 pounds at a time. That's ALL I'm going to promise myself. I know I will lose the weight because of many reasons this time (having to do with hopefully resolved family issues) AND I simply do not want to be the mom that can't. I've already lost about 7 years with this and I can't do it anymore, life is too short...even if I have 50 years left.

Every time I say no to something unhealthy for me, I figure it's a win and those wins add up. I also think that if I don't start now (well March 2012) where would I be in March 2013? Even if I don't GAIN that was going to make me happy, but I've lose. You CAN do this. You're worth it.

THIS^^

When my husband and I started losing weight, we stopped eating fast food and stopped drinking soda. We will have an occasional soda if we are out running errands or something, but it just tastes so gross now, it is not something I can even finish drinking now.

Just cutting out fast food and the empty calories from pop and I lost 11 pounds without changing anything else. You may be shocked to see how much you can lose just by cutting out a couple things.

You can do this. I have not been here very long, but I am here for you. There are tons of people here who are super helpful. Good luck! If you get discouraged come to the forums for a shoulder to cry on.

I did not start exercising right away. The more weight that came off, the more active in general i was. But I didn't really start working out until a couple months ago. And surprisingly I love working out. Running more and more, and getting lots of muscles

I was really happy with all the responses I got yesterday. yesterday was kind of a hard day. I felt like I was thinking more about food and was hungrier then I normally am. I did pretty well most of the day, but it's the late night snacking that is a problem for me. I got off work last night at 10:30 and then came home and I felt like I was starving. I had a few pretzel rods and then later found myself eating some tortilla chips. Late night eating has become one of my biggest downfalls. : (

The best way to avoid those foods is to not buy them until you know you can control yourself.
I'm a late night snacker myself, so I tend to work out at night to keep my mind and body busy and I tend to go for a fruit or veggie or a granola bar to snack on. Granola bars aren't so boring anymore (not too long ago, it seems, they were boring and tasteless unless you wanted something that was a couple hundred calories).
I also get the 90 calorie Yoplait yogurts and freeze those so that it's like ice cream (but fewer calories) and it takes a bit longer to scarf down. :P
Good luck!