[HealthPlease]

Hi everyone, I'm Kelly. I have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight for over 10 years. I am now 34, ugh.. that's right. I feel old and fat and afraid of all the health risks that my mother nagged me about all those years ago. I absolutely NEEED to do this! Several issues keep me from obtaining my goals, I know they are just excuses, so I'm hoping I can find someone here who has been in my shoes and can seriously help me through my trials.
1. A horrible addiction to Coca-Cola - I can't seem to stop drinking it, I've tried cold turkey.. I always end up drinking 2litres at once a week afterwards cuz I just have to have it. I'm sure its the sugar, I have an addiction to sugar, and I want to cut it out of my diet, but this leads me to issue 2
2. Very Picky!! I am slowly trying to make myself eat things that I wouldn't normally eat, but it's very difficult. I cannot look at a stir fry, chili, or soup and find it at all appealing.
3. negativity/depression - I try soo hard some days to be positive and tell myself I can do this, but I feel like there is something holding me back. What the **** is holding me back? Why do I have to sit in front of the television with a bag of salt & vinegar chips and drink so much coke ... Why?!?!? Because I'm bored? because I''m so used to it? because I feel like I don't deserve to actually reach my goal?

I have read every book, I know so much about protein, carbs, and fats. I know how much water helps, and I just can't bring myself to believe in myself. I want help. I think if there is someone out there that can mentor me, and motivate me, and believe in me, that maybe I can believe in myself. I know others can and have done it, so why can't I? I can, and I will. I think if I can get my butt out here everytime I feel like reaching for chips or pop, then maybe this will work this time. HOW DID YOU DO IT?!?!?!

[charliee]

Welcome to 3FC!

You can do this. I know that, because I've been reading through this site, and have seen the success stories of people that when they began sounded just like you.

We've all been there, the amount of work we need to do seems so epic so large, that even thinking about it just makes us more frustrated and slip even further from our goal.

Here is the thing. Sometimes we need to not focus on the larger picture and just work within a few small goals. Our success with these small obstacles (like for you Pop) will help give us the motivation to make more goals and have more success.

My suggestion to you is to do 3 things.

1) Focus on April 1st. There are challenges that end April 1st in some of the other forums, joining one and posting often will help with your motivation. If you can incorporate some healthy changes into your life until April 1st, then you've already beat one of your barriers, of not thinking you can stick this out for more than a month.

2) GIVE UP THE POP Not cold turkey, but switch out the coke for coke zero. It won't taste the same, when I first started drinking it, I thought it was a vile poison created by Coca Cola to drive me back to coke. But since I refused to drink away my calories it was Coke Zero or water.

Speaking of water, once a day when you really feel like a pop, have a glass of water first. You might be able to kill the craving right there. Every week, add another glass of water instead of a pop. By April 1st, you could be down to a few diet pops a week.

3) Start tracking everything you eat. (if you don't already). If you have a smart phone try My Fitness Pal or Lose It. There are also websites that can help you track your food intake. This will help you figure out what you're eating and where you can make small modifications that will give you results.

4) I know I said 3 but I thought of one more Don't be so hard on yourself. We all make mistakes. We all fall off the wagon, and we are so inundated with weight loss information (low carb, paleo, atkins weight watchers etc) that is can seem very overwhelming. Some small changes will get the scale moving in the right direction, which will help keep you motivated.

Plus we're all here for you too. So good luck, and don't forget to join us in the other forums!

[wannaskipandlaugh]

Forgive yourself. YOU are the most important person to yourself. You are not perfect and remember that you are important. Forgive Forgive and just try every day to do your best. That is all you can ask of yourself. I meal/drink at a time and pretty soon good habits will happen. They will.

[penmage]

Welcome!

[Mozzy]

Welcome and good luck on your journey!!!

[mrsj2013]

Welcome Kelly,
I heard a lot of myself in the words you wrote. Charliee gave you good advice. We can be our own worst enemy. Believe in yourself. We need to do this because we are worth the effort. I have an addiction to diet coke. Since joining 3fc in Jan I have cut back to 4 cans from 6. I hid the amount I drank from my husband-I was embarrassed. Really-all you had to do is look in the recycling. I am making the choice to be healthy with the support of family, friends and you girls at 3fc.
p.s. I'm excited to finally get a signature! Yeah

[Fortunate]

Hi there and welcome!

I know its hard in the beginning - I had to give up my sugar addiction too - the 1st 2 weeks are the hardest but like Charliee said - do it slowly and it wont seem like such a big mountin to climb.
I wish you luck on youe journey and when you think about giving up remember why you started.
I have started putting motivation posters up as my cell phone wallpaper and that I find helps, if I worked out i change it to one that says "I'm okay, I worked out day", if im craving sugar there is one that says "this months diet is next moths body" or "the cake you have been craving for an hour or the body you wanted for years, choice is yours" I find that keeps me stronger.

Dont give up so easily, its hard to stay motivated but we are all here to help you!
A setback is not the do all and end all of your journey, its an obstical to make you stronger!

[ichoose2believe]

on taking the first step. You are here and this is a safe place (yeah I know that sounds a bit silly). Charliee gave you sound advice but I will second part of it as a great first step track everything and how you are feeling at that time if possible. . Knowing what you eat gives you a great starting point on knowing what to change and how to change it. You can do this and we are all here to help.