New Here, Hoping for Accountability
 

Hi everyone! I've been struggling with my weight for years - to make a really long story short, it really just happened 10 pounds here, 10 pounds there.... I've tried a few diets on the way up, with varying success.

I'm hoping posting here will provide some accountability - I struggle with binge eating and I work from home so.... that can be an issue. Hopefully I can help you guys out as well! I'm following the food list for South Beach and just started today - I like that it has the potential to retrain how I eat, and isn't "no carb", but instead, "pick better carbs".

I'm a few pounds over 220 right now and I'm tentatively shooting for 150 - but it's hard to know if that's right until I get closer. To be honest, I'm hoping this is finally the TIME it sticks because it's becoming less about weight and a "number", and more about just being so dang sick of being unhealthy, of being out of breath, of worrying about if I'm going to get diabetes when I'm only 25. my husband and I travel a lot and I don't want to feel so out of breath every time we invariably climb something.

So that's my deal!

Hi there! :)

I was reading your post and thought.. 'hey.. that sounds almost like me!!' I'm also starting out on this weight loss journey, and weigh 228 this morning :( Seeing that number totally brings me down - but I'm also aiming for 140-150! I'm sure we can do this together! :)

Wow, we're looking at the same journey!

My number bums me out too (I may have rounded down a bit... ahem...) but we can totally do this!

Hi designchick88! :welcome: You can do this! I'm also 5'8" and I've been close to 220 before. I chose 145 as my goal weight, but only because I know maintenance is really a range of weights and I want to be able to maintain between 145-155. However, 164 is the "normal" BMI for 5'8" and if I get there and decide I'm happy there. I may try to get down to about 155 and then shoot for a maintenance range between 155-164. In my younger days, it was important to me to be thin, but now I just want to be healthy and I'm well on my way and couldn't be happier! I wish you the best of luck!

Hi Jacqui D! Thanks for the warm welcome! It's so heartening to see someone at my height AND close to my starting weight that has made such amazing progress! What have you been doing nutrition-wise?

I totally agree with the moving target with goal weight - it's been so long since I've been near that weight that it feels a little arbitrary to pick it when I have so far to go. Getting to a "normal BMI" seems like a really healthy goal.

Good luck to you as well!

Hi :)

So I saw your post and read the replies and I am starting the same journey as the two of you.

I am from Australia, and after finding the conversions from kg to pounds I am 230(105kg) and wanting to get to 150(70kg).

I have been overweight my whole life, from a little to a lot. My heaviest was this time last year at 253 (115kg) which was scary! My lowest since high school has been 191 (87 kg) and that was really hard work with eating well and going to the gym.

Would love to be in contact with both of you for this journey.

Rees :)

Hi Reesy! Let's definitely check-in with each other, the more support the better! Lemondroplet/Reesy - what are you guys planning nutrition-wise? I'm following South Beach (though my day one wasn't so great...), but tracking everything I eat as well.

Thank you DesignChick, and what I am doing is watching my carb intake. I'm doing a modified version of the Slow Carb Diet. I've heard South Beach is a great plan and I bet you'll do very well on it!

Hi Designchick, I am going to use an app on my iPad, myfitnesspal, it will be easier to track, have you heard of it? I don't think I will follow one plan though or another, I will just start eating healthier, more fresh foods and less chocolate! What I really have to start doing is exercising, even just walking a few times per week. Exercise is the hardest thing for me to do as I so easily talk myself out of it!

Oh exercise.... so many excuses, so little time :o This week's excuse is that it is cooooooooooooold outside and the walk to the gym seems even less appealing than usual. I'm with you though, I need to just do it - I usually enjoy it once I get there, it's the first steps that are hard.

Hi Reesy! :) It does sound like we're all on the same goal plan, will be great to have all the motivation we can get! :)

Designchick - I just started on day 2 of the jenny craig diet, my day 1 was ok.. I wasn't able to eat all the food that was on my list(partially because I didn't get to the grocery store in the morning...and of course I had to forget to bring my snacks to work too lol!) - hopefully I'll get better at this lol!

I totally agree with the both of you about the exercise part! I keep telling myself that I'm gonna get up and work out...(later)... and later ends up becoming too late in the night lol .. but like you, i always feel a lot better once I've done my work out.

Hi Lemondroplet! I thought a few of my days were just "ok" as well, but I have to say even with not being perfect with my diet, my eating has been so terrible up to this point that it's already made a difference. I just feel better and it's only been a week! Eating "mostly good" compared to...well.... "crappy" is a huuuuuge difference for me :) Small steps right?!

I'm mostly watching carbs and counting calories. My fat intake has been kind of high because of lowering my carbs and it's making me nervous - but once I start putting back in some "good" carbs I think that'll be less of an issue.

I have a Roku and I hear they have free fitness channels. Perhaps we could find some videos to use while it's so dang cold outside!

Hey, I'm sure you will do very well. You have already picked a plan that you like, take it one day at a time and success is bound to come your way!

designchick - absolutely! all these small steps help reach our goals, every little bit helps! :)

I noticed it's been awhile since we've updated on here.. how's everyones week so far? :)

Welcome! I'm big on binge eating myself. I tend to eat when I'm bored, sad, depressed, angry, etc. Lots of comfort foods, and it's hard to say no. Totally there with you! Good luck this go around :)

Hey guys!

First week was iffy. I found myself calorie counting more than sticking to SB. That's not necessarily bad - it's been kind of nice to feel I can eat whatever (within reason) as long as I stay around 1500.

I lost about 5 pounds at first, and after a bad weekend/working out I'm back up two pounds. It's weird - I didn't go crazy on the weekend and yet after working out it's like I gained. I'm wondering if I'm retaining water?

Tea has been a huge lifesaver for me. I've been buying up different kinds and it's nice to have something to occupy my urge to snack while I work (I work at home on a computer - it's sooooo easy to snack). Anything ginger is a fav.

What about you all?

Hey designchick!

I do find my weight fluctuating as well - even tho I work out and try to stick to the new diet.. kinda frustrates me when i see the scale moving up rather than down lol! :( but i'm sure if we keep at it, it'll start moving in the right direction :)

i agree - i sit in front of a computer all day at work.. and sometimes when I'm at home.. and that's when I'm the most guilty at snacking! I've been keeping a full glass of water within my fingertips and try to reach for that before anything else haha..

My first week was also so-so.. i'm hoping this 2nd week it gets better - but with all the family dinners/outings for the holidays planned.. i'm not so confident :S

I think you're onto the right idea to stop snacking - I've been drinking water and tea like crazy.

Which is good, actually, turns out hydration really turned things around. Don't worry about the fluctuation, turns out it must have been my body holding onto water after being shocked into exercise so I'm sure you have that to look forward to! What are you up to exercise-wise? I'm currently obsessed with Zumba, though I look like a total clutz it's a great workout hahah!

hahah! I've always wanted to try zumba, but I get nervous when people are around and can see me LOL so for now, all I've been doing is spending an hour on the elliptical almost everyday and adding in some weight lifting every other day... but the same routine is starting to get a bit boring..

You should definitely try it! I was worried about how I looked the first class, and I'll admit, I was epicly bad. I flailed all over and turned the wrong way, but no one even gave me a second look, and with the music and energy it was a blast. You should definitely try it!