Hello everyone, as you can see I've just joined. I'm here for inspiration .... and I'm sure I'll find it! I have really been feeling absolutely hopeless about being able to lose weight, cross with myself for feeling that way, and getting more and more demented with being so angry and frustrated with myself.

Six years ago I lost 77lb over 9 months and slimmed down from a size 20 to a size 10. The triggerfor my success was a sad one - my Mum had just died and I lost some weight (about a stone) through the stress of coping with her illness and subsequent death. She always used to encourage me to try to lose weight and I felt that I 'owed' it to her and to myself to try harder than ever and the weight I lost just before she died spurred me on to continue with my efforts to lose more. Somehow it worked. I don't really know how, but it did - you see, normally I'm a stress eater. If I'm stressed I over-eat, if I feel happy then I find it easier to cut back on food and be more active. Sounds familiar?

Anyway, after miraculously losing 77lb, I managed to enjoy my new figure and new-found energy for about a year.... and then (you've guessed it) the whole 77lb gradually piled on again. I'm back to where I started.

So here I am... I'm going to give it one more (serious) shot and if I succeed I'll seriously believe in miracles, and if I don't, well, I shall simply be even more hopeless, cross and demented.

So, thanks for reading this, and hello from a very frustrated to the point of insanity, desperate woman.

PS When I lost all my weight I gave nearly all my (larger sized) clothes away to charity. I have been wearing the same 3 or 4 outfits for about a year now and I REFUSE to buy new stuff. If I put on any more weight I shall have to wander around naked. This would probably serve to evacuate the town where I live. So I would end up hopeless, cross, crazy and lonely to boot.

Sounds like you have quite alot going on, but don't worry, we've all been down the hill your on one time or another, but not all of us would ever admit to it, but you have, and that's the first step in the right direction. There are plenty of people on here who all want to accomplish and achieve goals just like yours, the only difference is, some are smaller than others, and some are bigger. So my dear demented, cross, and insane woman, you need to stop beating yourself up and get ready to lose weight the old fashion way, with good old exercise and hard work and sweat. You need to at least exercise 30 minutes a day just to keep with your current weight, any amount of exercise is good,but the more the better. Even when your not motivated to exercise, look up some motivational quote, or look at a little dress youve been dying to wear forever. These things will give you just the right amount of motivation that you need to stay on track. It works for me at least. Avoid all refined or sugary foods and sweets, if you must have sweets though, try a cheat day twice a week, but don't gorge! Just indulge on your favorite treat a little. If you do all this, i promise you, you will lose at least 5 pounds after just un der 3 weeks! I hope this helped, and good uck on your journey to good health!

Welcome. I am so sorry for your loss. I just started not that long ago and will be here with you every step of the way. We can do this!

Hello, It sounds as if you have been thru a difficult time. I totally understand your frustration. I been down this same road so many times I lost tract of the restarts and incompletes years ago. Will I be successful this time? I don't know. But, my motivations have changed this time. You see, as I aged I just got sicker and sicker from being over weight. I don't want to get any sicker. So I changed! And it is/was not easy.

I hope that you find the motivation and miracle you seek. I suspect the miracle is already with in you. It has already happened and is just waiting for you to claim it. My secret weapon is BEING GRATIFUL about being able to try again and it is working!

In some respects you sound a bit like me. I see you haven't been back for a few days so i hope you will come back and try again.

I eat from stress and depression and pressure. So now i'm trying very hard to get those things under control as soon as they appear.

one of the most useful things you can do i have found is to find a counsellor to talk to as soon as you start to feel pressured and stressed. These things usually lead to depression if left unaddressed.

So its important to also take steps to keep yourself relaxed. I don't know what stresses you but it would be easier to make suggestions about how to handle it with self talk if i did know. But i won't expect you to reveal these things. But i'm just saying that useful self talk, and not negative and destructive self talk helps alleviate stress and pressure.

On the other hand, some negative talk can kick start us into action to do something about the extra weight. That's what i used this time to get me going. It was a split decision. But despite my feelings of self disgust i didn't have a mood, stress or pressure issue at the time to deal with.

I soon had one though but not form the diet. The diet has been good. I quit sweets that keeps the binges away. Just cold turkey on sweets if you happen to binge on them or you don't have control over them. I even wonder if just quitting sweets would help stop binges of other foods like pasta and bread as well. I'm not positive about that bits something that i've begun to wonder about.

Anyway i eat carbs but not sweets, and i now try to eat plenty of protein too. My carbs are all healthy carbs. whole grain bread, spaghetti, lots of fruit and vegies, yoghurt and dairy, and beans. I eat seafood but not too too much. And i don't eat meat. The latter two because i am morally inclined towards vegetarianism.

and Yes i've been up and down in weight several times and this time, i'im off sweets for good because i think they are why i end up back at square one eventually.

Hi size 10 twice

Sorry for your loss. I am sure that even though 6 years has gone by it is still difficult for you.

Stress eater? Well I think I was a stress eater, a happy eater, an angry eater...any occasion I ate, so I can sort of relate to that.

Your hard work and efforts, your will power and motivation will continue to carry you closer to your goals.

Maybe some supplements will help with some of the cravings and stress that you feel.

I like your humor