Old Member Back :: Looking for some buddies
 

Well, here I am once again. I can't believe it's been so long since I have posted here. Almost 2 years.. :dunno: I guess you always come back to the place where you feel the most comfortable. I always loved the support I got and reading others stories. So, I'm back and boy am I ready to lose some weight. Things have been down spiraling for me for awhile now. You could say I'm pretty close to rock bottom. I was having some major issues at work. Within this year I lost my boss, got a new one only to lose that one for another one that didn't like me. So I quit. On top of it all, I have been home sick to move back to Iowa. I haven't been there in 5 years. I feel it's the right time, but I'm afraid to talk to my husband about it. I've even applied for a job. They sent me an application after seeing my resume. I'm hoping that it's a good sign for me. ;)

Anyways, enough of my rambling. I'm back to get some support and advice with losing weight. My highest weight was 240 right after I had my 3rd child in May 2002. I am down to 213. My biggest problem is that I don't really exercise. I need to drink more water and get on the working out kick. I have a tendency to eat when I'm bored, upset or depressed. I am really wanting to start shedding more pounds. I definitely know that I need to set small goals along the way to reach my bigger goal. I would like to weigh under 200 by the end of the year. About 15 pounds to go to reach that. My ultimate goal is to weight between 130 to 140. I think that would be a good range for me.

I am really in need of some support, advice, encouragement, etc. I have always loved this place and hope to get back into the swing of things again. I am hoping to get to know everyone and be a good support/friend as well. I am ready to get on track and do what it takes to lose the weight. I know I can do it. Just sometimes I feel like I am meant to be fat. Well, thanks for listening. I can't wait to get to posting. So if you want to buddy up, let me know. I would love it.

Hugs, Annie :)

Looking for Buddies
 

Hi there,

I too am looking for a buddy to support me on my weight loss journey. While I have looked at this site before, I've never been very active on it. Hopefully that will change. I've decided to try the South Beach Diet and exercise. I'm single, with no children, so that makes all my spare time my own, so I have no excuses there. I can understand you having difficulty though. I sometimes get stressed with just me to handle! Can you get your children to go for a walk with you?

Anyways, I'm 38, almost 39, weighted in this morning at 206, my highest weight ever. I'm hoping to get down to 140. My short term goal is to lose 25 lbs for Christmas, and then the rest by next summer. I want to look great for my 40th birthday. In fact I want to look the best I've every looked, and maybe I'll find a man somewhere out there. Right now i have no self-esteem to even begin looking.

I too eat when I'm bored or frustrated. Heck, I'll eat for any reason.

I have to plan my meals out before hand. If it leave it too late, I come home from work and I'll just stuff my face. By the time reality sets it, I've consumed an aweful lot of food.

What type of plan are you going to follow?

I hope we can be buddies.

Hi Annie

Sure sounds like you're under a lot of stress. Job hunting can be very stressful. I hope you find something. How long has it been since you left Iowa? How many children do you have?

I absolutely hate to exercise. But I do like to have a nice toned body so I know in order to get the body I want I'm going to have to work at it. I watched an old Oprah episode yesterday with Brooke Shields and I thought man lookat her arms, she has so much muscle. I too have musle there, but you can't see it for all the flab that's cover it up. My arms are very bad. Tshirts don't fit, well actually nothing is fitting at the moment. I had to do something yesterday I swore I'd never do, and that is go out in sweatpants. I absolutely was so against it before, but now I do understand why sometimes its necessary. I had nothing that fit! I wear a lot of skirts to work so that can sometimes hide it, but no jeans fit me right now.

I put on my bathing suit last Saturday and set up my timer on my camera and took a front and side view picture. I plan to do this every month and then when I develop the role, hopefully I'll see some big changes. I did go swiming this year, but quickly covered up once I was out of the pool, not waiting to dry up for me, just towel myself dry and put on clothes. Its not a pretty site and I didn't want anyone else to see.

I've tried weight watchers many times. It is a good program. My problem with the points thing is you can eat anything as long as you count the points. Well I'd always blow all my points on the first day and then have nothing for the rest f the week, only of course I ate, so the points didn't seem to be working for me. Oh I know it was me that wasn't working, so this time I decided to give South Beach another try. I tried it for 2 days and I'm not sure why I quit, probably wasn't prepared enough. I know I'm going to have to exercise like crazy at this stage in order to see some results. I'm prepared, I have nothing else going on right now.

I can understand your hesitation in having to cook 2 meals, but let me tell you, I saw my cousin a while back and she's always been heavy like me and she looked great! She did weight watchers and I said isn't it hard cooking 2 meals (she has 5 boys and a husband), she said it wasn't that big a deal, she was cooking anyway, so she had a lot of stirfrys for herself which are real easy to make. Her attitude was she was worth the extra effort and I think you are too.

Try making some sort of soup that you like and you can have that as a starter. I know sometimes I'm so starved that I don't cook the right meals because of time, but i'm going to make some soup as well and have that first that way I can think rationally about what I'm cooking for supper.

Also, I love the crockpot and try to make a meal in there every week. Because I'm single that means I have left overs, but you could do this for yourself and have left overs and then you'd only have to cook one meal.

I have to get going.

Hope you have a great day.

Hey take a look at South Beach, maybe we can do this together!

Hi - Tuesday
 

Hi there Annie, good to hear from you.

I can understand your job stress. It can't be good to wake up in the morning and dread the thought of going to work. I'm thankful I've never had a job like that. It would really be hard to motivate yourself to go. I know there are people out there who have to do that, and I feel bad for them.

I got out of my exercise routine this summer and I gained weight and inches. Honestly exercise is the best thing for you. You could try to go to a woman's only gym, that's what I did. I used to go to a big gym, with all the fancy equipment, but no one ever talked to me there and it was lonely and I didn't want to go. I know go to a small place, it has circuit training, but also has cardio machines and classes. The people are friendly and talkative there, so its more enjoyable to go. You have to find something that you enjoy because then you'll stick with it more. I've heard the Taebo tapes were good. I think I bought one, but never actually opened it up. That was a good waste of money. Maybe I should think about doing that in the mornings. I was planning to do some cardio on my treadmill, but the treadmill stopped for some reason and I'm on the waiting list for the service guy. I honestly have such a hard time getting up in the morning. I'm hoping once I drop some weight I'll have some more energy. I really should look at that Taeboe tape.

I've also heard the Walk Away the Pounds tapes are good. I have them too. (but don't use them). I don't have the strip tease video though. That might be interesting once I drop some weight. I'd be kind of embarrassed to buy that though.

I have to find a good soup recipe as well. I'm going to browse this site during lunch and see if I can find something easy for me. I found once chile receipe but it made a huge pot and I don't have a huge pot. I suppose I could halve the recipe.

I think Dr. Phil's plan is good. I found it a little confusing. I have the book. I tell you I have everything, just can't stick to anything.

If you're thinking of getting a piece of equipment, I'd look at a treadmill as opposed to a bike. I never use the bike, unless you get one where you're sitting lower. The upright ones are so darn uncomfortable.

How do I chat here? I'm not on this site very often. I'm writing from work right now. But I'll look into it further when I get home tonight.

Hope you have a good day. Pick a program and get started. The Rapid Start program from Dr. Phil's is good.

I Exercised!! Yeah
 

Hi Janett,

Good to hear from you. The sad thing is my job was never like that. Obviously there were aspects that I didn't like about my job, but I still enjoyed going and working with my friends and seeing the customers. Not sure if I told you or not, but I was the assistant manager in a convenience store. They only thing I regret is not being able to tell all my regulars that I was leaving and thanks for making my time there enjoyable. I miss them terribly. It almost feels like I lost family. :( But the stress from work isn't there. Now I'm just stressed because I need to find work so I can start getting some income coming in again.

I haven't heard anything about the job back in Iowa that I applied for. I have been debating on whether I should call them or drop them an email to inquire about it. I am just curious if they've hired anyone. I keep thinking they wouldn't hire me because I am so far away still, but I would drop it all to get there if I could get hired. I wouldn't mind having a M-F job, no weekends or holidays. I could handle spending all of the holiday with my family and not have to go in and work for 10 hours.

A few months back I did really well with exercising. I went 3 weeks in a row and then I just stopped. I think it had to do with my DH trying to be my trainer. It's fine but he was wanting me to do his routine just toned down a little. I had even mentioned to him about walking at night but he didn't want me to be out at night alone. I think I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Besides, they say fat people are harder to kidnap. :lol: Ok.. bad joke. But I watched something last night on the TV. It was on Bravo. It was the greatest things about being fat. I was looking at the DH and asking.. "Is there really great things about being fat?" Not really .. Atleast in my opinion.
It was funny to watch.

There is a women's gym here where I live right now, but since I'm moving and not working I won't be joining it. But I would definitely like to join one. I could use the different machines to work out on. It gets boring having to row or use the stepper all of the time. Plus I would like to use some weight training equipment so I can try to tone up some too.

I am definitely looking at some different types of videos and trying to figure out what I would like to try. I haven't ever really bought exercise videos before. I guess I always thought it was a waste of money. Not a good way to think. I just want to find one that I like and can stick with. It's hard to think of buying one only to find out that you don't like it and then you are definitely kicking self in butt because you spent the money on it.

I'm hoping once I get moved I'll be able to join weight watchers. I hear it's great. I could use the support. And then maybe after a few months I can do it on my own. I know I can do it. I just need to see the scale move and that will give me the motivation I need.

Maybe I'll get the Taebo and we'll try to do it atleast 3 times a week. :) Checking into the Walk away the pounds tapes. I know what you mean about getting up in the mornings. I used to have to get up around 5 am to get to work for 6. Doesn't leave much time to get anything else done and then after 10 hours you really don't feel the urge to exercise.

I've been looking into soup too. I am trying to find some good recipes. It'll last a few days and then I will only have to cook something for Jonathan and Emily. And I do love soup. Especially Vegetable soup. My father always made an amazing soup. And Chili.. I want one that is delicious, healthy and good tasting. Yummy.. if you find any good ones can you pass them my way.

I would love a treadmill, but some are so expensive. And I don't want to be a cheap one that is going to break after a few uses. I agree the bike can get uncomfortable. Total back pain. I think I should get out Dr. Phil's book and start reading it again. It's been a few months. I also have the book with the rapid start plan too. I like it because you can see a list of the high cost, high response foods. It's just a matter of getting the food in my cupboard and eating it and staying away from Emily's food. She loves to eat mini oreos. Man, I love Oreos especially dunked in Milk. Just have to grab a juicy apple. Thank goodnes she'll eat some fruit and veggies. Unlike her father.

As far as chatting, the only way I know that you can do it here is through sending private messages back and forth. Up by where is says welcome and your name there should be a link for Private messages. I should try to send you one to see if you get it. Otherwise we can always chat through email. I have a few. Hubbys says I don't need that many. He's probably right, but it's nice to be able to chat on MSN and Yahoo messengers with friends. :)

Oh just wanted to let you know before I go. I exercised yesterday. I did 20 minutes on the rowing machine and did some situp and other crunches. I am getting warmed up to try my pilates book out. I hear it's a killer. Harder then it looks. But hey, I'm up for a challenge. Keep up the good work. Talk to ya soon.
:)

Update on PM
 

Just want to let someone know how I feel today
 

Hey any body.
Im illiterate with all this signing in but Im hoping Im talking to the lady who just came back after two years of being out of touch. I have tried so many things on my own and it seems I gain weight instead of losing when I diet. Ive been the same size for several years 195-198. I need to lose probably 60 lbs but it just is so hard for me. I am a nurse but do a lot of work in the office and get little or no exercise.
At home the first thing I do is cook supper for seven or more people every night. They are recovering from addictions and its a ministry my husband and I do out of our church. The planning of the meals are usually based on convenience and availability rather than calories. Today Im planning a chicken sausage gumbo which is served over rice. Everything is stewed or boiled but chicken fat and sausage fat can be seen floating there on top.
The dish is very good but not for a diet.
Im having some trouble here at work too and cant sleep too well worrying about it . We also have a new lady coming to church who is very thin and pretty. She is interested in my sweet husband, and we are having some problems because Im very open with how it hurts me and I feel so bad about being so fat. I have asked the Lord to help me and I found 3 fat chicks online. I guess I just need your prayers that I will find something that works for me even though I have to cook for others, and that I will stick with the diet or routine and feel better about myself.
I remember always feeling fat, and when I look back at pictures 10 years ago I was very pretty. Just pray for me please. Thanks Mrs S Boatner

Hi Annie and Ms Boatner;

Annie is so right, the way we think about ourselves really does impact how we relate to others. I too have low self esteem. I always think about the weight. I wish I didn't. I've been overweight most of my adult life. As Dr. Phil would say, I must be getting something out of being fat. I think its my fear of rejection. I blame the fact that I'm single and no one wants me on the fact that I'm fat. But ... if I get thin and no one wants me, I'd have to blame it on the fact that I'm not a very nice person.

Annie I made this very good chile. Its called Wendy's chile. I'll see if I can copy the recipe for you later this evening. I'm not a good cook, so I was impressed.

I hope the job situation goes well for you I know that can be very stressful, I'm thankful I don't have that stress. But stay strong and don't let the stress sabotage your diet.

Feel free to email me anytime.

Have a great weekend.