Hello everyone. I'm a 30-something mom of a three-year-old. After the holidays, I found myself in a lousy state of mind and in need of larger pants (again), so I started 2006 with the goal of losing 20 lbs. and making exercise a part of my life. I'm doing okay so far, but I think I'm going to need the help of a site like this to stay motivated, get educated and kick my bad habits for good. I had gotten to the point of giving hardly any thought at all as to what I was shoving in my mouth and was a huge comfort/stress eater. Heart disease and other problems are rampant in my family (and my husband's family too), so I'd like to change my ways before I get too far down that road. I recently started counting my calories and bought a new workout DVD.

Best wishes to everyone. This seems like a great place.

Hi! I'm 32, a Mom of a 2 a 6yr old. I'm wanting to lose about 20lbs too! That weight just creeps up every year! It's easy to see how it can just get away from you, isn't it? Right now my jeans are too tight and all my shirts have mysteriously gotten shorter. I was thinking that my dryer was to blame, but I've faced the facts, I'm getting fat! I have decided to commit to eating less calories and exercising for at least 1hr per day-although I'm actually aiming for 1 1/2hrs. because I really want to jump start that fat loss. It's hard to find the time to workout for that long, or even justify it, but I know I must do this for ME. As for eating, I've been struggling. I do fine during the day, then blow it at night.
Great luck on your journey! I'm around here at least 1 x a day.
Kerry

Hi Kerry. It's nice to meet someone with a similar goal. I knew if I didn't do something to change my habits now, I would just keep getting slowly larger. A few months ago, I had started to resign myself to the idea that getting older meant getting heavier, but now I'm learning all kinds of neat things about food and the body. I too want to do this for me, but also for my family -- I want to be healthier for them and to try to delay whatever genetic tendencies lie in store for me. I'm headed in the right direction now, but it occurred to me that maintaining my goal weight may be the really hard part about all of this. I need to develop healthy habits I can sustain over time. I get the evening/nighttime munchies too, but my biggest challenge has been avoiding all the junk food people bring in to share at work (I work outside the home two days a week). Cake, fattening dips, cookies -- you name it!

Good luck to you too!

Hi! I just turned 29 at the beginning of the month, and I swore that after my birthday I was going to start getting serious about my health. I want to change my life around before I turn 30 next January!!! I wish I could say that I need to lose 20 pounds like you guys but I'm working on losing 130 pounds. And I mean working!!! My husband is amazingly supportive but he hasn't had a weight problem all his life like I have. And even though he's REALLY helping me through all of this, I turned to the internet to see if I could find people who have gone through some of the same things I have in my life. And boy did I find what I was looking for with this forum!!!

Stacey

Wow I'm the youngest one posting in this Forum today (lol) I'm 19 I'll be 20 in September. Well I started my New Year off by saying that I was going to loose 20lbs but that would only make me 140 again and I want to be 130 and that would mean I'd have to loose 40lbs and right now that is hard because i"m a College Student around Vending Machines all day long and I can't resist the chocolate so I have to get one its just the devil to me having so many Vending Machines in every buliding that you go in its crazy! Hello Diane and Kerry Welcome to the Forums I hope you enjoy yourself here. But I'm Taneisha I'm a Sophomore in College I'm taking 15 credits this semester Its kinda hectic at times getting the work done on time but I manage to do it.

What gets on my nerves is my Mathematics Teacher in College she had us do 5 sections of Math but then she is just going to ask if someone has a question on any of the math problems that we did. That about pissed me off I was like what a ***** I mean she is going to have us do the Homework and then not collect it she told us after a couple of Homework Assignments she was going to start checking them. But still that still gets under my skin I mean my other classes aren't that hard I just hate Math I'm just being Honest with you.

Well on February 3rd I'm getting my Hair all cut off in a Short Bob haircut. I'd have to admit my hair is finally getting healthy and stuff and I'm going to miss my long hair when I want to put it in a Ponytail I can't because its too short. See last time I got a Partial Bob where I could still put it in a Ponytial but this time I'm getting an All the way Bob I need to get jazzier with my Hair now that i"m in College i can't have people thinking I'm some 13 year old because I do look young for my Age.

Well keep working out Girls

Hello everyone! I just joined today for extra support. I've been doing pretty good so far. I set weekly mini-goals of 2lbs per week. I weigh in every Monday. I've been keeping a daily food journal in efforts of eating around 1200 calories per day. I also got a treadmill for X-mas and I've been jogging a mile every morning and either doing ballroom dance classes in the evening or going to the gym to incorporate light weights. It does get hard some at times and nobody else in my family struggles with weight so they don't really understand. I've never been "skinny" but I'm tired of being the girl with only "the pretty face", I want the bikini body to go along with it for once in my life. I feel the regimen I'm on is something I can live with for the rest of my life. Working out is not the issue for me; I LOVE GOOD FOOD. Mexican food to be exact I don't totally deprive myself and try to keep my splurges within my daily calorie allowance. It's been working so far with the mini-goal idea that I got from this web site, because the overall goal was a bit overwhelming.
"If you want what you've never had... then do what you've never done."

Have you checked out the Calorie Counters forum?

Good morning ladies!

Stacey: Nothing like coming up on a milestone birthday to make you rethink yourself, eh? It's awesome that you have such a supportive husband, but yeah, sometimes we just need some girlfriends who are going through the same thing. It's nice that there seems to be support here for everyone whether your goal is large or small. GOOD LUCK!!!

Taneisha: I hear ya ... when I was in college there were many days when I would eat lunch out of a vending machine. It's definitely not the best setting for promoting healthy eating, but on the other hand, the student gym membership was cheap. Is there an exercise class or something you could get involved with?

P.S. I hated math too -- that's why I was an art major.

Coco: You sound really dedicated to exercise -- that's awesome! Keeping up with exercise is a challenge for me, but I'm with you on not depriving yourself of your favorite foods. I'm totally revamping my concept of portion size and cutting out some things that I really won't miss, but I can't just eliminate all my favorites because I'll never be able to sustain that type of willpower, you know? Best of luck to you!

Susan: Yes, I have found the Calorie Counters forum. There are some really helpful ideas in there!

Time to go do my workout ... Have a great Saturday!

Thanks Bobpidipity! I knew I had a good feeling about this forum the minute I started reading some of it! My milestone birthday next year is a big deal for me, and not because I'm worried about turning 30 - age doesn't bother me - but my husband always jokes that once you turn 30 everything goes down hill (he's about to turn 38 next month). But I refuse to believe him. And just on the off chance he may be right, I want to be in the best shape of my life and not let it happen to me!

And just like you Coco, I've set certain goals for myself too. I'm hoping to lose between 2 and 3 pounds a week (keep in mind I have a lot to lose), and I'm going to check the scale on Mondays only. I officially started my new life last Monday, the 16th and that was 37 weeks until my little sister's wedding in October. So that's one of my bigger goals, to see how much I can lose before I have to fit into my Maid of Honor dress - which has no sleeves Never in my whole life have I ever worn anything without sleeves, so I'm a little nervous.

I'm following the Weight Watchers points plan (I can't afford the meetings but I have all the books) and I'm exercising like crazy with a bunch of equipment we have in our basement. I'm so pumped this time that I know it's really going to work. I WILL look amazing by the time I hit 30!!!

Stacey

Hello and welcome!!!

I use to be a boredom eater. Now I try to keep myself busy as much as possible. Stress is such a big problem in our society today. Most people who die from a heart attack is linked to stress. I try not to stress, which I am not a big stresser but there are days when I feel as though I am losing it. LOL!!!

Keep your chin up, things will get better, they always do. I hope you find a good support system. That's what you'll need to keep motivated. Go check out the "groups" forum. Everyone here is so wonderful and caring!

Take care & stay strong!

emerald dragonfly

Stacey-It seems like you're totally motivated and you have a great support system.

bobbidity-It's great you have a plan. One day at a time works best for me to stay on track.

Susan-Thanks, I will try calorie counters.

Kerry-It is so true that the weight sneaks up on us; and its easy to ignore with all the spandex and elastic waist clothing nowadays.

Taneisha-The "freshman fifteen" is true. BEWARE of all the inexpensive convenience food. I recommend packing low cal snacks to take with you for those in class cravings.

Emerald-I too am an emotional eater. I've come to realize "dieting" is mind over matter for me. I joined a dance class to eliminate boredom and to burn extra calories.

BEST WISHES TO YOU ALL !!!

Hello! I've been really busy this week, but I wanted to pull up this thread and thank everyone for the initial support and welcome.

Stacey: My mom always said everything went downhill after age 30, and in her case it sort of did (moreso after age 40). I can only hope being fit can spare me and my family some of the suffering my parents have endured with heart disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, etc.

emerald dragonfly: Thanks for the welcome. I can find almost any reason to eat -- stress, boredom, self-reward, having a good day, having a bad day ... changing that is a big challenge, but so far calorie counting seems to be working because I can see on a day-to-day basis how the numbers add up.