Side bar ~ my DD has PCOS should she ask her doctor to test her for insulin resistance?

If I would have listened to all of my "fat friends" complain that I was "no fun" anymore, and then proceeded to eat with them to make them feel better about themselves and to keep them from "leaving me" I would be back to 333 pounds. Does that make any sence? lol

If I had given up pasta, bread, potatoes, rice and sugar a year ago I would have lost more.... (I gave it up in August and saw a WHOOSH of weight loss)!!!

What's the point? What's done is done.

But it would have been cool to have done my huge USA/Europe 1-month tour of summer 2009 with the same rad vain confidence I had in summer 2010...

krampus - I hear you on the living with no regrets thing

As a beginning, this thread is fanstastic for me - I need all the words of wisdom I can get!

To help others. For those whose "what's done is done" isn't yet.

If I had taken more pride in myself a year ago I would not have put on twenty pounds and reached the point where I had to make real changes to my life.

While the gaining the weight was terrible for me and my health in a way I'm grateful it happened. It forced me to reevalutate my life and what it means to be healthy. I am stronger, faster, and more confident because of it.

YES!

She may not have insulin resistance. I didn't for a long time, but then I developed it because I wasn't taking care of my health/PCOS.

I would have kept the alcohol out of my diet and really committed to sticking on plan instead of letting myself slack for months on end. I managed to lose 35 pounds last year, but could be at goal if I hadn't cheated so much.

I already answered, but I want to answer again from a different perspective, from that of all my previous attempts.

In my previous attempts, I just might have succeeded if I had:

1. Understood this takes time and that "time" means over a year. I WOULD have succeeded if I had committed to staying on plan every single day no matter what.

2. Weighed daily. I was under the impressing that daily weighing was obsessive. It's the opposite for me. It relieves my obsessions.

3. Found a sustainable exercise routine.

4. Understood about calorie cycling.

5. calorie counted, keeping the calories as high as possible while still losing.

6. FOUND THIS PLACE!

If a year ago I had stuck to my plan and my convictions and worked as hard as I did the year before that, I would be at goal by now.

If I could do it over I would also start strength training from the very beginning, make sure I had the best shoes possible, and begun veggie experiments ASAP. I also wish I had written about my experience more in a journal, blog, whatever.

Things that I am glad I did from the very beginning include doing a lot of planning, tracking as many things as possible (weight, measurements, BF%, pants size, etc.), taking progress pictures, and telling my friends and family what I was up to. While I didn't do it from the very beginning I am glad that I got my body bugg and started calorie counting pretty early on.


Side Note: PCOS people: Cinnamon is also helpful and at wal-mart you can get a pill that has both cinnamon and chromium in it. It's made by Spring Valley. Also, if you are on or want to be on meds for it, ask your doc about one called Januvia. It completely changed my whole world. It is a new diabetes med, but some docs have started going ahead and giving it to PCOS patients since if they don't get it under control now they'll just need the Januvia when the PCOS turns to Diabetes.

Jesse - Yes, have her tested.

If I had only started my weight loss journey a year ago!

My excuses were varied and pure nonsense:

1) I have to focus on taking care of my baby. Truth: If I really wanted to take care of her I would have gotten fit so I could keep up with her now!
2) I have to focus on school. Truth: Eventually my blood pressure migraines became so bad that I could not even go to school. All fixable with exercise.
3) It is hot outside. Truth: Treadmills are pretty much 100% awesome.

I'll get onto you, ditch the cigs!! I can tell you from personal experience that you will feel 100000% better without them! You know how when you start working out, you pretty much can't do anything, and even after just a few days you can do more than the first day? When I quit smoking, the same thing happened! I could fee myself being able to handle longer, more intense workouts even after a few days with clear lungs. Get rid of 'em!!
*gets off soapbox*

If I hadn't given up a year ago, I would without a doubt be at my goal. It makes me kind of sad/mad at myself to look at some of the people on here, that joined 3FC around the same time I did, that are now maintaining and here I am at the same place I was last year! Looking at their goal pics seems to give me the kick in the butt I need!!

I think I did start my journey a year ago. Lost weight and then quit.

If I would have stuck with it, I would have been at goal a long time ago.. but now I am even heavier than before. It upsets me so much just to THINK I pretty much just gave up.