Hi guys, I hope you don't mind someone from the emerald isle joining you? Technically I am from the UK having been born there - My parents were Irish, dad was in the RAF so we moved around quite a bit, mostly around England and then to Germany. He took early retirement when I was 9 and we moved over here. I sometimes think I am more English than Irish though, those few years of UK education definitely affected me (in a positive way I might add!).

I always thought I was overweight but looking back at pictures I wasn't, I just had two really mean brothers who constantly tormented me!!! To be fair, I did develop very early so that might have been the reason .... I think I allowed my belly to expand to balance out the boobs!!!!

It's so sad to think that for most of my teens and now my adult life I've been worrying about my weight .... I've lost 3 stone, put back on 4, lost 4 put back on 3 etc. etc. Yo-yo is my middle name ....

It's definitely getting harder now I'm in my mid 40's ...

I am currently doing the Dukan diet ... I did this a year or so ago and I felt great on it. I think carbs/surgars etc. leave me quite lethargic and I have absolutely no will power or sense of portion control so this fairly extreme plan seems to suit me once I put my mind to it.

I am now on day 7, down about 5 lbs, feeling quite positive.

Hope to catch up with you all for moral support and advice.

Take care

Hi Allimac!

I can identify with your experience. Also have lost 'all' the weight twice - and put it back. This past time, put it back on plus another half stone (which could've been worse actually - daren't weigh myself normally so I had no idea!)

I'm in my early 50s and last lost weight in my mid 40s, so know how harder it gets. I just lost it by using FitDay to track my diet and exercise; exercising more and eating wholefoods. The first time I lost weight, I bought an old Rosemary Conley book for 50p in a charity shop, and followed that to the letter! (The old Hip and Thigh Diet).

It's good you have found something that works for you. I have lost 2lb in the past couple of days (only just started) and already am starting to feel better.

I used 3FatChicks last time I lost weight, and found it to be a great incentive and a lovely, friendly place.

I'm baaack...

Uggghhh - I seriously went off the rails late summer and started smoking again. Whenever I smoke I reduce my activity and eat more, too. Been off the cigs again for 3 weeks. Personal trainer. Re-doing the C25K (a bit more quickly) and started training with the women's rugby team. Yay!!! That's about killing me, but I reckon I'm gonna play my first game 10 Feb. :-)

I made a bet with my brother to lose weight by 15 April. Still having trouble controlling my eating...and I really want to avoid calorie counting as I tend to go absolutely NUTS when I do that eating far, far too few calories.

First day of my work placement today and it was pigging brilliant! Had a lift as it was my first day but from now on ( unless monsoon conditions prevail) I will be walking so will fit in my exercise too!!
Sharelle, the best advice I can give you is not to be too hard on yourself if you slide off the path every now and again...that way yo-yo diets lie!
Just acknowledge that you have had a weekend/week/month of making less healthy choices and jump back on!! On no account add guilt to the battles you are fighting!! I have finally got myself out of the "all or nothing" mentality that I was in and feel much less awful if I am ill and spend weeks sat on the sofa eating chocolate and watching Time Team!! Otherwise you can only cope if you are in TOTAL CONTROL 24/7 and life just doesn't go like that! We all have marital/kids/parents/school/money/illness type stresses and I have finally (aged 46!) learned that it's OK to relax the eating rules....I will get back to it when life lets me.
Ooh I have rambled ...sorry!!!
Welcome other newbies!!

Hi mountain walker

Thanks for your reply. I think your right about letting life getting in the way and giving up. Ive tried to lose weight half heartedly before but as soon as Ive had a bad day I give up completely.
This time around Im not saying Im on a diet as I want to eat healthily long term. And when I do have a bad day, which is bound to happen, Ive got to draw a line under it, and get back on track.
And u didnt ramble lol, you made perfect sense =)

Thanks again and hope to speak soon

Sharon

Are you me?

Hi everyone

Another Jan starter here, with my first weigh-in tomorrow...I know I've lost some because I couldn't resist a sneaky peek at the scales, but will wait and see what tomorrow brings. I'm using the MyFitnessPal to calorie count because it appeals to my list and detail-obsessive self...seems to be working so far!

Cofa

Allimac It's great to have you here, welcome Good luck on the Dunkan diet, I hope this is the time you get to goal and stay there. Is it an 'Atkins Type' diet? I've been on my 'diet' for a couple of years now and although I've fluctuated up and down in that time, I've generally been going in the right direction and even though it's slow, it's realistic and hopefully when I get to where I want to be it'll be for good!

PhatPhoenix Hello and welcome back! I did reply at length on your other thread, but it's great to see you in the chat too! I too love 3FC's for the support and accountability it brings. Good luck with your new plan and keep posting in here

AlmostMe Hello! Great to see you and fab news about the rugby, go you!!! Good luck on losing weight, it's great you've got a supportive brother Let us know how the rugby progresses! When back in the UK I think I'd like to give team sports a go, it must make exercise so much more than just exercise if that makes sense!

MW Yay to the new job being fab and yay to the extra exercise being thrown in for free, yippee!! HOw long is the placement?

CofaTree Good luck for your weigh in I enjoy myfitnessplan too, but while I'm over here and mainly eating food cooked by others, ready bought from the market on from packets I can't read the nutriional info on it's competely out. So it's all about trying to make good food choices at the mo, hopefully I've learnt enough to succeed!

OK so, Happy Wednesday everyone, almost halfway through the week! I had a mini wobble yesterday eve. Went out for a drink, 2 G&T's, which is OK, I'm being real, had a couple of handfuls of peanuts too, BAD IDEA! That set off the cravings and cycling past 7\11 on the way home was so hard, then got home and had to fight the urge to not go out and buy snacks or to cook up more noodles that i didin't need. But, I beat it! I ate nothing more and went to bed and survived!

Yesterday I got up super early to do my workout, today I'm doing it after work as I don't tutor in the evening and am once again going out for dinner and everyone else will be drinking alhtough I@mnot going to. But, I want my work out as fresh in my mind as possible to help keep me on the straight and narrow! Being good and making the right choices is so easy when I keep myself at home, but the challenge now is to transfer it over to going out in public and still being 'good'. If I can master that, I'm well on the road to slim and fit I think!

Thanks takingcontrol . And good luck with the no drinking when you are out tonight. I'm doing a month of no drinking but so is my husband, so at least there's no temptation at home for a sneaky glass of wine or two once baby is in bed...

Just weighed myself...five pounds lost in first week! Most of that was in the first half of the week so was probably a culture shock to the Christmas over-indulgence...this week might be more difficult as I adjust to the new plan, but hey, I'm soooo chuffed with the five pounds

Every day is a new opportunity...good luck everyone.

Cofa

Morning all ....

Patphoenix I must have a look at Fitday as well, it all helps! You seem to be great at doing diets on your own, I have diet books and dvds at home but they rarely get used ....

Almostme Hope the C25k works for you,I'll be honest I didn't know what it meant so I looked it up, fair dues to you that would scare me!! And rugby too??? You sound like a very determined person and no doubt you will win that bet

Mountain Walker We're the same age!! Your weight loss is brilliant I know what you mean about taking control, it is so easy to get lost in all the other things that we have going on and neglect ourselves ....

Sharelle You sound very determined and you're right losing weight has a huge amount to do with our mental state ... even logging on every day to this website helps to focus me.

Cofa Tree You made me laugh lol .... you're a bit taller than me so maybe you can take the boobs better than me!!! Good luck with the no drinking, I'm doing the same at the moment too ... well done on your loss

Taking Control Yeah, the Dukan Diet is quite like Atkins but doesn't do the high fat ... I know some people give out about it (think the Middletons did it) but I've read the book and if I stick to it I should be able to reintroduce foods as I go along and the plan is to maintain the loss ... TBH I am going skiing in just under 3 weeks and I wanted to lose about a stone quickly so I would feel less yucky. .... I don't plan on staying on it while I'm away and just hope I don't do too much damage but hay, I'll re-start when I get back. It sounds quite difficult for you where you are and with the restrictions you have but you are doing great from the look of your loss so far, wow, I haven't seen 168 in years!!!! You are dead right, it is certainly down to CHOICES ....

Catch up soon

Hi everyone

I seem to have lost my motivation for some reason so instead of eating, I thought I'd post on here.
I feel lethargic and yuck today and Ive done hardly anything this morning apart from silly little things when there's a pile of ironing that needs doing. I must get that ironing board out!
I hope everyone else is having a good day so far.

Sharon

Hi guys! Another Jan starter here . So had my first weigh in yesterday and lost 1 lb. Though not an amazing start, it is a start and I'm happy with that. The main thing I've noticed the last week is how better my energy levels are and I'm having less energy drops in the afternoon. Now I just need to wean myself off eating the wife's dinner left overs as eating a meal and a half every dinner is not good. My perception of serving sizes is so off,anyone else have that problem?

Hi Sharon - Quick, get outside and walk as briskly as you can for half an hour! The fresh air might help clear your head and get you back on track? As cliched as it is, I've been ending some of my posts with 'every day is a new opportunity' as a reminder to myself, so do what you can today to regain focus and then start tomorrow with anewed determination...

Hi lhanna20 - absolutely! I think we've become so conditioned to ready meal, takeaway and restaurant portion sizes, which are inflated to suck us in, that we've lost sight of what a proper portion is. Does the 'no more of one food type bigger than the size of your palm' thing still stand? I don't know if there's any scientific basis to it, but I try to stick to it as a rule when watching what I eat...but the rest of the time

Hi Cofa

After posting on here I read through some other posts then went and got the ironing board out and got stuck in. Felt better after getting it out of the way too.
So I didnt go and pig out - woohoo!! =)

Thanks for your message and next time I feel like that I may just go for a stride round the block lol

Sharon

Coftree and Allimac, my brother used to call me thunder thighs and when I talk to my best friend who has known me since I was 11 her memory of me is as a slim person at high school yet mine was as a fat, non-sporty person!
TC My job placement is for 10 weeks and although the ideal is a full time job at the end of it at the very least I will gain fantastic experience and a chance to apply for internal posts.
I had another great day today and was with a one lad most of the day. We did woodwork, cooking, music and English....it was fab!!!
Have a great day.
Sharelle, I have found coming on this site fantastic when I am feeling a wobble coming on...hope we help!!

Evening all

Ended the day alot more postive than earlier. Been on the treadmill & was listening to Wham on the iPod so just thought I would share this information with you......you cant dance on a treadmill!!

Sharon