Welcome to ShaunRene and Dreamygrl!

I really don't know what I do to myself. I've been going to aqua fit, dong a squat challenge, I started the C25K on Tues, couldn't do it Thurs or Friday, so today I'll do day 2.

Number is steadily going down and then I sabotage myself. I wasn't telling myself not to use the scale anymore and I did. I think I just have to not use the scale for awhile so I can't sabotage myself when I'm going down. I listen to that little voice and give in. So had Chinese food Thurs night and then I get back on track. I'm not beating myself up anymore because that's just not right. Move on and keep going.

Wow -- it's the middle of the month already!

Georgia -- Sounds like you've really got your act together with being able to manage your plan and still have a social life.

Snowbound -- if you discover a way to keep totally to plan without a sabotage, patent it! Actually, I think Georgia has what we need (I'm with you on this sabotaging stuff). She sticks to plan but accepts that there will be outings that will involve having something not necessarily on plan. I need to stop thinking of foods as good or bad.

It's been absolutely gorgeous here lately, so I'm slowly getting this long list of house and yard chores done. I actually don't mind doing them because I'm beginning to see some progress. I've also been doing yoga 3 times a week, the gym 4 days, and trying to walk some each day. The walking is slow going, but I want to start building up my endurance and get up to the point where I can walk about 5 miles each day. That may not be until next year, but it will happen!

I just found this thread, and I'm so happy! Hoping it's not too late to join in the discussion. I loved reading through it and being able to relate to so many of the posts.

I too just started the C25K, well kinda.. I'm not quite to the 60sec /90 sec in the first week. It's more like 30 sec/ 90 sec, but I know I'll improve over time. I started walking last April, and I've come a long way since then. I could barely finish half a mile walking really slow, so to even consider trying to run has been a NSV for me.

Dreamgyrl I'm doing charms too, but I'm using them in an Origami Owl necklace rather than a bracelet. It has definitely been motivating!

JollyGreen was that ****'s Kitchen episode the season with Robert? ( I think that was his name?) I watched that season last winter and it was a motivating factor for me to really get on board with losing weight. Seeing all the rewards he couldn't participate in because of his weight was mortifying to me. After watching that a helicopter ride made it to the list of things I want to be able to do after losing weight, along with white water rafting and ziplining.

Snowbound - glad you're starting c25k, it's nice to see a friend on here also doing it! I started week 3 day 2 (the one with 3 min runs) and it went TERRRRRRIBLE - I stopped through the second run because my knees, ankles, calves and hips felt like they were about to snap in half - it sucked. My left hip is excruciating today - it made me really second guess myself if this is something I should be doing at my weight. I went on a jog on a lake trail I don't usually go on - it was really uneven, covered in rocks/dirt and hilly - wonder if that with the heat/humidity had something to do with it. I am also feeling you about the scale.... I don't want to give up on my summer challenge since I was the OP but I just kind of need to not look at a scale for awhile. I'm getting WAY too discouraged working this hard for zero results. I'm starting to think I should start focusing less on the poundage lost, and focus more on what I'm eating and getting in shape. Maybe I just need to pack away the scale for a month. It comes off whether you weigh yourself or not I guess so why put myself through the disappointment if it's going to just make me want to give up


Yes it was the season of ****'s Kitchen with Robert!!! I have to say, he was one of my favorite characters off the entire show, but something about his story hit way too close to home - especially with his untimely departure to do heart health reasons. I live my whole life afraid. Ever since I had to get off an amusement park ride (despite at that point losing around 50 lbs) two or three years ago I've never been the same!!! I even have a small panic attack thinking about having to sit in the movie theatre seat (I only want to go if we drive 40 mins away to the one that has arm rests you can push up, or to the drive in where I can sit on the car!). Panic attack getting into a strangers car wondering if the seat belt will fit. So when he couldn't go on the helicopter or ride the segway I just thought - ugggh story of my life, this is why I hide - I'm too afraid to go anywhere that I might face that kind of rejection. I would love to go on an amazing adventure like the things you said (ziplining and rafting) - just pack up and go on an awesome trip, but my size holds me back. I'm too afraid to even fly on an airplane which in a lot of vacations is step #1 - haven't flown on one side I was 250 lbs and even that kind of sucked.

I'm babbling but I figure a lot of you can relate to how that feels. It just sucks, and you would think with how much of a life encompassing hindrance this is that it would be easy to stay motivated and fix - but it's just SO HARD.

Yes, I 100% get it! I feel the same way about a lot of those things too. Restaurant booths are the things that give me panic attacks the most. When my very skinny in-laws came to visit from out of town they were adamant about going out to eat every night for dinner. I was so worried about not being able to fit in to a booth in front of them I researched restaurants ahead of time to see which ones had tables available. I tried to find pictures of their dining areas on their websites or on their facebook pages. If that restaurant was all booths, it was off the list. When it came time to go out to eat I had a mental list of recommendations, not based on the quality of food but based on seating. Naturally I kept this information to myself, I didn't even tell my husband. I'm pretty sure he would think I was crazy.

JollyGreenSteen and 2fat2jump -- you're not alone in the fear of being embarrassed about seating arrangements and researching ahead of time. I'm just now getting to the point where I sort of fit into most seats or can at least squeeze myself into them. No panic attacks, but if it's a social situation where I don't know the people, I definitely get worried about what I'll do if the chair doesn't fit. My favorite is going to a restaurant and the hostess/host places you based solely on spreading out the patrons amongst the servers as opposed to whether or not you'll be comfortable. And some booths are big enough and others would make for cramped quarters for my 6 year old grand. If they take me to a booth where it's obvious even before I sit down that there's not enough space, I just ask for a different table. I've only had a problem in one restaurant, but I just feel like everyone in the place is looking at me and knowing why I want to be moved.

I've gotten back on plan, but I've got to get over this binging when I get to a new decade. It's such a waste of effort and losing pounds two or three times is just that much more work.

JollyGreenSteen -- you're running and the trail sounds like maybe you might want to try it on a flatter surface. I'm not a runner so don't know the challenges that you face. I'm just now starting with walking.

Time to go to the gym. Have a great day!

Oh god the table thing is a killer... I hate going out to eat for just that reason. Soooo embarrassing!

I won't lie I chuckled a little at your insane research about the booths just cause it's something I could see myself doing LOL. The more prepared I am for something the less I freak out. I just have an anxious personality and it's only burdened by my extra fat burden. My husband LOVES booths... in fact it's gotten to the point where he insists we sit in a booth when the waitress asks or tries to seat us at a table with chairs. How can I say, hey I don't want to cause I'm fat? Lol. The only thing worse than settling and getting in is trying to slide your way out...............................

I had a bad moment last night. Bought a dozen day old donuts... worst decision I've made in awhile, because they tasted awful, looked awful, and were just plain awful all around - but I ate bits of a lot of them before they ended up in the trash. I accompanied this late night treat with Grape Nos (which is my weakness lol) I don't even know what came over me!!! SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!! I have today off work I'm going to devote it to trying to prep better so I don't feel like I need to treat myself to a dozen donuts or 20 oz caribou coffee coolers ... jesus. It's just like sleep walking when I do stuff like that, it's slipping back into old habits with stuff I don't even want to eat.

JollyGreenSteen -- I so hear you on slipping back into old habits. I'm very proud of myself that I'm sticking to this diet. But my big challenge is that every time I hit a decade point -- and it's so exciting to see that middle number go down -- I decide that a few days of eating "normally" won't hurt. First, there's nothing normal about it or else I wouldn't be trying to lose two small people. Second, why negate all that hard work -- how dumb. So, I completely understand the donut attack. I think it's even worse when they didn't taste all that good -- somehow that seems like I cheated but they cheated me. Hope today goes better!

Got to get my act in gear as my nephew is coming down to pick up my RV for the weekend, and I need to be back from the gym by the time he gets here. Plus today is yoga day so I need to do my stretches and I need to walk and some time in there I need to actually get something done around here!

I hear you, I hear you. Yes, that is me, I do well and then I give my self some slack and bam! Back where I started.

Since last Thursday I've been on a slump. Tuesday I did C25k with the boys and it was not that great. So I dreaded it and I've been sabotaging myself since. I've still gone to aquafit but I have not run again and I'm working through that not sure what is going on. I've not been very much on an eating plan. But the weight is going down at least. Just need to work through it and keep going.

weighed in at 301.6 today

Ugh! The old habits! One of mine is those packets of Lipton Noodles and Sauce. Whenever I felt PMS coming on, I'd sneak off to get a supply of them in case I hit a very strong carb/fat/salt craving. There was a store very close to my house where they always carried the flavor I loved (stroganoff). Over the last few years, do to my food sensitivities, I have managed to stop eating a lot of stuff that was just plain bad for me, but this is The ONE item I can't seem to shake. Yesterday I had a huge craving for the stuff again. Two things saved me...the store where I bought the stuff closed a few weeks ago, and I was too tired after my workout to go buy it at a store a bit farther away. Instead I came home and ate 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese with a little sea salt on it (OMG! That totally took care of the craving!) and then I had a big salad with good olive oil to fill me up. So, I'm NEVER going to have cravings for salad, even though I love it. And the longer I go without the Noodles and Sauce stuff, the less I'll want it...I HOPE!

Down to 310 this morning.

Yes it's true, the less you eat something the more the cravings will go away!

The realization has hit me that there are certain foods that I just never want to entirely give up. And I have read so many posts from people who say that they never gave up foods, they just learned to eat them in controlled portions. So, I've decided that I definitely need to learn portion control techniques because when I give in to a craving, I end up eating the whole thing. It's like I'm afraid there will never be another opportunity to eat it again.

Obviously the best thing is to measure it out, allocate the "forbidden" food in my calories for that day and just have it and enjoy it. But I need hints for what to do to keep it at bay the rest of the time. Have any of you got any successful mind games you use to keep portion allotments in line?

hi everyone... I'm new here, usually hang out in the 300+ area. I don't know exactly how much I've lost so far, but I know for sure I'm still in the 300's and have been probably since I was about 17 or so. I've been chuckling reading your posts because I too have panic attacks about seating arrangements. the worst so far has been school seating arrangements. unfortunately a lot of college classrooms don't have "fat kid accessible" seating. they have those teeny tiny desks that I couldn't fit into if I tried. I feel like such a douche walking in there trucking my way through to get to the one or two fat people seats they have there. good thing this is only at main campus which i've mostly avoided, but next semester is a different story. oh joy!