Hello everyone. New to this thread, but not to weight loss. I joined WW at the end of last year but got completely derailed. I know I've gained weight, but I don't even want to step on the scale at this point. I'm only 22, but I'm at the point that my knees are cracking and it hurts to kneel down and I just know that I'm getting to the point that my weight is just too much for my body to handle. I've been put on medication for depression, but I found out that it's also used for people with anorexia to stimulate their appetites. I'm just walking around all the time with the urge to stuff my face with more food. I'm in a LDR and I haven't cammed with my BF in weeks because I know the weight gain can be seen in my face too. I'm just at the point where I don't know what to do anymore.

Hi everyone.
Welcome kwizzle! Start with baby steps or take the plunge and go cold turkey. The important thing is to make a change. If we keep doing what we did to get us to 300+ we will stay at 300+. Have you asked the Dr. for a different med? I had the same experience and I asked to be taken off of it. I am now back to losing but it was **** when I was on it and for a couple months after.
Fi good job not asking Bob to get you sweets. Here's hoping your new treatment brings some relief.
Porthardy I wish I had some answers but I would just encourage you to keep posting. Better to get it off your chest then stuff it down with food.
tootsie are you having a nice weekend with your kids?
Donna thanks for the lamb update. Do you have a metal roof? Lying in bed listening to the rain sounds so relaxing.
Sam do not cross that bridge until it is time. My SIL lost a lot of weight and had a huge apron. She went in for hernia surgery and the Dr. just sliced it all off because it was in his way and would have caused problems with healing. Also if you go in for any other surgery some Plastic surgeons will step in and do it at the same time for a few thousand because the insurance is already paying for the expensive stuff. (Being put under, recovery...) Also who knows what the future holds. It was not that long ago that few would cover seeing a mental health provider. Cross this bridge when you get to it. You will find a way. Focus on losing the weight and getting healthy. Worrying about this is a slippery slope.
Betsy, Cindy & Terra what are you up to?

We had a wedding last night and I did OK. Back at it full force today. Trying to stay in the zone.

Hi guys I am due for my first weigh in tomorrow after week 1 of my new weight loss program.. Feeling super nervous! I have made a couple of small mistakes, nothing major, and wow am I having some negative/self doubting thoughts now! I will be a mess come weigh in time tomorrow. I am so sick of being overweight and I am sick of trying and failing to lose weight.. I have a lot to lose, literally and metaphorically.. Just thought I would share my thoughts as I am sure other will have been/are in the same situation!

Kwizzle, your post spoke to me, welcome! This forum is fantastic for support and guidance.

Hi everyone.

Porthardygurl, your frustration is so clear in your posts. I have zero experience with counting carbs, so I really don't have advice about that. What I do want to say to you though is losing weight is hard, and for those of us with so much to lose it is a long term commitment. Therefore, I think we need to pick a plan we can do and live with for a long time, and even then there will be weeks we don't lose, and even some where we will gain weight. Please don't let it drive you crazy. There are many good healthy diet plans out there and if this one doesn't work for you, try something different for awhile. I wish you luck and know that we are always here for you.

Fi, I have arthritis in both knees and in my right hip. It is only debilitating when I have flare-ups, which usually begin with my knee giving out and then I have to use a cane for a while until the pain subsides. If Bob isn't willing to drive you to physical therapy or aquatherapy, I believe there are medi-vans that will pick you up and bring you home. I know they are wheelchair equipped. Though I can't see why Bob wouldn't want to drive you since it would be to do something to help you get well.

Sam, some insurances will cover the panniculectomy and abdominoplasty if they cause you discomfort, like rashes, or skin infections. But I would wait until after you have children too because you're going to need some of that extra skin when you're pregnant.

Betsy, your butternut squash soup sounds delicious. I used to have a good recipe for it but lost it. Last time I made it I used a different one and it was not as good.

Ubee, I'm just doing WW online. I've gone to meetings in the past but found it difficult to relate to the leaders who had lost forty pounds in a year and reached goal and kept it off for ten years. If I lost forty pounds in a year the next year I would gain 50 lol. I do like the program though and as I've mentioned before being able to eat everything in moderation.

Kswizzle, welcome. Glad you joined us. You will find a lot of good and helpful people here.

Caldawg, good luck with your weigh-in. I'm sure you will do fine.

Sorry if I didn't address everyone individually. It is quite busy here lately. For the last two days I've had a low-grade fever and headache and not feeling up to doing much of anything. Ibuprofen is not helping the headache. I was planning to make chili today. Well see how I feel later.

I hope you all have a great day. Go Panthers! (Seriously I don't care who wins - DH says that's who we're rooting for.)

Hi Kwizzle! Welcome! I agree with Ubee that there must be an alternative to your meds. I take meds for Bi-polar which are notorious for making weight loss difficult but I just see it as another part of my challenge....and if I wasn't on the meds....well...let's just say I am a different compared to before diagnosis and treatment.
Cawldawg....good luck with your weigh in! I weighed today and hadn't lost anything this week despite sticking to plan and increasing my exercise.I came to the conclusion that with me weight loss/gain is a bit delayed as I had really struggled with overeating last weekend because I felt unwell.
Cindy...I hope you are feeling better today...it is horrible to have a constant headache...it always makes me want to eat carbs!!
Fi....what a difficult situation. I don't have any words of wisdom....just thinking of you.

Hi everybody else!

Well as I mentioned above I haven't lost this week. It has been a roller coaster since the 11th Jan when I rebooted...mostly due to illness....but I am 9lbs down overall which is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!
They have started a new fitness class at my local leisure centre called Fitstep which is a dance based work out for all ages and sizes. I chickened out last week but after doing 30 minutes on Wii dance yesterday I have decided that if I go and can only do half of it I will enjoy it. I used to dance alot as a child and absolutely love it.
Sam and I have just walked the dogs in the rain...yet again.....and are planning on some Wii Fit time!
Keep strong and healthy chickens.
Donna

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for being so kind to me yesterday. It was really rough, and I couldn't bear to tell DH what was really wrong with me. I just told him I was depressed. I ended up working out yesterday and miraculously that actually made me feel better. The power of exercise can really change your mood. It's weird but it works.

Got some cleaning done yesterday. Have a few more things to tidy up and will be coloring my hair. It's rainy and cold outside so I'll be in for the majority of the day except to get the cats more food and some other things from the store.

Weighed in a 206.8 this week, not a huge loss but when I had weighed in mid week I was up to 210 so I'm taking it as a win. I've also lost some in my measurements, not a lot but nothing to complain about here.

For lunch this week I want to make some sort of taco type bowl. I usually do a taco salad without the taco shell, but wanted to do something that has lettuce in it. Any ideas? I'm going to be looking up some ideas this afternoon but thought I'd ask.

Be well all!

Good morning all. Wow -- lots of posts and sadly so many of us are really struggling. Hope since I'm late in posting today that things are looking up for everyone.

Sam -- Hope things are looking up for you. Please don't let the mental image of what society tells us should be perfect bodies influence how you feel about yourself because of the excess skin. You are so young that you may find that some of that skin tightens up given a year. And, as everyone suggested, waiting until the post-baby period is definitely for the best. Lots of good suggestions about surgery options. But unless it's giving you medical problems -- which then it definitely needs to be taken care of -- please focus on you. You have turned your life around, you have overcome so much from your childhood, and you always have a kind word for everyone here. When I've struggled with depression over my body, I've asked myself if I want to be remembered for a rockin' body (which is hard to visualize for a 66 year old woman) or as a kind person. And it's always as a kind person.

Fi -- Yes, arthritis in both knees, hips and back. What helps? Even the little weight that I've lost has made a difference. Staying away from sugar makes a huge difference (cuts down on the inflammation). And taking pain relievers helps some. I exercise 5 days a week and have started adding stretching exercises which have made a noticeable difference. I have numerous friends who have had knee replacement surgery and all swear by it. Bill had both hips replaced in 2014 and it's changed his life. I have a friend who has had her hip replaced 3 times (originally needed to be done because of a horrible car accident) and she's very active. The only caveat is that everyone who has had a "successful" surgery outcome says that doing the PT religiously is important and that the PT will hurt. Don't know if that helps. I'm dedicated to getting weight off this year, and if my knees still hurt this much, then I'm getting new ones. We deserve to live pain free.

Porthardygurl -- Switching up diet plans seems to help, and maybe it's time to try something different. If you've had success with low calorie, go back to that. I watch calories, carbs, and fat using MyFitnessPal. I'm also on Intermittent Fasting which seems to work best for me. Unless you're working out for hours each day, exercise will not help that much with weight loss. It will help with toning and general overall health, but weight loss comes more from our food intake. Hang in there. There was one chick on here a couple of years ago that was within a couple of pounds of getting below 200, and she hit a 2 month plateau. It happens and it's hard to deal with.

Tootsie -- Hope you're having a good time in Florida!

Kswizzle -- Welcome! Do you wonder sometimes if doctors think before prescribing meds? If the side effect is making you want to eat everything in sight, definitely ask for something else. It is a battle, but good for you for realizing it at this age and doing something about it -- something I wish I'd done a lot sooner!

Ubee -- Good going on having a social event and doing ok. Now get past the Super Bowl and we'll head into another week. We can do this!

Calda -- Good luck with the weigh in. The important thing is that you're trying. Hopefully you'll get some positive reinforcement for your efforts.

Cindy -- So sorry you don't feel well. One of those low grade fevers and a headache are the pits -- just bad enough that we feel awful but not bad enough to warrant just staying in bed all day. Hope you're feeling better by now.

Donna -- You've got me laughing again. I love your statement that losing 9 pounds in the last month is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. I'd have to agree with you on that one! I think you're definitely on to something with the dancing. Don't you think half the exercise battle is just finding an activity that is fun at the same time? Sounds like with your weather right now you're getting in swimming at the pool and swimming through the landscape.

Well, I slipped and had a bunch of bubble gum gum balls yesterday -- don't ask......yes, I should have outgrown them by now. Today the arthritis hurts from the sugar, I'm bloated enough that I could be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade as a balloon float, and I'm wondering why I keep doing this to myself. Anyone else struggle with losing and then thinking that you have some wiggle room. Since I'm still well over 300 pounds, that requires a lot of wiggle room! Back at it today. I was beginning to feel so much better there for a couple of days, and I know what I need to do.

I got the taxes done yesterday and will straighten up the house today before watching the Super Bowl. Or at least flipping it back and forth to see what the score is. Hope everyone has a good day!

Good Morning All.. Good news finally! That stupid scale dropped .8 this morning. I changed it up a little yesterday . I cut out all salted nuts and i increased my Net carbs up to 30 instead of 20 or below. So me and Dh are wondering if the continuous gain is from all the salt in the nuts. Even though i pre-portion them out..it contains a lot of sodium. Its either that or my body loves a higher carb count???

"Food Trigger"

I made parsnip fries yesterday..soooo good. I have been on a quest to find the best tasting low carb substitute for fries. So far i have tried- Celery Root, Daikon Radish, Jicama, and Parsnip. To date..the closest to sweet potatoe in taste is- Parsnip and so far they come in at the highest carb..15net for 4 oz. Celery root fries are steller in that they taste just like french fries but they shrink down to nothing..so small..your fries become hashbrowns. Daikon is great for fries..carb count is lower than the others but they never get crispy in the oven. Have a slight radish taste.

My next try is rutabega. Coming in at 5 net per serving. Curious to see how it goes over.

Anywho..got to run..church and then the super bowl..apparently are church is rooting for the panthers too. Thank Godci hate chili..cause we have an annual superbowl chili cook off. One less thing i gotta worry about.

Betsy: Thanks for wishing me well, but we're not in FL yet. We'll be going next month.

Trying to increase my activity so that walking around isn't so bad. I stopped doing the walking vids for a while and started back at the mile vids last week. I'll be trying to bump it back to 2 miles every other day this week. I still have a foot that hurts, so I don't want to push it. The type of sprain that I have can take up to a couple of months to heal.

I'm doing well today, diet wise. Planning on making overnight oatmeal for breakfast tomorrow, but cutting bread out. I might have pasta/rice if I can keep the portions low. I have a bad weakness for carbs. I did allow myself a square of dark chocolate, but will still end up under the alloted amount calories for today.

My well-meaning husband brought me a nonfat yogurt with stevia extract in it. It's not the same as stevia leaf. Stevia extract is processed. I hear differing info about the safety of it. I don't mind putting stuff into my body, but the kids might want to try it. I didn't say anything to him because I don't want him to think that I don't appreciate his support.

Hi everyone! Just thought I would update you on my weigh in. I didn't have any measurements taken, but I was weighed, and I lost 1.8kg last week! You could have knocked me down with a feather! This is the first time EVER, that I have lost a number on a scale at a gym. The positive reinforcement has really spurred me to further tighten my diet and put more effort into the gym. I hope everyone has had a really great day, I have had a few low days, I made a couple of mistakes on my diet last week and I was really beating myself up about it, so I really needed it today. In another win for willpower, I also sat next to my partner and ate some trail mix while he ate fried chicken for lunch. I am DETERMINED to make this work! Thankyou everyone for being so supportive! It means more than you know.

Good Day, everyone. Slow day so far. I found a whey protein that states that it's 100% Whey Protein. Gluten free, no added stuff to it. The only potential problem that I see is that one of the ingredients is cream powder extract. I'm not sure what that is. I imagine that it's there to add flavor to it. I'm going to use my favorite search engine to see how that is processed. Sam: It's Designer Whey Plain & Simple 100% Whey Protein.

Good morning all. Beautiful, clear day here with no rain. I might have to do something about getting the car washed as it looks pretty grungy from all the rain and road dirt.

Porthardygurl -- Hurrah! Glad your scale moved down, and yes, the salt in the nuts could definitely cause you to retain water. I don't think they taste as good, but salt free nuts are available. Good for you on trying to find a good substitute for fries. I did get a kick out of your not liking chili so that it wouldn't be a temptation at the SB party.

Tootsie -- Oops! Well, wrong date but good intentions. Have a good time next month (I'll have forgotten by then). The stevia extract shouldn't be a problem. That was sweet of him to try to bring you a special treat that you could have.

Calda -- Great news on the weigh in and your determination. It does feel wonderful to be rewarded for all your efforts.

I watched the SB yesterday, but was bored through most of it. I also got about half the cleaning done and will finish it up today. This morning when I went downstairs to let Toby out, I noticed he had already brought in more dirt from outside.

Not a lot planned for this week. I need to get the Valentine's cards in the mail for my little guys (and the big ones, too) and have a lunch date on Friday with a girlfriend, but that's it. Maybe I can get at least one of the photo albums finished up.

Hope everyone has a great day.

About an hour ago Bob and I got home from taking me to see my chronic pain doc. Bob was really crabby about it, especially on the way home, when I should have been as quiet as a mouse, because everything I said made him more and more irritated with me. I swear, if I had the choice between three potential improvements in my life—being out of depression pain, being out of fibromyalgia & arthritis pain, or Bob being in a better mood—I would choose the last one without a second's hesitation. He's SO angry, almost all the time, it's driving me nuts.

When I squawk about it, he's always quick to say that his mood isn't my fault, but that's simply not true: when I do succeed in not saying a word to him about anything—even something as innocent as speculating about whether or not it's going to snow, or as positive as raving about a book I'm reading—his mood improves noticeably.

So why can't I just shut up? I guess it's because of being in a mutually talkative marriage for 38 years. Bob and I are champion conversationalists. We set that pattern in the early days of our relationship, when we were first becoming friends in college.

Perhaps it's also because other people—even total strangers like a new receptionist or a nurse I've never met before—respond so warmly to me. I've always been fortunate that way: people do enjoy hearing me talk, and enjoy talking to me. I've even had numerous people admire my speaking voice. I have a low-pitched voice for a woman, the kind of voice that might be described as "smoky," except that I've never smoked one cigarette in my life.

Oh well... maybe it's time for me to take a vow of silence. I'm reminded of a routine by the comedian Chris Rock, about how talkative women get on his nerves: the climax of the routine is when he says, "Feed me, f**k me, and shut the f**k UP!" =laugh=

Well Good Morning...

Its an interesting one. I gained back .4 on my scale this morning. Didn eat nuts yesterday but i am gathering this is a TOM issue now since i should be on schedule 2 days from now. I have decided that once TOM time is over, that i will determine weather to change up the diet plan.
It will be determined based on wether the scale drops back down to my 227 or if this really is a true gain. Looking back in my food journal, i was definitly having success on low cal so we shall see. I want to hold out long enough to find out if thishas all been a water gain.

***Food Trigger****

So to finish up my week of Fry-Tastic..my last root vegetable turned into fries was a Rutabega. Not bad at all. Tasted kind of like a sweet potatoe. So i have decided to give my review fod the best fry substitute in order from yuckiest and worst to best.

Jicama/Zucchini- Jicama is too sweet and never cooks enough to be soft or get crispy. Zucchini stays too mushy from high water content

Turnips- taste kind of bitter and radish like almost. Yuck

Kholrabi- doesnt cook properly..much like Jicama

Daikon- Never gets crispy..have to cut it super thin. Tastewise its mild.

Celery Root- Definitly my favorite tasting. Tastes the most like potatoes. Could easily put vinegr on them. Downside- they shrink up a lot when cooked..your fries turn to hashbrowns

Rutabega- Tastes most like sweet potatoe. Difficult to cut, most resembles fries. Lacks crispyness but adequate substitute for yam fries

Parsnip- Looks like fries, gets crispy, tastes between a yam and a potatoe. Delicious..Only downside- the carb content is the highest.

Overall..i think my go to fry options will be rutabega for yam fry sub and celery root for regular fries(if i can get it big enough to not shrink down)

Well..thats all for now i suppose. Today is family day here in BC which means everything is closed including the Drs office..which sucks cause since 3 days ago, one of my glands in my neck have been swollen on one side only...the pain is getting bothersome..Need to see the Dr and figure out whats causing it. Going to put off swimming till i can see the Doc.

Feels like another day for craving chocolate. Had strong cravings for chocolate yesterday and now i do again today. Thanks TOM.

Very sporadic poster here. I tend to post for a few weeks and then disappear for months (which is also the schedule of my 'eating healthy' initiatives).

I just felt the need to post here today inform the Internet that if someone does not eat these last three chocolate chip cookies at work, I am going to lose my damn mind. I am on week 3 of Optifast which is 800 (or in my case, about 1000-1100) calories a day of powdered soups, powdered shakes, and protein bars. These cookies have been here for OVER A WEEK. And they are joined by BAGELS this morning. And then there's the bags of chips, the drawer of candy, etc.

That is all.