I don't really know anyone on here and am still unsure as to where to post these. I have a bit of a dilemma and was hoping to get a little feedback from anyone who can relate. I am beginning (about 10 lbs down this time) again. I joined a Biggest Loser-type competition with my husband through his work. It's very casual. I was doing fantastic at first. The problem was I started on my own about a week before they all did so I had that big initial weight loss just before starting. I was down from 276 to 258. 18 lbs. I was feeling great. I had a lot of really stressful things happen and basically fell face first into a bag of Reese's. *Sigh* It would have been fixable had I not convinced myself that I had blown it. Well here I am at 266. Up 8 lbs. Not horrendous, but disheartening. I want to do this so bad.
I had my son in September and when he was 2 weeks old I was 20 lbs lighter than when I got pregnant. 221. Got pregnant at 241-ish. I have been dealing with depression and have gained A LOT. I am turning 30 at the end of April and desperately want to be at a place I feel healthier and look better because I know I am going to have a hard time with this birthday. I know I shouldn't, but I also know I will. Anyone deal with having to restart? Depression after a baby? A 3-0 birthday? I would love to hear from you! How do I stay motivated and not let my crazy life affect me so much? I have 3 kids and know life is not going to just calm down so I can diet! Also, where do I find a diet buddy that has a similar amount to lose?

I too am currently restarting. I'm glad yours was just a small set back. I have been fighting depression for the last year and have finally decided to restart. Today is the first time in exactly 1 year that I have logged in. I'm down 2lbs in 2 weeks. The important thing is that we have restarted.

Thanks. You are right. We are starting at a pretty similar number. Good luck to you! Let me know if you are looking for a buddy!

Andria We're all buddies around here!

If you're having problems with Depression you may want to check out the Depression & Weight Loss area where you can find people to relate to. And I would urge you to speak to a doctor about your Postpartum Depression. That's a very serious thing.

You might also want to check out the 20-somethings & 30-somethings for those who are close to turning 30, or who have just turned. There's also the 100lb club, and even though you don't have quite 100 lbs to lose they're a very open & active group. (Open to all of course!)

About the staying motivated/being busy: If we only "dieted" when the time was right & conditions perfect then we would never get anywhere. There's ALWAYS a holiday, an event, chores to do, people to help. This is about changing our lives. And that's difficult. But the sooner we put away the mentality that this can only happen when nothing else is going on, the sooner we begin to make it happen when everything else is going on. Motivation is over-rated. It is fleeting. Making the decision to commit is the only way to make it over the tough times, the blah times, the angry times, the busy times.

Continue to look around, no need to just find one place. You can post in many! Heck, you can post in all! Stick around. You can do this!

Hey Faerie! Hello and thank you for your help! I am still finding my way around, but am going to check out what you suggested. I have seen a doctor for the depression, and am feeling much better. It comes and goes. I am really wanting to do this and just need to actually realize that it's not about waiting for the "next Monday" or whatever to start because like you said, life is never gonna just calm down for us to diet. The comment about motivation was really helpful. I never really thought about it being fleeting, or overrated. It is both. I always felt that it alone should be enough to get me through and when it wasn't I internalized it as a failure. I can't wait to jump in here with everyone. You all seem SO nice! Good luck to you, you seem like you are doing great! 81 lbs. lost! WOW! I cannot wait until I can say the same thing!

Hi there. Let me start off by saying you are so beautiful! You have a great smile.

I can totally relate to starting over. I've started over sooooo many times. Last week, I started over after falling off the wagon for a couple of months. What has helped me get back on track is first, coming to this website and reading the posts and asking for help. That helps a lot. People are so willing to help around here. Another thing that has helped is to make 1 good decision at a time. Every time I make a good decision, it gives me confidence that I can make another good one. The BIGGEST thing that has helped me has been to outlaw chips from my life. Some people say that it will make you binge to eliminate things from your life, but it helps me to eliminate chips. It's the only thing that I say I absolutely can't have, because when I try to limit it, even to eating only baked chips, I can't control myself and it causes me to binge not only on chips, but other stuff too. It is my kryptonite! So, no chips for me. Another thing that has helped me is to start logging my food again. I use Fitday for the PC, but I think any method is good: writing it down, Fitday, Daily Plate, etc. anything will help.

I can also relate to the depression issues. I suffer from Bipolar, mostly the depression, and it can cause a lot of problems when it comes to weight loss efforts. When I am depressed, all I want to do is eat. I am an emotional eater. Heck, I'm just an eater period, but throw in some depression and I'm really in trouble. They say we have to find other ways to comfort ourselves: walks, talking to friends, journaling, hobbies. I haven't tried these things because it's easier to just eat, and I haven't been depressed lately to give them a shot. But I am going to try them the next time I get depressed. I don't know if you are an emotional eater, but if you are, you might try these things.

Good luck, and don't give up! The important thing is after falling, you get back up and try again. If you ask some of the most successful people on here, they will tell you that they have fallen over and over too before getting it right. We can be one of those people, we just have to find our groove!

trooworld-why thank you for the compliments, those definitely help the motivation, lol. We seem to have a lot in common and it is nice to know that there are people here who understand where I am coming from. I use FitDay too. It is a pain when you are adding custom foods at first, but seeing it all laid out at the end of the day really is good. Doesn't always say what I want it to, lol, but helpful anyways! I, too, am an emotional eater, and this is the first time I am trying to use other methods of making myself feel better. I am heading off to weigh in right now, so I will be back with the good news! Good luck to you!!! Have a FANTASTIC day!

I will be your buddy if you want. I am about the same. I will be 30 in November. Hoping this year goes slow..lol.. And yet again I am starting over. I didn't want much of my friends or family to know I am trying to lose weight because I don't want to disappoint them. I was also trying to keep it quit from work. But some how, I am in charge of a Biggest Loser type of contest in our office. So much for staying hush hush about it. Well good luck with weigh-in. I am doing weight watchers and weighed yesterday and lost 5.4.. yay me..
Have a good day

First of all, you are GORGEOUS!

Secondly, I have been battling with weight my whole life. I was a ballet dancer -very slim and trim, and a runner until I broke my ankle and was off of it for months (lots of complications).

I think all women at one point will wager a battle against the bulge.

I have done this for years, through high school I would go without eating for days and lose, and then binge on everything in sight (which obviously was not healthy)

I am now almost 21 and this time, I tell myself, I will slim down for life. Not because of an outward appearance thing (although that is a really nice perk), but because I want to be healthy!

I don't think it matters how many times you've started and given up, I think it matters that right now you have made a committment to your life-long health. This board has been wonderful support for me. I'm sure it will be a great support for you as well,

Good luck on your journey!
-Liz.

Yeah, there are definitely people here that understand. I do much better on my "healthy lifestyle change" when I visit this site, preferably every day. Fitday's custom stuff can be a pain, but once it is in there, you don't have to enter it again, which is a relief (at least the pc version, I don't know about the online version?). We are always having different things to eat, so I am always having to enter custom foods. But it's nice when it's already there. How did you do at your weigh-in? Do you weigh in everyday or just once a week? Once a month? I weigh-in every day, but I only count what it averages out to be at the end of a week...it fluctuates so much from day to day, if I average it out for the week, it seems that I get what I feel is a true number. Good luck to you, and you have a fantastic day!

I second OnlyMeantWell. You are beautiful! And wow, having three kids... That's got to add an element of challenge to just about everything, not only weight. I struggle with just a cat!

I've started, restarted, stopped, restarted so many times! I've battled the bulge my entire life until two years ago, it finally stuck. I finally gave up the crash dieting which rued me!

I actually talked to a professional and his advice sticks with me every single day: Do not do anything to lose weight that you aren't willing to do for the rest of your life. This really resonates with that whole lifestyle change bit. I stopped thinking in terms of start and stop, but in "this is just how I live now."

I know all of that sounds frufy and maybe cliche, but it's just what's worked for me. I think of heavily cutting calories or cutting out entire food groups... Then I ask myself if that's something I'm willing to stick with for life, realistically. It's not! Baby steps!!

WOW!

That is amazing advice. I know that in my head, but to have it written out in words JUST LIKE THAT is incredible.

Thank you so much for sharing, that is going to be my new mantra when I want to take "the easy way out" by not eating, or just eating raw veggies or some other crazy diet!

Oooh! So glad that helped!

I really do swear by it. It stopped that vicious cycle of restrict/binge/repeat, for me. I'd seriously live on 500 calories a day for a week, lose a bunch of water, then freak out and eat a cake and go on a week long sugar binge. Not exactly sustainable!

No more of that, I say!

Yes, thanks for that "quote"...I'm going to put it in my journal, if you don't mind. It's a great motto. I can't imagine living on 500 cals a day...no wonder you binged! I wish I had money to see someone like a registered dietician, but I wonder if they would tell me anything different than the info that I can learn on here? I'll have to see if our insurance covers it.