I have been playing around since 1/1/08. I do good for 2 days bad for 3 days. This has been going on all year. Every week I have the best of intentions and then I just fall off somehow. I want this so bad. I want to feel good and healthy. Anyway, a friend has been doing WW for awhile and has lost 68 pounds. She still has about 30 to go. I asked her if she would mind if I joined her. Going by myself just does not work. So I am going back tomorrow morning. I really want to do this this time. I know that WW is the best way to go. When I plan ahead I do well and when I don't plan that is when I can't keep it going. I have about 70 pounds to lose. For the most part I just want to be able to carry a load of laundry upstairs without being winded. I am very lucky that I do not have diabetes or high blood pressure. I have been overweight for about 9 years. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Pam, I don't really have any advice, since I just started myself. Just wishing you the best of luck!

Hi Pam! You made a really great decision by deciding to go back to WW. What's even better is you've committed with someone else, and having a buddy or support system really makes a difference in your success! You're already off to a great start even if you don't know it.

I'm sure we've all been on the on-again off-again rollercoaster you described, and there really is no easy way off it except to just COMMIT. Perhaps if you make a list of the reasons why you want to lose weight (like the diabetic thing you already mentioned) and read them every day? What my leader has us do in our meeting one week was to close our eyes and focus on a situation embodying the word 'healthy.' Everyone has their own picture of healthy, and if you can find out what it is for you you can use that as motivation at any time just by recalling it. Maybe you picture yourself at a fancy dance in a cocktail gown. Or running around chasing after children. Or simply going up stairs and not really noticing because it doesn't hurt. Or reaching a ripe old age and still jogging down the street. It's been really helpful to me to focus on a mental image of what I want to be, it really does provide good motivation to do what I need to get there.

Anyway, good luck, and I hope you stick around the forums too! 3FC is a wonderful place and there's always someone here to listen!

Pam -
You've already learned some things about yourself. That you need support in order to succeed, and that you need to plan in order to follow through. Apply these lessons.

Attend the weekly meetings for support each & every week. Jump on 3FC if you need a booster, or talk to your friend.

Plan. Plan, plan, plan. Did I mention plan? You know you do better when you plan. So do it. This could mean making a few days worth of food on Sunday. It could mean that you write down what you're going to have for your meals that day each morning. It could mean just keeping a few healthy choices of snacks ready-to-eat & on hand.

Go into that meeting with one attitude and one attitude only. That attitude is "When I reach goal." Not if, not but, not maybe. When.

Know that you CAN do this. The leader is there, the group is there, your friend is there, and we are there to support you!

Best of success!!!

Hi Pam,
You did make a big step in the right direction, and having a buddy helps more than you will know. Also lots of great listeners, for help and advice on this board. I wish you much sucess and let us know how things are going for you.

Thanks everyone. I went back today and I told myself I can do this. I had a great day I stuck to plan. When I went to the Mall today and I was hungry I went right over to Subway. Didn't even think twice. I think that I am going to take the time the day before I grocery shop for the week to plan out the entire week. Also, the night before write everything in my journal so that when I get up I know what I am taking to work for lunch and what I will eat when I get home for dinner. I moved the Easter baskets to the dining room (a room that I never go in). So I think that I am ready for the week. My first goal is to get to 199 (9 lbs). I will treat myself to a pedicure. Thanks again.

I think we all have started over before! I Know I have! you can do it!! GoodLuck!

Hey Pam!! Just wanted to wish you luck don't really have any advice just started myself. Check out the success stories lots w/ pics. Its great motivation to see people going through the same things and they are doing it. Much power to you.

Molly, your avatar is too cute! Welcome back, you've made a wonderful decision for yourself. I'm like you, I seem to just stick with it better with the meetings. Hope to see you around the forums, too! There's lots of support to be had here!

Good luck, Pam! Trust me, if I can lose weight on WW, anyone can! I was a fast-food, junk-food-a-holic. And I'm down 25+lbs in just 12 weeks!

I agree with Suite and Molly. While it's sometimes tough to carve out 45 minutes during a weeknight to go to my meeting, I definitely need to go. Committing to physically going to the meeting each week seems somewhat symbolic of the commitment I've made to myself to get healthy this year. If I start to let that slip, who knows what will be next!

Sometimes I find it hard to go, though. On weeks when I know the scale will be disappointing, for instance. It's something that I struggle with at times. But I've decided to go anyway, even if I feel like I've gained (or more appropriately, even if I feel like my efforts won't be recognized by the scale this week). This week, for example, I've gone biking and I've done several hours of boxing, I've been on plan every day, and yet when I step on my scale at home, I'm several pounds heavy. I'm doing the right things, but the scale isn't being friendly. That's ok, though... because I'm doing the right things, I know that it IS NOT POSSIBLE that i've put on 2-3lbs of fat. Water maybe, or lactic acid, but not fat.

sometimes when I'm really exercising in a week I'll be up, but it's a good "up" if you can imagine such a thing, because when you're OP and very active, you're building up some of that muscle you lose when you lose weight.

I read somewhere on here an article on how you lose weight and basically when you are losing, you lose fat and muscle (more fat than muscle), and you need to build back that muscle. Not to get to the bodybuilder point (unless that's what you're into) but your muscles burn fat even when you feel like you're not doing anything, so you don't want to lose that benefit just for the sake of a number on the scale.

Keep doing what you're doing Aero, you're doing great.

Hi Pam,

I'm right there with you. I'm starting over too. My overall goal is to be healthy and to get back to an active lifestyle.

One of the best pieces of advice I heard at a meeting was to make mini-goals. Since I have ALOT of weight to lose to get to goal, I get overwhelmed if I look at the end point. So I've set little mini-goals of 5 lbs each. When I get to each goal, I'll treat myself with something non-food related. My first one is going to be a music CD of some kind. Or your idea for a pedicure award sounds really good too. I put my mini-goals in my food journal and look over them each day. I also recorded my reasons for wanting to lose weight. Kind of like making a mini-contract with myself. I read those every day too. My food journal is really important (and recording my points) cos' it makes me accountable. Plus I learn from it - what works, what doesn't , reasons for overeating etc., Anywho - we all already know this but sometimes it helps to read it again. I hope it helps you.

You're also very lucky to have a friend teaming up with you. For me, 3FC is my team. I'm so glad I found it.

Good luck and hang in there! You can do it.

catmama,
Welcome Back , Great advice, those mini goals can help you stay on track, and 5lbs, 17 times seems easier to attain.

I totally agree, about 3fatchicks, I was so lucky to be told, this was here, a great tool, and the support is amazing