Just wanted to say HI from the swamp lands of Iowa!! As my user name states I am FINALLY FOCUSED!! I'm hoping your great community will be able to give me the much needed support to finally push past my plateau to get to my goal!!
In short I just turned 33; I have 3 little ones (ages 10, 7, 4); a husband who is generally naturally fit but loves to eat; and I come from a family plagued by obesity, heart disease and diabetes. After my last child I lost all my weight within 3 weeks (gotta love breast feeding) unfortunately my demanding work schedule at the time made it difficult to continue to breast feed so I stopped--but I didn't stop eating like I was!! I packed on more weight than the pregnancy itself! I topped out at 205, and probably a little more because I was too afraid to step on the scale until after about 2 weeks of diet and exercise. So I say 205 as my top weight. Anyways, my husband was deployed to Iraq and I was determined to get fit again. And I did after hard work and dedication I lost 47 pounds. I was down to 163, I had changed my eating habits and began working out 5-7 days a week. Now over the last 2 years I have fluctuated between the coveted 163 and up to 175. I am currently at 169 and am determined to break this cycle and get past the 163 mark and drop another 15 beyond that.
It will be difficult though cause I have always been overweight, I think I have been around my comfort level of 170 since middle school, rarely getting to the 150s with some diet craze, but always ending back here in this zone. How do I break this cycle?????
Well thats it for now, again I look forward to meeting you guys and fighting this fight together!!
LB

Hi, I'm from Iowa too. Not too many of us here. Welcome. I am mostly on the South Beach forum.

Hi Finally Focused -

Your story sounds pretty much like mine...except I topped out a bit higher and I don't have making babies for an excuse.

What did you do to lose the 47 pounds? Were you on a specific plan? Anyhoo - I feel your pain, I've been stuck in the 160's for a couple years now...I made it to 157 once...but today the scale said 170. I think focus is a big part of it. My annoying thing is I'll do pretty good all day at work and then dive head first into the peanut butter jar when I get home. Or I'll do pretty well all week and then eat tons over the weekend.

I would like to say at least we are maintaining the majority of what we lost. That in itself is a lot of work.

Hi finally focused---

It's nice to see someone else from Iowa out here. I'm in Des Moines. Congrats on the 47# weight loss. I have also always been heavy, but hope to finally get down to my goal weight this time. Good luck!!

Nikki

HI, another Iowan here. I'm am in Dubuque. Im fairly new also and am just starting my journey.
Great to meet you and stay DRY!
Jody

Well hello fellow Iowans, and alike! I am originally from Dubuque graduating from Senior in 93, then lived in Cedar Falls for college until 99, then Des Moines for med school until 2003 and now finally in Iowa City burbs!!

As for how I lost it, I can't say I did any one certain thing. I initially began following body for life and did so for the full 12 weeks and I know this really helped, but I think the main thing was I stopped eating at the cafeteria for all my meals at work, I stopped eating all night to keep awake on call, and I began to walk from the Finkbine parking lot to UIHC which for those of you who don't know thats about a 20 min walk with a large hill, both ways 6 days a week. So thats why I think thats why when I go back onto Body for Life that I don't get the results like I had initially, I don't really have much to change anymore. One thing I do is weigh myself daily and although it includes some heartbreak cause of the ups and downs, as long as I am not seeing a steady trend up I know I'm doing ok. When I start pushing over 170 I know I need to change my eating, usually the family and I have been out eating quite a bit, or I've slacked on exercising for awhile. But I am 168.2 today--mind you its also my second day on the lovely monthly curse--so I'm hoping I'm heading down.

One thing I learned was when I was really struggling with wanting to eat something "forbidden" (believe me though I don't believe in actually forbidding myself--that only makes me want it more) I had a saying I would say to myself--"is eating that going to get me to my goal?" As long as I can listen honestly to that answer I was usually able to forgo the desire. My other mantra is "Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels!!"

Rock on ladies