A MESSAGE TO ALL NEWBIES:

Please, jump right in, post on the daily threads... don't just post your profile and vamoose! We want to get to know you all as good as we can. We're all friendly, don't bite, and love the things you will bring to us, and hopefully we can bring something to you too!! PLEASE jump right in

Ditto On that. I agree, we do not want you to get scared away and not visit us agian. we love newbies and love to hear any new ideas that you many bring. Do not be shy we really do not bite. I really would like to say that we all are a close group but we have all started as newbies too. We know what it is like to have weight to lose and know the struggle, and would like to help you through your trouble spots, and share your joys with your triumphs!!

thanks Beth Anne!!!

we all learn from each other. if we had all the answers, we wouldn't be here!!!

besides, you can't have too many friends, can you???

Hi! I am newbie, both to this site and the internet in general. I used to think this computer was just a neat place to put stuff on, but now I see it's fun to play with, too! I don't really understand what all this thread and post stuff is, but I would love to learn. I would like to lose 90 pounds, as I have just given birth to my 4th kiddo and people still ask me when the baby is due. I am a major stress eater. I know I am supposed to eat a low fat healthy diet and exercise, but I can't seem to do it. Can someone help me to get started?

Welcome! Four kids? You DEFINITELY have my respect and admiration. I cannot imagine having to deal with two more (or maybe it's just because mine are teenagers now )

Me too! That's how I gained 40 lbs. in eight months. Last year was my first very stressful year of teaching (5th grade) and I "coped" with it by downing Sonic chocolate chip shakes and Quarter Pounders with Cheese.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Yiby
I know I am supposed to eat a low fat healthy diet and exercise, but I can't seem to do it. Can someone help me to get started?

While I'm still in the throes of this battle myself, I hope I can help. Here are a few suggestions:

1. First of all, you CAN do it! You need to remember that every single day, even on the tough days. (Especially on the tough days!)

2. To begin, try changing one thing about your diet a week. For example, your first week, concentrate on getting enough water. (That means water, not diet Cokes or kool-aid!) The standard is 48 oz. per day. On your second week, concentrate on adding at least two fruits or fresh vegetables to your diet every day. On your third week, concentrate on your portion sizes. In a few weeks, you'll be eating healthier.

3. DON'T STARVE YOURSELF!!!!! I experienced behavior on the verge of anorexia when I was younger, and it has damaged my metabolism for life.

4. Exercise....easier said than done....I have not met my exercise goal ONCE this month It's my own fault, though, because I don't MAKE time for it. You might try an exercise tape when the kids are napping (Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds are really good, I hear.) Also, you might try a walk around the neighborhood after everyone's in bed. Start slow - 10 or 15 minutes a day. Add a couple of minutes every week, and the next thing you know, you'll be up to 30 minutes.

5. Post often! This is a GREAT board...supportive and wonderful. When you think NOBODY understands, post here; we've all been there at one point or another!

welcome yiby!!! and congrats on the 4 children! you brave soul.

jennelle has some great ideas for getting started, and i'm sure there are others floating around. one thing's for certain, and that is that you MUST believe that YOU are worth all this effort. you ARE worth it, you DESERVE to be healthy.

it's not an easy road, but we all know that. and we're here for each other. so, jump in!!! both feet. it's ok.

hello yiby..

just start chatting.. we love chatters tell us about your day!

Welcome

Dana

Thanks for all the replies! I am so glad there are other people out there who will listen to me. I tried going to a Weight Watchers meeting with a friend of mine, and all the women in there looked great to me. I know that everyone is critical of themselves, but I felt like I was the only person who actually had to lose weight. It bummed me out, so I went home and took out my feelings on a bag of M & M's. Those poor little things, they never even saw it coming. I went to open house at Bally's gym, and I peeked in on an aerobic class, but most of the women in there were gorgeous. It's hard to get started wanting to lose so much weight. Not that it would be any easier having to lose only 10 pounds (I can't wait to get to that point!) You know, I never thought of weight lose as something that I deserve, but it is. For the first time in 6 years, I deserve to lose weight. This is something just for me. My kids are 6,4,2 and 3 months, so I don't get much to myself, but I want this for me. Thanks! Beth

Yiby - Back when I was around 155 lbs., I worked out nearly every day. Hubby was in the Navy, and we lived and worked on the base. My office was literally right across the street from the gym, so I would go over there on my lunch hours. There was a woman there every day when I was there. She was always either on the treadmill or the stepper. She also, incidentally, probably weighed close to 300 lbs. But you know, when I saw her, the first thing I thought WASN'T "wow, she's big!" or anything like that. I had such admiration for her. She was working hard. She never gave up. She had taken her destiny into her own hands and was working on being the best that she could be. And I also know that she didn't give a good you-know-what about what ANYONE thought of her in her bike shorts and t-shirt.

You do yourself a disservice when you allow strangers to dictate how you are going to live your life. I know - it's easier said than done. We all have our moments where our weight makes us psychologically uncomfortable in a crowd. You will have overcome a major hurdle when you JOIN THAT GYM. Go sign up! And know that no one there really cares about the size of your booty.

Yiby - I felt, and still kind of do feel the same what you do about Bally's and WW meetings. So, I joined WW online. That way, I still utilized the program, and didn't feel embarrassed to see others who I felt looked so much better than me. I think that starting out kind of on my own, with my support system being an online support, I could bet my self-esteem up high enough to join a gym, which I just joined on a temp basis last week. I'm still probably the biggest one there, but I feel like I got a kick start and now don't really care what the others look like.
Keep your chin up. We are all going to support you in whatever you decide, but keep the positive attitude and it will help in your weight loss journey.

Hi! What do y'all do when you are very stressed out and the only thing that you want is a Twinkie? I have to learn to talk myself out of eating when I am stressed. I know that I should go for a walk or something, but I have 4 small kids at home. What do you guys do to get through the rough times?

You just did what I do when I need a reminder of what I'm trying to do. I post = or at the very least I read and lurk. Just reading of some of the tremendous losses some in this thread have been able to accomplish reinvigorates my motivation. And knowing they too have been tempted (and occasionally have failed) helps me understand it's not just perfect people who can succeed.

And maybe I still fall off track a little (like today) but it's a LITTLE compared to what it was before I found these companions on the weight loss journey.

So now that everyone here understands what you're talking about and I'm sure you'll get some great suggestions but for me, this is it.

yiby.. just brought up a couple of threads on stress and weight.. hope they help

Hey Yiby!
Welcome to our boards - sorry I was a little late in jumping on to welcome you!

You bring up lots of good points.
As far as weight watchers, have you tried different meetings? I've noticed that different meetings have vastly different crowds. The meeting I go to right now has ALL Shapes and sizes!

As far as the gym, I've really learned that most of it is in my own head. I don't go now, but more because of money and time than anything else. Check out to see if there is a Curves for Women near you. At least then you are only dealing with women, and I've heard there are all shapes and sizes there as well!

As far as stress eating - I have found a BEAUTIFUL thing put out by weight watchers called "Fruities". Unfortunately I can't eat them anymore because they have too many carbohydrates. But they are VERY chewy, and keep your mouth busy for quite a while. They are a little pricey, but definately saved me many times from devouring the house! You just need to find what works for you... sometimes it might be eating SOMETHING! But other times you may just be able to distract yourself some other way.

Good luck!