Hi i am new at this board...
I am glad to find a place like this where you can just be yourself.
A couple of years ago I did low carb and lost quite a bit of weight.Right now I weight about 30 more pounds than I did then about 200lbs. I am 5'4. i am not trying to use excuses but I weigh more thatn I look. Right now I am a loose 14. i would be happy--really happy at a size 10 but don't see myself much past a 12.
Last Sept. I had a stroke (I am 30 years old now 29 then) they say that it was because of birth controll pills.Anyway in the last 4 months I have lost about 30 pounds doing low fat and walking everyday. i feel so much better. I am waiting for an elliptical trainer to come and I have not walked in about 2 weeks. I can feel the bulges getting bigger but can still not bring myself to quit eatting all the junk and get on my walker. I am hoping that the new exercise will renew the pazaz.
I went shopping today and I have all the right foods just need to eat them.
Thank you for listening I am looking forward to getting to know you all.

I can definitely relate to your dilemma. I went from 212 to 150 two years ago. Then over the past two years shot up to 245. I'm now working my way back down to 150. When I was gaining back all that weight, I knew it was happening and just let it! I don't know why.

This time I am determined that the changes I am making now are for LIFE! You just have to realize that yoyo dieting is very bad for your health and make a determined decision to just do what you need to do.

Way to go on losing the 30 pounds! Doesn't it feel great? Just think how good you'll feel in another 30 pounds and then another!

A very good tip I read about exercise motivation is to make a deal for yourself that you will do your choice of exercise for 10 minutes. If you want to quit then, you can without feeling guilty. But I think you'll find that you'll keep going. I know this works for me.

Regarding the food - I know that when I fell off the wagon, I ate hardly a vegetable or anything else good for me. When I decided in March to get back on track, it was very hard to make myself eat healthy. I just gradually worked the easy stuff in - like baby carrots - while still eating some not so great stuff! Day by day as I lost weight, I got more and mroe interested in putting good food in me and trying new recipes and ways of cooking.

Just keep plugging away day by day and good luck

All I can say is that when you are ready you will know it. I wish you the best of luck with it, too.

Hello again,

Welcome to the board!

I have an elliptical and *love* it! Congrats on the loss and feeling SO much better (that's really the point of all this imo).
The reason for my weight gain (this time anyway) was purely emotional (divorce and moving to another state) and like you, need(ed) to find some motivation - I've found it here...

You're welcomed to join us on the 5 pound challenge or the 21 day challenge threads! There's a bunch of wonderful people here, just jump in when you're ready!

Terri