Unfortunately I'm not new to the need for weight loss.

My whole life I've been just a tad thicker than everyone else my age. Always atleast two inches taller, with larger breats, my technical weight has been much higher than my peers, although for a long time I didnt look that much "fatter". Doctors said this was due to my build and my height, which, was depressing as it was the opposite of feminine finesse in my eyes.

Im now 22, and my "slight weight incline" has become...a more serious problem. Weighing in a 242 lb, i can honestly say this is the day I thought I would never actually face. After I graduated high school, (gained about ten pounds in those four years), I've consistently gained 50 POUNDS! That makes me want to just slit my wrists!! (not really, im just saying)

I know what my problem is. As I've tried to moniter where my habits went wrong, I have noticed that I seem to see food as a reward. When I do something hard, I reward myself with good food. When I want to have fun, I make sure that good food is in the plans. If I have had a rough day, well ****, I deserve some good food!!! I dont know where I picked this up. Perhaps since I grew up "on a diet", Ive always felt like food was an area I had no freedom in, and when I finally got out of my parents house, i kind of sort of went crazy.

I have tried like, every diet under the sun. I have never been successful at any of them. Obviously it's not a problem with the product, just with the operator. I now suffer from heartburn almost daily, and the fact that I can feel fat coming up out of my jeans creating the dreaded "inner tube" effect makes me want to hide in a corner. I've just started weight watchers again, and already I feel like it's not working. Ive lost two pounds in over a week, and honestly I could be trying harder, but that's another area of problems I face. I seem to lack the motivation to stick to things. Always an excuse maker, I have absolutely no follow through. My weight gain has led me to the place where now I am too fatigued to get up and work out everyday, and, and, and.....someone help me make sense of my life.

I dont believe life is made to be lived out of control. And I dont want to be this way.

Please, if you read this, and you've had any success at all, with weight watchers, with motivation, with anything, any advice will help.

Thanks

alliegirl

I have to say, being able to identify the things that are standing in your way is HUGE. What an insightful post!

You say you don't have any follow through, but think of where you're at now. You're not too tired to work out, you're just tired in general. You'd be surprised at how little effort it takes to actually make it to the gym and how much energy you get in return. But heck, you know all that. You know about the payoffs, right?

Equating food with "freedom" is a common theme around here, so you're in good company. The trick is to find things to replace that freedom. Freedom can mean running a 5K or learning how to cook a healthy meal for yourself or having the energy to do things beyond going to the gym.

This is a wonderful resource for support, especially if you doubt being able to do this every day. We're here for ya

Welcome!!
I can also identify with being overweight my whole life and having little to no motivation to change it. Although this website is an AWESOME!!! source for motivation and ideas to help you change, YOU are the one that's going to make it happen. Even if it's bypassing dessert after dinner or switching one of your meals for a healthy salad, every step counts. Finding a routine that sticks with you is key, look around and see what other people are doing to lose the weight and try to apply it to yourself!!

p.s. I LOVE looking at the success stories thread, definitely gets me pumped for the new me! Check it out!

Welcome! It's a big step coming here and getting all that out. I think it's a pretty good start.

What helped for me (I've been a perpetual dieter and the fat kid growing up, too) was making little changes first. Like I'd go from 2 sodas a day to 1. And eventually to diet. But I worked up to that. Or I'd only have one snack after coming home from work instead of two. Then I started making them healthier things. Like cucumbers or tomatoes instead of cheese fries. What also helped me not quit is that no food is off limits. If I want it, really want it, I'll eat. I'll just eat less, an adjust my other meals of the day. And maybe one of the most important things:
One bad meal will NOT derail your diet plans. You just pick up at the next meal (not day, meal) and get back on plan.
I hope this gives you some ideas for getting healthy. Sorry for rambling a little
Good luck. And stick around here. I think you'll find it helps.

I wanted to reply to your post because I identified so much with your story. We are around the same height and just this past week I was 242.5 lbs. I am on WW too and have found that it works for me. It does take some time to get used to the program and it becomes easier as weeks go by and you get used to the number of points a day. I have found this quote helpful "Success is the sum of small efforts, day in and day out." So make small changes, and keep going. Don't give up! We are all here for you!

Hi Allie! I'm so glad you posted your story, because I'm just like you! I was never the tiny girl, and then when I went to college, I gained like crazy from all the partying and not caring what I ate.

I was on and off WW several times throughout college, and I never stuck to it because I didn't have a support system. I've been back on since September, and it does take some time for your body to get used to all the changes you're making! Just remember, you can do this!

I think what made me decide to really stick to my guns was having a guy come up to me in a bar and ask to buy me a drink. I said no because I wasn't interested, and he asked me how much I weighed. I asked him why, and he said, "Well you just look large." That hurt me so badly, and I know he was being a jerk but it made me realize that I really needed to do something if complete strangers felt it necessary to tell me I was fat.

Wow sorry for all that rambling! My point is, you have to want it to be successful. And once you want it bad enough, all those other obstacles will seem like little hills that are easy to get over. It's just little changes. My WW leader has us think about one thing we want to change a week, just ONE! Don't worry you'll get there sooner than you know it!

I admire you for your post. It is hard to admit when we have flaws or when we are our own worst enemy. You seem to know what you need to do, it is just a matter of bringing yourself to do it. Losing weight is no picnic for anyone and it is something that takes time. Remember, you didnt put all of this weight on overnight, it wont come off overnight either. Time is your friend. There are going to be many obstacles along the way... you may get knocked down a few times and that is OK!!! If we gave up everytime we fell when we were babies learning to walk, we would all be crawling adults. You lack motivation, which is understandable because I have been there... but I will leave you with some words of wisdom that someone gave me that have helped me immensely.

"Picture yourself a year from now if you stick to the diet and weight loss efforts - imagine the overwhelming happiness of your success....Now, picture yourself a year from now if you give up today - another feeling of defeat and wishing you would have stuck with it because think of where you would be."

Which picture are you going to paint? I think you can paint a success... You have all of the right brushes... you have a canvas... now, enhance it with color (motivation) ugh... I suck at metaphors...

What the heck?! How rude. That makes me so mad. :major overreaction alert: I would have asked him how big his head was ... because his brain seems small.

I've been doing WW since like July or August...and I've lost all this weight JUST by WW and not exercising at all...IT IS possible. If you stick to your points and you make healthier choices, you CAN lose the weight.

A lot of the time when I'm finding it hard to stick to plan, I get those smart ones frozen meals...they're easier then cooking, and they are already portioned out, so it's not like you can eat too much...

Some tricks: If you're craving chocolate...in the cake aisle they have those microwavable cake things...and there are some 150 calorie ones...those are REALLY good for getting rid of a chocolate craving. If you're craving cookie dough (my greatest enemy...lol) the smart ones deserts in the frozen food aisle are really good, and there is a cookie dough sundae that is absolutely fabulous. Both the cake and the sundae are 3 points...Oh, and the WW Fudgesicles are only 1 point, and they're AMAZING. lol

Really I drink diet soda, water, and occasionally diet liptons green tea...and sometimes crystal light. For a while I've been drinking mostly diet soday...but I'm trying to cut back and drink more water.

They have all sorts of great WW products...muffins...string cheese, slice cheese...stuff like that....it's slightly more expensive, but I think it's worth it. Most of it, you should be able to find at walmart or HEB.

If you have any questions, just let me know. I've learned my own tricks along the way...lol

OH, and one of the most important things...KEEP A FOOD JOURNAL! I can't even STRESS how important that is. Thats what I struggle with the most...but when I track what I eat, I tend to stay on plan better...and when I stay on plan, I lose weight.

You CAN do this, you just have to stay positive about it. =D

I'm on WW right now too. I've used it in the past (about 5 years ago) and lost 15 pounds and then quit. The advice I can give is DON'T GIVE UP! Even when you're not losing pounds, the effort you're making is teaching you better exercise and eating habits.

Also write down everything you eat before you eat it. I've noticed that if I have to write down a ridiculous amount of points for something it makes me think twice about eating it.

As far as you using food as a reward-try swapping out non food things for your rewards- like giving yourself a mani/pedi or buying a new book or DVD.

Anytime you're having a hard time hop on here and post for help. I haven't been posting long (I was lurking for a while though) but everyone here is super nice and supportive!

You can totally do this! Cheers for you!

Oh my goodness, I am overwhelmed by the amount of support and friendly words that just a day has brought me. You guys are so great!

My dilemma at the moment is trying to navigate this site. As in, is there a "homepage" that will list all of the things I've posted, or replied to? I would really like to become very active on this forum, with such great people on board, how can anybody really fail??

If you can give me a quick tutorial of the basic stuff anyone, that would be great.

I'm proud to say that today at Lunch @ IHOP with friends, I ordered lemon grilled chicken, brocolli, and red potatos, and actually really enjoyed my meal. I didnt have the ability to check the WW points, so I figured eating healthy was just going to be better than ordering my regular stack of pancakes and bacon. Hopefully I'll get the hang of this!

Thanks to you all again, and may you all be RAVING success stories as time goes by!

On navigating the site-For threads that you want to watch go to the top of the post, click on Thread Tools and it creates a drop down. Select "Subscribe to this Thread" It will take you to a page where you can specify if you want to get emails about updates to the topic or not. Once you save it you can click on User CP in the upper left hand corner and it will take you to the control panel. Scroll down and look at the left hand side and you'll see a Subscriptions Folder that you can click on to view what threads you're subscribed to/following.

Hope this helps!

At the top you can see all the new posts by clicking "new post"

If you click on you name you will see a tab pop up and you can pull up all of your posts.

You can subscribe to a thread by clicking the Subscribe option at the top of the thread under "thread options".

Here's a helpful thread, too: Forum FAQ

You should check out this site...

http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html

there are all sorts of restaurants listed, and the WW points for a lot of food at those restaurants are listed too. =D