Hi, All, I am thrilled to find your site. I have mostly kept my weight under control, but am now faced with an enormous weight gain of almost 50% of my old self. Twice before, I have lost weight.
1. After being a chubby teen, I went from 136 to 98 at age 19. I realize that was *too* low, but once I discovered the wonders of skinless chicken and of veggies, I went overboard.
2. Then after a disastrous "marriage" at age 45 I quickly gained weight again, but then went from 132 to 108, which was more reasonable. I have a very small frame at 5'5.
3. Well, now I'm 50. After being on the receiving end of a lawsuit that dragged on for nine months, I was horrified to find I weighed...157! Ack! Argh!

I had been drinking wine quite a bit, so I quit that. Did a few days of healthful eating and then a few days of juice fast. I'm now a little happier at 147 and back to the veggies/lean meats program plus exercise. I'm doing OK, but it will really help to be able to check in with you nice people.

This time the weight loss is different for me. It's been months since I could fit into my beautiful wardrobe, so I keep wearing the same two outfits every day. I've gained SO much, that the road ahead is discouraging because it will take quite awhile.

It's no mystery to me how to lose weight -- it's just an equation. Calories in, energy out. However, I would sure welcome support and suggestions. One hurdle is that I would like to start dating again despite the weight loss. I don't want to seem like an alcoholic 'cause I'm not drinking "empty-calorie" wine, but I'd like to jump back in to a normal dating routine and find a real husband this time lol. (The other one falsified the marriage for real estate...only I could find such a guy!)

I have been walking daily. Now I am off to the gym for the first time in months.

Just wanted to say welcome aboard. I too am 5'5", and I also have been at low weights, including below 100. Now I am up to about 160, and I too find myself recycling a lot of the same clothing. It's a really uncomfortable feeling, huh?

Now I'm approaching a low carb diet with plenty of lean meats, but hopefully in the coming days I can add back in some yummy fresh veggies.

Hope you reach your goals! All the best!

Hi and welcome to 3FC.

Good luck with your goals.

Hugs
Michelle

Hi Fivestone,

It sounds like we were separated at birth! Ha.

I've had a scale, but just would not get on it for the longest time. When I did, the number was so far beyond anything I imagined I'd ever see. I was nearly twice the size of my elderly mom (who's 4'6), who was speechless when I told her the number.

So that's a great first goal, getting a scale. I also have an app on my iPhone where I can enter my weight every day. I like seeing the graph going down. I also put out one of my favorite dresses, a slinky red number, where I can see it. *That's* incentive!

Get that scale and keep me posted. I'm off for a light workout. Rome wasn't built in a day. For me, avoiding the vino will make a huge difference -- interesting how eating fried mozzarella sticks suddenly seems like a good idea after a chardonnay or two...

Oh! I guess I should post a goal. I'm 147 now, so I'd like to hit 144 by June 1. That's 3 lbs in 10 days -- not unreasonable.

Talk about twins separated at birth -- I totally understand what you mean about the wine. I'm looking at 2 bottles right now. Well, one of the unopened bottles will just have to be a present for a friend, methinks.

Good idea about the iPhone app -- I hadn't thought of that! Even more incentive to get that scale. I am afraid to see the number, but at least I can console myself that I already am doing something to make the number less.

Hope the workout went well -- let us know how it went.

Very good easy workout. I feel huge this morning -- hate it when my purse or a doorway gets caught on body part that weren't always there. But I'm ready and rarin' to go. Had fresh pineapple and egg whites for breakfast, and packed a lunch of grilled salmon on organic greens. Will have another easy workout tonight.

Fivestone - I lived in Vienna as a child. Where are you in Austria?

Sounds like great meals, and glad your workout went well!!

Personally, I feel massive! I got the scale and I weigh 25 pounds more than I thought...not good. I guess I'm carrying it differently because clothes fit differently at this weight than before. Who knows. All I know it, I'm more determined than ever to get the weight off.

I live near Innsbruck. It's really nice here on the west side of the country, but I will be heading to Vienna next month to hang out for a bit. How long did you live there for? Do you speak German?

Hi Fivestone -- you're having the same experience I did with the scale! I think it's better to know than not. To make the experience complete for me I stood naked in front of the mirror for awhile. OMG, how did this happen?

We just lived there for a year 1967-68, and went to the American School. I can certainly function auf Deutsch and have a fairly convincing accent (at least no one ever thinks I'm American, usually Canadian), I am not fluent.

Ja, ganz genau! It was really, really hard for me to swallow at first -- I was very sad and mopey and my poor husband was really worried about me for a moment there. And I stood in the mirror and looked at myself from all angles. I guess I can understand how it happened -- life has been extremely hectic over the past year or so, and I left a very physically demanding career (welder/pipefitter) for a not-as-physically demanding one (housewife). So, yeah.

Still, no excuses, I need to get my butt in gear. I've lost loads before, and I know I can do it again... I just hope that this will be my last time!

(Pretty cool on the German, by the way. Personally, I'm not a native speaker either but I've grown really attached to the language, and a little partial to some of the Tirolean dialects around here. My husband is a native and we carry on pretty bilingually with each other.)