Well today I found this picture from the Christmas before I hopped on the beach. Just to compare and contrast the pic in the blue T-shirt (with the dopey expression, probably involved silly talking to the baby) is from July 4th. I never want to go back.

Wow! You look amazing! Can I pry? How were you able to stay on the lifestyle and maintain the loss? Any suggestions to those of us who are PCOS and find it impossible to lose?

Sure, the crazy thing is that isn't even my high weight. I was still squeezing into 18s at that point. At my highest I was in 22s and 24s.

You said in another thread that you have to take care of yourself, if you don't no one else will. IMO that's the single most important thing to remember and women have trouble with that. I had to decide that getting healthy was the single most important thing I needed to do. I couldn't take care of my family, do my job or do any of the other things I was making higher priorities if my health stuff, caused by obesity, got worse. That made my health the top priority. I also knew and know that I don't eat "like other people" whatever that means. I don't eat just one cookie and get on with life. So once I decided that SBD was the way to go I committed to the plan. For me that meant absolutely no going off plan for 10 months and exercising every single day, even days I was in so much pain I could only manage 10-15 minutes.

There are a million threads asking if it's okay to "cheat". Now I'm just talking about me but I do really think this applies to lots of people with long term weight problems. I do think it can be different for situational gainers, people who put weight on recently but are getting that under control. For me once I started to slide I knew I'd keep going. I could lie to myself like I'd done before and tell myself that it was okay to just have one of my Mom's cookies over the holidays or a few fries with lunch or a small bag of chips or or or. But I'd keep going once I started. The truth is the only person I'd be "cheating" was me. I had to know if I could really do this! So I started 1/1/97 and my first off plan food was in late May of 2008. By then I'd lost most of my weight (and much more than I thought I could) and I knew to plan ahead, work my day around it, and just pick one item off plan not a whole meal. Then I hopped right back on.

Different people here have different perspectives. I needed to make a commitment to myself and my health and stick to it. I think that really changed my attitude about what I put in my body and how important it is. I love cookies and chips and french fries drenched in cheese sauce (or I did, not sure now!) but I love the way I feel now so much more.

I've regained about 10 lbs every winter. It's always the same stupid mistake, an extra carb here another one there and by March there's something almost every day. Then it's back to Phase 1 and getting my priorities straight. I hope I stop doing that. It's a whole lot more work taking it back off each time, especially with menopause lurking around the corner. I get on the scale almost every day and log what I eat almost every day. It's become second nature and just takes a few minutes. I need to do those things or I know without a doubt that I will be that obese woman with the really sore knees and back who can't walk up the stairs without gasping. More than anything I want to feel like I feel now.

You can do it Loriann. You keep coming back so one of these times you really will do it. Why not make this one your time

PS - I have actual muscles and they are wicked cool

Thanks Cindy! I needed to hear that... to make a plan and NOT go off, to NOT tell myself I can go off for a "cheat night".. that, like you, I am not like other eaters, one cookie and move on... for me, I tend to think I can eat a sandwhich... i'm thinking those are out, cause when I allow for a sandwhich (even with lower carbs and higher fiber) I tend to go off plan after that... I also need to get creative and stay creative as to my menu's to keep interest.

When I eat right I tend to stay on an exercise regime.. so that should not be a problem.

For the next two months will be difficult, my son moved home to save money, to get a car, a 2 bedroom (he had a studio) and baby items... he's about to have his first child. Grandma's been busy with gathering baby things... my place is small and I have crowded the entire place with baby things that there's no place for my weight bench, thats out in the shed for now.

Anyway... Perhaps coming in here at least once a day will encourage me to stay on plan! I'm going to see if my sister will go back on plan and hold one another accountable.. though I find she takes offense from me sometimes...

I need that accountability...

Anyway... thanks again, and thanks for letting me rant! Your story is what I needed to hear! I can do this, I CAN!

I'm also going to reactivate my account at nutrimirror.... I love their site, their charts, and their chat rooms!

Me, either, Cyndi! BTW-I've only ever known you as a skinny girl! It's just amazing how different we are after we lose weight. You and I both riding bikes now...not so much back then.

With your PCOS, how long have you stayed totally OP? I know beachers who found they could lose with PCOS. For me, I listened to beachers (Cyndi included) who advocated staying very close to plan and committed to 6 mos. OP and come here EVERY SINGLE DAY. Those were the two best decisions I ever made. It made it easy because I didn't have to make big food decisions it was just "OP". I didn't have to go through all the daily/weekly scale anxiety because I gave it 6 mos. It didn't matter if I was feeling up, down, happy, sad...I came here anyway and this group cheered me on.

Loriann, great if your sister will go back OP so you can hold each other accountable. My strong suggestion here is to make your online accountability #1. There has not been one day since I started that there was not support for me here. With my real life diet buddies it has been far less consistent. So far, not one has wanted it as badly as I, and our well intentioned support has eventually fizzled. I, too, need every day accountability.

I agree with Cyndi, you can do this. Let this be the time. While you're having some space issues at home come here for suggestions. We'll cheer you on and keep you moving.

I've gone a few months, with slip ups... but then I lose momentum with the plateaus, and/or I allow myself that "cheat" night and go off, sometimes I go back on the next day, but the cravings come back. I like your 6 month plan...


I'll take this advice, I know my sister and I won't hold each other accountable as much as this place will... and should I not come back for a day, perhaps someone can email me and yell at me!

Six months from now ... mid January... OK< how about to the end of January for my goal... logging one fashion or other my eating and exercise... anyone care to be my accountability buddy?