Here is how I see it....I have been on this journey many times in the past 20yrs and this time I can feel it it is different. Why you ask? Because I do not want diabetes, because I want to watch my girls get married and because I want to be as fabulous as I possibly can :-) I tell myself that every morning and make sure I walk...even if it is only 25minutes b/c I am just starting to build endurance. Setbacks always exsist...you are human. Just remember you are worth it!

I think everyone trying to lose weight goes through this. From your ticker, it seems like you've had some success. I just started dieting this week, so I have NONE so far!

I think you know that losing weight is hard, like for real difficult. People say it's hard and it's not fun, but you don't see that until you're in it right?

I'm on the same boat as you, I'm afraid of crashing. I've been doing very well so far with Tim Ferriss' Low-Carb Diet, mainly because the diet allows one binge day per week (with a few rules). I'd recommend this diet to you, so you could look forward to the binge days and REMAIN loyal to your diet.

Signed,
MeekCheeks

You know, I have been there. So many times, I was exercising and what I though, was eating better and I wasn't losing any weight. I never really have gone up down, but always maintained. Every time I was exercising, I was still eating too much, apparently.

I don't know what it is, I don't wanna say that I want it more. I think I am tired of wanting "it" and this is the final straw and my way of finally throwing in the towel for a last chance. I read South Beach Diet, started exercising and here I am a month and a half later, 6, almost 7 lbs lighter. No, not a massive loss, but in 15 months, this is the first time I have been able to accomplish ANY weight loss, even when I thought I was doing good. I don't it depends on "wanting it more" but a completely different sense, of need or want. I wanted my self esteem back. I wanted my confidence back. I wanted to feel strong again. I wanted to feel HEALTHY. And I didn't feel any of this and now, I do.

It takes ALOT to get your head in the game. It also takes a different diet and exercise plan for everyone to stick too. Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. Though I started on SBD, I didn't start to notice something REALLY happening until I started counting calories also. I used SBD as a GENERAL guideline to follow and added calorie counting on top with 3 to 4 days of exercise between 20 to 40 minutes each day. But what works for me, may not motivate you. You have to find a diet and exercise plan that MOTIVATES you and makes you feel like you can really stick too, that is the important part. Because this isn't just 3 or 4, or 5 months or even year, this is for the rest of your life.

Girl, I think we can all say we've been there. I've been on weight loss campaigns twice before this try, so I think 3 really is the magic number!

It's all good and grand to have a great diet plan/exercise plan, but what must change first is yourself. You need the wake up call. You need that realisation that you don't want to be what you've become any more. You need to want a new, healthier, happier you. If you truly don't want that - or you're too lazy to achieve that - then you're going to fail.

So it's time to stop with the excuses of laying in and not having the time - make the time. People have achieved amazing things because they put everything they have into getting it, and we ALL can do that too.

Perhaps you need to try to ease your way into losing weight. Maybe a crazy diet just isn't going to help you. Personally I would strongly suggest calorie counting and exercise to begin with. The calorie counting will help you plan out what you eat in the day and will make you realise how much you're truly eating. Then along with that start basic exercising. With someone of your weight I think Walking, Biking or Swimming is your best option until you build up a good level of fitness and you're legs/knees build up some strength too.

Once you've been exercising and you feel better - you'll want to start eating healthier to fuel your exercising. That's how I feel, the more I exercise the less I want to eat unhealthily because I know it will affect my exercise and also affect my overall weight loss. And as soon as you start seeing those pounds come off of you, you will do everything to keep them off!

Good luck with your journey, you might want to join up on a few of the challenges on this board if you haven't already. This board is a great network of support, and you will be welcomed and when you lose the weight there will be many people celebrating for you! Head over to the Goal! area of this board too and see some of the incredible results people have achieved here, it truly is inspirational.

oh honey, i'm going through the exact same thing as you... last year, i lost about 30lbs and got down to 165lbs, and then around february this year, i just started messing up. for a while, i was still dieting most of the time so i could cover my mistakes and still be maintaining, but slowly it crept back up and i gave up. so for about the last 4 months too, i have made several attempts a "starting it back", dieting for about a month, losing 5-7lbs, and then ****ing up all over again and gaining it all back. it sucks and i dunno what was wrong with me.

this time i'm starting again. i feel more motivated this time so i have higher hopes, but really, you never know what could get thrown in my way to get me to mess right up again. all i can say to you is don't give up. you can't. you fall down, you get back up. no matter how many times you do. eventually, you're gonna make it

I am going to say this not to be mean, but because you are worth it, and so you need to hear (read?) it:

Stop making excuses. There is no magic trick to motivate you. Either you want it, or you don't. It sounds like you do, so get out of bed and exercise, because lying around eating cookies and chips isn't going to get the job done.

That was the harsh reality point of view. Again, I said it to be honest with you and to tell you what I think you need to know, not to be mean. My point is, though, none of us can tell you how to get motivated. We all struggle, and obviously we've all struggled a lot, or we wouldn't be here, trying to lose 30, 50, 100 pounds and more.

I would also recommend calorie counting. That does not mean you get to eat a 1500 calorie box of cookies and call it a day (trust me, I've been tempted), but it does allow for a bit of wiggle room, and it will get your portions under control. A lot of people, myself included, struggle with portions more than anything, and this will help you.

When you wake up in the morning and want to roll over for fifteen more minutes of sleep, you sit up, rub the sand out of your eyes, and go work out. No excuses.