The lowest I got was about 212, I think. I'm sure no one on this board remembers me. That was about 4 years ago. When I met my husband, I was on a break. Things were too stressful for me. Since then, I got on a really bad habit of yo-yo dieting. Although those would only last a week. I was okay with maintaining a 50 pound loss. It was better than nothing.

For some reason, I got back on the scale on Monday. I don't know why but for a while I was thinking of cutting back on my eating and the scale proved it. I weighed 270. That's only 30 pounds away from 300. I felt crushed. I know in March, I was 250 and had maintained that for a while. My only explanation is binging after work, binging at work and drinking a ton more coffee.

After that, I've started writing what I'm eating, eating salads before meals, cutting back to one coffee a night (without 50049509 sugars), and formally exercising. I just want to slowly ease into this like I did when I originally started the last time. I was 275, I think, when I started and had lost 25 by just being active. I've also decided not to tell anyone this time other than my husband.

Although I think I have one thing on my side that I didn't last time. I found an exercise that I love. That's why I was maintaining so easy even though I knew I was eating really bad. I've been exercising as much as hours a day without dieting which is big for me. I think I've gained these last few months is because I haven't committed myself to 30 minutes a day like I was at the least. I think the hooping has been the only reason why I'm not in a size 24 which I was in when I was last 270. I'm still comfortably fitting into my 22s. I've already told myself that I'm going to start exercising when I'm at work. I did it 2 out of 3 of my breaks last night.

Another thing that will encourage me more is I'm currently taking the BodyHoops teacher certification course and in February, I plan to take ACE's group exercise course. I think those two things will encourage me to hoop more. This weekend I'm going to a hoop yoga class that my friend is teaching! Yay!

I looked at your link to your hooping blog and commented on your "Big girls can hoop." I am very impressed! Loved that clip I wish you success with your journey to lose weight!

Thank you! I am so so proud of that video. It's inspired by a lady that's larger than me that would always tell me that I inspired her to keep trying whenever she was down because I'm one of those larger hoopers.

Oh wow! I just saw your video- I would have NEVER guessed you weighed 270!!! And what an amazing kind of exercise. I never really thought about it before, but it sounds like it would be really fun! I was just googling around after I saw your video- WHO KNEW that there were $150 hula hoops?? I saw some and checked out the hoopnotica website- very cool, but do you know where I could get a starter hoop for some less serious cash? I saw some that were in the $30 range, which seems like as low as it goes for the taped/weighted/"pro" hoops. Is that about right, or is there somewhere else I can look? I am notoriously bad at starting things and abandoning them, so I kind of don't want to make an investment before I decide if I'll stick with it! Thanks for the introduction to it!

Thank you!

Well, I don't want to make it sound like I'm making excuses but my scale may be off. My husband weighed on it after he broke his toe. It said he was 214. I started to cry that day thinking I was 250-260 and still larger than him. He promised me that I wasn't bigger than him and at the doctor he weighed 265. I might ask him if we can get a new scale. That's the same scale I used years ago (some old Avon Curves scale).

I love to hoop and that's why I think I'll succeed this time. I liked walking and all that but it wasn't something I'd do on my "I'm not on a diet days." It's also not something that'd get me out of the house doing stuff like hooping. I went to a hoop camp for three days and my muscles were sore after I got home!

Yeah, I personally wouldn't buy from the bigger hoop sites if you want to go cheap. I have a Hoopnotica collapsible that I bought at CVS but it was too small for me. It was $40 but the 2 DVDs it came with were worth it alone!

If you wanted to make enough hoops to give to your family, you can make them relatively easy! Perfect time for Christmas! Give the gift of fitness and fun. I will be making at least 5 hoops to give to people. I love etsy also for hoop stuff. Although the shipping is still $10 (on top of the $20 so you drop for the hoop itself).

Here are two that are cheap and both offer grip tape:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/61940416...n-starter-hula

http://www.etsy.com/listing/72551081...ries-hula-hoop (this one is a push button hoop which means you could fill it with water if you were inclined to).

I saw one cheaper hoop but it had horrible taping and used duct tape which I don't think is fantastic grip wise.

We have a hooping class at my gym and it's a lot of fun. I hope it gives you the motivation to stay on plan this time. It really is fantastic exercise. there's a group of hoopers who teach for free on Sunday evenings at the beach here in town in the summer. A good friends has taken her daughter (5 1/2 years old now) since she was 3. You should see this child hoop! Just amazing.

Welcome back to the forum. Hope to see more of you.

Lin

I remember you!

Weeeeeeeeeeeee!


Today I didn't sleep (I work nights) and instead I went to a two hour hoop yoga class. It was amazing. Makes me want to do yoga more often. Unlike the Just My Size Yoga, it felt like I was doing something and I wasn't bored yet not super fast like most yoga DVDs.

I watched your video! Amazing!!! I got a hoop this summer tried it once and thought I was too big so I put it away. I think I will get it back out and try again. Very motivational.

Not at all. The bigger the hoop, the better. My first hoop was huge and very, very heavy. The larger the hoop, the slower the spin. If you are bigger, your hoop has to be big.

Here's a video of me with my first (successful) hoop. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icbN8...a1AUAAAAAAAcAA

It was huge but I could actually feel the hoop to get the push points correct! ^_^

Thanks for the new hooping video. I see now that my hoop is way too small. I think I will get a bigger one. Thanks for the tips and I will keep up with your blog to learn more!

If you have any questions, just pm me. I'm more than willing to help! I started out with quite a few hoops that were adult sized but just not large enough for myself. You can even make your own hoops! Or order off etsy or from a large hoop manufacturer.

Welcome back! It sounds like you are ready and committed

I remember you! Good to "see" you.