Hello,

I just joined yesterday and decided to set a small goal for myself.

Since I have never weighed 160+, I thought I would set a goal of getting down to 159. That is 4 lbs. It may not sound like much, but to abstain from sugar, eat healthy, and exercise will be a big feat for me. Before my thyroid issue I used to exercise at least 4 times a week in the morning and loved it! I know that I can eventually get back into those good habits, but don't they say it takes 21 days of doing something before it becomes a habit?

Thanks for all your support!

You can do it! Before you know it you'll be celebrating your successful completion of this goal and working on the next one!

Thank you for the encouragement!

Almost there. Weighed myself today and I'm at 160.5. My weekly weigh-in day will be on Friday's, but since my mini-goal is 159, I will probably weigh-in again in a few days to see if I meet that goal.

So close Ashli, whoo hoo! Stay strong through the weekend, and you'll be there!

Fabulous Ashli! It won't be long now!!

Thanks for the nice compliment Mossy!

Thanks Everyone.

Well...I am not giving up. I weighed myself this morning and my weight went back up to 163. Maybe it was pure water weight that I lost on Friday?

But........because I joined this site to be accountable, I must admit I went a little off track over the weekend. I'm getting better though. No cookie or sweet binges, but I ate my normal amount of calories. Since Monday I have been eating about 400 calories less per day in order to lose weight. I also had one mixed drink on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It was vodka w/cranberry juice. The good thing is sometimes on weekends I could easily have 2 or 3 drinks per night. So this coming weekend I will focus on staying at about 1300-1400 calories as well as no mixed drinks.

I had to talk myself through it this morning because the last time I gained a few lbs. back, I got discouraged and quit what I was doing. So this time, I told myself, "that's okay, weight can fluctuate; it takes time to see the results; you've been exercising regularly since Monday and haven't binged on sugar; be patient with yourself".

Friday is my normal "weigh-in" day, so I will still weigh and report if I meet my first goal of 159.

Oh yes, Mrs. Snark, you inspired me to take a "before" photo. I did that this morning, so I can do an "after" photo when I've met my goal. You look great!

Mrs. Snark:

I just saw your "My Battle with Photos". Thank you for sharing. What a journey! It's nice to know I am not alone with my weight going up and down.

My experience was just over the last few years before I was diagnosed with hypothyroid. Now I believe it was all the dieting and fasting that may have thrown my thyroid out of balance.

One day I realized I had gained about 12 lbs., so I joined weight watchers. I lost 13 lbs., but gained it all back in about 6 months. I decided to do a "Master Cleanse" to lose weight and detoxify. It worked. I lost 13 lbs. and became a vegetarian for about a year. I eventually got back to my old habits, gained the weight back, and did another "Master Cleanse". It worked again. The next time I went on another type of really "low" calorie diet and pretty much starved myself. After my thyroid went out of whack, I was able to maintain my normal weight for about 6 months with no exercise. Then the bad eating habits came back and I was no longer exercising. This time I gained 19 lbs.

I am doing some other work on myself now because I think it goes deeper. I lose weight, feel really good about myself, happy, and "skinny". Then little by little I gain the weight back and start hating how I look. Why can't I stay healthy and fit? Why do I sabotage myself and get back to that place where I'm uncomfortable and my jeans are tight? Do I think I don't deserve to feel good?

Anyway, here I am. Between this online group and the other work I'm doing to get deeper into my issues, I believe I can get to a place of loving myself and my body and being healthy.

That's exactly right. Plus, you're in this for the long haul, there is no "end date", every scale fluctuation is training for a future life full of fluctuations (often sound and fury signifying nothing), and as long as your behavior is improving screw the scale. We can't control the scale, we can control ourselves -- and you're doing GREAT!

My yo-yo cycle has been tough to break, obviously. It is one of the reasons I still come to this site almost every day and participate. Because of my yo-yo history, I really really really really don't want to repeat that pattern. I'd like to keep my health a priority and coming here renews that focus a little bit every day.

Yes, thank you "the long haul". There is no end date!

Yes! Think positively and you will do that no problems, I am nearly in the 150's also! x