Hi everyone,

This is my third time in the obese category. I've lost weight before through calorie counting and a lot of exercise, maintained it for a few years then gain it back when life gets hard. I'm sure my story is a common one.

I'm trying the old fashioned approach of 3 meals a day, no snacks, no sweets, except on weekends and special occasions. Still starting small with the exercise, I got myself pretty out of shape these last 5 years.

It's going okay, it's not easy, I've lost a few pounds since starting a month ago. I'm going to stick with it, because I want something that that could be sustainable, even if the weight loss is slower.

I'm 47, happily married, no children , but we have one cat that we love very much. I have bipolar II, which is mostly depression and a whole lot of insomnia, which is why I'm not working these days.

I found this forum just a few weeks ago, really like the nice mix of ideas and different approaches to losing weight and regaining health.

Hi Tortie! Welcome! I love your avatar.

I think your plan is sound, it's pretty much how I lost weight. I lost the first 40 lbs with no exercise at all. I lost the remainder as a combination of diet/exercise.

I have 3 cats- Oscar, Clem and Hobie.

Welcome to 3FC!

Thanks for the warm welcome, Dee. And I appreciate the reassurance that my plan is sound.

Always happy to meet a fellow cat person.

Welcome! Also 47 with two cat children. This website really helped me lose weight a few years ago ... it's a very supportive place!

Thanks, tefrey Can you believe we're this close to 50?! What happened to 27, it seems like yesterday.

Yeah, it seems like a supportive place. I do like your avatar, I'm guessing that little sweetheart is one of your cat children.

Thanks! This little boy is unfortunately no longer with me, I just can't bear to change my avatar as he was such a special guy.

I second that about 27, it does seem like my 30s just vanished.

I am try to do the same thign. So far so good, I was WI 1 a month so I dont know where I am now. My next WI is tomorrow, and then will start everday WI.

I'm so sorry for your loss, tefrey. I can relate to not wanting to change the avatar; we lost our very special girl 2 years ago, we miss her terribly, and so does her sister


Hi Tuca, nice to meet you. My weight fluctuates a lot during the week, so I only plan to weigh once a month, give or take. But, I do know that a lot of people weigh each day, and that way they can sort of plot the fluctuations and get a better idea as to what their true weight is. Thanks for sharing a bit of your journey

I understand that. My desktop picture on my computer is of a cat that passed away earlier this year. I can't bear to change the photo there either.

Hugs all around. I wish so much that our fur kids lived longer. We have an old swivel arm chair that was out cat's chair. It was her's and her's alone. It gets in the way, and no one uses it, but we just can't bear to part with it.

Aw, the green throw in the picture is also retired. I didn't mean to retire it when Teto passed away, it just kind of happened. We just had too many special memories snuggling in it to use it with any other cat. The new cats (who are amazing babies!) get to snuggle in the blue one I bought them for Christmas.

It's so helpful when we have room in our hearts to love others. But it's tough, loss is just that, they leave such a hole. Thank you for sharing the story of the green blanket, and of the blue Christmas one.

My kitty was not my only loss in the last 5 years. I struggle to eat when a loved one passes, but after a month or so, I can't stop eating. It's not the only reason I overeat, but it's there.

Tefrey, and Dee, do either of you have that same struggle? My apologies if that's far too personal.

I am so sorry for your losses.

I have been fortunate and haven't suffered much loss. But my emotions definitely contribute to my weight issues. Right now things are especially dark for no reason which I think may mean I'm in perimenopause (I am anxious and depressed, can't sleep through the night, losing my hair and my skin is suddenly super dry). Anyway, usually this level of emotion causes me to compensate by eating everything in sight in the hopes that it makes me feel better. Right now though, I am self soothing by staying on plan. Its a better coping mechanism, but still not great. I would love to get rid of the emotional component to my eating altogether!

Welcome to this place. A really nice place to be. Very supportive.

Thank you, Emma

tefrey, perimenopause has knocked me for a bit of a loop. My insomnia is much worse the week before my period. My normally oily skin has become so dry, and my hair has thinned through the crown. I can accept the physical changes, but the symptoms that affect my mental health are much more challenging. I'm hoping weight loss and regular exercise will help.

Like you, I'm using my plan of eating as an anchor. I know there's no sense piling food on top of already feeling yucky, I'll only feel yucky with food on top. I too would love to remove the emotional component from eating. I think food it supposed to bring us pleasure as well as be fuel, and that can impact our choices within our plan, but I need to stop the addictive relationship I have with food. I find it kind of freeing when I have what I call a sane day with food. I'm pleased with myself when I put on a cozy sweatshirt to simulate a huggy feeling instead of shoving something in my mouth.

Edit: Just did a bit of quick snooping - I hope that's okay, and I see you're doing Weight Watchers...excellent! That's the other plan that appealed to me, and I may still join. For now I'm trying out something simple and cheap. But certainly open to ideas from WW folks that will help what I'm already doing.

I'm sorry, I'm not sure what plan you're on, but you're having some success but the look of your tickers. Well done