This is about the millionth time i've started a weight-loss program, but this time i am DETERMINED to stick with it until i get my desired result and i'd love to buddy up with someone who can help keep me motivated I'm thin and a lot of people say they can't understand why i want to lose weight, but the excess fat shows on my face/neck, arms, tummy, hips and thighs and i want to finally trim down and tone up to what i know i'm capable of. Anybody else in the same boat or a similar one? Drop me a line

I, like you am thin as well, but none the less feel that I could be thinner. I do not think you can call yourself chubby, but I know what you mean about toning and being in better shape. I love beer and pizza too much--what's your poision?
I always go back and forth in my mind set...happy the way I am or cranky and supper thin...who needs to be so skinny if they are not landing a movie contract any time soon. Maybe we just need to veer towards healthy!

I'm actually really disciplined when it comes to eating. I eat small portions and very rarely eat things that i know i'm not supposed to. I just lead a very sedentary lifestyle, so my weight stays put and doesn't budge. I sit at a computer all day at my job and when i get home in the evenings, i sit on the couch and watch a movie before bed If i starve myself, i can drop 3-4 pounds, but that's not realistic long-term, not healthy and definitely not fun...lol So i think i just need to exercise more to get my metabolism cranking again and shed the pounds.

I go back and forth like that too! lol I just keep hoping that there's a way to be super thin without being cranky...hehe I'm not gonna be landing any movie contracts, but i am a singer trying to go somewhere with my music...and seeing as that you have to look perfect to get anywhere in the music biz, i just wanted to see what i could do with my body. Plus, i'm going to be in my best friend's wedding in June and i'd love to really shape up for that. I'm sure there will be people there that i haven't seen in years. If my body distributed the excess fat evenly, i probably wouldn't care. But it doesn't. A lot of it goes to my face/neck and makes me look heavier than i really am and that's a big self esteem issue for me. If i could afford lypo for that area, i'd probably get it! lol...but alas, i don't have the money. It sucks that my worst area is the area that everyone looks at when they meet you/talk to you....grrrrr.

Tell me more about your goals and what you've been trying so far. Do you have a journal on this site? The username for mine is the same as here - Rainbow Brite.

Nice to meet you

Hello Katy,
I really think at our age exercise can make such a big diiference. Each week my fitness goals are to go runnning Tuesday and Thursday, to go to Yoga on Mondays, and Pilates on Wednesdays, then weights on Friday. I rarely do all five things, and should probably do something over the weekends but it's tough to motivate then.
Maybe you should make a fitness plan. Exercise is the best way to change your body. What type of exercise do you enjoy most? What do you enjoy least?

I'm thinking the same thing as HJD. I don't personally feel, by what you describe and by your picture, that you need to "lose weight". But moreso that you just need to tone what's already there. Excess flab happens when the body is more fat than muscle. Toning up via exercise will tighten the flab and even seem to take off inches even if you don't actually lose weight. It just redistributes it sort of...turns it to muscle. You may actually end up even gaining a few pounds from the heavier muscle, while looking smaller and possibly even wearing smaller clothes.

Since i'm trying to pay off my debt right now, i can't spend a lot of money on fitness. So that rules out gyms/classes/etc. But i don't like driving far to work out anyways :P So i've been trying to come up with things i can do at home for the last few days. I've got a wonderful park right across the street from me, so i've started walking/jogging and bicycling there. We've also got pools at my apt complex, so once it gets warmer, i'll be able to swim for exercise as well. I have a rebounder (exercise trampoline) and a couple of videos to go along with it, so i'm going to try to do that more often. And i've also got several exercise videos of every type...so i need to pull them off the shelf and actually put them to good use We have a small gym at my apt complex as well, so i can use their machines...they just don't have many. An elipticle, tred mills and exercise bikes are the extent of it...but it's better than nothing! So i have a lot of options, thankfully. But i think you're right, that making out a schedule would be a good way to keep myself on track. Sounds like you've got that all figured out already - that's great

Thanks for the advice!! Do you have any idea how soon i should expect to start seeing results? My goal is to exercise for at least 30 minutes, 6 days out of the week.

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You are so pretty and I hate to think of you having any hangup on weight. I know how hard it is to exercise, especially on a desk job, been there! I walked at breaks when I worked in an office. I like you can't afford exercise clubs. In fact I am finding it hard to even do anything at home as we only have a small house and a little embarrassed doing anything in front of family. Trying to use work as place. In my case though I work in patients homes. Bummer there.

Keep up your goals sweetie, you will succeed!

Jody

Katy, We are the same age and the exact same weight with the exact same goal! I would love to talk with you!

I will send you a PM and we can exchange emails if you'd like.

Jocelyn

[FONT=Arial]Hi girls! I guess I found the group to be in, since it looks like my goal weight and starting weight as the same as most of you. I'd love to exchange emails or talk over IM, to keep each other motivated!

I used to be a tiny thing back in my high school days and would like to get close to where I was again.

[email protected]
AIM: dinyhokie
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Katy, I started out by alternating walking/running for a mile every day. Well, it was actually more walking than running, but I really was trying. LOL Huff huff huff. I started outside, then like your club, moved to my apartment clubhouse treadmill. I gained 5 pounds in the first 3 weeks, then I started losing rapidly. But even though I gained that 5, my clothes were loser. I already knew, because I'd been told up front, that I might end up gaining for the first month. It was still pretty hard to keep from letting it depress me. I had to focus more on how my clothes were fitting and less on how much the scale read. I worked up gradually on my workouts and now do around 1 hour at least every other day, every day sometimes. I alternate running with aerobics videos and add in free weights and calesthenics. I didn't have time to go out for a run yesterday, so while watching a movie at 11:00 p.m. last night, I marched in place for 40 minutes. Anything to move the body.

Aww, you're sweet I think part of my problem is that i was even chubbier from around age 12 clear through to after i graduated high school at age 17. I got up to around 155lbs and just felt horrible about myself. So since i was big (or what i consider big for myself! teehee) for so long, i still "feel" that big and many times "look" that big to myself. When i look in the mirror or view pictures of myself, i still see that chubby girl who couldn't get a boyfriend I know deep down it's silly because i look a lot better now than i did then and i don't have a problem getting guys any longer But i just feel like i'm still not living up to my potential.

And my face/neck is something that's bothered me for years. It seems that no matter how much weight i lose, the fat there doesn't budge. And perhaps that's just the way i'm gonna look for the rest of my life and i need to accept that...but i'm still in the fighting stage right now I had a killer jaw line when i was a kid...so i think my bone structure is still capable of it. But i was super active when i was a kid...so i just need to get that level of activity back i guess...or something close

Here are a couple of pictures that better show the chubby face i keep talking about:





My cheeks, jaw and neck are just flabby and turn into a big blob that i hate There's not exactly an exercise i can do to work those muscles (i smile a ton as it is!)...so i just need to lose fat all over and hope it goes away. I really don't want to have to resort to lypo!

That's a good idea! I already use the stairs instead of the elevator at work, but i should get back into the habit of taking a fast walk at lunch.

Aww, why do you think you feel embarrassed in front of your family? I feel sure that they would be supportive of what you're trying to do. Have you ever talked to them about it? Maybe you could setup a schedule with them and during the times you want to exercise, they can stay in their rooms or go out or just do something elsewhere so that you can have some privacy. I don't see how they could complain about you wanting to do something to improve your health

I will! And same to you!

I'd love that!!

Alright! Let's do it! Maybe i can setup an email group for us - i already run several through yahoogroups. Would ya'll be interested in that?

You were lucky to have been tiny in high school...i haven't been tiny since...lessee...4th or 5th grade? lol

Hey, that's a great idea! We watch movies almost every night, so i could definitely do that! My dogs will probably think i've lost my marbles...lol

Did you gain weight in the beginning because you were eating more or just from the muscle gain? I find that the more exercise i do, the hungrier i feel...i guess that's just my metabolism kicking in, but it's hard to know what the right things to eat are during those hunger attacks. Any suggestions? Thanks again

I'd love to be a part of a Yahoo group. Just let me know the details.

Jocelyn

I'm all for joining a yahoo group too!

Yeah..I used to be thinner - I guess because I ran cross country and track in high school, so that was about 40 miles a week of running at a good pace, plsu lifting every other day.

I try to run still, but usually I only get in 9 miles a week on a good week, so I'm hoping to change that. I also would like to start lifting, or at least doing push-ups, crunches, and all that fun again. I find that once I get in a good groove, I relaly enjoy it..its jsut soooo hard at first and hard once school work goes crazy on me. But no excuses this time!

And with my diet..I guess back when I used to be a crazy running girl, I never thought about what I was eating, and I'm a carb lover, and don't planning on giving them totally up. It probably wouldn't hurt to cut back though..eek!

Can't wait to loose this weight with you girls!