Hi

I'm 33 and a mother of a 3 1/2 yr old boy, I've been married for 3 years in August.

When I was a kid I was the skinniest kid on the block, when I hit puberty I weight started staying. I got heavier and heavier, I'd try and lose weight and I'd loose 10 pounds then quit and gain back 30 this has been going on my whole adult hood. I even lost 35 pounds but the next thing I knew I gained it all back.

I just quit smoking 10 months ago, and didn't think I'd gained any weight as my clothes still fit. but when I stepped on the scale the other day (which I never do) I was shocked to see how much I weighed so here I'm.

I went to my doctors the other day to get a prescription re filled and he starts going on about how overweight I'm and I eat too much. I was so mad by the time I left there (he was just rude and I will never go back there) I mean who's to say that I eat any more than a normal person, I don't I just have a hard time chooseing the right foods. ugh.

I guess I'm just tired of being treated diffrent, of being told I'm fat (like I don't know that) of clothes not fitting, of not feeling attractive. I have been diagnosed clinically depressed, I know my weight has alot to do with how I feel.

I figure if I can quit smoking I can lose weight, I know it's going to be hard and a challange but I know this time I can do it. I want this more than I have ever wanted it before in my life.

Sorry for the babble. Looking forward to getting to know some of you.

Hugs
unheard koala

Hey Koala...

I am a newbie as well.. welcome to the group.. for what I've been watching they are very supportive here.. and help out alot.. this is a good thing!

I hear ya on the weight just sneaking up on you.. I am down to my wedding weight of two years ago.. but have many many pounds left to go..

Let me know if I can be of any help to you.. and good luck!

Congrats on the quitting smoking.. I hear that is harder than losing weight.. so you must have some excellent willpower when it is applied.

Amanda

Welcome!! I'm glad you found our little corner of the Internet. I hear you about the doctor... most of them either don't say a word about the weight, or badger you about it. Very frustrating. As if we don't have mirrors, or have to choose our route through stores to find the most space, or cringe every time someone sits next to us on a bus or train then gets up again because they don't want to be squeezed. *grumbles*

But you have the right attitude. And like quitting smoking, it's a one-day-at-a-time thing. But you'll be learning habits that will help you the rest of your life. Eating healthier, eating less, moving more... it all adds up, slowly but surely.

Welcome, this is a great place for support. Choosing the right foods can be hard at first but it gets easier. Maybe try doing a food Journal. Write everything down. That way you can look back and see what choices you made and where you went wrong. Then you can make a plan from there.

Welcome Koala!

You are right to be mad with your doctor - that was just rude! I understand what you mean about your weight having alot to do with how depressed you feel, that has been the same for me too. It's a viscious cycle - you feel depressed because of your weight, but it's hard to find the energy or enthusiasm to do anything about your weight because you are suffering from depression and all the symptoms that brings. It's very hard, but you have to use those reserves of strength you have to do what you can to lose weight - you will feel so much better for it.

I cannot express to to you strongly enough how much exercise is helping me to manage my depression. When I started in Jan I could only do 20 minutes on my exercise bike, now I'm going to the gym 5 times a week! The days I don't exercise, I can really see my mood dip a bit, and if I don't exercise for more than a few days I'm in trouble and depression and low mood are not far behind. I would even go as far as to say that to get you started, exercise is more important for you now than diet - because it will release some endorphins into your brain, lift your mood a bit, give you more energy and therefore give you more general energy and enthusiasm for losing weight.

All the best to you - hope you can stick around

Love Amanda x

I've never used a site like this before but I need all the help I can get staying motivated so I thought I'd give it a try.

I'm sick of having my weight on my mind 100% of the time! I'm sick of being fat!

Yesterday, I had the first fitting for a pink, strapless bridesmaid dress - I had to order a size 26 (ugh) back in January - lost 25lbs since but the dress still barely did up! (I should note - I've never worn larger than 24 so this sucked!) Talk about discouraging - plus the other girls are all sticks! Ugh!

Anyway, looking forward to some extra support!

Thanks everyone, Its' nice to find a place that you feel like you fit in. This weekend is going to be a tough one, I have a wedding to go to.....I always say I'll just eat what ever and get back on the wagon the next day and I never do, so this time, I'm eating before I go and i'm staying away from the food table I will send my hubby to get me veggies.

Thanks again

Koala,
Congratulations on making the decision to NOT go back to that doctor! I've also decided that next time I treated like that, I'm going to let the doctor know..."How rude!" will just be the beginning!

Most doctors truly know LESS about nutrition and diet than any of us... not being smug, it's just the truth. MD's don't take a lot of nutrition classes; chiropractors get more nutrition training! But there is hope!

Keep looking for a doctor who is sympathetic to your situation! It's for that reason I have females as my Primary Care Phsycian and Gynecologist; they are at least a little more caring & tactful! When I asked her a nutrition question, my GYN (who's still fairly new in practice & a graduate of Emory University) told me, "I don't know that much about nutrition. You probably know more than I do. You should probably consult a nutritionist." I nearly fell off the table! And, shocking as it may seem, one of my PCP's told me that being this overweight was probably not entirely my fault. She thinks I've had PCOS/Insulin Resistance most of my pubescent years & into adulthood... which only complicates matters!

AND... your doctor is probably soooo off base about you eating too much. Most fat people eat TOO LITTLE--and then what we do eat (statistically speaking) is too high in fat. When I first started working with a trainer, I had to write down everything I ate for three days... On the average I was eating less than 1000 calories and most of it from fat!!!!

The latest research shows the most success eating 6 smaller meals a day--and one trainer had me on 2200 calories a day. I nearly freaked out, but I actually LOST weight! It's kind of like fueling a camp fire that's down to embers... you HAVE to put kindling on it (several smaller twigs aka smaller meals)... if you threw a big ol' log on it, it would put out the fire completely! Then, once that fire is a flame again, you can actually add bigger logs at fewer intervals w/o causing the fire to go out. (Maintenance)

You can go the distance!!! One step at a time... one meal at a time... YOU CAN DO IT!

Welcome to all of you new people!

I reccomend fitday.com as a place to start journaling your food intake... and also, our June 'Points Challenge' will help you stay accountable. So go check it out!

Welcome again... and jump in anywhere.

Welcome! You've already overcome a huge addiction, unheard koala, and I'm sure with your attitude that you'll succeed at weight loss, too. Congratulations on quitting smoking and taking the next step to a healthier you.

That's exactly what I tell myself!!! If we conquered smoking...we can and will lose the weight! I quit cold turkey 19 months ago and I need to remind myself just how tough I can be when I put my mind to it.

Thanks for the reminder & Good luck!

Crystal, you are soooo right about the 6 meals a day. I upped eating from 3 to 5 times a day and I no longer feel hunger pain (and it had been pain). I eat 3 small meals, low in fat and calories, plus two snacks of yogurt in the morning and a fruit in the afternoon. I'm eating half the calories I was and am now enjoying satisfaction. I exercise 5 or 6 days a week. It is working!!! It really is the way to eat constantly and loose weight.

Koala, don't give up on yourself. A lot of times depression is due to chemical imbalances in the body. Our being overweight makes us more prone to that. As we start getting our bodies in shape, the depression usually eases, because we have a better chemical balance. Think about how great it would be to both feel good and not need the meds. It is worth the effort. I've got a lot of years on you, and I'm just now getting in shape (no not model shape, just healthy). I can't tell you how much better I feel physically and emotionally than I did just 2 1/2 months ago. Decide NOW to give yourself 60 days to prove to yourself how much better you can feel.

I've been fat virtually all my life, and for the first time, I feel hope that I can be normally thin and healthy and stay that way.

Thanks again everyone....Chrystal you said exacelly(sp) what I was trying to say... I feel better already knowing that I'm improving my self once again.

Welcome unheardkoala (yes, I'm late...I have lots of catching up to do )!

Its always great to have another Canadian on the board (Americans and Brits are always trying to take it over )

Also great to have another cancer-stick quitter too (I quit November 4, 2000) It proves you already have the strength and determination to make yourself healthier and happier. Stick with us kiddo and we'll take care of the weight thing too and all get to goal together!

Hi and welcome.