HI everyone,

I'm new to this board, but not to trying to get healthy. After having my second child I felt so great that I lost 80 pnds! I did it by walking, counting calories, and having one 250 calorie chocolate treat each day. Then we moved from one state to the next and it all stopped...and, of course, I gained back half of the weight. I still have 80-100 pnds to lose and I don't know if it will ever happen.

I have some hormone issues which really mess with me about 2 weeks out of the month! I have a gym membership and can last on the elliptical for about 1 hr! But then that week or two come and I eat like I'm storing up for winter.

I'm tired of being tired. I'm tired of being the largest person in the room. I'm tired of being treated like a chunky person. I'm tired of clothes not fitting well. I'm tired of making excuses to my kids as to why I can't play with them. I'm tired of thinking about losing weight and I'm tired of starting over and over again.

I don't mean to sound like such an Eeyore. I love to laugh and I want to enjoy life. I just can't seem to commit.

I'm the kind of person that thinks that food has to be involved in every activity...movies, a drive, shopping, etc. If food is not involved, then why go?


Here's my question: How do I start thinking differently? I do I emotionally let go of food? It's very difficult for me to go for a walk, paint my nails, look at a magazine when I so desperately crave food. My thinking is just not healthy.

Ok, well thanks for letting me vent/introduce myself. Not a great first impression. I hope someone can say something that will make it click!

What I meant was its difficult for me to think of doing another activity like painting my nails and so, in order to distract myself.

Curvaliscious!

About changing your thinking - when I first started on my journey, it was a "fake it 'til you make it" kind of a thing. I did it even when I didn't feel like it because I knew that with positive action would come the desire to do well.

You can do this! Good luck, and don't hesitate to post any questions you may have.

Welcome! I know how you feel for sure. Ever since having kids I have really stuggled with losing weight and now have so much to lose that it feels overwhelming. Just try and take things one day at a time and make small goals and rewards for yourself!

I just started reading The Beck Diet Solution it's Cognitive Therapy techniques for your eating lifestyle. It has really made me aware of my eating. It's also given me the tools to stop myself and to forgive myself if I mess up.

Hey there &

It is SO difficult to break ourselves of the mindset that wherever we go & whatever we do food must be involved in some form. I still fret sometimes about going out and what to eat when we go out and will there be "ok" food there. Makes me a little crazy But I find talking about it, and reading about others here on the boards helps some.

In the beginning, and even now some, I have to force it. As Gale said "fake it 'til we make it".

You CAN do this!

A good start is to go to the gym regardless of how your eating has been. (You don't stay if you do this already, but it'd be something! )

We're here for you!

So glad you decided to join us.

Please add me to the "fake it until you make it" group. In the beginning, you may doubt your ability to do this. But, as you lose each pound, your confidence in yourself and what you are doing will get stronger and stronger. In the meantime, please keep coming here everyday and staying in touch with us. Reading about people who are just like you and are succeeding at weight loss will help to keep you encouraged on your own journey. Have you had a chance to read the 'Goal' posts and view the 'Goal' pictures? That is incredible inspiration. Also, I believe that planning ahead is a big part of being successful on this journey. Plan your menu for the day and have the groceries on hand, plan your exercise, plan your 'special' events. You can even make plans for handling the hormonal fluctuations that you know will be coming. Many times, changes in your diet can help with the hormone issues....such as consuming more calcium and removing added sugar and high fructose corn syrup from your diet.

You can do this! Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Hi and WELCOME to 3FC. A GREAT place to be!!!

I can relate to so much of your post. I think being "tired" of all those things you mentioned is a GOOD thing. That's when I finally got into full out weight loss mode. When I finally got tired ENOUGH of living the life that I was - and wasn't. I finally realized that if I didn't want to be fat, well then I didn't have to be. Sounds like you're there.

So stop thinking about losing weight and start thinking about making some permanent lifestyle SUSTAINABLE changes. Ones that you can live with forever. We've got to realize once and for all that we simply can't have it both ways if we do indeed want to be healthy and trim. We can't have all the high calorie/high quantity food AND be that healthy and trim person.

I like the advice you've been given already. Fake it to you make it. Make that commitment to a better and healthier life and the rest WILL follow. You don't have to entirely get rid of the food, just change it up. Make it low cal and healthy. Susbstitions. Instead of cookies, have grape tomatoes. Instead of pizza and fries, have a veggie burger and some salad. Better choices.

And it doesn't hurt to get EXCITED. Yes, excited. Get excited about your new plan. You've got the power to make this happen and it's EXCITING. Losing weight and keeping it off is DOABLE. Every time you turn down some high calorie food, you're one step closer to being that happy and healthy person. Every time you say no to that food, you're seeing YES to a healthier, trimmer and happier YOU. Good luck. Post often. We're here to help you.

I could have written your post about 15 months ago. I had the same feelings that you are having now. For me something snapped in my head. I took a really good look in the mirror at myself. I HATED what I saw looking back at me. I was for the first time in many many years totally honest with myself. I decided that nobody made me fat except me and nobody could change that but me. I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired and I was sick of making excuses for myself. I cried for about and hour then I got mad and decided enough was enough. I wasn't going to do this to myself anymore. I decided I was worth it and I needed to get myself healthy.

I think the key is to believe in yourself. You are worth it. You have to decide that you are a priority. You know how to lose weight because you've done it before. Don't waste another day. I haven't felt this good in 20 years! I have more energy than I've had in a long time. I love going out. I love trying new things.

You have to want to be healthy more than you want the food. It is so true what they say that being thin feels much better than anything and do mean anything taste! Don't worry if you lost weight before and gained it back. Most of us here have done that. Don't look back just forward. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!!

Like Rhonda said, definitely check out the goal section of the board. It's really motivating to see that it can really be done. Another thing I do is every Monday afternoon I get on the computer and go to the Today show website. Every Monday morning (while I'm at work) they have a new joy fit club member (someone who has lost 100+lbs with diet and exercise), by the afternoon the video is posted on their website. It's just a weekly reminder for me of what I am working for.

Wow! Thank you all so much. I needed that. It's great to see those of you who started out where I am, become so successful.

To answer someone's question...I do *sometimes* go to the gym even when I've had a bad day. Hopefully, I can change that.

I know I need some sort of balance, for if I deprive myself, I really go overboard.

OK...I'm going to do this! Can't wait to get to know you all.

Thanks!

Thanks, Switzie! I never knew about this. Finding new inspiration is a great thing.

Hi Curvalicious (great name!)

I just wanted to say welcome to you. I am new here as well but have found a ton of inspiration from this site. I hope you find it that way too. I look forward to sharing the journey with you!

Robyne

Wow! I can totally relate to what you're saying. This time last year I was posting the same kind of questions. First, let me start by saying it's a constant work in progress. If you're an emotional eater, I think you'll be working that out for a while.

However, I think there are some very technical things you can do to help switch gears. When I first started on my journey, and even now sometimes, I don't know when I'm full. So I have to look at my day and what I ate, and tell myself, sometimes out loud, that I've had enough to eat, and nutritionally my body has what it needs and I need to do something else besides eat. A good strategy is to plan out your meals, so you make sure you're getting enough calories, nutrients, water, etc...Give your body what it needs first. If you still feel like you want something else, get up and walk around, have some water, and paint your nails! If after all of that you're still hungry, have that cookie or whatever it is that you want.