Hi Everyone,

I'm from the beautiful state of Oregon. As I mentioned I am a mom of 10 and I have also been married for 36 years. We had two kids and didn't want to stop there so we adopted 8 more.

Now for the fitness stuff...I am 58 years old and weight 183 lbs. Which is very depressing for me to admit as I have never weighed this much before. I have been telling myself for a long time that I needed to do something about it. Now, I've finally come up with the gumption to get started.

One bonus is that my 20 year old daughter wants to lose weight and get fit along with me! Today was my first day of my "healthy eating plan" - I hate the word "diet"! I have a food diary and am tracking my calories. Did pretty good today. I'm just getting over the flu so I signed up at the gym and want to start taking water aerobics next week.

Tonight I ended up sitting at home alone and really wanting a cookie. In the past I would have just gotten up and taken one, or two, or three... I resisted tonite, but am wondering why it was such a temptation. I had a filling dinner so I wasn't really hungry, you know?

Anyway, I would love any tips you have. Advice for getting started, staying on track or what is working for you. So, come on - share....

Hi Jez,

I am thinking about just counting calories and trying to stay with my calorie goal. And eating healthier foods overall. I do not want to be super strict on myself and set myself up to fail. So, coming with easy, low cost ideas for meals and snacks that fit into my 1500 calories a day limit is the first hurdle to cross.

Plus, adding more exercise, so I am pretty lazy. I will be doing the water aerobics I mentioned, plus am thinking of doing some walking at the park.

I am into formal "diet plans" . Is that enough info?

Welcome, and congratulations on making the decision to do something good for yourself.

The question you asked yourself (bolded above) is one many of us have asked ourselves...well, at least I have! Many times!

That type of eating is habitual - we eat, we want something sweet, so we reach for the cookie. Or two. Or three. Congratulations on resisting the urge! The most important thing you said was "so I wasn't really hungry, you know?" Yes, how well I know!

I know it sounds simplistic, but the key - at least for me - is to not eat unless I'm hungry. But that's not as easy as it sounds; for one thing, many of us who have yo-yo dieted have forgotten what true hunger is. I'm still working on that.

Calorie-counting has worked for me in the past, and if you're determined to lose the weight and are willing to stick to it, I think it's probably the best plan. It's simple, it's free, and it gives you the freedom to eat what you want. Lots of free calorie counters online as well as apps for your phone.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the thumb's up! I guess I'm not the only one hankering for sweets. Or potato chips, at night, when I watch tv. What a bad habit that was!

I know I'm only one day 2, but I have already lost one pound!

Hi. I am a calorie counter. There are many apps that can help with calculating and tracking your calories. I use the Loseit app. I can enter the data on my iPad or Touch but when I'm at work I enter it on my desktop. With so many options, I don't have an excuse for not tracking.

I have also been using a food scale ($20 at Target) to get a better idea of my portions.

I love cold sweet treats so I have started freezing grapes. It satisfies the sweetness and the texture I crave.

I have been taking care of my evening cravings for something salty/crunchy with a few (# depends on craving) low calorie, ligthtly salted herb crackers with a little cashew butter.

Before I started on a weight loss program I had many bad eating habits. I have been easily able to change the types of foods I eat, but the hardest bad habit for me to break is the late night eating. It used to be junk food -- or leftovers of what I had for dinner. Now, if I succumb to the temptation, it is almonds, cheese, low carb ice cream, etc. That does not cause me to gain weight, but when I snack like this at night, I don't lose. So, I have to stop myself from doing it. The funny thing is that when I snack like this, I am not really hungry. I am "snacky." I am just eating for the sake of eating. Cutting this habit is crucial for me to lose.

As far as choosing a diet, there are so many that will work. The key -- as you've hit upon - is finding one that is right for YOU. One that you can stick with long term. For me, a low carb, relatively high protein diet works for me. I have cut almost all grains and starches out of my diet. I pretty much eat protein (mostly lean) and vegetables. I substitute certain veggies for starches (cauliflower for rice and spaghetti squash for pasta) and I have found that I really don't miss the starches at all.

One thing that I have found is that once I started losing weight and saw results, that really motivated me to keep going and not deviate from my plan. I started to get addicted to seeing the results on the scale -- so much so, that I wouldn't even think about putting anything in my mouth that isn't on my plan.

This website is a great resource to explore different plans. If you start one and it doesn't seem like it will work for you, try another.. until you find one that suits you.

Welcome and good luck on your journey!!