[aussielou]

Hi, I've been reading around the forum this morning and so many of you describe how I've been feeling. I'm relieved to be here!

I'm 47, married with two adult children and like many others I've struggled with my weight for many years.

I haven't weighed myself in a while, I was avoiding it to be truthful. Yesterday I finally weighed myself and I was shocked to see that I now weigh 209 lbs!

Thats more than I weighed when I was nine months pregnant with a 10lb baby!!!

I can't believe I've let this happen to myself to be truthful. I look so fat and I feel so frumpy. I'm a real apple shape and so I have a huge belly with skinny little legs. I used to be really fussy about taking care of my looks, now I have to make do with loose tops and pants to try and cover the bulges, when did I stop caring.?

Over the last few years I've had a lot of family stress which has contributed to my weight gain. I've also started menopause earlier this year and have been off work sick for several months now (with other health problems) and been diagnosed with low thyroid. My exercise ability is still limited at the moment.

So after my little 'pity party' yesterday I have decided that I CAN do this, but I have finally realised that I can't do it alone, so I went looking for a good forum to join to help me stop feeling so isolated and miserable.

The success stories here are really helpful! I feel really encouraged by what I've read and my plan at the moment is to concentrate on eating less carbs, to increase my intake of healthy vegetables and to eat protein at each meal. I just know this has to be a lifestyle change for me, not a diet.

I bought a swim suit last week but when I put it on I LOOK pregnant! so it will have to wait for a while...

I really am looking forward to losing weight with you all and eventually posting my own success story here, thanks for having me, I appreciate your support

[Windchime]

Welcome aboard, aussielou! I'm 48 so we're right about the same age, give or take a little.

Are you being treated for the low thyroid? That can make a difference in how easy or tough it is to lose weight, as you know. I know what you mean about the 10 pound baby; I found it very depressing recently when I discovered that I weighed around 25 pounds more than I did when I was pregnant with my 10 pound baby. Yikes!

I hope you find 3FC as helpful as I have. I was depressed and overweight in January, struggling with terrible asthma and just generally feeling like crap. Today I am 45 pounds lighter and training to run a 5k; I ran over 2 miles (no walking!) tonight. Some people might think that 8 1/2 months is a long time to accomplish these modest things, but I cannot tell you how much better I feel. And the months will pass whether or not we take action. So here we are, you and I, taking action! Yay!

You can do this!

[aussielou]

hi windchime

I am on treatment for the low thyroid and it has helped, I felt really unwell before the medication so it has helped.

thats so encouraging to hear that you are running!! I am currently trying to manage 10 minutes a day on the treadmill and I'm back on a steroid inhaler for my asthma which I had been off for about 5 years before i got sick this year. So reading about your success is a boost, thanks!

you are so right about time passing wether we take action or not, even small steps forward are a move in the right direction.

[Onederchic]

Hi and welcome to 3FC!

Good luck with your goals

Hugs
Michelle

[Windchime]

Originally Posted by aussielou

hi windchime
thats so encouraging to hear that you are running!! I am currently trying to manage 10 minutes a day on the treadmill and I'm back on a steroid inhaler for my asthma which I had been off for about 5 years before i got sick this year. So reading about your success is a boost, thanks!

Oh, that asthma is such a rotten thing, isn't it? I went on Singulair (pill) in late winter and that seemed to help. As I lost weight, I felt better and better and then BAM--in June, I had a bad flare-up that lasted over two months. By the time that was in full swing, I was on the Singulair plus a rescue inhaler and a steroid inhaler! Ugh. During that whole thing I had to set aside jogging; there were even a couple of weeks that I couldn't do my walking route because I would be gasping and heaving before I got 1/2 mile up the road.

I'm so glad that's over. For whatever reason, it has passed. I still take the Singulair and I have discovered that, if I take a couple of puffs from my rescue inhaler before I run even if I'm not feeling symptomatic, it makes a big difference. I think that my lungs were still constricting and I just didn't know it.

Well, that was kind of long and rambly. I'm procrastinating; I don't want to get moving and cleaning house.

[diabetic z]

Hello, aussielou, and welcome to the forums.

[SunshineCA]

[AR4life]

Welcome Aussielou! you'll find tons to read and lots of great helpful people on here, enjoy and let us know how you're doing.