[150LBS!!]

Hello all. I have become totally discouraged and need some intervention. I am currently in a program to become a certified Personal Trainer. The school I am attending has given me all of the tools I need to train somone to be the best they can be and meet their weightloss and fitness goals. However, I have not been able to successfully apply my knowledge to help myself. So here is the dilemma. How can I effectively train somone else when I am fat? I decided to enter the wellness industry because I have spent so much time researching nutrition, diet and exercise that I decided that I could help someone else if I had the proper training and schooling. I have tried countless diets with some success but then I binge and gain it all back. I must say however that at one point I did succeed. In July of 2001 I reached a milestone by loosing 100 pounds over a 1 year period. I got pregnant that July and almost gained it all back. I have kept 75 of that 100 lbs off but cannot seem to loose any more. So therefore I have become totally frustrated and discouraged. I feel like a failure but at the same time I know I have done great things. Something is holding me back and I cannot figure out what it is. So I am turning to 3FC. Support is something I have not tried before. Someone, anyone please help me!

[Superwitch]

You CAN do it. We all fall off the wagon sometimes and know how it feels to be bigger than we would ilke. I, too have tried various diets and then binged. My problem is that I love food - lol. I also comfort eat and eat when I am bored. I have tried Weight Watchers and did lose all the weight I wanted but then put it all back on (my own fault - nothing to do with the diet - lol). I was quite often hungry with Weight Watchers and would wake up in the night hungry but it did allow tme to still have treats. I tried Atkins and soon got bored with that.

I joined Slimming world a short while ago. Monday will be the third time I have been and I have to say that this diet suits me. I know that everyone is different though and so this might not be the diet for you but it is working for me. I don't feel hungry at all. I lost 4lb last week. The thing I like about this diet is that I can eat as much pasta, potatoes, rice etc as I like which suits me - lol.

This is a great place to come for support. Who better to go to for support than people who are experiencing the same things every day?

Welcome to the group. I just know that you will love it here.

[150LBS!!]

Thank you so much for that warm welcome. I feel like a weight was lifted off of my chest. (no pun intended) . Now, what is this Slimming World all about? Is this a center that you go to where you live or is there a website I can check out? I am desperate for new ideas. Even though I know what to do and how to lose the weight. I am just having a hard time getting over this slump I'm in. I also eat for comfort. Especially when I'm stressed or anxious. And there is a lot of that in my life right now.

[Superwitch]

Slimming World hold weekly classes all over the country. You can find out more abou them and find out where your nearest classes are here http://www.slimming-world.com/

The diet is based on two different types of day Green or Original (Red) days.

Original days are more meat based and you can pretty much eat as much LEAN meat as you like but things like potatoes, pasta and rice are restricted on these days.

On a Green day you can eat as much pasta, rice, potatoes as you like but your meat is restricted.

The site has some useful information or you can buy the magazine which is also good http://www.slimmingworldmagazine.co.uk/

Of course there are other diets too and everyone is different and different people get on better with different diets.

[stef]

Hiya!

Don't panic about your weight. Lots of people find an overweight instructor quite inspirational and much less threatening or off-putting than a lean one.

How do I know? I am quite a bit heavier than you are and have been an instructor for 7 years. I am also a Healthy Living Worker - I spend my days educating people how to change their eating, exercising, thinking, smoking etc habits for healthy ones! No one has ever questioned my ability in any of the activities I teach!

I found that whilst I yo-yo with my weight my size remains fairly stable. I lost 4 dress sizes whilst staying the same weight! Since then I have stayed this size (sometimes a bit more wobbly than others), even when I have gained an extra pound or so!

Give your new teaching lifestyle chance to kick in and you will see that you need to adjust your eating habits anyway - more carbs, less fat, little and often and lots and lots of water, that sort of thing. When you get into a routine you can start to do the calorie restriction bit. But if I were you I would definitely wait until I was sure of my daily needs!

Good luck with the instructing, I am sure that you will enjoy it - if you survive the newcomer blues??!!??!!!

[150LBS!!]

Thank you Stef. I needed to hear that from somebody that has been where I am going. I need to find that confidence that you have. I know it is within me, I just need to bring it out and project it. I still have some growing to do. I pretty much know what I need to to to achieve my goals but for some reason I keep letting my life get in my way. Like today I was all prepared to be healthy today (it's Monday) but once again I ended up on the path of destruction. I went on a major binge again today. It always seem to happen when I have a high amount of anxiety. I keep thinking maybe I need to get on an antidepressant or some type of supplement that will supress my appetite & is not too bad for me. But then I don't want to have to depend on anything. I don't want to be taking a pill for the rest of my life. Plus what kind of example would I be setting for my clients/students. I keep trying to draw on my stressors and use them to my benefit but it doesn't work out. I have to come up with something. I will come up with something.

[Superwitch]

I know what you mean about the stess and anxiety eating. I do it too but have found that once I start losing the weight it is enough to stop me sabotaging it (as much - lol) during difficult times.

Have you tried St John's Wart which is a natural anti-depressant? Ask your GP or local health food shop about it. You take it 3 times a day and I am sure that it is much better for you than prescription drugs.

[stef]

Get out there and do some sweaty exercise just for yourself! Physical activity lifts mood, 30 mins of moderate intensity work can lift your mood for 24 hours.

I even work in one of the lowest paying gyms in town cos they give me a free membership and I like their facility. I go once a week to get sweaty all on my ownsome - no clients, no professionalism just walk it until I run rivers! Not really bliss, but I feel so goooooooooooood when I hit the showers! And I am revitalised for another day!

Check out St Johns Wort on www.supplementwatch.com really good site.

Being brutally honest, reading between the lines of your post, stop thinking and start doing! You can only feel better if you make a real change!

I know cos it took me a while to do this for myself. You have made a decision, you want to train people, well go on then! Don't let your opinion of yourself get in the way. No-one else is going to see you as you do, teach a vaguely decent programme and the clients will lift your mood for you.

Get the programmes right and draw confidence from them! Go on! You WILL do it! You know you want to!

I expect to hear from you next week - squealing with excitement and overflowing with giggles and good news. Well maybe the week after if you haven't sorted out some clients already

Read you later -