I met up with an old friend this past weekend. One who hadn't seen me since I weighed somewhere in the 240 range (that was years ago, I never knew exactly how much) and she was floored. And she, inevitably, asked me how I did it. "A proper healthy diet and plenty of exercise" I replied. She just refused to believe me. She's of the "subscribe to every women's magazine and hope someday there really is an easy answer in there" variety.

Nope, I assured her, it's not high potency chemicals, surgery, or all the grapefruit juice I can drink for me. Just simple lifestyle changes. We parted company with her assurances that she will be forwarding on all her diet tips to me. Oh the joys of a clogged inbox!

But now it's got me thinking...simple? Is it really this simple? Yes, I suppose it actually is. But lately I've had a very hard time remembering that, or even believing it myself. Although, if anyone asks, I'll expound on the topic for hours. "Healthy foods!", "Daily exercise!" Yes, it's one of the hardest things I'll ever do, but for me it can be simple.

I put myself into a maintenance plateau this past year to deal with foot surgery and the accompanying healing process (3 months of not walking). I've been more than ready to start losing again for quite some time now, but I feel kind of stuck.

I went back to Weight Watchers meetings to get a bit of inspiration. And boy do I love to talk there. But I can't seem to keep on the program through nobody's fault but my own. And I now go to the gym 3 days a week instead of exercising every day.

This lackadaisical attitude isn't going to cut it!! Not anymore. It's put up or shut up time. Money where the mouth is. All that sort of thing. It's ridiculous to know exactly what you should be doing, telling everyone else what you think they should be doing, then going home and not doing it yourself! I'm the worst sort of hypocrite right now and I need the verbal tongue lashing to go with it! Someone verbally rip my head off right now! I need it!

Okay, so you went from 240 to 168 - then were on maintenance for a year because of surgery and maintained your weight and are kicking yourself because you have a 'lackadaisical attitude'!? I think not.

Now that you want to start losing again it may be a bit more work. You've started off well by attending WW's meetings & going to the gym. I'm not sure I see the problem.

Are you eating too much? Are you not exercising enough?

It's ridiculous to know exactly what you should be doing, telling everyone else what you think they should be doing, then going home and not doing it yourself! This is being human. Do you know how many doctors smoke?!

Okay, now the tongue lashing you ordered. Get up off your but and exercise! Eat clean all of the time! (You know I'm just kidding)

You can do it!

Don't kid!! That's exactly what I need people to tell me!

Chewy Spree candy are not going to help me get back on track. Not journaling them isn't going to help either.

Wow, I really like the title of this thread. It basically sums it all up. It really IS that simple isn't it? But then again - it really IS hard to not only REMEMBER that, but to put it into ACTION.

For me, I need not only daily reminders of this, but sometimes HOURLY reminders. And I don't know if that will EVER change. This weightloss/maintaining/eating healthy/exercising thing needs to remain on the forefront of my brain, otherwise it's all too easy to forget.

But I know there WILL be times when even if I DO remember it, I don't always follow through with it. We just need to make those times few and far between.

Since you know how to do it, maybe it's time you go back to "dieting" one oh one as I like to call it. Ya know, the basics. Clearing out the house of all junk, adding in only healthy foods. Journaling what you eat, you write it - you bite it. Counting calories. Remembering and perhaps writing why you are doing this in the first place. Planning your meals and snacks ahead of time. For me, I know I will have to do this for the remainder of my days, provided I want to stay at a healthy weight.

Here's a little butt kicking and head smacking to get you jumpstarted -



You can do this, I know it, you know it and all those people who you tell how simple it is, no gimmicks involved, know it - now it's time to get down to business and be Nike- Just Do It! Good luck.

OK....

Step away from the Chewy Spree!

Harrypottery, you need a plan. You need a real start date.

Decide on a date when you'll begin exercising more and eating back on plan. Make it about a week in the future, but make it FIRM.

Stock up on the foods you need and get rid of the ones you shouldn't have.

Make sure you've got your exercise clothes and shoes all ready to go. Videos? Find them. Gym membership? Hand weights? Get ready.

Weigh in. Yep. That's your starting weight. Your new starting weight.

OK, you're ready! You can do this!

Don't be like a friend of mine--she is waiting for her weight to go up before she gets back on plan. Only, it did go up, but she's decided it hasn't gone up "enough." That way lies disaster!

You can do it, pottery! Yesssss!

Jay

Something that has stuck with me through thise whole weight loss thing I read on another board. Someone said "Just because it's simple doesn't mean it's easy" Oh how true!

The "rules" are simple...following them is the hard part. Eat right, exercise often. Tell that to the brownies I had to resist all day (right in front of my face :-P), and my muscles right now...burning like there's no tomorrow. Easier said than done! But we do it anyway!

From you, Harrypotterybarn, nothing short of 110%!!!!

Actually, I think you have done wonderfully to maintain under the circumstances.

Yep, simple, but not easy. This short little thread has a lot of wisdom packed into it.