So this year I had great intentions of losing weight. I started the year at 245lbs and have managed to slowly knock off a 20lbs since July. But I've hit a standstill. I managed to lose a litttle through food journaling and exercising in Jan & Feb but by July had gained all but 3lbs back. Then I decided to get in gear in July and lost a total of 26lbs by the last week in Sept. Then I got on "the Shot" and whether its coincidence or blamed on the shot I haven't lost anymore and actually gained 6lbs back. I'm fighting to control my eating again and get back in to exercising. It seems to be much more of a struggle the last two months to consciously focus on eating heatlhier. So anyways now I'm down a total of 20lbs since Jan08 and hope I can be a little bit more motivated this month and lose that 6lbs by Jan09. I hope this coming next year will be finally the year I reach my goals!!!! It will be the year I finally get back down under 200, it will be the year I finally escape the 'obese' category in the BMI charts, it will be the year I finally hopefully see my ideal weight! I'd like to do a whole lot more than lose 20lbs over the course of the next year. But I have learned alot. I learned food journaling helps me immensley in seeing how much I eat, how much it adds up and how fun it is to track my weight loss when I keep my net calories in goal.

Sun flower,

Stick with your plan and you will reach New Year about 10% thinner than last year! That's a real accomplishment, don't knock it.

I think it would be terrific if 2009 was the year you hit goal...but even if you just lose another 10% of your body weight, well, you are headed in the right direction.

Meanwhile you are learned a lot more about yourself.

I only take issue with your comment about being a little more motivated. It isn't motivation that makes the change, it is commitment. If you sit around waiting for motivation to hit...plan to sit for a long time. Motivation for many of us tends to come in brief segments. Commitment carries you through the long dark days of making real changes.

You can do this! Your birthday goal is completely realistic, if you make it happen.

Hi there and congratulations on your weight loss thus far.

I'll definitely echo what the very wise Pandora said - motivation comes and goes and is never around when the cookies, cakes and fried foods ARE around. But that ironclad commitment, that sticks with you - through thick and hopefully thin.

This healthy eating lifestyle IS difficult to stick with. There's just soooo much darn "bad" food all around us. Without a commitment to stay away from it, and to eat healthy, it would be next to impossible to do so.

Yes like your title says, it IS a struggle to lose and to eat well. But once you get into it and get into a good groove and start losing the weight and feeling better - it DOES get easier. Although it's a struggle, IMO it does not compare, not even close, to the struggle of being morbidly obese, as I was. They are both very difficult. But at least the struggle of eating well has benefits!!!! Lots and lots and LOTS of incredible, marvelous, wonderful, delightful, healthful, enjoyable benefits.

You say that journaling "works" for you, as it does MANY people - so STICK with the journaling. Do what is ever necessary to succeed. And succeed you will!!!

Here's wishing you a joyful 2009. This is definitely going to be your year! The choice is yours.

Hi, Sun Flower! I see we're both in Iowa. I just say ditto what Pandora and Rockinrobin say. I have been the same place you are. Lost quite a bit of weight, then gained it all back six months later. Now, I've learned a lot from the people here and my own reading and I know that commitment is most important, because nothing can actually motivate me to lose the weight. I also write down everything I eat (with the calories) and that includes stuff I eat when I'm having a bad day and have gone off plan. I find it helpful to be able to go back and see what didn't work as well as what did. If I'm up a pound, I look back over the past week to see if I let my average calories creep up a little, which is surprisingly easy to do! I'm also hoping 09 is the year I get out of the obese category and that I just keep feeling better and looking better. Believe me-if I can do it, you can too! Keep up the good work! Every pound lost is one more step closer to goal-the timeline doesn't really matter