I feel like I'm forever posting "I'm back AGAIN" threads and then not coming back but I JUST discovered about 5 minutes ago that I have a reoccuring problem.

I had hand surgery in Aug 07 and quit exercising. I regained a bunch of the weight I had worked so hard to lose and was back up to about 200 pounds in Dec when I decided I had to get back on track.

I did and I lost a bunch again. I remember being as low as 162 in July 08 but my ticker here said 155 so that must be where I was and just hadn't recorded it in my notebook. Anyway, Aug came and almost exactly a year after my hand surgery I had my gall bladder removed.

At this time I also started an office job and gave up my run my butt off one in the plant. So, no exercise + no calorie counting + no running at work = 179 pounds. That's a lot of weight I've gained in the last 4 months. I thought I'd only gained like 5-10 pounds but boy was a I wrong. I haven't weighed myself in quite some time but I JUST did. And it read 179. Yes, this was after I'd eaten and fully clothed with a heavy sweatshirt but that is going to be my starting point anyway.

So, here I am. I have my annual dr appt in Feb and I CAN'T be heavier than last year. I think I was about 176 at her office then and she was so proud of me. Not only that, but my school is having an all school reunion this July and I have to look hotter than I was in high school.

Please don't let me leave! I need you.

I was a calorie counter and also exercised at least 5 times a week. Do you think I could start with just exercise so I don't jump into it too quick? I know I know how to do this but I feel like such a failure and so diet dumb every time I let myself do this!

Do you think 150 by July would be reasonable. I think I can do it! That's only 4 pounds a week. I bet I can get under that. And I bet you will all help me!

I think you meant 4 pounds a month? Definitely doable! As you already know, you're in the right place!

Yes, sorry!

OK Lynsey, step away from the cookies!

I would say, don't worry about jumping in "too quick," whatever that means. Start tracking your food again--that's the biggest part of the equation. And start by exercising every other day. That will probably be enough of an ease-in to get back on track.

Glad to see you here!

Jay

I knew you'd get my butt in gear Jay! Thanks. I need that!

The line that Jay hightlighted was the one that I was going to as well.

Honestly, I don't think it's enough to just add in exercise. If I were to exercise 7 days a week for hours and hours a day, if I didn't carefully monitor my food intake - I couldn't lose weight.

Losing weight, IMO successfully, long term, permanently - takes the combination of the 2 - healthy eating & exercise. And if you ask me, the eating part is for sure the *more important* part, if I had to (luckily I don't - I shudder to think about it in fact) have to pick one or the other.

Losing weight - and keeping it off takes determination, discipline, focus and work. You just can't have those cakes, cookies and what not AND be that slim, healthy person you long to be. You just can't have it both ways. RESTRICTION IS REQUIRED. It's not so easy to wrap your brain around (took me 20+ years to do so), but when you come to that understanding and ACCEPT it, it does get easier.

You said you were successful in the past calorie counting and exercising 5X a week. - Sounds like a great plan to me. Why not "jump into it" with that????

And hellloooo, glad you're back - but YOU"RE THE ONE who needs to stick around and not leave, young lady. Got it? Good.

You've done this before - you CAN do it again.