Hi Sami -- and others
Thanks for the welcome! And actually I love working out first thing in the morning when I can, which is only on weekends as I leave for work at around 6 AM. It helps that I live in an apt complex with a 24-hour fitness center so don't have to drive anywhere.
For myself personally I don't believe in dieting but just realizing I have to change my lifestyle and eating habits, since I have so much to lose and gain it back so easily! So I just eat healthful meals -- it helps that gradually I have "built up" my kitchen with relatively inexpensive small appliances... George Foreman grill, dehydrator, blender, T-Fal steamer, etc., so that I can cook nutritious meals quickly and easily. I love to go to the bulk food bins in the grocery stores and get all kinds of spices and whatever to try out... very inexpensive that way!
I do take Juice Plus Complete every morning, either in a fruit smoothie or just in juice or whatever. I find that it almost completely eliminates my cravings and I often don't even bother to eat my (nutritious) snacks... wow NOT like me!! It also makes me feel so much better and helps keep my system running smoothly. I'm a firm believer in the stuff!
I also have a Home Group through my church... most of us are trying to stay fit, so we pray for and support one another.
One thing that really helps me is that my best friend was encouraging me to attend a Christian weight loss program at our church... for her it worked GREAT and she lost even more weight than she thought she could... but to ME the program is HORRID and a nightmare of rules and restrictions... yuck! So she got me to promise her that she would give me ONE month on my plan and if I messed up I would go to the program. Well... it turned into a fun thing to help... because I will NOT mess up if I have to go to that!!!
So at the end of my month I voluntarily offered another promise to her (which she was quick to take me up on) for another month -- mess up and I land in the program! I KNOW I will NOT eat what I shouldn't because I do NOT want to go there!!
Sue