I was doing very well, lost 5 pounds (all water weight, but hey..ill take it..) and then joined a gym. then I injured my knee, ate burger king for a week and gained it all back and then some. I cant seem to find the motivation to start over. I work a very high stress job (i am a social worker...for the government...need I say more?) and everyone on the job (I love them, they are beautiful people..but...) is over wieght,( even the management rewards with food...office wide pot luck dinner put on by all the supervisors) donuts, cookies everywhere. lunch is now being eaten in by everyone (we used to eat out everyday) but its always potatoe chips, sweets, and we eat together. I bring what I want, but its hard to eat fruit and tuna fish when everyone else has kfc or some other very unhealthy thing from home and picks at you when you are not joining in. And if you just dont eat with them..well, then politically you have sabatoged (sp?)yourself in the office. its crazy!!! I have gained over 40 pounds since I started working there and I can tell the effect on my health and how I feel. I FEEL HEAVY. none of my clothes fit, cant afford more. my husband does not say anything, but he is starting to drop hints, not in a mean way but saying things like..."going to the gym today???" or really, really being supportive of joining the gym when previously he didn't...saying i didnt need that or why dont you just do your yoga tapes. Yoga is a whole 'nother issue..ill safe it for another post...

i know this has been long but I thank you for reading. I have been lurking on this board for a while now and hoped you wonderful people would understand.

once again, thanks for reading and any response, advice, etc would be apprecieated.

CKATGO...As far as most of the things that you said work, hubby, and gym...you need to find something that works for you. Period. I tried several different things that I just could not stick too. Now, Im on WW and Im sticking to it. It fits into my life. I didn't want something that I knew I could only stay on a few months. I needed something that I could maintain after I lose the weight. Anyway, find what works for you and do it. We're all here for support

Love,
Deanne

We all know it's hard--hang in there! I know the feeling of a hectic schedule and high stress--I work for a government contractor, so deadlines are always rush rush rush! I also work part-time at a restaurant (Ruby Tuesday), so I end up working about 70 hours a week. Anyway, enough about me, let's get back to you...

Am I correct in understanding that if you bring your lunch, you're okay as long as you still eat with them? Maybe you can bring in some food that looks unhealthy but really isn't. I do it all the time! People are constantly telling me how great my food looks/smells--little do they know it is low in fat and way reduced in calories Examples:

I cook some turkey burgers early in the week and refrigerate them. I'll bring one for lunch. Turkey burgers turn light brown when cooked, so they look pretty much like any other burger except a little lighter in color, but you can mostly hide that with some reduced-fat cheese, tomato, lettuce, mustard, reduced-fat mayo...YUM! Looks and smells like the real deal (but your arteries will thank you on the inside!).
Same with hotdogs--I buy Healthy Choice hotdogs (70 calories each) and reduced-calorie buns. Top with ketchup, relish, and maybe some reduced-fat cheese melted on top--looks great! I occassionally even add a few spoonfulls of Hormel Turkey Chili on top (packed with protein and low in fat). Now that's a head-turner--smells amazing!
I also like to do stir-fry. Boneless, skinless chicken breast (or beef or whatever lean meat you prefer) with veggies and brown rice all mixed up with some teriyaki sauce (reduced cal or low sodium if you can find it)--looks and smells like Chinese food, and no one would be the wiser!
Sandwiches are easy to pull off, too--some reduced-calorie bread (I like white bread, so I use Wonder Light--40 calories per slice), some low-fat cheese, maybe some mustard and low-fat mayo, sliced ham (I buy the pre-sliced stuff, not fresh from the deli, but only 60 calories in 6 slices. I think it's by Oscar Mayer and comes in rectangular clear plastic continers), tomato, and lettuce. If you need chips and don't want to look shady with the Baked Lays, try Sun Chips--a little lower in calories and still amazing flavor. Or maybe some Smartfood popcorn. Or maybe a sandwich and soup (Campbell's, Progresso, and Healthy Choice all make great healthier soups now).

I know the temptation of fast food and unhealthy foods are hard to resist. Like I said, I work at Ruby Tuesday, and yes, sometimes I just have to have the chicken tenders or the crispy chicken club and fries. It happens. But when it happenes every day is when it becomes an issue. If you have to go out, grab a baked potato and a cup of chili at Wendy's. Pizza also won't kill you if you only have 2 slices (I usually try to sneak and dab some of the grease off the top with napkins first, too). Subway makes amazingly-tasty subs that are lower in fat and calories than almost any other fast food (ever had their sweet onion chicken teriyaki sub? Even without cheese, it is DELICIOUS and has less than 12 grams of fat in the whole foot-long. It's also messy to eat with sauce dripping out and lettuce hanging about, so it feels almost like eating a big greasy burger, ya know?). If fast food is a necessity, try a grilled chicken sandwich with no mayo. Even McDonald's has better choices (I can't say healthy, but I can say that a hamburger or 6-piece nuggets and small fries has less than 500 calories total).

If any of this sounds too drastic, try making small changes gradually. Cut your serving sizes down. Leave a few fries at the bottom of the bag, then switch from a large to a medium, switch to diet soda (to ween myself off of regular soda, I actually mixed diet and regular for a while--half the sugar and calories but still more flavor than regular). When going to KFC, try getting a healthier side [potato wedges have 240 calories, whereas seasoned rice=150, mashed potatos=110 (120 with gravy), potato salad=180, or coleslaw=190]. I hope any of this all helps you. Good luck--you've already made a step in the right direction by coming here and posting!

Take it one day at a time. Drink plenty of water ... this will curb your appetite. Think hard before you put something in your mouth and write EVERYTHING you eat down on paper. Once you make up your mind to do it ... NOTHING can stop you!!
Use this wonderful board for encouragement and support!!!

We are all on the same boat here!

thank you, thank you, thank you for your ourpouring of love and support. I guess when i typed that I was feeling all alone in losing the weight. Yes, they dont mind it if I eat with them. thanks for all the suggestions and hints. I will have to try some of them. I guess I really have not found anything that works for me yet. I am going back to good ole counting calories and see if that helps and keeping a food journal like Sunshine suggested. along with Jelly beans great ideas I may be on my way...thank you once again...

They're right...a food journal helps in a big way! Just be patient...you'll find something that works for you!

Love,
Deanne

i started keep a food journal yesterday and was impressed by how little i ate just because i had to write it down. alot of the "eating just to be eating" was not there. mostly because i didnt want to drag the *&*&^% book out and have to write it down. (ok laziness can work for you sometimes..LOL)

metta, kat