I just wanted to say hello -- I am new to the board, and back to WW for what I hope to be the final run! I am committed to making the change because I have 2 little ones now and I just want to be healthy for them. Plus -- I'm tired of looking like a frumpy "mom"

Some advice please? After my first week - I've been working out once a day for as long as this creaky body could handle (30 min. of the FIRM). I have been following plan... and although I don't get weighed in until Monday, my fear is I will only have lost 1 or 2 lbs. if not at all and I will be crushed.

Please tell me that if I keep it up (and I am clearly eating so much better, drinking tons more water, and moving more than I have in years).. please tell me that somehow the weight will start dropping? I am so impatient and I'm trying not to be that way. I just want some results (or cheers from those who have been successful) that this is going to work..

This is a fantastic forum, and I"m glad to be here! Thanks all!

and congratulations for making a decision to lose the weight. It sounds that you're doing great job. Working out, eating better, and drinking more water. Actually if you've lost 1-2 lbs then that means you're doing it right way. You would not want to lose more than that in a week, because you might start to lose some muscle. I am not an expert on this, but it is recommended that you don't lose more than 2 lbs a week. But I've also heard that for people who haven't worked out for so long, and has a lot to lose the weight comes off easily and more than 2 lbs. So, I am not really sure which is what, but I think 2 lbs is healthy. I just wanted to welcome you to the board, and wish you luck. There are a lots of people who are lost a tons of weights, and knows more than I do, so I am sure they will give you some advice.

Thanks so much! You're doing fantastic yourself! You must be feeling so awesome. I think I can commit to this and the more I see siggy lines like yours, the more it motivates me to just make an effort and stick with it, once and for all.

Think Nutrient Dense Foods (you want to be healthy)
Lower (but not ridculously low) calories (don't starve yourself)
Watch other stuff but not obsess over it

Try using www.fitday.com or other nutrition calculators/journals. It's free, and addicting. Journaling is important.

Watch, Learn, Apply

Lots of water ( for you!)

Move more!!

Have Patience (groan) and pick yourself up the next day after you fail. You will have off days. ALL of us do. There's a thread about naughty confessions from successful dieters. LOL.

Most of all, Have a sense of humor and live your life.

thanks! I am actually going to Weight Watchers, so the journalizing and food choices are there.. there are just times I feel I am eating too much, but according to plan, I am not. I guess I'll find out on Monday at my first weigh in..

Honey, you've only been at it a week. You've got to give yourself more time.

ONLY 1 or 2 pounds? 1 or 2 pounds is great! And it's better than a 2-pound gain.

1-2 pounds a week is a safe loss. Any more than that and you're losing too fast.

Expecting to see drastic change in such a short time is what sets us up for failure. As I said in another thread, it's taken me 19 months to lose this weight. That's a year and a half. You can't expect it to just fall off, you've got to let your body get used to your new plan.

The important thing is that you're trying. You're willing to make the changes. And good things come to those who wait

And believe me, I've been where you are plenty of times. Wanting it to happen right now. And it's not gonna happen right now.

Keep that in mind and you'll do fine. Don't set unrealistic goals and don't expect more from yourself than you can give.

This is why I have come here.. to this forum. I have failed so many times before for the very reason you mention. I have finally - FINALLY - after years of this being out of control, come to the reality that this is not going to be easy. Nobody is going to *do* this for me - only I can be the one to make the changes in my lifestyle to make this happen. I have *almost* realized that this is going to take some time - maybe more than a year, to get to that point. I say "almost" because I know that is the reality, but then I fall back into the fantasy which wants the quick fix. These are serious habits to be changed - habits of eating and a sedentary lifestyle that I spent 35 years forming and they aren't going to go away overnight.

On a very personal level --- I watched my mother suffer terribly last year for 8 week with lung cancer. She died so quickly and so horribly and was so ashamed and DISAPPOINTED with herself for not listening to anyone who pleaded with her to quit smoking years ago. She was 57 years old and now she's gone. She wasn't strong enough to quit the damn cigarettes and I know if she were around today she'd be on the phone with me hemming and hawing.. "Just knock it off right now and do it. Do you want to see your kids get married? Then start taking care of yourself and quit your whining." Tough love and my mom was great at that. I guess this is why I feel it is my year - now or never..

Sorry for the rant. It just helps to get it out - reinforces what I already know, but just need to do. I'm loving you guys already.

I'm very sorry to hear about your mother. My father died of the same thing at 59. Oddly enough, he had quit smoking 5 years before he was diagnosed. But the damage had already been done.

So I know what you're going through there and I also know what you're going through with the weight. It took me YEARS to finally figure out that I wasn't going to lose weight and keep it off for good until I was ready to change my life.

I'm not on any diet. This is a lifestyle change for me. I did it myself, without anyone's help. I took control of my own life. And you can do it too

My condolences to you too. Sometimes, I guess, it takes major life events to wake us up. I am doing WW as a way to learn... it has helped me in the past and I need a little coaching again. But like you, I don't want to say I am doing any "diet" -- it IS a lifestyle change. WW is forcing me to make better food choices and teaching me portion control and I love that.

Keep it up, and welcome!!!!! I joined WW on 9/29/05, and most of my weigh-ins show a 1-2 pound loss. I have some weeks that were and 3 and 4 pound losses, but I'd say it still averages out to 1.5-2 pounds/week. Please don't get discouraged! Just keep looking forward- eyes on the prize.

I think that's great, sweetie. And you can do it!

Maria, that is fantastic. Hurray for you! How has the 26 lbs. loss changed you? Here's why I need to be patient.. I look at the big picture.. how much needs to come off and think that anything less than say, 50.. cannot be "life altering" for me. You must feel fantastic.

Trust me- the weigh I've lost has already altered my life! I'm finally showing myself that I can do this.
I can put all the pieces together (finally!) and get the results.
I can have other people notice.
I can have other men ask my husband "how much weight has Maria lost, because she looks great".
I can give clothes away because they are too big.
I can wear clothes that haven't seen the light of day in 10 years or more.

And maybe, just maybe, I can help or motivate or inspire someone else. That would really be a great reward for me.

I think you are a great inspiration, you and everyone else willing to share their successes. I hope to be that person one day as well. I've got a pair of Ann Taylor dress pants with the tags still on them from about 7 years ago -- I spent so damn much on them for what I don't know as they never fit me! I'd like to wear them this fall.