It's all or nothing .....

Hi, today is my first day on logging food and really watching what I eat, wish me luck. I am 48 years old and have tried every diet under the sun. Gosh if I only had all that money I had spent I would be sitting on a beach somewhere. I have been battling with my weight the last 17 years. I went from a steady 130 to 150... 165...180... and so on till I have now reached a high of 245. I feel so frustrated to be a grown woman that knows its all about what you eat and moving everyday, WHY can't I just do it ??? No one around me is facing the same battle so I hope to find some friends here for support and hopefully return the support for someone else.

Sooooo here goes !!!!!

Lorilou  : )

You sound just like me! I know all the nutrition facts. But living within those guidelines and losing the weight, getting healthy is a whole diffferent thing. Let's keep in touch!

I am 44 and am surrounded with slender friends who just don't understand why I can't get a grip. They are kind, but they don't get it. They were born genetically predisposed to being thin. Yes, they eat better than I do (not less and definitely not fewer calories) and exercise more, but they have definitely never battled the battle I have always faced, so they cannot understand. I can use a friend who "gets it."

Candy

Amen ladies!

I am so tired of the battles I am going to win the war, no matter what the world throws at me.

And Lorilou, I would be with you on that beach, which is why the only money I will spend now on losing weight is my Curves membership.  No more quick fixes or WW or anything.  I can do this..WE can do it.

And it is always good to have a buddy or two to help you through it!

I too have a Curves membership but have not gone in 3 months, why is it I can never find time for myself ? I now have 1 month till my 30th highschool reunion and I refuse to go looking like this !

  Did great on this day 1 & 2 and it all went down hill from there. I did stay very active last weekend cleaning and re-arranging the house when normally I would have slept the weekend away.

How do you stay motivated ????

And why do people say stay in touch and then fall off the face of the earth ??

Lorilou:  Motivation has always been a challenge for me also. I am on day number9 and so far it is going well. I have had a few moments that I have eaten something I shouldn't or not exercised when I needed to, but on the whole I have managed to do right. Here are some things that I have learned along the way that help me to stay motivated:

(1) It is one day at a time, one meal at a time. I have a goal, I make a plan on what to eat and when to exercise, and then I achieve that one day/one meal at a time. If I fail, see number 2.

(2) If I make a poor meal choice or do not exercise, that is ok. It is not a SINGLE choice that got me where I am today, it is a series of choices that I made over and over. I cannot live the rest of my life without eating a brownie and I am not going to always exercise when I should. But I put together a reasonable plan for eating right and getting fit, and maintain that healthy lifestyle more often than not. If I goof, then the very next meal is an opportunity to eat right. It isn't a diet, it is the way I live my life to be healthy. That is a HARD thought to embrace, but I am trying.

(3) I repeat my goals and my reasons why I have those goals to myself frequently.

(4) I set small goals for myself so I can be successful in increments and feel good about what I am achieving.

(5) I recently learned "thought stopping". When I think about a food or a situation where food is involved and associate that with pleasure, enjoyment, etc. I consciously say to myself "stop" and then I think of all the negative things associated with eating that brownie or going to that restaurant (weight, sugar spike, feeling uncomfortable with myself). Yes, I LOVE food and I am an emotional eater too. But the pleasure I will get out of that one instance is fleeting and how I will feel when I am healthy will last forever. I also sometimes either go do something to get hot and sweaty, which makes me lose my appetite, drink two big glasses of water or go do a hobby I enjoy that does not involve eating.

(6) I make sure I am never hungry. It is critical to eat frequently throughout the day, while not exceeding the total calories I need for the day. If I don't let myself get to that hungry point, I can make better choices about what to eat when I do eat.

(7) I get support from friends and experts in the field. I read online about ways to incorporate exercise, issues I may face wth losing weight (for me it is insulin resistance) and ways to overcome those obstacles.

I think that's it. All of this I have learned throughout my struggle through the years. I really believe this time is different. My attitude is different. I want this change more than I want the momentary enjoyment of food. I am working hard to overcome my buggest obstacle which is the way I think about food an deating. I can tell you I am far from being totally successful with all of this, but these are the things I rely on to ge tme through.

Also, I am changing tracking tools. I will keep checking in this bulletin board cause I would love to keep in touch, but I found a tracking tool I like better :)

Good luck!  Candy