The beginning is torture.......

Hi....

I'm 40 and I have about 116 lbs. to lose.  It seems overwhelming and that there is a big mountain to move.  I feel like I am finally ready to take care of myself and think about my food issues.  I'm tired of size 20! 

I am looking for someone who has been in my shoes and could give me some encouragement.  It feels different this time to me.... however, I'm a school teacher... and I'm not back at school yet.  haha!  It's all good!  I am excited for this adventure!  It'll be slow for a person who likes things done yesterday!  :) (smile)

Thank you!

Trust me, Its like majic. You lose a 20-30 lbs and then you will be size 16-18...in a matter of months. Well done, keep chatting in the forums, it will keep you motivated.

Start slow but keep on going even if you don't want too or if you are feeling like you arent getting anywhere just keep on trucking.. I've said this in probably like 5 or 6 posts.. Once you get your first "wow, your looking slimmer" type comment it will motivate you to keep going..Once you see the first result in yourself it will totally keep you motivated, you just gotta get over that initial hump and it's hard but once you see it in yourself it makes you wanna keep it up..
Im new to eating healthy/excersizing myself and I did not even think I could do this.. As far as I know I have lost 8.5 lbs but I think its a little but more then that since I was to scared to step on that scale for the first 3 weeks..lol.. And just today I realized that Im down 3 sizes which I havent been for over 6 years..

Another thing I would like to add, something that has been helping me ALOT with keeping up the healthy eating is ALWAYS eat right away if you are hungry (something healthy of course) I mean, you will always have cravings but it helps avoid bingeing which was what I did.. I would stay hungry till the afternoon so when I ate I would always be something aweful and ALOT of it :o(

So yeah, I hope my post helped you out some.. Everyone here is or has been where you are now so you will ALWAYS find someone you can totally relate to and that helps ALOT too!! You picked a great site to join!!

So good luck and make sure you stay posting!

God, Im a freak!!!..lol.. Just call me Tony Little

If it's buddies you need, there's a 100 pounds to lose club on the motivation forum!  They'd welcome a new member and are the most wonderful people.

Go here http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1064 2.html

I hear ya.  I have at least 100 to lose myself.  Well, I've lost 24, but that leaves 75 minimum to go.  And that's not really my perfectly healthy weight, just a weight I used to be that I was reasonably comfortable at.  It really helps when your clothes start to fit differently.  Like mine were all getting too small and now they're getting too big.  So although I'm not down a size exactly, I really am but I wasn't wearing a big enough size before.  However, I have not gotten too many comments.  I try not to focus on that though.  My husband has noticed.   And I can see it for sure.  I have a much less pudgy stomach for one.  But it still pudges, since I have 75 lbs to go and all.  I also have set interim goals.  My first was 30 lbs, and I'm almost there.  Next goal is 10 lbs.  Then I have something going on that might end the weight loss for now, or might not depending on the result. 

One thing that frustrates me is how far I have to go to be "normal."  By that I mean, yes, still overweight, but not in the realm of "big fat chick" if you KWIM.  I really try to not focus on that too much because it is counterproductive.  Swimsuits don't help much, but I have 4 kids who like to swim so there is no option there to not wear one.

Hang in there.

J

ya.... the swimsuits... grrrr....  well, if I lose 115 lbs. like this website says, I'll be at a weight that I haven't been since high school.  I think if I could get down to 160 (wedding weight - 1988) then I'd be thrilled... so that would be 99 lbs. 

I'm in it this time... I feel it.  This site helps for sure.  Thanks for sharing your frustrations... we're not alone!  ;)  Thanks, twindaze

Hey, I started out with 128 lbs to lose. I've got 77 left. And here are some things that have helped me. I celebrate every single victory, and I forgive every guilt. Guilt serves no purpose for getting healthy. If you're in it for the long haul, you have to realize that you're going to mess up and you're going to give in every once in a while. But you can't beat yourself up about it because that's not going to help.

With that said, you have to change the behaviors. You have to think twice before you eat anything. It has to become a way of life.

And it's hard, but it's SOOOO worth it. Good luck, and stick around. There's lots of fun and support to be had here.

:) Kirsten

I still have 98 lbs to loose, I've only been at this for 3 weeks and I'm like you, I want to wake up tomorrow a size 6 ha ha, but like everyone has said, you gotta know you're in it for the long haul.  the thing that has helped keep me on track is planning planning planning

...just happened upon this thread, and I just wanted to say thanks for posting what you did, Kirsten.  I needed a little inspiration!
-Holly

I definitely can relate to your situation. 

When I started my "new lifestlye" I had 102.5 lbs to lose.  I started on Jan 17, 2006 and as of today have lost 70lbs!  I cannot begin to tell you how much better I feel and I get comments all the time from people at my gym who have been there for my transformation.

As a matter of fact today, I had one woman tell me that I am shrinking and that I look great and my personal trainer told me today that she thinks I should look into becoming a personal trainer myself.   She says that my dedication and hard work prove that I would be a great trainer to help share my success with other people in my situation (I am seriuosly considering doing it)

It is a long road that takes dedication and hard work.  But, just think if I didn't start this new "lifestyle" I would probably the same weight if not heavier than when I started.  Now I am 70 lbs lighter and MUCH more healthier.

All I can say is that the first few months is hard- once you adapt to this new way of living and start losing the weight it will be mcuh easier.  HANG ON AND STICK TO IT-- IF I CAN DO IT YOU CAN TOO :)

my turn my turn......okay listen this is my biggest problem and everyone has told me it is normal so I want to tell you before you get discouraged.....I haven't lost on the scale that much.....but I have notcied my pants are sagging and no one has really said he you look great girl but one of my friends told me I need to throw the pants on I had in the trash because they were way to big and I just bought them last month *smiles uncontrollably* so you may not loose on the scale as fast as you would like but you will see it....good luck

Sometimes looking at the big picture can be overwhelming.  What I did was break down my overall goal into 10 increments.  My goal is to lose the first 10 in 10-12 weeks.  After that I'll shoot for the next 10.  Maybe if you set a series of smaller goals for yourself it will make things seem less overwhelming.

I do that to. I have a first goal of loosing 10 pounds before the end of September and I will reevaluate after that. It is way less overwelming that way I think :)

I have 154 lbs. to loose. I have a member for almost 3 weeks and I have lost probably 5 lbs. so far about 2 lbs. a week which is a healthy way to loose but when you see 154 to go all the time does sometimes get you down because you work hard at watching what you are eating and exercising but there is a lot of support and there has been times when I need motivation and I got it here on CC.  Patience is a virture.  I am working on that but I do set up small short term goals with long term goals as well.  I have to do that with everything in life not just weight lose. I have to take slow to make it a more permanent thing too.  I have been told that at first it will take motiviation and dedication but it will get easier and more automatic if you just keep plugging away at.  We can work on it together. 

Hang in there!  It can be different this time!

When I started, I had 134 pounds to lose.  Now I have 87!  I was a size 26, now I'm an 18-20.  :D

From one teacher to another, I could give you lots of advice and instructions (LOL!), but would say the bigges are: be patient with yourself, log everything, stay active, and post often.

If you want to add me to your friends list, feel free! 

Have a great night, and congrats to you for taking this step!  Enjoy your journey to better health! :)

Wow, blast from the past.  Who's still on here?  I've lost 62 lbs so far.  I read what I said about being a normal fat chick.  Well I'm there!  Even slighly closer to just being overweight than being fat.  

I hear ya!  I'm 41 and I have about 80 lbs to lose.  It's day 6 of my diet and I have a long ways to go.  And I've been here before.  Last time I tried to lose weight, I lost 40 lbs, and then I completely lost control of it.  I'm going to do my best to stick with this through the long haul this time.  The years seem to fly by so quickly nowadays, just think of how fabulous we'll feel this time next year if we stick to it!

I have lost 41 pounds and have 57 pounds to go. Don't beat yourself up if you mess up. Keep going and continue on eating right.

I just want to tell each of you that you can do this! I began losing weight in July and I was 246 when I started. Today I'm probably out of the 160's (will weigh officially tomorrow). Hopefully at 158ish. I dropped a LOT of weight the first four weeks due to a lot of stress in my life. Approximately 30 pounds. I KNOW this is a lot to lose in a few weeks . . . but it was really out of my control at the moment. When I realized how much I'd lost I thought, "Heck . . . I'm gonna keep it up!" The rest is history. I've lost approximately ten pounds per month since for a total of 86+ pounds to date.

It's hard, but being thin is definitely better than ANYTHING I've ever had pass between my lips! However I do know this will always be a life long battle, but I'm determined to keep it off this time. If you can just stick with it for two months it will be so much easier! By that time you will be at LEAST two pants sizes smaller and there will be NO stopping you!

I wish you the best and will pray for you as you work your way to a new and healthy you!