Posts by shoeofkuribo

I've lost 70 pounds so far and hope to lose 45 more. I have pics in my profile. I've been working at it since the end of 2006, when I weighed 286, and I'm down to 216 now. My goal is 170.

As for how? Every day is its own challenge. I maintained for an entire year when a new job took over my life, and managed not to gain any weight back, even though I stopped losing. Now I'm back on track again and working toward my goal. Lately I'm going to the gym at least 4 times a week, and my calorie goal is 1700.

I've found it very important to log my calories, even if they're bad for the day; otherwise you chock it up to "it's been a bad week" and lose your motivation. Even though I have gained a lot of skill in estimating calories, when I don't actually log them, I can't keep myself accountable and will ultimately have a late-night ice cream snack, etc.

Yup. I'm 23, been married for going on 2 years, and I've had baby fever since before we got married - but as time goes on, it tends to be more and more. It's partially hormonal, and every month before my period it spikes. Every month I as TTOM approaches, I think that maybe it won't come, maybe I'm pregnant.

My husband is not ready yet, which I understand. He wants a baby, but doesn't feel ready. And I want him to be ready, so he can deal with the stress and the responsibility of a baby, so I'm trying to be patient for another year or more (but hopefully not more.) It's very hard.

The only way I can find to deal with it is to focus on other exciting changes - career goals, new hobbies. Easier said than done, though, because I find it hard to resist checking pregnancy forums and reading up on baby equipment nearly every day. It's not easy, but it will be much better for everyone involved if we're both ready for the challenge.

My mom told me about a dream she had while pregnant: She had her new baby (me), and was carrying it around and taking care of it, but it was smaller than the palm of your hand - probably the size I was in real life at the time.

Congratulations! How exciting! I know exactly what you mean - when I become pregnant I'm sure I'll do the same thing. :-)

I weigh 232 now, starting fitting into 18's (Old Navy style) at about 238 pounds. I'm 5'7''.

I have heard that you don't need to go to a doctor until you've been TTC with no luck for a year. If you did go, I'm guessing they would just give you advice, not prescribe anything. But if you are just looking for advice, you might as well go in for a consultation if you want to.

Have you read much advice online? There are a lot of tips I have seen around, as well as info on charting your cycles. Do you do that already?

Here's a link with some advice: http://www.babycenter.com/getting-pregnant?in tcmp=Nav_Global_Precon_v3

I'm with sroscoe. I already had my wedding, and I lost about 35 pounds before I got there, but I sure wasn't skinny. So I think forward to when I'll have kids, and about how I want to be cute and pregnant, not just fat and bulbous in the tummy.

And more short-term events, like "maybe this summer, I'll be able to wear shorts for once." I picture myself hanging out on the beach or by the pool, like any regular person does in the summer.

It's tough in the long haul. It really is. I'm coming up on one year of CC, and I'm disappointed that I haven't lost more. But I have to try to remember that I've lost weight at all, and I've learned a ton, and completely changed my outlook. That's the important thing. I'm taking it slowly, but I feel confident that by this time next year, I'll be at the size I want. 

You're absolutely right to recognize that the flame will diminish, and it may go out a few times. The key to success is recognizing setbacks as temporary, and getting back on the wagon, as many times as it takes. Over and over again. 

Start small. You'll adjust gradually. Especially to the second poster, tally-ho - There's no way you can be expected to jump from 4,000 to 1,300 instantly! I'd work on keeping it under 2,000, and when that becomes easier, you can get it lower.

The easiest way to reduce calories at first are to buy substitutions of everything possible. Most foods come in a lower-calorie version, and by logging your calories, you start to learn what things are calorie-loaded and completely unnecessary.

For example:

-Never get mayonnaise on sandwiches. It can add 100 useless calories!
-Use one slice of cheese instead of two, on grilled cheese or other sandwiches
-Get skim milk
-Get Light N' Healthy orange juice instead of regular - only 50 cals/cup
-Low-fat versions of dairy are also lower-calorie, such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk, yogurt, etc. Read labels at the grocery and pick your lowest option. Dannon Light N' Fit yogurt is only 60 cals per container.
-Choose a low-cal bread. Just read the labels, many types are labeled "Light". They may be smaller, but you don't need a giant piece of bread. Slices can range from 45 calories/slice to 150 or more per slice. Big difference!
-Watch how much cream you put in your coffee. Switch to milk if you can.
-Use Splenda instead of sugar whenever possible.
-Don't waste calories on soda, juice, and alcohol. Drink water whenever possible. I make an exception for coffee and tea, but I still count the calories used in the milk/cream I add to it.

I hope this list gives you some ideas. If you read the labels when you're at the grocery store, you can almost always find a lower-calorie version of whatever it is.

Also, something very important - always eat the serving size! This is a huge, and hugely important, lesson. Learn how much you a 'normal' serving is, and eat that. You'll quickly get used to the idea that a serving of cereal does not mean filling the bowl to the brim. Feel free to message me if I could help with anything!

I didn't want to tell my now-hubby how much I weighed either, when we were first dating. For some reason he wanted to know, and it took me a long time to tell him. I don't know what it is about weight and people knowing, but it just feels like such a big deal - I understand. When I finally told him, he just said "Ok."

Guys are often simple creatures. He won't care either way. He probably won't even listen to the number when the doctor is talking. Just don't make a big deal of it, and I'm sure he won't even notice.  

I feel ya. I've been getting nowhere for about six weeks too. I bet the undying winter has something to do with it, as if it would just be springtime, I'd love to go outside and walk! I'm in a slump, and I'm trying to figure out how to get out of it and start losing again. I'm not overeating, but I guess I'm not restricting enough either, even though the math works out such that I should be losing, at least a little bit, each week. It's just not happening. :-(

Best of luck to us both, eh? Let's each try some new things, maybe we'll get inspired again.  

I just bought myself a divacup, actually, and I'm looking forward to my next period to try it out. I have a feeling it will work out really well for me - I've already practiced inserting/removing it, and it worked fine for me. I'm honestly excited!

For the record, I've used tampons for most of my menstruating years. I used pads when I first started, but they were the messiest thing in the world. I always had blood all over myself, and it was disgusting. I also hate carrying a mini-purse just for  tampons around with me, and having to carry that to the bathroom at work. And having to make sure there's a trash available when I change them - I don't flush them because it clogged my parents' toilet too many times.

Anyway, I'm proudly on the menstrual cup wagon. :-) 

I like sitting on the fitness ball as a chair when I use the computer - that helps my back.

I had the Core Secret dvd that came with the ball, but I found it pretty boring. I tried it a few times, and I don't really find ball exercises that interesting. However, they're pretty good exercises in themselves. 

I think it's great that you only get healthy types of cereals, but I agree that you should limit them. The more types of foods kids are encouraged to eat, the better. I'd try to limit too many servings of ANYTHING in a day, unless it's vegetables, I suppose. ;-)

Personally, I grew up eating tons of cereal every day after school, and it was really bad. I probably ate three servings at a time every day, and I didn't learn how to eat healthily until I was almost out of college. 

Even though your kids aren't eating huge portions of cereal, it could turn into an unhealthy habit. My husband is a prime example - he only eats about four types of food: pasta, pizza, deep-fried fast food, and peanut butter sandwiches. He won't eat ANY fruits or vegetables, and it's because his parents didn't try hard enough to make him sample new foods as a kid. He grew up learning it was ok to just eat this limited selection, and now he doesn't desire to try anything new or healthy. When I have kids, I really want to avoid them growing up like that!