I'll be 43 this June anyone around the same age want to join my weight loss quest?

Greetings!

I am hoping that this site I stumbled on will help me out. I have been on a diet or fighting with food my entire life. About 8 years ago I lost about 100 pounds, my lowest weight was 204 then I had my first child at 40. Now I am 220 and he'll be three this June. The only good news is that I do not weight 300 + pounds anymore having said that - No excuses, my food addiction problem has been out of control now since his birth. I try - and try - and try - and still nothing seems to be working. Maybe I can find a friend here who will help give me the strength I need to be healthy. I need to stay alive for my family.

I felt the same way when I was trying to get out of the 160's, so I am not too upset getting stuck here in the 150's. I have wanted to get to the 150's so bad I am almost happy about it.

I was checking my BMI again and have noticed that I started out as "overweight" moved to "moderately overweight" and am happy to report that (don't laugh at me) it says "slightly overweight" now. I feel good about that, hey it isn't much but I definately feel there is progress.

Tammy, you seem to be battling some emotional eating here. You will do better with apples to eat of course but you should also try to think about why you are feeling so driven to eat when your husband goes to work. Is it depression or some sort of fear (I know some women who have trouble when their spouse works nights), it would do you some good to get a grip on what causes this reaction. Who knows maybe a good alarm system, a can of pepper spray under the mattress or a big dog would do you some good...LOL But seriously, don't ignore the feelings that are causing this reaction!  

That is funny!  I'm "slightly overweight" too.  I think I get away with a bit more because I am tall (5'8")  I'm also considered "small frame" on this website because my fingers overlap (alittle). That surprised me because I never considered myself small frame!  Guess I've had this weight on so long, I forget what I looked like when I was in my 20's!  I think because I am tall I always just consider myself BIG!  I'm excited to see what I will uncover once I dig through these extra layers!

I'm also "slightly overweight", and really looking forward to when my BMI drops down into the "normal" range again.  My goal is to be in the lower end of normal, because I also have a small frame, and that's where I was able to maintain for a long time.  At 5'9", I need to be around 168 to be in the normal range.  I'll be doing happy dances when that happens, especially after I break out of this plateau!

cynthb - Another tall girl! is it me or do you find our "normal" range to be low?  Most sites have my ideal weight to be between 131 and 165.   I can't imagine how I would look at 131 but I wouldn't say it would be very good! When I first started I thought trying to get to 160-165 would be great I'm shooting for 150 now  and will see how I look then.   Main hope is that I  look and feel good again!

Omagraf -  you may have a point. Because I am scared to be home by myself at night. He's been on midnights for a few yrs now, but we've moved into a new house and it's closer to town and I just don't feel safe here at all. I told him I wished he'd go back to working swing shift, which is between daylight and afternoons and I would feel so much better. Pets are out of the question with son's asthma and allergies.  Also, my dd moved out a few months ago so it's just my 15 yr old and myself here Sun-Thurs and most of the time Fri (he has to have that overtime!).  I don't know how to overcome this anxiety I have.

I will post my WI on Monday. I stopped visiting that scale so darn much! I was weighing like 3 times a week with all these threads I'm on! It was just too much pressure! ;D 

It's really hot here today!  No walking today for me!  I'll do my indoor exercising.  I made myslef a really good salad today with turkey lunch meat and FF shredded cheddar cheese and cucumbers!!!  It was so good!!! :D

Going into the upper 60's tomorrow so I'll walk tomorrow! 

Omagraf - 157 Sandy (no loss, but no gain)
tsjej - Terry 230 (-2lbs. My worst week so far, but I earned it!)
cynthb - Cynthia 176.2 (up 0.4, still less than 2 weeks ago)

abwy- Hope 151 (down 1 lb.)

Missykris1 - still 182 (no loss, no gain)

MCS1229 - Marie 214 - no change

Hello All,

Terry, Congrats to you! It took me 8 months to lose 40 lbs! Good for you!

So, like some of you, it's been the week from hell. And I want SALT!!! I really don't know how I managed to maintain. I think I made Frito-Lay millions this week with my bags of nachos and chips. Yes, that bags, not bag. OK, it's behind me and the week is over, so I'll be moving forward with positive thoughts and a roll of duct tape for my mouth to get me through this..........

I'm trying to go by size more than by weight, and I feel that I was healthiest when I was around a size 8, and that's also a more reasonable goal than trying to get down to what I was at university which was very skinny.  I have some really nice suits that I would love to wear again :)

Tammy is there a way that you can get an alarm put on your house with monitoring so you'd feel safer?  When I lived out in the countryside by myself I had an alarm, and I could turn on the door and window sensors without the inside motion detectors, so if someone tried to force their way in while I was asleep it would go off.

Hi

It's been quite awhile since I've logged on. Just been very crazy here lately. to many things on the burner. I still am on my diet I' down to 189 and standing.Terry congrats on your success same to all the rest. I gave up weighing. Just going by the waist. Yes I still weigh periodically just not daily. I've manage to add a few photos thanks to Terrys ambition to show us his. You have a talent.

http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/community/us erpics.php?count=3

Take care and will try to make a regular visit.

Arlis

Hi Arlis, welcome back!

I went on my first outdoor run yesterday, and I was pleased with how it went.  The elliptical + weights regime seems to be keeping the required muscles in shape, and I ran the whole 5k except for a short, very steep ramp, and a set of stairs, so I'm very happy.

Hope everyone's having a great weekend.  It's lovely outside here!

Way to go

My walk today was a no go. 80* and windy now, but spent from 1:30 PM till half an hour ago with Robert in the hospital. So far things are fine,but because of history with gluten intolerence and strokes they are keeping him overnight to keep an eye on him. So no walking to work tomorrow.

Arlis

Hi I would love to join you on your weight loss journey. I too have gained so much weight. I was always thin up until my middle 20's. I remember getting on a scale and it read 130. I was horrified {I am 5'4 and always weighed between 115 and 120} Now I will be 40 in June and what I would do to weigh 130 . I weigh 236 which is up from 229, in just a few weeks. I feel disgusted with myself I wanted to be at least 40 pounds thinner by my 40th bday. I guess that won't be happening. I love carbs candy, cake, and anything sweet.I know how to lose weight I just have no will power.I am going to start tommorow. that is why I came on this site tonight. I want to feel good and be able to do things I have not done in years SO good luck to us.

hirashys - sorry to hear about your Robert.  Hope he gets better soon  Keep your chin up!

babygtbck - welcome to the group!  I am very new to the group too but find such comfort reading everyone's stories and advice.  Good luck on your journey!

On a personal note, I had a HORRIBLE eating day.   The good news is I spent the day at Yankee Stadium for the Popes mass.   Bad news is you were not allowed to bring in food.  After I stood for a half hour on line for a sausage (It was the best I was going to do there!) they ran out of cooked food!  My choice was now candy, cake or cracker jacks.  I had cracker jacks for my lunch (a BIG bag too).  Of course, did not fill me up at all and wound up eating more junk food on my way to get my kids since it was a long drive.   But if I learned anything today, there is always hope.  And tomorrow is another day for me and for all of us!

I am back home My father is holding is own. He is very sick.The doctors have told us he has about 6 months at best. My siblings(there are 8 of us) and I have decided to take it one day at a time and spend as much time with him as we can. The drive is a killer he lives in Fort Kent,Maine i live in CT.takes about 8-9 hours to get there  depending on who is driving.

Well i missed the weigh in on friday but did mange to lose 1 lb. this week.I have no idea how i did that..........

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers

Claire

Omagraf - 157 Sandy (no loss, but no gain)
tsjej - Terry 230 (-2lbs. My worst week so far, but I earned it!)
cynthb - Cynthia 176.2 (up 0.4, still less than 2 weeks ago)

abwy- Hope 151 (down 1 lb.)

Missykris1 - still 182 (no loss, no gain)

MCS1229 - Marie 214 - no change

momof2funykds - Tammy 191 (-1 lb)

Cynthia - don't have the funds for an alarm system right now. We've talked about doing that in the near future. I hear every little noise and now that summer is near I know the "creatures" are going to be out now!

Well, I went up to 193 from my eating at night, but somehow managed to lose a pound in the last few days. It's a miracle! ;D

Welcome to the new people.  Glad to "see" new faces! :D

cbear - so sorry about your dad. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

I know this post is a little late, but I still haven't weighed myself.  I figured it would be mental torture to see what I had done.  Thought it would just be better to wait a week and hope I balance out.  My best friend turned 40 on Thursday and it was a week of festivities.  I ate and drank too many calories to have any hope of a loss.

I will weigh in next week.  Sorry to hear about the struggles.  I think it is a definate factor in my weight struggles...the more stress the harder it is.  I will keep you in my prayers too...

Tammy - try to find things that make you feel safer. When I had to "deal" with this kind of stuff I had a can of pepper spray (I would not feel safe with anything more violent) and I had a tendency to call people in the evening. I would call mom Monday and Friday (before she went to bed, she thought I did it for her), sister on Wednesday... you get the idea. I always felt better going to bed with a familiar voice in my head. Leave lights on in different parts of the house, turn on a radio or something so you will not obsess over every noise you hear. There are lots of things that you can do for yourself to help you cope and when you finally get a grip on how to deal with this you will feel so much better. I had to deal with these feelings a long time ago and when you have a plan to deal with it you will be much better off. Food is not to be used as a crutch, find another way of dealing or you will only feel worse.

Claire - thinking of you and hoping your family is ok, such a difficult time for you.

Arlis - thanks for sharing the pics, hope you are ok sometimes I wish I could do more than just tell people I am "thinking of them".

Sometimes I like to remind myself that no one ever said life would be easy, at our best though we should feel that it is all worth it!  

Hi babygtbck, glad to have you. I feel your pain, I am a compete sugar addict.

Sounds like the group had a rough time last week, I hope that this week is better for all. Hang in there, I am working hard on getting more exercise but the asthma elephant won't get off my chest. Where is the exercise video "Lungs of Steel"? That is what I need!

Sandy

To quote Sandy.... Food is not to be used as a crutch, find another way of dealing or you will only feel worse.

So true in any situation! I would like to have that saying on a bracelet. It would remind me how far I've come and how far I have to go!

Oh, Claire, bless you, your dad, and the rest of your family. Your plan is the right way to handle it. Good luck with long commute. Enjoy the good days. It's so hard to see your dad like this, after all isn't every father a super hero. You are in my thoughts.

Marie

Tammy, I know exactly how you feel about being scared.  I'm 42 years old and I have always been scared for as long as I can remember.  I always think someone is going to "get" me.  My husband is a volunteer firefighter/EMT and when he goes on calls in the middle of the nite I get up and turn all the lights in the house on and the t.v.  It is hard for someone who is not scared to sympathize with you but I know exactly how you feel.  I don't have any words of wisdom for you because nothing has helped me.  Once I had a child in the house that helped a little because I feel that I would have to protect her if something happened and that makes me a little braver.

Good luck!!!!!

Welcome to the new folks!

Claire, I understand what you're going through.  My dad died of cancer about 7 years ago, and he lived halfway across the country so I wasn't able to be with him nearly as much as I wanted to, but I was able to phone him.  Spend as much time with him as you can.  *hugs*

Sandy I've had asthma, though it seems to be getting better.  I haven't had to use the puffer in a long time, so there is hope :)  Mine is mostly related to allergies, and I'm crossing my fingers for the spring with all the pollen.  Being fit seems to help a lot.  I know how much a struggle it is, but it's worth it.

Cynthia

Thank you for all the kind words. I leave the light on in the living room, but that doesn't help me upstairs much! Then I try to leave on the tv in the bedroom, but I can't stand the light - it keeps me awake! And I end up pulling the cover up over my eyes anyways! lol  I'm just hopeless!!! lol

Sandy - my son has asthma and the spring and fall are the worst for him. His Dr says look for the purple flowers to bloom and beware!  That's the signal that things can get bad for him. He has so many allergies too! And he boxes, plays basketball and football with it! He really pushes through everything! Thank goodness for the asthma meds!

Claire - I hope you are hanging in there hun. I just can't imagine what you must be going thru. May God Bless you.