A little about my goals

So I decided I wanted to share my goals and figured this was the best place to do it.

So, I currently weigh about 285. I have a twin sister that weighs 230. Its sooo hard to see someone that should look like me look sooo much prettier and thinner. She gets insecure about the way that she looks and she just doesn't understand how lucky she has it. I would KILL to look like her. Where she is insecure, I would be willing to work her body frame.

So, my first goal is to lose the 55 pound difference in us. I do believe that if I were to get to that weight and maintain it I would be 100% happy with the way I look. And would be willing to stay at that weight if I had a harder time losing weight then.

Ultimately, however, I want to be as healthy and thin as I can be. CC clocks me at 149 for my ultimate goal weight. I'm not sure how that would look on me but it doesn't matter. I just look forward to the day when I don't have rolls. Although its not that important for me to be flat bellied, I am just intrigued by what my body shape would actually be. I believe that I have a larger body frame, definitely not petite, and would just love to see how that looks on me. How my face looks. How my body curves. Everything. Thinking about it excites me.

On a side note, though. Since I don't really know where I can put misc topics since I'm new here. On my account page when it has the count of how many calories I have eaten, the box next to it where it shows the burn meter: what does the number in the middle of the box represent? Where do they get those numbers from?

Hi! First, I can answer your question about the burn meter - that number is a little silly; it just estimates how many calories you've burned so far in the day. At midnight it will match the number above it that shows your burn for the day.

Also, I feel the same way, intrigued about what I / my body will look like at my goal weight. I've never been thin, well not since I was 9, so it will be new territory! 

Hi there,

I was reading your post and just wanted to wish you the best of luck at getting to the weight you feel best at... and not feeling like "the fat sister". I KNOW how that feels. My sister, who we just determined is 16lbs over weight... has the WORST body image. I am 125lbs over weight and I feel better about myself then she does about herself.  I think... boy I would love to be 16lbs over weight... but in reality... she carries 50 more pounds around then I do, just on her shoulders. So as much as you wish you looked like your twin... just remember, she may have body image issues too!! Just do it to look like the best version of YOU! Don't worry about competing with her!

As for that number in your calories burned box, that is the calories you have burned (as of 12:01am) for that day. Just by existing! They base that number off of your age, your weight and your estimated heart rate derived by those numbers. I checked mine against my actual heart rate monitor (I wore it for 24 hours) and it calculated my calories burned and it was surprisingly close. I burned a little more than it said, but I may have done a little more walking around the house then it estimated. So I used "food preparation" times to add to my activity journal to match my actual calories burned. 

So the goal is to set your calories for less than the amount it says you will burn.  It takes a difference of 3500 calories to lose 1 pound. So 500 per day less then you eat x 7 days a week, will make you lose 1 pound a week. etc.  I set my calorie INTAKE (food) to be 1500 a day. That way I can shoot for 3.5 lbs a week without working out, and more when I do. It's an aggressive loss rate, (given they suggest 2lbs a week) but I have 125lbs to lose and I don't want to wait 2 years to do it. 1500 calories is not unhealthy and is very doable for me, so I am doing it.  It's about 15lbs a month and that seems reasonable.

There are tools on here to estimate what your calorie intake should be. Mine was not lower than 1250 and they recommended 1750 ot something close to that. I chose the middle.  The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn, even when  you sleep.

Best of luck!!

Nancy

Emptybox,

I think I would break down that 55 lb goal to several smaller ones.  As you reach in mini-goal, give yourself a reward.

I am sneaking up on my 40 lb mark (reward DVD movie Finding Nemo)  I have been thinking about my 50 lb mark and decided to by a new NintendoDS game called scribblenaut (may not be spelling it right), my son has been telling me about it, and it sounds fun. 

Before you know it, you'll be a few pounds from your goal weight and looking at your own curves.

I have curves now, but hmmm...is a bulge a curve or not?

Nice to meet you Nancy!

I can definitely relate to this post. I have two brothers that are very thin and active and you wouldn't believe that we even come from the same family. I was at a very healthy weight and very happy with myself in 2004 and boy were they excited to see that I was "normal" now and that I fit in with them *sigh*. Of course then I had a hysterectomy, fell into depression, messed up my back, and gained 160 pounds. Now of course they look at me with that same exasperated look and look of pity and of course embarrassment if they are seen with me. I finally had to tell myself that I am who I am and they are who they are. I am not doing this for their approval anymore. I am doing this for my own approval and satisfaction. I was stuck in the negative mode of always saying horrible things about myself and that only made it worse. Now I am kind to myself and tell myself every day that I am wonderful and that I deserve to have whatever I want and need. We have enough people out there that will treat us horribly so we owe it to ourselves to at least be the one person that we can always count on to believe in and love. After all, we always wake up with ourselves ;)

Ontarioqueen,

It is so nice to meet you.  Are you over depression now?  It is amazing how often depression and overweight go together.  Part of it is physical: low thyroid causes depression and overweight.  Stress hormones contribute to overweight and depression and stress go hand in hand.  Overweight causes sleep apnea and decreased sleep causes overweight. 

It is a spiraling cycle that goes down and down unless you intervene.  If you have the depression under contol then you can start cycling up by losing weight little by little the spiral will work for you up and out.

Try finding other means to handle stress than eating.  I understand how hard that is, trust me.  That is one reason I talk so much.  It helps me.  I talk out my feelings to others.

You can beat it THIS TIME.  NEVER SURRENDER.  NEVER GIVE UP!!!!

:) texmom52,

I am definitely over the depression these days even though I have tons of weight to lose and I am in chronic pain because of my back. I finally came to accept things that I can and cannot change. I think back to the time when I was 150 pounds and very happy with myself and I know that I can do it again. Hubby was just telling me the other day about how lack of sleep contributes to being overweight so I now get to bed earlier and manage to sleep at least 6 1/2 hours at a time. If you knew me before now, you would understand lol. I have been known to stay up for 48 hours straight due to this darn back of mine. At first I was looking at how much I have to lose and it was overwhelming so now I am doing the ten pounds at a time strategy and my  mind can wrap around that much easier. My hubby and 17 year old son are the greatest and even when I feel lousy and want to just say hell with it, they tell me how great I am and that I can accomplish anything. Of course my son is a slave driving coach lol he doesn't let me give up. Yep I am totally rambling on and on now . I am just so happy I found this place. I just joined and it is already helping me so much just by reading what others are going through and what they are doing to get where they need to be.

Ontarioqueen,

I am so glad.  Depression can be such a devastating disorder.  So, now you can just get working one day at a time.

Your back is going to get better.  You are going to sleep better.  You are going to feel better and feel better about yourself.  Looking better is a great bonus as well!

If you need anything.  Holler out.

Emptybox,

Comparing you to your sister isn't going to help, I do not have a twin but an older sister. When she introduces me she says this is my big I mean little sister... which I will love to change one day. I am not going for skinnier than her nor would I want to trade my body with hers. I am going to take my own journey often the longer one that isn't filled with 3 day quick fix nonsense. I am working out a lot and I know how hard you would like envision yourself. I hear you and you sound like I did. Try www.weightmirror.com for a little inspiration from your self. Its fun but shouldn't take it too serious its just a simulation. I used it for the 30 pound weight loss goal I have and also put 10 more pounds on me to see how that would look.  I print both to look at and make better choices. I love looking at a thinner me its not the past old picture of what i used to be but a future me which helps me believe in the goals I have set and know I can accomplish and you can too.

No doubt about it, Depression sucks.  I think you've got a great starting point with just trying to get down to 230.  I agree with TexMom, break that down into smaller goals and reward yourself for meeting them.   This is a long journey and it really helps to stay motivated.  Reach out to us whenever you need I think we're a great group :).