At my lowest point...

Hi everyone,

I'm 21, 5'1'', and at the lowest point of my dieting career.

After having been overweight most of my life I finally got myself in gear and managed to drop from my highest weight of 173 lbs to a healthier 150lbs and I resolved to drop even further.

Then Christmas came, then my friend's 21st, and then my 21st, then end of term assignments, and then a 3 week dream holiday in America - and instead of reaching my dream of being at my lowest weight for my holiday, I was almost at my highest again. My trousers were uncomfortably tight, and so I slouched through the holiday hating my body and wearing loose dresses. My promise to shed the pounds when I got back hasn't happened and instead I've gone from feeling confident and happy with my looks (for the very first time) to hating them once more.

So I'm back here again, with a new name, and a fresh start. But I'd really love some encouragement and advice.

Facts about myself:

Current weight: 167 lbs

Activity level: Very low - I live miles out from anywhere (and not allowed pets to walk) so walking to places isn't easy, and general exercise is so tedious that I get bored very quickly even with music. Do an occasional aqua aerobics class but only about twice a month as it's worked between me and my friend's periods. Can't really afford a gym membership. 

Diets tried: Calorie counting (lost a stone which I put back on), Slimming World (lost well over a stone but again, have put it back on) - am somewhat torn between the two deciding which is best.

Weaknesses: Cakes/Sweets/Chocolate 

Other fun things: Doctor Who fan, into writing, reading, cross-stitch, and retro glamour.

I too just recently turned 21. I know how difficult it can be with all of your friends just becoming legal and wanting to go out and drink often. School is also a toughie with all the stress it puts on us. I actually just took a 3week trip to Europe and overindulged a bit and am now trying to get it off. When dieting, I realize that unless I make a lifestyle change then I'll keep gaining the weight back. That's what I'm trying to do now. I look up recipes that interest me and that are also healthy and low cal so I can enjoy my food rather than feel restricted. When I'm out with my friends I let myself have a drink or two or sometimes even a few more than that. You have to do this once in a while otherwise you'll go crazy. Don't let it worry you too much. You have to get over it the next day and move on. Continue with your healthy eating. Overall, you have to figure out what's going to get you healthy and make you healthy. No "diet" is going to do this. You have to make a permanent change. As for exercise, try getting some workout tapes? They can be fun sometimes. Or just browse the exercise feature of this site. Everyone has lots of different ideas on things you can do. Good luck!

Hi - and thanks for the support.

Thankfully I'm not a heavy drinker (as I live in England I've been legal for 3 years so am well used to it now) so at least that's one way of keeping it off (though as I've got a night out planned on Saturday - my first for 6 months - I really shouldn't get too cocky!)

I've got some exercise tapes that I can dig out, and I will have a look for other types of exercise to do.

Does anyone else have any advice to give me the kick up the backside I need?

Bummer hon!
I understand the pain, when I was your age I just didn't have it in me to stick to it. I actually lived in London at your age and the walking did me good. I lived across the way from Hyde Park so walking was easier and since your not able to do so... do you have a treadmill? Try taking the stairs in a multiple floor building? There are actually quiet a few exercises that'll raise your heart rate fast without you running about.

Throw out ALL of your sweets! Hang up pictures of yourself at your heaviest and pictures of what you want to look like on your refridgerator and cupboard... i am about to do that now!

Give it time... unfortunately this does not happen over night. =(

Believe me when I say that you are no where close to being alone. I was a skinny little kid as was EVERYONE in my family until I was 12. At that point, I began my cycle and gained probably about 40 lb over 2 years. If not more. I was too scared to even look at the scale so I never really knew my weight. I've struggled since then and am almost 27 now. Several years ago, I began weight watchers. I guess I was about 23. Great motivation was that I had a friend to go to the meetings with me. HONESTLY without a doubt, the support and the weekly weigh-in's were the greatest push. And the counting of points was the only way to make sure that I wasn't wasting my time. Over one year and a half, I went from 179lbs to 136lbs. I am 5'2. This year and a half included the breaks of dieting for holidays, trips and special occassions. I did not workout which is probably the reason I stopped. It was the plateau that I hit and for over 2 months, could not drop a single lb. I think I even gained one or 2. So frustrating and I gave up. Over the next few years I went up 5 then down then 10 up and then down and most recently I was at about 148lbs. I had enough again. I began here on calorie count and started a regular and intense workout plan. I joined a gym as it is the easiest option for me. I do an hour of cardio minimum at about 5 or 6 days a week. Kickbox cardio today!!! I feel great! I love working out. And I'm losing. I cheat every so often to stay sane and have that drink or two that will make me go over my alloted 1300 calories. Or that dinner with family that's fried. I plan my meals a day ahead when possible, but my weakness is that I found so much delicious low cal and nutritious food, that I want to eat it all! Even low cal has to be limited because they do add up.

What gave me the greatest motivation is a co worker of mine who has always been in amazing shape, yet he exercises almost every day and eats healthy. It made me stop looking at a healthy life style as something to feel sorry for myself about and whine that I have to workout and eat healthy when none of my friends do. I stopped looking at this as a punishment. It's the only way to make a lifestyle change. No one wants to change their lifystyle if they look at it as a consequence rather than an upgrade. And then came another motivatioin. A friend who was in perfect shape her entire life, started gaining weight at 27. It all started to catch up to her as she got older and metabolism slowed down. She is now heavier than I am. She is looking to me for help. I look at this now as just being healthy. EVERYONE needs to be healthy. I'm taking my time. I don't need to be super thin tomorrow. If I cheat one day a month and it takes me one day a month extra to lose that lb, that's fine. No time restrictions, just goals. And when I reach my target weight, which is 120lbs, I will continue to be healthy and exercise.  Hope you do the same. Go out there and find your motivation. Health is mine.

Thank you both for your advice. Sadly treadmills are out of my price-range but I do have a exercise bike that's mind-numbingly boring. Stairs - though a great tip - is also out of the question. I live in a block of flats and you can really hear when someone goes up or down stairs. I'd drive my neighbours around the bend! Thankfully I have no sweets to throw out (my naughty food tends to be eaten in one big splurge) so the cupboards can be filled up with healthy stuff right away.

I'm on day one now and have had a good day so far. I bought healthy food and have eaten plenty while still being under the 1200 mark. I also stopped saying 'I'm miles away from anywhere' and instead vowed to walk to my local shop instead of driving (for a big shop, it would be impossible, but I figured even I could walk when all I wanted to do was buy a bottle of water and get change for parking tomorrow). So I went and it turned out to be a shorter walk than I imagined (only about an hour there and back) and felt pretty damn good doing it.

A little worried, as the scale said I'd gone up two pounds tonight - but I'm hoping that's water and the time of day.