Weight Control Support Group

Well girlies, I´m joining you now for real. I first saw this thread in May, but haven´t been following it since.
First I want to say CONGRATULATIONS SHELL on your remarkable success!!! And to the others too!

The other day, I totally had enough! Last May I weighed the same as a year before, then beeing 9 months pregnant! And now I weigh a bit more! I dont fit the clothes I wore when I was seven months pregnant! And even my maternity clothes are too small!!!

So, I´ll let you in on my secret. Now I weigh 174 Lbs. Just over 3 years ago I was less than 140 Lbs, which was by far the mosth that I had weight, since I never was more than 130. 1996 I was wearing size 10 (European size, I think thats 6 or 8) and now I´m wearing 14-16 (still European) I have to buy XXL, where S was fine before. Since I´m not tall (5´4" or 5´5", Im not sure, since we use cm) it´s a quick change from having slim and "sexy" body to beeing fat.
I have one pants that I fit into (except for my jogger pants, that I actually LIVE IN), and it´s been like that for a while. The sad thing is though, that it´s never the same pants! I keep having to buy bigger ones, that I then grow out of. A while ago I even bought 2 pairs, they were a bit to long, my mum was gonna fix them, but before she did they didn´t fit me anymore!

SO...in September I will have no sweets, no cakes, no soda, no eating after 10 PM, no sugar. Popcorn and chewing gum are allowed, a lot of water, and the use of my flex belt.
I did this for some weeks 2 years ago, go try to loose weight before I got pregnant (and by the way , exactly 2 years ago today, well, or tomorrow, my son was "made" ), and it worked wonders. I was working at the museum I have been working at, where I wore the national costume, and I had to move the button on my apron several centimeters.

Now I´ve just had enough of me. Looking at some pics taken this summer I realize I look like the Michelin´s mans wife! (You know the tire man thing...)

Aww..thanks Guys! That's so sweet of you all to say such nice things!

I just found this old picture...I can't believe I was so heavy! I think I was over the 200 mark when it was taken. Yesterday, my brother was messing with my digital camera & snapped a shot of me. You've got to see the difference! Looking at my accomplishments are a great motivating factor for me. I DON'T want to look like that ever again...so maybe I'll keep my mind set on keeping the pounds off!

Before pic (I've always hated this picture...I look so goober like!):

And yesterday pic...it's not very good quality wise, but you can get the idea though.

Anyone else with before & after pic's?

Wow! I see a big difference Shell! You look absolutely GREAT! Way to go!

Shell, I would have never guessed you were over 200 lbs! You sure don't look like it!

Anyways, I am starting this week to exercise more. I have to. My cousin is getting married in November, it's still warm out, and I don't have any JEANS that don't hurt to fit anymore! And I just bought 2 new pairs last October! How sad is that one? It's not that I have gained like 40 lbs or something, it's just maybe 10 (I'm not exactly sure, I never weigh myself), but still! I am going to start walking, and lifting my little weights, and make up an exercise routine so that I'll be able to do it. And I'll still be able to walk if I end up having surgery on my shoulders. Send "get exercising" vibes my way, everyone! lol

Wow, Shell, what a difference! It sure is a big-time motivator to keep it up!

Originally posted by Shell
Anyone else with before & after pic's?

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SHELL!!! GIRL You look fabulous!!!! Whoa! Congratulations!

Hmmm... My "before" picture would probably scare the heck out of this board! (Eeeeeeek!) It has been 12 weeks since I had my surgery I have lost 52 pounds, with 28 more pounds to go...Maybe I'll get brave and post a "Before" and "after" picture in a couple of months...LOL!!

Hi, I just found this thread this morning, and I'd love to join!

Like many of you, I woke up horrified one morning finally realizing that the few pounds I had gained each year had added up to shopping at Lane Bryant! (Not to put down Lane Bryant - they have nice clothes. I just don't want to fit into them.)

After trying very unsucessfully to lose weight for a couple of years (I think I managed to gain 15 pounds in those 2 years of attempted weight loss), I started Atkins 3 months ago, and have lost 25 pounds so far! In reading through this thread, it sounds like Atkins hasn't worked for some of you, but I have been very happy with it. I still have 20 pounds to go, but it is much easier to be optimistic about attaining my goal when I am now over half the way there!!!

I think I would be even happier with my results if I could get focused and exercize regularly. I tend to be a couch potato, which is sad because I have 2 dogs that are thrilled to walk as much as I will go. Of course, I also have the cat who likes to lie on my lap and purr while I sit on my butt and read a book, and that's the route I tend to take. It's so easy to get sidetracked from an exercise program - I'm good at starting, poor on follow-through.

Whew - sorry for the long post, but I haven't had a support group to talk to about weight loss (although my skinny husband who can eat anything he wants has been incredibly supportive). Congrats to all of you on your successes!

Suzy:

I've been on Weight Watchers for 12 weeks, and exercising has made a HUGE difference! The best way I can put it to you is this: If you have already made the change by following Atkins, then you CAN make other changes too. WW recommends exercise, ecen if it is just walking 20 minutes 3x per week. Just start small and congratulate yourself everytime you do something. You'll soon build up to more. Good luck, and keep us posted.

I fight with 'all or nothing' thinking. You know, if I'm not going to be hitting the gym for 5 hours a day like a body builder, it's not worth doing. And I know that it really doesn't take anywhere near that much to see some pretty impressive results. I had a back injury a few months back, and had to do some physical therapy. This took, literally, 15-20 minutes a day, without working up a sweat. And after less than a week, my pants fit better (the exercises were mostly stomach and glut strengthing). But just like always, I quit for some reason.

And the funniest thing is, once I get start I usually enjoy the exercise. I love riding my bike and walking the dogs, and even lifting weights is OK becuase I can listen to music or watch TV while I'm doing it. I used to go to yoga weekly, and never felt physically better (even being 50 pounds overweight). It's just breaking the inertia and getting started!

And I have never even one time finished exercising, then said 'boy I wish I hadn't done that!' I can't say that about chowing down on a box of cookies!

This thread is motivating, however. I drank a big glass of water while reading earlier (I drink a lot of water, but not as much on the weekends), and I am going to go take the puppies for a walk. It's a beautiful day here today!

Good for you, Suzy! That is one thing I really like about Weight Watchers. Sometimes people come in to the meeting feeling badly about blowing it for the week. Our group leader is very quick to point out staying focused on the positive. What good things did you do this week? Drink more water? Exercise at all? Even 20 minutes of walking is 20 minutes you DIDN'T sit on the couch.

Come on, girl. I know you can do it!

Suzy...congrats on getting this far in the game!

Thanks everyone for the nice compliments! I was just shocked when I seen those pictures...what a change! I feel better & I feel much more confident about my body. I'm not at my goal yet, but knowing that I've got this far & I look better is really encouraging me to make it a priority.

Kim...come on! I'd love to see the before & after shots of you! Congrats on losing 50+ pounds! That's totally awesome! Keep it up Hon....You'll make it for sure!

Shell-

Congrats yourself - your pictures look wonderful!

I just had some older pictures developed, and there is on in which I look just HUGE! It was a great motivator to stick with this. It will definitely be my 'before' picture, but I'm not yet ready to take my after. I also have never posted pictures, so will have to figure that out sometime...

I just got back from my OA Serenity Retreat and it was the best thing I've ever done! I had so much fun and learned so much and felt so safe. I completed steps 1-3 and got a sponsor so now I have the one step I never got past before, 4. I will get by it this time. I'm so excited! And I have a weeks worth of abstinence under my belt now!

YAY!

Originally posted by TTMom
I just got back from my OA Serenity Retreat and it was the best thing I've ever done! I had so much fun and learned so much and felt so safe. I completed steps 1-3 and got a sponsor so now I have the one step I never got past before, 4. I will get by it this time. I'm so excited! And I have a weeks worth of abstinence under my belt now!

YAY!

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Congratulations!

Congratulations, TTmom!

Congrats Ericka! Wishing you the very best of luck! Keep up the great work!

It's so nice to read the uplifting inspirational stories AND also know there are others out there with the same struggle I'm going thru. I am starting on the Weight Watchers plan AGAIN tomorrow with my friend at work. I am 5' 10" and 2 years ago I weighed 128 pounds and wore a size 5. I now weigh 150 and wear a size 13/14. I really don't know what happened to me. I lost all my motivation to excercise and I just started eating everything in sight all of a sudden. I felt so good about myself when I was at 128. I had been overweight for most of my teenage/adult life before that and at one point weighed 165, so it was just great to actually be thin and healthy. Now I'm slowly gaining back to my heaviest weight and I just feel powerless to stop it. SO..... tomorrow I am back on the points system and back at the gym! Wish me luck!