Weight Loss Journey....

[snake_lady]

So I am sheepishly crawling back into this thread.

I'm almost as heavy as I was prior to losing 67lbs back in 2007.

Of course it is my fault, this I know.

- I've been home for a year now, and from the day I was pulled from my retraining untill now, I've gained

33-35lbs.

- My activity level is low, and I didn't adjust eating to reflect the lack of activity which accounts for part of the gain.

- I am an emotional eater, and yup, its been a rough year.

- I quit smoking in June, which accounts for 5-10lbs....

- I found when I went off of one med, I did not have the cravings that I do when on the med. Unfortunately, I'm on the med for a while, well untill my next detox off it.... But bottom line is I will be on this med for a while. (off for 2wks, on for a couple months, repeat)

I won't even ask for exercise suggestions as with my health issues, I have to find ones that I can physically do which varies on a day to day basis... even simple things like walking, some days I can, some days I can't.

Where does one go for help with emotional eating? I won't say that is my whole problem, but it is something I need to talk about. (even msgboards would be great if you know any)

I am trying to pull it back together now.... I'm tired of my knees and hips hurting, not to mention my lack of self esteem at the current moment. I don't have unreasonable goals, but I continue to engage in unhealthy eating (ie. binging after eating well all day) due to emotional eating as well as my medications.

I think admitting it is the first step

 

[johnny gsx-r]

OK, read most of the posts and you all go on about weight... Weight is NOT the big issue, its BMI mostly.

I am 270lbs and i am clinically obese according to the medical charts.



I was a 44" waist in Dec 2007 , by May 2008 i was down to 36" waist but i had put on over 20lb.

Cut out starchy white bread, soda drinks, alcohol or at very least half your intake.
If you walk then walk briskly to build your heart rate. There is no magic way to lose fat, just simple steps. You have to help yourself.
Depression is a MASSIVE factor to piling on weight , light excersise will also help your mental state as well as physical.

 

[snake_lady]

Again, I'm coming back to this thread...

Weight loss really is a lifelong challenge indeed. I've been doing a lot of thinking as of late and admitting my "excuses" and taking control of my life.

When I posted on Dec. 1, I thought I was ready. I was not. Emotionally I was still not doing well.

I found a point where I was becoming winded after 1 flight of stairs, and I stepped on the scale.

Jan. 10th, I started back with my food journals, and really focusing on the food part of it.

I was at 215lbs.

Jan. 11th, I bought a new scale, one of those ones that tells you body fat %, muscle % and water % ( like this: http://www.prodex-hk.com/manual_dj-165e1.htm only different model number)

Starting is 214.8lbs 48.2% body fat, 28.1% water and 30.8% muscle.

I am also on a weight loss medication which reduces appetite. It doesn't increase metabolism or anything like that, and is an appetite surpressent. I've been on it before, and it helped me a lot at that time. (pre disabilities)

Jan. 18th I added in some exercise and spent 48mins on Wii Fit.

Eating habits are focused on choosing the right foods, as the med I'm on helps the portion control. I need to eat wisely because my food intake is low right now.

An example of 1 days worth of food for me currently, I'll go with todays:

Breakfast: 1c OJ, 1 coffee, and a yogurt
Lunch: 1 1/4c bran cereal with skim milk, and 2 ww toast
Supper: 1 egg, scrambled with skim milk...1/2c mushrooms, 1/2c potatoes, cube of spinach, 1tbsp chopped turkey bacon, and a yogurt for dessert.

I didn't have a lot to drink today, 96oz of water compared to my usual 200+....

Total calories for the day: 805.

This is a dramatic change from pre medication in which it wasn't abnormal for me to eat upwards of 15-1700 cals.

I didn't lose any weight that first week. I have lost this week tho my official weighin day is not till Sunday.

This week I have done some exercise on Mon: 48mins... Wed: 30mins... Thurs: 60mins maybe more.

I am feeling a lot better, and looking forward to getting on the scale on Sunday to see how I'm doing.

So to summarise:

- I've modified my diet substantially, with a focus on chosing my food wisely (proteins, low fat, fruit/veggies, whole grains)
- I've added some beginner exercise in, 3 days this week plus if I can do tonight.
- I have admitted to using my health problems as an excuse to not exercise, and have adopted the attitude of: I cannot change my health issues, but I can change how I deal with them.
- goal: to have lost 2lbs in the past 2wks.
- goal: to continue to focus on changing my attitude towards exercise, my health issues and finding creative ways to start some strength training again
- goal: update with my weighin on Sunday

Feels good to be back.

 

[kailie]

It sounds like you have very realistic goals, know exactly what to do and how to get there!

I would like to share with you my story in hopes that it might help motivate in SOME way.

I was overweight my entire life. I never knew what it was like to be thin. My mother was a single mom and fulltime nurse so meals were quick and not overly nutritious. I was the fat girl, and knew nothing else. 5 years ago my doctor told me that I had to lose weight or die before I'm 30. I was 315 pounds and 5'8" tall. I had so many different health problems and was a prime candidate for a stroke or diabetes. I had tried EVERY diet and although it might work a bit, the weight always came back. My doctor told me that to lose weight the healthy way I should try to stay around 1500 calories a day and that exercise was a MUST. He told me just to look at calories, and not worry about anything else on the nutrition lable.

So that's what I did. I would stay around 1500 calories a day. I never deprived myself ANYTHING. If I wanted a treat, I had a treat, I just did it in moderation and only occasionally, instead of daily. I would workout 4-5 times a week, for at least an hour. I am the first one to admit that it was hard, god it was hard, but I knew that nothing worth having ever came easily. I drank a LOT of water too, always a must. It took 2.5 years to reach my goal weight. I now weigh 150 pounds and have maintained that weight for another 2.5 years.

I feel AMAZING...better than I ever thought I could. I know one thing for sure, I will NEVER go back to living such an unhealthy, unhappy life.

Here I was before.

The one on top I was the girl in the back. (The woman in front is my Nan.) The one on the bottom I am the girl in the middle, the other 2 are cousins.

\t

This was when I had lost 60 pounds.



And this is me now.

My boyfriend, Dana, and I about a year ago.



At a party last year.



Dana and I at our work Christmas party last month.



Taken last month.

 

[kluchetta]

Holy crap, Kailie! What an inspiration!!! I'm in kind of the same boat as Chris. About that same weight, probably shorter than her though, LOL. And I have some pain/joint issues that give me a nice excuse not to exercise.

 

[snake_lady]

Originally Posted by kluchetta

Holy crap, Kailie! What an inspiration!!! I'm in kind of the same boat as Chris. About that same weight, probably shorter than her though, LOL. And I have some pain/joint issues that give me a nice excuse not to exercise.

I dunno Kim, I'm short. 5'3.5"..... and trust me, I've been using pain/joint/disability issues as an excuse for 14mos now....and realise it is just that, an excuse. ( I have arthritis in my knees, hip probs due to weight, plus my back and my hands/arms.... loads of excuses to be used)

(if you are more private of a person and wanna chat, you know where to find me

)

You just have to be ready to quit making the excuses and start your journey..... baby steps. I've added so many little things that help... (ex. when I get up from the computer to take a break for whatever reason, when I come back, instead of just sitting down, I do 5 squats before my butt gets planted on the chair..... I'll do an extra flight of stairs every time I climb it.... little things, but they add up)

Kailie,

Thank you so much for posting AND sharing pics. The pics are awesome. Back a few years when I was my heaviest, I worked hard and lost the weight, got down to 165....but along the journey I took pics of me in the same outfit, from 235ish down to 165...... Now I'm looking at those photos and doing the same thing again.

Your story is very inspiring, probally to a lot of people. Like you, I worry about diabetes too.... there's a very strong hereditary aspect in my case and I know if I keep going the way I am, I will end up diabetic in no time.

What is sad is that I KNOW what to do.... I know the "right way" to lose it... I've done it before.... but I always let excuses get in the way and look where its gotten me.

I did great at one point, I kept the weight off for 2yrs...then injured my back..... gained 15lbs with that.....then my hands/arms just shy of a year later...didn't gain much there, and held onto 180 while in school.... when I got so bad physically that I couldn't care for my own personal needs and was pulled from schooling, that is when I started gaining...because my focus was on my disabilities, the chronic pain, the depression, etc. etc. etc.

A rude awakening was the fact that I've gained 30 in the 14mos I've been off school. I will more than likely still be off school/work for a minimum of another year....if I gain another 30...well it scares me.

Enough excuses, time to take hold.

Thank you again for sharing...especially the pictures. You look fantastic now, and best of all, you look HAPPY in those pics. Whereas in the pics where you are heavier, you don't look happy. Good for you. One day, I will be doing the same.

 

[kluchetta]

Haha Chris, we are about exactly the same height! The time recently I lost the most weight was when i was having an active RA flare. Go figure!

 

[snake_lady]

Originally Posted by kluchetta

Haha Chris, we are about exactly the same height! The time recently I lost the most weight was when i was having an active RA flare. Go figure!

Makes sense really.... the pain levels probally killed your appetite I would imagine.

In the beginning, it did that to me, and now on a bad day I still get nauseous and lose my appetite, but the painkillers tend to give me the munchies.... plus I emotional eat.... if I'm lonely, I eat.... If I'm upset and feel empty emotionally, I eat.... Vicious cycle.

 

[kluchetta]

Yeah, when the only good thing in your life is food, you tend to do emotional overeating.

 

[snake_lady]

Originally Posted by kluchetta

Yeah, when the only good thing in your life is food, you tend to do emotional overeating.

Indeed.

If ever you want to talk Kim.....here, FB, or email..... I'm not that far away... even if you just want to vent and need an ear

 

[kailie]

A big hug to BOTH of you!

When I first started with the exercise I REALLY had to start slow as well. I was SO out of shape and it took me no time at all to get exhausted. I couldn't stand on my feet for any longer than 10 minutes at a time without some kind of pain, so exercise had to be a progression, but I realized that the more I did, the better I felt. ANY exercise is better than NO exercise, and there is nothing wrong at all with starting very slow and building your way up.

I am also very much an emotional eater, as well as if there is food in front of me, I eat it! I can't have junk food in my home, at my disposal, because I dispose of it by putting it in my mouth.

I keep plenty of snacks here, but they are healthy snacks, fresh fruit, 100 calorie packs, etc. It is easy to make small changes that go a long way. Eat whole wheat/whole grain bread instead of white. The same with rice and pasta, use brown rice and whole wheat pasta. You don't have to be ANAL with your calorie count, I wasn't, but be conscience of it.

Excuses are very easy to make, but you are aware that that's what they are...excuses. I am ALWAYS willing to help in any way that I can and will answer any questions you might have!

 

[Ms. Freya]

Originally Posted by Kailie

A big hug to BOTH of you!

I second the big

As for those pics...wow, Kailie, I'm going to have to pull those up to remind myself to stick with the program. That's really impressive.

Emotional eating is a tough one. I put on the worst of my weight during a stressful run at work and it's still hard not to munch when things get crazy. I don't binge, but I'll admit I'm a snacker...which is really bad whenever I'm home on holidays.

Right now I'm trying to get my eating back in line and I'm hoping a new workout regimen will up my enthusiasm again. My biggest problem with exercise is boredom, so right now I'm trying to make it a bit more fun, at least until my workout buddies are all over their respective colds and flus. The first week I was back at work I made it to the gym only once...which I really had no excuse for, so hopefully I can drag my butt back in line.

 

[snake_lady]

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Jan. 11th

Starting is 214.8lbs 48.2% body fat, 28.1% water and 30.8% muscle.

I've been waiting and waiting for this day....my weigh in day

I have noticed this week when I put on a pair of pants that at Christmas time, they were really really snug, and now they are comfortable.

so....here it is:

Jan. 24: 208.8lbs 47.1% body fat, 29.2% water and 31.0% muscle.

Loss of 6lbs, and 1% body fat in 2wks. I am very very happy with that.

Goals for week of Jan. 24-31:

- Wii Fit 3-5x this week, the jogging exercise and step class as well as targetting my upper body 1x, lower and cardio the rest of the time.

- Maintain eating wisely, focusing in on increasing my caloric intake just a bit. I would like to see it around 1000 cals per day (from wise food choices)

- lose 2lbs this week.

 

[-_aj_-]

i decided it was about time i started to lose a bit weight

Date: 24th January
Name: AJ
Age: 23
Sex: female

Height: 5ft 4
Current Weight:just over 13st which is about 182 pounds i dunno what you guys measure in
BMI: if you know it my bmi is 31.20

Goal Weight or BMI: i want to get down to about 10 stone about 140 pounds

Current Pant size: uk size 14

My thoughts/feelings: well i didnt think there was a problem till i got on the wii fit and my wii dudette turned into a blob

i carry a lot of weight up top on my bust but im starting to get a bigger fatty tummy and im lacking in muscle tone now so i need a huge change

 

[kailie]

YAY Chris!

Wonderful news!

AJ, wishing you all the luck in the world hun!

 

[ut0pia]

Congratulations for losing Chris, and good luck AJ!!

In the past week I discovered something new that helps me eat less so I thought I'd share it:
I've been making smoothies, with no sugar, just fruit, vegetables and water.
I put 1 banana, 1/2 pear, some papaya, a few fresh strawberries and spinach, some ice in a blender with some water and mix it until it's smooth. It tastes really good, it tastes sweet and you can't even taste the spinach (for me spinach is something I would never eat fresh and raw because I don't like the taste) ..
For 2 liters it's about 300-350 calories. It's not a lot when you take into consideration how filling it is. After I have 2 glasses of the stuff I don't want any food for at least 2-3 hours...
After I tried eating more fruits to help my acne, I felt really great from it and read up more about raw fruits and veggies and how healthy they are for you- I've been trying to eat at least 60% raw foods (vegetables, fruits, and nuts) ..And I've felt very energetic from it, it's really amazing I no longer need to take naps all the time.

 

[-_aj_-]

im going to start having breakfast lunch and dinner as i know not havin breakfast isnt heping matters at all im not going to snack at all and going to really stop the last of my drinking not that its much now anyways

im going to try the smoothie root though ut0pia because they sound yummy

 

[ldg]

Originally Posted by kluchetta

Holy crap, Kailie! What an inspiration!!! I'm in kind of the same boat as Chris. About that same weight, probably shorter than her though, LOL. And I have some pain/joint issues that give me a nice excuse not to exercise.

Kailie, I can't imagine how hard it was - but HOW WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!! And to keep it off? That really is an inspiration, and thank you for sharing

And Chris - YOU GO GIRL!

That is FABULOUS news - really on all fronts, not "just" losing the weight. The WAY you're doing it is also an inspiration.

Gary and I have GOT to get back on track, and it's up to me to make it happen. I've really let us lapse over the past couple months. My clothes are really tight, and he can't fit into some of his.

The last shopping trip I got no snacks and no sweets. We're back to drinking only water, hot green tea with just a tad of raw sugar, or the barely sweetened blueberry green tea. And lots of it. I have a big problem drinking enough and not being hydrated, so drinking healthy fluids or more water is a big goal of mine.

The fridge is stocked with veges, berries, apples and pears. Gary only eats bananas if they're from Ecuador, and there haven't been any around.

I bought the extra fiber whole wheat bread (7g per slice) and the extra fiber multigrain english muffins (8g per slice, 100 calories).

I am going to alternate breakfasts - for Gary a scrambled egg on the muffin - for me, Kashi cereal with whole milk (I know, not great, but we only use Parmalat, and 2% isn't available). The next day we'll have sliced cucumbers with cottage cheese (mix in a touch of horseradish). The next day we'll have fruit salad and toasted muffin.

Lunches are going to be either sandwich (turkey, lettuce, mayo, tomato OR tuna with a touch of mayo mixed in with lots of sliced garlic mixed in) or melted fresh mozzarella with a little bit of olive oil drizzled on muffin or just fruit, or a good mix of stuff in a salad with boiled eggs (on non-egg breakfast days).

Afternoon snack is going to be raw broccoli, carrots, green beans and sliced peppers in ranch dip, which I'm making with mostly cottage cheese - or fruit.

Dinner is going to be some kind of protein - probably mostly chicken or pork - on brown rice. Veges (since he doesn't like most of them) will be steamed broccoli with parmesan cheese sprinkled on or steamed green beans, or fried peppers. Also set to make stir-fries - another way to get vegetables in him.

Bed-time snack will be fruit.

Goal week of Jan 24 - Jan 31:

1) Actually DO this;
2) Drink at least 2 Qts water a day;
3) Do at least 10 somethings (knee bends, jumping jacks, push ups) each time I get up from computer to do something (thank you Chris for this idea!!!).

**************************
Quick question - when we have a craving for something sweet, fruit is an easy alternative.

Any thoughts on a good alternative for having a salty craving?

 

[kailie]

Thank you Laurie!

So some saltier snacks when the craving hits that I go for are: baked chips (love the baked salt and vinegar!), light popcorn, Crispy Mini's. Another one I really like are the baked Tostitos and salsa.

 

[kluchetta]

Ooh, Laurie! I like the rice cakes that are white cheddar cheese flavored. They help with wanting something crunchy AND salty!