The weight struggle

[PJ's Mom]

Is there ever a time when you decide struggling to lose weight isn't worth it anymore?

I've gained quite a bit of weight in the last two months and everytime I think it's time to diet to try to get it off, I give up after a day or two. It just doesn't seem worth the hassle when there's so much other stuff to worry about these days.

Does anyone else feel the same way. I feel like as long as I'm healthy a little extra weight isn't a big deal.

Maybe my attitude is all wrong.

:confused:

[King Spartacus]

Unless it's affecting your health, or your mentality (some people get depressed when they gain weight), than be proud of the body you have!!! The bigger you are, the more of you there is to love!!!

Mamma has just gained a bit weight, due to a failed attemt to stop smoking... daddy loves it! And mamma doesn't really care, atleast she got a good excuse to buy new clothes! ;)

[LorraineO]

I lost 150 lbs so far and let me tell you,, I feel better,,,, the secret to losing weight is 2 things,,,, you have to WANT IT and secondly,, do it slowly and resonably,,, Eat healthy,, dont starve yourself and read labels on food,,, its easy onece youre in the right mode to do it.... oh,,, and thirdly,, never say the word DIET,,, thats bad bad bad word in my books!!!

Its taken me 2 yrs to lose my weight,,, and its stayed off for another 1 1/2 yrs......
Best of luck to you whn you decide to go for it!

[Ginger's Mom]

I don't mind putting on a few extra pounds. But when it gets to the point where I can't fit into my clothes and I have to buy new clothes just so I leave the house, I draw the line.I hate clothes shopping (15 minutes looking through racks of clothes just to find something you like that is in your price range, 10 minutes trying the clothees on , because I always seem to try everything on twice, like it will suddenly turn into a beautiful ballgown the second time, and five minutes finding the right racks to return all of the clothes to, because they made me look dumpy so that you can go to the next store and do it all again:mad: ). Umm.. what were we talking about, oh yeah, gaining weight. As long as it is within a 10 pound span or so, my feeling is, it is okay.:)

[PJ's Mom]

150 lbs, Lorraine? Wow! :eek: Good for you!

Maybe I'm just not ready yet. :(

[cali]

lol my opinion on how to loose weight? simple. have FUN lol I dont stress about it, I dont read lables, I do eat junk food, but I lost 25lbs last summer by hanging out with my friends, walks the dogs, go to the park, WALK places, I am in a car maybe once a week, to be taken to and from dancing(its on the other side of the city) I walk to and from schoo, I walk to and from my friends house, when I go to the store or out to eat, I walk. basicly unless I have 30 minuts to get to the other side of the city, or its -50*C outside(in which I still walk to school lol) I walk. in th summers I litterally spend hours walking or riding my bike, either with my dogs, with my friends or with both lol one of the days I walked for 5 hours staright with my friends , my legs locked in walking mode but it keeps me fit and I dont even notice.

[anna_66]

Sorry your having a weight struggle, I know how much that stinks.

A few years ago I changed my eating habits and lost 50lbs. I loved it (and of course loved shopping for my new body!).
Needless to say now I've gained quite a bit back (one reason being the "not smoking" thing) and I can't stand the way I look. I always say Tomorrow, well tomorrow comes and goes and I haven't done a darn thing:o Today I decided to give it a go again and wouldn't you know...at work they had donuts, fried cheesesticks and chocolate cake:eek: But I just decided I wanted to loose the weight and I'm NOT going to buy new clothes yet again!

I do wish you good luck!
It's too bad all of us who would like to shed a few lbs didn't live closer, we could all work out together! It's soooo much more fun with a friend:D

[wolfsoul]

I am only 8 more pounds than I was last year but I feel terrible! :( I'd really like to lose some weight but dieting is really a family affair. My mother is ALWAYS buying junk, even though I'm always asking her to buy something healthy. Sometimes she can be really insensitive. There is nothing healthy in my house to eat.

When I'm really on a weight loss kick, I keep myself busy by cooking and cleaning. I'll also try and get out more. It really helps.

[elizabethann]

Weight struggle? What weight struggle? I was going to join Weight Watchers this afternoon but instead ordered Dominoes! How's that for weight struggles?? :eek:

[slick]

As most of you know, I need to lose weight..alot of weight...but I'm not ready, for personal reasons.

There was a weight loss guru around years ago who's motto was "It's not what you are eating, but what's eating you!" That is very true.

Every day is a struggle for me and unless you feel good enough about yourself to do it for YOU, it will never happen. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by elizabethann
I was going to join Weight Watchers this afternoon but instead ordered Dominoes! How's that for weight struggles?? :eek:

Sounds like me. :D I go to the store to buy healthy food and leave with a loaf of french bread and a cake. lol

My mom is telling me the same thing you're all saying...when you're ready, you'll do it.

I love food. I love to cook and I'm really good at it. Dieting means giving up something I love. I'm not ready for that, I guess.

[Samantha Puppy]

Originally posted by anna_66
at work they had donuts, fried cheesesticks and chocolate cake:eek: Oooooh... *drool* Mozzerella sticks... so yummy...

Man, eating healthy for the baby is REALLY HARD!!! I miss all my junk food, especially my freakin' CRACK NUGGETS!!!!! *banging head on desk*

Edit: Sorry, PJ's Mom... good luck with losing the weight when you're ready! I can't give you pointers as the weight basically fell off me during my wedding planning. Or maybe I can - go get engaged! ;) For a thank you, you can send me Wendy's chicken nuggets... PM me for my address. :D

[PJ's Mom]

LOL

I'll be happy to send you some nuggets, but I don't think they'd be too good by the time they got to you. ;)

Mmm...nuggets...

[CatMama78]

I struggle with weight. I am in a 'healthy' range for the first time in about 8 years. I've spent the last 9 months losing 50 pounds and could still stand to lose up to 20 more pounds. You have to really want it and say to yourself this is the day I commit to losing this weight. I still suffer from old fall backs, I still binge sometimes. But I'm trying to be healthy. If you can be comfortable with your self at an 'overweight' weight than I think that's wonderful. My problem was I hated myself and had to do something about it. Exercise is my saving grace most days.

[anna_66]

Originally posted by PJ's Mom
I love food. I love to cook and I'm really good at it. Dieting means giving up something I love.
It doesn't mean you have to give up cooking and eating...have you ever tried any of the new "healthy cookbooks"? There are honestly some good ones out there.

[davidpizzica]

For me it's a real struggle to lose weight especially being diabetic. I was up to a reord 293 pounds, but now that I'm working (and starting to work it off) I lost 20 pounnds. I have a physical job outside which is helping. (a groundskeeper on a golf course).

[catnapper]

Oh boy is weight a struggle for me. Or it used to be. One day I just realized I hated dieting, hated the constant feeling of hunger, the feeling of being shaky and lightheaded. One day I just decided to eat what I felt I needed - no counting calories, no worrying if it was too much fat. Count carbs? Whats that?

I gained a lot of weight over the year I was dating my husband (many meals out - all rich and yummy! ;) ) I have stayed exactly steady the same weight for 4 years. I've NEVER in my adult life stayed one size more than a season. And here I am maintaining a steady weight! That said, I DID recently give up some favorites in the interest of cholestorol and lost about 20 pounds. Still I'm heavy, but I have to admit, HAPPIER than I've ever been in my life. I am active & energetic. I no longer ever feel light headed or shaky. I always HATED the saying "nothing feels as good as thin" because to me, thin felt shaky. Dizzy. Light headed. I HATED the feeling. Sure, I looked good, but felt terrible.

All that mumbo jumbo... basically to say that you should follow what feels right for your body. Yes, I should be many pounds thinnner... but my wieght isn't an issue with me. If someone else comes along and tries to make it one, then I will tell them to finaince my stomach surgery! :D

[chocolatepuppy]

I just lost 20 lbs! I need to lose more and am still trying. It's coming easy for me as I have a bottle of cholesterol pills sitting in my kitchen as my inspiration! I am not taking them, first I have to see for myself if I can lower my cholesterol on my own. I try to stay at around 2,000 calories a day and watch my fats. I've been out walking more. I've always been fairly active and feel my weight gain over recent years is like someone said, "it's not what you're eating it's what's eating you." Food had become a source of comfort.
I don't care if I'm ever as thin as I once was but I'm so glad to be a little smaller now and hopefully a little healthier too! :D

[RobiLee]

The dreaded weight subject :(

I am extrememly overweight....obese is the exact word. I look awful, feel awful, am always uncomfortable and never feel good about myself. Can you say low self-esteem? Thats me! I have been laughed at, pointed at, mooed at, oinked at and have had little kids point and say look at the fat lady mommy. Its not fun being me and being at this weight. Why don't I do something about it? I don't know. I have spent all kinds of money trying to lose weight, trying to feel better about myself. It never works. I know its mind over matter. Why am I not willing to do something about it? When will I be ready? What is my problem? I wish I could answer all these questions. I lost weight once. 125 pounds. I felt so much better. I was still considered overweight though...lol. I thought I looked good though. I starved myself to lose that weight. I worked out like crazy. I don't know what happened. I've almost gained it all back now. I am a loser. I am fat and ugly..lol. That is how I feel about myself most of the time. Can you say depressed?!...lol. Yeah, thats me! What is really worse for me is I was treated so much different after I lost that weight. Now its almost like people want nothing to do with me and they definitely don't care what I might have to say. Talking on here is easy but it is so much harder in real life.

Sorry for going on so much.

[chocolatepuppy]

RobiLee,

I'm sorry you feel so bad about your weight. That's just how I've felt for quite awhile. :( Everyday down on myself, but still doing nothing about it. Every occasion, feeling like I look like crap when I dressed up. But it can be so hard to lose weight so please don't be so hard on yourself! :) Like I said it took a health scare to really get me motivated.

[christa]

If you want to lose weight, you have to "get healthy" . . .

Loosing weight is more about making a lifestyle change than it is about dieting.

A year ago, hubby & I changed our lifestyles & so far, he's lost over 40 pounds & I've lost 25.

You HAVE to change the way you shop . . . spend most of your time at the grocery store around the outter edge of the store. Produce, meats & dairy! Avoid the aisles if at all possible . . . except the frozen vegetable aisle of course! And don't even stop at the bakery!!! It's evil!

You HAVE to change the way you cook . . . bake or sautee instead of fry . . . olive oil or Enova oil instead of Crisco . . . Fat Free or Skim Milk instead of Whole milk . . . the tiniest changes can make such a big difference . . . and the food is great!

You HAVE to move!!! . . . I excercise 5 days a week. Cardio & lift weights. There are plenty of days that I feel like crap & don't want to go . . . but once I get there, I feel so much better! And after I leave, I feel more confident about myself & it just snowballs!

And I think others have said it before . . . it's important that the weight comes off slow . . . I think about a pound a week is average. The slower it comes off, the longer it stays off!

Don't give up on "GETTING HEALTHY" . . . it's probably the most important thing you can do for yourself!

[sirrahbed]

Robin -I am sorry you feel this way:( I feel the same myself and it is awful. I guess I am probably "obese" too - having gained about 75 pounds in the past couple years - all stress related. My usual size is 12 and now my clothes all have X's instead of numbers.

PJ's Mom: I don't know how old you are - but if you are adult, then losing becomes harder and perhaps being a bit heavier than you want is healthy for you? For example - my adult weight is 150 pounds which is higher than the charts but good for me (I am 5'5") - at that point - it is good enough to quit trying to be 125 again. I had to starve to stay at that weight anyway plus being super-active. I got up to 225 at the first of the year then have gotten off 15 pounds but it is hard. Summer means nicer days for walking.

Hugs to you!! I do understand the "weight struggle" - :rolleyes:

[PJ's Mom]

Robin, I'm sorry I brought up such a painful subject. I think you're a great person. :)

You have all taught me one thing today...I'm not alone in this battle. I've also learned that I really have no reason to complain since I have only about 30 lbs to lose. I'm blessed with being tall (5'9") so that hides a lot of the weight I've gained but I hate myself for not having more self control.

We should form a group...if not to lose weight than to be miserable together. :D

sirrahbed, I'm 38 and with every passing year my waistline seems to get a little bigger. :(

I wish I could find the peace that some of you have found. I would love to be able to realize that not everyone is a size 8 and that size 6 I wore a few years ago is probably a thing of the past.

(((hugs to all of you)))

[Uabassoon]

I was like that, but then a few months ago I joined weight watchers and LOVED it. I've lost 46 pounds so far and I'm now at a weight I'm comfortable with. One of things that I loved most about about it is that I didn't have to give anything up. I could still eat ice cream and all the sweets I liked but I learned how to deal with portion sizes and not to overdo anything. When you deprive yourself of something you are more likely to binge, kind of like when you are a kid and your parents say you can't have something it just makes you want it more. Really the key to losing weight is just moderation.

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by Uabassoon
Really the key to losing weight is just moderation.

That's where my problem is. I can't eat just a few chips, for exapmle. I have to eat half a bag. :rolleyes:

[Uabassoon]

Originally posted by PJ's Mom
That's where my problem is. I can't eat just a few chips, for exapmle. I have to eat half a bag. :rolleyes:

What I did was I measured out my sweets into plastic baggies, then I would just grab a bag and eat the whole thing. I know I can't be trusted with an entire bag of chips or cookies, so if I made the bag smaller then I was fine.

[buckner]

Originally posted by PJ's Mom
That's where my problem is. I can't eat just a few chips, for exapmle. I have to eat half a bag. :rolleyes:
For things that come in a package, prepare it in the kitchen. For chips, pour a few on a plate or bowl, and close the chips back up. Then proceed to eat them. This way you're not given the opportunity to eat ALL the chips at one time. You're not just eating them because they're there. Same goes for pretzels, cookies, candies, etc. Moderation is easy if you know how to without depriving yourself.

You'd be surprised how much weight can be lost and how small you'll get by just cutting out soft drinks, chips, and sweets in large quanities. Same goes for breads and pastas. I'm not saying cut out all carbs. Still eating potatoes, corn, beans, fruits, breads, etc. Just not as much at every sitting.

Eat whole grain and cracked wheat breads. Eat fresh fruits and veggies. Cooked or frozen foods tend to lose some of their nutritional value. Stay away from fried foods and drink skim milk. If you want chicken, bake it in some brown rice in the oven with a few veggies. It's delicious, and very healthy.

However, if you want to lose weight quickly (which I don't recommend) eat cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My youth minister used to be seriously overweight, but it was affecting his health and his kidney failure/transplant. He ate nothing but cereal of his choice and skim milk, at every meal. He could have as much as he wanted, as long as that cereal didn't have any fat. That way, with skim milk, he was counting fat grams. And he biked everywhere and as much as possible. He lost like 150-200 lbs in a shorter amount of time than recommended.

I'm very good at preaching about weight loss, but if you looked at me you'd scream "hypocrite". :p I need to lose weight myself, but I've lost about 10-15 pounds since I've started. A tad bit more than recommended, but for the last 3 or 4 days, I've eaten what I've wanted, and I seem to have lost weight. When your body gets into a crunch mode of burning fat, it's hard to stop it. :)

Also, exercise is key. I have trouble with this. I have a gym membership that I don't use that often. I exercise everyday at my house, it's just not always convinient to head to the gym. Oh well, some day.

I wish you luck, Dawn. It'll hit you one day. You'll look at yourself and that'll be that. You'll know what you have to do, and you won't back down from your mind set. It's all about motivation. :)

[Corinna]

I have the same problem PJ"S mom , Thats why I started a weight support group this summer not one diet and if you feel like cheating you call or e-mail one of the members. Its been working for us not a lot of weightloss but not many gains either.
A more relaxed approch has helped us I have only 30LBS left , but the group has quite a few more but have made a lot of good Ways to keep from cheating . But best of all is not to beat ourselves up if we slip.

[Karen]

Originally posted by RobiLee
The dreaded weight subject :(

I am extrememly overweight....obese is the exact word. I look awful, feel awful, am always uncomfortable and never feel good about myself. Can you say low self-esteem?

But Robin! You are beautiful! And I'm not "just saying" that. Gosh, if I was as pretty as you ... the world'd be my oyster! (Weird saying, that one.) Seriously, you are every bit as beautiful as 9pick a supermodel - whoever you might think of). And in your case, it's not only physical, either. You are a good person who loves her family and her "girls," and when you talk about them, you smile, which makes you even prettier.

[elizabethann]

RobiLee, please don't feel so down on yourself. You're NOT a loser. Losers are people who abuse people & animals. Some of the things you mentioned in your post, I can relate to. It's unfortunate that overweight people are treated like third class citizens. If it was easy to lose weight, wouldn't we all be skinny? And if people don't pick on the fat folks, then who will they turn to next? Blacks? Hispanics? People in wheelchairs? People with blue eyes? We're just an easy target for all the losers out there. Please hang in there.

That's probably why I love animals so much. They don't care what you look like. They love you for who you are.

Regards,

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by LorraineO
I lost 150 lbs so far

HOLY COW!!! :eek: That is fabulous! Congratulations! I'm SO impressed! I've lost 65 pounds since September, and I thought that was great!

Good job to you, too, Uabassoon!!

The ONLY thing that works for me is exercise. And I HATE to exercise. Dieting alone just does NOT work for me, I get discouraged after a few days or weeks and give up. But if I'm exercising as well, it seems to me more like getting healthy as opposed to just "dieting". Plus, if you are sweating away on the treadmill, you simply don't want to stop at McDonald's on the way home and lose all that effort!

Also, I refuse ... absolutely WILL NOT ... go on a "diet". Pointless in the long run. Now, if you have ten or twenty pounds to lose one time, sure, a quick diet will work. But people like me, with a lifelong problem with and addcition to food simply cannot "diet". It doesn't work. Going ON a diet implies that you will someday go OFF the diet ... and the weight comes back, plus more.

I like to eat. I have issues with food, I know. Food is my friend when I'm lonesome, my entertainment when I'm bored. Sad and pathetic, yes ... but it has taken me a LONG time to even admit it. So, I basically eat whenever I want to, and as much as I want to still. The trick is not how much or how often you eat, it is WHAT you eat. I eat fruit and vegetables now, instead of chips and popcorn. You get used to it. Honestly. I refuse to starve myself. Not going to happen. But you can eat a LOT of carrots and still lose weight, trust me.

Believe me, anyone who is discouraged, I know this sounds like a cliche ... but if I can do it, ANYone can do it. Truly.

[PJ's Mom]

I'm the same way with food. It's comforting and gives me something to do when I'm bored. I don't know if there's any way out of that mind set, but it's almost always been that way for me.

Has anyone ever gotten to the point where they just don't care anymore? I've reached the point where I sometimes say, I'm healthy, and food makes me happy so, who cares if I'm a little overweight. Maybe I'm just making excuses for myself.

I started Atkins again yesterday and lost 3 lbs. Instead of being happy, I regret not having the food I really want to eat. :(

[CatMama78]

Atkins is not healthy. No carbs is not healthy. Maybe try South Beach instead if you want to go low carb route. I think the bottom line as far as weight goes is do what makes you happy, what you are comfortable with. If you are a relatively healthy person, ie get in your fruits and veggies and get in some walking every once in a while, then don't worry about the poundage. I say this, but I admit I am weight obsessed when it comes to myself :(. Everyone's body metabolizes things differently. We are all beautiful inside and out!

[PJ's Mom]

I know it's not too healthy, but it's the only thing I've found that works for me. It keeps me controlled better than anything else I've found.

[ParNone]

I finally decided a few weeks ago, that I had to do something. After 6 months of living off of vending machine food due to my job, I not only gained weight, but I was really starting to feel bad.

I'm not so much doing a strict diet as trying to eat healthy. No more Cokes, No more vending machine food and no more total junk food (Ex. yesterday I was craving a Burger for lunch, so I had a Jr. Burger and a salad and water to go with it vs French Fries and a Dr. Pepper. My craving was satisfied and I still got some healthly food in my body). I felt unbelivably bad the first week while all that sugar and caffeine was getting out of my body, but I'm now starting to feel better, so the next step is exercising.

Maybe we need to get together an internet group again of those of us who are trying to get healthy. And maybe I can get Judes to design us a t-shirt. When we reach our goal, we can get a shirt that says something like "Me and My dog walked our butts off", with a butt shot of your skinny rear and your dog's walking down a path. ;)

Par...

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by ParNone
Maybe we need to get together an internet group again of those of us who are trying to get healthy. And maybe I can get Judes to design us a t-shirt. When we reach our goal, we can get a shirt that says something like "Me and My dog walked our butts off", with a butt shot of your skinny rear and your dog's walking down a path. ;)

I like that idea as long as my shirt can have someone elses skinny rear on it. :D

I think I've forgotten how to eat healthy. I never drink sodas with sugar, so at least I'm doing that right. :rolleyes:

[luvofallhorses]

Robin,

You are a beautiful person inside and out and I am not just saying that. :) ((((((((hugs to all of you))))))))))

I feel a lot like Robin does, I used to be 110 lbs and after I was put on depression medication my metabolism wore down on me. I have been asked if I was pregnant, I have been asked if I was my cousin's mom, etc. I would rather be asked like the old days if I was anorexic. This subject is hard for me, too, but Dawn it's okay. I do wish that a lot of us lived closer and we could do a weight program together and never were alone. Whoever said this I forget :o 'It's nice to have a friend beside you' I don't know if that was the exact same quote. I know this may sound cheesy but it be cool if there was such thing as we can get together and live togther with our furbabies in harmony, in Pet Talk Land :o

I used to think of myself as beautiful, but now I just don't feel beautiful/pretty because I am overweight. I can't even get a boyfriend these days...but my animals love me for who I am I don't need a guy to say I am pretty

:p

I have tried and tried to lose weight but it doesn't work I love junk food TOO much :rolleyes: *sigh*

[MariaM]

This is sooooooooo ironic. Some have posted how they went to the store to buy healthy food and came out with junk...

Well I came on the computer to look up healthy stuff, and instead came to Pet Talk. Now thats not the greatest comparison, but it was putting the healthy stuff aside.

But, when I came on here maybe 15 minutes ago, I WAS going to go on and try to see what average weights for people my age and average amount of calories you should be eating a day, how much exercise I should be getting, what amounts of what foods etc. etc. etc. Instead I came to PT lol. But I will go look that up...as soon as I look up something on eBay. :p

Yes, I've been trying to eat healthier and lose weight. I want to lose at least 5 pounds soon...more would be really nice. But 5 is my goal, and once (IF) I accomplish that, then I can work on more. I guess I feel if I start low and accomplish it, then I can accomplish more too.

-sigh-

I'll just keep trying. Maybe I'll come back with some motivating thoughts or quotes or something...

Edit: I don't know if this is that accurate but I saw it on the news...

www.mypyramid.org

(it might be .com)

[wolflady]

Wow, I'm surprised at how many people have trouble with weight. I'm right there with all ya'll! I know exactly what my problem is, it's just so hard to overcome it. I love food...all kinds of food. Eating is a pleasure, and there is a world of ethnic foods available to explore. I love all the things that are bad for you: pastas, breads, etc.

I used to be such a fit person. I was in excellent shape in college because I walked everywhere, was in the marching band (talk about a workout!) and doing step aerobics. I guess I just took it for granted that I could eat whatever I wanted and still be a size 7. I didn't take into consideration all of the physical activity that I was doing on a daily basis.

Now that I'm out of college and sitting on my big butt all day long, the pounds have packed on. I hate it. I feel gross and look gross. I have no energy and I hate that. I know if I was to lose 40+ pounds, I would feel so much better. I miss having energy. It's just so hard when you commute 3 hours a day (1.5 hours each way), and work sometimes 10 hours. By the time I get home I'm exhausted and don't want to do anything but eat and go to bed. Also, by the time I get home...it's so dang late that I don't want to spend the time to make a healthy meal. It's like I'm back in college and thinking...ok, what do I have in the pantry...mac-n-cheese? Ok...that's fast and easy to make...

*sigh*

For the past several months, I have been making an effort to go to the gym. In my previous company, I got back into decent shape, but I was also very good about going to the gym on a consistant basis. When I lost my job, I stopped going and the pounds packed right on.
I finally sucked it up and got on the scale a few weeks ago. I was shocked at how fat I'd become. I was in total denial. I weigh more than my husband, who is 6'3"!!! I never thought that possible. Needless to say, I was more depressed than ever and I'm determined to lose weight.
I have gotten discouraged though, because I have been going to the gym regularly for the past several months and have not noticed a difference at all in the way my clothes fit. I have even been better about my food habits. Since I haven't seen any results...I figure...what's the point? Maybe I'm not doing a good weight-loss exercise? If anyone has tips, that would be greatly appreciated.
I like to go to the gym at my lunch hour because 1.) it gets me out of my chair and out of the building and 2.) it's about the only time I can squeeze in with my nasty commute and all.
I typically do 30 minutes of elliptical machine and then maybe around 10 minutes of various weights (machines...not free weights) in the weight room, then I take a quick rinse in the shower and go back to work.

Is this not a good routine for losing weight? I'm just so desperate to feel better physically as well as emotionally. I hate the way I look and feel and want to make it better.

**hugs**

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by CatMama78
Atkins is not healthy. No carbs is not healthy. Maybe try South Beach instead if you want to go low carb route.
I watched an article on 20/20. They compared three diets -- Atkins, South Beach, and another I don't remember. The people who did Atkins surprisingly turned out to be the healthiest when the diet was over, not to mention they had lost the most weight. Their bad cholesterol was alot lower than the people who did the other diets. It's surprising because you would think that all of the saturated fats from the meat would just make your cholesterol worse.

[PJ's Mom]

Wolflady, congrats for trying so hard. You're coming along better than I am. ;)

Don't we all wish it was as easy to lose weight as it is to gain it? :rolleyes:

Maria, we'll be waiting for those motivating quotes. ;)

[jazzcat]

Since misery loves company scoot over cause here I come. I'm right there with many of you. I've been feeling lousy about myself. I've been fat all my life but 10 years ago I lost around 90 pounds. Unfortunately during the past 10 years I've gained back most of it. Three weeks ago I made the mistake of trying on some clothes and got really ticked off. It ended up being a good thing because I immediately went to the grocery store and loaded up on healthy food and started a diet and exercise program of my own making. Hubby and I have been walking 5-6 times a week and in the past three weeks I have lost 13 pounds. The down part is that I'm only back to where I was last summer because I really packed it on the past year but at least those new pounds are gone.

I'm already feeling better about myself and I'm very motivated. I just hope it lasts but I think it will. I'd love to lose 65-70 more pounds but my immediate goal is to lose 17 pounds by the fourth of July. I do better setting short term smaller goals.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

It is amazing to know how many people have a "weight struggle" :( . Congrats to all who succeeded to loose weight!!

I feel a bit in a hopeless situation. Since I am on anti-depressives, I started putting on weight. Nothing is wrong with the way I eat, and I exercise more than enough. Still, everytime I get on that scale, I gained weight. Now, that is even MORE depressive...:( . Last week I tried on my summer pants, and NONE of those still fits...8 I have no idea what to do about it. I asked my neurologist to me off the medication, and she prescribed me another brand. Let's hope it works :rolleyes:

[PJ's Mom]

Congrats, Lori! :)

I'm feeling so motivated ny hearing all of your stories. I'm off to the store to stock up on healthy food, and when I get home, all the unhealthy food is outta here. ;)

[RobiLee]

I would like to apologize for my extremely whiney post earlier. I don't know why I let that all out like that. I'm very sorry. Thank you so much for all of your kind words and all of the support. You guys are great. I'm sending out big hugs to all of you. Lets all keep working at this together.

Love and Hugs....Robin :)

[K9soul]

Atkin's is not a "no carbs" diet. So many people just read that it's a carb restricting diet with high fat and assume that it's "no carbs" and high fat. I've read the book, and it's not that at all. For the first two weeks, you restrict your net carbs to around 20 per day. He emphasizes REPEATEDLY not to stay in the first phase permanently. That first two week phase is ONLY to break the carb addiction. During that first two weeks, people often lose a big chunk of weight, but it's mostly fluid weight because your body stops retaining fluids when you do it as it's outlined. That prompts many to keep doing that first phase when they are supposed to move on to the second phase, and THAT is unhealthy. I'd say it's more accurate to say that doing Atkin's the wrong way is unhealthy, but if you do it the way he instructs you to do it, it's not.

During the induction phase, in order to make up for the lower carb amount, you are supposed to eat more high protein foods (including some fattier foods, but not processed and unsaturated fats) than you normally would. Yes he says things like bacon are okay to eat, but he always emphasizes IN MODERATION. He NEVER claims to eat a plate full of bacon for breakfast, he merely says eggs with a couple slices of bacon are okay. He highly promotes a lot of vegetables in the diet, using cauliflower to make "mashed potatoes" and spaghetti squash for pasta, etc.

During induction, your body burns up these carbs and then begins to burn fat. That is the weight loss you see. By the end of the two weeks, if done correctly, you should see an overall decrease in the need to eat large portions or eat often. He states, and I found it to be true, that often when you get the urge to snack, it's not true hunger but is instead your body craving more carbohydrates. I know when I felt like snacking, I didn't feel like munching on a carrot, I wanted some bread or chips or something along those lines.

What most people pay no attention to is the NEXT phases of the Atkin's diet, the phases when you slowly add BACK some carbohydrates, and lower your protein intake accordingly. The induction phase helps break the carb addiction and the hunger pangs which are actually your body craving more carbohydrates. He explains our bodies get basically addicted to all the carbs and burn that for energy, and burn carbs rather than fat. That is why if you eat a high carb meal and then go take a walk, you burn the CARBS and not any fat!

As you go through the phases, you find your body's personal level of net carb intake that you can have without gaining weight from it. For some people, it's 80 or 90, for some it may be 100 or 150. Everyone's body chemistry is different. He never advocates eating huge steaks and plates of bacon the way I've seen some people claim. He states a serving size of meat is the size of a deck of cards. He simply states that you CAN eat red meat, that it's perfectly healthy if kept to the smaller serving size. His diet recommendations are largely vegetable dishes with a modest sized meat serving to go with it. He states sugar and refined white rices and flour should be cut as much as possible, and of course fast food should be minimal.

Ok, I didn't mean to get into lecture mode here, I just get frustrated with the formation of opinions on something without knowing all the facts! Please read the book from cover to cover, it's very fascinating and even if you don't follow it, it's quite educational and has a lot of factual information to back it up.

As an aside, Robin I don't think you should feel bad at all about your post. There are times when all of us need to vent some of these pent up feelings. Your post didn't come across as whiny at all to me. I think you are a beautiful woman though, and I hope with all my heart you are able to feel better about yourself at some point. Don't give up! {{hugs}}

*EDITED to add a quote from a book review that explains the Atkin's plan in a nutshell:


The Atkins weight loss method is a 4 step approach. Phase 1 INDUCTION is where you limit your carbs to 20 grams per day to jump start your weight loss program. Phase 2 OWL or ONGOING WEIGHT LOSS allows you to slowly add back carbs until you discover the amount of carbs you can eat and still lose weight. Phase 3 PRE-MAINTENANCE has you slow your weight loss by adding in more carbs so good eating habits become ingrained. And in Phase 4 LIFETIME MAINTENANCE you learn to enjoy a wider variety of foods and maintain your weight loss.

This is a review of the book Atkin's For Life

[finn's mom]

I'm only 5'1 and I weigh about 125, which is not obese, by any means, but, I could stand to lose a little bit. For my height, that's not the ideal weight. The struggle I face is that I love to eat, and, I am lazy as all get out. I love to exercise, but, it's just getting the motivation to start it again. And, the biggest problem is that the only problem I have is in my tummy area. And, it's the only place my mother has extra weight. She is never on me about losing weight, but, she has said before that I need to keep an eye on myself, because I'll just wake up one day and wonder "hm, where did that extra sixty pounds come from?" and it will be harder for me to get healthy at that point. I know I'm wanting to lose weight, but, guess what I had for breakfast? A cinnabon cinnamon roll. :) Yummy! I guess I can exercise later. ;) Ugh.

[PJ's Mom]

Thanks for the Atkin's info, Jessica. After being raised to think that fat is bad and carbs are good, going down to 20 carbs a day is really tough and I never really lost my craving for them although it did subside a bit.

Robin, please don't feel like you have to apologize. You're talking to a group of people who know exactly how you feel! I don't think anyone saw your post as whiny at all. :)

[K9soul]

My husband and I went on it for a few reasons, partly to lose some weight, but also because he has a strong family history of diabetes and back problems, both of which can be helped by weight loss and better diet. I wouldn't say I ever completely lost my cravings for things like bread and chips, but they weren't as strong, and after awhile I began craving fruit and veggies much more than I ever have in my life.

We have not counted carbs in awhile and we don't follow a specific diet plan now, but we have cut out a lot of sugar, white flour, pasta, etc. compared to what we used to eat. Now whenever we eat something really sugary, like a bowl of ice cream, we can really feel it sitting in our stomach and feel the effects of it much more keenly after having been off of it awhile. Of course we still indulge from time to time, but it's not the norm now.

I try to keep fruits, nuts, cheese, deli meats, and vegetables around for snacks. I try to keep fresh veggies chopped up in a ziplock bag and then we get various veggie dips, and snack on that rather than chips/Doritos like we used to. I also made an effort to stop eating as soon as I feel full, rather than keep eating for more of the taste of something (I was especially bad about that with pizza, as I love the taste). We cut out soda almost entirely, as it's a huge source of sugar (at least regular soda is). We drink sparkling water (no sugar). All of these things have really helped us eat healthier and stay at a healthier weight. Of course we aren't perfect at it and we slip from time to time into unhealthy eating, but the longer we work at it, the easier it gets to stick with it. Those first few weeks are incredibly difficult. I don't think I would have made it if we hadn't both been working at it together.

[CatMama78]

K9 - thanks for the education! I guess like all things moderation is the key. Whole wheat is a great way to cut out some carbs. Even Weight Watchers has you eating more points if you opt for high fiber, low carb foods.

Those of you looking to get back into exercising who don't want to join a gym, buy epuipment or are uncomfy with the thought of exercising in public......I've also recently started doing exercise DVD's and I am feeling muscles I never knew I had. And this is coming from someone who's done an hour of gym exercise 4-6 days a week since August. I highly recommend Walk Away the Pounds Tapes and Billy Banks Tae Bo DVD's (although the tae bo might be for the more advanced). I also record programs off the Fit TV. It's actually kind of fun.

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by CatMama78
I highly recommend Walk Away the Pounds Tapes and Billy Banks Tae Bo DVD's (although the tae bo might be for the more advanced). I also record programs off the Fit TV. It's actually kind of fun.
I used to use Billy Banks' tapes all the time. :D Of course I was like...12. LOL.


I really recommend that people do alot of muscle exersises as well. While it's true that building muscles doesn't really burn fat -- if your muscles are strong and being worked out regularly, you lose more calories by sitting around doing nothing than you would if you don't do muscle exersises. I have been doing arm exersises for quite some time and my arms are nice and toned. I recently started doing alot of crunches and my stomach feels alot stronger and my posture is actually starting to improve.

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by CatMama78
I highly recommend Walk Away the Pounds Tapes and Billy Banks Tae Bo DVD's (although the tae bo might be for the more advanced).

I was just watching an infomercial about Billy Banks today. What he does looks hard! :eek:

[finn's mom]

Originally posted by PJ's Mom
I was just watching an infomercial about Billy Banks today. What he does looks hard! :eek:

I did the tae bo tapes for awhile, but, I hated them. :( They work, but, I just didn't enjoy them at all. If I exercise to videos, I usually only enjoy the ones that are lean towards yoga and/or pilates. I feel goofy as heck leaping around my living room. The pilates dvd that I have is great, though, for me. I'd do tae bo if I was actually in a class, it's so much more fun that way. Even though it can be very embarassing. I just can't do those kinds of things by myself at home at all! The tae bo videos are a really good workout, though, if you like to do that type at home.

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by finn's mom
I feel goofy as heck leaping around my living room.

LOL

I feel goofy stretching and breathing in my living room. :p I have time to do the workouts alone, so as long as I don't laugh at myself, everything's fine. :D

[cubby31682]

I am right around 70 to 80 pounds over weight. About 7 years ago I met my husband, I was tiny, then we started going out to eat all the time. Man has the pounds caught up with me. :( I have been going to a gym for the past 2 years. I have lost 30 pounds and I have only seen 5 pounds come back so far.

I just started a new program yesterday. (Which my mom paid for, for my birthday) They told me I will be down to my goal weights within 20 weeks or they pay for the program. I did eat a few chips yesterday but once I realized what I was doing I put them away and ate a salad. I really hope to lose 70 pounds within 20 weeks. That equals out to a little over 3 pounds a week. Which is still healthy. I just can't wait to be able to eat my mashed potatoes and steak again. :D That will come in time. I just think of it like this. If it takes me 20 weeks to lose the weight I want, then I can suffer without my potatoes for that amount of time.

I have to go back in tomorrow (my diet place) and get on a new eating plan. I had to cut all carbs for 3 days, then they will put me back on real foods again. Or atleast that's how I understand it.

Katie

[wolfsoul]

I started Atkins today. :) My uncle was right, carbs really DO make you hungry. Today I only had scrambled eggs, carrots, salad, and some strawbrerries -- normally at this time I would have already had 3 bowls of cereal, not to mention a variety of other things. I just don't feel hungry. It's great! I do find that I'm very tired though. I'm sure my body isn't used to having such a small amount of carbs.

[elizabethann]

wolfsoul - There seems to be several Atkins diet books on sale. Which one do you recommend?

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by elizabethann
wolfsoul - There seems to be several Atkins diet books on sale. Which one do you recommend?
I'm not actually going by book --- I'm getting my information from the internet and K9soul. :) She gave me www.atkins.com . It has lots of good information and recipes!

[PJ's Mom]

You ate carrots? :eek: I didn't know carrots were allowed. :D

[wolfsoul]

LOL I'm eating carrots right now...With an omelette. ;) You should have seen the amount of vegetables I ate yesterday. It was insane. I never eat veggies! The last thing I ate lastnight was this big bowl of peas and carrots. I feel so healthy, it's creeping me out! :p

[PJ's Mom]

How often are you going to weigh yourself.?

I've never been a veggie eater either, but I'm having a salad for lunch. :p

[wolfsoul]

I rarely weigh myself as it is lol. I'm convinced my scale is broken because it will tell me I'm a different weight every day, even when I weigh myself in the morning before eating anything with no clothes on. I'll be 134 one day and the next day I'll be 130. I don't think I lose four pounds in a day lol. So until my mom buys a new scale, I'm not really going to bother weighing myself. I don't think it matters how much I weigh, as long as I look good! :) With all of the muscle I'll be gaining, I'll weigh more anyways. I've been doing more muscle exersises lately. :D

[PJ's Mom]

Wow, good for you! Let us know how it goes. :)

[CatMama78]

Sorry I keep butting in, but I've been 'dieting' since last July and one thing that's pretty consistent in all diets is you should only weigh yourself once a week, same time each week wearing similiar types of clothing. Weight certainly does fluctuate up to 5 pounds in a day. To get the lightest weight, best to weigh yourself first thing in the morning wearing as little as possible (only once a week though). But to get a true sense of loss each week, you only need keep the similiar circumstances - for instance - weigh yourself every Friday evening an hour after dinner, wearing jeans.

[PJ's Mom]

So getting on the scale 3 times a day isn't how it's supposed to go? :D