July 8, 2012, I will be 30.

And I've finally got the get up and go want to lose weight and enter my 30s not being such a fatty LMAO

About me: I've been overweight most of my life (since the 5th grade). In 2008, I was at my highest weight of 260. I was having back and foot problems and generally just not feeling that great. One visit to the doctor's in September 2008 led to a diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. I got put on 5 different meds...which made me lose 50 lbs in 3 months. Yeah, I know, crazy, right?

Then I got pregnant because my body had started regulating itself again. LOL

After pregnancy, at my lowest, I was down to 190 thanks to breastfeeding. And thennnnn...I stopped. But kept eating like how I normally had before. And slowly but surely, I started gaining weight again.

THE CHANGE: I found myself at 220 by the time March came around this year. Around the same time, I was introduced to a set of books by Geneen Roth that a coworker of mine had been applying to her life and it was working. Intrigued, I picked up a few. In a super simplified nutshell, she talks about listening to your hunger cues, eat when you feel hungry, stop when you feel full. For me, as an emotional and compulsive overeater, it's been an eye opener because I have no concept of portion control. I could never stick to diets because I always felt like I was starving myself. And, I could never leave food on a plate (what a waste!) LOL And calorie counting drives me insane (I was never one for numbers).

But for some reason, trying to eat when I'm hungry and only then and really thinking about it is so simple and easy for me to do.

I started applying the principles I learned from her books in April and between April and May, I lost 5lbs. I thought to myself, I've been waiting my whole life for the easy way out. At one point in time this year, I was hoping that I would get put back on medication to help me lose weight. How crazy was that? I need to change this way of thinking.

I vowed stopped making excuses for myself. That's all I've ever done in my life. If I wanted something to happen, I needed to stop waiting for it to happen.

May 26, I started working out. And haven't stopped LOL And in the month since I started, I've lost a few inches and 6 more pounds. Now that my eating and exercising ways have become a habit more or less, I figured now was a good time as any to start recording my journey (rather than waiting a couple weeks from now and posting on my actual birthday) LOL

The PLAN-ish:
This is what I've been doing for the past couple months:
1. Eat when hungry. Stop when full. Anything goes. I was able to lose the 5 lbs while enjoying french fries on the weekend LOL
2. 20 minutes of exercise, daily. Or till I reach 200 calories burned. 150 on the weekends (hey, a girl needs a rest, right?). This is easier for me to do than going longer and burning more, but cutting down the days I exercise because I've found in the past that if I thought about a break, then it led to another break, then another break and then I'm off the horse. I hope to eventually increase it, but with me being up at 6, going to work and spending time with the kiddo until 8:30...I want my sleep! And TV. LOL
3. Post every Thursday my weight.
4. Enjoy the journey and not think of it as torture (I don't think of it as such, but you know what I mean)

My Goal by next year: In a perfect world, I'd like to be down to 150...which is a weight I haven't seen since before I was in the 6th grade.

This means I need to lose about 5lbs a month. But I'm satisfied as long as I see loss of sorts almost weekly. As of this morning I was 209. Let's make that our starting point!

We'll see if I get the courage to post photos LOL. Admitting to my weight was uh, horrid. Feel free to ask me stuff. As one person recently accused me of, I tend to overshare. LOL

I hope you guys will come here from time to time and read up on my updates and I know I'll see a slimmer me by next year!

I have been there. I gained 60 pounds with my first child and then 2 years later, after losing 40 pounds, I gained 20 more with my second child. I've struggled with my weight (in my own head anyways) since puberty. Since January, I've lost 35+ pounds and I feel as confident as I've ever felt in my life.

I will say that diet is about 80% of the battle, for me, and exercise is the other 20%. I started with a strict low-carb diet and now I just avoid junk. Granola bars and 100 calorie packs are a waste of calories to me. If I'm hungry, I either eat a healthy, filling meal or I snack on peanuts or an apple.

If you've struggled with this for a while, it has most likely become more of a mental battle than a physical one. Don't keep junk in your house (and trust me, with 2 healthy and fit children and a fit husband, I know it's easier said than done.)

Keep working towards your goal and it will become easier.

I gained about 40 pounds each time I got pregnant. 3x gaining and losing that much weight sure does a number on your metabolism. I weighed 172 when I had the 3rd kid.
But since you're not yet 30, it should be easier to do than in 5 years! Trust me.
And, as stated above, diet is the majority of the issue. And as moms, we have it extra hard, I think--kids eat often, and their snacks can be pretty much whatever they want! (My kids are super tall and skinny, and the doc says to drown everything they eat in butter!!)
I've been using an app for iphone/ipod called MyFitnessPal, which has helped tremendously in logging calories and exercise. The database is huge, and the calories burned for exercise are pretty darn accurate. (I've lost 12 pounds in about 3 months.)
Keep checking in here, and try the weight loss challenge threads in this forum too!!
You can do it!!!

I also use myfitnesspal app on my iPhone, and it is easy to use and really helps me keep track of what I am eating. I read on a fitness site that losing weight is 90% diet, 9% cardio and 1% strength training. So by changing your diet, you are doing most of the work. Good luck. You CAN do it. Can't wait to see your progress.

OP--Updates??? How's your diet/nutrition going??

Thanks for the encouragement everyone :)

Today's been a rough day as I went in for a follow-up with one of my medical conditions and it stressed me out (in addition to work) so I stress ate earlier in the day (which I rarely do but today I just needed it). However, it's been 3.5 hours and I'm still full feeling, so I probably will be good until I get home tonight. I'm not entirely worried about it.

Thanks for the recommendation on the calorie counter. It's definitely interesting, but I don't know if I can do it because I find I become obsessive about the numbers (I did download it though!). According to the myfitnesspal app, I'm allotted 1600 calories a day to lose 1 lb a week. I ate 1579 calories and my exercise totalled 343, for a net of 1236. Kinda cool to see, I'll admit. Today, even with the stress eating, I still have 679 calories to go and I haven't exercised yet.

Weight loss for me is definitely a very mental thing. For instance, I try to only weigh myself in the mornings but that's because I weigh before I use the bathroom, after I use the bathroom and right before I leave for the day. Then in the afternoon, I weigh myself to see how much I've gained during the day and have been known to get upset if I've gained over 2 lbs during the course of the day. I know it doesn't mean much because just like how you get shorter as the day goes on, your weight changes as well. But this type of obsessive behavior I know isn't good.

At any rate, this morning I was 210.6. Last week I freaked out because I showed a 2lb gain in a day and then two days later I lost it all and then some. I do a lot of toning and cardio boxing during the week so I know part of the gain is muscle. If I end this week at a solid 209, I'm still on track for losing a pound a week since I started exercising (I started exercising at 215, this Thursday marks week 5 of exercising every day, hence 209 is a good thing ).

Good grief, stop weighing yourself so often!! You'll drive yourself crazy. That's no joke.

And good work on the calorie-counting. That's a big step! Its hard to get into that routine, or it can be for us busy moms.

Good luck with the weight loss. And July 8 is my birthday too.
I'm doing weight watchers and lost 11 lbs

Thursday official weigh in: 209.6!

Down almost a pound since last Thursday :)

irainei,

your plan reads very intelligent! Not too hard and enough ideas to keep you going (such as the daily exercise).

Good look! !!

( I am already around 40 and decided to be slim at 50, ever woman has her age ;-)

Originally Posted by irainei

Thursday official weigh in: 209.6! Down almost a pound since last Thursday :)

Congrats!!! :)


Have you looked into adding Oatmeal, Chia seeds, Quinoa, and flaxseed to your diet? I promise these work!!!

Congrats!!

Thursday weigh-in: 208.2!

Almost 1.5lbs from last week.

I did miss a day (yesterday) of exercising. Had dinner with a good friend of mine that I haven't seen in awhile and ended up talking for hours. No big. Earlier in the week I went jogging for the first time in years and I was quite proud of making it 3/4 mile without stopping. Even DH was impressed. It feels really good to be able to have that kind of endurance in the short amount of time I've been exercising continuously. The only issue I have is that my ankles/top part of my feet hurt a little the next day, so I'll probably keep it to just once a week so I don't hurt my feet.

I also went to the doctor's this week and she lowered one of my blood pressure meds because I was having increased dizzy spells (one of the side effects of that medicine) due to the increased activity. It's our goal to get me completely off the medications by next year.

The next few weeks are going to be a challenge for me, workout-wise because I'm starting to put long hours in at work and am coming home drained. With a toddler at home to focus my attention to until he goes to bed, I finish the night even more drained lately. But, I figure, even if I can get 20 minutes in, it'll be good, right? Or should I push for longer? It's also really hot now. I hate the heat.

That's all 'til next week!

Good on ya!

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to say that I am soooooooo encouraged by OP and all the posts here. I am also in the process of trying to slim down and it's been an extremely difficult task. Although, I don't have a child yet, I have two jobs and am planning a wedding for April 2012 - so, i really need to shed the pounds. My biggest problem is sweets (i.e., cakes, cupcakes = my favorites, chocolate with nuts) and soda (i.e., Pepsi, Orange or Grape soda). But, after reading Ianinei's journey, I feel so encouraged! I know you don't know me, but I'd like to post my weight-loss here as well. I think it's great when women can motivate each other. Sometimes posting your progress (and disappointments) holds you accountable to others. To date, I am 204lbs...ugh! But, I haven't had a soda-pop since Sunday 7/10 (and I'm craving some caffeine soooooo bad! Good luck to you, Irainei!

p.s.... my goal is to 160lbs. Somebody please send notes of encouragement. I think that's the only way I'm gonna be able to do this.