More weight/dieting stuff

[MichelleandCraig 1]

Ok, peeps. Yeah, I posted how proud I was I quit smoking and blah blah blah...well, I AM proud of that. I am NOT proud, however, of the fact that I gained 20 pounds in the last 4 months. Aside from that, I already wanted to lose plenty before gaining, so totally bummed about it. My health is worth more than the smokes (which I've been craving recently again :cry: but I will *not* succomb, don't worry...was way to hard to quit to quit quitting now!!!!) but man....the extra weight really makes me feel a bad about myself. Luckily, I have a husband who loves me anyway, but I'm sure he'd like it if I lost at least this that I gained...I'm glad he doesn't say anything like that though, as it would make me even more low about it, obviously.

I have set June 1st as the date to start, and have begun compiling a file for myself...I decided to attack this just as I would have one of my classes at school. I have looked up tips/sites online and tore a bunch of things out of mags, did a few pages in a book of motivational pics/sayings/etc. (I'm sure some of that last sounds really dorky to some of you, but hey...if it's gonna help me, right?) I also stopped Corey's gym teacher (I know her) here in town the other day and spoke with her...she runs every day,a nd she is also Corey's health teacher. She knows I have issues with exercise, so I need to ease in (have been having severe back problems again the last several months..it had eased up for about a year or so before that.) and she is going to write me up a schedule/plan type of thing and kind of be a mentor for me. She said she has an extra pedometer she's never used and is going to give that to me as well....really nice of her to help. I also have an online friend that will be there for me (she is planning to lose at the same time) and my sister as well (she is also wanting to lose.) so I do have a lot of support.

I'm a bit nervous about this. I know how hard it was to quit smoking, and to be *perfectly, absolutey, bluntly honest* and hope I'm not ridiculed for it, my problem is definitely nothing medical. I don't eat a LOT of sweets per say (but enough!) but I overeat, bigtime. When I like something, I eat as much of it as I want to...so portion control is going to be a biggie for me. I also eat too late in the day, so I am going to try to watch that. I am limiting to one Coke a day now instead of 2 or 3...that will help, and drinking a lot of water (which I always have- thankfully I love water.) When I quit smoking though, there were days the first 2 weeks that I actually *cried* I wanted one so bad....I'm so scared that I will be dieting with nothing to fall back on (ciggies, to be more specific) which I always have had in the past. I am going to exercise 3 days a week to start, and work up to 5...every week. In the winter I am going to find somewhere to exercise as well, as that was part of my problem last time I lost weight...I lost it and then quit walking in the winter.

My goal is to lose 50 pounds by the end of Fall. When I did this last time, several years ago, I lost nearly 50 pounds in 4 months. I think it came off more easily because I was smoking(well, helped me not to snack anyway), my back wasn't bad then (I mean, it's bad...it's not like I'm whining about a little achiness here), and because I was already pretty heavy...you lose faster the heavier you are, it seems. At least, in the beginning. These aren't excuses...I'm determined to do it...but it's seeming very scary this time around. I want to lose 50 this year and another 30 or so next year..if not a bit more.

I definitely look fat, yes..not saying that I don't in the least...but at least I do carry it well. I wear a size 18 jean (yipes, I know) and I'm not huge in any one area ...it's all over. Except my boobs, which are just average...figures, right??? (sorry if TMI...not trying to go there, just trying to be silly )

So...I could use some motivation and support from the boards. If any of you have any great tips I would LOVE, love LOVE to hear them...or any great online sites you go to yourself if you're trying to lose...or anyone want to have a little group on here kind of like the baby thread for weight loss??? We talked about it before, but I couldn't get motivated...this time, I've given myself about 3 weeks to get in the mindset of it all, and I AM starting on June 1st...no matter what.

My main things so far, for myself are...I will (like last time) eat whatever I want (in reason, of course..not a bunch of candy!) just less of it. That worked last time, so I'm trying it again!

I will exercise at least 3 days a week and 5 days after the first 3 weeks or month depending how I feel. (back wise)

Lots of water, only 1 Coke at most.

Those are the only "rules" I have for myself. Congrats if you made it through all this and let me know if any of you want to get on the bandwagon and have a weight loss thread on VJ? Serious LOSERS only please... j/k

Let me know how I'm gonna get through this!!!!! M.

[doc_cute 0]

Ok, peeps. Yeah, I posted how proud I was I quit smoking and blah blah blah...well, I AM proud of that. I am NOT proud, however, of the fact that I gained 20 pounds in the last 4 months. Aside from that, I already wanted to lose plenty before gaining, so totally bummed about it. My health is worth more than the smokes (which I've been craving recently again :cry: but I will *not* succomb, don't worry...was way to hard to quit to quit quitting now!!!!) but man....the extra weight really makes me feel a bad about myself. Luckily, I have a husband who loves me anyway, but I'm sure he'd like it if I lost at least this that I gained...I'm glad he doesn't say anything like that though, as it would make me even more low about it, obviously.

I have set June 1st as the date to start, and have begun compiling a file for myself...I decided to attack this just as I would have one of my classes at school. I have looked up tips/sites online and tore a bunch of things out of mags, did a few pages in a book of motivational pics/sayings/etc. (I'm sure some of that last sounds really dorky to some of you, but hey...if it's gonna help me, right?) I also stopped Corey's gym teacher (I know her) here in town the other day and spoke with her...she runs every day,a nd she is also Corey's health teacher. She knows I have issues with exercise, so I need to ease in (have been having severe back problems again the last several months..it had eased up for about a year or so before that.) and she is going to write me up a schedule/plan type of thing and kind of be a mentor for me. She said she has an extra pedometer she's never used and is going to give that to me as well....really nice of her to help. I also have an online friend that will be there for me (she is planning to lose at the same time) and my sister as well (she is also wanting to lose.) so I do have a lot of support.

I'm a bit nervous about this. I know how hard it was to quit smoking, and to be *perfectly, absolutey, bluntly honest* and hope I'm not ridiculed for it, my problem is definitely nothing medical. I don't eat a LOT of sweets per say (but enough!) but I overeat, bigtime. When I like something, I eat as much of it as I want to...so portion control is going to be a biggie for me. I also eat too late in the day, so I am going to try to watch that. I am limiting to one Coke a day now instead of 2 or 3...that will help, and drinking a lot of water (which I always have- thankfully I love water.) When I quit smoking though, there were days the first 2 weeks that I actually *cried* I wanted one so bad....I'm so scared that I will be dieting with nothing to fall back on (ciggies, to be more specific) which I always have had in the past. I am going to exercise 3 days a week to start, and work up to 5...every week. In the winter I am going to find somewhere to exercise as well, as that was part of my problem last time I lost weight...I lost it and then quit walking in the winter.

My goal is to lose 50 pounds by the end of Fall. When I did this last time, several years ago, I lost nearly 50 pounds in 4 months. I think it came off more easily because I was smoking(well, helped me not to snack anyway), my back wasn't bad then (I mean, it's bad...it's not like I'm whining about a little achiness here), and because I was already pretty heavy...you lose faster the heavier you are, it seems. At least, in the beginning. These aren't excuses...I'm determined to do it...but it's seeming very scary this time around. I want to lose 50 this year and another 30 or so next year..if not a bit more.

I definitely look fat, yes..not saying that I don't in the least...but at least I do carry it well. I wear a size 18 jean (yipes, I know) and I'm not huge in any one area ...it's all over. Except my boobs, which are just average...figures, right??? (sorry if TMI...not trying to go there, just trying to be silly )

So...I could use some motivation and support from the boards. If any of you have any great tips I would LOVE, love LOVE to hear them...or any great online sites you go to yourself if you're trying to lose...or anyone want to have a little group on here kind of like the baby thread for weight loss??? We talked about it before, but I couldn't get motivated...this time, I've given myself about 3 weeks to get in the mindset of it all, and I AM starting on June 1st...no matter what.

My main things so far, for myself are...I will (like last time) eat whatever I want (in reason, of course..not a bunch of candy!) just less of it. That worked last time, so I'm trying it again!

I will exercise at least 3 days a week and 5 days after the first 3 weeks or month depending how I feel. (back wise)

Lots of water, only 1 Coke at most.

Those are the only "rules" I have for myself. Congrats if you made it through all this and let me know if any of you want to get on the bandwagon and have a weight loss thread on VJ? Serious LOSERS only please... j/k

Let me know how I'm gonna get through this!!!!! M.

why dont u start some weight loss management drinks instead of regular diet michelle

even i was putting up weight my hubby got them for me from u.s and i lost a lot ( i mean it )and again i do gym regularly too

hope tht helps

lossing weight is so easy but maintaining lost weight is tough but with determination nothing is impossibe no ???

dont worry ,

Mala

[MichelleandCraig 1]

Thanks much for the encouragement. To answer your question, main reason I don't want to do the drinks ...well, there are two reasons, actually. I don't want to spend the cash on them and mainly because...I want to eat a regular diet all the time so I don't have to transition off the drinks...you know? It did work for me before...just eating less of the same stuff..I just fear it's going to be really hard with the back and not smoking and blah blah....a bit nervy about this time around, but determined too. Thanks again!

[doc_cute 0]

Thanks much for the encouragement. To answer your question, main reason I don't want to do the drinks ...well, there are two reasons, actually. I don't want to spend the cash on them and mainly because...I want to eat a regular diet all the time so I don't have to transition off the drinks...you know? It did work for me before...just eating less of the same stuff..I just fear it's going to be really hard with the back and not smoking and blah blah....a bit nervy about this time around, but determined too. Thanks again!

dont worry sweety you will certaily loose just get cured with back pain and u can start with mild walks and so forth

and eating less of regular stuffs will help for sure

but try not smoking

tk care,

Mala

[Alex+R 0]

Rey and I have been using this website for the past 3 weeks called calorie-count.com. You mentioned attacking the problem like a class, and the cool thing about calorie count is that it grades your nutrition and grades each thing you eat. Today I got an A :beams:. It doesn't just count calories but also other nutritional info, despite the misleading name. You can also enter all types of exercise. It helps you maintain the right calorie deficit to lose what you want at a healthy rate. Of course Rey has lost more than 10 pounds so far... I haven't had the courage to weigh myself, because like you, my weight really affects how I feel about myself and I don't think I could take it.

I can sympathize because at the end of my time in Brazil (beginning of 2006) I put on a LOT of weight as Rey quit smoking. So over the last year, I was doing crazy diets, and would lose lots of weight quickly and then pile it right back on again. So this time I am trying to take a more sensible approach without any gimmicks. The other thing I'm doing now is reading. Especially reading about "emotional eating," which isn't just people who eat when they're sad, but people who eat when they're bored or for really any reason other than hunger. this book has been pretty helpful so far, as has this one. I really hate self-help bullsh!t and I probably hate having to admit that it helps me even more, but these books are keepers. I struggled with these issues in high school and now i'm finding them resurfacing, so I figure I must stop them once and for all!

Anyway, those are my tips, which should be taken with a grain of salt considering my ####### barely fits in a plane seat (ok that one might be my imagination, but it goes to show how badly you can make yourself feel, right?)

[MichelleandCraig 1]

Thanks SO much, Alex....that has helped me a lot! Even the commiserating! (sp???) If that calorie count.com is free, I will definitely give it a go...is it? *she asks hopefully*.

I am SOOOO right there with you on the emotional eating thing...that's my main problem aside from portion control. I eat for sad, happy/celebrating, bored, you name it, I eat because of it! I say but really feel just even typing that!

It has really affected how I feel about myself for a very very long time now, so it's time to change it...and now that I've piled on another 20???Forget about it! Ugh.

Oh well...try to look on the bright side.. (is there one you say??? I know, I know!) At least we're motivated to do something about it, right??? Thanks much for the ideas...I will be using them, and will check out the books too! M.

PS..thanks again to you too, Mala...and no, I'm definitely NOT going back to smoking, no matter what!

[Alex+R 0]

calorie-count is indeed free! Rey showed it to me. It sometimes doesn't have some kind of basic foods so you have to enter the nutrition info yourself (or just the calories if you feel lazy) but other than that it works well. I think writing things down makes a BIG difference. I once did weight watchers and lost 20 pounds just I think through writing things down. But right now I don't feel like paying or counting points (especially when the number 20 (points) is so much lower than 1100 (calories)! I guess it's psychological...

As for the books, I feel like they were helpful even though I already knew the problem was emotional eating. They were...how can I put this...books for people who understand they have a problem, have heard before that they should "ask themselves why they're eating" or something and now want some ways to actually deal with the problem instead of more new-age psychobabble. They also sort of give me hope of one day becoming a normal eater for good.

I know it's scary how fast weight can come on in the wake of quitting cigarettes. I went from "these jeans are tight" to "these jeans don't fit on my knees." It makes smoking look appealing, but don't give up! I was a casual smoker (not so much addicted) but when Rey quit, I quit smoking entirely too and it made a HUGE difference in my weight in the span of about a month (and I was already gaining) so I can't imagine the shock it must be when the quitting itself is also giving you a huge amount of stress in your life. Stupid cigs!

[MichelleandCraig 1]

ooooh, good! I may go check it out soonish, just to see what it's like...well, you've done your good deed for the day! Sounds like a great site, and a great tip to have...thanks again!

@the middle paragraph...that sounds *perfect* then...I def. need to learn how to deal, not be told I'm eating too much and not exercising enough...um.....DOH!!!!

@the last...yeah, SIGH. Craving my ciggs bigtime, but will never smoke again....more determined about *that* than the weight thing...just way too scary to smoke. Watched a 39 year old coworker die from lung cancer not long ago...and I'm nearly 35. Not cool. It was way easier to think of eating less back when I knew I could light up whenever I wanted to though! ...and with my back problem...it hurts talking about walking! Gonna do it though....will let you know how it goes. I go back to the pain clinic on Friday, so maybe he can give me some tips too. I know when I lose it will help my back pain as well, so really looking forward to that! Good luck to you and Rey too...and don't let HIM get ya down..you knowwwww men lose faster, girl!!! M.

[NCWife 0]

Hey Mala,

I can feel your pain about putting on weight after quitting cigarettes as I also have gained almost 30lbs since I quit almost a year ago. I no longer have cravings for cigarettes but then the roundness now is really bothering me and it's depressing. I have tried cutting on food, tried various dieting and nothing worked! I am going to start some exercise next week and I hope I'll lose the gained weight asap So, let's us help motivate each other to achieve this goal!!!!

Cheers,

Christina

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Make a VJ "weight watchers" club to post ideas and helps. I have already started a little, i have some drink mixes i had gotten from a known weight dr in this area. I have that at lunch at work sometimes with maybe some popcorn and actually that will fill me. About the only time i will have pop is during weekend, trying to drink more tea, i dont do straight water to good or exercise.

Keep a log and write everything you eat thats the best thing i learned to do once then you can see where you went good/bad.

Start the group, can be discussions of weight lost, recipes, ideas of nutrition. Ill participate as will couple of the girls from my work, (thru me). This could also be ideas of other health issues or trips not just weight.

[Vi Mazzella 4]

I started dieting when I was 14, I tried so many different diets and I kept loosing and gaining weight like a yo-yo, I didn't eat rice or bread for 6 years, 5 years ago I started going to the gym consistently, doing cardio, weights and Tai-Bo, 4 to 5 days a week. Bought some weights and exercise at home while I watch tv. I know is hard but try to control what you eat (portions), now I get to eat whatever I want (and I love it!!!!).

I'm a 5'2 and weight 108 (for years!), my hubby smokes and each and every time he tries to quit ends gaining some pounds, he's a 6'2 and weights 245, bg difference. I understand what you are going through...

Good Luck!!!

Vi

[JoeMama 0]

Losing weight doesn't have to be a difficult thing. First, with your foods. Stay away from refined sugars, like in sodas, white bread, processed foods, and fast food places! Avoid those things and just become as active as you and the extra weight will come off. No one says losing weight has to be difficult. You also want to avoid doing the same exercise routine. Your body will get used to it and you won't lose anything. So change up your workout so it doesn't become "routine". Best of luck to you!

[ChristinaM 0]

Michelle, GOOD LUCK!!

As someone who gained 60 pounds on landing in the US, I know how much it affects your confidence. My weight yoyos; I'm 5'2, and over the last 5 years I've been everything from 135 to 210. I've not been as thin as Vi for a long time though!!

If you can, avoid that one coke altogether. I found that when I completely stopped drinking regular soda, I lost about 8 pounds without doing anything else. It's not a huge amount of weight on its own, but coupled with your exercise regime it will help. Maybe allow yourself one a week, as a special treat if you've met your goal.

At work we have a pool; we all put in $5 at the beginning of the month and state our goal for the month (at least 5 pounds). Anyone who makes it gets their $5 back, plus a share of any money put in by people who didn't make it. Do you have a group of people who could do something like that with you? It's a great incentive, because the only way to lose money is to not meet your goal.

Have at it, girl!

[Mags 112]

This may sound a bit obvious, but try to walk more. I've found I walk alot less since I got here in December (where I used to do at least 45 minutes of fast walking a day). I certainly DON'T feel better for the lack of walking now.

If you want to ease yourself into exercise, just get up and go for a fast paced 20 minute walk every morning. That's the best thing you can do. It is easy on the joints and you can adjust your pace when you need to. Plus if you choose a nice route you can see all the birds and wildlife. If you have a local shop...WALK to it. Climb stairs rather take an elevator, sensible but obvious things.

Every little helps and it might be what your body needs to give it that little bit extra oooomph.

Good luck, M. Keep us posted on your progress!

(P.S. Try to cut out HFCS too, that stuff is evil!)

[JenT 0]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but don't eat after your evening meal.... it's amazing how much the tendency to snack in the evenings will put on the pounds.... and stay away from empty calories, like alcohol.

Also, try drinking 8oz of water before your meals.... it really does help fill you up.

The obvious, increasing your exercise, has already been mentioned. As you know, there's no magic... it's a lifestyle decision.

You're going about this very logically, so stick with it!!

Jen

(PS - resist the urge to weight yourself every day too... pick one time each week where you weigh yourself and weight yourself at the same time every week.... you won't get as discouraged that way.)

(edited since I can't seem to type anything correctly the first time anymore!)

Edited May 24, 2007 by JenT