Motivation

Howdy guys and gals!  I'm taking over this club, not because i think i have all the answers (i so know i don't) but because i'm super pumped up right now and motivated to help those people out there who have a lot of weight to lose.  we need a place that's more than a "can i join" place.. we need a place to talk about issues related to being this overweight.. 

Who here needs to lose over 100 pounds? Who needs to lose over 150 pounds? Or more?

I did! I did! And yes.. i did!

A small amount of background on me for those of you who don't know: i am a binge eater. I have had a problem with emotional eating, hidden eating, over eating, eating with a hang nail, eating because i have split ends.. you name it i stuffed my emotions down with the greasiest, nastiest food i could find!

Why did i do that (you might ask)? Because of many many different reasons.. frankly i think it was because this is how i was taught from a young age, this is how we handle stress and emotions. I learned that it's not proper to talk about your feelings.. or god forbid, express your emotions! You have to shove them down with a piece of cake and a smile!

Anyway.. onto the reason for this post.

If you are out there and need to lose a lot of weight.. just like i've got to.. i think we need to have a place where we can discuss these issues with each other and try and work through them together. Because, let's face it, people who are morbidly obese (yes.. i hate that word too) have uniquely different issues to work through and deal with than the average person.

Losing weight, for people who have this much to lose, have to deal with so much more than the formulas to figure out how much to eat.. and exercising. It's more complex than that. We have to deal with years and years of poor eating habits that have to be unlearned, we have to deal with the emotional torment of just being this size, we have to deal with the harsh looks and comments from strangers or from loved ones, we have to deal with our emotions for the first time in our life because we aren't shoving them down our throats anymore..

this is the hardest thing ANYONE has to deal with.. but, from my experience, things are different for us bigguns. :)

also, for those of you who don't know me very well.. (because i've kinda been in hiding and not posting much and there are so many new people out there) i started out in january weighing 324 pounds. I now weigh 232.5.. i have lost 91.5 pounds so far. I am not telling you guys this to get kudos.. i got those yesterday. I'm telling you guys this because i want anyone out there who is struggling with knowing they have, what seems to be, an insurmountable amount of weight to lose, that there is hope.. it IS possible.. you CAN do it.. but it's hard.. and you will hurt.. i know this because i've been there.. i've done it.. and i'm still dealing with it.

so.. come on in and share your stories.. i want to hear them and i want us to support each other until we are all at our goal weight!

M&Ms have always been one of my favourite snacks, especially when studying or writing. I would often eat them secretly - buy a pack at eat them when nobody else was around, as if somehow it wasn't as unhealthy if nobody knew about it and couldn't say anything negative to me. This pattern I now recognize as completely messed up, but the entire time I was growing up my mother and grandmother were always chiding me for eating certain things or certain amounts...I suppose I developed the habit because I was sick of their criticisms! I'm sure others have experienced this urge to keep their eating hidden, especially the unhealthy indulgences. I think that habit made me eat a lot more than I otherwise would.

Anyway, chocolate is a big weakness for me but I'm trying to reduce my body's taste for it. When I want a taste of chocolate I have a Cadbury thins dark chocolate bar. It's 100 calories, and although it's not a large amount of chocolate it is good quality and it's enough to have a taste.

Now time for my morning treadmill!

Hi Ya'll, I would like to join this club. I started my new eating plan,(not a diet, they don't work!) at 245 pounds. I now weigh as of this morning 200!!! I have been working at this for about a year and a half. I have had my ups and downs. Last summer I was down to 193. Then I gained up to 218 and now I'm down to 200. I plan on making it this time. I think the forum and being in contact with you guys will help a lot. Thanks for being here.  A little bit about myself. I was born 49 years ago and weighed almost 10 pounds. I have always said it just went up from there!! I was a fat baby, fat kid was the hardest. I never had relationships in school because no wants to play with the fat kid. In turn I have always been an introvert. Eating allways filled the lonliness and well made me feel better. I am married to a great guy who has never had a weight problem. We have 3 kids and adopted 3 others. Our oldest is 32 and our youngest is 3. So I do stay pretty busy. I have always been blessed,I feel of being a stay at home mom. Course then there is the eating being alone all day. Oh well, I am ready for a change for good  and help anyone else along the way. Thanks guys linda

Hi lindanglin, gaidins, and nomo!  This group is getting bigger, while we're all getting smaller!  Whoo hoo!!

What's up everybody?  I've been so busy the last two days, I haven't had time to post. . . I hope you're all doing well and having a good food and exercise day!!

Here's a short story.  Today, I suprised my OB/Gyn.  I hadn't been in for 3 months and my weight had dropped 32 pounds since my last visit!  He didn't notice.  I said, "excuse me, but has my weight changed since last time?"  He looked and said, "Whoa!  Yes it has!! What are you doing??!?"  Needless to say, he was impressed (he's a little pudgy himself :D), and asked how I'd done it.  I told him and mentioned CC, and he said he thought that was great!  YAY!  I never thought my annual would be "fun," and it still wasn't, but his reaction sure did help!  haha!

In two weeks (cross your fingers and toes for me), I have my first set of bloodwork to see how the cholesterol is doing.  My Gyn also ordered a thryoid panel because I told him I've been really cold even though it is summer, yet sweaty at night, and I also have really dry, flaky skin and some other signs of a possible thyroid imbalance . . . eek!  Hopefully, all--including the cholesterol and thyroid--will be well.  :) 

Hi, I need help too. I'm probably the biggest person on this weight lost thread. My current weight is 340 lbs and I'm trying to lose 100lbs by December 2007. I need your help and support. Anything that you can give me I'm willing to try and incorporate it in my diet. I want to be healthy, I want to move, and I want to take my life back!!!

Welcome to all the newbies.

Sunshine... all you need to do is start somewhere.. where do you want to start? Eating helathier, being more active?

I don't suggest you try to start everything all at once but one of those is totally possible :)

What's important?

Hi Sunshine!  I'm glad you joined us!  This group is wonderful, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it and learn from lots of folks, just like I have.  :D 

I agree with Hk.  You're doing something fantastic for yourself, and this can be a fun, positive journey your on towards better health.  It might help to start with small goals, though, and not "lose X pounds by Y day" because that puts pressure on you to do something your body may do and may not do.  Maybe think about a few small things you CAN control right now and on a pretty regular basis, like cutting out sugary drinks and foods, logging what you usually eat and then cutting the calories by X amount, or drinking more water and eating more fiber and less salt.  Of course, what you choose is up to you!  :) 

Have you used the tools on the site yet to figure out calorie allowance and expenditure stuff to get to your goal by Dec. 2007?  If not, it is really helpful!  If so, good for you--you're ahead of where I was when I started!  :D

Anyhow, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask this bunch!  They're all helpful and friendly, even Hk (haha, just teasin'--he's great!) 

And, if you want, feel free to add me to your friends list and I'll do the same with you!

Hi guys. Well I have 105 pounds to lose. I'm 225 right now, and my ideal weight would be about 120 pounds. I have a skinny body frame. I'm big everywhere except with my arms. Seriously..I have liked chicken arms right now. I used to be a really skinny kid until I turned about 10 and started getting curves and boobs. In high school, I was about 160-180.

Now at 23, I'm the highest I have ever been.  I never imagined myself gaining this much or even reaching 200 pounds. Yeah, I was in denial. Even if I reach 150 pounds, I'll be happy. So yeah I have been overweight for a long time and I'm tired of it. So I decided to make a change in my life, not just dieting but a lifestyle change. This is something I want to stick by for the rest of my life.

I joined this site so I could push myself and make it serious. I'm a very private person and I would never post anything online like this..especially having other people know my weight! My parents who I haven't seen for over a year don't even know I weight over 200 pounds. Last time they saw me, I was around 170-185. I was too ashamed and guilty to tell them about it.

Welcome rena!!!  As you can see, your not alone.

I think puberty is some sort of cruel joke by nature. :)  I wish I had your wisdom when I was your age. 

Love your chicken arms, girl!!! Seriously, I would kill to have chicken arms right now.  :)  When I wave only my hand would be moving ;)

Hang in there.  This isn't going to be an easy journey.  The good news is there are lots of people here going through or gone through the same thing.  So lots of great support from our melting pot community :)

(((((HUGS)))))

Hey, skinnywillbe thanks so much for your support and I love your screename.

If I was all alone I don't think I would have done anything about the weight-gain but having my boyfriend who supports me helps me a lot. Plus going on this forum keeps me on track.

I pulled my hair back today and I noticed how much more rounded my face than 2 months ago. *sigh* I wish I was one of those skinny girls who could eat anything and wouldn't gain anything. Oh well!

skinny- OMG.. have only your hand wave.. mwahha.. that's a good one.. heh

hey rena.. welcome to the club!  sometimes those "skinny" girls really don't eat whatever they want.. they usually have to watch what they eat too.. just not as much as those of us who have to lose.. :) 

anyway.. welcome aboard! 

Nah, I don't want to be one of "those" skinny girls that can eat anything, cause it will CATCH UP TO THEM EVENTUALLY!!!!!  :)  So I guess it is just better to learn the right way to nuture ourselves  and hopefully the rest of our lives will not contain the dreaded weight war.  Oh we will always have the battles here and there, but (at least I think, I HOPE) once we reach our goals, we will only have the little struggle of a few pounds to deal with not the over whelming amount we have right now. :)  I hope that makes some sense. 

wave *wiggle* wave *wiggle*  wave *wiggle*  ^>^  

Hey, folks!

I think this is the place for me. I started my journey in January (like my bio says - the umpteenth time, but this is the one - the time is now). At that time I was 405 lbs - now I'm down to 369 - only 200 to go! I think that makes me the biggest Sunshine! I'd say sorry but somehow that doesn't seem right:)

I'm taking things as they come. Making changes one at a time.Slow but steady wins the race:) Actually, this reminds me of something I read from Mark Twain, it went something like :

Habit is habit and no man can just toss it out the window. It has to be coaxed downstairs, one step at a time.

Thanks to all of you for being here and responding to my need for help. I've been addicted to food for so long and it is really hard to break this cycle. i look at my big overlapping belly and wonder if i will every be able to wear low-riding jeans, nice fitted tops or every even a bathing suite. It's really hard for me, i set a new goal of 50lbs by Jan. 2007.

I have to start somewhere ultimately I need to lose over 150lbs.  Can anyone one offer any tips on excersises? I walk now for about 30 minutes, but that is even difficulty on my ankles and knees, sometimes I just want to roll up and cry. Tears are falling now as I write my feelings down, I feel so lost...

H E L P!!

P.S. Thanks for being my friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

mydivinesunshine.... just think of your screenname.... that should make you smile!  Discouragement is easier to come than positive self talk....  I, like you, can get discouraged if I look too closely to my body, however, I force myself to think positive and be grateful for the wonderful parts of my life.  I'm a woman of faith, so I know that I can do this.  We can't do it alone!  Think about it like this....

You're standing there with 5 lb. weights in each hand.... you lift them up so they are straight out from your body.  At first, can you hold them very long?  No...  your arms start shaking, you start thinking, "I can't", but then a friend walks up and puts a few fingers under one of the weights.... then another friend walks up and puts a few fingers under the other side.  In your mind you think, I can hold on a little longer...  Losing weight is like that too... DON'T do this alone... gather a support group around you.  This site is a wonderful site to find friends in the same situation! 

Think about diving sunshine today!  You can do it!  ONE pound at a time... don't think long term, it's too far out.... Get through today, my friend!  :)  Call on us when you need it!

Thanks so much, Bstillnw8..

I really appricate your wonderful words of encouragement. One day at a time is perfect for me. I will keep my head high and and remember that there are people out there that understand the stand the way that feel.

obsidyan, Congrats to you!! how did you do it? I'm where you use to be? I need to know what you did day by day??? Excersises, meals, motivations??? Girl you are awesome. Your new friend, Reese

hi just signed up - and i'm 279 right now the biggest thing for me is get motivated to exercise and stick with a meal plan - i am healthy and want to stay that way know i need to lose some wt.  - Alice