Anyone out there like me?

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bama1030
bama1030 Posts: 4
in Introduce Yourself
Hi, I joined MFP months ago, but was discouraged when I input my plans for diet and exercise, and the results told me I could expect to lose only 6/10 of a pound per week on a 1200 calorie diet with 30 min exercise 5 days a week. Now I'm back to try anyway. My friend at work has lost almost 40 lbs using MFP, so I am inspired to have a go at yet another diet.
My background: Obesity runs on my mom's side of the family - I started packing on extra pounds during puberty, starved myself down to less than 90 pounds as a teenager, and have been fluctuating up and down ever since, ranging between about 108-159.
I'm just 5' tall, a small person with the appetite of an NBA basketball player - how unfair!
During my 20s, 30s, and 40s, I lost and gained many times, always going on extreme diets, very low calorie, fasting, taking diet pills (phentermine mostly.) Now, in my 50s, sometimes it feels like I used up all my willpower in my younger years.
Now it's hard for me to work up the motivation to go hungry and exercise regularly - when I get home from work, I'm tired and my will is at it's weakest. I've been a distance runner, been into aerobics, weight training, yoga, and also like to camp, hike, and kayak.
Now I'm 57, and it's not really about trying to look great; rather, it's the health issues I worry about these days. I've been on blood pressure meds and cholesterol meds for a long time, and am also hypothyroid. I want to prevent having heart attacks and kidney failure like my dad, or strokes and diabetes like my mom.
Otherwise, I've been married to a good guy for 37 years, have 3 adult children, all who have broken my heart at least a thousand times, and 3 gorgeous grandchildren.
My diet is relatively healthy - lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains - actually was a vegetarian for about 20 years, and am fairly knowledgable about nutrition and health issues. My biggest problems are portion control and my affinity for pasta and desserts, especially ice cream.
I used to be able to go it alone just fine with my weight loss programs, but now I could use a little help from my friends.
Wishing everyone the very best of success! :happy:

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