momma j

cajun2

:embarassed: I have gained some much weight I am embarassed to go out sometimes. Need to get back into shape that I was before I got married. Hope anyone out there knows what I mean- you get relaxed after you get married and kinda let yourself go.
Want to get healthier. Help.....

BrenNew

:embarassed: I have gained some much weight I am embarassed to go out sometimes. Need to get back into shape that I was before I got married. Hope anyone out there knows what I mean- you get relaxed after you get married and kinda let yourself go.
Want to get healthier. Help.....

Hi, and welcome! :flowerforyou:
I know EXACTLY what you mean about letting yourself go after getting married. Though, I think I referred to it in my profile as "happily contented"! :laugh: :grumble:
Between the easy to use food counter (which by the way is SUCH an eye opener!) and all the wonderfully supportive members, you WILL be able to lose the weight that you want to, AND, it'll "almost" be easy doing it!
I recommend logging ALL your foods BEFORE you have them, rather than later, as it tends to lead to better food choices. (not to mention you'll know if you've got enough numbers left to have a night time snack, like I ALWAYS try to do!) Some people also like to weigh and measure some things, such as meats, rather than just estimating and possibly being WAY off! :noway:
Don't go making the mistake that if you have LOTS of numbers left at the end of the day that you'll lose even faster, because that DOESN'T happen. Feel free to read any info about the site in the "help" section at the top of the home page. And also, under "all topics", then "general", and check out the first few threads. They'll really help you understand how MFP works.
Before coming here, I had tried just about EVERYTHING out there, including hypnosis, TWICE, and nothing really worked until MFP!
Also, drink LOTS of water, it REALLY DOES help! :drinker:
As far as exercise goes, it doesn't always have to be awful. For my exercise, I walk almost every day, (weather permitting!) I also dance to a fast oldies CD that my husband made up of all my favorite old songs. (Like "Love Shack", Wild, Wild West", "Mony, Mony", "Footloose", and "Gloria")
It's free, (unlike a gym!) fun, and I can even watch tv at the same time, so I never get bored! :happy:
I also recently aquired the Wii Fit, and jog to that, which is a lot of fun, and easy too!
So, to make a LONG story short, make good food choices, eat in moderation, get some exercise, and you WILL lose the weight that you want to!

rochelle971

Oh Gosh, ME TOO!!!

The last straw, was a couple of weeks ago, I was at JC Penny's and I just felt all-out ashamed of how I looked. It was like I was the only "big-girl" in the room. The next day I asked my hubby to add me on to his gym membership and I joined myfitnesspal.com The rest is history. Sometimes it takes a little humiliation to get us back on track.

Slow and steady wins the race. Come on in...


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Calorie Counter

cajun2

Thanks that helps about the listing the food ahead of time, that way you can make changes accordingly. I appreciate it, keeping my fingers cross will keep ya posted.
Have a great day!

cajun2

Rochelle thanks, it just seems like I keep buying bigger, and bigger clothes. When I got married I weighed 120# now don't even want to think about it. It is nice to know there are other peeps out there I can talk to about this. My husband is super skinny now and I think he gave me all his fat (l0l). Honestly though he has been sick, and I am a stress eater so the sicker he is the fatter I get, eikkkkk.
Thanks for responding will keep you posted.
Hugs!

gunswife

Welcome! I completely understand and I have just recently reached my breaking point as you have as and decided no more!!! Congrats on your decision to join and be healthier!!

weaklink109

To Cajun2 and anyone else who has reached their "breaking point" I was there in April and my ticker tells the story of how far I have come . Below is something I came up with in June and posted then. I call it the "Ten Commandments of Successful Weight Loss" I hope it might help you go on track and stay on track:


After fighting the battle from the time I was about 11 years old, I have learned a few things that I would like to share, so here are my 10 Commandments of PERMANENT Weight Loss:

1. "Normal" is what you make it. So I have changed my "normal" diet to one that does allow me to have things I like, but in moderation. I LIKE breads, and pasta. Thus, although I lost on a low carb program, Adkins is not comfortable for me, long term, so when I went off of it, I gained.

2. Veggies are your friend. In addition to the nutrients they provide, and "good carbs," they are very filling. They can help you reduce your calories and not feel you are starving to death.

3. You can EAT ANYTHING you want, if you P L A N for it, calorie-wise speaking. When I have a special occasion or a dinner out where I know I will be exposed to things I like but don't have everyday, I don't have to deprive myself, because I can go into the MFP database ahead of time, figure out the caloric "cost" of different things and plan how to order. Many restaurants have nutritional information on their websites, which is also helpful for this purpose.

4. People who severely limit their calories will lost, BUT as soon as they try to eat any additional, they will gain very easily. This is because the body becomes too "efficient" by slowing the metabolism to get by with less. The way around this that has worked well for me is "Zig zag calories." You can google it and get all kinds of info, but simply put, you eat MORE on a given day, on a regular basis. For me, every 3 -4 weeks, I will do a day where I might have 2000-2200 calories on a given day. This is different from the other days, where I have 1200-1400 per day.

This WORKS. I lost 20 lbs. in 9 weeks. I have NOT been hungry. I am not feeling deprived. I have foods in my kitchen that would normally send me in to "binge" mode, but they don't bother me now, because I know I can have them, as long as I take into account what else I will be able to eat that day.

5. EXERCISE matters!! I haven't started strength training yet, for reasons of time and practicality, BUT, I am the queen of walking. I average 20-28 miles a week. It is free, can be done by most anyone, baring physical limitations, and if you get yourself a cheap MP3 player (it doesn't HAVE to be a spendy IPOD) load some fast tunes on it, you will be surprised how quickly the time flies.

If you are trying to lose and you are only doing strength training, you are going to be disappointed with the results in terms of pounds lost, but you will likely firm up, build muscle (helps boost your metabolism) and be more toned, so include some cardio for a complete program of exercise.

6. Be responsible for what you put in your mouth. I have heard, and used all the excuses. "It was there" "I was hungry" "My boyfriend made me go to the pizza parlor" 'or to Baskin & Robbins." (ice cream chain for those that are not familiar w/the name) That last statement may be true, but he didn't hold a gun to your head and FORCE you to eat 5 slices of pizza instead of having one slice and a salad!! and no one threatened you into having a 3 scoop banana split instead of a child size dish of your favorite flavor.

7. People who log their foods lose more weight than those who don't . Thank goodness for MFP!!! People who have a support system, whether family, friends, or online --such as right here-MFP!! are more likely to be successful over the long term than those who don't.

8. People who make permanent changes in the way they deal with food and how and what they eat will lose, maybe not as fast as on a crash diet, but they are much more likely to lose PERMANENTLY!!

9. Be sure to eat enough PROTEIN, and GOOD FATS (Nuts, Avocados, Fish oil/ Omega 3's). The protein will keep your body from consuming muscle to survive, and the fats will help you feel satisfied and avoid the "hungries."

10. Don't use a screw up as an excuse for "falling off the wagon" for the entire day, or week, or month. "I ate a bunch of cookies, so that makes me a failure, therefore, l will eat an entire pizza!!" Hey while I am at it, lets get a burger a fries and a milkshake for lunch tomorrow!!"

And on a related note, remember "FOOD is intended as FUEL." --NOT a source of comfort. Think of it in those terms, and find other ways to satisfy your emotional needs and you will succeed in the long run.


To cajun and anyone else who is a woman, over 50 or close to it, check out this thread under support and motivation:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/64810-women-ages-50-for-september

Good luck to all.:flowerforyou:

MOMOFTWO29

Hello and welcome to MFP, the best website ever!!! You will love this site if you don't already. I love this site. It is so motivational, supportive, helpful, easy to use, and everyone is so nice and friendly. I just wanted to wish you a lot of success on your weight loss journey. You can do this!!!!!!!!!!! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

cajun2

:happy:Guess what everyone- lost 6 # since I started I am very excited. This is definately the best website ever!
I can even do this from work so if I eat anything that I shouldn't I automatically put in in my food menu and that has worked awesomely. It is really keeping me on track.
:bigsmile:

cajun2

:flowerforyou:
Weaklink109: What you said was awesome and meant alot to me.
This is the kinda of stuff you need to here.
I would with most skinny minnies, so you know what I mean. It gets frustrating cause they stop eating for a day and lost the weight they want- I have to work really, really hard to to keep this off.
I actually did fall off the wagon on day at work- we had doughnuts, inside my head I am screaming no don't eat that but my stomach was like come on only one....eikkk! The stomach won but the next day I was right back on the plan.
I am definately eating more vegs and starting tomorrow starting my walking plan.
If the weather holds I want to be out everynight, if it doesn't I have a treadmill.
Will keep ya posted, thanks!

cajun2

:explode:
I had a really bad week at work and pigged out- it was aweful! But I am getting right back on that work out horse and food diary monster. Plus I had a wedding and we ate and drink- "what was I thinking" Eikkk! I refuse to get down on myself for a slip up, I am now more determined than ever to make this work.
Wish me luck and do a quickie prayer for me too!
Hope you are still doing well, keep up the good work!

BrenNew

:explode:
I had a really bad week at work and pigged out- it was aweful! But I am getting right back on that work out horse and food diary monster. Plus I had a wedding and we ate and drink- "what was I thinking" Eikkk! I refuse to get down on myself for a slip up, I am now more determined than ever to make this work.
Wish me luck and do a quickie prayer for me too!
Hope you are still doing well, keep up the good work!

We ALL have slips! But with MFP, we know that we CAN get right back on track and CAN lose the weight that we want to! You CAN do this!

cajun2

How are you doing? Have you lost any more?
What a battle!:explode:
I slid back to the old ways and am trying to get back on that horse.:brokenheart:
It will just take alot more will power on my part, no family support on this for me- by my lonesome.
You hang in there too!
:bigsmile:

BrenNew

How are you doing? Have you lost any more?
What a battle!:explode:
I slid back to the old ways and am trying to get back on that horse.:brokenheart:
It will just take alot more will power on my part, no family support on this for me- by my lonesome.
You hang in there too!
:bigsmile:

I'm doing fine, though since I'm pretty much at my goal weight, I've just been juggling and see sawing with the same 5 or 6 pounds for the last 9 months or more! :laugh: I'd LIKE to lose another 5 or 8 pounds, but, with the way that I love food, and no doubt my body saying "ENOUGH ALREADY!" I'll probably just continue to see saw from now on.
I'm sorry you don't have any support at home, but, here at MFP, you have LOTS AND LOTS! We ALL know JUST what you're going through! So just keep plugging away, and take it from me, the weight WILL come off! :happy:

cajun2

:explode: I am back, I feel bad I was gone for awhile. Got very lazy...but I plan on watching and eating right again and working out. My goal is to get a big dog in the spring to walk with. I have a little dog who is a maniac but sweet. I want to lost this weight by my birthday in June. I have all the equipment and knowledge to do it and just can seem to stay on track. You are right this the best site ever.
I just need more discipline.
Thanks!:bigsmile:

BrenNew

:explode: I am back, I feel bad I was gone for awhile. Got very lazy...but I plan on watching and eating right again and working out. My goal is to get a big dog in the spring to walk with. I have a little dog who is a maniac but sweet. I want to lost this weight by my birthday in June. I have all the equipment and knowledge to do it and just can seem to stay on track. You are right this the best site ever.
I just need more discipline.
Thanks!:bigsmile:

You CAN do it! If I did it, with the way I LOVE food, than anyone can! :laugh:

weaklink109

Hi Cajun-

Remember, "Every day is a NEW day."

I am not losing as quickly as I was at the beginning, but I am still losing, slowly and steadily. I know that realistically, I will probably NOT make 100 lbs. gone by April 2010, but even if it takes me 6 months longer, it is still worth it.

Hang in there.