hard day :(

Awwww, Sweetie! We all have our hard days. Here is my story:

I was never the "fat girl" growing up. I was always a size 5 - 7 and could eat what I wanted.

Then I went to college --- can we say Freshman 15?
Then I got married ---- gained probably 20
Then I had baby #1 --- gained probably around another 20
Then I had baby #2 --- add about 10
Then....I quit smoking ---- add about 50 :blushing:
Before I knew it..I was 260 and a size 22W. I felt like I was just made to be big and it would never change.

I just started watching what I ate and got down to 250. Then in December 2011 a friend of mine asked me to be on her team for a "Get Movin Challenge" that was held by our local Hospital. I am ferociously competitive, so I agreed. Starting Jan 1, 2012 I changed. I started exercising every day and using MFP to count my calories. I also slowly started eating more clean.

The "Get Movin Challenge" ended on March 27th. I had lost 34.2 pounds and lost 8 inches on my waist. I also WON!!

Now 8 months later, I have lost 65 pounds, and 5 dress sizes! If I can do this, YOU CAN DO THIS! We all get discouraged looking at such a large number. Make yourself little mini goals to hit along the way.

Some of mine were / are: I wanted to be able to run 1 mile (met), to be able to wear heels again (met), wear my "real" wedding ring, instead of my "fake" ring (met), ONEDERLAND!! (met), to weigh less than my husband (almost there!), to be able to take a family picture without embarrassement (hopefully this fall).

Best of luck to you, and that is one pretty baby you have in your profile pic!

I totally know how you feel. I was the fat girl growing up. From about age 3, I had extra weight. I dieted at age 14 and took off 50 pounds, but not the healthy way (starvation) and so it quickly came back on. I lost weight again (thru exercise and eating better) at 18 and kept it off for maybe 5 years. Then I lost about 80 pounds at age 25-26 and kept it off till I got pregnant at age 28. It's now 10 years since I had my son and at my biggest, I was 310 til April 2011. I lost over 50 lbs. since then, but in the last couple of months, gained back close to 10. I was still exercising and eating pretty well, so the gain was like ????. Well, I guess I did get a little sloppy on my eating, but not what I would consider enough to gain. Oh well, you can't go back in time, you can only move forward. I joined this site TODAY, b/c I really feel like it's my last hope....or it's gonna be gastric bypass. I was never happy being overweight and I really want to get below 200. I am currently about 270 (I'm 5'6"). My advice to you is do not give up. After you have kids, it's really easy to gain weight. I never had such a hard time losing as I do now....so it's easier when you are younger too.

Chop your goal into manageable pieces so you have lots of victories and lots of successes. One BIG goal is just too daunting- like eating an apple all at once.

Set some measurable goals (scale weight, inches, BMI, etc) but plan for NSV's (Non Scale Victories) as well like being able to climb stairs without stopping, fitting into an old pair of jeans, things like that.

I set my goals about 5 lbs at a time. Right now I am at 241. My next goal is 239. And then I want to get below 235, and then under 230. My bigger goal is somewhere around 220 by October. That's what I am inching down to.

If you concentrate on achieving the little goals, the big goals come up faster than you realize.

I don't have much of a story to share. But I have gained weight and been pretty down about it for what seemed like forever at the time....when you go into your closet to get dressed and nothing fits. That's sure to put you in a really bad mood that lasts for days/weeks/months. I've been there.
I have to say that you are bigger than this "food thing." YOU CAN DO THIS....YOU'RE MEANT FOR MORE THAN THIS!!!
Please DON'T GIVE UP! If you do, you're giving up on yourself and your family. They need you.
Remember, it's baby steps. The weight doesn't come on overnight and it takes a while to get off, but you can do it!
Blessings to you in your journey. Stay positive! You are in the right direction! KEEP IT UP!

During my adult life I have lost 49 pounds and gained it back and a lot more, lost 65 and gained it back and 5 more. Lost 44 and gained back 15 before I landed here and in 2 weeks I have lost 7 and I love this sight. I agree you should break it up into smaller goals and I think you will be encouraged with each pound gone and pretty soon you will be where you want to be. But you and I both know that is when the real job begins - maintaining our weight. We can do it. We have this tool and these people to support us. Good luck. Add me is you need extra support. I've been there. I don't want to go there again.

We all have hard days, and mine was a couple days ago. No matter what stage your in, it may feel like it is forever away!!

Take it day by day and remember change can happen, You CAN do this......we are behind you......add me if you want to be friends.
The more the merrier.

Be easy on yourself and be in the moment, you deserve that! Stay positive....we are all here for you!!!!!!!! Here's to drinking more water and lots of veggies!!
Lynn

Rachel.....huni...you cant fix yesterday......only today with hope for tomorrow. Comeon now huni.....you're young and have so much in front of you.

I know how frustrating it is to lose and gain and lose and gain ad nauseum. Im gonna share this with ya....Its good and bad.
BAD first:

Ive gained and lost for nigh unto 20 years. Ive been busted up big time thru the years. My parents were massively abusive....Ive got titanium joints pins plates and screws, Ive had a broken back twice and most recently a fractured neck from a semi truck versus me accident 3 years ago.

I tell you all that to show I gained mass amounts of weight every damn time I turned around. Id lose 100-130 and feel great and BAM! Id get lazy and gain it back or would have another surgery of some kind and be restricted in movement et al. I kept gaining ............and gaining........surgery...gain............surgery..gain......exercise ...lose....surgery ...lazy...gain. Well, y'all see where this landed ya?

It landed me here eventually. BUT the last year is what I wanna tell y'all about. I got sick last year...flu like symptoms. I work full time and when I got sick I was out for 8 days. NOT GOOD. I got better but noticed something. Hmmmm in this time frame I "somehow" gained 40 freakin pounds!!!! Not because I was eating bad food.......but because I wasnt moving. I went to work and I came home PERIOD END OF STORY. I got sloppy. I eat, and have for the last 10 years, very healthy but now as healthy as Im eating Im still not doing anything. Work...home...work..home ?? get it.

Fast forward to late summer. Now Im noticing I cant breathe very good. OMG Ive got horrendous asthma. Ive seen the specialists, Ive had thousands in tests and medicine. But damnitalltohell, I STILL CANT BREATHE!!! OMG now they say I have UARS and SDB and must use a BiPap at night WITH OXYGEN bled into it. My Oxygen levels drop into the 50s when I sleep and into the 80s just sitting still. NO one can explain why . BUT I STILL CANT BREATHE during the day ...I cant go for walks, I cant go shopping, hell I cant even clean now

---

because I CANT BREATHE good.

Fast forward to the first of JULY--this year. I end up in the hospital with a systemic bacterial infection, infectious cellulitis and a raging UTI. While Im there they discover (???) that my oxygen levels suck. LMAO I busted out laughing and said "No *kitten*"

It was while in the hospital that they discovered and I was told that my breathing trouble isnt from years of smoking (thank GOD I quit a year ago).......it wasnt from asthma.....the majority of my breathing trouble was my weight and inactivity. Those two things had caused the perfect storm and was severely affecting every move I made..or didnt as the case may be. It was also discovered that I had an issue with mold from an apartment I lived in. But the bulk issue was weight and lack of exercise affected my breathing to the point that I was having trouble walking a half block...no shopping no cleaning and it damn near took me out of work.

Ive lost almost 35 pounds since this hospital stay and can ALREADY feel the difference. I can breathe 80% better than I could a month ago. I can walk farther and Im off all the inhalers and medicines for breathing than just a month ago. Im excited and happy....I cant wait to feel the difference in another 50 pounds.

YOU CAN DO THIS Rachel......its gonna be hard little one...but a whole lotta others things are gonna be a whole helluva lot harder down the road if you dont take control now. I'm twice your age.......if I CAN do it....and I CAN AND WILL..............SO CAN YOU.

Lets support each other ok?? I've always got an ear to listen, a shoulder to lean on and a heart as big as all outdoors to support you....all you gotta do is reach out.......someone here will always be there to reach back...