Hello! I am looking for some support and motivation in getting back on track with eating healthy and exercising daily. I was doing great and near my goal weight when my dear husband died unexpectedly on my 31st birthday (April 7th, 2012). I continued to lose weight initially because I wasn't eating, but starting in June I started gaining. I think I pretty much gained everything I lost last year. It really makes me upset. I am definitely an emotional eater.. and I tend to drink as a coping mechanism too. I have two young children ages 4 and 18 months. I returned to work full time last month. It has been a good thing for me, but I'm still lacking motivation. I can't seem to force myself to make better choices.

Lois, I feel so badly for you. I'm sure you can do this....raise the grandson and lose the weight. You survived cancer. You can survive this too. It won't always be a bed of roses, but you can do it. Even though I don't know you, I just feel it in my soul.

adkarg, I also feel badly for you. I can't imagine having to raise 2 small ones by myself, but there are others on here who have that same circumstance, so I'm sure they will be wonderful support for you. I had the same issue with weight after my husband died. I couldn't eat and lost a lot, but about a year later started gaining and got to the heaviest I've ever been before I got serious about losing again. I am now close to my goal weight. If I can do it, I'm sure you can too.

You both have my deepest sympathies! I also congratulate both of you for taking the first step to becoming healthier. I suggest you find an exercise that fits with your schedule that you enjoy, or at least don't hate, start slow, and log your calories. You'll be surprised at how fast the pounds will come off. The exercise will also help you emotionally....at least it did me. Good luck and come back to this site often to update us on how you are doing....physically and emotionally. We care.

Wow ToobieFit, Your family really has been through a lot in the last couple of years. You have my deepest sympathies. My husband passed away in 2006, 3 months after we found out he had brain cancer. It was the toughest thing I have ever been through and the toughest I expect I ever will go through. I didn't have any children of my own, but my husband had 2 who were grown when we got married. They have children, so I have 5 step-grand kids...all who live in FL with me in TN. Anyway, my point was, that I don't know what it is like to try to raise children on your own, esp teenage boys. I hope you have a good support system around you. Also, I know some of the people on this site can help with suggestions....others in your situation.

I am an emotional eater too, so expected to gain weight after John died, but did the opposite. I didn't eat hardly anything for months. Nothing tasted good. So, I lost a lot of weight, but started putting it back on quickly after about a year. I got to my highest weight ever and decided enough was enough. I knew from past experiences that counting calories was the only way I could lose, so I started consistently using MFP. With tracking calories and exercising....I've started running and play tennis, I have lost 24 pounds since the end of Dec 2011. I'm sure you can do this. You want to for all the right reasons. Just stick with it, even when the scale doesn't move. It will eventually. Those scales can be MEAN. :devil:

I have sent you a friend request. I'll do my best to support you any way I can. Good luck and have a great day!

Julie, I'm glad you came back. I tend to forget to check this site sometimes, so sorry when I do. Are you exercising? I know you quit your :devil: trainer. Hope you have found a way to motivate yourself to keep going and doing what needs to be done.

I see you have lost 30 pounds. That's GREAT! Keep up the good work!

I was on vacation and went to a conference, so I didn't get much exercise for 2 weeks. I was afraid I'd be out of shape again, but, to my surprise, I am able to run almost the same pace as I did 3 weeks ago. I'm glad I didn't keep putting off getting back into it like I started to. The hardest step was the one getting me out of the door.

Hope you all have a great rest of the week! :flowerforyou:

Susan,

You have a very good reason for having not been on lately. I'm sure that once you get everything re-situated that you will be back on this site regularly.

I'm sure that finding all of those items from your marriage was very emotionally draining. It sounds like you are handling it very well. I have faith that you WILL get back on track soon.

Hope everyone is doing well. I had a fever on Thursday evening and now can't talk today, but feel much better. I think it is just something that is going around. And, I think being in good shape has helped it to not take too big of a toll on me.

Have a great evening. Let us know how you are doing. :flowerforyou:

Hi everyone

I am so excited. I joined a weight loss challenge and won!! I lost the most percentage of weight of the group. I am 57 so I feel that was an accomplishment since there was others much younger than me. I lost 13.3 percent,19.2 pounds, and 13 inches in 11 weeks since I joined the challenge a week late.

I am also vertically challenged at 5'1" and so it really showed. Being vertically challenged it shows alot if you gain or lose.
I gained 3 pounds on my vacation, but I still exercised while away. I am back on track this week and have lost a pound so far.

Since you cannot control life, this is one aspect I can control. Maybe that is why I have been able to keep on track. I don't know.

Good luck to everyone.

Dinah

Sounds like everyone is doing great! Sorry I haven't posted on here lately. It's been really busy, esp. this past week, and I was sick the week before that. I worked 3.5 days this week and one of the other days was spent with my mom and dad, driving around upper East TN looking at the fall foliage. We were about a week too late to see the peak colors, but it was still beautiful. We also made a detour to surprise my niece and nephew at LMU. Fortunately, when we got there, they were not in class. So, we had a really fun day. The other day was spent getting ready for and having a fundraiser at the local Pizza Inn for Relay For Life (American Cancer Society). We did good...made over $700. I still managed to get in exercise everyday, either running or playing tennis. I don't think that will happen next week as they are calling for snow and temps in the 30's. Yikes! I'm not ready for that!

Toobe: So glad you did the Alzheimer's walk in memory of your mom. I'm sure that did bring up all sorts of emotions, but it sounds like you handled it very well. I'm so glad that you now feel that you can get to your goal weight. I think the mental side is extremely important. If you see it as too big of a challenge, you'll give up quicker. Now that you know you can do it, I don't see you giving up ever. You can do this. And, yes, I have heard of FLYLady. Some people really love her site. I checked it out, but decided to not join. It may be just the thing you need. Let me know how it works for you and I may change my mind.

Dinah: Great job on that weight loss challenge. You're changes were amazing in all the categories, and in just 11 weeks. That's amazing! You're dong great.

Julie: You're ahead of me. I still don't have a smart phone. I started to get one the other day, but instead got a jetpack so I can use my Kindle Fire to access the internet where ever I may find myself. It was a little cheaper and will let me do anything I want/need to do.

Well, better go. I need to get ready to go for my run before the rain starts today. Hope everyone has a great day and upcoming week!

Hello: I am new to this site. I have gained 35 lbs from comfort foods since loosing my husband. Looking for support out there?

hi, im 29 and i lost my husband last month. I miss him every second of every day. We have a 4 year old together. I lost him suddenly. I am hoping that by losing weight, it will give me some happiness

I just joined MFP and this group, so hello all. I lost my husband of nine years on the 20th of Dec. He was 35 and I am 32. We have a 10 year old son and a 7 year old daughter plus custody of my 3 year old nephew. He had been diagnosed with Leukemia for 2 days before he passed away. I have joined a gym so that I can get healthy and be around for a long time to come for my kids. Please feel free to add me as a friend, I need all the help and support I can get!

I just joined MFP and this group, so hello all. I lost my husband of nine years on the 20th of Dec. He was 35 and I am 32. We have a 10 year old son and a 7 year old daughter plus custody of my 3 year old nephew. He had been diagnosed with Leukemia for 2 days before he passed away. I have joined a gym so that I can get healthy and be around for a long time to come for my kids. Please feel free to add me as a friend, I need all the help and support I can get!

I sent you a friend request, WERE IN THE SAME BOAT!! Were both young mothers, young widows and we both lost our husbands in Dec 2012. I am here ANYTIME u need someone to talk to.

Shastory, I am so sorry for your loss. It doesn't matter how long it has been, it can still affect us in so many ways. I think, now that you have realized what you are doing, you can get past it. If your husband was supportive of you, which I am assuming he was, you know that he would want you to lose the weight for your health and happiness. Next time you reach that point maybe write him a letter to tell him how you feel and again when you go below that point. I think you'll feel his love and be able to do this.

Good luck and feel free to add me as a friend if you would like.

Hey Tommy. Sorry about your wife. Cancer is a horrible disease. I agree that when I started weighing my portions, it was an eye opener. As you can see, this group hasn't been active in a while. I would love to see it start back up again. Maybe our posts will do it.