Looking to start over again

I'm in the same struggle. I'm 28 and my story matches yours except I lost 34 and have put back on 12. I stopped even updating my ticker with all the weight gains. I'm in the same boat.

You have got to be kidding me this is almost exactly the same as my story I am also restarting and I have 65 pounds I need to lose now. Add me I know your pain.

you all could make good buddies to each other. lol

Bottom line is you have to want to do it for yourself and find times/ways to get it done. Find a buddy to go to the gym, or come over and play dance party or boxing on the Wii, etc.

Just start tracking your food, whether you go over or under or whatever. I would just consistently do it and get in the habit of doing it, that in and of itself should eventually get you to the point where you want to consistently meet that goal. As far as exercising, I would find something that I like to do and just do it consistently.

Hi!!! I'm also in the same boat, I never stopped logging maybe missed a few days here and there but truly logged all the bad food I was eating. As of Monday I have been dedicated to keeping track and exercising at least 3 days a week. I also believe you should set baby goals and then increase them. For me my baby goal was to get back to exercising and drinking water and using portion control...so far so good....So GOOD LUCK! You can do it.

It's not uncommon to go through your experience.

We often move through several "phases" of fitness and, as someone who has been very active for years, I fall off my plan from time to time. It's the getting started part that is always the hardest. Once you are "back on track" for two to three weeks, you'll feel so good you'll wonder how you ever got away from being on a program of eating right and working out. You do HAVE to do both by the way, that's the best way to achieve lasting change, change your diet and exercise, they can both work on their own but adding them together supercharges the effect.

So, how to get re-started?

1. Remember that you've done this before, you can do it again. Tell yourself that often, maybe even write it down on an index card and read it daily.

2. Ask yourself "what happened?" Why did you lose the weight then put it back on? Can you identify any triggers? Anything specific that led to your "falling off the wagon"? Try to write those things down. Really think about it, what started your movement away from your goals and where you wanted to be? Was it a special event that you used to cheat and then never recovered? Did you think you had the fitness thing "whipped" and you could go back to your "old ways"? Try to find that motivator, and be on your guard for it this time.

3. Speaking of goals, what are yours? Why do you have those goals? What is the underlying reason for them? Instead of just saying "I want to lose 12 pounds" or "I want to reach 180 and maintain it" ask why you want to do those things. Something like "I want to reach 180 pounds by losing 6 pounds a month for the next xx months, and maintain it for life, so I can control my blood sugar" is a more effective thought process.

4. Shake things up. Maybe you got into a rut; maybe it's time to try something new. Did you run to lose your weight before? Try swimming. Did you do lots of cardio? Try "cardio weights" many gyms have the body pump style classes where you lift and get a cardio workout, maybe try one of them. Just try something new.

It all comes down to sitting down and really exploring the underlying conditions behind why you lost weight the first time, what worked for you then, what stopped working, why do you want to lose the weight now? Answer t hose questions and you are on your way, write them down and really think on them and expose yourself to lasting change!

GOOD LUCK!