*** Supportive Friends -- Looking to Release 50+ Pounds ***

So many new faces here now I won't even try to catch up. Just wanted to all of you skinny chics know that I'm still here. I'm still on a rollercoaster with my inner ear issues and was not feeling well again these past 2 weeks. Becky - I can relate with you on the meds. These steriods are a killer. But at least they got me to a point where I can function again.

I know that half of the reason I'm not not feeling good is because of poor eating habits and not enough exercise, so I'm really pushing myself to eat less sodium and caffiene this week.

Great to see everyone posting here. Keep up the hard work. Take one day at a time.

Just a quick questions. Im wondering about how people say eating after x time effects weight loss? Is there any truth to this? Because I just finished dinner. I have a lot of calories left over but I don't think I'll be hungry again until late. Which is worse: eating late at night or not eating my calories?

misspinkshort: For me personally i think eating after 7 or 8 is worse. If I have extra calorie left over for the day, yea me!! But because you are winding down for the day and may not move as much, your not really burning extra calorie. But this is me personally because there are some people that say eat all your calorie. So do what you feel is right.

Had a decent day. Shoveled lots of snow today, it was really wet and heavy. Then Eve and I played in the snow, so hope that kinda makes up for not going to the gym. And don't know about the rest of the week. Tomorrow is a high of 50 then we are to get about a foot of snow on Wednesday. How crazy is that?!?

Hope everyone is doing well.

Julie

Hello,
I am really wanting to get into a healthy range of weight. I need to lose about 140 pounds. I am highly motivated and am looking for support! Yolu can add me if you'd like too!

Hi, you all can call me Jivvy. I'm 21 trying to lose 155lbs. Last year I have been slacking off with school so I gain back a couple of pounds.Hopefully I can drop 40 or more by summer.

Thanks for your response. That helps. I'm on day 10 of being sweets/sugar-free. So hopefully in the next week or two, those cravings will subside.

Also, your comment about the chick who posted, "Call me when y'all get serious" or whatever it was she said, made me lol. I needed that. thanks.

Ok so firstly long overdue responses:

Steph/Becky: I do have a mary poppins wardrobe, and at my lowest i was between sizes at about a 10.5-11 (uk, where the sizes only go 10, 12 etc) so I wore a 12 largely due to hips, boobs and bum which no matter what happens I'll always have..(mum calls it peasant stock...others call it childbearing hips), but very occasionally I bought a 10 when they fit. And yeah...they were loose but they wern't falling off or baggy...just kinda like i could do with people cutting clothes a little bit more generously for boobs and hips... And now...the clothes are the same size, a couple I can't squeeze into, and the rest are just tight (though mainly trousers... as tops and skirts all fit fine).

Steph: Also, don't sweat the meds, just like I said to becky it's not a *real* gain. It'll come off, especially if it's a water weight gain!...

Amanda/misspinkshort: I think protein bars/whatever are great for portability, but personally they do nothing to stop my hunger, a yoghurt and a piece of fruit/some rvita (do you guys have those there, they're like wholegrain crackers) with some fat free cottage cheese and carrot sticks/even a tin of tuna i've mixed with fat free natural yoghurt are my go-to things I keep in portioned tuppaware in the fridge and often have 1 or 2 options in my bag in addition to a cereal bar incase I'm really hungry at any point.
Also well done on the weekend, and don't sweat any small gains...it's about the bigger picture.
And I eat whenever I'm hungry, if I'm still hungry at midnight (and when i was studying and pulling all nighters a lot) then I eat at midnight. I make sure I have good things on hand so I don't grab rubbish all the time, but personally time has never been a factor for me at all! (infact for me not eating enough is a sure fire way to stall, whereas if I have that evening snack before bed I sleep better and seem to lose more).

Carla: I'm glad you had a good time, don't sweat the slip ups...you're more than strong enough to bounce back. I hope the being back on track whilst away is going ok...it's tough even when you *should* be able to be in control!

Becky: PLEASE STOP WEIGHING! you're back on track, you're hitting it hard, you've been here long enough to know it's either still the water weight, your body saying F***YOU for daring to try and undo all it's hoarding, the extra exercise you've been doing and your muscles freaking out...or it could simply be because you're glugging so much water. I KNOW IT SUCKS even when you *KNOW* it'll come off,,,but y'know what...who cares...it's just a temporary blippy number!!! Everyone (you especially) knows it'll come off and fast..you won't give your body any other option, it'll be running scared and towing the line very soon, but give it some slack whilst it readjusts...and until them PLEASE STOP WEIGHING!!! no good can come with obsessing with the silly number when it's all about the bigger picture!
But what I also wanted to say (other than kicking your *kitten*, just as you'd kick mine) is that you're doing awesome, murder mystery parties, going back to the gym, etc etc

hmay06: I refuse to look at the success boards ESPECIALLY when I'm in a bad mood, it only ever makes it worse (for me), infact, a lot of the forums make me want to scream...but yes youre not weird at all.

StephanieStC: I hit bumps all the time...normally every 7-10lbs I stall for a week or two and then if I stick with it it'll budge after me being more stubborn than my body. I don't deprive myself of things, if a "healthier alternative" isn't going to cut it...then I eat a smaller amount of the real stuff...or just exercise to offset a good amount of it... Some things the alternative does cut it...for example, making a homemade healthier verison of a burger with extra lean mince, loads of salad and some homemade healthy wedges skipping the bun does cut it for me...but some kind of variation on a chocolately dessert does not... I cook most of what I eat, so I chuck in WAY more vegetables to bulk out sauces and also serve it with vegetales so I can eat bigger portions (for me it often is about whether it *looks* like it's enough...so bigger portions with the same cals works better at tricking myself...for example the chilli I made yesterday had (in addition to vegetarian mince, puy lentils and kidney beans and the chopped tomato sauce...3 medium carrots, 1 leek, 2 medium onions, 2 courgettes (zuccini?), 2 yellow peppers, 1 parsnip, and probably some other stuff, but I can't remember...so it was AT LEAST 50% veggies...but at no real extra cost...

Sorry for anyone I missed!

And my update is I'm still here and I'm still doing fine. The lbs are coming off and i can see the difference it's making so I'm feeling good about that. The cycling is easier now that the snow is gone, even if the rain makes me look like a drowned rat!
I've had a really weird queasy stomach since Friday, so it's making eating really slow (though I don't feel like I'm going to throw up all the time anymore like I did on Friday). I think it must be a bug, and it's fairly sucky, but I can't complain too much, it just makes work a bit hard, and is making me really tired.

Til next time! x

So last night was my husband's night to "cook", and in non-surprising fashion, he stopped to pick up something on his way home. I don't have an issue with this...I knew it was coming and I prepared, which was good (I was under my goal at the end of the night!). My concern is that after I ate, my stomach cramped up a little bit, and only for a short period. He brought home KFC Country Fried Steak, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and biscuits. The only thing I can think is that the fried food (which I haven't eaten much of at all for the last few months) is what made my belly hurt. Could that be it, and is it normal?

Penny_Eclipse...thank you for posting this (in response to someone else):

PLEASE STOP WEIGHING!!! no good can come with obsessing with the silly number when it's all about the bigger picture!

Once I started seeing progress, I've been obsessed with "sneaking" on the scale every day, when I promised myself I'd only weigh in every other week. I needed this....

Hi! I'm Sarah. I'm not new to MFP. I've been using it for almost three years. I reached about my halfway point and was so happy. I felt great, I comuted by bike and ate great for long enough that it became second nature. I got a second job to occupy my mind and time while my husband went off to boot camp last year. It was so easy to maintain my weight even though I had stoped working out as regulaulry and vigirously as I had been, because my diet was still the same. Flash foward to to now and my life has compleatly changed! I don't work, and we are stationed in Germany, where the beer is fantistic and the food is fatty, starchy and AMAZING. On top of that my husband and I are together again. All those factors combined made it very easy to put back on almost 45lbs of all that weight I had worked so hard to loose! So I'm back. Back to the healthy eathing and workout regimen that worked for me so well before. My life has changed and I have to adjust my fitness habits to that, which is something I'd never thought about untill it happened. Anyway, I could really use a few more freinds for support and commidary. I have a huge weight loss goal but my husband is my motivation and insperation! He lost over 100lbs to follow his dream of joining the armed forces and here he is living his dream. And if he can do it, then so can I!

Despite the lack of sleep for taking care of my 2-months old baby and working all day, I managed to squeeze in an hour at the gym last night. Finally after almost three weeks at the treadmill and biking, I finally lost 2 pounds. I know it's a very small number but coming from a back to back delivery via CS, that's a victory for me. I'm 11 weeks post-CS and I'm planning to start 30 day shred today. I'll just try to modify the abs and the jumping part in the video. So wish me luck guys.

Julie: What a great NSV!!! Yay you!!!
StephanieSt: I’m with everyone else. After 10lbs or so I always seem to stall. I always figured it was my body trying to figure out what was going on 
MrsG2: sounds like something my hubby would do. If I say I’m tired and don’t feel like cooking his answer is a takeaway instead of him going into the cooking. I’d say the cramping was due to not being used to fried food anymore (which is great!!)
Sarahjay: what a fantastic attitude and your husband is a great inspiration. Welcome!
Misspinkshorts: That sounds like a good plan. I’m also not weighing in this week. Well done on getting the exercise in!
Jehan: I’m seriously impressed. My little girl turns 6 months old today and I’ve not managed an hour (and I’m at home on mat leave!).
Purplecookies: way to go!

So, I’ve not posted this week as its been hectic. I had a mommy meltdown on Sunday to my hubby about the uneven parental responsibility, feeling guilty about going back to work, not working out, feeling fat and ugly and being a bit depressed. I felt much better getting it off my chest and so far this week he has been more engaged. Thought baby was getting back to normal after being sick and then spent yesterday in a&e (the ER) with wee one. Suffering side effects from the antibiotics and a bit of a tummy bug. It was a very long day. I’m still tired today and I find that makes it hard to eat right. All I want to do is order a pizza and tuck in! I’m not going to but it is sitting there, the little fat angel on my shoulder say ‘eat it!!’. Trying to ignore the little bugger. Anyways, little one is sleeping so I’m going to do a quick sweep through the house to tidy up and then do some cross stitching!

Just saw this is a thread and not a group, oops!

I have never told anyone let alone an entire forum how I feel or what I weight. I'm overwhelmed. I'm a little fragile. I'm scared. I need support, and inspiration from people who have been where I am or who are here with me.

Courtney, I am 100% here for you, and although I wasn't exactly where you are (weight-wise), I too have all the medical and family issues, and I knew I needed to get things in check...and I did (and then I slipped, so now I'm re-getting things in check...) Lots of the people on here I've known for I'd say best part of a year now...probably more for some, and some I've just met since the start of 2013, but everyone is super-supportive, and it is totally the place to vent, rant, get upset, get advice and share the victories that come along. We're all up, and down, and honest, so don't feel you have to pretend to feel strong when you're struggling...we'll help if we can. So just jump on in, carry on sharing, and start using us for a bit of a support network.


As for me...I feel absolutely rubbish, I am utterly exhausted, since the weekend I've been literally dragging myself through the day like a zombie, having to get into work early and having to leave late. My stomach is playing up (I think I had a bug, and now it's gone it's just grumpy and too exhausted to get back to normal), my body is so tired that I have hot/cold flushes and dizzy spells, and when I do go to bed I seem to wake up about every hour if I'm lucky. I want to crawl into a hole and miss the next day and a half until it's the weekend and I can veg out...except I can't, coz my bf comes over on Friday night to stay for the weekend, and instead of curling up and he bought me (and him obviously) football tickets to see arsenal play on saturday. Which is amazing...but also the last thing that I want right now. He's been "unwell" (which is pretty incredible coz he never ever admits he's sick), and actually called in sick to work yesterday and spent the day sleeping...and he's only taken like 2 sick days in 3 years and would rather struggle through than take a day off. So he's now rested up and won't want to rest (as much) this weekend.
And I *know* I should take more time for me, and I *know* I need to rest up etc etc blah blah, but I've only been in this job for 3.5weeks, and I can't just take a day off because I'm tired...if I had some kind of visible symptoms I probably would, but this will make me seem properly pathetic. And I can't just not work late/come in early (like my bf says), because I leave when my hours are finished UNLESS there's a deadline and stuff has to go out...or I've been invited to go to site so I have to be in early in order to do a couple of things before we leave etc...I'm in an amazing opportunity, I can't just screw it up and not make a good impression this early on. I need to be making myself invaluable, so that when my 3 month probation is over they want to keep me forever and even consider paying me closer to a market-rate salary. So yes I'm exhausted, but I'm not complaining as such, as I know why it is...it's a huge shock to my system working full days and having a long commute either end, and at work having to function the whole time (unlike when I was temping and I could basically do it all in my sleep). But that doesn't stop me being frustrated with my body and wanting it to just man up and cope better... /rant (sorry!)

Welcome Courtney,
First? Excellent first move to post something!! I appreciate your honesty, because I know how hard it can be to post about your thoughts and feelings. That's why people start threads like this.

I started at 304 pounds, 5'10" and one day I realized it was time to take my future into my own hands. Here are some of the things that helped to get me started:
1. Positive self talk. Pick one thing you *like* about yourself. A lot of us spend time telling ourselves how fat we are, or focusing on the parts of our bodies we don't like. If I had a friend that spoke to me the way I speak to me? I'd dump them. Because they aren't helping me to feel good about myself. So I try to catch myself when I'm being mean to myself
2. Don't try to do it all. Trying to change your nutrition, add exercise, and whatever else was prescribed to you can be overwhelming. In fact, I'd be surprised if you weren't overwhelmed by it all! So pick one thing to work on first. Do it for a few weeks (they say 21 days to make a habit). Once it really is a habit, add one more thing.
3. Come back to MFP to get encouragement. Don't be afraid to ask for support, and try to offer support to others.

I am not entirely sure how to eat... the nutritionist spoke another language. I haven't had enough energy to workout (even at home) and I'm really embarrassed.

When I decided to change, I started by just tracking what I ate. I didn't try to change anything initially. It freaked me out when I started to pay attention to serving sizes and caloric intake. Today? I'm making better nutritional choices because I'm more educated. But it's taken a year+ for me to get to this point.
As far as exercise? I started to go for walks in my neighborhood, but I did them after dark because I was afraid of the judgment of my neighbors if they saw me out huffing and puffing. Turns out I think way too much about what other people think of me. I'm not losing weight for them, I'm doing it for me!

So welcome to MFP, good work on your first steps, and keep up the good work! :flowerforyou:

Hi My name is Jeff.

I have lost 92lbs so far. However I still have to loss about 62 pounds to be down my goal weight. I have always been a big guy even though I played a lot of sports when I was younger!

I would love to connect with you all. This is a great way to connect. If you all are interested I am on facebook? I'm also in a group on facebook with 1100 people to keep me motivated and encourage. Drop me a line if you are interested.