In it for the long haul, want friends who are too

I am in it for the long haul too. I have almost 200 lbs to lose. I sent you a friend request

I sure would love to help out! Add me as a friend.

I have a long way to go as well, and I am sending you a request!!!

My ticker says it all

I have100+ pounds to lose as well! MFP is a great place! I'll send you a friend add, if you don't mind!

Hi! I joined the site yesterday and I need to lose 100+ lbs. Feel free to add me!

I'm in this for the long haul as well. I'm half through and have been at it for about 18-months. I always welcome new friends.

I'min it for the long haul too I'll friend you.

Hi, Rae,
I am afraid I am in it for the long haul, too. I never had a weight problem in my youth -- but, no wonder, I took 4 ballet classes per week, from a very demanding, highly professional dance master (sometimes our toes bled right through the tips of the toe shoes) and also I showed event horses competitively. In college I was on a varsity polo team, plus swam and did downhill skiing for gym. After college I exercised Thoroughbred racehorses plus ran my own stable, training horses professionally. I gained 56 pounds when I was pregnant with my (only) daughter, but managed to lose all but 20 of it. So, that extra 20 hung on around my middle until 2005, when I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Then, they gave me massive doses of steroids for the operation, which had to be tapered slowly, even though they made me eat like a fiend, plus, I woke up paralyzed. I did succeed in learning to walk again, but I gained 62 lbs. from the ordeal, and have only lost 20 of them in the subsequent 7 years. It's been a see -saw -- lose 18, gain 22, lose 32, gain 40. I have done the hcg diet (a VLCD -- very low calorie diet), I have tried Sensa, raspberry ketones, prescription diet pills, green coffee extract, acai, rhodiola, and a no-carb (Adkins) diet. That last is the only thing that seemed to really work. But to give up all carbohydrates, to me, is practically everything that's any good --_!!!! Ice cream, bread, beans, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, chocolate. . . the only things I can eat are leafy greens (leeks, fennel, radicchio, lettuce, cabbage, chicory, kale, spinach, celery, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, bok choy, asparagus) and protein. Preferably fish or chicken. Although I gotta admit I cheat and eat steaks and hamburger in there, too. Sometimes I cheat with cheese. String cheese (low fat mozzarella) or cottage cheese. Oh, yeah, and I can also have apples, strawberries, grapefruit, or oranges. I figure a clementine is like an orange so I cheat with those too. No cherries, melon, berries, bananas. . .no avocado, plaintain, peaches, apricots, guava, mango, pineapple, coconut. . . sigh. I have SO much respect for overweight people, now. It is SUCH a struggle! Last time I lost weight I lost 32 lbs. in 8 months and kept it off for 2 years. Or more accurately, I didn't keep it off, it just took an entire 2 years to creep back on. Now I'm 3 days into a diet, again. I KNOW I won't be able to resist all the good food in life for the entire rest of my life (which is what it will take for me to stay slender) but I'm hoping to be able to stick with the diet 16 months, this time, instead of only 8, thereby losing all 64 pounds which I need to do to to get to my "ideal" weight of 177 lbs. Which sounds really high, except that's what a registered dietician concluded, with that test where they send small pulses of electricity through you to determine your true fat to muscle ratio (I forget what it's called). Actually if I could just get below 200 and stay there, I'd probably be satisfied with that. (Remember, I said the extra 20 hung around my middle for years, pre-tumor?) My most recent research blames my hormones (yes! I had a total hysterectomy/oophorectomy in 2004 -- my uterus and tubes were tumorous, too). It is supposed that my adiponectin is low (intermittent fasting -- every other day -- is what it takes to fix that) my ghrelin is high (no sleep deprivation is what it takes to fix that, yet I'm on call at the hospital at least 2 nights per week) I probably have insulin resistance (eat more magnesium) and my cortisol is high (do slow deep breathing exercises 8 times per day). And, oh yeah, I don't drink enough. 4 cups per day, and it's supposed to be 8. And needless to say I barely ride anymore -- I feel too sorry for my horses to expect them to cart my lardy *kitten* around any more. Still being lame, I can't run (I'll fall down) and have to walk slow. Although I could use a treadmill (since it has handholds). And I could use the hospital's equipment, for free! But so far I can't seem to psyche myself up enough to do it. I AM wearing a pedometer, at least, trying to get to 10,000 steps today (instead, I have been averaging between 4,000 and 6,000 per day, and as I say, they are slow ones.) I could sure use a buddy. There are times when I just give up, I just pig out on what is bad for me. I know I am undoing all the work of the last 2 or 3 weeks, and I just can't stop myself. It is so depressing!
Sincerely,
Candy

Hi! I'm in it for the long haul too! I finally have gotten tired of being unhealthy and overweight. I have struggled with my weight for most of my adult life and have tried all sorts of different exercise programs and changes to the way I eat. This time it just feels different and I'm finally feeling more motivated than I ever have. I have a supportive husband, but am also looking for some friends going through the same thing to share support with. I have about 70 pounds to lose, it looks like a big mountain most days, but I am determined to do it! Nice to meet you!