HELLLLPPPP!!!!

I have been hanging out on MFP since April of 2009, and was just musing on how far so many have come, but at the same time how far some still have to travel on their journey to better health. It has been a while since I posted the following, so for the benefit of those who haven't seen it, or who may need to see it again....here it is. Hope it helps!!

On my birthday April 2009, I had to renew my driver's license a few days before, and that picture was HORRIBLE. I looked at it a few days after my birthday and was thinking about spring, Easter, new beginnings, and a male friend who managed to lose 16 lbs. in 8 weeks just by using Smart Ones entrees for lunch and dinner. I am not suggesting this is a particularly well-balanced solution to weight loss, but the point is, he tried SOMETHING and it WORKED for him,

I knew I HAD to DO SOMETHING. I weighed more than I ever had in my whole life--looked awful, felt awful. Something had to change. I had to change. I decided the best birthday present I could give myself for NEXT year is to lose 100 lbs. My ultimate goal was to lose 120 lbs, basically half of myself!!:noway: (Additional Comment May 7, 2010--I didn't make my original time frame for reaching my goal, but I still feel much better off than had I done nothing)

I read that people who log their food consumption and exercise are more successful at weight loss, and the people who banish the word DIET from their vocabulary and make a LIFESTYLE CHANGE are more likely to lose and KEEP weight off permanently. With those points in mind I found MFP, and my ticker tells the tale. I didn't hit the timetable I originally set for myself, but as long as I keep at it, the scale continues to move in the right direction.

You CAN do this. Your mind can be your greatest ALLY or your biggest stumbling block. It all depends on how you approach things. Starving yourself, doing extreme eating programs may get you faster result, but as soon as you begin to eat "normally" again, your body will rebel and grab on to the calories and hold on for dear life. A slow gradual loss allows your metabolism to behave like a thin person, and eventually YOU WILL BE that THIN person!!

Below are my 10 Commandments of Weight Loss that I originally posted in June 2009 on this site:

"After fighting the battle from the time I was about 11 years old, I have learned a few things that I would like to share, so here are my 10 Commandments of PERMANENT Weight Loss:

1. "Normal" is what you make it. So I have changed my "normal" diet to one that does allow me to have things I like, but in moderation. I LIKE breads, and pasta. Thus, although I lost on a low carb program, low carb is not comfortable for me, long term, so when I went off of it, I gained. (9/2/10>I have since learned that my real issue was that artificial sweeteners make me crave carbs. Now that I know that, I have had much better luck with reducing carbs)

2. Veggies are your friend. In addition to the nutrients they provide, and "good carbs," they are very filling. They can help you reduce your calories and not feel you are starving to death.

3. You can EAT ANYTHING you want, if you P L A N for it, calorie-wise. When I have a special occasion or a dinner out where I know I will be exposed to things I like but don't have everyday, I don't have to deprive myself, because I can go into the MFP database ahead of time, figure out the caloric "cost" of different things and plan how to order. Many restaurants have nutritional information on their websites, which is also helpful for this purpose.

4. People who severely limit their calories will lose, BUT as soon as they try to eat any additional, they will gain very easily. This is because the body becomes too "efficient" by slowing the metabolism to get by with less. The way around this that has worked well for me is "Zig zag calories." You can google it and get all kinds of info, but simply put, you eat MORE on a given day, on a regular basis. For me, every 3 -4 weeks, I will do a day where I might have 2000-2200 calories on a given day. This is different from the other days, where I have 1200-1400 per day.

This WORKS. I lost 20 lbs. in my first 9 weeks. I have NOT been hungry. I am not feeling deprived. I have foods in my kitchen that would normally send me in to "binge" mode, but they don't bother me now, because I know I can have them, as long as I take into account what else I will be able to eat that day.

5. EXERCISE matters!! I didn't start strength training until after the start of 2010, for reasons of time and practicality, BUT, I am the queen of walking. I averaged 20-28 miles a week until November 2009. It is free, can be done by most anyone, barring physical limitations, and if you get yourself a cheap MP3 player (it doesn't HAVE to be a spendy IPOD) load some fast tunes on it, you will be surprised how quickly the time flies. (Additional Comment May 7, 2010--Now that the weather is finally warm enough and a bit dryer, I am getting back into walking. I spent the winter on my Gazelle)

If you are trying to lose and you are only doing strength training, you are going to be disappointed with the results in terms of pounds lost, but you will likely firm up, build muscle (helps boost your metabolism) and be more toned, so include some cardio for a complete program of exercise.

6. Be responsible for what you put in your mouth. I have heard, and used all the excuses. "It was there" "I was hungry" "My boyfriend made me go to the pizza parlor" or to "Baskin & Robbins." (ice cream chain for those that are not familiar w/the name) That last statement may be true, but he didn't hold a gun to your head and FORCE you to eat 5 slices of pizza instead of having one slice and a salad!! :noway: and no one threatened you into having a 3 scoop banana split instead of a child size dish of your favorite flavor.

7. People who log their foods lose more weight than those who don't . Thank goodness for MFP!!! People who have a support system, whether family, friends, or online --such as right here-MFP!! are more likely to be successful over the long term than those who don't.

8. People who make permanent changes in the way they deal with food and how and what they eat will lose, maybe not as fast as on a crash diet, but they are much more likely to lose PERMANENTLY!!

9. Be sure to eat enough PROTEIN, and GOOD FATS (Nuts, Avocados, Fish oil/ Omega 3's). The protein will keep your body from consuming muscle to survive, and the fats will help you feel satisfied and avoid the "hungries."

10. Don't use a screw up as an excuse for "falling off the wagon" for the entire day, or week, or month. "I ate a bunch of cookies, so that makes me a failure, therefore, l will eat an entire pizza!!" "Hey while I am at it, lets get a burger a fries and a milkshake for lunch tomorrow!!"

And on a related note, remember "FOOD is intended as FUEL." --NOT a source of comfort. Think of it in those terms, and find other ways to satisfy your emotional needs and you will succeed in the long run.

Good luck everyone.:flowerforyou: If even one idea in the above helps you, it has served its purpose.