Re-starting my weight loss journey!

Seajolly
Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
in Getting Started
I've been a member of MFP for years and successfully went from 168 lbs to 135 lbs over the course of a little over a year of dedicated work on my part, both with my diet and exercise! I was so proud of myself, and actually kept that weight off for over a year as well. I had finally felt like I had hit a comfortable stride, and keeping the weight off no longer felt like something I had to work at - it felt natural and I felt like my body had finally settled on a size. I was in women's size Small and even in some cases, Extra Small. A huge part of the reason I was able to get to that weight and stay there was from my job. I was working for a fitness clothing company at the time, where working out and eating healthy was a part of my job and day to day life!

Flash forward to now, about 6 months since I left that job and started working in a different career. My new career requires super long days at work, all of which are very sedentary. I am up at 6am daily and typically get home from work between 8-9pm. Then I eat a quick dinner, go to sleep, and do it all over again the next day. It's also a very stressful job, in addition to the hours being really long and me being on my butt all day, as opposed to when I was on my feet all day at the athletic company. In the past 6 months, I went from around 139 to 160!

I won't make any excuses for myself. I know that everyone has their hurdles, and mine happens to be a long, very sedentary work day. I am re-starting my weight loss journey, and am committed to working out 4-6x a week, no excuses! The food is less of an issue, but I am also committing to eating a lot cleaner, leaner, and greener! Would love some new buddies with similar goals if anyone wants to add me!

Replies

  • classicbizz
    classicbizz Posts: 14
    Welcome back!

    Best of luck with your goals xXx
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
    Thanks a bunch!
  • Katie1951
    Katie1951 Posts: 312 Member
    I would be surprised that most of us haven't re-started at least once. Good luck.
  • Adrannie
    Adrannie Posts: 2 Member
    I'm in the same boat as you. I lost 45 lbs, lost motivation and here I am a year later.....this time I'm sticking with it!

    I added you, I find that I have more motivation when I'm motivating others too :)
  • BayBay1956
    BayBay1956 Posts: 37 Member
    Yep, i am resarting also. Best of luck to you. Your story sounds a lot like mines, this sitting on your butt all day is for the birds. Now I walk for my 15 minute break.
  • missbp
    missbp Posts: 601 Member
    Good luck! You can do it!

    I live in Westchester NY. We are not that far from each other :)
  • ShadeBlossom
    ShadeBlossom Posts: 99 Member
    I'm on a re-start, too, for pretty much the same reason. Wonderful new desk job, but so little moving during the day.

    We can do it, though!
  • delaney056
    delaney056 Posts: 475
    I'm also restarting. I lost 35 pounds, lost motivation, and gained it all back over the course of 8 months. I'm determined not to enter my twenties fat. I will add you!
    Take baby steps and don't give up! I'll kick your butt if you kick mine ;)
  • geenah91
    geenah91 Posts: 2
    I'm in the same boat. I lost 16 or so pounds 2 years ago, and managed to keep the majority of it off up until recently. With a busy schedule between school and two jobs, the only time I had to exercise was on the weekends, and unfortunately I didn't try to compensate that with healthier eating/lower caloric intake. In addition to that, the holidays and lots of socializing have led to my weight creeping up, and a gain of about 10 of those lbs. I'm back to healthy eating and exercising, and I realize the struggle of re-committing yourself to it - I'm having this challenge myself! I'm trying to remind myself of the little ways that I was motivated to eat healthier and get off my butt before. Hopefully you can too! Try your best to recognize and embrace those reasons. And don't worry, we've all been here before. :)
  • SteffieMin2013
    SteffieMin2013 Posts: 3 Member
    I'm also restarting my diet. I had a really tough year, lost a parent, graduated from college, moved, started a new job, and got broken up with all in 2013. Now in 2014 I'm trying to start focusing on myself and my health. Welcome back to the restart!
  • nicholjenny
    nicholjenny Posts: 74 Member
    Good for you! I'm in the same boat. You can do it!
  • Wayne092
    Wayne092 Posts: 23
    I'm starting over too. Here we go....good day today. One day at a time.
  • holly1283
    holly1283 Posts: 741 Member
    I'm restarting also but mine is because of medication issues. Hopefully I'm leveling out and can get in the groove again. Good luck to all of you. We did it oce we CAN do it again.:wink:
  • Naturely
    Naturely Posts: 14 Member
    Me too!
  • ingridkrul
    ingridkrul Posts: 16 Member
    Better to re-start than not at all! I'm re-starting after over a year of losing my (healthy) way. All of us together, WE GOT THIS! :)
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    here.

    1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
    2. Make sure you eat enough.
    3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
    4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
    5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
    6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
    7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
    8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
    9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
    10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
    11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
    12. don't set time restrictions.
    13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
    14 BE PATIENT.
    15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
    16. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

    pretty much that.

    ...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

    the typical MFP users does this:
    1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
    2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
    3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
    4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
    5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
    6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
    7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
    8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
    9. Argument ensues about who is right.

    Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

    I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

    Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

    Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
    Take the tips, links, and info above and make the cart more manageable to stay on.
  • pattycakes10117
    pattycakes10117 Posts: 55 Member
    :smile: Sad isn't it that we have to start again. But thankful also that we have MFP to come back to. I too am starting back today. I am too heavy. I do sit alot of my day as Administrative Manger of a company. I have arthritis in my knees. If I sit too much they get stiff, if I walk to much they hurt. I do take medication for that ....just Over the Counter. But non the less for every pound lost is 3-4 off my knees. That is impressive.
    I have to try again. I lost interest the last time and really did not do great. So here I am again.

    I think you will be fine. You have a huge change in your job, but I think you will get it back on track. You know what it takes. My downfall is lunch. Only fast food around me....Chili's and pizza places. I do not like to be "in" all day at work. Makes the day too long.

    Good luck to you. You can do this too.
  • tingtawn
    tingtawn Posts: 59 Member
    Hi :)

    I am sort of restarting as well. I lost weight before my wedding (in September) and got in great shape, and then after the wedding things kind of went down hill with the eating healthy/exercising, and then the holidays came!! AHH! So now I am almost back to the same boat i was in before the wedding-even though of course i said it wasn't going to do that! SO here i am again trying to be more vigilant about logging/ clean eating/ and doing some sort of exercise routinely.

    Wish you the best of luck as well, as i know we can do this!!

    :):)

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