Hi Newbie looking for help and motivation on my new quest.

Hello All. I thought I would pop on and introduce myself. I Joined on Monday I'm not very good at typing about myself so here goes.
I'm 42 and from the UK. In my 20's and early 30's I had a eating disorder and exercise disorder so I was fit but very unhealthy with it.. I even became fitness instructor and personal trainer .

During mid 30's I recovered from my eating disorder on my own. Well I thought I was recovered but every time i would embark on a diet the eat disorder would resurface. So I stopped dieting all together. I guess I have a all or nothing personality .
When I was 37 I became ill and had to retire from work and could no longer exercise. So I sat around the house and the weight slowly increased, so slowly I hardly noticed the 1lbs creeping on and the clothes size getting bigger. ( sitting around in comfy clothes are very forgiving for the waist line).

During the last 5 years my weight has increase due to lack of exercise, bad food choices,also medication.
You think I would know better having the knowledge of nutrition and exercise. During my work I have helped many people achieve their goals through just that, good food choices and a healthier life style. But yet I was unable to help myself.

So I have given myself a good talking too and now is the time to stop putting it off. I need to try and get some of me back Lose the weight and start to feel more confident again. My illness still most days prevent me from having a weekly exercise plan. ( I have a gym at home I used when i was personalty training)

That's me in a nut shell i guess. Sorry if I went on too long..lol

I don't want to tell people around me that I'm on "a diet" I don't want the pressure and for family members to say " hope your not going to starve your self like before, or how much have you lost.this week. I can hear my Mother saying it now lol. I will not be weighing myself at all but will be going by clothes size only.

I am looking for friends to motivate me and help me on my new journey. Feel free to add me as a diet buddy,
Thanks for taking the time to read this. And have a great day .

Replies

  • ceen43
    ceen43 Posts: 7 Member
    Welcome BlueTamG!
    I have only been here for 4 weeks and still trying to get the hang of this group, but I am really liking it!
    I was very resistant to logging what I eat and all, but it is working for me, so will keep it up! I am also taking it slow this time for a permanent result rather than trying to loose it fast only to gain it back. This means making changes for life!
    I, also, do not like others that know me, bugging me about what I am doing with these changes, but we do need the encouragement for the good and bad times that will come. Glad you came here for that and I look forward to being your diet buddy!
  • Hi! Wow your story sounds very similar to mine! This really hit home for me. We need to stay focused and never give up the fight.
  • I began a low carb diet about 4 years ago. I lost nearly 24 pounds (142 lbs to 118 pounds) and couldn't believe how full I could feel and still lose weight. I began missing fruit and cereal so I started eating them again. It is unbelievable how sweet fruit tastes when you have not eaten little sugar for a few months. I began to gradually gain, not much, but began counting calories as I was afraid bringing back carbs would make me gain. I should add that I walked 5 miles daily throughout this process. I consumed any where from 1500-1600 calories a day and with the walking I dropped down to 100 pounds. My husband thought I was too thin and so I stopped counting. I didn't feel too thin when I looked in the mirror, but I thought the number on the scales seemed to low. I look at charts and notice I should weigh about 104. I am only 5'3" tall.
    Today I weigh around 113 pounds and can easily maintain that weight when I eat a healthy low carb diet, without walking every day (something I simply stopped doing because I had to walk at 4 a.m. and going to bed so early left little time for my family - I found I cannot walk after work!) However, I found that I enjoy low sugar protein bars and sometimes, like today and yesterday, I just go overboard with them. It tastes so good to have something that looks and feels like dessert.
    So, feeling rather depressed when I weighed in at 115 this morning, I came here. I need someone to show me how to count without hating it. I feel that eating should be natural. I enjoy my sugar free coffee sweetener and those calories add up too fast. This site suggests I eat 1200 calories a day to reach 105 pounds and I honestly do not see how I can manage that. 1200 calories just isn't enough for me. I felt great at 1500 to 1600 but I am older than I was when I consumed that amount. Perhaps my age requires me to eat less calories.
    I would like to begin working out again and have found some 30 minute total body workouts - but I keep thinking 30 minutes isn't enough. It took me 58 - 60 minutes to walk 5 miles daily - seriously, it was more of a jog than a walk but not enough to call it a run.
    I fear counting. I really do - because I become obsessed. I get grumpy when my husband wants to go out to eat and I don't have enough calories left in my day or I don't know exactly how many calories are in the food they prepare. High protein meals make calories add up quick. I honestly feel hungry constantly when I opt for lower calorie foods like veggies and fruits for my meals. I feel hungry an hour later where eggs and other proteins keep me full for 4 hours or more.
    I am trying to be as honest as I can. I miss wearing my jeans loosely - I hate tight jeans and I cannot imagine buying a bigger size. I feel like that is giving up.
    My husband tells me I should stay where I am - 115 pounds. Why or why can't I accept that? I have tried, honestly, I want to be happy at this weight. I pray about it, just hoping I can feel happy where I am but I just want to feel like I did before. I still do sit ups daily because I can do them quickly in the morning before work but I still hold all my weight in my belly and I hate how that makes me look in my clothes.
  • I spent the last few hours adding calories of food I normally eat during the day and I do not think this is right for me. 1200 calories is not very practical, is it? Ugh. I am so frustrated. If this is the only one, I guess its not going to happen for me.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    It's not a diet. It's a lifestyle change.
    It's about moderation NOT deprivation.
    No need to go low carb unless you have a medical condition requiring to do so. (No offense to the other poster that did).
    I eat what I want, drink what I want, I make it fit into my day.
    I work hard.
    There's no such thing as bad or good food. There is ONLY food.

    Read this...
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet?hl=short+sweet+<span class=

    And most definitely read this!!!
    http://www.vicmagary.com/blog/fitness-motivation/#comment-10883