Hi from Ontario Canada

!! I'm new here and have just started my weight loss journey. I set a realistic goal of 40lbs to lose, but ideally would like to lose about 70. I think the hardest thing I will find to give up will be my coffee with LOTS of cream. Today I'm trying to drink it black and...yuck!! :sick: maybe I'll just cut back to start with. :drinker:

I am 42 years old with two kids (16 & 12) and a husband (who could be counted as my 3rd kid). When I was younger, I had no problem with losing weight. I could just be good for a week and BAM!! Weight gone!! Now however, it's soo much harder. Even though I work with children, so I'm moving all day, I don't get any proper exercise. And temptation is constant at my job...everyone bringing in donuts and cake etc...it's so hard!!

Oh ya...I also quit smoking so there's that to deal with :sad:

I'm hoping I can make friends here, and gain (and give) tons of support)!

Thanks for reading,
Kim

Replies

  • lulufitmfp
    lulufitmfp Posts: 27 Member
    Heya welcome! I understand about temptation, it's everywhere; I've been on MFP for over 70days and still find temptation hard but I keep track of my calories and try and stay within range. and on a random note, I'm going to Ontario the end of this month for the first time, hoping to have a good time!

    I am all about giving and having support, feel free to add me.
  • Heya!

    Nice to meet you and welcome! :flowerforyou:

    There are loads of helpful and supportive people out here. My goals are pretty much the same. My ticker reflects the ideal but to be honest it seems every increment of 10 lbs is it's own little mini goal. Cutting back on coffee can be good, I personally have been experimenting more with tea as well. But I do want to say that just a little cream takes coffee from unstomachable to OMG yumtown! So maybe fewer cups and a little darker.

    Personally, though, I can't handle black coffee, that's masochism right there, :laugh: I would say you may want a little pedometer or heart rate monitor to gauge your activity. While you may not being following a regime, I bet you are more active than you give yourself credit for. Anywhoo, I am going to go ahead and request you. Again, welcome!!!
  • Rowood101
    Rowood101 Posts: 98 Member
    I'll send you a friend request, I'm from Toronto, Ontario, and always looking for new friends. Best of luck with your weight loss. I log in everyday.
  • Pamela_in_Progress
    Pamela_in_Progress Posts: 197 Member
    Hi there Kim! I'm from Ontario as well, 45 with 2 kids, 23 and 16. I started here April 2013 with 35 lbs to lose. So far 26 gone and 9 more to go. It is a struggle but if you persist, stay focused and have more good days than bad, you will get to where you want to be. I log every day, feel free to add me. :flowerforyou:

    ETA - I quit smoking as well, September 2012. Good for you!!
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,226 Member
    Hiya........from Prince Edward County Ontario....that big rock jutting out to the middle of Lake Ontario.
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    hi i'm a happy ex smoker too - it took a while, but now I look at people who smoke and kind of think they're silly, sucking on that silly white stick... :p

    As to the diet, that's another challenge. I feel your pain, it's hard to diet when you're constantly dragged down and tired. But being on MFP does focus a person on nutrition a little more and I think nutrition's very important.

    I'm down to 4 cups of coffee a day. I have to reduce it further but which cup do I sacrifice? I have 1 1/2 sugars and low fat milk in mine, and that's as low as I can go. Well, I'm trying for 1 tsp sugar per cup because then I wouldn't have to give up one of the cups.

    have you tried non dairy creamer? Some of those things are low fat and still quite nice. I've never had cream in my coffee (except the morning after parties, to get rid of spare whipped cream) so low fat milk for me was not a sacrifice.
  • sunseeker43
    sunseeker43 Posts: 17
    HI you sound like you could almost be describing me. I am 45, married with a 14 yr old and 12 yr old twins. I am a stay at home Mom who walks the dog daily for my motivation/routine/exercise. I love walking the dog more than a gym!
    I drink coffee with cream as well. I try to limit coffee to 2 cups a day. A few times a week I will try to not have coffee and have Caf-lib instead..made from barley and has chicory in it ( with cream). The reason I do this is b/c the caffeine in coffee ( drinking more than 2 cups a day) can spike blood sugars which increases insulin production which then gets your adrenal glands to release cortisol which affects your belly fat. Any stress affects your adrenals doing the same vicious cycle. I have read that even strictly limiting calories or really increasing workout intensity can also have similar effects. The point is, everything should be done in moderation and patience!!!
    I wouldn't recommend going into the nondairy creamers as they are full of 'unknowns' that our body has no idea of how to process.

    If your body is used to your level of activity you may have to add a little more to it, even a 20 minute walk a few times a week. Will not only help with weightloss but build bones, muscle and relieve stress.
    I log daily. You can add me if you'd like. I live in Southern Ontario. I would like to lose 20 for now( have lost 25 previously) but with ultimate goal of being 40 more in total (total of 65 in the end). I am not shooting for BMI, shooting for where I will be comfortable at 5'8" in my body!
  • catmonteith1
    catmonteith1 Posts: 8 Member
    Hi Kim, I'm pretty new here too.. only just passed a month.
    I quit smoking 80 days ago and it's the best thing I've ever done. Did you go cold turkey?
    I found that after i quit smoking it was easier to reduce the coffee intake. Never thought i would ever like black coffee,
    but when your trying to stick to a certain amount of calories a day (1600 for me) i didn't want to spend 60-80 on cream, all
    of a sudden i didn't mind black coffee.. lol. (i do have a couple coffees a week that i put 1 TBSP of cream and 1 tsp of honey in, and it's soooo good!)
    I have lost 13 pounds so far, i would like to loose quite a bit more, but im honestly taking this 5 lbs at a time:bigsmile:
    I sent you a friend request:happy:
  • Pusarah
    Pusarah Posts: 124 Member
    Hi there,

    also from Ontario, with 5 boys. (14-20) and 39 yrs old.

    Best of luck on your journey, those little steps can make big differences. I gave up coffee for a little bit but it seems to be creeping back in. lol I was drinking Earl Gray tea instead because I could drink that without adding anything. I try and just fit it into my calories if I really want it, sometimes its just easy to Tim's but I try and limit the times per week I make that excuse to myself..lol

    Your body will thank you for making those changes, especially the smoking :) Best of luck! I have a long route to go but every day its getting easier to see the benefits of the small changes (and big ones of course) and I feel so much better for it.