This time, I am determined to be successful.

I'm Lisa. I'm starting to diet again. I have type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and I damaged my heart from my crummy diet. God was tapping on my shoulder to make a change, but I was ignoring Him. You can only ignore God so long before He gives you a kick in the backside. I weighed 327 lbs. and I got that kick. After being rushed to the ER, I vowed to eat healthy and I lost 130 lbs. I started swimming laps even though I am a crummy swimmer, and in the winter I was walking, only a mile a day due to knee problems but it's helped. Then I hurt my knee again and went to PT. (Walking is still more difficult.) I still watched my diet but I decided not to continue to be as strict, I was going to "maintain" for awhile despite knowing I still had weight to lose. For awhile I was doing great but I started slipping gradually. Constant knee problems made it hard to walk and though I watch my salt I did allow more carbs into my diet. Right now, I haven't swam since the summer. Anyway, I vowed I was not going to allow myself to regain all my weight back so here I am. I feel the Lord, tapping on my shoulder again and I'm not ignoring Him this time! So I weighed myself yesterday and I have gained back almost 50 lbs over the last 2 years! I thought I gained back about 25! How we live in denial! I almost hit the floor. The diet I followed last time was a medical diet given me, it is a diabetic diet to help control my sugars and also to lose weight. So I count carbs, not calories. I must eat 5 meals a day: breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. The 3 meals are only 45 carbs at breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus 2 ounces protein at lunch, 3 ounces protein at dinner. Snacks are only 15 carbs allowed. I have to measure everything. I have a little scale and I have some measuring cups that I use. If you eyeball it, you will give yourself more. It is a 1800 calorie diet, if you count calories. One of the ways I messed up is that I started allowing myself to go out to eat on the weekends. Good on watching my food all week, go out to eat on Sunday after church. Then it was Saturday AND Sunday! Dieting the first time, I didn't go out to eat very often. And when I did, I cut my portions in half before I took my first bite. I had stopped doing that also. Anyway, to help me kick off my diet again, I told my husband no going out to eat for at least 3 months (New Year's resolution). Right now I'm trying to figure out how to work the myfitnessplan stuff. I can only have 3 ounces of protein at dinner, but the diary has lowest amount as 4 ounces. Is there a way of changing that? I kept a food diary in a notebook when I lost weight last time, but my husband bought me a Fitbit and it links to myfitnesspal and he thinks this will be better so I'm going to give it a go. (Fitbit won't let you count carbs while myfitnesspal will.) I'm hoping that having friends who understand what I'm trying to do, will help. I know the only reason I lost weight before is because of God. My self-control is bad and I am weak. I've found if I stop and pray, God will help me not to cheat. It's still hard, but He helps me through. It's hard to remember to do that sometimes! I know that I have to pray each and every time I'm tempted. And I'm tempted a lot! If you add me as a friend I hope we can help each other and pray for each other

I see a lot of myself in your post. I feel your pain and know the struggle. I was very active when I was younger in dance and softball. But unfortunately I was sick a lot and placed on steroids to fight infections. It caused me to gain and keep weight on. I graduated high school in a size 16 then college in a size 18. I was looking at myself in recent photos and hated the person I let myself become. I had lost 50 pounds and gained it all back when I moved. I am 5'3'' and 253 pounds. The biggest I have been in my life. But luckily I love who I am just not how I look and I have a lot of positive outlook moving forward. 5 days in on my healthy eating and exercising I have dropped 2 pounds. Might not seem like much but that is a stepping stone to success. Stay motivated. Stay positive. Stay driven and focused. You aren't alone in the struggle. Best of luck. Add me if you would like! - Lisa