Starting Over

Mardill
Mardill Posts: 140 Member
edited November 23 in Social Groups
I am starting over to re-commit to becoming a healthier me. I lost over 30 lbs using MFP's tools but thinking I could do it without further help, I decided last November, to stop logging in & stop recording my food intake. Big mistake!! I watched my weight slowly creep up till I decided to stop weighing myself. After attending 2 weddings this summer followed by a vacation, I felt bloated, so I decided to weigh myself. YIKES!! After 8 months of "doing it on my own", I had regained 30lbs!! That was my wake-up call. I immediately logged into MFP & I am starting over. My food journal is not ideal as yet but it will improve as I re-learn healthy eating.
Please join me & we can support each other.

Add me as a friend. :)

Replies

  • cog62
    cog62 Posts: 52 Member
    I'm starting over again too. I had lost 67lbs going to OA meetings and then with the help of MFP. I did the same as you. I think belonging to these groups helps with accountability and it helps knowing I'm not the only one that goes through the tough times of my journey. I also belong to the emotional eating group and have found that very helpful.
  • hellomillicent
    hellomillicent Posts: 1 Member
    Same! Last year over about 5 months, I lost 3kg and about 4% bodyfat... then I got smug and stopped using MFP, and oops. regained that weight and bodyfat. Back to tracking it again.
  • swigmore2016
    swigmore2016 Posts: 3 Member
    Right i woke up today and thought enough is enough time to go back to calorie counting and being accountable. I need dicapline to get me back to my goal weight which i manged 3 years ago but 33lb has crept back on. So this morning i started a new with my fitbit started logging my food again on mfp so this is it, nothing to lose but lbs i hope!! Feel free to add me ☺
  • paigilu
    paigilu Posts: 27 Member
    I had been faithful about logging my food for 6 months and I had finally started to see a drop in the scale. Then I stopped my personal training 2 days a week due to a new job and work schedule at the same time I gave up my fitcamp 2 days a week too. I tried to go to a different gym but HATED every minutes of it so after 3 months away I found a way to make my old gym work now I am back at it 2 -3 days a week since May. Now I have decided I need to get back to logging. During my 3mth break I gained back 10lbs. Now I'm focused and ready to get out of the 200's for good and back down to my ideal weight.

    Last night I had a huge accomplishment. I was able to hold a flexed hang for 15 seconds (I know does not sound like much but is huge to me) 3 rounds in a row. That is huge for me since when I started I could not even come close to being able to do that. Now that I have done that my goal is to stay up there longer and longer each time we have class. I have to thank my trainer because he does not just let us slide by. He gives us the push we need when he thinks we are ready.
  • Mardill
    Mardill Posts: 140 Member
    paigilu wrote: »
    I had been faithful about logging my food for 6 months and I had finally started to see a drop in the scale. Then I stopped my personal training 2 days a week due to a new job and work schedule at the same time I gave up my fitcamp 2 days a week too. I tried to go to a different gym but HATED every minutes of it so after 3 months away I found a way to make my old gym work now I am back at it 2 -3 days a week since May. Now I have decided I need to get back to logging. During my 3mth break I gained back 10lbs. Now I'm focused and ready to get out of the 200's for good and back down to my ideal weight.

    Last night I had a huge accomplishment. I was able to hold a flexed hang for 15 seconds (I know does not sound like much but is huge to me) 3 rounds in a row. That is huge for me since when I started I could not even come close to being able to do that. Now that I have done that my goal is to stay up there longer and longer each time we have class. I have to thank my trainer because he does not just let us slide by. He gives us the push we need when he thinks we are ready.

    Good for you to get back on track & congratulations on performing an exercise routine that you were unable to do previously. Every small step we take leads forward to our bigger goals. I am confident you will lose those re-gained 10 lbs & encouraged to continue to reach your other goals. One Step at a Time! :)
  • jules1984
    jules1984 Posts: 439 Member
    Can I start over with you guys?

    I joined here waaay back in the day and didn't take it seriously. Then a couple years ago I got all the way down to the 130's and maintained for awhile even without MFP. I went through a bad boyfriend and even worse break up and yo-yo'd a bunch then. Dating and then marrying my wonderful husband I slimmed down to the 140's.

    My mother became sick with ALS and fought a 1.5 year battle before I lost her two Januarys ago. That winter I traveled back and forth from my city to my parents every other weekend and I ate and ate and ate. Then I caught the flu the week she passed which turned into months of bronchitis so I didn't exercise at all and I just ate and ate.

    Then last June at 160 lbs I became pregnant and I had a beautiful baby boy this January. I gained about 22 lbs during the pregnancy and weighed 169 after, but with the stress of a newborn I ate and ate again. I am now 178 lbs!!! I used to be like 135! My baby is almost 7 months old and I can no longer nurse him so I am ready to eat cleaner, cut those calories, and workout hard!
  • Mardill
    Mardill Posts: 140 Member
    jules1984 wrote: »
    Can I start over with you guys?

    I joined here waaay back in the day and didn't take it seriously. Then a couple years ago I got all the way down to the 130's and maintained for awhile even without MFP. I went through a bad boyfriend and even worse break up and yo-yo'd a bunch then. Dating and then marrying my wonderful husband I slimmed down to the 140's.

    My mother became sick with ALS and fought a 1.5 year battle before I lost her two Januarys ago. That winter I traveled back and forth from my city to my parents every other weekend and I ate and ate and ate. Then I caught the flu the week she passed which turned into months of bronchitis so I didn't exercise at all and I just ate and ate.

    Then last June at 160 lbs I became pregnant and I had a beautiful baby boy this January. I gained about 22 lbs during the pregnancy and weighed 169 after, but with the stress of a newborn I ate and ate again. I am now 178 lbs!!! I used to be like 135! My baby is almost 7 months old and I can no longer nurse him so I am ready to eat cleaner, cut those calories, and workout hard!

    Welcome Jules. You have had a very rough time and got through it the best way that you could. Congratulations on the birth of your son. Your decision to get healthy again is a positive step for you & your family. We will support & encourage you. My motto is "One Day at a Time"

  • Mardill
    Mardill Posts: 140 Member
    Well, after my 1st week after re-starting mfp I have lost 2lbs. My food choices have not always been the best but I logged everything & I probably would have eaten even more if I had not been keeping track. I will be going shopping for healthy foods this weekend so that I have better choices on hand. I am retired so food is too handy. lol
    I have been working on drinking more water but not up to 8 glasses as yet.
    One positive decision I made this week: I play Euchre on Thursdays & we meet at a bar for our games. I usually have 2 draught beers & sometimes food (egg rolls or nachos covered with cheese, veggies, sauce, did I say cheese? Well last evening I had 2 tall glasses of diet coke & a glass of iced water with lemon. I did not feel deprived & I had just as much fun as I usually do! And my bill was only $3.52 including tax (Canadian).
    All-in-all, I think I had a successful week!

    Let us know how you are doing. Any struggles? disappointments? successes? proud moments?
    We can support one another in this journey of getting healthy.
    Cheers! Margaret
  • aljeco
    aljeco Posts: 4 Member
    Hello Margaret,

    I have just recommitted to MFP. I originally started at 192lbs, and lost 25\lbs. I had wanted to lose some more, but stopped logging my food diary, and have had a relationship issue and a redundancy this year and guess what, the weight has gone back on. The mad thing is, I KNOW that eating/drinking too much is bad, and that the result will make me unhappy, but I have still done it.
    I have not belonged to a group on here before, so am giving it a go to see if it will help me, and if I can bring something to the table in return (not cake though!!)
    So, five days in to this tool, and ive lost 5lbs (i know that the general advice is to weigh periodically, not daily - but I have felt enthusiastic and could not resist a peek). Its always a good loss on the first week, I'm aiming for 1or2lbs per week going forwards. I just want to stick to it this time and reach the goal!

    Thank you for posting, its good to read that someone also faces those social events where temptation and habit can scupper your plans! Out of curiosity, what is Euchre?

    Ally
  • Mardill
    Mardill Posts: 140 Member
    aljeco wrote: »
    Hello Margaret,

    I have just recommitted to MFP. I originally started at 192lbs, and lost 25\lbs. I had wanted to lose some more, but stopped logging my food diary, and have had a relationship issue and a redundancy this year and guess what, the weight has gone back on. The mad thing is, I KNOW that eating/drinking too much is bad, and that the result will make me unhappy, but I have still done it.
    I have not belonged to a group on here before, so am giving it a go to see if it will help me, and if I can bring something to the table in return (not cake though!!)
    So, five days in to this tool, and ive lost 5lbs (i know that the general advice is to weigh periodically, not daily - but I have felt enthusiastic and could not resist a peek). Its always a good loss on the first week, I'm aiming for 1or2lbs per week going forwards. I just want to stick to it this time and reach the goal!

    Thank you for posting, its good to read that someone also faces those social events where temptation and habit can scupper your plans! Out of curiosity, what is Euchre?

    Ally

    Hi Ally! Welcome! Yes, I think we all know how easy it is to slip into bad habits. It is so much easier & tastier to just eat what we want and not confront the numbers when we don't log our food intake.
    I have belonged to groups in the past & some have helped a lot. I have never started up a group before but I could not find a starting-over group that was currently active, soooo I thought I would try & hope to help others who are in the same situation as me. One of the benefits of a group is you can add friends that have common situations.
    Congratulations on your initial weight loss! I, too, like to weigh more often than once a week (just to see how I am doing) but I do not weigh daily anymore as the numbers fluctuate so much! I am also aiming for 1 - 2lb week loss.
    Just by posting any of your questions, commenting on any subject others have posted or just a positive pat on the back is a great way to bring something to the table! Sweeter than cake, maybe!? (I liked your Joke! lol)

    Thank you for joining our group. If you have any ideas or suggestions of how this group could succeed I would be very happy for you to share them.

    Euchre - pronounced U cur - is a fun card game usually played by 4 people. Even 3-handed, 5-handed or 6-handed can be played which I have learned since joining a club. When it is 4-handed, 2 teams of 2 people are formed & each team tries to win tricks using a regular deck of cards (with some cards removed - 2's up to 8's). In the game a "Trump" is made. Trump is a different suit each game.
    If you want more info of game I am willing to tell you. I will be playing Euchre 2 evenings this week & we always have a lot of laughs & fun!
  • aljeco
    aljeco Posts: 4 Member
    Hi Margaret,

    Thanks for writing back!

    Euchre sounds interesting. Am a bit of a board game geek myself, used to belong to a few groups, but have got out of the habit of going for a while now. It's something that I'd love to get back to. Recently my grown up daughter bought a 'Walking Dead' version of 'Risk' - well I'd played Risk years ago in one of my groups and so her and her boyfriend nominated me to be the rule book and game set up person! An interesting three hours followed! But it was good fun though. I was so surprised that board games are doing versions linked to tv series...I sound old there now don't I?!

    It's good to hear that you've had positive experiences with groups in the past. And I for one are very grateful that you started this group.

    I have started my week's strategy by meal planning and shopping at the weekend, so I am set up for a successful MFP week. It was effort to do, and I must admit, that I didn't feel like doing it at the time - I could have happily watched a couple of films on tv. But I did it. I do have a pattern with this though, I know that I tend to be enthusiastic about the food diary and effort to exercise for a few weeks, can lose 7 lbs, and then think that I'll reward myself - and the reward is usually food or drink. So, when I feel this happening, I'll be logging on here to share the feeling and see if the group will help me to stay on the straight and narrow! Do any other members feel like this??

    In my enthusiasm this morning, I decided to push play on one of my fitness dvd's too (I hate gyms with a passion - just find them really embarrassing, not to mention expensive!). So 40 mins of that done today. It wasn't so bad actually, just push play and follow the instructions. As I said above...good intentions at the beginning, can I see it through though???

    How about you, or the other members of the group? What intentions have been set for this week? One small step closer to being healthier, and happier?

    Thank you for reading!

    A
  • paigilu
    paigilu Posts: 27 Member
    This week is going to be very hard for me as it is fair week and I am going 2 different days. Friday I am going to a concert and Sunday I work for about 18+ hrs. This week I have fitcamp. I agree with you aljeco I hate gyms as well as a rule but there is some thing about the place the place I go for fitcamp. It is a very small gym. The owner is who teaches the classes. There are normally 4-12 people depending on who shows up. And he takes the time to work with everyone and gives them a push when they need it.

    I have found these groups very helpful. Today was day 8 and I am down about 6.4lbs and 11.8lbs total since the end of June.

    My biggest fall back is the weekends. Normally I don't log on the weekend and gain a bunch of weight. Then it takes me 2 or 3 days to get back to where I started the previous weekend. I am determined I am NOT going to let my self do that this time. My goal is go do some thing beside my normal walking every day and so far I have done just that.
  • aljeco
    aljeco Posts: 4 Member
    Hi Group,

    So yesterday I went way over my allowance, despite doing exercise :-(. It was a difficult day, with some of those little life challenges that test you. I went from one thing to the next, without breaks for snacks or lunch and ended up having a dinner, dessert and a couple of drinks fairly late in the evening as I was just so hungry. Also had a trip to the cinema in the early evening, and chose cinema fresh popcorn thinking that it wasn't a bad choice - how shocked was I when I logged it today! Much higher than I thought it was. Ugh. Oh well, it is done now, and a new day today that is a lot calmer and I can have my planned meals and snacks.

    Paigilu, well done for your loss!! Nearly 12lbs since the end of June is fantastic! I know what you mean about the weekends, I had a social night out with friends on Friday, and went over my allowance, but I still logged all that I had - as part of my recommitment I am going to log all the bad days too. Your fitcamp sounds like it fits you just right! Its great that you have found a way to fit it in. Half of the battle with exercise for me is finding the thing that I like (well, tolerate!:-)), and finding what is not too embarrassing (if that makes sense). I just feel really self conscious in a gym. The dvd's seem to work for me. And Yoga with Adriene on you tube really helps too.
    It sounds like you have a challenging timetable for the week ahead, have you made a strategy to guide you through and roughly stay on track?

    Margaret, I have looked up Euchre, and it looks challenging!! The rules on Wikipedia looked complex, but then again, I get confused easily by rule books - I learn best by actually playing and see how things develop as I make a way through a game. When I searched it, I can see that you can also play on-line. I bet it is more enjoyable with a group in real life though, more social.

    Thank you all for listening!

    Stay positive, get healthy!

    Ally
  • paigilu
    paigilu Posts: 27 Member
    Ally, I have not made a strategy guide per say but I shopped on Saturday and made a game plan as to what I was going to cook this week. Maybe not what night we were going to have what but it is working. The hardest night for me is Wednesday's when we go to my Father in Laws but even that is Ok cause it is on a fitcamp night when I would have a few extra calories to play with.
    When I first started Fitcamp I was very self contentious but I got over that really fast. Aaron (the instructor) just has a way of making you feel comfortable. He spends the time working with you to make you feel at home and that you are doing things right. And if you can't do an exercise he will modify it for you. And he will also give you that little extra push if you need it go bump your weights up a little.
    Going to the fair 2 days will be hard for me but I am going to try to plan so that I only have 1 meal at each of the fairs. Sunday will be a little harder as we start at 6am and won't be done until Midnight but some how I will figure some thing out.
    It looks like you have had a few rough days but logging even when you are having one of those days is the best thing you can do. I have just started doing that. In the past I would have skipped a log day just cause I didn't want to put that I was not as good as I should have been in fact I still need to log the ice cream I had last night after dinner.

    Hope you all have a great day.
    Paige
  • aljeco
    aljeco Posts: 4 Member
    Hey all,

    How are your weeks going? By the MFP posts, Margaret you are on a very successful streak! Well done!

    So Paige, you are at the fair today, am wondering how that is working out too, do let us know.

    I have had a week of ups and downs as you will see from my diary if you take a peak. I have been honest, and logged the bad stuff. After being made redundant from my job recently, I have had several interviews, and they have meant going into London and eating out. I tried to make reasonably sensible choices out of what was on offer (salad, steamed rice etc - they came with dressing etc, but it was the best I could choose). To balance this, I did a hike on Friday in a place in Surrey called Box Hill - it was 8 miles ( approx. 13km), with lots of steep gradients, up and down - it was really challenging. I had only taken a small chicken sandwich with me, and it really was not enough fuel for my body, at the end of it, I was so shakey. In England, it is still fairly traditional to get fish and chips from a fish and chip shop on a Friday, and as my walking app on my phone told me I had burned over 2000 calories walking, I treated myself. The hike worked it's magic and I had a decent loss this week, so I'm happy.

    I have another hike planned for next week, 11 miles (17.6km) - so I'm figuring to continue with my daily exercise dvd, and continue the diary logging, good and bad, and maybe I'll make a loss again. I have some more interviews set up, and the exercise helps me to reduce the stress and be calm and collected!

    Looking forward to hearing from the group,

    Stay positive, get healthy!

    Ally
  • paigilu
    paigilu Posts: 27 Member
    OH well the fair that was busy. I walked about 5miles and was not that good about what I ate. Then again I was not that bad either. I really only had my yogurt and dinner (steak & cheese sandwich). So I was WAY under my calories for the day. But I will take that rather than eating all kinds of stuff that is bad for me.

    Now this week we are getting ready to go camping so I will have to see what I can to do make sure I don't fall off the wagon.

    Wow sounds like you have done a lot of hiking. I love to hike just don't have anyone to go with me :( but hopefully I can start biking again soon. I have two mud runs coming up that I need to get into shape for so that it what I am working towards now. I have 3 weeks to my first one and 6 weeks to the second. My goal is to beat the times I did in July which was 1hr 55min for a 5k with 27 obstacles.

    Paige
  • jules1984
    jules1984 Posts: 439 Member
    Hey, everyone! It sounds like you're having pretty decent weeks! I love playing Euchre by the way, but I have no one to play with since I moved to a different state in college 10+ years ago.

    We have our huge state fair this week. We're going on Friday and we're going to be there ALL DAY. I have a fitbit charge HR that tracks my calories burned so I'm going to be walking walking walking. Also, I'm going with my husband and family and friends so I can try bites of lots of things instead of eating half or all of it.

    It's my birthday this week and family is in from out of town so I have the fair all one day, favorite restaurant another, eating out for breakfast twice, and a big bbq/bonfire party at my house.

    My goal for the affected days is to come out eating less than I burned - even if just a little, better if a lot. NO GAINS!! I have my calories set to a daily deficit of 750 calories so I will be logging the best I can to stay as far under my "calories burned" on my fitbit those days but I won't sweat a smaller deficit. This may log as over my mfp goals, but I'm okay with that.

    I tried to get back into jogging this week but it was bad. I have never been this out of shape and my feet hurt so badly. I already have plantar fascia problems and all that, but I think this was just general running with too much weight pounding on my feet. I dug out all of the exercise DVDs I've accumulated over the years and stashed them with weights and mats directly under the TV. I tried to do the reebok step workout for the first time and holy hell did that totally kick my *kitten*! I couldn't even do the beginner workout, I had to stop 15 min in!! I can do other whole workout videos, I couldn't do this one! Beginner - my butt!!

    Anyways, everyone! Keep on keepin on!
  • jules1984
    jules1984 Posts: 439 Member
    paigilu wrote: »
    When I first started Fitcamp I was very self contentious but I got over that really fast. Aaron (the instructor) just has a way of making you feel comfortable. He spends the time working with you to make you feel at home and that you are doing things right. And if you can't do an exercise he will modify it for you. And he will also give you that little extra push if you need it go bump your weights up a little.

    I'm glad you're finding something that works well for you with the right instructor. We all should be able to just workout and sweat at the gym without feeling self conscious but that's not always possible. When I work out too hard I turn a shade of red you would not believe! But in truth, no one's really looking or caring - they're working on themselves.

  • paigilu
    paigilu Posts: 27 Member
    jules1984 ~
    You are right about finding the right place. There is some thing about this gym. It is very small owned and operated by 1 person. He teaches all of his own classes which is great. Classes are small but he does like to challenge you. For instance on Wednesday night he added an extra 60lbs to my sled I was pulling across the room. But he also would not have put it there if he didn't think I could do it. The first time I walked in I worried about what everyone else would think and about 15 minutes into it I realized no one paid attention. That is how I am looking at competing in a few up coming mud run events. Who cares what others see in me. At least I am out there trying.
  • jules1984
    jules1984 Posts: 439 Member
    Fair day today! Some of my family started a Fitbit step challenge today so that should keep me motivated. I drank too much wine last night though!
  • paigilu
    paigilu Posts: 27 Member
    Having a really tough go the last few days. I was on Vacation for 5 days. We went camping and I tried really hard to be good about what I ate but I had a 2lb gain. I am trying to not get down but man I was doing so good.

    So today I am back on track. I am logging everything and making sure to drink plenty of water. Tonight I am going to grocery shop to get some healthy choices in the house and hopefully go for a 2.5 (or 3.5) mile run depending on how I feel. Then today I am starting to do 10 pull ups either before or after work as well as 2 minutes of planks before bed to work on my core. This is an off week from fitcamp so that makes it really hard for me but starting next Monday it is 3 nights a week.
  • jules1984
    jules1984 Posts: 439 Member
    Hey all! I had an amazing week and I'm finally sitting at home in my PJ's enjoying a cup of black coffee after 9 hours of sleep. We have a new roof over our head - the crew finished in one day.

    What I thought would be my worst day ended up being my best. We were at the fair for 9.5 hours. I walked 19K steps that day, burning about 3000 calories and only eating about 2000. It was 89 degrees but felt like 98 with humidity so I was literally too hot to eat. Whenever I overheat, my body tends to purge my digestive system which is not cool and I could tell I was at that point so everyone else ate junk and for about 5 hours all I did was drink about a gallon of water.

    I totally overate at my favorite restaurant with a big celebratory dinner, but I had worked hard to eat very light that whole morning and keep on my feet so while I went over my goal, I still ate less calories than I burned.

    We're back on track this week. I would like to go jogging at least once, walk three times, and do at least two workout dvds.

    What are your goals this week?
  • Mardill
    Mardill Posts: 140 Member
    Starting over on "Starting Over"!
    Sorry I was Missing In Action due to a relapse triggered by depression. I went into hibernation like a bear does & on Feb 29th stepped out of my cave. Maybe because it was Leap Year Day!
    On Tues March 1st I got on my scale that I had not checked since last October & surprised that I had actually lost 5 lbs! What a nice start!
    I have logged on every day since then & have lost another 8 lbs. I bought a FitBit wrist watch but not able to sync in as yet to my laptop.
    I made goals for March:
    1. Lose 5 lbs.
    2. Log on every day & fill out menu every mouthful I eat.
    3. Move more, as I had become extremely sedentary.
    4. Drink 8 glasses of water daily.
    5. Clean out fridge - throw out foods I should not eat.

    Come on and join me & we can encourage & support each other along the journey of a healthy lifestyle.
    :)
  • Mardill
    Mardill Posts: 140 Member
    March Report
    Goals I made for March, 2016
    1. Lose 5 lbs. - Check - I lost 11.2 lbs. <3
    2. Log on every day & fill out menu every mouthful I eat. - Check o:)
    3. Move more, as I had become extremely sedentary. - Check - Fitbit has helped motivate me
    4. Drink 8 glasses of water daily. - Partially successful - I had to increase gradually. The last week I was on target.
    5. Clean out fridge - throw out foods I should not eat. - Check

    March was a success! :)

    Goals for April, 2016
    1. Lose 6 lbs.
    2. Log on every day & fill out menu every mouthful I eat.
    3. Move more. Increase steps.
    4. Drink 8 glasses of water daily.
    5. Clean out & reorganize kitchen cupboards. Donate any unexpired cake mixes, etc, to Food Bank. Discard expired or opened packages of foods I should not eat.
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