Getting started...again...sigh

I'm right there with you. I lost about 40 pounds in 2014, but it wasn't a lifestyle change. The weight has slowly come back and then some. I'm 33 and had my first baby last year and now my weight is just out of control. My long term goal is to lose 85 pounds, but I'm starting with just wanting to be a better example for my little one!

I am in the same boat. Back in 2015 my weight had got up to 387. I love food and ate whatever I wanted, whole pizzas, 4-6 donuts at a crack, dipping Snickers into chocolate pudding, spending 12-15 bucks just on myself when I went to fast food, whatever I wanted I did.

My life is pretty much just my wife and I but we started working on portion control to start and at 356 I started doing low carb/high protein from my hospital's bariatric clinic. I started walking throughout the neighborhood and over the next year or so I got down to 295 and then started going back up until at 356 we started it again back at the beginning of March.

The wife and I committed to going to Planet Fitness 3 times a week. We do 30 minutes right now, she rides a bike, I do the treadmill and between that being the only exercise and eating better I was down to 303 as of Friday. She was in the 215 range to start and is now down to 194 as of Thursday, the first time below 200 in around 25 years.

It isn't easy mentally. We all want the things we want but you just have to try and fit them in. Some days that means eating a little lighter throughout the day to compensate for a bigger dinner than normal, some days that means simply writing off the day and going forward rather than feeling like a failure.

We are still looking at this as a lifestyle change and seeing progress helps. When she went to the doctor on Thursday she got glowing praise for all we have been doing and how it has affected her diabetes. She had just started on insulin a couple months prior with a fasting blood sugar of 356. After 10 units of lantus once a day as well as 2 metformin (which she was already taking), with the weight loss, working out and diet change, her sugar was down to 117 and her A1C was down from 11.7 to 6.4 (taking Lipitor). All good things that are benefits of us doing this.

Her son is getting married in a little over a week and rather than simply finding a dress that "covers the nakedness" she was able to see herself in it and think, "Damn I look hot in this dress." Today, while I hated the idea of the expense, we went out and ended up buying the first suit I have ever owned and I look good in it. It is something I would never have done before.

You can do this, it is just a matter of finding a plan that works for you and sticking with it. For those looking to lose a lot, talk to your doctor and get a referral to a bariatric clinic for the non-surgical plans. It is how I got started and they were able to give me information and a plan that worked based on my insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Calories in, Calories out has a lot of truth for weight loss but depending on your specific body issues, there can be other things within that that can help or hinder your progress and without knowing some of the stuff specific to you, you may not even be aware of it.

Oh, and as for having a desk job being a reason for why you are back to where you were before...... I drive a forklift 8-12 hours a day, then sit in the breakroom during breaks, then sit in the car I drive home in and sit at the computer or lie in bed at home. You just need to do SOMETHING to get started. Try and get a girls thing going and see if your daughter will go for walks around the neighborhood with you or join an inexpensive gym like Planet Fitness (there is one in Seneca and Easley), and maybe see if she will join with you. We opted for the Black Membership and use the hydromassage table and lounges as our after workout reward.

Same here. I used the app in 2013 & lost 42lbs but then I broke my ankle (running) & it all went out the window. Same story too few friends & so it is just me & husband. He’s pretty supportive although only a bit overweight whereas I’m 236lbs at 1.6m tall (5’6). I would like to reach 9.5 stone (133-135). People say that’s too low but actually it is bang in the middle of healthy BMI for me/my height.

So, I started calorie counting last week & static bike (30 mins) due to the weak ankle. But I think the ankle is weak because of all the weight I’m carrying. I’m pretty sure I’m pre-diabetic (I’ve not had any symptoms or weird glucose ranges - stays between 4-8mmols) but it’s only a matter of time. This week I’ve been fighting horrendous fluid retention and my BP is up (had always been low). Reading this afternoon is 132/87 (pre-hypertension by UK standards). I’ve also started Couch-to-5K. I detest exercise but running works for me - always has done. At my lowest weight of around 120lbs in my 30s I was running 40-50 miles a week & had done 4 marathons.

So, I’m 48 & need to get my backside in gear. I’m a community nurse so spend a lot of time driving ... but I know, I don’t really have any choice because my health is at huge risk right now. So I’m looking for lifestyle change buddies to hold me accountable. I need to do this & stick with it.