Women 200lb+, Let's Jump For Joy This July!!!

speyerj · July 2020

@Terytha - every time I try to eat "like a normal person" and just live my life, I gain weight. It bothered me for a really long time that I just lacked the ability to know when to say when. But I've come to accept that I may never be able to eat intuitively. I know others can and I really hope one day you can master it.

orangequilt · July 2020

@terytha and @speyerj thanks for sharing your experiences. I'm after many years still searching for that middle path between listening and not listening to my body and mind around food.

sweetirish · July 2020

@Terytha I hear you from the very pit of my soul. Yesterday was extremely emotional for me for no other reason than I'm a hormonal mess. I felt myself wanting to eat even though I wasn't hungry and when I didn't let myself, it became overwhelming and I was shaking my hands like they were asleep/pins-and-needles feeling. This was at work! A few hours later when I got home I reached out to a friend and ended up just ugly crying for 20 minutes and then went for a walk. I felt much better after walking. I also broke down and sipped a hot coffee-flavored beverage to help while at work but I stayed away from the chocolate that I now know where to find. I also found a counselor this morning that I am hoping to get in with to help me deal with the mess that attributed to the hormonal breakdown. I'm hoping I can also transfer the emotional eating to relaxing with tea... it's still a crap coping mechanism but at least it's not chocolate.
Have you tried journaling your feelings? I say that, but haven't done it in such a long time that I think I should reconsider it. Keep a journal in my purse or something.

Terytha · July 2020

@speyerj I've accepted I'll need to count calories forever, which is fine. But I still have to be careful about eating past fullness, because more than anything that makes me miserable. So it's a combination really.

@sweetirish I'd have nothing to write. You have to be able to identify a feeling to journal it and I still can't do that.

But I do write! Mostly terrible trashy romance. Its cathartic. But not work appropriate.

I hit a weird milestone today: 178 lbs.

That's what I weighed in at the day I started Weight Watchers in 2005.

Not that I'm proud of having been a big kid, but its interesting to me, since I thought I was so fat then but now I'm just happy to be that far along.

I don't hold it as nicely as teen me either.

wanderinglight · July 2020

speyerj wrote: »

@Terytha - every time I try to eat "like a normal person" and just live my life, I gain weight. It bothered me for a really long time that I just lacked the ability to know when to say when. But I've come to accept that I may never be able to eat intuitively. I know others can and I really hope one day you can master it.

It is the same for me. I'm getting better at determining whether I'm hungry or just bored, but I still struggle with being able to stop eating before I'm full. It feels like I'm just hungry all the time, even when I've just eaten. I'll be thinking of food even when I'm eating food. I don't think this is a case of my calories being set too low or having an imbalanced diet or a thyroid condition -- I've had all of that checked and it's hard to describe but it FEELS more psychological in nature. I remember reading stories in the NY Times about people who were considering weight loss surgery and many of them said they had this same feeling. And the research said that the obesity itself can be the cause of the constant hunger. It sucks. I'm really hoping that it's something I can overcome one day.

speyerj · July 2020

@Wanderlinglight - yet I don't think weight loss surgery is the answer either. I used to think so but now I am so grateful that due to a change in insurance, that option was not longer available to me. The people I know who had bariatric surgery struggle every day with food because you have to be very careful what you eat, how much you eat and in what order you eat certain foods or you get terrible digestive pain. And they also struggle with weight loss, despite being on really calorie restrictive diets. Has anyone on this thread had bariatric surgery? Did you find that it was worth it?

shorepine · July 2020

Hey everyone. I'm just stopping in to say hello. I have actually been following this thread so far this month! Usually it starts getting too busy for me and I can't keep up. But I find it so inspiring and helpful, so I've been enjoying just reading.

@Terytha and @speyerj I've tried intuitive eating too. For a while I thought it was my answer. In fact, it probably would be, if it weren't for the fact that my intuition seems to tell me it's totally what I need to eat an entire bag of chocolate chips. I felt like a failure for a long time, but I finally came to terms with the idea that either I'm nowhere near ready for it, or it just isn't going to work for me. @Terytha I like what you said about it being a combination. I think that is an idea that could work for me.

@sweetirish I am an emotional eater, too! I accept that is going to happen from time to time and I just try not to beat myself up over it.

@mmdeveau thanks for your insightful and inspiring post about exercise. I love exercise too but yeah, I tend to eat more because of it. The times I have successfully lost weight I always focused heavy on my nutrition at first and tried not to worry about exercise. Then once I got a handle on my diet, I would add in the exercise.

I'm in a weird place right now where I haven't been losing. Lost almost 10 pounds this winter, but then gained it back during the most stressful quarantine months. Been back on here doing my thing for a month now, but nothing new has come off. Being around my kitchen more hasn't helped me. I have done more than my fair share of mindless snacking. I also am teleworking and taking care of two young kids. They eat all the time and I'm always preparing food for them, which results in me mindlessly eating.

My diet is what I need to focus on. I am really good at exercising and have also done a good job reducing my alcohol intake. I used to be almost a daily wine drinker. Now, I've got that down to only a few days a week.

This month, I've made changes by introducing more strength training and trying to pay better attention to my macros to make sure I'm getting more protein.

I'd like to get a Fitbit again, I had one for years but took it off to experiment with not being so obsessive. I'm one of those people who gets really annoying with it, like I'm marching in place at 11:30 PM trying to make it to 10000 steps. Hahahaha. However, I've been concerned lately that I have become more sedentary working from home. I know when I had to get everyone out of the house and myself to my office, I just moved around a lot and would usually arrive at work in the morning with a few thousand steps. Now, I am sure I barely get any! Maybe I should charge it back up and see how it goes.

micwrites · July 2020

Micwrites (Michele)
Age: 60 5’ 9”
SW 262
CW 238
GW 175
I still can’t get used to writing 60. In my heart I am 17 (ok maybe 45) ... I am thankful for this group!! I love reading your stories and sharing. I feel close to you. And accountable. I want to do this. To get in my best shape and be healthy. I’m grateful I have a job and can pay my bills!

I had a big victory and finally found the strength to jettison the man I’ve been seeing who has been subtly devaluing me (Wow! Look at all that! ( my body ) If you didn’t have those hips I wouldn’t be interested ... You really put on some bulk since your surgery ... I always thought your daughter was the b#%^* but it’s really you! ... and on and on in a narcissistic frenzy. Are you kidding me? ... I found myself emotionally eating and backpedaling on all my progress and then I thought there is no way that this man who brings nothing to the table is going to sabotage me .. so I have cleaned house, I’m back on track, I killed myself at PT tonight and I’m playing tennis Saturday for the first time in a year since my injury. I’m scared but excited ... and I’ll focus my energy on my kids and myself, on the graduate degree I’m working on, on supporting other women and the people I love and the things I love to do .. and someday if a good man comes along and crosses my path .. well, I’ll think about it then.

For now, good healthy food, exercise, half my weight in water and checking in here every day. 💜

speyerj · July 2020

@micwrites - Good for you! Kicking that man to the curb may be the most important step on your road to emotional and physical health. I am cheering for you from across the internet! Hooray for Michelle!

micwrites · July 2020

shorepine wrote: »

Hey everyone. I'm just stopping in to say hello. I have actually been following this thread so far this month! Usually it starts getting too busy for me and I can't keep up. But I find it so inspiring and helpful, so I've been enjoying just reading.

@Terytha and @speyerj I've tried intuitive eating too. For a while I thought it was my answer. In fact, it probably would be, if it weren't for the fact that my intuition seems to tell me it's totally what I need to eat an entire bag of chocolate chips. I felt like a failure for a long time, but I finally came to terms with the idea that either I'm nowhere near ready for it, or it just isn't going to work for me. @Terytha I like what you said about it being a combination. I think that is an idea that could work for me.

@sweetirish I am an emotional eater, too! I accept that is going to happen from time to time and I just try not to beat myself up over it.

@mmdeveau thanks for your insightful and inspiring post about exercise. I love exercise too but yeah, I tend to eat more because of it. The times I have successfully lost weight I always focused heavy on my nutrition at first and tried not to worry about exercise. Then once I got a handle on my diet, I would add in the exercise.

I'm in a weird place right now where I haven't been losing. Lost almost 10 pounds this winter, but then gained it back during the most stressful quarantine months. Been back on here doing my thing for a month now, but nothing new has come off. Being around my kitchen more hasn't helped me. I have done more than my fair share of mindless snacking. I also am teleworking and taking care of two young kids. They eat all the time and I'm always preparing food for them, which results in me mindlessly eating.

My diet is what I need to focus on. I am really good at exercising and have also done a good job reducing my alcohol intake. I used to be almost a daily wine drinker. Now, I've got that down to only a few days a week.

This month, I've made changes by introducing more strength training and trying to pay better attention to my macros to make sure I'm getting more protein.

I'd like to get a Fitbit again, I had one for years but took it off to experiment with not being so obsessive. I'm one of those people who gets really annoying with it, like I'm marching in place at 11:30 PM trying to make it to 10000 steps. Hahahaha. However, I've been concerned lately that I have become more sedentary working from home. I know when I had to get everyone out of the house and myself to my office, I just moved around a lot and would usually arrive at work in the morning with a few thousand steps. Now, I am sure I barely get any! Maybe I should charge it back up and see how it goes.

Anyone who mentions eating a whole bag of chocolate chips should have been my best friend in high school! 😘 .. but we won’t do it now. Let’s help each other!!

micwrites · July 2020

speyerj wrote: »

@micwrites - Good for you! Kicking that man to the curb may be the most important step on your road to emotional and physical health. I am cheering for you from across the internet! Hooray for Michelle!

@speyerj Thank you! 😘 I so appreciate it. 👊

renewing1 · July 2020

52F, 5'2"
SW: 335
CW: 314.2
Goal 1: 299
UGW: 145

I just started MFP this past week but have been working on losing weight for a few months. My weigh in day is Monday.

My goals for July:
Transfer from counting calories to counting carbs.
Exercise at least 3x per week by walking at least 20 minutes at a time.

My biggest problem is eating when I am tired instead of going to sleep. I use to belong to Taking Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), an in-person support group, which helped me get down to 220 lbs but I don't have a way to get to meetings any more. So I'm hoping to find encouragement and support here.

Have a great evening everyone!

Ambymaries · July 2020

Hello! I'm joining in! I just did a couple of free months on WW and couldn't afford the fee anymore because I'm no longer working. I've used MFP before with great success (but that was almost 10 years ago!)

SW: 260.2
CW: 253.8
GW1: 200
GW2: 150-160

My summer has been pretty rough, having been on sick leave and struggling financially...but I have some time to work on me I guess, and losing weight needs to be part of that for my physical and mental health. I tend to give up easily, and need to work on getting into some healthy habits and sticking with them! Currently just trying to make it through, but here are my goals so far:

1) TRACK and stay under calorie goal - maybe track in advance if I can
2) Try to get in some exercise 2-3 times a week for now, increase in a month or so (it's hard to do when it's so HOT)
3) JOURNAL. I bought a new journal and pens yesterday and found a ton of good journalling prompts online

What I'm grateful for: remembering that it is much cooler on the North side of town, down by the Marina... and that I have a vehicle to get there and friends who also do. My friend took me down there for a picnic tonight and it was so refreshing! Might have to use it as a journalling spot and a place to walk to get started with back to exercise!

CupcakeCrusoe · July 2020

Happy Friday everyone! Weigh in day for me!

Christina
31 years old
5'4''
SW: 207
CW (6/30): 185.2
7/3: 185.2
7/10: 184.6 (-0.6)
7/17:
7/24:
GW for July: 181
UGW: 145

Daily 5 to Thrive:
🌺 30 minutes for me ✅
🌺 30 minutes of exercise ✅
🌺 90 oz water ✅
🌺 Sugar treats less than 10% of calories ✅
🌺 Write 10 things I'm grateful for ✅

Countdown to the end of the year: 25 weeks
Loss at 1 lb/week: 159
Countdown to Wedding Season: 41 weeks

I talk about shooting for 1 lb/week, but I know I'm not perfectly doing 1440 calories every day, and I'm lifting, so I'm happy with what I've got now. Progress pictures and measurements in a week will be a better indicator of progress.

Quick tags:
@speyerj and @orangequilt : same. I have never been able to accurately gauge hunger, so I expect to log in some fashion for the rest of my life.

@sweetirish those pregnancy hormones are real! Walking does help, and I found taking up a hobby (for me it was knitting) also helped to keep my mind from spiraling down some paths I'd rather it not. I've been pregnant twice, so if you've got gripes, my inbox is open.

@terytha I love that you write trashy romance (I do, too, and it's terrible!). It's very gratifying, in a way I can't explain. I'm sorry that you as a teen were doing weight watchers and stuff. I wish education were better about nutrition when we're much younger, instead of pushing kids (intentionally or not) into weight loss programs. Honestly there's too much kids need to know these days, and not enough time (or budget!) to teach them. I'm at the weight I was in high school, as well. And sometimes I lament the fact that I got up to where I did, but, yesterday is heavy, so I'm going to put it down.

@wanderinglight I feel these feels. Even right after food, I'm thinking about food again. One thing that helps for those days I feel like a human black hole is to eat high volume low calorie foods. There's a thread all about it here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10563959/volume-eaters-thread#latest

@shorepine oh hey, you're me! Down to the teleworking and taking care of two kids, and the strength training. We can do it. I've got a squat rack and barbell in my garage, so I'm very lucky to be able to do a standard weights regimen. Right now I can squat 100, deadlift 130, overhead press 55 (LOL, OHP is the worst), and bench 55.

@micwrites When my sister was in college, she broke up with a crappy boyfriend. When she called me, upset, I went straight to the store, bought her a cookie cake, and asked the baker to write on it GOOD RIDDANCE. This is my virtual cookie cake to you, my dear. GOOD RIDDANCE and GOOD FOR YOU!

@renewing1 Welcome! I've heard of TOPS, hopefully you find what you're looking for here, as well.

@Ambymaries your marina sounds lovely. You've got this.

Have a great Friday, everyone!

changeforeverlj · July 2020

@speyerj & @Wanderlinglight My brother had bariatric surgery about 6 years ago and has kept off the weight, but he changed his life and now is an avid diver and hiker. He absolutely loves food, and cooks up a storm all the time...but can't eat it all.
He got free surgery through the NZ health system, it was an incentive through his work. And was the best thing for him! It's too expensive here!

I know my eating is an emotional thing so I need to work through that, which is what I'm doing, and honestly, I'm feeling better than I have in 15 years! I wore a pair of corduroy flairs this morning that I haven't worn in 16 years, my son says I look like a hippy! I laughed, they make me feel happy! Better than food! And a young girl in a shop asked me where I bought them ( a hundred years ago at Camden Market in London!) I'm also loving the exercise and feeling my body get healthier and stronger! We can do this, we all have the ability to do this 20-mile walk, it's about consistently doing your daily habits even when you don't want to!

sweetirish · July 2020

@CupcakeCrusoe I appreciate that. This is officially my third pregnancy, I've just never made it out of the first trimester. I should pick my crochet back up but I get that "but this yarn is so pretty I have to save it for a really good project" syndrome and never actually get much done. I have other crafts too. I've read that crochet/knit is good for anxiety too.

CupcakeCrusoe · July 2020

sweetirish wrote: »

@CupcakeCrusoe I appreciate that. This is officially my third pregnancy, I've just never made it out of the first trimester. I should pick my crochet back up but I get that "but this yarn is so pretty I have to save it for a really good project" syndrome and never actually get much done. I have other crafts too. I've read that crochet/knit is good for anxiety too.

I have that syndrome all the time, in regard to yarn. I've decided that life is too short not to use the good yarn on things. And I do love to buy more, so there's always that.

My latest acquisition is a yarn advent calendar- 1 mini skein a day for the month of December. I'll make a big old space rainbow (that's the theme this year) gradient shawl out of it day by day. I'm already excited about it.

orangequilt · July 2020

sweetirish wrote: »

@CupcakeCrusoe I appreciate that. This is officially my third pregnancy, I've just never made it out of the first trimester. I should pick my crochet back up but I get that "but this yarn is so pretty I have to save it for a really good project" syndrome and never actually get much done. I have other crafts too. I've read that crochet/knit is good for anxiety too.

Also, easier to avoid snacking because you don't want to get your nice yarn all greasy! Knitting is great for anxiety, I did cable cardigan in lockdown.

orangequilt · July 2020

Welcome to the newbies, loving the discussion and sharing on here, you are all an inspiration to me xx

sweetirish · July 2020

orangequilt wrote: »

Also, easier to avoid snacking because you don't want to get your nice yarn all greasy! Knitting is great for anxiety, I did cable cardigan in lockdown.

LOL I read trashy romance novels - 13 in a 6 week timeframe while I was on loan to the state's 211 office answering panicked phone calls. Then I switched to books about famous horses...another 2 books there, and then a biography on Marilyn Monroe. After that it was nice enough to play in my garden so I haven't picked my kindle back up in weeks.

Women 200lb+, Let's Jump For Joy This July!!!

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