Pre-Challenge Activity #1: INFORMATION and YOUR INPUT!

My reason for being here is to reduce my bodyweight. I am a serial starter, a typical yo-yo dieter, and I always fall back into old habits. So I'm looking to build better habits slowly, and set myself up for success. I know the scale isn't the be all and end all, but since I am Obese Class III it is a very important indicator! So I am here to make some lifestyle changes that I can sustain for the long term - before it's too late.

This will be my 2nd challenge. After losing 50 lbs by 2017, I maintained it till I quit smoking (10lbs) then had a pinched nerve & couldn't exercise for a while (10lbs) then couldn't lose it because I wasn't able to get back to the level of exercise I did before , I didn't increase my food intake, I gained because I'd eat back my exercise calories so I accepted that I couldn't lose 20 lbs but the clothes I had were snug & I felt sluggish so I found "half size me" on You Tube & got inspired to make small changes, since I wasn't willing to eat 200+ calories less per day because it wasn't sustainable for me. I did lose 20lbs over a years time & 6month later, I found the summer challenge. I loved the community, like minded people & the accountability and I'm ready to lose a bit more. I don't feel I could get back to the level of exercise I did before, gym 6 days/week including classes & I did love doing all of that but I've had eye surgery, skin cancer surgery, heel spur , covid in which I had no energy for some months & high BP & more in which I wasn't supposed to strain so I focus on exercises I CAN do not what I used to do . I would like to suggest one of the LTGL weeks to be eating veggies every day. I do eat veggies but we focus more on meat/poultry(cooked with veggies in them) so I don't always feel like cooking extra separate veggies after all the time in kitchen so veggies, besides potatoes get left out or I'll make a bunch & after it's gone it'll be a while till I make more & want it to become a regular part of our meals.