Hi...I'm new!

Absolutely!!! This site has done that for me. It is great to have an issue and get feedback right away! Your wedding is a great motivator. It's short term. These changes will help you forever.

:flowerforyou:

My name is Annmarie. I am a 43 year old wife of a wonderful and loving husband for 24 years in December and mother of three beautiful children. I have been on a weight struggle for most of my life and have tried just about every diet out there. I am a 1999 product of a gastric bi-pass gone bad, and I currently have many health related issues that keep me from wanting to exercise and with that even diet. I am from a big Italian family where food is our source of comfort and "family", so I enjoy very much the idea of cooking as well as eating all the wonderful meals I make for friends and family. This is probably the biggest reason for NOT watching what I eat. I joined my fitness pal in the hopes that I can get back into shape and be able to enjoy life again with my family and friends

Welcome and good luck! :flowerforyou:

Hello, I truly understand! It takes accountability in order to help u stay on track. We are all on this journey together. I've been in that boat where I want to lose weight, but my mind plays tricks on me, and before I knew it I was back doing the same old things. Eating late, not exercising. I feel once u r truly fed up u WILL do something about it. I had to sit back and think, how long will u livee if I continue on this way? Am I setting a good example for my 3 girls? Do I control me or does food control me? All of the answers were very eye opening!! I decided on the 3rd of this month enough is enough. I no longer want the answers to those questions to be NEGATIVE! I not only WILL lose weight, but I will have changed my family's life style!!! This is a journey and u MUST make sure u are packed appropriately! No quick overnight trips! U didn't get where u r over night so take it one day at a time.

Hi Tracey I know what you mean about the junk food around the house. When I started my weight loss journey a few years ago I had to ask my dear husband to try to keep his snacks away from me. I explained to him that I was making a serious effort to lose the weight and told him that I needed him to support me on it, and he was very good about it. He even stopped me from making poor choices for my own snacks. My husband still has his occasional junk food but it doesn't sit around the house and some of my healthier habits have rubbed off on him. Talk to your man, I hope he can become a great support for you like mine is for me.

I never had much willpower, but what I found that helped is want-power. Next time you reach for that donut or cookie ask yourself do you want it or do you want to lose the weight? You are here so you obviously know what you want. One of the things I learned best was that you have to change the way you think. You can't go on a diet because diets don't work. The best thing you can do for yourself is educate yourself about proper fitness and nutrition then slowly work what you have learned into your own habits. When what you are doing no longer works look at your habits and see what else you can change. To change your outside you must first change your inside. Also very important-It's ok to fall off the wagon, as long as you just get right back on. Don't let messing up once in a while bring you down. Forgive yourself, promise yourself to do better and move on. If you deprive yourself of the things you love completely you'll never be able to stay on the wagon. Surprisingly, I found that after eating so healthy all the time, I don't enjoy the junk foods that I used to. The things like desserts that I still love, I find I need less to enjoy them and still be satisfied. It's also really sweet to be able to split dessert with your husband when eating out.

I never went to a group but I was very public about my intentions to lose weight. I told all my friends and co-workers. They cheered me on but what motivated me was that I knew if I failed everyone would know it. It helped me hold myself accountable for my efforts and that really worked for me. Everytime I got discouraged at the speed of my progress I reminded myself that it took me 30 years to get as big as I was (size 24 when I started) so it naturally will take a while to lose it. I also do one thing that most people would discourage but it again is based on your own attitude. I weight myself often. Sometimes daily. I only record it at the same time every Saturday as my official weigh-in but I use the scale as a tool to help stay focused on my goals. It also gives me a better idea of how my weight fluctuates in the course of the day so that if my results are a few pounds off I get less discouraged and get myself back on track. It's not the way to go for everyone but it works for me. Never be afraid of your scale.

Congrats on your engagement, you may not make it to your ultimate goal by then but set some smaller goals and I promise you that when you make them you will feel so much better about yourself that by your wedding day you will feel beautiful and glow with pride. I am still about 40 lbs from my ideal weight and need to lose my muffin top but people I've known for years barely recognize me and compliment me every day. I am currently a size 10 which I never thought I'd fit and I feel pretty when I dress up. I no longer hate pictures of myself and I love who I am becoming. Keep up the good work, don't punish yourself, and you will learn to love yourself. Once you do, it's the only motivation you'll need.