struggle

As a life long bulge battler, I completely understand. Three weeks ago I made the commitment to a healthier life style. Working closely with a doctor and dietician, I've lost 15 pounds. I really feel the big difference is my exercise routine. I bought a used Gazelle and LOVE it! Never have I been one for cardio (running), but this machine made the world of difference. Tried the walking route, both around the town as well as on a treadmill. Shins went numb every time. The Gazelle is different. It's a day-to-day struggle and one of the biggest obstacles is the scale in my kitchen. I felt compelled to weigh myself every day. Now, I put it away in a closet and only weigh myself once a week. Someone once told me that when I go grocery shopping, to only shop from the outside rows of the store. Once you start doing down each isle, you encounter processed food which is not as healthy for you. If you think about it, the outside rows typcially consist of natural products. Fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy. I'm not one to get creative in the kitchen, so that becomes another obstacle. In fact, I've scoured the internet looking for balanced 1500 calorie menus. That way I can go shopping just for those items. That too has helped. Also, what I've found helpful is not to focus on my end goal, but rather focusing on short-term goals. The first was going from 5 minutes on the gazelle to 45 minutes. I've reached that goal. Next is to focus on 5 pounds at a time. Celebrate the little accomplishments and before we all know it, we'll have reached our final goal! Perhaps you'll find some comfort knowing you're not alone in the drive for weight loss.