The Christmas Conquest!!!

shredder · September 2009

Hello!
Yesterday I had a garage sale and purged my home of years worth of accumulated "stuff" that needed to go. Along with my kids old clothes, books, toys, I saw my by treasured bebe jeans sell for a fraction of what I had paid for them. That didn't kill me as much as facing the fact that those size 31's were a lifetime away and no matter how long I wished myself to fit them- it wasn't gonna happen.
This cathartic experience got me into such a different mindset- I knew things had to change.

I found this site today and feel like a new woman with a new chance!
I am 42, married with 2 girls and a husband, who, like a fine wine, gets better with age. I am the moldy cheese in this simile- nothing fine about me I'm afraid to say.
In a word- I am fat! at 189lbs the heaviest I have ever been in my entire life. I'm sure you're all tired of the typical sob stories about having tried every diet, powder, pill and other gimmick on the market aimed at people like me who yearn for the quick fix! That was me.
I now realize that weight loss has nothing to do with speed- it's about a lifestyle change and a determination to get the job done through a healthy approach to living.

I know how to do this! When I first met my husband I had a killer body and I ate for the taste of beautiful food and for enery- not shovelling food into my mouth in order to numb my feelings of inadequecy. I worked out every single day and took on my day with an energy that I wish I could have put in a bottle.
Being 44 pound overweight is no longer acceptable. My husband is no longer attracted to me and who can blame him? I have promised him to death on all the weight I would lose only each time the deadline approaches I'm further from my goal than ever.
I am hanging on this cliff by the tips of my fingers and after 10 years of failed attempts and promises I am ready to be the woman I was when we first met... I miss her and I know my guy is beside himself with grief and dissappointment.
I'm giving myself a goal-

Here's what I propose, by Christmas Day, I will weigh 28lbs less than I do today.
Breaking it down, that's 2 lbs a week (104 days, 14.5 weeks)
I will work out 5 x weekly and adopt a clean eating lifestyle.
We will weigh in every Sunday and give a brief stats report, weight, workouts, what worked, failures and those we conquered! :flowerforyou:

I want to be in Chrismas pictures this year and not the one always taking them for fear of having to actually see what I look like. There is no excuses any more. I want the accountability! I want the ownership and I want the scales to move in the right direction.
I would love your company on this journey, for the support and energy we can provide each other with.
Warmly
Shredder

ittybittybadonkadonk · September 2009

Hello!
Yesterday I had a garage sale and purged my home of years worth of accumulated "stuff" that needed to go. Along with my kids old clothes, books, toys, I saw my by treasured bebe jeans sell for a fraction of what I had paid for them. That didn't kill me as much as facing the fact that those size 31's were a lifetime away and no matter how long I wished myself to fit them- it wasn't gonna happen.
This cathartic experience got me into such a different mindset- I knew things had to change.

I found this site today and feel like a new woman with a new chance!
I am 42, married with 2 girls and a husband, who, like a fine wine, gets better with age. I am the moldy cheese in this simile- nothing fine about me I'm afraid to say.
In a word- I am fat! at 189lbs the heaviest I have ever been in my entire life. I'm sure you're all tired of the typical sob stories about having tried every diet, powder, pill and other gimmick on the market aimed at people like me who yearn for the quick fix! That was me.
I now realize that weight loss has nothing to do with speed- it's about a lifestyle change and a determination to get the job done through a healthy approach to living.

I know how to do this! When I first met my husband I had a killer body and I ate for the taste of beautiful food and for enery- not shovelling food into my mouth in order to numb my feelings of inadequecy. I worked out every single day and took on my day with an energy that I wish I could have put in a bottle.
Being 44 pound overweight is no longer acceptable. My husband is no longer attracted to me and who can blame him? I have promised him to death on all the weight I would lose only each time the deadline approaches I'm further from my goal than ever.
I am hanging on this cliff by the tips of my fingers and after 10 years of failed attempts and promises I am ready to be the woman I was when we first met... I miss her and I know my guy is beside himself with grief and dissappointment.
I'm giving myself a goal-

Here's what I propose, by Christmas Day, I will weigh 28lbs less than I do today.
Breaking it down, that's 2 lbs a week (104 days, 14.5 weeks)
I will work out 5 x weekly and adopt a clean eating lifestyle.
We will weigh in every Sunday and give a brief stats report, weight, workouts, what worked, failures and those we conquered! :flowerforyou:

I want to be in Chrismas pictures this year and not the one always taking them for fear of having to actually see what I look like. There is no excuses any more. I want the accountability! I want the ownership and I want the scales to move in the right direction.
I would love your company on this journey, for the support and energy we can provide each other with.
Warmly
Shredder

Welcome to an awesome site .... good luck on your weight loss journey and KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO THIS .....just take baby steps ... eat healthy workout and drink lots n lots of water .... :happy:

shredder · September 2009

Thanks Megan- I appreciate the welcome. It feels good to have already taken my first itsy step.

ittybittybadonkadonk · September 2009

Thanks Megan- I appreciate the welcome. It feels good to have already taken my first itsy step.

your very welcome and i totally agree with you about taken lil steps ..... i started on this website last month and am so pleased about my 13 pounds loss..... I belong to an awesome support group ... its called NEW ME ...LETS GET STARTED .... you are more than welcomce to join us .... we weigh in weekly on wednesdays and we do challenges .... right now we are doing a water challenge... a no fast food challenge and how many workouts we can do in a month ..... we love to see you there .. we are very supportive and a motivated group .... so please join us if you would like

Poison5119 · September 2009

You have a wonderful spirit, and a great story, and a number of GREAT reason for doing this, and I am very proud of you, and so happy you are here!

You sound determined first and foremost and that is exactly what it takes to succeed.

You will hit bumps, and things will certainly frustrate you, but we are all here to help you get to your goals. It doesn't sound like you're a complete stranger to this lifestyle, but we've got your back!!! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

shredder · September 2009

Thanks Russia... If this is the caliber of support and heart felt wishes, I'm stoked

I think I've found my nitch... I know I can do this

MOMOFTWO29 · September 2009

Hello and welcome to MFP, the best website ever!!! You will love this site if you don't already. I love this site. It is so motivational, supportive, helpful, easy to use, and everyone is so nice and friendly. I just wanted to wish you a lot of success on your weight loss journey. You can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!

:flowerforyou:

magglett · September 2009

Hello!
Yesterday I had a garage sale and purged my home of years worth of accumulated "stuff" that needed to go. Along with my kids old clothes, books, toys, I saw my by treasured bebe jeans sell for a fraction of what I had paid for them. That didn't kill me as much as facing the fact that those size 31's were a lifetime away and no matter how long I wished myself to fit them- it wasn't gonna happen.
This cathartic experience got me into such a different mindset- I knew things had to change.

I found this site today and feel like a new woman with a new chance!
I am 42, married with 2 girls and a husband, who, like a fine wine, gets better with age. I am the moldy cheese in this simile- nothing fine about me I'm afraid to say.
In a word- I am fat! at 189lbs the heaviest I have ever been in my entire life. I'm sure you're all tired of the typical sob stories about having tried every diet, powder, pill and other gimmick on the market aimed at people like me who yearn for the quick fix! That was me.
I now realize that weight loss has nothing to do with speed- it's about a lifestyle change and a determination to get the job done through a healthy approach to living.

I know how to do this! When I first met my husband I had a killer body and I ate for the taste of beautiful food and for enery- not shovelling food into my mouth in order to numb my feelings of inadequecy. I worked out every single day and took on my day with an energy that I wish I could have put in a bottle.
Being 44 pound overweight is no longer acceptable. My husband is no longer attracted to me and who can blame him? I have promised him to death on all the weight I would lose only each time the deadline approaches I'm further from my goal than ever.
I am hanging on this cliff by the tips of my fingers and after 10 years of failed attempts and promises I am ready to be the woman I was when we first met... I miss her and I know my guy is beside himself with grief and dissappointment.
I'm giving myself a goal-

Here's what I propose, by Christmas Day, I will weigh 28lbs less than I do today.
Breaking it down, that's 2 lbs a week (104 days, 14.5 weeks)
I will work out 5 x weekly and adopt a clean eating lifestyle.
We will weigh in every Sunday and give a brief stats report, weight, workouts, what worked, failures and those we conquered! :flowerforyou:

I want to be in Chrismas pictures this year and not the one always taking them for fear of having to actually see what I look like. There is no excuses any more. I want the accountability! I want the ownership and I want the scales to move in the right direction.
I would love your company on this journey, for the support and energy we can provide each other with.
Warmly
Shredder

Hey Shredder ... welcome to MFP. I joined in June and it's the best thing I've ever done for myself. This is a very user friendly tool for weight loss and the message boards and people are extremely friendly and supportive. I wish you all the luck in the world. You mentioned Christmas when reftering to your goals. I belong to a group called "Looking Good For Christmas" and you are welcome to join us if you would like to ... you can find us at ... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/65420-looking-good-for-christmas-week-9

weaklink109 · September 2009

Your mindset is similar to where I was last April when I joined the website. I am not married or in a relationship, but that didn't make my predicament any less depressing. I was the heaviest I had ever been. Although I had lost 13 lbs after surgery in January, and promised myself I was going to "watch it" and keep going in that direction, by my birthday in the first week of April, I was back to where I had been, + a little "interest":grumble:

I started the day after Easter, so that is 5 months ago to the date, as of today. I haven't been the "hare" in this race, but not the tortoise either, but this has been the EASIEST weight loss journey I have been on, because it is WORKING and I don't feel deprived, because as long as I plan ahead I can eat whatever I please, just less of it.

The only limitations I have placed on myself are to keep my sodium level low, due to hypertension, and I try to limit carbs from processed foods like bread and cake, and concentrate on good carbs from fruits and veggies. I also watch my fat intake and make sure I am getting adequate protein.

I lost on Atkins, and gained it all back when I started eating "normally." I have already lost as much as I did doing Atkins, but I am not feeling like I have missed out on anything. I have a friend who is about a hundred pounds overweight who has been watching my progress while gaining and losing the same 8 lbs. for the last 5 months, and she finally saw the light and registered on MFP within the last two weeks. She has lost 4 lbs. and is ecstatic!!!

You CAN do this. Remember, you didn't gain it in 2 months, so it will take longer than that to lose it. I figure the weight I am shooting for is what I weighed about 35 years ago, so if it takes me over a year to get there, that is not a bad return on investment in terms of time spent.

One think I can suggest is don't try to change everything at once. If you overwhelm yourself with multiple new habits, you can get discouraged and be tempted to fall off the wagon. I would concentrate on making dietary changes in the first couple of weeks, and if you want a good basic exercise, start walking. My exercise of choice is walking, though I am getting ready to start some firming and toning exercises now that I feel I am ready to perform them effectively.

Another wise person on this site said, "Log before you eat" and I think that is particularly good advice while you are discovering the calories and other values of the foods that you eat. It also allows you to make adjustments so you can keep within your calories, or decide that a bigger dinner is worth some extra workout time.

There are some people on this site who insist you can't eat in a restaurant and lose, but if you plan ahead, based upon my experience, you can. I have eaten out an average of two or three times per week since starting my program, and I have certain places I go because I know there are things on the menu I can have that will not derail me. Many of the national and regional chains have nutritional information posted on their websites, and there are sites like thedailyplate.com and others that will help you find information.

You will discover the database for food on MFP is extensive, but because members can add info to it, it is not always correct or complete, so if there is more than one entry for the same item, take a look at all of them, and notice which one might have confirmations fr other members that it is the correct info.

The last piece of advice I will give is to suggest that you look up zig zag calories on google. I know it goes contrary to what we believe, but you really CAN keep losing by eating a larger than normal amount of calories on one day. For me it is every 3 -4 weeks, and I can often plan my zig zag day to coincide with a day where I will be in a situation where I would eat more than usual anyway.

It really will help keep your metabolism from slowing down.

I reread your post, and one other suggestion--DON"T think of yourself as "moldy cheese"--you are smart, and capable of doing anything you set your mind to with the right tools. MFP IS THE RIGHT TOOL. If someone had told me in April that I would see 50 lbs. gone before the end of this year, or even 35 lbs. I would have replied that I can't afford weight loss surgery or liposuction. I really didn't think anything would help me. The support on this site, and the fact that it allows you to track your calories and exercise GREATLY increases your likelihood of success. You are SMART!!--You were smart enough to come here, weren't you?--And smart enough to post your intentions!! Welcome to the club!!

GOOD LUCK!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

hollytx · September 2009

I am right here with you! We will make it to Christmas together!

jigs · September 2009

Hi, and welcome to MFP! I love it here. I see you're going to weigh yourself on Sundays. You're welcome to join the Sunday Successes thread in Motivation topic area. A few of us post each Sunday.

shredder · September 2009

Weaklink, Hollytx and Jigs- you are so motivating. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside bc of these replies.
Weaklink- what can I say? You've given me a ton to think about and research. I so appreciate all the guidance and am all over it.
I have to say I'm especially interested in the zig zag calories!!! Never heard of that before and trust me, I've seen and heard of most everything out there. If its worked for you in the past and your ticker certainly shows your success, I'll totally try it.
Shredder

awolfgang · September 2009

Hello Shredder. I am so with you! I am new here today and like yourself I have neglected my body. I want to lose 15 to 20 pounds by Xmas also. So would love to keep in touch weekly for some moral support. I have the food sorted out mostly. Have to knock the sweets on the head. But in my defense I did quit smoking "cold turkey" 33 days and 13 hours ago. Feel so much better wish I'd done it years ago. Now I just need to knock the wine on the head and just have a glass or two as a treat instead of every single day as part of my chillout routine. Hope your week goes ok and hopefully see how you get on next week. Good luck X

shredder · September 2009

Hello Shredder. I am so with you! I am new here today and like yourself I have neglected my body. I want to lose 15 to 20 pounds by Xmas also. So would love to keep in touch weekly for some moral support. I have the food sorted out mostly. Have to knock the sweets on the head. But in my defense I did quit smoking "cold turkey" 33 days and 13 hours ago. Feel so much better wish I'd done it years ago. Now I just need to knock the wine on the head and just have a glass or two as a treat instead of every single day as part of my chillout routine. Hope your week goes ok and hopefully see how you get on next week. Good luck X

Hi there Wolfgang!!
This can be done. I got on the scales this am (because I weigh myself every single morning) and I'm down 2 lbs already. Got my work out in this am and my cooler all packed with fruit, sliced turkey, water and nuts for when I'm on the go today. That's so incredible you quit smoking like that- you see? your willpower is so strong. Like you, I also love my glass (or 3) every evening and I've been weening myself slowly. Try a wine spritzer with club soda and get half the calories and still feel like you've treated yourself.
Some awesome gals on this site have said to take itty bitty steps. The likelihood that you'll stick with the routine will increase ten fold vs. you going all or nothing.
We're gonna look soooo hot for this holiday season.

shredder · September 2009

I'm so happy with my bad self that I had to post this morning.:happy:
My mission to be down 28 lbs by Christmas day is well under way.
I lost 3.5 lbs this week and have worked out every single day! Yahoo :drinker:
Not sure if any of you out there are setting similar goals for yourselves, but I sure would like some company on this journey.

Can't wait for my glass of wine this evening. I think I've earned it!

ittybittybadonkadonk · September 2009

I'm so happy with my bad self that I had to post this morning.:happy:
My mission to be down 28 lbs by Christmas day is well under way.
I lost 3.5 lbs this week and have worked out every single day! Yahoo :drinker:
Not sure if any of you out there are setting similar goals for yourselves, but I sure would like some company on this journey.

Can't wait for my glass of wine this evening. I think I've earned it!

CONGRATS YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats awesome .... keep up the awesome job your doing ......i lost 4 pounds this week so a total of 17 since Aug ..... WE CAN DO THIS !!!!! i would recommend that you have 1 or 2 rest days from working out .... i work out 6 days with sunday being my rest day ...just a suggestion :happy:

shredder · September 2009

Megan38- how in Gods name were you able to drop sooo much weight sooo fast!!!! I mean that's so incredible!!!
I hear you about the workouts and am tapering to 5 this week.
Shredder

The Christmas Conquest!!!

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