I have to lose 80 pounds

First, I want make it clear that I am not a nutritionist or professional of any kind. I am a regular person like you who was diagnosed with CLL in 2009, so I have had to educate myself about food choices and food additives to avoid aggravating my condition. With that said....

You've take the first and most important step! Ta-da! Knowing you need help and seeking it out is the very very first (and hardest) step of all. Congratz! You are already on your way and I bet you didn't even know it.

Stress eating is a common reaction to stress triggers. The first thing is getting treatment for the depression. It isn't going to 'just go away' nor are you going to 'just get over it', because depression has physiological symptoms as well as emotional ones. I hope you are or will seek treatment for that very soon! One of the things you have to do is identify what your stress triggers are so you can learn how to manage your reactions to them. Sure, there will be stress, and sometimes you don't have control over when stress triggers occur, but you DO have control over how you react to them once you identify them.

In the meantime you want to address the weight-gain issue. The food log here will be very helpful to you because you will not only count calories, but you will be able to see the trends of what you do eat, when you eat the most, and where in our calorie count you are having too many (is it in fat, carbs, or just overall?) The other thing I can think of suggesting is to drink fluids, water especially. It's funny, for decades moms have given their kids juice instead of kool aid or soda thinking they are giving them something oh-so-healthy. Eventho it is true that juice is healthier than soda or kool aid made with lots of sugar, it has it's own disadvantages for you, such as less fiber than eating the fruit itself, and most commercial juices concentrate it to intensify the flavor but that means that the sugar in it has been concentrated also, giving you more per ounce than the eating fruit itself. So how do you increase liquids without increasing too many carbs or calories? Use juice to lightly flavor the water but not too much. Think of water with lemon when you eat out instead of soda or sweetened tea. Then think outside the usual glass. At home, try water with a little apple juice in it or a tablespoon of orange juice in it. It will take some getting used to the consistency, but still tastes better than plain water without adding any artificial anythings to it. Since you mentioned liver problems, I would try these simple 'next steps' first and then see where you are with your doctor to determine how to go forward from there.

Yesterday was the first day I tried the calorie diary. I had signed up about 3 months ago and then did nothing about it. But I am here again today. I can relate, I have been gaining weight instead of losing it. It is hard to stay motivated. I know it is one thing to say you want to lose weight but I guess you have to be ready to. I am ready!!!!

I completely understand where you're coming from. I'm a mother of two who recently went through a divorce who started with 60 pounds to lose. (50 now! ) I was severely depressed after the divorce, a death in the family, and financial troubles, and eating seemed to be the way I dealt with anything. If I was depressed, I ate to fill something inside me. If I was happy, I ate to celebrate. If I was anxious, I ate to distract myself. Even when things were good, the way I rewarded myself was with food. (I did _____ so well today. I deserve to pick up fast food/take the kids ou to eatt/buy a special dessert instead of cook.) Food was my punishment AND my reward. Then I went outside to play with my kids and realized I was winded after chasing a ball 5 feet across the yard. That's not the life I want! So I started taking small steps.

The first and easiest thing is the food tracker. I don't know if you have an IPhone, but the myfitnesspal mobile app will be your best friend. You can track things AS you eat them, and don't cheat! Every single thing you put in your mouth (even a tic tac) should be tracked. You'd be amazed how things add up. I didn't change my diet much at first. It became a game. (How many times can I eat today without going over my calorie count? No, that's not the healthiest, but it got me through the first week) Then I gradually started making BETTER choices. After that, I tried to add in some form of physical activity, and it can be anything, at least 5 days a week. I walk or go golfing or play Dance Central on my son's XBOX. I've tried several different things I've never done before (i.e. golf) and have been surprised at the activities I enjoy.)As long as I'm moving, it counts.

I also changed how I thought about food. I lost these first 10 pounds, and yesterday I had a massage as a reward. Instead of saying, "I lost 10 pounds, I should cheat today." I decided to stop making food the center of my rewards system. It makes such a difference.

These first 10 pounds seemed to melt away. I'm sure it'll get harder and slower, but myfitnesspal is the first thing I've found that almost forces you into real accountability. I know you're going through a hard time, but as you reach goals, you'll feel better and better about you. I feel proud of myself for the first time in years, and I can't wait for you to feel the same. I know you can do it...because I can do it, and that's a miracle in itself!

Hi! I joined about 2 weeks ago. I was doing Great on Weight Watcher and lost 61 lbs. after I stopped going to meetings i gradually started gaining the weight back. It's been about 9 months and I have gained 28 lbs back and I dont want to gain another pound. I am hoping this site helps me to reach my goals. I have the app on my iphone and I love how convenient it is to log my food intake! Good luck to everyone who is trying to eat healthier and lose weight.