Almost 40 and, well, not so fabulous!

lvlygrrl
lvlygrrl Posts: 56 Member
edited December 21 in Introduce Yourself
Hi all.

I'm coming up on a milestone in a few weeks and I need some help! I decided to tackle this weight once and for all...I'm easily 140 lbs overweight. I'm shy...not ready to reveal my actual weight, even on a message board! Lol. I'm gonna take baby steps and hopefully that'll help me actually do it this time! I'm tired of starting, doing well, then stopping and gaining even more back!

I've tried....Every. Diet. Out. There.

Seriously.

So, this time I'm changing the way I think about food. I love food...delicious glorious food. (Not crap, altho I've been known to eat plenty of that too.)

I'm giving Visalus a try...just gonna do the 45 day challenge. (One of my friends on Facebook is a distributor and the before and after pictures are awesome.) But I know it's not a quick fix. I've replaced/added breakfast with a shake and am counting calories the rest of the day, trying to keep it under 1400 (which is what mfp says I should be eating to lose 2 lbs a week). I'm not sure about having a shake at night. I might try that, but like I said before, I love food and my body craves real food at night. I love to snack, also. So that's something I gotta work on. Or at least snack on good stuff.

I've joined a weight loss support group, which will start on June 14 and go for 9 weeks. I have to meet with a trainer at the gym (ugh!) and keep a food journal and excercise log (double ugh).

I'm hoping this site and you lovely people on here will help me stay on track and be my sounding board. Motivation is what I need the most, because for some reason, I can't seem to find it myself! I hope I can be the same for you all also.

Marcella!

Replies

  • virginies
    virginies Posts: 137 Member
    Hi Marcella,

    I have a total of 100 lbs to lose and have lost 10 so far. You can add me if you need support. My weight has been up and down since I was a kid and it is getting harder to get it down every time. So this time has to be it!
    You seem to know you will need people to support you and people to push you. I think it is important to work out with a trainer or take some classes outside. It forces you to get up and go. At home, I never push myself as hard. Good luck to you. You can do it!
  • Venturin
    Venturin Posts: 244 Member
    Hi Marcella, welcome to MFP

    It certainly sounds like you are very serious about your new lifestyle choice! That's great, I wish you all the best.

    Here's some observations. You wrote a lot about the food and diet part and added just a little on the exercising. Not to mention that word "ugh" in there. :wink:

    For me, when I decided to do this a year ago I developed a mindset that I was going to do exercises that I enjoyed rather than exercises that were just totally "ugh". I rediscovered the hiking trails in the state park I enjoyed as a youth and I really love going and walking the miles on that rugged hilly terrain. I found things in the park to use as part of a work out, for example there is a set of steps, 70 in all that I run up, they are my 'Rocky' steps. I also started lifting heavy rocks up over my head to get some weight work in. I basically turned the park into a big outdoors gym! It's fantastic.

    I also decided I liked the weights so I slowly acquired things like a curling bar, dumb bells and the like. It's fun evolving into this and finding new things I want to do. Now I want a punching bag!

    So my advice to you is to think about exercise as half of this lifestyle, and decide on good cardio and exercises that you will love doing, things that actually get your heart rate up. Get out and explore the world and have fun!

    Good luck!

    -V-
  • shae68143
    shae68143 Posts: 422 Member
    Hi there, welcome to MFP.

    i agree with most the other posts already, and being a Vi distributor myself, I will tell you that no it's not a permanent fix, but one that does work. I've done several challenges (not just for weight loss) myself with great results; HOWEVER the crux is that you do have to work out - some kind of something, whether it's walking, riding a bike, swimming etc. Gotta get your body moving, those people (well 90% of them) don't look that great just from the shakes alone. I'm proof positive of that myself.

    I'm going to be doing another 90day challenge here myself shortily (starting July 1st), and I will be there to help you anyway I can. Just remember you have to hake time for you in any journey you take. Don't let the nay sayers get to you (although easier said than done), you are making your life so much better by just joining MFP, Body By Vi, and knowing you have a goal to work through.

    if you want to add me please fee free (anyone can add me) and I'll cheer you on all the way to your goal!!

    Good luck and best wishes
    Shae :)
  • bethmcdonald4
    bethmcdonald4 Posts: 12
    You have definately come to the right Place! MFP Friends are the best. I understand where you are coming from. I am 40 years old will be 41 in November, Mother of 3 22, 21 and nearly 4. I have been bouncing back and forth with my weight my entire adult life. I once weighed 258 lbs when I was married, I bought a Tony Little gazelle and lost approximately 75 lbs in 6 months but I didn't adjust my diet or anything. eventually I got divorced and lost alot of the weight and then slowly hit a deep depression and developed alot of health problems. 4 years ago when my youngest daughter was born I was back up to 238 lbs and after I had her i dropped to 186lbs and then was put on some weight gaining medication and when I started on this new trail I weighed 218 lbs and felt horrible about myself, my body and had no energy. for years I did the yo-yo dieting and finally I was introduced to MFP, I started a 1220 calorie diet, found a gazelle on craigslist and began my total body make over on March 18, 2012 and set goals for my self on what I want to loose and by when and I am estatic to say I have lost 31.6 pounds and 23 inches so far, I still have another 32.4 lbs to go till my goal weight but for the first time in YEARS i have not given up 3 weeks in and that is because of MFP and the support and encouragement you get on this site. its like no other out there. Good luck with you transformation. you can add me if you would like. remember WATER, WATER, WATER is the key!
  • lvlygrrl
    lvlygrrl Posts: 56 Member
    Ah...Venturin, how right you are!

    I need to exercise, I know I need to, but I just don't want to. (This is where I stomp my foot and pout. Lol.)

    I'm ready to talk to the trainer tomorrow, because I definitely need to find something that I will continue. I love the water; I'm gonna talk to him about pool/water exercises. Altho that puts the fear in me....wearing a bathing suit in front of all those people! (Which is silly cause I have no problem wearing one to the beach, which I visit often.)

    Half the lifestyle deals with exercise...yep...I have to keep reminding myself.

    Thanks!
  • lvlygrrl
    lvlygrrl Posts: 56 Member
    Thanks! You guys are awesome!
  • angeltg
    angeltg Posts: 97 Member
    Hi, I'll be 40 in october and know how you feel. I was not overweight until after I had my children. I don't need to lose as much as you but have the same insecurities as you. My husband is a junkfood lover and I find it very hard to eat healthy and low fat with him. I don't want to blame him but lets say the little indulgences are fun :) Well I've made up my mind and I want to keep being active and want my body to be able to keep up with me and not start to fall apart. I've noticed aches and pains I didn't have last year and I'm not liking them. I started yoga,running and eating balance meals back in 20007 and was very successful. I have grown lax this winter and have pretty much gained back all that I lost (25lbs). I really hate myself for giving up what I have accomplished and have decided to get back in the ring and come out a winner. I pledge my support to you in return for yours. I am looking forward to the summer and will set a goal of running a 2nd race this fall. I think I figured out that no goal =no results. Set your self a fitness goal even if you think it's beyond your capabilities now it won't be for long. To a stonger and healthier decade ahead Yay 40!!!
  • OnMyWeigh73
    OnMyWeigh73 Posts: 3
    Hi Marcella,

    You sound like me in a lot of ways! At the start of my weight loss journey I also did not want to reveal my weight to anyone ....even on a community board like this lol so I understand where your coming from there. I am going to be 39 years old this November (so close enough to 40 lol) and I also want to be fit and healthy at a good healthy weight. I have been on my weight loss journey for quite some time now and have lost a total of 97 lbs. which has not been easy and it's been slow coming but it's coming off and that is where I am at with it now.

    I have a cousin who is doing visalus and she has lost 40 lbs. on it so it does work although it didn't work for me because I tried it for a few months. I wish you the best and you can do it. The most important thing I have learned is don't beat yourself up for mistakes and take one day at a time and even if you lose 1/2 lb. each week it's still a weight loss and your getting closer to your goal with each loss. The first year on my weight loss journey I beat myself up so much that I would give up easily and gain 30 lbs. and then get frustrated with my weight again and start to lose again but when I would get frustrated again then I would start gaining again and it became a vicious cycle.....I finally had to tell myself that even if I only lose 1/2 lb. per week then that is OK because I am still working towards my goal. Good luck and add me if you like :)
  • Prilla04
    Prilla04 Posts: 174 Member
    Sounds like we have similar stats. I just turned 40 and have 100+ to lose. Feel free to add me.

    Anyone is invited to add me. I have a long road ahead of me and enjoy positive attitudes to keep me motivated!! :bigsmile:
  • lvlygrrl
    lvlygrrl Posts: 56 Member
    Onmyweigh...wowza! 97 lbs down...that's awesome! What an accomplishment.

    I know I need to not beat myself up over not meeting goal. And I need to remember that slow and steady wins this race! I'm so quick to jump on the scale and track my progress, every single day, and if I don't see any movement, I begin to berate myself, which of course, makes me turn to my old faiful friend, food for comfort.

    Not this time! :)
  • lvlygrrl
    lvlygrrl Posts: 56 Member
    Angel...you got it! No matter how much we have to lose, we all need that motivation!
  • lvlygrrl
    lvlygrrl Posts: 56 Member
    Prilla....I'm with you! I pledge to be here this time next year, thinner, healthier, happier.
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