Need Some Help!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats and Welcome!! I'm pretty new also, but love this site. I do have a bit of advice that helped me when I quit my pop habit. Crystal Light makes something called Energy in those little tubes that you mix into your water. I love the citrus. It has caffiene in it and it helped me keep from getting headaches after stopping the pop. At first i had one diet pepsi first thing in the morning and then water all day long, sometimes with the crystal light, sometimes not. Either way, I drink LOTS of water!!! Good luck.

Congratulations on committing to healthy changes in your life!

Just today, I was doing some research on flavored waters. I get bored with just water myself, and this would be a fun way to shift from the sodas to something healthier and maybe get together with your daughters a couple of times a week to try new recipes. The basics are to take one to two cups of sliced fruit to two quarts of water and a sprig or two of herbs. You muddle the fruit a bit before adding the water. Let the fruit and water steep overnight to infuse with flavor. You will need to strain out the lumps of fruit before drinking. Melon, berries and citrus work well add mint or stevia leaves to add sweetness.

It can be hard trying to get your health in order when those in your home may not have the same goals, or need to do the same. I have a very physically fit husband who does not gain weight at all, and has been the same weight for the past 9 years. I, on the other hand, gain weight when I look at something unhealthy. What I have seen work for us is two things: 1. continue to work hard even when you may not have the upfront support. In the real world, no one is going to stop having pop around you because you have chosen to quit. Much like an alcoholic doesn't get to stop others from drinking liquor when he/she is out in a restaurant. The liquor is there, but he/she can't partake. It can be the same in your household. The pop is there, but you are CHOOSING not to have any. Once you commit, your honey may follow your lead. 2. The other girls are right. Rome wasn't built in a day, so start out not buying any pop. Then start drinking more water. The flavored water packets are good, but that's just a start. Try to drink water with natural stuff in it too. I like to drink water with lemon, or lime, or cucumber, or fresh mashed up cherries, or a little fresh squeezed orange juice. Something to flavor it, without costing a bunch. Like you said in your original post, it takes time. Just keep chugging along, and pretty soon, those hard battles will be fought and won on your road to health.

Hi Believe1213!!

Ok so first I think its amazing that you've taken on this new step in your life! and CONGRATS on your upcoming wedding!! I have an alternative for POP. I dont know what you think about TEA, but if your near to Or have access to the internet a great place to check out is TEAVANA. I used to work for this company and i lost about 9pnds, just drinking their tea. There's one em particular called Monkey Picked Oolong that really helped to boost digestion, weight loss. But any oolong really will have similar benefits. I find it helps to have some flavor in what you drink instead of going strictly to water after soda. Plus a lot of there tea has different flavors, as well as health benefits, so its GREAT for the whole family!
so defiantly check it out!! I hope that helps!!

I know exactly what you are going though. It's really hard to put your foot down and get yourself into gear. I know b/c it has happened to me. I will tell you how I have started and it may not be the way that you are supposed to do it, but I am the first to tell you that there are things that I cannot just "give up". First let me say that I eat like a lumberjack. I could have a full belly but know that the food is in the frig and want to make sure I eat it before anyone else does. Then I use my cycle as an excuse, or stress, or just simply say "fk it...I'll start tomorrow" Well it got to the point where I was weighing even heavier than when I signed up! Something had to be done and this is what I did... I started using small paper plates. I figured that if I had a full plate maybe it would trick my mind! I didn't change the food I was eating, I just ate smaller portions. Im really not big on sugar subs or diet anythings, but I do try to trim the fat off my meat and maybe not throw that extra cheese on my already cheesy macaroni. For me it had to be small changes b/c giving the fattening foods up all at once only had me in a pissy mood and craving it more! I started walking in city races.I figured that I would have to be ready to do the race so would go to my local walking track and started walking and worked my way up to being able to do up to 3 mile races! Some are 1 mile, some 2 mile, and some 3 mile races. It may take you a lot longer than everyone else, but you still get your race t-shirt and the free entertainment at the end of the race as a reward!:happy: I also went ahead and bought the Wii. I LOVE Wii dance. I know that you only have to move your arm to score high as you dance, but actually trying to do the dance is not only a great work out, but also extremely fun!! You can be Tina Turner in your living room!! I try to do it until I get 6000 points. You can make your own goals with this... make sure you have a lot of water b/c you will sweat!! I also do the elliptical for 10 minutes a day and now am playing slow pitch softball 3 nights a week. As you lose, though, don't be discouraged if you don't see any weight loss. i was at first but then one day I took my pants off and there were no seem lines on my legs!! That's an awesome feeling. I still weighed the same and my pants were still the same size, but the difference was they were fitting better!! I am no where near where I want to be, but i have tried not to let pictures on facebook get me down nor has it stopped me from going out to the beach without a T-shirt on. I try to use the pictures as an extra incentive thinking "wait until the next time they see me in person" You have a long time to do it and I think you will be fine.believe me when I tell you I am no barbie, and I am definitely not going to try to use her as my goal because I am not in my 20's, but eventually I will be someone that could give her a run for her money!! And so will you!! Hang in there!! You can do it!