maureak Member

Try this instead - keep track of your measurements (waist and hips). When you see your measurements go down, then weigh yourself. I've found that 1/2 inch reduction in measurements usually means some weight loss on the scales. You don't even have to do measurements to know if you're losing inches. If your pants are getting…

With all of my former weight loss attempts, I would keep my larger sized clothes because deep down, I knew that the weight loss would not stick and soon, I would need those clothes again. This time, it's a lifestyle change and not a 'diet'. It just feels different. I feel more in control of my choices. I started a food…

All of us who work hard to get healthy have obstacles to overcome, both physical and mental. But you've had way more than your share! And you were able to get through all of this with a positive attitude. Someday, you'll be able to share this journey with your children so they can see what an awesome mom they have!

That's huge! Congratulations for getting through this stressful time without losing ground.

Thanks, all! For those new to NSV's - these are the good things that happen from losing weight, not just the numbers on the scale.

Congratulations! Love those NSV's!

It's good that you're thinking about strength training. I've found that even when I'm not losing, I'm still firming up because of strength training. You can do a lot with dumbbells, for both upper body and lower body. Just remember to rest a day in between so your muscles can repair themselves. For example, you might do…

When I started logging my food, I was under the impression (so wrong) that I was an excellent judge of portion sizes. After all, I've been on so many diets over the years, why wouldn't I know exactly how much is a cup of cereal? At the beginning of the year, a fitness guru suggested that you should periodically do a…

What a great story! And look at you! Congratulations on showing us what can happen when you find a lifestyle (note - not diet) that works.

I was stuck in a plateau for 3 months. I lost and gained back the same couple of pounds the whole time. But, and this is a big one, I dropped another size during that time. I continued to do my normal work outs and stuck to my eating plan and I believe I was firming up during those 3 months. How are your clothes fitting…

Good for you! Keep up the good work!

I did Slim Fast for a while when it first came out. As expected, I lost weight, quite a bit, because I was not eating much at all. It was a boring and very restrictive diet and not anything I could stick with. As soon as I went off, all of the weight came back, and lots more. With a diet plan like that, it didn't teach me…

Good for you! Doesn't it feel great? It reinforces that success is more than just the numbers on the scale. Keep up the good work!

OMG! I'm still laughing (a great ab workout, at least 10 calories).

I was always one of the bigger girls as a kid and into high school. I don't remember a specific incident, but I do recall my mom frequently telling me I was "round". Of course, I knew that was a code word for 'fat' and she was trying to soften the blow.

Have a big glass of water before you leave work. When I need something before dinner, I have a slice of 35-calorie bread and a tsp of margarine. It's just enough to get me by until dinner.

I used to eyeball everything because I thought I was pretty good at estimating. Then I started measuring most things to make sure my estimates are good (some were, some were not). I'm back to eyeballing the stuff I eat regularly and will measure anything new. I also try to estimate on the high side to insure I'm not…

How great! Congratulations!

This is so helpful...I stopped losing about 2 months ago, but noticed my clothes continued to fit better (even had to go down a size!). I've been pretty much doing the same thing for a long time, eating and exercise, because I like a routine (easier for me to stick to). But now I know I need to throw in some intensity to…

I'm making a super fiber-rich chili with extra lean hamburger for tonight's SP party. This will be the first thing I eat; it will fill me up and help to avoid some of the other goodies.

No c-section (two kids), but I've always had a pooch and thought it would never go away. It took a loooooong time but it's finally gone, now that I'm back to a healthy weight. It didn't go away from doing hundreds of crunches or from the latest ab-tastic fitness machine - it gradually got smaller as I lost weight and cut…

What has always worked for me was to try and get by with what I have, until belts no longer work, before getting new clothes. It can be frustrating to think you're ready for a smaller size and to find out you're not. One of the greatest NSV's for me (non-scale victory) was going shopping and being pleasantly surprised at…

This sounds great! I'm having this for lunch today!

I'm right there with you. I went WAY over today. I had to work from home (snow here too) and spent the entire day in the breakfast nook, which, in retrospect, was not a good place to be all day, that close to the constant reminder of food. Something about being housebound I think, made me think about eating way more than…

Confidence! I walk with more confidence, I stand taller, I make more eye contact with others. I run a lot of community meetings and feel much more comfortable and confident in front of people. I just like the way I feel inside when I'm happy with my outside.

I'm in Fort Wayne; love this site! It's the first time in my entire adult ife I've been able to keep my weight in line. After almost 8 months, I'm still logging 100% of what I eat. It's just too easy to eat without thinking about it; recording it makes me accountable.

You've made it past the first step - you're ready to make a change. Congratulations! Don't forget those NSV's - Non-scale victories - other accomplishments besides just the numbers on the scale (there's a great recent post on NSV's).

There have been special event days where I knew ahead of time I would probably go over, generally around the holidays. I never thought of it as cheating because to me, 'cheating' makes it sound like I'm doing something wrong. I was just enjoying myself at those events, but with the knowledge that I would get back to my…

Love Laughing Cow! I spread it on celery. One wedge is enough to go on two large stalks. Filling, tasty and a very low cal snack.

These are all great! It takes a lot of courage to admit that change has to come from within and that it's no one else's responsibility but your own.