twentyco Member

Awesome!! You are doing great. :-) 30 pounds is a lot --- next time you are at the store, walk around with two ten pound weights for awhile, and then realize that you've lost 50% more than that ... it is a lot when you think of it that way! Great job!

I started at about this time last year with about 140 to lose. I set smaller goals along the way (X pounds by this date, Y pounds by that date, etc.). I broke everything into smaller pieces --- started with logging everything and trying to drink more water. Then moved along to staying within my calories most days. Etc. I…

You can do this. For me, it is much more mental than physical. I had many years where I just gained and gained --- or lost a bit and then regained. What changed was entirely mental. I got on the scale one day, saw "314," and just vowed that I was going to change things. I made little changes at first, and did them until…

First of all, you are doing great --- 31 pounds in 5 months is terrific! I have been at this for almost a year, and I have found that for me, there is a calorie figure that I just have to have, or I get very cranky and really struggle. It's between 1800 and 1900 (I'm tall). So for me, I have just learned to live with…

I don't have any magic solutions for sure, but I am determined not to let things get so far out of whack again. I have committed to counting calories for the rest of my life, as well as continuing to drink water and engage in moderate exercise (pretty much all I do is walk, with some exercise bike thrown in there). I also…

I was on 225. I had blood work done this week, and the doctor reduced me to 200 because my TSH levels were very low. She said it's common to have to reduce dosage after weight loss.

Great job getting started! My only real recommendation is to take things slowly, changing one or two things at a time. You are doing great so far with logging. That is how I started also --- just logging everything and trying to stay under my calorie goal. Then I added in drinking more water throughout the day (I am still…

Welcome. I think you have the right attitude. (Or maybe I think that because it's similar to mine!) I started this last November with the same idea --- I only want to do this once, and I am determined to keep the weight off that I do lose. So I am taking it one day at a time. MFP has been a tremendous help to me in keeping…

This may not be too helpful, but I like to mix grape nuts with Greek yogurt. It keeps me full for a long time, and doesn't really taste like cereal (I don't like milk, so don't eat a lot of cereal because it isn't good dry). Anyway, for about 330 or so calories, I get something that keeps me full until lunch.

I started at 314, and am down to 248 ... sort of. I lost pretty steadily to 253, and then have really struggled to take any weight off since May of this year. I am not sure what is going on --- I am sticking to my calories reasonably well, have added exercise, etc. My next step is to get a BodyMedia Fit so that I can…

I have a grande non-fat caffe mocha without whipped cream, or a grande non-fat mocha frappucino without whipped cream. I don't go very often. Have tried the "skinny" versions of these at Starbucks, and just don't like the sugar free syrup they use. At home, I have a Mr Coffee cafe latte, which I use to make non-fat coffee…

I'm 5'11", 43, and looking to get to 175. I started at 314 and right now am hanging at about 253 ... where I have been for a month. Grrr. Anyway, one day at a time. My next mid-way goal is 250 by the end of June, which seemed inconceivable when I set it, but now seems like it might actually happen. Next goal after that is…

I'm with you. I have lost about 60 pounds, but am still wearing a lot of the same clothes I wore before. I wear a few smaller ones, too, of course, but it's frustrating to still be able to wear the same stuff. But it's looser, so I guess that's something.

Welcome! I started with 140 to lose --- I'm 43, so a little older, with one daughter. It's going more slowly than I'd like, but it's going --- one day at a time. You can do this! Feel free to add me if it's helpful, and all the best to you in your journey!

Welcome! You can do this. What works is somewhat different for everyone. Here is what has worked (so far) for me: I made one change at a time. At first, I started by just logging everything I ate, so I could see what my calorie intake was like (yikes!). Next, I worked at staying within the calorie intake that MFP gave me,…

I'm 253, started at 314, with a goal of 175. Feel free to add me.

I eat whatever I want, but stay within my calorie goal. I have a lot to lose (140 total), but have not had trouble losing so far doing things this way. Portion control is what has worked for me --- I don't do deprivation well.

Greek yogurt mixed with a serving (1/2 cup) of grape nuts cereal. Keeps me going for several hours.

I have about another 90 pounds to go --- started at 314, am now about 266. Feel free to add me --- this really is doable!! Some days it seems like I'm such a long way to my goal, but I try to remind myself about how far I've come, and that I'll get there if I keep going in this direction ..... it's worth it. Yesterday I…

I use yogurt ranch dressing, like Bolthouse Farms --- 45 cals per serving, which is much better than regular ranch. I'm allergic to eggs, so mayonnaise has always been a no-go for me.

Thrift stores and clearance sales. :-)

I have the same reaction --- admittedly I started high (314), but I've lost almost 50 pounds and am only just starting to notice a difference. Part of that is my own body distortion, but in truth almost nobody noticed until I'd lost 35 or 40. I'm still wearing most of the same clothes that I wore before, though I can also…

I agree with this --- you do need to have a normal life, and sometimes that will involve eating out. I eat out with my family at least once a week, and I have been okay. What I do, especially if we are going to a chain restaurant, is pull up the menus and nutritional information before I go and budget out what I am going…

I used to think I had no willpower, too. Then I realized that I am one of the most stubborn people imaginable. It wasn't that I didn't have willpower --- I'm very willful. It's that I wasn't willing to apply that willpower to taking care of myself. Once that changed, this became a lot easier for me!

Something clicked for me, too. I have been overweight since college, which is longer ago than I want to think about. :-) I didn't have tremendous gains each year, but my weight has gone up maybe 8-10 pounds each year, every year. I have occasionally made half-hearted efforts to eat better, or less, or to exercise, over the…

Really awesome!! Thank you so much for sharing!

I started at 314, and am down to 269 (or maybe less --- weigh in tomorrow!) I started right after Thanksgiving 2012 --- it can be done, one day at a time.

What has worked for me is slow changes --- you may be trying to do too much at once. Start out by logging everything. Eat what you want, but try to notice (and if you can, control) your portion sizes. Then when you're used to that, add water. Then work up to staying within your calorie goal on most days. Over time, I have…

I guess I would say to try to broaden your definition of exercise. If you can, try to get outside with her and get moving --- take a walk, go to the park and run around (you can chase her --- my almost 2 year old used to love that), or dance together. Or maybe try to find another mom and switch off your kids --- go to one…

I do this, too. I have not changed too much size wise yet, even though I have lost quite a lot, but I have bought some smaller things at Goodwill, and a few on sale at other places, so that I have something to work towards. Today I tried on some jeans that I couldn't pull up when I bought them about a month ago, and I was…