Weight Struggles

I would be totally happy to talk with you about my experience losing weight after my children. Email me privately and I'll share with you how I did it through weight watchers.

What works for me is a couple things - first, I don't bring the food into the house then I won't be tempted. Second, if you're one for fast food, think about how much you spend! I've taken the money I would spend on junk food and/or fast food and have been putting it into my "piggy bank" - yes, even at my age I have a piggy bank - ok, it's an empty margarine container but I call it a piggy bank so "it" feels important!!! lol!! Then I use that money for our family vacations or something we kinda need but not really!! You would be shocked/surprised how much it can add up. I just bought a new DVD/Blue Ray player.

Also, drink lots of water!! Especially right before you're going to sit down to eat; it helps you feel fuller. And use a smaller plate then you'll be forced to serve smaller portions.

It's not a diet you need, as I always tell my sister; it's a life style change you need!! Sounds like something your whole family can participate in. You're not doing your little girl any favors by being overweight; look at what she's learning from Mommy!! Think about it!!!

Good luck!!

Perhaps a three week vegan, no sugar fast to get over cravings. By the time you are through with the fast you will be so happy to add in some other foods you won't miss the sugar so bad. Sugar is addicting. I think you really have to go cold turkey for a few weeks before you can get over the daily cravings.

Hi A.,
You are so not alone! I too have always been short (5'1') and heavy. I lost 70 pounds at 22 yrs old and it all came back. Im 33 now and 5 yrs ago I had my last baby. I was heavy before I got pregnant and gained 68 pounds yikes!! I lost some after having her but being exhausted and staying at home well a lot of it came back. New yrs eve we were invited to a wedding and I was so defeated within myself. I wanted to wear a cute dress or something nice and I just couldn't. That is when I said that's it!! I've got to put me first - or at least close to there! My husband bought be a 40$ treadmill off craigslist and I started walking. At first I couldn't do half a mile without stopping. But I said H. you can do this! I am not near where I need to be but I've lost 44 pds this yr and down nearly 4 sizes (tight 16 to a tight 10:) I feel like wonder woman and THAT is what makes me proud. I think when you do something for yourself and you give yourself that boost it doesn't matter what the damn scale says! Substitute things! I love chocolate as in I must have it every day so I keep Hershey kisses. The serving is like 8 or something like that but I say ok, you can have 4 a day. I have them too! So instead of my snicker bar I eat those. Need salty and crunchy? You van have nuts or even chips just not the whole bag! Its not easy all the time but dammit you ARE worth it! I now walk 3-4 miles a day and ill tell ya its a lot funner shopping in the regular section instead of the plus size one for me anyway! But you know, I was still a rock star when I was heavy but now, I can just rock a little longer! You can do this! Believe in yourself!

From my experience the first 3 days are by far the hardest. Tell yourself you only have to get through 1 day...then the next day do the same...before you know it perhaps you will be off sugar for life.
(it took me 10 weeks to loose 15lbs. Once I did it I couldn't believe I lived for so many years unhappy with my weight when it only took 10 weeks to fix).

I overate over the summer... too much down time, too much temptation to drink a soda or have a snack...

Now that I am back to work (in a middle school), I no longer have the time to snack, and I've also pretty much cut out the soda... and I've lost weight just doing that.....

I still buy soda for hubby and son, and buy coke zero for me... and since I don't really like the taste, I'm only drinking maybe 3 a week... instead, I drink unsweet tea....

Don't set unrealistic goals for yourself, and you won't be disappointed (and eating to console yourself) because you do eat treats occasionally.

I've probably lost a solid 5 lbs in the last 3 weeks, so I'm happy that I see the scale going down, instead of up... I was getting close to 200 lbs.... the heaviest I've ever been, including when I was pregnant! This morning, I was at about 192.....

I really should lose at least 20 lbs... my doctor over a year ago told me to lose 20 lbs in 6 months and go back... but I never lost the weight, and haven't been back..... (don't want to face him).

Go to the library and check out the 17 Day Diet . You will lose 10 pounds in the first 17 days. It will cleanse your system of junk and you will get your confidence back . You can do anything for 17 days , right ?! It worked for me and my friends . My husbands friend lost 80 lbs in about 6 months. The first 3 days are hard but after that you are on a roll.You can do it !Good luck !

Here's an epiphiny :)

"Pay" yourself with sweets for working out.

Same amount you already eat. But you have to earn it. Week 1 = 1 mile to earn it. Week 2 = 1.5 miles. Week 3 = 2 miles, etc. Or 20 laps in the pool, 40 laps, etc. Or 20 minutes on the eliptical, 30, 40, 60. Set a 'where you want to be' at exercising goal... and KEEP EATING YOUR BELOVED SWEETS.

Personally, I love food far, far, far too much to give up food for my figure. Instead, I'D RATHER make my figure even healthier my adding muscle and endurance and fun fun fun sports (horseback riding, crew, swimming, diving, etc.) that require being in shape.

Yep. I'm far far happier when I'm fit and trim, than when I'm flabby and wheezing.

Since I am GOING to have the steak / oysters/ mac'n'cheese/ burgers/ pizza/ etc. I "just" make sure that I'm burning them off :) ! Side effect... I get to eat AND do fun stuff (I LOATHE the gym, but will do it occasionally, I prefer to get my exercise doing fun stuff. Like sports, dancing, etc.)

I feel for you. I have always struggled with my weight and now am a good 40 lbs over. I am at home with 4 kids ages 4 & under and am an emotional eater and eat when I am stressed which, as one could imagine, is prevalent here. I have had great success with Weight Watchers. I am 23 down and going strong. Whatever you decide to do my best advice for you and what has really helped me is when you grab that snack ask yourself (out loud in my case helped) am I really hungry...do I really want this. 9 times out of 10 I don't. Also if there are chips or candy in the house I know I will eat them so I make sure there is nothing there that is super detrimental. I think at present the worst snack in the cabinet is goldfish. I have been drinking lots of water instead of my diet pop - this has been the hardest just becasue I am not one of those people who like water. I really have to force myself to chug - sometimes with a lemon. I found what helped me with my chocolate/sweet cravings is a lot of fruit and some mini chocolate chips in oatmeal or on whole grain waffles. I also found chewing gum or hard candy got me through some super cravings for something sweet. Also huge fan of pudding and fat free cool whip! I too crave sweets so I share this struggle with you. I am also just reading about the potential benefits of vitamin B complex to curb cravings and have taken a food based vitamin supplement for a week now but have not been able to tell the difference. Feel free to e-mail me any time for support or further information on what is working for me. Oh and also plan ahead. This is the major change that has helped me the most. I plan everything so I know what is for dinner, lunch, snacks that way I am not stuck somewhere and hungry. If you get stuck "out there" you will be bombarded by nothing but junk!

My only advice is that weight loss will not stick unless you are mentally prepared to change yourself, and your lifestyle, forever. You just have to be at "that" point, where the food isn't going to control you anymore, and you have that fire to be better. When you can say "no" to the cake at the office and "yes" to getting up at 5:00 am to exercise, you have won.

Being overweight affects so many aspects of our lives. For instance, DH will not swim with us, or take a professional family photo because of his weight. By default, your life IS better when you are active, healthy & at a good weight. You look better, you feel better, you are happier, you have more energy to do more things that continue to make you feel happy.

I have 30 to lose. 20 is nothing. You could lose that in a few months, probably.

Well, two things. That probably contradict each other.

If 20 lbs would make you too thin for your height, then you are not overweight. You are FINE. If you're not medically, clinically overweight, then honestly, the path to happiness is self-acceptance, not weight loss.

That said, I personally went down one clothing size (I'm allergic to scales, so I have no idea how many pounds I lost), just by drinking 4+ liters of water per day. This is the only way I've ever been able to control my appetite, ever. And I do look better -- not just in terms of weight, but skin, hair, everything -- than I have in years. So, water.

(Wait, that sounded braggy, just above, didn't it? I do NOT look beautiful or fantastic or anything like that, believe me. I just look better than I did before.)

Do you like dark chocolate? Could you forgo other sweets during the day if you knew that at the end of the day you could have a delicious decadent square of dark chocolate? It has health benefits but might satisfy your sweet tooth. Buy the good stuff--no bargain chocolate. Look forward to it, and cherish that moment with your reward.
If you drink soda, try to stop.
Sneak more veggies into your diet...with spaghetti, instead of noodles, saute or roast some zucchini or yellow squash, serve the spaghetti sauce on top of it. Make soup and cram it full of extra green beans and carrots. For tacos, microwave some corn, black beans, and peppers--cut the amount of meat in your taco in half, and use the veggie mix to fill it up. Slice up some cucumbers, dip into balsamic vinegar for a snack. Make your own honey mustard dip for veggies or for grilled chicken. Hard boil a dozen eggs and have one or two a day for breakfast, the choline is good for you.
Planning is absolutely key here. On Sunday, plan out what you'll be eating for dinner, and use the leftovers for lunches. Have some fruit on hand for if a sweets craving hits during the day.
You'll be doing yourself and your daughter a favor if you show her how good real food is. Good luck.

The worst thing you can do is deny yourself. Yes you do need to cut back on the sweets, but not deny yourself completely. I have found the best thing to do is to find a substitute. Yes you can try knitting/crocheting, but there are times when that craving kicks in, and you need to have something ready. I find simple rice cakes work well, but find the small ones are too easy to pop. You're better off getting the regular rice cakes. You can even go a step further and get the plain ones and spread a little Nutella on them to make them feel naughty. This way you get the crunch and the goo without all the nasty calories and fat of a candy bar. Yes, watching fat is just as important as watching sweets. It takes longer to burn 1 gram of fat than it does 1 carb. Don't want any kind of calories getting any ideas of hanging around and getting comfy on the couch with you. Keep things low fat and try not to use too much sugar. Make your meals fun and colorful with lots of fresh fruit and vegies. Also, make a point to exercise 45 - 60 min. per day. You pick the perfect time, so you'll have time for it everyday. Make sure you eat at least 3 meals per day in reasonalbe portions. Menu:
Bkft: 1 cup coffie, 1 slice of toast, 1 egg, 1 piece of fruit
Morning snack: 1 biscotti or 1 low-fat granola bar or rice cake with light cream cheese or nutella.
Lunch: ham sandwich with lettuce and light mayo, 1 fruit, and 6 mini pretzels, and water.
Supper:1 protein, 1 starch, 2 vegies, and water
Night snack: 1 c. popcorn or mini bag of popcorn

Have you had your thyroid checked? I had a terrible time losing weight for years before finding out I had a serious thyroid problem. I am not a sweet eater though, so I can't speak to that part of the puzzle.