[Medusa]

Hey there!
This is a tribe/support group for those of us needing or wanting to lose A LOT.
I want this thread to be a safe, nurturing, encouraging place for those of us who need to lose at least 50 pounds or more.

This kind of weight loss and lifestyle change can feel overwhelming, never ending and even pointless at times and those of us still willing to undertake it need our very own cheerleading squad! SO lets get together and cheer, support and lead each other toward healthier living!

 

[Medusa]

Can anyone interested in joining please give a brief intro? Tell us a little bit about yourself, how much your GOING to lose (trying to keep it positive!

), what you find challenging, what gives you hope and what you've done so far or are starting to change your lifestyle.

I'm a 29 year old WAHM, single homeschooling mama to a awesome 5 year old boy. Being at home all the time is a challenge to weight loss because there are always cookies to bake and popcorn to nibble! One of my (many) WAH jobs is cooking and delivering homecooked, vegetarian meals. So at the end of the day I find myself driving home with cash in my pocket after having cooked and deliveried several meals...and still having to cook dinner for US when we get home! That makes it too easy to stop and pick up a pizza or run through taco bell for a 7 layer burrito. This isn't how I pictured myself living or feeding my child...when I got pregnant I was a 135 pound Vegan chopping fire wood and hauling water. Now I weigh some where around 210-220. What gives me hope is that I love physical activity once I've motivated myself to get up and do it, I know how to make healthy food. Most of all I know some where in here I love myself enough to make a change!

To get myself ready I've started taking a multi vitamin, and started focusing on drinking more water. My next steps are to start a healthy living journal and to start walking the 3 blocks to our homeschool co-op instead of driving.

I am GOING to lose 75 ponds.

 

[Medusa]

Come on I'm not the only one here am I?

No one wants to join me?

You don't have to post your weight.

Hell you don't even have to post your ultimate goal.

I just want to find some mamas who have a long road ahead of them...so I don't get discouraged watching the rest of a group hit their 15 or 20 pound goals while I still have so far to go.

My plan it to set lots of short term mini goals...I expect this is going to take a long time...a lifetime of change even.

For the time being I'm just going to keep posting here and maybe someone will decide to join me.

In my last post I mentioned starting a healthy living journal. I've started one at www.fitday.com and I'm looking for a nice pen and paper one I can carry in my purse so I can keep it with me and keep focused. I saw a pretty one with a waning moon at the local bookstore, I think I'll have to go back and get it. The waning moon seems like a fitting symbol for the journey I'm undertaking.

I'm struggling with my water intake. I've read we're suppost to drink one ounce of water for ever two pounds of our body weight. That is an hell of a lot of water if your fat! I've settled in on half a gallon of water a day...which is a lot for me as I've never been much of a water drinker. I'm splurging my buying gallon jugs of the local spring water I like...which is a nice gift to myself.

We haven't walked to co-op yet...and I'm a little worried about the weather turning cold. I don't know how a single mama is suppost to get out and exercise...the hiking trails around here aren't really safe...no side walks on the streets...I'd love to be able to go jogging in the mornings but I have no one to watch ds, and at 5 he's a little big of a stroller

maybe these are all just excuses...I dunno anybody out there got any ideas?

 

[chapulina]

Hi Medusa!

I appreciate you starting a thread for those needing to lose a bit more than the "average" mamma! I hope I can stay faithful and in touch with this thread, but I don't always have time to get on MDC and post as often as I wish... busy, busy 3.5 y.o and a 3.5 month old... so I will try.

anyway, I need to lose 55lbs, to get to 140 (I'm about 195, varies btween 192-195). I'm 5'4, so I've got way more than I need on this frame! The discouraging part is that in spite of cutting out dairy and reducing my intake of refined sugar way down, my weight isn't budging. (been doing this for about 3 mon.) I need to exercise, but I'm challenged to fit it in somewhere.

some random thoughts....making sure your thryoid function is within normal range to begin with..(I am hypothyroid, but "euthyroid" with replacement.)

for me, deciding what I'm going to eat before I'm hungry is so important; once I'm hungry, its really hard to make good choices - I'm just looking for food, anything at all!

exercise: I need help here too! walking definately good; is biking a possiblility for you? can you afford to join some kind of exercise place for the winter? - I'm considering this.

I am finding that the more often I say "no" to certain foods, the easier it is to pass it up.. also, nutritional information/education are so motivating for me... like I start wanting certain foods because they are good for me.

anyway, its an awesome goal and with lots of encouragement, support and the right information, we will do it.! I think journaling is also a great idea!

 

[Medusa]

Welcome Chapulina!

Very good point on checking thyroid function...I generally avoid doc's like the plague, but I think it might be time for be to go in and have a few blood tests run. I'd like to check on my blood sugar, cholesterol levels, thyroid and such...it's good to know where your starting from.

Also the meal planning! I think your right....this can reall do double duty helping weightloss and money saving! My problem is that I get sick of thinking about food! ugh. I plan out other peoples weekly menus and cook for them, but when it comes to doing that for myself I totally drop the ball. The simplest thing to do would be just cooking an extra portion of what ever I'm cooking my clients. My excuse thus far has been, after cooking 5 tofu veggie lasagnas I don't think I can stand to even LOOK at one more...much less eat it!

I can't really afford to join a gym or the Y...I'm still lost on this issue. I'm teaching my son to ride his bike...but he's still wobbly so I need to walk along with him when he rides, but still this could work for us...maybe he can bike and I can walk/jog?

I've upped my water goals to a full gallon a day...I'm finding the more I drink the more I want. I'm peeing like I did when I was pregnant though

but I'm finding my energy increasing with my water intake....flushing out those toxins from the crap I've been eating I guess.

 

[3bees~1flower]

Hi, mamas!

this is the...ummm...i don't know what number of times i have joined a weight loss thread on MDC only to fail miserably. i'm VOWING to keep at it till i lose 56 lbs...i started Oct 24th and have lost 8lbs (i weigh again tomorrow so hopefully that 8 will change

).

I am 31 yr old SAHM to a 7.5 yo boy, 6 yr old boy, 3.5 yr old boy, and a 1 yr old sweet baby girl!

(my 3 bees and 1 flower

) i was overweight when i got pg with DD....got to my pre-pregnant wt without any effort and then started gaining. i started on Oct 24th at 191...my highest non-pregnant wt ever. i was tired of feeling self-concious (sp)...i was tired of feeling unattractive to my DH...even tho he would never have said anything, i knew in my heart it bothers him. i was just tired of it ALL!

i lose weight in a much different way than most....for me it's a spiritual battle and one that i can only defeat with God's help...i rely on Him daily to give me the strength to eat ONLY when i am hungry (this part is easy for me) and to help me to stop eating when i have had just enough (THIS is where i struggle). i usually do very well the first 2 weeks and once that third week starts things just seem to go down hill...well...tomorrow i will be starting my 4th week and i still feel as strong as i did when i started...Praise God! i believe that i have failed in the past b/c i start to rely on my own strength to be in control of food and that is what trips me up...as soon as that 3rd week started this time, i kept my focus on God and not my own strength and since doing that, the third week was easier than past attempts at wieght loss. This really is a lifestyle change for me as there is no reason for me to eat if i am not hungry....and there is no reason for me to KEEP eating when i have had just enough. i know that others may think this a strange way to go about weight loss, but for me, this is how it has to be...as a Christian i can not do it on my own, but only with God's help. if you have read this far thank you...if not, thank you for letting me post anyway to get out what is on my heart and mind and to verbilize what it is i need to do continue to succeed.

Good luck to all you mamas, on this life-changing journey.

 

[sinsaratea]

hi mamas!
i am sara, 29 yrs old, with a 4mo old girl and a job as a high school english teacher. so as you can see, it is difficult for me to be able to get moving.

i actually don't eat that much, but i eat crap! plus, i'm pretty sure i am bad about portion sizes. one of my first steps has been to read The Family Nutrition Book by Dr. Sears, which has really helped me understand the labels and such. Also I have vowed to spend the extra money on good wholesome food.

i need to seriously up my water intake.

i WILL lose 100 pounds... or at least to whatever gets me to size 14. Size 14 is my goal. I am around 250 right now and wearing a 22/24. i am firmly convinced that i will be even MORE of a goddess when i get there.

let's support each other ladies!!!!!!!

 

[aliah79]

I'm in

I'm a SAHM to two boys - Wesley (21 months) and Diesel (7 weeks). I was always on the curvy side throughout childhood and teen years. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at age 10. My mom watched my diet like a hawk and was very critical of me. I was a ballet dancer and a darn good one, a soloist with the Raleigh Civic Ballet, until a knee injury knocked me out of dancing regularly. I was always the biggest one in ballet, but still not fat, just not anorexic. When I went to college I rebelled and drank regular sodas, ate chips and cookies and all the things my mother wouldn't let me have. I ballooned! I don't know how much I gained how quickly. By my junior year in college I was married and we wanted to start ttc. I got off the pill and shortly thereafter I had extreme pain in my ovaries. I was told that it was a pulled muscle from being overweight - by TWO doctors. We didn't have insurance for a while, then when we did, I had not had my period for eight months, and I found a new dr, who immediately said it was PCOS and Insulin Resistance, and test confirmed it. At that point I was 288lbs. I started Atkins immediately and on the second day I got my period back. I was like clockwork for 8 months, lost 30lbs, and then when my period was late, found out I was pg with #1

Gained 20lbs, lost 30 by 6 wks pp. Gained another 10lbs over the next 10 months as I wasn't really watching my diet. Jan 05 we recommited ourselves to Atkins and I lost 4lbs the first week - I was 265 at that point. Found out I was pg with #2!!!! Gained 30lbs, and I'm down 35lbs at 7wks pp. I'm at 260 right now. Money has been tight and we've been eating crap which means lots of white rice and pasta.... I also watch my sugar intake while pg because of GD, so after I give birth I'm on a sugar binge for months. This week we bought much healthier food and snacks as we're getting out of the hole financially. So I'm ready to start again! My dh is 330, and really wants to lose weight. My goal is 175lbs. I would be happy there and around a size 14/16. I don't expect to ever be below 150lbs because it's just not me and is unrealistic. I don't exercise right now but have intentions of going for a walk once a day. I was bellydancing while pg, and would like to start up again. I also enjoy Richard Simmons' Broadway Sweat as I was a musical theatre major

That's me! I'll try to check in!

 

[sinsaratea]

Hey stephanie, you aren't too far away from me! howdy!

 

[chapulina]

just checking in again!

didn't do so hot yesterday - consumed too many "white" carbs. this freq. happens on sunday for me. i work 2 12hr shifts fri. and sat. night, pump at work, nurse at home, don't get more than 4 hrs sleep after the 2 working days, and wake up STARVING!! i am re-thinking how to do the wknds. a bit.

upping h2o intake has been good for me too - other than coffee and a very rare indulgence of juice, its my main drink.

agree with pp who mentioned asking God for help - this has helped me after 1st pregnancy weight loss. committing my weakness to someone who has the power to help me, i.e. to strengthen my resolve, increase my knowledge to make good choices, etc.

still seeking out info. on how to fit exercise in..the fitness gym is too expensive for us too, right now, and also, i don't feel comfortable passing my newborn to someone else (other than dh) for care while I work out

2 things i came across that apply to me: serving size - even if its organic and healthy, too much is too much.

accepting yourself as you are right now - big and all! maybe it means getting some new clothes that look good on you, whatever. aspiring to bring your into a healthier weight, but loving yourself in the meantime. I think achieving new goals is easier done when we love ourself, faults and all.

may we all do our best this week - keep your goal in the forefront of your mind!

'

 

[3bees~1flower]

well...i bummed..i went to weigh this am and my stupid scale tried to tell me i lost 20 lbs in one week...allbeit, that would be nice, but i know not accurate...so i had DH stand on it and he was fully clothed with big clunky, steel toed work shoes on and it said he weighed UNDER 200...he's 6ft 2in and very muscular....so...i get to by a new scale today...

but i wanted to know how last week went, but i'll have to wait till tomorrow morning as i only weigh in the mornings.

how you all doin' mamas?

 

[allgirls]

Wow...what a great group!

Well...I am Carolyn...39 years old...SAHM to 4 kids ranging in ages from 15 down to 19 days old.

I have decided this time to get on the go immediately to try to lose this weight. I always gain wayyyyyyyyyy to much with my pregnancies. My goal is to be at a reasonable weight by my birthday in April...I will be 40 and will deal with that # a lot easier at a healthy weight.

In the meantime my baby is only 19 days old so I have to take it slow and healthy to maintain milk for my little ones(tandeming) and somehow also manage to fit in exercise. I am looking for a really good all terrain double stroller at a decent price...right now though I will start with nutrition.

I have done WW in the past with great success but I would like to just eat healthy, watch portions and get support and motivation from some friends on the same path.

I am going to lose about 50lbs(don't know for sure but will know when I get there)

Cheers
Carolyn

 

[3bees~1flower]

well...i got my new scale!

i will weigh officially tomorrow morning, but when i stepped on it when i got home it looks like i may have lost 2-3 pounds last week.

congrats on the new baby, Carolyn! She picked a good day to be born...that's my b-day too!

 

[allgirls]

3bees~can't wait for the "official" weight on the scale!!!

Funny about the birthday...October is jam packed with birthdays mostly on my husband's side of the family..including his on the 27th and his sister's on the 20th and my oldest dd on the 21 and Martina missed every one of them...the 24 and 25th were taken as well, and got her very own birthday on the 26th!

 

[sinsaratea]

well i ate crap for lunch today. school food. this school's food is way worse than anything i ever had in my home county. i hope to maybe get a job in that county next year. anyhoo, i had mexican pizza, corn, and sweet tea. bleh. hopefully i cann get good lunch stuff when i go to the market today.

i don't have a scale....maybe i can use one at the phy ed offices here.....

hang in there ladies!!!

oh just want to pre-confess: i am going for margaritas this wednesday. empty calories, but full of fun.

 

[Medusa]

I'm so happy to see this thread taking off!

I'm doing well on my water intake...met my goal yesterday and well on my way to making it today!
I'm going to go out and buy a scale and a journal later today...I'm excited about the journal and scared about the scale...I haven't weighted myself in...well a while.

I've been carefully keeping track of my food intake, and useing the tools at www.fitday.com. I totally love this web site and highly recomend it. It has lots of free tools you can use to track your calorie and nutrient intake, as well as a place to chart your weight and keep track of you goals. They have this thing where you enter your goal weight and a target date and it breaks down how many pounds you need to lose each week to get there. I think it's going to be really helpful in keeping me motivated AND realistic.

3bees~1flower, this statement really struck me:

Quote:

this is the...ummm...i don't know what number of times i have joined a weight loss thread on MDC only to fail miserably. i'm VOWING to keep at it till i lose 56 lbs...

I had a hard time convincing myself to start this thread, because I was really worried that I embrass myself by putting it all out there and then totally blowing it! What I've come too is this is going to be a long hard struggle with lots of ups and downs...and sometimes I AM going to blow it, but I want to be comitted to coming back to this group even on my bad days!
I think if we want this to work we have to make this a no shame, no guilt space, where we're always welcome and wanted...even when we've been slipping for a week or two, or longer...
Like Chulpina said:

Quote:

accepting yourself as you are right now - big and all! maybe it means getting some new clothes that look good on you, whatever. aspiring to bring your into a healthier weight, but loving yourself in the meantime. I think achieving new goals is easier done when we love ourself, faults and all.

This is so right on! Lets extend that to one another!
I'd like to make a list of everyone whose decided to particapate, and when we don't hear from someone for a while we can send them a PM reminding them that they are welcome and wanted in this thread, even if they feel like they're failing. Is that ok with everyone?

 

[allgirls]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Medusa I'd like to make a list of everyone whose decided to particapate, and when we don't hear from someone for a while we can send them a PM reminding them that they are welcome and wanted in this thread, even if they feel like they're failing. Is that ok with everyone?

 

[rose angel]

Can I join?

: My weight has crept up on me since I was about 17 or so. I was always the "thin" person in my obese family (not really, more like normal weight.) After high school, I gained about 5 lbs per year (sneaky!) I have lost the weight before, and know I feel soo much better! I am home all day with my 6 yo dd, 4 yyo Ds and 9 mo ds.
Stumbling blocks: I tend to eat when I am tired, to give me a burst of energy. My baby still wakes frequently to nurse, so I am pretty much in a state of tiredness all the time, to a certain degree.
I have trouble getting motivated. I know I would like to lose 35-50 lbs, but weight tends to come off 1 lb a week for me, so I frustrate myself by thinking about how I will have to really really try for months before there will be a noticable difference (poor poor me!

)
So how are you gals getting and staying motivated? I find myself having false starts, then blowing it and sliding back into old habits. I fear becoming morbidly obese like my dad

But yet here I am at over 200 lbs. I want my kids to have a good healthy role model, and a pretty mama, and I just don't feel that I am there right now

Starting weight 205 today. I need some accountability, so I will check in with a weigh in weekly.

 

[allgirls]

What motivates me...why don't we list our motivations...maybe having them in writing will help us stay motivated!

1. I am nearly 40 and just had another baby...I need to live at least another 20 years to get all of them up and raised and I want to have the energy to do it.

2. I am nearly 40 and feel I will deal better with this milestone if I am healthy and feel good

3. I am vain...I want to be attractive again...I used to have a killer body...4 years ago my SIL took pics of me and I looked great in shorts and a tank...now 2 babies later I feel like my hubby deserves to have some semblance of that again.

4. I think I deserve to look as good as I can for me.

5. I want to have the energy for 2 little kids and two older kids...I am alone most of the time, without that energy, I won't be able to do this properly and the kids will suffer.

6. I can't afford a new wardrobe

Well that's all I can think of right now.

Next!

 

[chapulina]

so nice to read everyone's posts!

...has anyone else heard of grapefruit and kiwi doing something to aid in weight loss? (maybe increasing metabolism..i don't know). maybe its just coincidental, but i craved grapefruit and ate it like crazy and my total weight gain for this pregnancy was 20# less.

still waiting to weigh myself this am..i do the daily weigh-in...funny how a pound or 2 less can totally make your day! i fluctuate btw 192-195, but since giving birth, haven't started a real trend downward in losing weight. very discouraging, especially since i've cut so much out of my diet to help my baby's reflux.

my goal this week is to get out to walk for 30" while dh stays with the kiddies..we got out yesterday to walk. it felt great and all, but serious exercies just isn't possible with a dawdling 3 yo and a crying 3month old

ita with listing us and keeping track of how things are going with one another... also, listing motivating factors is great. i am going to work on that. i am feeling that my goal of losing weight is about more than just that; its about bringing all the other areas of my life into better balance too..i.e., nutritional, psychological, spiritual, emotional, financial, etc.