need support

[songbird]

HI!
I am new to the boards, I am also extremely overweight! I lost eighty pounds a couple of years ago, but have since gained it all back, I've recently started exercising again, not nearly enough, but I was pretty much sedentary over the past winter, so I am trying to take baby steps. I look forward to all replies but would really like to hear from people who have lost a large amount of weight, and would appreciate any tips to help get me going again. Thanks!

[Michele]

Welcome! :wave:

A lot of people here are trying to lose weight, including myself, so you should feel right at home! ;) I have a good bit more to lose but recently I have lost 21 pounds in the last six weeks. It's coming off slowly but surely! After a lot of research and consideration, I decided to join Curves (a woman's weight loss and exercise center) and to participate in their low-carbohydrate diet. It's kind of like the Atkin's diet but it incorporates a lot more fruits and vegetables. I've cut out potatoes, most breads, and almost all sweets (things made with Splenda are good though :yum: ). But the most important thing to maintaining weight loss is what you are already doing: exercise. The whole premise of the low-carb diet is by increasing your protien and exercising at least three days a week, the protien forms muscle which burns fat. So, the more you exercise the more protien will form and the more fat you will burn. It's also very important to drink lots of water: at least eight glasses a day.

I hope some of that might help you! But, different bodies react differently to different plans so I suggest you do a lot of research to find out what's best for you. Again, welcome to ILJ! I hope to hear a lot more from you in the future! :)

[UberHouseWife]

I can relate. I've been struggling with my weight for 5 years now... at first it was just 10 extra lbs from working at fast food place, then I finished high school with an extra 15... got married at 20 lbs over, and getting pregnant was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I plateaued at 200 the day before I delivered. I wear a size 20 now & could easily stand to lose 50 to 60 lbs on my short little 5'3" frame...

I've been trying to lose weight to get my BP down for my 2nd pregnancy (plan to start trying soon), but haven't had much success. I feel like I have no willpower, which ticks me off because I have so many good reasons to drop the weight!!

[songbird]

That is my problem too! I know I need to lose weight and have several tools at my disposal to begin an exercise regimen( weight training equip.,treadmill) it's just getting motivated to do so! I also have a tendency toward depression. It is only by the grace of God that I am still here today! Over the past year I've lost an aunt to cancer, two other aunts have cancer, and I recently lost my father-in-law to diabetes, also I lost a well paying job due to company cut-backs, quit smoking, started smoking again! because I was a nervous wreck, and still am most of the time, but I continue in prayer daily for I know God is in control and He will see me through!
songbird

[UberHouseWife]

I suffer from Seasonal Depression & serious mood swings... Instead of medicating I turn to emotional eating...

[songbird]

I turn to food no matter what emotions I am experiencing

I havent' been too successful at it but I am going to try and start turning to God from now on to teach me the discipline I need to achieve a healthy body.
When I lost weight before I started out by using positive reinforcement, telling myself that yes I can instead of I can't
I'm not going to let this food have control over me and stand between me and a healthy body
some have said there are no bad foods and I believe this to an extent, basically it is about portion control
satan fills our heads with negative thoughts througout the day, so i begin in prayer for God to help me see His truths about myself instead of satans lies

[Nicole]

Hey Songbird. Like you - I turn to food no matter the emotion. I eat when I'm bored, when I'm upset, when I'm happy, when I'm lonely, etc. About the only time I don't eat is when I'm busy ;) I don't sit there and devour an entire box of cookies or anything - but I do eat too much of the wrong things.

I've been really trying to be healthy for a little over a year now - I did great for about the first 10 months - and then it got "old." I was tired of it...and no matter how hard I try to "motivate' myself - it wasn't very successful. I'm still trying to figure out what to do to make a permanent change - and I came to basically the same conclusions that you did.

I've got to turn to God in it all. These are some verses he's given me over the past couple of months:

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:8-9

Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. Psalm 119:133

Let those who love the Lord hate evil. Psalm 97:10

Praise the Lord. . . who satisfies your desires with good things. Psalm 103:15

Since we have these promises dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence to God. 2 Corinthians 7:1


When I remember to - I try to carry these with me. When I'm tempted to eat more than I should or something that I shouldn't - it really helps if I pull them out and just read them over. Reminding me that God desires better for me than the sin of gluttony.


:hug:

[UberHouseWife]

I've noticed that a lot of times, we go to God as a last resort instead of asking Him for help first! LOL I do it daily! Maybe thats my problem right there...

[Nicole]

that we do..that we do


it's a wonder he doesn't get fed up with us watching us try the same ol' things over and over when he knows that they arent' going to work!


sure am glad his mercy is everlasting :D

[Juliet]

I have tried everything,but my pitfall is that I LOVE food. My brother went on the Atknins diet and lost a whole lot of weight. I can't remember how much but it was a lot ( i want to say 50). I tried it for 2 weeks and lost 8 lbs. Then along came a birthday cake.MMmmmmm cake! I am now going to go back on it along with walking. When I was just starting out I did not have a support system.Now I have a friend who walks with me and we hold each other accountable. Get a good support system. It will help you a lot.

[Multimom]

Jasi:

Check out the thread on low carb diets.

The one I use kills all "emotional" eating because its really not emotional. It's chemical and that can be corrected.

The Heller's Carbohydrate Addicts Healthy Heart Plan not only reduces weight but it elimates all cravings.

In my whole life I could never walk by a plate of cookies and this year I not only walk by them, but I don't even notice them.

It takes about 7 to 10 days for the cravings to disappear but for me it was the life saving factor I needed.

[UberHouseWife]

I've tried 2 different low carb diets & failed both times... couldn't do it. :wah: