Official Weight Loss Support Group

[DorytheYaris]

Official Yarisworld
Weight Loss Support Group!

Feel free to share your weight loss struggles and successes here.
Height, weight, inches, goals, photos (before/after), etc.

:thumbup:

[KCALB SIRAY]

subscribed!

[DorytheYaris]

subscribed!

Woohoo! Now we need some more people. :tongue:

[Shroomster]

dory not to be mean but, you look like chester benington from linkin park in your avatar.....damnit let your hair down!


oh and welcome back :biggrin:

[DorytheYaris]

dory not to be mean but, you look like chester benington from linkin park in your avatar.....damnit let your hair down!


oh and welcome back :biggrin:

How sweet of you. I hate wearing my hair down! But every guy likes a girl with long hair... psh :thumbdown:

I was actually planning on changing my avatar this weekend, so there! :tongue:

[BailOut]

My story is not dramatic at all but I am still proud of it.

2.5 years ago, at the age of 34, I quit smoking and once my taste buds were functioning properly again I experienced a newfound love of food. Many things I could not stand before I began to love, and I experimented with all kinds of food. Over time I went from being chronically underweight at 5'8" and 120-125 pounds to filling out to 140. I was already active (snowboarding, mountain biking, etc.) so the weight went into all the right places.

My wife was all for a change in our diet so as our experimentation grew we were having a grand time of it, but one day I stepped out of the shower and glanced in the large mirror nearby, and I saw my father: average build but with a gut sticking out. It caught me off guard and I was not at all happy. I weighed in at 147 pounds, my highest ever.

I had to ponder how this had happened and I soon realized that while we were actually eating much healthier than before, and we weren't eating any more often than before, that our portion sizes had steadily gotten larger over several months. We share the cooking and cleaning responsibilities but I usually get the utensils and napkins and drinks ready while my wife serves the food. I immediately asked her to cut my portion sizes by 25%.

With that diet adjustment and my activity level it only took a few weeks for me to get back down to 140, and my flat stomach came right back. I have found that I can safely go to 142, but that any additional pound over that goes straight to my gut. As such I know that I am just a few too many hearty meals away from having a belly, and that if I drop my activity level someday I will also need to cut back on my food intake.

I don't have any revealing pictures from during that time as it was during the cold months, but here's an after shot from 3 weeks ago, now age 36, reposted from another thread:

[DorytheYaris]

My story is not dramatic at all but I am still proud of it.

2.5 years ago I quit smoking and once my taste buds were functioning properly again I experienced a newfound love of food. Many things I could not stand before I began to love, and I experimented with all kinds of food. Over time I went from being chronically underweight at 5'8" and 120-125 pounds to filling out to 140. I was already active (snowboarding, mountain biking, etc.) so the weight went into all the right places.

My wife was all for a change in our diet so as our experimentation grew we were having a grand time of it, but one day I stepped out of the shower and glanced in the large mirror nearby, and I saw my father: average build but with a gut sticking out. It caught me off guard and I was not at all happy. I weighed in at 147 pounds, my highest ever.

I had to ponder how this had happened and I soon realized that while we were actually eating much healthier than before, and we weren't eating any more often than before, that our portion sizes had steadily gotten larger over several months. We share the cooking and cleaning responsibilities but I usually get the utensils and napkins and drinks ready while my wife serves the food. I immediately asked her to cut my portion sizes by 25%.

With that diet adjustment and my activity level it only took a few weeks for me to get back down to 140, and my flat stomach came right back. I have found that I can safely go to 142, but that any additional pound over that goes straight to my gut. As such I know that I am just a few too many hearty meals away from having a belly, and that if I drop my activity level someday I will also need to cut back on my food intake.

I don't have any revealing pictures from during that time as it was during the cold months, but here's an after shot from 2 weeks ago, reposted from another thread:

Good for you! It's good to realize that you noticed your portions getting out of hand. That's where it all starts. Portion control. If people just watched HOW MUCH of what they were eating, a lot more people would be able to control their weight. It's so simple!

[Yaris Hilton]

Yep, portions are where it's at. Years ago, I was talking to an old farmer. He mentioned some of the popular fad diets, and said they were all wrong. He said, "The HAM Diet is the one that really works." I thought, "What the hell is he talking about, the HAM Diet?" He saw my puzzlement and explained: "Half As Much." It's really true!

Hard to maintain the motivation, though!

[cali yaris]

But every guy likes a girl with long hair... psh

not true.. :biggrin:

[cali yaris]

Through my 20's and 30's I was in the 135-140 range. In my 40's I gradually creeped up to a high of 178. I'm 5' 9".

Then last year I started weight training seriously. My weight didn't change but my shape did. Right now I'm at 174.

I'd like to see what 165 looks like on me with lots of cardio and fitness training. This will probably put me in the 12% bodyfat bracket.

How long should I give myself to reach that goal? When I commit to something, I do it 100%; but I haven't mustered up the energy lately to attempt this.

[Sabretooth]

Here's mine:
Pre warning, I have struggled with my weight since I was young, even to this day I am trying to drop the weight. My target weight is 180lbs, and I weight 210 now...Hopefully I can find more time to get into the gym and just drop those extra lbs.

When I was a kid, like 10-15, I had issues with weight, I believe at 16 I weighed about 240lbs, at about 5' 7'', Only for the issue to get worse throughout high school, where I stayed at 260lbs. I got sick of it mainly, because I felt like an outcast. I wanted to be active, yet never could due to my weight. So I decided to start dropping the weight, after several failed "diet plans" I decided to stop eating anything unhealthy and regulate my eating more often, then during my senior year, to make sure I had a large portion of exercise, I took two PhysEd courses, which basically interperated into 1.5hours of playing sports and running/jogging, whatever.

After high school I got a job of all places working in fast food, which didnt help my cause any, but Wendy's did offer some badass baked potatoes to curb my burger appetite. Eventually I sat around 210lbs for the longest time... I lost 50lbs and was happy, but it just didnt cut it. I had a target weight of 175lbs and wanted to get there. So after about 4 other jobs I ended up working at a warehouse distributing beer. I dont drink, so that wasnt an issue. Needless to say, I finally hit my target weight and maintained it for about 12 months before moving up north, where Mom's ole good cookin' , and a light duty job got me back up to 240, eventually I moved back down again and started working in the same warehouse again.

At this point I no longer work in a warehouse, but I started going to a gym 2 times a week for an hour a day, walking elevated on a treadmill and lifting weights, I know its not the perfect method to lose the weight, but I hope slowly I will get there, and hopefully build a good muscle tone in the process. As of last week I was hovering around 212-209 variables make it change daily.

Ill try and hunt photos to post from when I was growing up and now.

[YAR1S]

My story is not dramatic at all but I am still proud of it.

2.5 years ago, at the age of 34, I quit smoking and once my taste buds were functioning properly again I experienced a newfound love of food. Many things I could not stand before I began to love, and I experimented with all kinds of food. Over time I went from being chronically underweight at 5'8" and 120-125 pounds to filling out to 140. I was already active (snowboarding, mountain biking, etc.) so the weight went into all the right places.

My wife was all for a change in our diet so as our experimentation grew we were having a grand time of it, but one day I stepped out of the shower and glanced in the large mirror nearby, and I saw my father: average build but with a gut sticking out. It caught me off guard and I was not at all happy. I weighed in at 147 pounds, my highest ever.

I had to ponder how this had happened and I soon realized that while we were actually eating much healthier than before, and we weren't eating any more often than before, that our portion sizes had steadily gotten larger over several months. We share the cooking and cleaning responsibilities but I usually get the utensils and napkins and drinks ready while my wife serves the food. I immediately asked her to cut my portion sizes by 25%.

With that diet adjustment and my activity level it only took a few weeks for me to get back down to 140, and my flat stomach came right back. I have found that I can safely go to 142, but that any additional pound over that goes straight to my gut. As such I know that I am just a few too many hearty meals away from having a belly, and that if I drop my activity level someday I will also need to cut back on my food intake.

I don't have any revealing pictures from during that time as it was during the cold months, but here's an after shot from 3 weeks ago, now age 36, reposted from another thread:



we have those lake boards in our shops here! I've always wanted to try it! :w00t:

[YAR1S]

As for me....

Im 20, 5' 4" and at unhealthy 158 right now :cry:
I used to weigh a healthy 135 two years ago.
I stress eat especially since Im at college.:thumbdown:

Anyways ....
Im on a mission to go back down in size so I dont suffer the effects of stretching and not snapping back!

weight loss here I come! :thumbup:


2 years seem forever ago .....
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/Cheekyllama/100_2121.jpg

now:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y294/Cheekyllama/IMG_3184.jpg


note, my dad in fact has lost A LOT of weight.

[Sabretooth]

You still looking good :wink: :thumbsup:

[Nexus1155]

This is good that everyone gets to post there stories like this, I think its great that more and more people are getting into shape these days.

So my story, when i got to high school i weighed probably 160 and i don't remember height, but i never lifted a weight in my life, i wasn't really fat but i had some pudge.

I joined Golds Gym one afternoon (Sophomore Year) and started reading up on proper form and how to lift weights correctly. That 3 week mark, and i know everyone sees it too is the kicker, when you really notice your hard work paying off. Currently I am 5"10 at 185lbs(pushing for 200) with a little bit of fat on me because i've been slacking off alot lately which has to change.

People have to understand that its a combined effort of everything. You need to lift weights, do light cardio, eat correctly(not healthy, i never said that). But what people don't understand is they don't have to bust their ass to do this.

I started to realize this recently that if you are looking to gain a good amount of muscle and cut fat, you need to lift as heavy as you can, do 15-20 mins of light cardio after, and eat high protein, high carbs after your sessions. Low calorie, or high depending on what you want from it.

Key Lesson: Please do not follow fad diets, if you excersize, carbs are your best friend. You have to watch out though, too much and you will be forced to take a 2hr nap, no joke

edit* and I have thought about vegitarianism for a while, because of the whole cruelty to animals and the better digestive system, but i learnt it was just the food chain and it is what it is. Being a vegitarian is very hard to substitute a good amount of proper protein that only meat can give you. Even protein shakes that people take can't come close to what meat gives.

[Malaya1221]

raw food 3-5 days a week and +1 on the good ole SEXERCISE..i mean exercise....:wink:

btw, here in LA they do lots of bike rides...will be joining my buddy this coming fall, at least 2 times a week...heat is buggin...

@yar is...great dance move :smile:

[SIPNGAS]

OK..I'm joining....

I used to be really heavy...really heavy...

lost it all...now I'm creeping back up. I want to lose 30 pounds by next summer. Check that..I *will* lose 30 by next summer....

[DorytheYaris]

Okay so here is a little of my story:

I wasn't really a heavy kid. I was overweight but not obese.
When I got into high school I gained a bit of weight, I weighed around 175 throughout all 4 years, but I slowly gained more and more over the next 5 years after graduation. I met my fiance a month and a half after I graduated high school in 2002, and like I said I was around 175. Then I kept gaining. I let go I guess you could say. Around 2006, I realized I was out of control. I began trying different diets to lose the weight. I joined an all women's gym and went religiously. I would lose 10-15 lbs. but I could never successfully keep the weight off and it just got out of hand. By 2007, I had reached my heaviest at 247 lbs. I had a sleep study done and was diagnosed with Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea and I stopped breathing 15-20 times per hour in my sleep. I was in the pre-Diabetic stages and it was only a matter of time until I became a Type II Diabetic like my dad and maternal grandmom (I have Diabetes on both sides). I had severe migraines, back problems, fatigue, acid reflux and the list goes on. I was on 5 medications a day for my migraines on top of taking Excedrine Migraine twice a day when they didn't work. I was also on medication for depression.
I was referred to a Bariatric surgeon by my family doctor to research options into weight loss surgery since years of diet and exercise were not benefiting me long-term and the odds of my health improving were not in my favor.
I opted to get Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery. I had to do 3 months of health screening before surgery, testing everything from my heart, lungs and psychiatric background, as well as my goals, expectations and fears. The day I went into surgery on June 25, 2008 I weighed in at 243 lbs. I have lost over 5 feet in inches from head to toe. I no longer take any medications and I have no health problems at all. NONE.
I am a little over 14 months post-op and I now weigh 128-130 lbs. I went from a size 20/22 to a size 3 in juniors. My BMI went from 42 to 24. My ring size went from a 9 to a 6. I never felt better, ever. In my free time I do enjoy going to the weight loss support groups with my surgeon's practice to help answer questions from people who are in the same position I was in just a little over a year ago. This has been a very difficult journey in many ways but the support of those around me kept me going. It saved my life and it's helping me help others.
I am getting married on October 31, 2009 (Halloween night). My fiance used to weigh 320 lbs. and dropped to 180 lbs. with diet and exercise alone (before I met him). So both of us lost weight, but in two different ways, so we learn from one another greatly from it. I feel extremely fortunate to have my life, my health and the knowledge now, that I didn't have before.
I hope everyone can learn from one another on here!

Same jeans I am wearing in first pic :biggrin:
http://i32.tinypic.com/293egjn.jpg

[yaris-me]

That is incredible and you look terrific! Congratulations on your health.

Six years ago, I weighed 185. Now I weigh 158. I did go down to 143, but when the doctor said I was OK, I put some weight back. I need to go down to 143 again.

[LtNoogie]

Congratulations on being healthy but you were pretty before and after the weight loss. Those women who remain heavier than the norm also need to know that they have their own unique form of beauty.

[Nexus1155]

Congrats on your journey! it seems like a hard one indeed, I am glad you have the outlook that you do and realize the health benefits physically and psychologically, weight loss doesn't change who you are, but your perspective on life as a whole.

[KRAZGRL]

There's some great stories here!

I guess I'll dive into mine a little bit:
I've had a severe back injury for the past almost 4 years (October of '05). It's work comp... hence why it's taking FOREVER for my treatment. I have 2 torn discs in my lower back (L5-S1 and the L4-L5) and that's a partial reason why I got the Yaris. I went from a manual trans civic si to an auto yaris to make my commutes in southern Cali traffic a bit more tolerable (I no longer can make the commutes on my motorcycle due to the riding position). I've put on a few lbs that I'm not proud of and it's hard for me to be as active as I want to since everything I do is painful and/or I'm in pain for the following days. Right now I have a goal set (the bf and I have discussed engagement) and I refuse to try on wedding dresses in the size I currently am.

It's so hard since I can't do any major workouts like running since the impact my back takes is way too much. I used to LOVE turbo kick boxing, but that usually causes me to be stuck in bed the next day barely able to move. I use the recombinant bike for cardio, try to do as much walking as my back will allow and some weight training. It's just so hard to stay motivated when everything equals pain. *sigh* Dieting only goes so far since I have a fairly healthy diet as it is. I'm trying to get back to my 1300 calories/day + as much exercise as the back will allow which helped me drop some weight before a wedding I was a part of in June.

I will definitely check back to this thread for inspiration. :thumbsup:

[frownonfun]

I hate wearing my hair down! But every guy likes a girl with long hair... psh :thumbdown:


i think short hair is way hotter. just saying.

[Nexus1155]

Yes, having sufficient amount of protein to survive is easy on a vegetarian diet, I have like 5 vegetarian friends and 2 vegans, which is extremely difficuly IMHO to be a vegan, but rule of thumb is 1g of protein per lb of body weight, may be easy for some not for others and 1.5g per lb for those trying to gain more muscle.

I mean its all just based on opinions, i am honestly offended at the fact that they do this to animals. And I have seen it and on videos, if i thought about more into it and focused on it i am sure i would end up puking, but what am i suppose to do go buy a cow, raise it in my backyard in the middle of a tightly packed city, butcher it to get my meat and stock my freezer for whenever i need it. Or go to a farm somewhere that is over an hour away when i just want some 3 meat meatloaf or chicken breast naturally?

**side story i forgot, i went to do a computer job at a chicken pot pie manufacturing plant here in MA, just the smell, without even visually see it, i had to bail out of that place and got sick right out front, you could just smell the blood it was aweful***

And i congratulate you donating blood, it is a hard thing to do in general, but twice a week you are really helping out alot of people in need.

And no, i know a pretty vigilant vegitarian and when i use to eat meat around them they use to look at me like i was a pos, so don't worry hahah

[Yaris Hilton]

If you're a strict vegetarian, take supplemental B12. Pretty hard to get enough without eating animal foods.

[frownonfun]

yeah i don't know that i've ever been too concerned about the animal cruelty issue so i don't have much of an opinion on that but i do think the average meat eater tries to make vegetarianism seem deficient in some way. but it's really not. because first of all meat isn't the only thing with protein and also because proteins are made up of amino acids and so by eating combinations of foods that contain amino acids you are making protein. so yeah if you are considering going vegetarian don't buy into the meat eaters propaganda that you are gonna end up too weak to move or something.

having said that i'm not a vegetarian. lol. i was for about 4 years but i gave up being a full on vegetarian just because it became this thing that people wanted to help me overcome. like there was something wrong with me so i just went back to eating meat only not very often. maybe if i ever move out of the bible/beef belt i'll try going vegetarian again but for now it makes my life a lot easier to just do as the romans.

[Nexus1155]

I mean i know theres alot more pros and cons than these, but here are some main highlighted points

http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/pros-and-cons-of-vegetarianism-3908.html

I do not know why anyone would shy you away from your lifestyle frown, if you wanted to be a vegitarian then that is your personal choice, people probably look at it as a bad thing,, because there is a minority. Only a handful of people i know are vegitarians it's like 5% of people i know atleast, and this is just the way most of society is sadly...

and to KRAZGRL, I hope you get back on track with everything in your life, back problems are really severe and life altering. I am sadly starting to get some now, and my friend who already had 5 surgeries already 2 of them being really major, lost his g/f of years and his job and life to his back injury :(

[KRAZGRL]

and to KRAZGRL, I hope you get back on track with everything in your life, back problems are really severe and life altering. I am sadly starting to get some now, and my friend who already had 5 surgeries already 2 of them being really major, lost his g/f of years and his job and life to his back injury :(

I've had the fear of losing my bf since everything we do revolves around whether or not I can physically make it. I had to give up my Disneyland annual pass, not go to as many concerts, sporting events, and movies (and when I do, I take pain meds and I bring a back pillow to help me through it). It absolutely is life altering.

I'm thankful that my bf is very supportive and [I believe] wouldn't leave me for something I cannot help... His main concern is my well being and if/when I have children...how carrying a child to term will affect my back.

All the doctors think I'm too young for any major surgery (fusion/disc replacements) so right now I'm trying to find the least invasive measure that will help my pain and prevent future injury. If this wasn't work comp, I'm sure I would have had it squared away 3 years ago.

[2+2]

Not far from where I lived a couple of years ago there was a nice park with some workout thingys along side a walking track. You could do pullups, situps, pushups etc. There were probably 10 or 11 different exercises. Moderation and me don't usually fit in the same sentence but I did their little walking track and exercise machines in moderation for a summer and I'll tell you what. I felt good, really good. I felt stronger and had better flexibility and lost a few pounds. The only thing that didn't change was my sex life but at least I had more energy for pleasuring myself. lol (sorry, couldn't resist a bad joke)

The problem here in Michigan is winter. I've done the outside thing in Jan/Feb and I think I see a treadmill in my future.

[jclo3313]

I'm back after eating way too much on the island. We were out there on Thursday-Sunday and ate nothing but way to amazing food. (dutch oven cooking) Now that is over with I can try to stat making some real progress.

[1stToyota]

This time last year I was at my heaviest weight of 160lbs, lost 25lbs (actually got down to 132lbs but I've seemed to settle in at 135lbs) by not being anymore active than usual, just simply cut out one big meal a day and replaced it with a protein bar (Balance & GNC, mainly). My old 29" Lee jeans nearly fall off of me now.

[Giobatera]

It's nice to hear from other people. I also had the surgery done 2 years ago, and in deed was life changing for me too. Congrats and keep it up! :clap::clap::clap:

[DorytheYaris]

It's nice to hear from other people. I also had the surgery done 2 years ago, and in deed was life changing for me too. Congrats and keep it up! :clap::clap::clap:

Awesome! It's great to hear from other people on YW who have gone through weight loss surgery. Congrats to you too!

:thumbup:

[cali yaris]

You guys are inspiring. I STARTED TODAY.

granola/yogurt for breakfast.
chicken + salad lunch.
protein shake just now so I don't pass out. (LOL)
lots of water!

[DorytheYaris]

You guys are inspiring. I STARTED TODAY.

granola/yogurt for breakfast.
chicken + salad lunch.
protein shake just now so I don't pass out. (LOL)
lots of water!

Sounds like a great choice of food for the day! Way to go! :thumbup:

[DandiDani]

i had yogurt for breakfast too and toast. subway for lunch.

[DandiDani]

i hope...no plan, to lose 10-15lbs.

[jclo3313]

Just weighed in.......266.2

[cali yaris]

rode my bike to work today. Banana for breakfast (weak), antipasto salad for lunch, no dressing.

Commute is 3 miles each way, that oughta do something...

[DandiDani]

i need to start riding my bike more often too.

[DorytheYaris]

I'm soo jealous. I want a bike! Maybe Santa will bring me one this year :tongue:

[1stToyota]

All this talk about riding makes me want to go home and get on that $600.00 coat rack/Schwinn Recumbent Bike that I bought last year.

[BailOut]

rode my bike to work today. Banana for breakfast (weak), antipasto salad for lunch, no dressing.

Commute is 3 miles each way, that oughta do something...

Good for you! That's the same distance I bicycle to catch my carpool each morning. It's not the best for cardio as it doesn't last too long (once your body gets used to it, if you push a little you'll find that you can do the ride in less than 12 minutes) but it's great for toning up your legs, and a little bit of your core.

I wonder if you're getting enough food, though. Cutting back your intake is a good thing, but if you aren't giving your body enough material to work with then it will store more fat to try to counter the shortages.

[jclo3313]

Did my mesurments;
52" chest
44" gut
40" waist
21" neck
I'm a moose.:tongue:

[eTiMaGo]

From relatively slim 140lb teenager (with hair)

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/691356/Thomas/PICT0317.JPG

To, a few years later, my very heaviest (210lb) and with terrible skin:

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/691356/Thomas/CIMG0177.JPG

Was living the good life back then, good food, fancy snacks all night long...
Came back down to about 190lb though, and stayed there until early this year, where, without any special exercise (just a lot of walking), and reducing my food/snack intake some more, I am back to a good 165lb:

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/691356/Thomas/DSC_1465.JPG

My advice? You don' have to give up good, tasty food, just try and have it in moderation... Live to eat, not eat to live :wink:

[ZING]

Good work everyone :D Credit to DorytheYaris for all the support hehe. I hate the gym, but I love sports. I do 1hour of swimming per day, with 3hours of boxing twice a week, and 3 football(soccer) practices a week. Just recently we turned a friends basement into a full boxing gym, with the bags, gear, and everything needed. It's great, I would encourage people to do the same.

EDIT: After catching up on some threads. Credit to you to caliyaris hehe


Maybe we should have a diet support group on here

[jclo3313]

I ran once, it was last call!:biggrin:

[DorytheYaris]

I really think it's great that everyone is posting their stories and updates. I think it will really keep all of us trying to maintain/lose weight on track. :)

[JBougie]

I have battled with my weight since the end of High School - I have poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, so it's hard to control the weight. I am 5'10.5" and used to weigh 140lbs and was in a size 8/10 jeans. Not fat at all. Well, 7 years later after graduation (at the start of the year) was in size 20/22 and miserable. Boo :( My friend who is a fitness model/health nut/trainer offered me some help. I didn't take it seriously at first, but started taking it seriously a few months back when I joined the biggest loser competition we had at work.

I eat no fast food, keep my sugar to an absolute minimum, eat only GOOD carbs at certain times of the day; I eat veggies, chicken, turkey, Ezekial bread, oatmeal w/ protein powder, all natural peanut butter, egg whites w/ 1 whole egg, Nectar brand protein powder (no sugar/no carbs), tuna, organic brown rice salt free rice cakes, all natural cashews and almonds, fish ... that sort of thing. I allow myself 1 cheat meal a week. It's easy to follow and I literally can't eat fast food, my body almost instantly rejects it.... which makes me not want to eat it even more when I realize how gross and unhealthy it really is.

Without working out because I just honestly haven't had time between going to school full time and working more than full time at the office, I have lost 30lbs this year and have dropped over a full pants size.

Oddly enough, my dear friend is whooping my a$$ on Tuesday and is coming to the gym and creating custom workouts for me. My goal is to be back to a size 12 by the end of the year - it's possible, but I can't fall off at all for the next 3.5 months.

I added a picture of myself a few months back before really losing anything (I think I was down 5lbs in the first picture) - note: the wind was blowing so my tummy really isn't sticking out that much LOL; and then what I look like now in the yellow shirt picture, I see the biggest change in my waist/thighs. I think I carry my weight well becuase no one believes I was a 20/22 at the first of the year ... my height helps with that, but the fact is I'm not healthy and I have become extremely depressed because of my weight. My husband (soon to be my ex ... long story, we are still best friends so it's not a bad break up at all) is the most supportive person and has loved me no matter what I look like, but people treat me different as a heavy person and I want to make a change for myself. I work in a pretty professional environment and it's hard to be taken seriously when you can't have the typical appearance as other professionals.

I think this is an awesome thread, it's great to have some place to get support!

[PETERPOOP]

I guess I can write a little something something.

My entire life I've been the skinny kid. I wasn't too concerned about being skinny through my teenage years, so I couldn't tell you what my weight was. However, I would think it had to be somewhere between 125-130lbs. My height is 5`8 and a half ( not lying about the 1/2" part! lmao ). I also started working construction part time during highschool since the age of 16. So that didn't help me pack on the pounds. This is a pic of my teenage years...

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp250/tropicalsuckerpunch/costcomatt-1.jpg

I started lifting weights so I could gain weight in my teenage years. Because of my high metabolism, I could eat whatever I wanted. That meant eating Mcdonalds ALL THE TIME! lol. It never had any affect on me whatsover. I also took plenty of protein shakes and know all about that stuff. Still nothing. I was also lifting weights during this time and working construction part time (full time in summers and xmas break).

It wasn't until I was about 22 years old that I had a month off of work (construction) and I had no school at the time (xmas break). I was still lifting weights and wanted to see if I could gain any weight. I began to eat anything in sight. This meant forcing myself to eat 6 crunchy taco bell tacos, mcdonalds, etc...

After about a month of that, I went from 130 to 150lbs. It's the heaviest i've been. However, since I was lifting weights ( not seriously though ), it didn't look like I was a fat hog. Here's a pic...

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp250/tropicalsuckerpunch/IMG_7362.jpg


That's me on the right. To most people, that looks "normal," but in reality, most of it was fat. After that I stopped lifting weights, but didn't eat as much fast food, and I couldn't get rid of my belly. I knew I could get rid of it by exercising and dieting, but since I could never gain weight my entire life, I didn't mind having a belly (what was I thinking! lol). Here is a pic of my not lifting weights, but still sporting the belly days....

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp250/tropicalsuckerpunch/CIMG3460.jpg
After about a year of having this belly, I was determined to get rid of it. I started lifting weights again and cutting back on the fast food. For me, since my frame isn't that big, it's not that hard to change the shape of my body. I still eat mcdonalds about 3-4x a week and I still work construction. Because of my job, it allows me to stay active and stay in shape. If I didn't work construction, I'd have to work a lot harder at keeping off the pounds. Here's a pic of me from a month ago. It's the result of eating right, lifting weights (4x a week), and waxing your chest. I was 140lb in that pic. lmao...

http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp250/tropicalsuckerpunch/mattnew3smiley.jpg

Anyways, I know it's not as gnarly as the stories on this thread, but it just goes to show that anyone can experience weight problems. Even skinny guys like me! The honest truth is: It's all about diet and exercise. There's no gimmick about it. Eat right and exercise regularly, and you'll be good! If you don't know what to eat; talk to a nutrionist. You really have to be motivated to diet and exercise, and you can't be half butt about it. Besides looking and feeling good, it's healthy and great for the mind! Good luck!

ps: If you are weight lifting and want to put on muscle; The three exercises you MUST do are squats, bench, and deadlifts. Look it up.

[tomato]

Key Lesson: Please do not follow fad diets, if you excersize, carbs are your best friend. You have to watch out though, too much and you will be forced to take a 2hr nap, no joke

+1 There is nothing wrong with carbs (pasta, breads, etc.,) in fact those are the preferred food prior to excercising, but yeah, too much of it will put you to sleep, as well :)


There's some great stories here!

I guess I'll dive into mine a little bit:
I've had a severe back injury for the past almost 4 years (October of '05). It's work comp... hence why it's taking FOREVER for my treatment. I have 2 torn discs in my lower back (L5-S1 and the L4-L5) and that's a partial reason why I got the Yaris. I went from a manual trans civic si to an auto yaris to make my commutes in southern Cali traffic a bit more tolerable (I no longer can make the commutes on my motorcycle due to the riding position). I've put on a few lbs that I'm not proud of and it's hard for me to be as active as I want to since everything I do is painful and/or I'm in pain for the following days. Right now I have a goal set (the bf and I have discussed engagement) and I refuse to try on wedding dresses in the size I currently am.

It's so hard since I can't do any major workouts like running since the impact my back takes is way too much. I used to LOVE turbo kick boxing, but that usually causes me to be stuck in bed the next day barely able to move. I use the recombinant bike for cardio, try to do as much walking as my back will allow and some weight training. It's just so hard to stay motivated when everything equals pain. *sigh* Dieting only goes so far since I have a fairly healthy diet as it is. I'm trying to get back to my 1300 calories/day + as much exercise as the back will allow which helped me drop some weight before a wedding I was a part of in June.

I will definitely check back to this thread for inspiration. :thumbsup:

I just wanted to say that 1300 calories per day is not very much at all, and when you crash diet like this, you may lose weight for a while but then it'll creep back up eventually :frown:, so be careful with that. They say you're supposed to make changes so that the weight loss goal is long term and permanent, rather than short term :iono:

I hurt my back 4 / 5 years ago and now I'm really limited in the stuff I can do or not do. Some seating positions are hard to stay in (don't even get me started about flying for extended periods of time!! :mad:) and I can't walk miles like I used to before, which is really frustrating because that's what I used to do to de-stress at the end of the day, I used to get my walking shoes on and go for a 2 or 3 mile walk at the end of the day, or just walk around for fun. Now I can't do it as much.

Anyway, as a result of cutting back on exercise, I gained a good 2 sizes up and at least 20 pounds. :frown: Plus, being unable to exercise keeps me indoors more, and when I'm indoors I eat more stuff than I realize... slippery slope right there :iono:

I've gained and lost weight over the years depending on my lifestyle (usually, a sedentary lifestyle will make me gain weight, then when I decide to move my @ss, I subsequently lose the weight) but this time, I can't seem to get motivated anymore, not sure why. :frown:

Anyway, :respekt::respekt: to Dory the Yari and all of you guys who are struggling to stay healthy. :headbang:

[tomato]

@peterpoop: Where was that picture taken, with all the rain? :eek: :eek: that's a LOT of rain!!!

[PETERPOOP]

@peterpoop: Where was that picture taken, with all the rain? :eek: :eek: that's a LOT of rain!!!

lol. Yah that was my front yard and entire front street! The local drain was plugged and there was a huge storm. I had to move all the cars out of there ASAP!

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11712

[LEGATO``]

hmmm

from a good friend of mine, he said that the P90X was a good workout to lose weight, and get toned at the same time

approve or disapprove?

i was thinking about this myself.

[PETERPOOP]

Definately is. The stuff they have you do is legit stuff. A couple of my friends are doing it and if you stick with it ( 3 month program ) and don't cheat yourself, you WILL get results.

It has you do all sorts of different stuff, and your muscle memory is confused and just continues to grow. It's like a 6 disc dvd set or something.

[LEGATO``]

ahhh okay
yehhh i saw the infomercial a month ago and was a little skeptical but since my friends started doing it really seems to be worth the money

[PETERPOOP]

I'm sure you can find ripped versions of it online. All you are paying for are the dvds. No weights or etc...

[counterfiend]

Yall make me feel like a fatass!
5'8" and 195. But i dont look really fat. Just healthy. Still run a rather quick 5k, and am pretty damn strong. I'm just stocky.

[LEGATO``]

ahhhh i would totally get it ripped buut, i dont know where to find that type of thing

but yehh i've heard too from a couple sources that the p90x definitely takes commitment to finish

[DandiDani]

oatmeal for breakfast now im getting ready to go for a walk:thumbup: if i could just keep this up everyday i might see some results...:biggrin:

[DandiDani]

hahahaha...yeah no cake. i just got back from my walk. kind of relaxing and beats being couped up in apt. our apt has a pond w geese and stuff thats really nice but its not 3miles away lol. maybe 1/8th mile.:laugh: i probably get in a mile of walking if i walk the perimeter of the whole complex . ill prolly go out a lil later on at sunset too.

[tomato]

Or, if you want, you can just tell us that you're doing it, and that you're gonna do it again [tomorrow] [day after tomorrow] [next week] if it helps motivate you.

That technique of telling other people that youre gonna do something works for some, works for me, too, because it guilts you into doing it. So the day I post "gonna wash my car and put on that second coat of wax" then I'll feel obligated to do it.

[DandiDani]

yeah that is true,and i think when others can read what someone else is doing it can help to motivate them too. thats what motivated me to start getting myself back into shape.:thumbup:

[DandiDani]

bump...anyone having any progress?

[frownonfun]

i'm having a little. i had shoulder surgery last oct and i think i'm just finally getting to where i can work out on a regular basis pain free. so that's kinda cool. sure does suck going to the gym by yourself sometimes though. no one to talk to... no one to spot you... no on to push you a little. i think having a good workout partner is pretty essential to making any real progress. too bad all my friends are lazy beer drinking fools.

[tomato]

What kind of shoulder surgery did you have, frown?

[SeaYa]

Just type in any food - http://www.calorieking.com/foods/

As a competitive distance runner, while not 'overweight', each pound makes me 2 seconds/mile slower. My Ideal race weight is 147 (6' 1/4"). I was 169 three weeks ago. I splurged on chocolate and ice cream (put on 6 pounds over 5 days from eating 27 king-size chocolate bars).

This morning - 162. Here's what helped me:

Foods higher in fiber make you feel full, so you're less likely to over eat...great ones, are pears, lentils (really any raw bean), celery, and oatmeal (with raisens and bananas).

HELP WITH FOOD CRAVINGS:

A craving is my body needing some nutrient...for me...ice cream/chocolate = calcium and meat = iron/essential amino acids (protien).

Brocolli, non-fat yogurt, and fortified soy-milk took care of the calcium, and I no longer get sucked into the ice-cream aisle.

For meat, I ate more lentils, pinto beans (any raw bean...black, pinto, navy, etc....will make up the essential AA's in meat, with iron to boot). Don't want to cut out meat? Just use it as side dish or topping to a main course built around grains and veggies.

Healthy eating starts at the store. If something isn't in your house (chips, cookies, etc) you won't snack on it. Don't stockpile your indulgences around you. Make them special treats that you go out to get once or twice a week. See something you crave in a store on Monday?...pretend you bought it, and are just leaving it at the store to 'pick up' for your weekend treat on Friday. You'll either get a nice treat, or forget about the craving and avoid eating it, as opposed to having it stare you in the face every time you open the fridge.

Good luck to everyone in their goals....I'll let you know what my weight is on race day FreePress Marathon - Oct, 18!

[DandiDani]

my problem is fast food...but ive been being good and havent gotten anything in a week or so. if i start making dinner every night and cut back on sodas...ill surely shed some pounds.

[tomato]

my problem is fast food...but ive been being good and havent gotten anything in a week or so. if i start making dinner every night and cut back on sodas...ill surely shed some pounds.

For sure!!! Sodas are LOADED with calories, and so is fast food.
Can you prepare food ahead of time and freeze it? So if you get home and you're too tired to make diner, then you just pop one thing out of the freezer and have that instead of fast food? Just an idea.

Luckily, we have stores like Trader's Joe out here and even Safeway and Coscto prepare foods to take home, all you have to do is pop it in the oven or the microwave. Better than fast food!!!

[DandiDani]

yeah fast food is terrible for you and i used to not eat it much but idk what happened.lol.the thing that sux is my husband works ALOT and a lot of times there is no point in me making dinner just for myself. if i do make dinner a lot of times the leftovers will stay in the fridge for what seems like forever.i take it to to work with me for lunch. but you can only eat something so many times in a row before you get sick of it.lol.i will probably have to start freezing lots of things.my mom has suggested freezing things to, but for some reason i dont end up doing it. i think i had better start!

[frownonfun]

What kind of shoulder surgery did you have, frown?

Subacromial smoothing and acromioplasty

"...may be used to treat a rotator cuff disorder if the injury is very severe or if nonsurgical treatment has failed to improve shoulder strength and movement sufficiently. Subacromial smoothing involves shaving bone or removing growths on the upper point of the shoulder blade (acromion). It removes scar tissue and damaged tendon and bursa from the joint. The surgeon may also remove small amounts of bone from the underside of the acromion and the acromioclavicular joint (acromioplasty). The goal is to take away roughness while keeping as much of the normal supporting structures as possible. This surgery creates more room in the subacromial space so that the rotator cuff tendon is not pinched or irritated and can glide smoothly beneath the acromion." - Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH


and as for today's progress i'm eating a pecan cinnabon right now... lol... i'm gonna feel so fat afterward.

[tomato]

Subacromial smoothing and acromioplasty



Thank you so much for posting this. NOW I understand!!! something's wrong with my rotator cuff but getting a straight explanation out of these doctors is like herding cats!

I have to get that surgery done, eventually, that's why I was asking when I saw that you mentined "shoulder surgery"

Right now, my range of motion is pretty bad, and going to physical therapy only marginally improves it, but what it really does is hurts like hell and creates major inflamation :mad::frown:

I'm suprised you continued to feel pain for so long, is that just when you exercise, though?

[frownonfun]

lol yeah i didn't know if you'd know what it was unless i also posted an explanation. i sure didn't know.

i think quite a bit of pain is normal for quite some time after surgery. my physical therapy lasted about 2 and half months. and even after i stopped physical therapy my range of motion wasn't 100%. it seems like it continued to bother me for a few more months only not in the same way it did before the surgery. but then it started feeling a little bit better as time went by. and since then most of the pain i've incurred has been due to heavy lifting.

i still wouldn't say it's 100% now but it is definitely better than before the surgery. i remember i couldn't even raise my arm up past my shoulder without wincing. only problem is i just need to get my left shoulder done too.

[tomato]

I'm really not feeling that much pain lately from the right, but the left is starting as well, probably because I transferred all the weight I'm used to carrying around from the right shoulder to the left one . :rolleyes: Oh well. :iono:

Glad you brought it up, though. it's very difficult to find information from patients who have undergone the same thing. The surgeon told me I would be back at work within a week, and I wouldn't feel much, but somehow I don't really believe it's gonna be pain free.

(sorry for the thread jack, guys)

[tomato]

yeah fast food is terrible for you and i used to not eat it much but idk what happened.lol.the thing that sux is my husband works ALOT and a lot of times there is no point in me making dinner just for myself. if i do make dinner a lot of times the leftovers will stay in the fridge for what seems like forever.i take it to to work with me for lunch. but you can only eat something so many times in a row before you get sick of it.lol.i will probably have to start freezing lots of things.my mom has suggested freezing things to, but for some reason i dont end up doing it. i think i had better start!

Why don't you make salads for yourself, then?

I make salads with chicken, and tomatoes (of course!), cheese, nuts, whatever, little pieces of ham, throw in a little bit of pasta in there, too (cold, though) so that salad is my main entree.

[DandiDani]

i do eat salads a lot. theyre one of my favorites, but it has to have ranch dressing.:thumbup:

[tomato]

Hmm.. I wonder, should we have an official nutrition thread? or an official recipes thread? :biggrin:

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_350/12310759490vi75M.jpg


(I can see ultimate car geeks in the forum going ... :rolleyes::rolleyes: groan )

oh, well, they have to eat, too! :laugh:

[DandiDani]

i thought about that too. maybe just a food thread and people could write whatever about food.recipes,their favorite foods,etc; might be neat..

[DandiDani]

i think kcalb siray would post about bacon all the time lol.

[tomato]

That's OK, as long as he's not posting it in the weight loss support group thread :laugh:

[DandiDani]

lol

[SeaYa]

Talking about salads...I've started to use a tasty flavor of non-fat yogurt where I used to use dressings and mayo. It has the same texture and binding effect of mayo...so you can still make chicken and tuna salads, and depending on the flavor you get, it can make a good dressing. I like to use cherry on a walnut-cherry salad.

Diet Bonus: a third of calories with 0 of the fat.

[tomato]

Talking about salads...I've started to use a tasty flavor of non-fat yogurt where I used to use dressings and mayo. It has the same texture and binding effect of mayo...so you can still make chicken and tuna salads, and depending on the flavor you get, it can make a good dressing. I like to use cherry on a walnut-cherry salad.

Diet Bonus: a third of calories with 0 of the fat.

:thumbsup:

[DandiDani]

bump

[yaris-me]

I'm already putting on weight and it's not Xmas yet.:frown:

Need to revive this thread.:laugh:

[DandiDani]

:laugh:i know especially now since its the holidays! ive been doing pretty good lately. ive cut back on sodas and fast food ALOT and ive been workn out almost everyday.

[michejohnson]

If you're wanting to lose a little weight (or a lot!), forget the Fad diet, don't even think about the Crash diet.

Start with some of our straight forward tips and we promise with a little commitment and motivation you'll get there!


1.Start your day with a healthy breakfast to kick start your metabolism.
2.Eat regular meals- at least three per day.
3.Use low fat substitutes for dairy products wherever possible, for example, skimmed milk, low fat cheese, cottage cheese and yoghurt.
4.Make sure your diet is made up mainly from fruit, vegetables and fibre rich foods like bread and pasta.
5.Replace desserts with fruit to satisfy the craving for something sweet.
6.Don't eat large, heavy meals last thing at night or your body won't have chance to burn off those calories.
7.Drink plenty of water and low calorie drinks to help you feel full.
8.Make yourself more active, climb stairs and walk all short journeys.
9.Allow yourself treats occasionally or you may end up binging.
10.Don't be too hard on yourself, aim to lose weight slowly and it will stay off for good.

[DevilGirl]

Wow! Reading some of these stories and seeing what people's height/weight is, and how they feel they are overweight, I feel extremely unhealthy right now!! :cry: Since young I've always been heavier than other people. And while some use it as an excuse, it actually is true for me: I do have a larger framed body with bigger bones. This alone puts me at a higher weight than others. But when you factor in my height (5' 2") and my weight (currently about 215lbs), you can see that I'm no where near what I should be (I think they said healthy for me would be about 135, yeah, I don't see that ever happening).

My boyfriend and I just joined a gym at the beginning of the month. We usually go anywhere between 3 and 5 times a week, start off with some cardio on the treadmill, then move on to the other machines. He does it more for muscle building, I'm doing it for weightloss and muscle toning. But even with all this working out, I'm still struggling, and will continue to struggle, with loosing the weight. I have a sedentary job, as well as a long commute (I spend about 4.5-5 hours a day commuting, plus the 8.5 hours while at work), and I don't have much time otherwise (also in school too).

My biggest problem is my stomach. While I do have fat deposits everywhere, my stomach is the biggest issue. I'm not even sure there is any fat in my calves, despite how big they are (I have always done a lot of walking).

In 2005, I was in relatively good shape. My weight was still up around 175-180, but that was mostly muscle. I had lost somewhere around 5-7 inches from around my waist. The only way this was accomplished was by being active from about 6:30am till around 9pm (I worked at a wilderness school for teenage delinquent boys, and there was a lot of hiking up and down hills involved).

I'm hoping to loose about 4-5 inches from my gut by summer. Wish me luck!

[JumpmanYaris]

:laugh:i know especially now since its the holidays! ive been doing pretty good lately. ive cut back on sodas and fast food ALOT and ive been workn out almost everyday.

REALLY ???!?!?!? I HAVENT NOTICE ANY diffrence :biggrin:

[slothman86]

Kudos to all who are doing their best!

I notice about a month ago that I had to start unbuttoning my jeans when I was sitting down for long periods of time. This got me thinking maybe my metabolism of my youth is slowing and I need to watch out.

My friends used to be in awe about how much I could put away and stay thin. Now, this is not such the case. What I put away is starting to stick.

So it's counting calories time! I usually use from 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day. Depends.

So I never eat more than that and to add to it I eat every 3 hours. To keep my metabolism going.

So far since the start of this month (dec 09) I've lost 10 lbs. which is a whole lot! It's pretty easy as long as you don't over eat and drink plenty of water. Just find out how many calories you use and don't exceed that.

[yaris-me]

Good luck to everyone over the holidays. I don't think I'll lose, but after the holidays, I'll do my best to eat less.:thumbsup:

[DandiDani]

REALLY ???!?!?!? I HAVENT NOTICE ANY diffrence :biggrin:

oh i should kick your ass when you get home:eek::evil:

[why?]

this is a cool thread. it is always good to realize everyone else has issues too, and that i might actually be human (well i don't really believe that.)

I've always had weight problems, from the very beginning. My first bought of weight loss was when I was in the 6th grade, so about 11 or 12. I lost about 25 pounds, and my goal weight was 160. Yea, I have what most would call a large frame.

I was fine through high school, always remaining active and relatively healthy at 6'2" and 250 lbs. But when I hit college I stopped being active and started gaining weight. I stopped caring and my high was a few years ago at 345. It is rather sobering to realize you weigh more than most NFL players listed weight.

I have a very sedentary lifestyle, though a rather active job. It helped the first year, but after that my body grew use to it. I have absolutely no motivation though, and that has always been my biggest problem for anything. I could lose some weight just by caring and my job, if i started eating right. It is not easy though, even though i totally hate the way i look. I can never be motivated by anything for more than a couple hours. I just don't know how people get motivated or inspired to do anything.

[HTM Yaris]

One day I plan on getting a lightweight battery along with other weight saving measures . I think Coryn could stand to loose 1 or 2 hundred pounds . :biggrin:

[DevilGirl]

this is a cool thread. it is always good to realize everyone else has issues too, and that i might actually be human (well i don't really believe that.)

I've always had weight problems, from the very beginning. My first bought of weight loss was when I was in the 6th grade, so about 11 or 12. I lost about 25 pounds, and my goal weight was 160. Yea, I have what most would call a large frame.

I was fine through high school, always remaining active and relatively healthy at 6'2" and 250 lbs. But when I hit college I stopped being active and started gaining weight. I stopped caring and my high was a few years ago at 345. It is rather sobering to realize you weigh more than most NFL players listed weight.

I have a very sedentary lifestyle, though a rather active job. It helped the first year, but after that my body grew use to it. I have absolutely no motivation though, and that has always been my biggest problem for anything. I could lose some weight just by caring and my job, if i started eating right. It is not easy though, even though i totally hate the way i look. I can never be motivated by anything for more than a couple hours. I just don't know how people get motivated or inspired to do anything.

A large part of it is caring about your health. Diabetes is a serious issue that is often weight related. Heart problems are weight related. As are a lot of other very severe issues. Granted, these issues can and do occur in any aspect of the population, skinny, fat, and in-between. But there are often higher occurrences in the overweight category.

For me to be/stay motivated, I think of my grandfather (RIP) and my uncle who both have diabetes, late onset. For my uncle, it was weight related. I don't recall as to my grandfather. But since they are both on my father's side of the family, it concerns me.

The fact that I have had other health issues due to my extra weight (bad knees and other joints, back pain, etc) has inspired me to at least try and live healthier. I have a very sedentary lifestyle. I commute approximately 5 hours a day, sit at a desk for 8.5 hours, and when I get home, I'm usually sacked out in front of the TV or trying to get work done for school.

My boyfriend and I did join a gym. We try to go at least 3-4 times a week. Working out anywhere from 30 mins to 2 hours, depending on our schedule. That and eating a little healthier has helped me to loose about 3lbs since the beginning of December. May not seem like much, but it's a start. I'd rather loose the 3lbs in 1 month and keep it off than to loose 10lbs just to gain it back again. Besides which, for some people, it's not so much the pounds that they loose, it's about the inches, as is my case. When working out, I tend to loose fat, but gain muscle (even just doing toning exercises).

[why?]

A large part of it is caring about your health. Diabetes is a serious issue that is often weight related. Heart problems are weight related. As are a lot of other very severe issues. Granted, these issues can and do occur in any aspect of the population, skinny, fat, and in-between. But there are often higher occurrences in the overweight category.

For me to be/stay motivated, I think of my grandfather (RIP) and my uncle who both have diabetes, late onset. For my uncle, it was weight related. I don't recall as to my grandfather. But since they are both on my father's side of the family, it concerns me.

The fact that I have had other health issues due to my extra weight (bad knees and other joints, back pain, etc) has inspired me to at least try and live healthier. I have a very sedentary lifestyle. I commute approximately 5 hours a day, sit at a desk for 8.5 hours, and when I get home, I'm usually sacked out in front of the TV or trying to get work done for school.

My boyfriend and I did join a gym. We try to go at least 3-4 times a week. Working out anywhere from 30 mins to 2 hours, depending on our schedule. That and eating a little healthier has helped me to loose about 3lbs since the beginning of December. May not seem like much, but it's a start. I'd rather loose the 3lbs in 1 month and keep it off than to loose 10lbs just to gain it back again. Besides which, for some people, it's not so much the pounds that they loose, it's about the inches, as is my case. When working out, I tend to loose fat, but gain muscle (even just doing toning exercises).

Every pound you can keep off counts. I know I've gone up and down by 20 pounds at least two or three times.

I shudder thinking about the health consequences, and that should motivate me, the number of people in my family that have diabetes, um, eek! My father, sister, 2 cousins, an uncle, my grandfather. And that is just diabetes. I think I have almost every medical condition you could think of somewhere in my family. I should be able to say I need to do this, yet I don't.

For me personally, eating is one of the few things I do that helps me relax, and genuinely makes me happy. That is really sad to say, but i hate my life right now, and I need to make some huge changes.

[DevilGirl]

For me personally, eating is one of the few things I do that helps me relax, and genuinely makes me happy. That is really sad to say, but i hate my life right now, and I need to make some huge changes.

Try experimenting and see what other types of things help you relax and make you happy. I know for me, if I'm having a bad day, I can curl up with a good book and relax, or play some video games with the boyfriend. Everyone's different. Just gotta try things.

[wiirenet]

I have a very sedentary lifestyle, though a rather active job. It helped the first year, but after that my body grew use to it. I have absolutely no motivation though, and that has always been my biggest problem for anything. I could lose some weight just by caring and my job, if i started eating right. It is not easy though, even though i totally hate the way i look. I can never be motivated by anything for more than a couple hours. I just don't know how people get motivated or inspired to do anything.

Hello, I can't say I'm just like you but we are similar. Even if this intro doesn't sound at all like someone you can relate to- keep going..

I have never been really really overweight. BUT I am above average. If I wear the right clothes I can hide it and a lot of people say I'm not as bad as I say I am, however people who are truthful to me (close friends, my mom) say they have noticed my weight gain and I need to lose it.

I'm like you completely completely unmotivated. I'm a 22 year old female.. I should be the most fit I'll ever be.. I should have a flat stomach, etc. But that's not enough to make me care. I'm tired all the time. Last time when I was in a hurry with a girl friend that I thought was like me physically, I could not keep running like her- for a long time I was panting and dying after our run and she was fine..

I love last food. Sitting down with a bag of fast food on my couch is one my best "happy moments." I look forward to it if I know I'm going to do it.. its sad.

It's horrible, from reading that, you would imagine me as a much bigger girl, like I said I think I am 'bigger' than most but its not *that* bad, although its not good.
I'm worried with my lifestyle in a few years, my 30s, my 40s I will be awful. I am on the fence now really- if I gained a few pounds I think I will reach that point of being much more noticably overweight. Right now, I had a friend recently tell me looking at me straight ahead I look 'ok', looking at my sideways you can see my belly. And then I have other friends saying I am skinny and not chubby. And then my mom out of no where gasping "WOW your stomach is so big" in a non sarcastic/joke way. Its REALLY hard for me to figure out what to do. I KNOW I have extra fat- its just that some people say its not a big deal and some do.

I don't want to be admitting all this on a forum, but something has to shame me enough to lose weight. So far nothing yet. I'm the typical whiny girl about my weight, I can see how physically tired I get doing something like running, and I know at my age it shouldnt be like this.....

.... but then I go buy fast food and sit on my couch or bed all day after work. I can't find my motivation even though I hate my body and health too!

[why?]

Try experimenting and see what other types of things help you relax and make you happy. I know for me, if I'm having a bad day, I can curl up with a good book and relax, or play some video games with the boyfriend. Everyone's different. Just gotta try things.

You are right. I've gotten myself into a rut i need to break. I need to do other things, and figure out healthy eating habits.

Hello, I can't say I'm just like you but we are similar. Even if this intro doesn't sound at all like someone you can relate to- keep going..

I have never been really really overweight. BUT I am above average. If I wear the right clothes I can hide it and a lot of people say I'm not as bad as I say I am, however people who are truthful to me (close friends, my mom) say they have noticed my weight gain and I need to lose it.

I'm like you completely completely unmotivated. I'm a 22 year old female.. I should be the most fit I'll ever be.. I should have a flat stomach, etc. But that's not enough to make me care. I'm tired all the time. Last time when I was in a hurry with a girl friend that I thought was like me physically, I could not keep running like her- for a long time I was panting and dying after our run and she was fine..

I love last food. Sitting down with a bag of fast food on my couch is one my best "happy moments." I look forward to it if I know I'm going to do it.. its sad.

It's horrible, from reading that, you would imagine me as a much bigger girl, like I said I think I am 'bigger' than most but its not *that* bad, although its not good.
I'm worried with my lifestyle in a few years, my 30s, my 40s I will be awful. I am on the fence now really- if I gained a few pounds I think I will reach that point of being much more noticably overweight. Right now, I had a friend recently tell me looking at me straight ahead I look 'ok', looking at my sideways you can see my belly. And then I have other friends saying I am skinny and not chubby. And then my mom out of no where gasping "WOW your stomach is so big" in a non sarcastic/joke way. Its REALLY hard for me to figure out what to do. I KNOW I have extra fat- its just that some people say its not a big deal and some do.

I don't want to be admitting all this on a forum, but something has to shame me enough to lose weight. So far nothing yet. I'm the typical whiny girl about my weight, I can see how physically tired I get doing something like running, and I know at my age it shouldnt be like this.....

.... but then I go buy fast food and sit on my couch or bed all day after work. I can't find my motivation even though I hate my body and health too!

You do sound like me, and that is scary. I am sorry. I know a little bit about why I am what I am, and none of it is anything I would wish upon anyone.

Fast food in and of itself is not a bad thing. When I was in college I actually lost 13 pounds in a month eating nothing but mcdonalds. I exercised like crazy though, i think i was walking 2 or 3 hours a day.

One thing though is females have to watch what they eat more than males. Y'alls bodies store fat more then ours does.

DevilGirl is right. Finding other things that make us happy is very important. Some way to treat yourself that has nothing to do with food.

I think one of the most important things is that it is always easier to lose weight with friends. See if you can take a class at a local gym, or try and do something on a regular basis with someone you are close to, that way you know they will not let you try and get out of it.

Losing weight is one of the hardest things to do. There is no easy anwer.

[staypuft]

well here's my story, i was fat all of my life, i am now 29 and i told myself that i have to take care of myself i stepped on the scale and i saw 256lbs. my jaw just dropped and i said this is the last time i will see that number. i started by changing up my diet, less deep fried foods. lost 10lbs. so i started becoming a little more active. another 20lbs. now i was determined to go even lower so i joined a gym. i am also on my feet 8-10 hours a day at work so this was really working for me now. i stopped losing weight when i hit 216 and thought what am i doing wrong. i finally figured it out after 3 weeks. i needed to boost my metabolism and start eating more frequently but smaller portions. i adjusted and hit another block at 202. then it took me another 3 weeks to get it right. need more fruit and vegetable intake. so now i am so close to my goal. i am at 186 as of right now and my target was 180. i might try to hit 175 since i do not remember the last time i weighed that much. i started this commitment july 09 i have lost 70lbs by willpower. this is my story and i am proud to share my story with you guys.

[wiirenet]

Wow that's really really great. I am in awe of people who have much more to lose than me and DO IT and follow through with it! Staypuft have you elimated fast food entirely? How often do you work out?

I'm starting now. I'm going to eat less crappy food and work out.. I won't promise everyday because I know I'll break that but a couple times a week.

I dislike driving and the gyms I've joined I didn't like the.. public/community aspect (i'm weird) so I have some work out DVDs I bought I will try to start up again.

What I'm hoping will motivate me is that in 6 months I'm going to Florida to a convention and seeing friends from the internet I havent seen in a long time. I'm shallow and hope my looks will motivate me enough haha.

The food will be so hard though. I pigged out at two restaurants this weekend =(

Who is currently on a work out schedule? How often and what do you do? To start out with I'm going to try to do do it every 2-3 days, I have an elliptical at home and the dvds I have tell me to do things like squats, push ups, etc for 30 min. I know its not much and I should do it daily, but its better than nothing.

Most girls might be familiar with the crash diet- some event is coming up and you want to look good so you eat really little for 2 weeks before it... at least I've done that before and sure it works but it feels awful and you gain it all back. I want to make sure I don't do that in July... therefore I really need to force myself to start NOW.

[DevilGirl]

The food will be so hard though. I pigged out at two restaurants this weekend =(

Who is currently on a work out schedule? How often and what do you do? To start out with I'm going to try to do do it every 2-3 days, I have an elliptical at home and the dvds I have tell me to do things like squats, push ups, etc for 30 min. I know its not much and I should do it daily, but its better than nothing.

Most girls might be familiar with the crash diet- some event is coming up and you want to look good so you eat really little for 2 weeks before it... at least I've done that before and sure it works but it feels awful and you gain it all back. I want to make sure I don't do that in July... therefore I really need to force myself to start NOW.

I know the feeling. Our anniversary was on Friday. So we went out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse where we both had large steaks (did a doggie bag for some of it though), and had a mini round ultimate chocolate cake for desert when we got home.

I joined a gym in December. I have a week-long trip to FL (coming up in March that I would like to look a little better for), a wedding in May, a wedding in July, and a wedding in August.

We try going to the gym most nights during the week, but with our work schedules and class schedules, we get there about 2-3 times a week instead. When we do go, I typically do about 20 mins on the treadmill, use an exercise ball to do some situps on (usually holding a 6lbs medicine ball), and then follow up with some more machine workouts, mostly for abs, but kick in some stuff for arms and legs sometimes.

What I had been told is that if you're trying to tone, rather than bulk up, do your repititions at a lower weight setting, but more of them, say like 5 sets of 8 instead of 3 or 4 sets.

I actually have another fit test with a trainer at the gym tonight. Hopefully I'll have good news, as well as a more customized workout plan. I'll keep ya posted!

[JBougie]

HELLO DEAD THREAD.

I am getting back into the mix of the whole working out thing because I've gotten really gross and need to drop a lot of weight quickly LOL

So yeah. Erm ... anyone else still working toward a goal?

[KCALB SIRAY]

HELLO DEAD THREAD.

I am getting back into the mix of the whole working out thing because I've gotten really gross and need to drop a lot of weight quickly LOL

So yeah. Erm ... anyone else still working toward a goal?

YES! Whatever you don't eat, I'll pick up the slack and eat it for you :bellyroll:

[Slick]

Ha! You "fat" people and your weight loss thread. I laugh!!! Y'all don't know fat till y'all push 400 lbs. I could cut off my legs and still weigh more than most everyone lol. Here's my secret! 23 years of PB&J. I started young lol, always been a porker. But it's me. Sure, I would love to be normal sized, around 250 or so lol.

I hate running, I love weight lifting though, which definitely hasn't helped my weight problem. My goal is instead of making my gut smaller, make arms bigger to match the gut.

I need someone to push me and make me work. I'm waaay to lazy. So how's everyone else doing :)

[JumpmanYaris]

Ha! You "fat" people and your weight loss thread. I laugh!!! Y'all don't know fat till y'all push 400 lbs. I could cut off my legs and still weigh more than most everyone lol. Here's my secret! 23 years of PB&J. I started young lol, always been a porker. But it's me. Sure, I would love to be normal sized, around 250 or so lol.

I hate running, I love weight lifting though, which definitely hasn't helped my weight problem. My goal is instead of making my gut smaller, make arms bigger to match the gut.

I need someone to push me and make me work. I'm waaay to lazy. So how's everyone else doing :)

I want to start running

[JBougie]

YES! Whatever you don't eat, I'll pick up the slack and eat it for you :bellyroll:

I am back to only eating:

chicken breast
talapia
turkey
greens
veggies
sweet potatoes
soy milk
eggs
protein shakes
supplements

That is where it ends there dear - so if you really want the left-overs, you're more than welcome to them :)

[JBougie]

Ha! You "fat" people and your weight loss thread. I laugh!!! Y'all don't know fat till y'all push 400 lbs. I could cut off my legs and still weigh more than most everyone lol. Here's my secret! 23 years of PB&J. I started young lol, always been a porker. But it's me. Sure, I would love to be normal sized, around 250 or so lol.

I hate running, I love weight lifting though, which definitely hasn't helped my weight problem. My goal is instead of making my gut smaller, make arms bigger to match the gut.

I need someone to push me and make me work. I'm waaay to lazy. So how's everyone else doing :)

You want some info? Send me your email. I'll get you hooked up with some basics. My best friend is a fitness model/personal trainer/figure competitor and her boyfriend is a personal trainer/combat trainer/insane ninja slicer ... I have the hookup when it comes to getting in shape - I just never stick with it for more than 4 or so months :P

[JBougie]

I want to start running

That's a good start :) I need to run also ... my only cardio is a HIIT training on between the stair master and tredmill. I hate just running nonstop but it is definately a good fat burner.

[JumpmanYaris]

That's a good start :) I need to run also ... my only cardio is a HIIT training on between the stair master and tredmill. I hate just running nonstop but it is definately a good fat burner.

I used to be so skinny from all the PT at base but now i got a gut :frown:

[JBougie]

I used to be skinny from dance and cheerleading, and now I am just fat :P That's gonna change though. lol

[DevilGirl]

Here's my update. Down 40 pounds since December. Started 216, now 176 (some days I can even hit 175, but fluxuates as high as 177). Most of that has been through watching what I eat, since I don't have much time to exercise (either at the gym we have a membership to, or the Zumba DVD's I have at home). Sad, but only dropped 2 sizes from that 40 pounds.

[JBougie]

^I feel you on that .... it's sad that you can see it more on the scale than in your jeans sometimes lol Good job on the 40lbs though :)

I've lost 8 lbs in the last two weeks w00t w00t and that's purely just by eating "clean" and only letting myself have one - MAYBE - two cheat meals a week. I don't think hitting my goal by June will be hard to do at all :)

[DandiDani]

I forgot about this thread! I need to drop about 20 pounds myself.

[JBougie]

Dang girl - you trying to get down to like 60lbs? lol You look tiny as hell in your pictures!

[YarisPR]

I manage to drop 20 running 1-1.5miles 4 times a week and jus reducing portions. I ate the same stuff but less. Also no Sodas.. I think this was the hardest thing since I don't like water that much.. Ended up with 20pounds less. If I star drinking sodas i go up 5 :/

[JBougie]

soda = sugar

sugar = fat

[DandiDani]

has anyone been keeping up with their new years resolutions? :)

[DevilGirl]

I sorta have been.

I'm down 50 lbs now, and 4 sizes. Proud to be able to say I can fit into size 12 clothes now!! This is the smallest I've been since before high school (well over 10 years ago).