ajoneen

Thanks for the kind words! Yep eye on the prize, right?

The Fat GIrl might be screaming but the Future You is whispering WELL DONE.

Soon that whisper will be SO much louder and you will shout for all the world to hear:

WOO HOO! and you will leave that fat girl in the changing room at Lane Bryant to whisper to someone else!

Take it easy. Don't beat yourself up. Cut yourself some slack but don't slack off.

No one ever said it would be easy, just that it would be worth it. (Im full of them)

To embarrassed to see the Dr? I bet you were embarrassed at 278 but you got your butt in there, yes?

Hey life gets in the way of life. I've had my ups(284) downs(200) and am now working at it again.

Don't go looking for excuses. Just make a plan to move forward.

Good luck!!!

Yep you're going to have those down days. But you have to look at the bigger picture. You are building skills and habits that will hopefully stay with you your whole life.

Try not to get fixated on the scale. Just weight yourself once a week or only when you go to the Dr. Instead look at how your closes are fitting. Or how you can do 10 more minutes of cardio this week compared to last.

Take it from someone who didn't make their last few goals. If your not making you're goals it might be time to reevaluate them. Perhaps not a weight goal, but a time in the gym goal Or a daily protein goal. Also don't underestimate the power of rewarding yourself for meeting goals. You need that pat on the back.

Keep up the great work!!

Way to go!!

never underestimate the power of your support system. If you have one.

With exception of LBT Im pretty much on my own.

Thanks for the kind words!!!

That is a really sweet and positive comment. Thanks!

I do like to be active and actually love the way I feel -after- I exercise. I wish I could bottle the feeling.

The same three pounds are on and off. I'm essentially the same weight I was this time last year. I know if I worked harder at it I would have more success. My food choices are for the most part good. Im sure there could be more tweaking but realistically I can't do any better.

Exercise is the hard part. If I could do 3-5 days a week I know I would be a success. I responded well to coaching but I've hit my $$ limit. Personal trainers work but are expensive!! I can not afford to invest any more. I had reduced the sessions to once a week thinking that would stretch out the time I had and hold me accountable. Ha! Even with me paying for him to care I could tell he was losing interest. Today it really hit me because I went to my trainers only to find he is out of business. I had prepaid for my sessions and am now out that $$. I wish I had someone in my life that cared more about my health then I do.

My job is sucky. I do the financial side of the business and can see that the company is sinking. We are downsizing like crazy and moving the office to a smaller location but I think I will need to be looking for another job soon. Which sucks because Im socially close to my boss & his family and that friendship will suffer. Ya more stress.

I gotta say Im feeling like a failure. I used to look in the mirror and think I looked good. Big yes, but good. Now I just see hanging, flabby, rolls of skin.

I am the stereotypical fat person. I complain about the situation but am not willing to actually do the hard work that is necessary.

Not sure why I felt the need to come over here and darken your day. Guess I just needed to unburden. Feeling guilty.

Folks here can lend support but it looks like you need to have a good talk with the Dr. You need to be getting enough nutrition and that won't happen if you can't keep things down. Good luck.

I went to the fill appointment today. My regular Dr was out so I saw the PA. Wow what a difference. I always had a problem with my Dr telling me he was ok with my progress and not really giving me motivation to keep going. Well the PA didn't pull any punches. She quizzed me on my food choices and made suggestions on alternatives. She said she could give me a fill but didn't think it would help with the things or the way I am eating. It would probably just make me get stuck and have a unfill. I am just choosing foods too soft and not substantial enough to stick with me. And of course not making the best choice with high calorie stuff. She explained how having a glass of wine before a meal just relaxes the pouch enough that you don't feel the full signal and over eat. Duh? I always knew I eat more when I drink. Now I know why.

So it's back to the mental game. Remembering the why of doing this and figuring out the how.

HI

it took me a while to feel better. Maybe 2 weeks? I also found it helped to wear a body shaper. The kind of thing you wear to smooth your look under formfitting clothes. It gave me some support in the midsection and helped to stand up straight. I wore it for about a week or two. Try to stretch a bit during the day, not to slouch over. Just something gentle.

Feel better. This too shall pass.

Ok I seem to bitch alot in the Blog about stalling so I guess I should be fair and post about when it is working.

Hard work pays off. I've started the downward trend again. Finally. But in retrospect I have to say I wasn't really consistent with my efforts.

Since my level of activity has always been pretty active, for my body to lose weight, I really have to kick it up a few notches. So daily runs/jogs/walks and multiple weight training days are needed to boost my metabolism. Upping my water/fluid consumption has seemed to be something that helps too.

This is also a more active time of year for me with the addition of water sports and more sunshine.

So to those of you struggling- Just keep at it.

TTFN, Amanda

Are we talking Money$$

I feel it during. Not uncomfortable, just there. (Also during exercise on my front- now that can be uncomfortable) My port can be felt just running a hand down my tummy. Can be seen too.

Hi all.

I 've been having a bit of stress here. My mom(77yrs) broke her leg, compound fractures of the tibia and fibula. She has had one surgery and is expected to have a few more. Problem is she is not healing. Dr's say that if healing doesn't start or if an infection sets in they will have to amputate. Oh ya my parents live in California. Long distance stress.

Seems petty to also bitch about work stress. I was out all last week- yes I know it was a vacation but no one does my job when Im out. I can only imagine what it will be like the week before the cruise, in June and the weeks after.

Im visiting my sister this weekend (was planned before the vacation). She is in Kansas City, so more time on planes- probably in thunderstorms-yay.

Saw the eye Dr yesterday- I need glasses. yay.

Not losing weight. Actually really struggling to keep stable. I never knew stress to cause me to eat but now with food such an ever present focus it is the first place to take the stress hit. Well that and exercising- no energy- but I drag my A*s to the trainer because I pre-paid for that.

Im a little low right now. I need to count my blessings; husband, family, friends, home, employed, 80lbs down form my high.

Just breathe. Thanks for listening.

I've been logging my food and that food has been healthy and in good proportions. Im measuring and weighting everything. If anything I am a bit low in calories.

I cut out the social drinking, which in the past has resulted in at least a few lbs lost. No such luck this time.

I've kicked up the work outs because my first Triathlon of the season is 15 days away. Plus I've added yoga.

I was hoping there was an inches change but no such luck.

I thought I had started losing again when 3 weeks ago I had a nice loss but some came back.

I had a fill 3/6. I'm not hungry between meals but I KNOW if I choose to have bigger portions it wouldn't be a problem. No sticking, PB's, sliming (which is wonderful).

My body doesn't seem ready to break this plateau.

Any suggestions?

Glad to see you're back Blogging and doing so GREAT!

Amanda

It is so great to see you heading in such a positive direction.

Your numbers really show the progress you've made. Cheers to you!!

Amanda

Set calorie goals and stick to them. Log your food. Be accountable.

Yep not what you wanted to hear. I was in the same boat. Lost alot in the first months. Stalled out the last 5 months. I was bitching and moaning about how this band wasn't working. I could eat anything I wanted. No BPs. No getting stuck. Nothing to stop the inward flow of food. I was pissed I now have scars.

Then a switch in my brain flipped on. I started to log my food intake. I wake up each morning saying "Ok what am I going to do to make this work?" Im on track again and losing 2-3 lbs a week. I say I found my MoJo.

If what you are doing is not working you have to do something different. The band for me is great at keeping me not hungry between meals. Im sure there is a support group you could go to. Find a mentor on this site.

Whatever you do don't give up.

Amanda

I am so sorry you had this happen to you.

You have had some wonderful success with your band so far. The operation to replace it will happen soon and I think that will be a good time to let go of the past hurts and refocus on yourself. Being a counselor you know better then most what it will take to heal not only from the attack but the lack of trust with your co-workers/employers. (file suit against the bastards!!)

Take the time you need to heal. Come back and let us know how you are doing. I hope you have an equally wonderful family who can care for you now.

Best wishes on a speedy recovery, Amanda

For my own 2cents. Go find yourself a protein shake you like. There are TONS of them out there. After trying quite a few I found Unjury. It is only sold on line. Comes in Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, chicken soup and unflavored. I liked the Choco,Van, & unflavored (which I added to soups, juices, coffee, pudding,yogurt- just about anything).

This journey will take you through many changes. One will be your relationship with food.

Try to remember to enjoy your food not punish yourself with a meal. Food will become less important. Really. It's weird how that happens, but it does. You will learn to eat mindfully.

I know you just asked if the hunger pains will stop, I got a little carried away.

Good luck with your journey, Amanda

Now for what you don't want to hear, eat less and exercise more.

Identify the most high calorie thing you put in your mouth. Eliminate it or cut back by half.

If you are doing cardio 3 days bump it to four or start interval training to boost the intensity.

You've lost a great amount. So you obviously know what you're doing. Now it is just time to re-energize the process.

Ps- have you heard about the 5-day pouch test? Google it and have a look.

Good Luck on your journey, Amanda

I woke up this morning wondering why, again I lay there like a slug. My mind trying to figure out the motivation question and wasting time. This is a pool morning. I LOVE swimming. Where is my MoJo?

Then I read my Horoscope today:

I sorry you're struggling so much. When things are working well we take it for granted it will continue. When things suck it's hard to see a way out.

Try to acknowledge all the good you have done. You're a better person for all the choices you have made. Even the putzy ones for eating the ice cream. Try to figure out what you are good at; Walking the dog? Motivating new bandsters? Setting small term goals (for a day) not long term ones? Expand on the positive.

Let go of the negative self talk. We are all struggling. We have to be kinder to ourselves.

[[HUGS]]

Amanda