It's been a long time coming! I first started here last summer as a lurker, reading other people's stories and trying to get the courage to start a thread. I finally posted in the newbie section and after meeting a few people I just stopped coming. I had the usual excuses, busy life, holidays, new house, just no time. Twenty pounds later, here I am again, hoping to put myself out here and try to hold myself responsible and make a real commitment.

My Background Story

This is not my whole life story, just some very basic information. I plan on getting more involved later. I am 24 years old, 5'9", 172 lbs. I have had a very happy life, wonderful parents, nothing extremely bad has happened, in other words a very blessed life. I am originally from Ohio and moved to Indiana with my boyfriend last May. It was a rough move only because my whole family lives in Ohio. My very large, very close family was now 7 hours away. My close friends, 7 hours. I was pretty homesick for a while, more than I thought I could, but I am pretty happy in Indiana.

I transferred jobs and that went pretty rough also. Although I stayed with the same company, the job atmosphere was completely different at the Indiana location. It felt like Junior High all over again, definitely not in a good way. One day, everyone would like me and I felt like I actually fit in. The next day the complete opposite, nothing but catty remarks or completely ignoring me. It was very strange and I just completely checked out at work and put my energy elsewhere, like cooking (why I weigh 20 lbs. more ) It has finally gotten better and I feel happier at work and no longer dread dealing with my co-workers. No more catty anything, just fun with my friends at work.

I have three dogs and one cat. I have a Standard Poodle, English Setter, Schnoodle, and just a long haired tabby cat. You can definitely expect some pictures and stories about them.

My Motivation

I am not happy with the way I looked last summer and it has only gotten worse. It seems that when I am happy, I gain weight. I have an appetite and have the energy to make cookies, cakes, etc. but no energy to exercise. I need to find a happy medium. I need to learn how to eat healthier and find some kind of satisfaction in exercising and start walking the dogs. No more relying on the backyard for their exercise!

My Goals

I want to get down to 155 lbs. by July and eventually down to 140 all together. It's not a huge weight loss but I know that it will be difficult.

I hope to meet many new people all across the US and possible in other countries. I hope to update every night after work to vent my frustrations or just get my motivation to exercise for the night.

Thanks for reading and I promise I will be back tonight!

Hi and welcome back to the forum!
Many of us share your passion for cooking along with your dislike for exercise, but that's why we're here: to change!
This is a great place to get support and advice. I hope you'll like it here
Good luck with all your goals!
India

Food for today
Breakfast - Kashi Go Lean Crunch
Lunch - Lean Cuisine Flatbread Sandwich thing
Dinner - Lean Cuisine Deep Dish Pizza
Snack - Orange
Exercise - None

Work went ok today but is looking better for tomorrow. I have an early morning and am off to bed. Night

Welcome to the forums again! I'm a relative newbie and I love it here .....haven't lost much weight but have definitely begun changing my lifestyle!

Good job w/ the eating today. I have a bunch of Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones meals in my freezer, but I often feel like I don't fill up enough for how many calories are in them (not to mention their price).....I wish it filled me up like it does you Anyway, welcome again!

Welcome to the forum dear.

hi kangaroo girl,
me too, i seemed to specialize in cooking cakes biscuits desserts and other similar lovely stuff....but when i cooked them i liked to eat them too.

Nowadays i put my cooking time into great vegetable stews and laksas and stirfries and things. Fewer calories than commercial meals very often and lots more bulk! I guess i am lucky, as a coeliac, I am unable to eat anything with gluten in it. All those great lean cuisine meals and similar are useless to me. So if i don't cook nice filling main courses i am down to boring steamed vegetables and similar. We cook a big pot of something that lasts a few days and that seems to satisfy most of my cooking urges.

I am sorry for not posting anything yesterday but it was Fat Tuesday and I need to celebrate before Lent!

I realize that I have not even wrote about what I do for work yet so today will be all about that. My job is a dog/cat groomer at a large retail chain. I love my work. It is extremely hard and pretty frustrating most days, but I can pretty much guarantee a good workout. I love my customers and do like being around dogs but a large secret that most dog owners don't like to think about is that most dogs are not good for grooming. Yes even your precious baby doesn't like strangers washing, touching, or poking them for hours. I myself am in denial about the fact my three babies are good, but they aren't, even for me. A side effect with grooming a dog that is not happy to be getting a bath is large amounts of stress that many take to very aggressive levels. Any dog is capable of biting me at any moment and they definitely have their good days and bad days. I will NEVER abuse anyone's little babies but it's really hard to keep your cool when you have to make them look beautiful but all they want to do is take your finger off and you are being watched through a window by a whole crowd of customers. I have been grooming for 3 years and have fortunately only been bit seriously by 2 dogs and thankfully they were small dogs so they just took chucks of skin instead of whole fingers or hands.

Lately I haven't been happy at work and it has nothing to do with my actual job, like I wrote above I love grooming, but with the actual company that I work for. The rules and regulations change so frequently and corporate people will come and either yell at us for not following certain regulations and then yell at us for following regulations. It is very confusing and extremely frustrating. I never know what tomorrow will be like and what needs to change the second I get there. I have been looking for a new job at vets offices and had an interview that went really well so hopefully I can be a little happier at work.

My Food For Yesterday 2/5/2008
Breakfast - Bowl of Cinnamon Struesal Shredded Wheat 200 cal
Lunch - Rigatoni Lean Cuisine 320 cal
Dinner - Bowl of Lobster Bisque, BBQ Chicken Breast w/ Cheese no idea on the calories but it was Fat Tuesday and I am fasting today for Ash Wednesday so it evens out

That's all for now and I plan on posting tonight after dinner.. Thanks to everyone that replied to my last posts!

Here is my food for yesterday 2/6/2008
Breakfast - Whole Orange
Lunch - Lean Cuisine Pizza 320 cal
Dinner - Whole Wheat Pasta with Homemade Spicy Marinara no clue on cal

wow, Kangaroogirl, that does sound like a stressful job! don't ya wanna bite the dogs back? hahaha ............ give em doggie tranquilizers?

oh boy i better get to bed! Keep up the good work!!

Jillzy

Thanks for the advice about tranquilizers but unfortunately I am not able to do any animal that has been sedated. They are just more of a health risk and we always recommend vet care instead. I really wish I could though!

I haven't written in a while and to I have not been doing too good with my diet. Thursday night I was doing pretty well until I went to BW3's for their fifty cent boneless bufallo wings. Def ate and drank too much. Last night I was doing good until I decided that I wanted to make a red velvet cake. Not a good idea because now half of it is gone. Today will be better, I will have the distraction of work to help me not make bad choices.

I'll be reporting back tonight, and thanks to everyone that helps support me with my diary and food report!

Im sorry, it wasnt advice...it was supposed to be a joke, I was up wayyyyyyyyyyy too late ((((hugs)))) forgive me?

ps. your BMI is perfect isnt it, or whats its supposed to be for a woman?

dont feel low kangaroogirl. leave the past behind and move on. dont beat yourself up about some extra calories. you can get back to your diet plan from today

I wrote an extra long post and my son hit a button and it all disappeared
I just wanna welcome you to the forum!

keep it up