Hi Everyone,

This is the first time I've ever tried using a forum so bear with me here, guys. Up to this point, I've been very internal about my attempts at weight loss and kept everything private. I wear practically nothing on my sleeve but this seemed like a good idea so here goes...

Here's the cliff's notes version of my story:

I'm 26, newly married, dated the guy for 5 years. Gained 50 lbs in those 5 years. No kids, have hypothyroidism but was naturally athletic so I just need to get moving (hence the name of the thread).

The thing is, YOU ONLY GET THIS ONE LIFE AND I'VE WASTED TOO MUCH OF IT NOT BEING ABSOLUTELY ECSTATIC ABOUT IT.

Here are things in my life that will change once I've gotten my health back under control:

- I will fit into my old wardrobe, albeit outdated.
- I will have a sunnier outlook on life.
- I will be able to play soccer with my husband.
- I will be able to go on 20 mile daily hikes.
- I will feel safe getting pregnant.
- I will have more fun at beaches (and in a bikini).
- I will love shopping again!
- I will have more energy.
- I will look better for my husband.
- I will feel sexy again. Let's be honest, here.

This is just the short list. I could go on and on; obviously there's an endless list of benefits to being healthy versus overweight...

Please join me and if you've got advice, tips, recipes, jokes, anything that will help make this journey that is long overdue more fun and productive, please contribute. Thanks in advance.

The best thing that I ever did was get a pedometer and wear it all day long every day. It goes on when I get dressed in the morning and comes off when I go to bed. I count every step of the day. The pedometer challenges you to do more steps. You find yourself walking extra around the house if your steps are not what you consider to be an appropriate number. The extra walking really helps the weightloss along.

I put a few other tips in Kimberly's (BikiniBound's) diary for you.

Thank you so much for the encouragement. The issue I had been having is that my husband was the one trying to be my prime motivator. He doesn't approach it quite like I guess I'd want him to and it ends up putting me into a funk. He's sitting in the living room right now waiting for me to go to the gym w/ him! His heart's in the right place, though. That's for sure. I really should listen to him seeing as he's in the shape that he is.

Anyway, Omega, How long ago did you start your weight loss?

I'm off to the gym!

I love the title of your diary..I'm starting at around the same time as you so I will have to keep reading here.

Alrighty. End day 1. Weight at 214. You wouldn't believe me if you saw me, though. Me and my younger sister carry it well (which is NOT to say we look good, just you probably wouldn't guess our weights). Which makes the visible progress that much more apparently slow.

Breakfast - smoothie w/ yogurt, strawberries, pineapple juice & protein powder.
AM snack - 1/2 apple
Lunch - potato w/ grilled chicken, green peppers, little bit of cheese
Afternoon snack - Coke Zero, 3 peanut M&M's
Dinner - Chipotle's burrito bowl. Chicken, rice, mild salsa, black beans. Ate 2/3
PM snack - 1/2 apple

Nixed the gym. Went on walk w/ husband, then to park to let him show me fundamentals of soccer.

Takes lots of energy to play soccer.

Turns out I kinda suck. Who knew there was so much technique in kicking a ball? kidding.

I digress. I have to learn, though, so I can play co-ed w/ him next season. There's probably cute girls on his co-ed team now. Haven't been to a game yet though, so I'm not sure. Probably even more cute guys.

I get to start teaching him how to play pool, now... A lot of the physics are the same. Pool doesn't make me want to puke, though.

Going to Cedar Pointe in Sandusky, OH tomorrow to ride the greatest roller coasters ever. We chose Wednesday since parents are least likely to be in the midst of a long weekend. I'm a thinker.

Hopefully, the amusement park has fat-free ice cream and no-carb fries. Looks like we're packing sandwiches!

My weight loss project started 16 months ago (the last week of February last year). In some ways it seems a long time (it takes a long time to make big changes) - but in other ways it seems really quickly. I honestly couldnt have done it any quicker because I have been able to turn it into a full time job. This means that I have done excessive walking levels pretty much every day (over 13 miles yesterday!). Also done various exercise classes. I also try to eat really very healthily.

My results have been dramatic. I just wish that I had managed to do it when I was a lot younger. I spent over 20 years as a very big person - and really I could have taken a couple of years out at any point and done this all then if only I had known that I could physically manage it and what to do that would work for me. I would have never guessed that I could build up to walk that kind of distance! Diets kept on failing and I erroneously concluded that weightloss was going to be impossible for me.

Take care
Love
Margaret

What? It's been a month?

That's weird.

Here's something interesting about me: I have hypothyroidism and according to the pharmacist, I may be only taking half of what I'm supposed to because apparently I'm showing signs of depression. Which is NOT me... actually waiting on T4 test to come back today so maybe I'll be taking a different dose of synthroid? Who knows? I started acupuncture to help, too so with enough effort, everything will start falling into place eventually. It's just been quite the inner battle, lately.

I did find a softball team, so that's going to get me out of the house. I dragged my volleyball out with us yesterday but we never used it. I am going to restart my eating diary again. Going to the grocery store tonight and then we'll see what happens. I absolutely know for a fact that the hypothyroidism can't possibly be getting any better with my weight where it is.

Well, that's probably it for today. Had to get back on and keep things going. I guess sometimes we fall down but the view is much better from an upright position.

Started a new program. My weight crept up to 220, but after the first week, I'm down to 110. I've got all the tools I need and am off to a riproaring start. I weigh in every Sunday so keep an eye out for this Sunday's. I just got done with the softball league, which was fun (although we lost about every game) but I'm rollerblading now, biking, walking and trying to find a good volleyball league to join. My bikini is hanging on the back of my door.

Taunting me...

Watch for a bikini picture in May, huh? My goal is to be at 135 by May 1, 2009. A friend of mine said I'd be a real inspiration to her if I got down to where I want to be.

I told her, "I'm going to be an inspiration to a LOT of people."

Hey there,
We have very similar goals so we can keep eachother in check. This forum is great and the people are definitely motivating.

Keep up the good work! You are doing awesome. I wanna be down to 210... LOL! Actually, I wanna be down to 135. Baby steps, though, right?

I'm sort of going through this from the other side if you will? I'm the husband, and I've been doing my best to lose weight (it is working overall). Here is the thing, my wife also needs to lose some weight (god I hate saying things like that). I love that woman with every breath I take, and I'll love her no matter what either of us weighs. The thing is, I know we'd be able to do more, and enjoy life more if we both took better care of ourselves.

How do I gently push her in that direction, without sounding like I'm telling her what to do? I'll be her biggest cheerleader when she's moving forward, and her biggest support group on the occasions when she falls (we all do!!).

On another note, your keeping a great diary. I'll be following it when I check in. don't keep your feet flat!!

First off, latest update (I'm weighing in on Sundays) and I'm down to 205! Not bad for another week, I'm shooting for under 200 by my birthday which is in 2 weeks so I've got some work ahead of me! Picked up a volleyball AND softball league so I'll stay busy. Plus, we're moving again in a month (that makes 12 between me and my husband during the last 6 years...) Must be my gypsy blood.

Now, Reluctantcabbie, the best motivator you can be for your wife is telling her what she wants to hear without her having to tell you what that is.

Wheels spinning?

Let me let you in a little on the way women think (and that book is longer than you'll be able to finish in a lifetime, my friend, so just hang in there!) We don't want to be told we need to be fixed. Unfortunately, we already know that and it is on our minds probably every 10 minutes during the course of a day. 'Hair's messed up, shoes don't match, need to drop weight, crap I'm breaking out again,' whatever. It's always on our mind. What we love is looking forward to the future: what we're going to be AFTER we've fixed it! So, what you need to do is focus on that second half. Leave the first half to her.

First, assuming you two are best friends like you SHOULD be, you're going to play a huge part in her weight loss. If you both like sports, or nature, get her into a co-ed league or suggest walks. NOT because of the exercise, but because "it sounds like fun" "we need to get out of the house" "I miss fresh air" "the squirrels are out" ANYTHING but "we could both stand to drop a few pounds."

Second, find out what her dreams are for HER future. She will be the one working toward her goal, not you, so she needs to have the inner motivation, the trick is finding it. Does she want to be able to chase kids on a beach in a bikini? Does she want to do a big project that might require more energy and time (that she would have if she were healthy?)

Third, you have to be on the same page as far as your diet is concerned. My husband has been very supportive (he hides his cookies, now) and has actually lost some weight just due to my cooking. (I'm doing the week body makeover by Michael Thurmond, I highly recommend it).

Fourth, and this one's a jewel because it's very personal and most women won't admit this, but she wants to be desired. She wants to feel sexy. There's something that my husband admitted he really wants to do to me that I can't necessarily do at the moment.. but I'll be able to once I'm at my goal weight. Tell her about your fantasies for HER and things like that tend to occupy the mind in place of food, often times.

Minus86: definitely stay in touch if your goals are similar to mine! I have failed one too many times and for some miraculous reason, my brain doesn't see anything but my May 1st goal. For once.

Some things that are happening because I've stuck with it:
-my pants are looser
-I can wear a couple shirts that used to profile my stomach more than I'd like
-My husband is not nagging me about exercising anymore, so our relationship is much happier
-I've inspired my sister to get herself healthy again (we are SO going shopping next summer... I can't wait to have my own life-sized barbie to try clothes on!)

That's all for today, I'll try and update again Sunday night or Monday. Until then, don't just hang in there, keep moving!

I had a thought the other day that I'd like to share with anyone who'd care to read this.

I've tried dieting several times, but I always felt like I was depriving myself. Or working out so often that I gave up because it was too difficult a schedule. Whatever it was, I gave myself this feeling of "all or nothing" and obviously, the "nothing" part prevailed every time.

So here's my big metaphor:
You're in the jungle, OK? And the only way to get back to normal life is to walk about a thousand miles back to the edge where you'll be rescued. Thing is, you're the only one who can walk yourself out. Seems to be a bit of a daunting task, doesn't it? So you start walking and cover about 5-10 miles a day. This goes on for a month or so when you decide you're tired of or bored with walking and give up. You eat crappy leaves and jungle bugs and stay in the jungle forever. Now back up, and find a monkey, or a Rubik's cube, or ipod. Something you can carry with you on that walk. OK, now you start walking and you're playing with a monkey. The walk goes a little slower but occasionally, you even forget that you're walking because that monkey is an entertaining little distraction. Plus, it's cute. Every morning, you get up and confront the fact that you need to keep going but then you remember it's not just one giant sacrifice; you kept something to help it seem a little less ominous. After a few months, you look around and realize there's nothing around you but wide open spaces. The suffocating jungle is behind you. Sure, it took a little longer, but would you have had the sanity to make it without the monkey? Probably not. And look at you now! You're rescued!

My monkey? It's ranch dressing, Diet Mt. Dew (the sodium causes water retention), books on CD on my ipod and occasional chocolate. I can't give those up or the "all or nothing" would kill me.

I sincerely hope this made sense to you now that I've finally let it out of my head. If not, just forget you ever read this and quit trying to make sense of it. Have a great day!

I played cut and paste here with the quotes.

My wife is and always will be my best friend, and we've come to some ways of working this out recently. We're both on the path now.

Dreams of the future? Ummm... kids are grown up, how about running down the beach, without the bikini in the first place...

Desire, has nevere, EVER been an issue!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We use that little devil emoticon a lot!!! (BTW, dare I ask what hubby wants you to do? We've probably already done it...

Just kidding! (maybe)

you should try eggs for breakfast!
i know they get a bad rap for cholesterol,
but one a day isn't bad! my dad's nutritionist (he's trying to get back into shape too) told him that eggs contain a protein that tell the body to kickstart the metabolism.
am i positive that's true?
no...but eggs are still good for you and they taste good with salsa, so that's what i love for breakfast!

Good luck with your weight loss goals. I have some goals that are very similar, and the list is long too. I will definitely try and keep up with your progress.