Need to lose 30lb

[HerMajesty]

I'm ashamed to say I really CAN excercise now too, I just don't. And I know weight loss is totally possible, I was huge when my daughter was born and I lost 150 pounds in 14 months counting calories and walking 2 miles per day. I know I am totally capable of doing that again because I have done my same old 2 mile walk a few times in the past couple of weeks, each time telling myself I would continue to do it every day but I am just not making it the priority it needs to be. When I was a housewife with a new baby I had nothing but time, it was either walk her in the stroller or sit home and watch TV. Now with 2 school age kids and a job it feels like there are just not enough hours in the day.
Helen, I am with you, I need to be BULLIED, because obviously this is not happening because it is too far down on my priority list! Is anyone up for some competition or is that too much pressure? Like, without disclosing your weight, just take your current weight and make it zero. Everyone could weigh in every week same day, and post their loss or gain from your baseline, like if you lose 2 pounds next week you are at -2 and if you lose another pound the next week you are at -3. If you gain a pound the week after you are at -2 again. make sense?
Also, we could each take a "before" pic and don't post it or even look at it, just file it away in your digital pics. No faces is an option for internet privacy. Then when you look so substantially different that you are happy to take an "after' or "in progress" shot, do it and post both. I only have one picture from when I was at my biggest because I was always hiding from cameras or deleting myself / cropping myself out...but believe me after I lost all the weight that one picture was my FAVORITE picture to show off! Great sense of achievement! So I suggest taking a "before" pic even if you really, really don't want to.
What do you think of these suggestions my fellow need-to-lose-weight people? Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Different ideas?

[calluna]

Well, I need to lose weight as well. According to the British Heart Foundation's chart, I am just in the amber zone at the moment, and I need to lose 30 lb before I am in the green zone. So I guess that's my target, thirty pounds, although I'd actually like to lose more than that.

I used to be a UK size 12, these days I am a UK 16 - I think in US sizes that is size 8 and size 12. I'd like to be able to go into GAP and pick a pair of UK size 12 jeans off the shelf, and know that they'd fit. Certainly can't do that now, I don't think my legs would fit in let alone the rest of me! So I think that's my hope, to be UK size 12 again. If the jeans fit, that's my target!

With me, I now know that it is portion control that is going to make the difference. I've been kidding myself that I haven't been overeating, because my weight was stable. But I've been eating to support a thirty-pounds-overweight person, not a person who is the right weight. Eating the right things, just too much of them!

Money is short at the moment, too, so I've been looking carefully at what we spend on food as well as everything else, I certainly don't want to add to the food bills, I need to cut back. Planning menus and making shopping lists is kind of boring, but I think I'm going to have to keep doing it. Have you seen Sainsbury's 'Feed your family for a week for £50'? - quite easy to modify for weight loss too. I've been finding it helpful.

[helenlegs 11]

Yes, thats the kind of bullying I mean HM! (I know, you were suggesting ) but I am happy to take all of that on board. . . starting when?
Happy to be a size 0 too (actually thats not true. . . far too skinny )
I would also suggest a "showing off exercise" achieved, but it HAS to be achieved without major consequences. It might give us a list of activities worth trying. Obviously everyone is different, even a 5 minute stroll can be an achievment.
For instance I will endevour to go swimming. I used to be a really good breaststroker but thats one of the worst thing to do, so it's just put me off going, this will make me (promise) .
My other main problem is that I will still have to do chips (fries) etc for my husband as he is would waste away. He has such a high metabolism and active job (and a six pack at 46, maddening! as he does NO exercise)
Will do pics, will do whatever it takes . . . Thumbs up from me!
Here's to the zero hero's
Helen

[peaches]

Hi Everyone
I too have put on weight since getting PN. Can't exercise like i used to and I don't think the Lyrica helps!
My stomach is the biggest problem. I'm thinking of trying an Slendertone or abs toning belt. Anybody tried one of these? How does it work with PN?

Peaches

[HerMajesty]

My other main problem is that I will still have to do chips (fries) etc for my husband as he is would waste away. He has such a high metabolism and active job (and a six pack at 46, maddening! as he does NO exercise)

HAHAHA Helen we have the same husband! Plus I have 2 kids that inherited HIS metabolism. My husband made a project about 10 years ago of trying to PUT ON weight, it took him 2 years of intensive weight lifting, protein shakes, and general overeating to gain 10 pounds. If I set out to do it, I could gain 10 pounds in 1 day, I promise you.

Well Saturday is as good a day as any, a seriously self-sabotaging week for me to start as my daughter's bday party is tomorrow and we were planning to subsist on leftover party food for a few days thereafter...all that great diet food like birthday cake...but hey there's an excuse every week, right? So today andyone who wants to participate is at "0" til next Saturday, OK?

I am going to take a sleeveless "before" pic because the thing I hate the most right now are my upper arms! ugh!

Peaches, I never heard of that belt, but is there a way to try before you buy? I think we're all different in what exacerbates us but nobody should do anything that is painful to themselves, it just isn't worth it.

[TracyB7777]

I'm in!! I do so much better with a little competition. Just have to figure out how to get the exercise in BEFORE work, since there is no way I'm walking after standing all day at work. I have started watching what I'm eating a little closer. Doesn't help when my friend brings me chilli cheese fries once a week, but I can't turn them down since he's trying to be so sweet and thoughtful. Just means something lighter for dinner right?! Luckily my 17yo son likes salad!

[missyrg]

Well I am in becuase I started WW on Thursday. Currently I do not have a scale and planned to not use one. Instead I was going to try on my clothes in smaller sizes. I have a variety of smaller sizes. I am doing good so far eating the right amount of calories, increase fruits and vegetables, water intake, and light weight arm exercises. We Can Do It!!!!

[HerMajesty]

well Missy if you are anti-scale you should definitely take/not post your "before" picture. I just had my daughter take mine from side, front, and back...ugh that alone is motivator enough I CANNOT do my 20th anniversary party posing next to my handsome, fit n slim hubby shaped like that! I am going to print mine out and look at them daily as my excercise reminder!

[calluna]

The other thing, of course, is measurements.

I am not sure about the photos, I think I cannot quite get my head around the fact that I could really lose 30lb. Which is daft, because I can completely believe that it is possible for anyone else, and I have already lost 20lb. But I feel like that happened on its own, you know, because I wasn't trying to lose weight, I just was not able to eat. And now, of course, I am able to eat....

[Amanda]

Well Ladies it seems like we have a group here who are all willing to lose weight.
As for the before and after photos, I have enough large ones and recently looked at some of me when I was a lot slimmer and I know which ones I prefer.
Thanks Calluna for giving the link to the BHF, I have checked my levels and I am also in the orange zone as overweight and need to lose about 20lbs to be in the healthy range.
Exercise is my big pain causer, however i think I will have to restrain the portions a lot...i do eat lots of salads and veg but maybe too many carbs is the problem.
Im all on for making a chart of any weight loss...thanks gals for the encouragement.
I think that this thread should possible be moved into the social section of the forum so that we can open up talks maybe daily on what we eat etc so that we can encourage others to do the same.....what do you think?