I am so SICK of failing...gaining weight...not fitting in my jeans...yet lacking the motivation to change...I have 120 lbs to lose....help~~~

Emily,

When I started my weigh loss program a few months ago, I had 157 pounds to lose to get to MY goal. As of this past Sunday, I've lost just over 72 pounds, closing in on halfway there.

You say you are sick and tired of failure. Girl, I understand that feeling. I think we all do. This is not easy, especially if you are like so many of us who have used food in response to emotional triggers.

You say you have no motivation. I take that to mean that once you get started on a 'diet' you find it easy to get off track and cheat yourself out of success.

If you are beginning Weight Watchers you have made a wise choice. This plan is sound and fairly easy to follow. You can eat a lot more food than you might believe. You will discover that, as you work your program.

BUT, if the program itself is all you have, then you only have ONE of the tools you need to keep you on track, to feed you the INFORMATION and encouragement you really need when the going gets tough. And it will.

You made a wise choice in finding this board and deciding to call out for help. Help IS here, in the form of friends who understand exactly how you feel. Help is here, in the form of information for you to think about. Help is here, in the form of Aimee's wonderful recipes which will show you that it is possible to eat in a healthy way, and still enjoy your food.

Your part? Study your plan and be certain you understand what you are to do. Come to this board when you need to talk to friends and find help on those harder days.

Start getting some kind of exercise worked in as a part of your life. You need to get your body moving. You don't have to be an aerobic queen. Just start walking. After a while, add in some more elements and some exercises designed to build muscle and strength.

Get a mental hold of yourself and make yourself FOCUS on where you want to be a year from today. The time will pass, no matter what you do or don't do. Determine within yourself, and believe that in one SHORT year you can be well on your way to becoming the person you want to be.

I hope you decide to stick around and really work at this Emily. You CAN do it. But, it won't happen unless you MAKE it happen.

cheers

pattyjo

First off you have made 2 great first steps. You are admitting your problems which shows you're ready to make a change, and you are on this board, which is full of endless support. Not only that, I'm sure that most of us have a nice pile of clothes somewhere that we can't wear anymore that we saved for "when I can fit into them." I don't know if you are on a plan like WW or what, but if you are, you just have to keep working it and keep posting your progress. You'll get the support you need and you'll begin feeling the healthiness. I have been as low as 242 pounds in my weight loss, only to be at 346 right now. But I am losing and believing with all my heart that I can get there again and then some. Don't lose hope. We are all behind you. Ok, I'm getting down from my soapbox

Emily all I can say is Easy Does It.

Take it for one day only, and break it down in little bitty pieces. its easier that way.

Do not look at the big picture, thats a sure set-up to fail... Take it 2 lbs at a time...
If your going to go to WW make sure you journel your food on flex, if your doing core, make sure you check off the 35 points when using them...

You'll be fine, your here and thats the 1st step..to a new beginning..

I was you about 6 mo ago, and as of now I'm below goal, its not easy but I didn't quit.
Thats the key word don't QUIT!!!!

Its a place like this that kept me going, along with sitting weekly in WW meetings, I never no matter what skipped a week whether the week was good or bad, I went.... sure I've had a few gains here and there, but I knew if I stuck to program I would lose it..

If I can do this anyone can, thats what I believe...

Welcome to the group Emily!

We all know exactly how you're feeling. We're there with you!
First thing is first...is admitting we need help. And Weight Watchers is the right choice for me. I don't feel deprived of foods I like. And there are soooooo many healthy alternatives nowadays for foods we love! With weight watchers, we can still go out to dinner, and have wine or beer, if you want to! LOL.. Not that I drink anymore !
But you get the drift.

I wouldn't look at the BIG picture of what we have to lose.
Take each week at a time. And you will see gains along your journey...and all we have to do is move on and look ahead.

We hope you continue to come to the group!!

wow, to get responses SO fast! I have been to WW 3 times, lost weight each time and then after a few months dropped away. This time my husband and i are counting points at home and doing this together b/c we can't both afford to go to the meetings....30 bucks a week adds up in a hurry...although we used to spend a bunch more on going out to eat.... :)

how do you guys feel about the change in the total amount of points that you can eat? Has it slowed down your weight loss?

well I must say...

the first time I did WW, before having my daughter..I got 28 target pts, lost pretty good.

this time doing WW, I get 27 ..and losing really slow.

i may just go back to the old way...using 28 target pts

Hey there Emily I know exactly what you are saying.But honestly I WISH I HAD ONLY 120 POUNDS TO LOOSE!!! I have 250.I do know one thing. I am glad for all the support on this board and for Aimees recipes!! She will help us get there!! In my family I truely have no one except my dear daughter and my loving husband who support me on this Weight Watcher journey.Members of my immediate family tell me "Oh just do the by pass surgery and get it over with!" "We'll see how long she stays on it this time" "She can't do it everyone knows that.""We are sick and tired of her saying she's starting tomorrow or on Monday or whatever"Sadly they are not wrong.A few days into a program I get so bummed I give up.I am never taken seriously when it comes to dieting.They all know I am just blowing out hot air In their eyes I already am a failure.I know I am too. My past is proof.Instead of supporting me I have already failed.My husband said this would make him more than ever find the strength and prove to them once and for all I can succeed.But I have never been like that.I am plugging along day by day.Just doing the program.I pray I will continue and that I truely can do this too!! In the past I have not done well mainly because of the fact I have realized I am addicted to food!! I have been enjoying looking at the pictures of all of us on the friends circle and think........gosh,everyone is SO THIN!! Then I look at myself and wonder....so why bother....knowing I may never get there.But for my health and life I must get there!!So I will!! Together lets GETTER DONE!!

YOU CAN DO IT Cheryl! We're all at different stages as far as the weight loss goes, but everyone had to start somewhere. I know with 150 pounds to lose myself, it can be a bit overwhelming, but I've decided not to look at it as needing to lose 150 pounds. I need to lose 10 pounds, 15 times. :) When I get to a point where I feel like even losing 10 pounds is too hard, then my goal will be to lose 5 pounds. When I lose that 5 pounds, then I'll lose the next 5 pounds and so on. That's how I pretty much looked at it the first time I lost the weight. Don't look at the big picture, just set small goals for yourself and take it one day at a time. Believe me, the time will fly by and one day you'll hop on the scale and say "OMG, I've lost (insert a number of pounds here) and it really wasn't all that bad". I know you can do this!!!

Cheryl,
We are all here for you!! You will prove everyone wrong!! We're all here for the same reasons...and with the support we all give each other, we won't give up.
In just 2 days, I've met some GREAT individuals on here! So just come along..and join us

As for setting goals, I'm with Aimee. I'm just going to take 5 or 10 lbs at a time. You don't want to overwhelm yourself with the total number of lbs to lose. I know for a fact, I won't ever want to be "120 something lbs" ..which is what WW's goal is for me. My dr told me "160" or so would be good for my frame..so thats my big goal..but in the meantime, lets just take each week at a time!

(((((((((((hugs))))))))))))

It took me 9 1/2 months to lose 95 pounds. So just think, in one year you could be down 120 pounds. I have kept it off almost three years now. Every day I tell myself "I am in control. I chose what goes in my mouth. I am worth the effort." I have some friends who started WW with me 4 years ago and are still trying to lose weight and keep it off. They are always asking me why i succeeded in keeping it off. I just tell them "I never gave up." When I flubbed and ate half a pizza, I kept going. When I chose the quarter pounder over salad, the next day i was back on. Just don't allow yourself to stop, especailly when you slip up. This is life we are not robots, we will cheat. Just don't let it be a habit.

Don't give up!!!! When you get down to your desired weight it will be the best feeling in the world. Much better than the feeling you get from food.

Know you can do it!
Michelle

I eat to live, not live to eat.

Cheryl don't look at the big picture, if 5 lbs is too overwhelming take it 2 lbs at a time...

Before you know it you can look hindsight, which is always good.
In the beginning of my journey I thought again we here go, and so many times I just wanted to throw in the towel, but I knew deep down throwing that towel down, it would have meant disaster, so I kept going weekly to meetings, and off it came very very slowing in dribs and drabs, but I made it.. I hit goal a few weeks ago, so hindsight is good...

If I do what I did I'm going to get what I got...... If I keep doing what I'm doing I'll be ok...
and keep the weignt off.... thats my goal... to maintain and make this my way of life just for today.

Wow, this message board is great...it is amazing to me how strongly I can believe that someone else can do it, but when it comes to me...no faith! LET"S DO THIS!!!!

Cheryl-
I just saw your pic..you are so beautiful...screw what other people think. :) wink!
emily

Cheryl..I just went to your pic also..You are very pretty and you just look like a very nice person...Don't worry about what everyone is saying...they don't know you are in such a nice supportive group. We can all do it together..After you start losing and they can see it, I just bet they will be jealous..then I bet they change their tune....Just keep on 1 lb. at a time, 1 day at a time....Don't give up!!!!!!!

Patty

When i re-re-re-rejoined this time, i said to myself,ok, just let me get past one week and take one week at a time, immediately i stopped my though process. I cant and wont put that "goal" on myself then beat my self up when the week goes bad. I dont eat "a week" i dont exercise. "a week" at a time, so why sets goals for " a week. So i said ,just for TODAY, i will get through this.
So Cheryl, do this for You and not the others who wont support You. We turn here when we need a push,shove,kick in the butt or a huggggg or just a place to rant.

We all been in Your shoes.

By the way they look great on You!

Emily and Cheryl,

You both can do this! You have come to the right place to get support. If you guys ever have any kind of questions ask away. We're all here to help one another.
I in-laws have tried to do this but they both gave up because, well my MIL was never into it to begin with, and my FIL said he didn't get enough food. Well, I think that you get plenty of points but it is a matter of chosing healthier foods to eat and finding the right "cheat" foods that are satisfying for what you are craving but yet low in points.
Carry that point finder with you everwhere, most especially when you go to the grocery store. You 'll be amazed in time at how many things you enjoy that are healthy for you and low in points. Also, definitely check out Aimee's recipes. They are certainly tried and true and best of all there is a little bit of everything for you to choose from.
I agree with Tobe, take this just 2 lbs at a time and even smaller than that, take it one day at a time. Before you know it, it really will be a way of life, a habit. I am not saying that you won't have days that you'll eat things that put you well over your points, but you'll not give up because of that. You will keep on trucking and losing!
I am happy for both of you because you know you need help and you are in perhaps one of the best places on the web to get it!
Join us in our weekly weigh-in's, good, bad, or indifferent, it does not matter 'cause we're all here for one another and chances are that someone else is going through or has gone through exactly what you are going through.
Get some rest and tomorrow is a new day!
Tammy

I hear ya Emily!
But you know I could not have done it during this last month with my mom getting a heart attack on April 2 (only one week after joining this board) without THIS board, networking and friends. It has been a lifeline for me.

KEEP coming to this board, jump in discussions, get new cooking, shopping, snacking ideas andyou will find yourself with newfound strength and hope.

The BEST thing you have done is POST and reach out for help! WE are all in this together and we will all help you and others, as we know you will help us.

Love
JeanCat

I ditto all the advice you are getting here from all these folks who can say it way better than I can. Keep on keeping on "just for today". One day at a time and 5 pounds at a time. You go girl!