Spinning out of control
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Spinning out of control
| Wed, 05-09-2007 - 7:24pm |
hey everyone.....i wanna start dieting and excercising but it never seems to stick. i feel like im spiraling out of control with my weight and i can't seem to get back on track. i feel disgusted with myself and no longer put effort into my appearance because of this. this is causing probems in my relationship because i just don't care about my appearance or any of it anymore. i'm 5'5 and weigh 220 lbs. i should weigh between 130-150 lbs. i almost have 100 lbs to lose and for me this is so dicouraging because it seems impossible. and then i think well if i lose 20 lbs. or 30lbs. but that just makes me feel discouraged again because i keep thinking well that just gets me back down to what i weighed before i gained all this weight and i didnt like my weight then either. ::SIGH:: any advice would be helpful or encouragement would be great. thanks guys....

Annie
"We do not think ourselves into new ways of living. We live ourselves into new ways of thinking."  
hey,
I know how you are feeling, trust me I have been there and felt the same way you did when I first started this journey. I have come to accept certain things as fact, though it is personal for everyone. I hope you find it useful and at the very least thought provoking.
First thing I have come to accept, is that weight loss is truly a lifestyle change. It sounds cliche, but its very true. Unhealthy eating habits and low activity is the reason why I gained the weight I did. I had to teach myself to work in exercise and nutritious food to reverse the damage I did to myself. Make small changes, start by increasing your water intake, adding light exercise like a walk, and making healthier choices. As you adapt to these changes, increase your workouts, change your caloric intake to what works for you. Over time you will find that these once huge changes are now second nature.
Another harsh but true fact, is that the weight gain was something I did to myself. There may have been external stressors and factors, but in the end the decision was my own. I realize that pregnancy can cause weight gain which is perfectly natural, but unfortunately that does not apply to me. The great thing is that you can un-do this yourself, you don't need anyone! Granted support of family and friends is helpful, but in the end they can't go on a walk for you and no one force fed you those fattening and tempting goodies to begin with. You could do great work in your profession or career but you are depending on your bosses/superiors to acknowledge your good work. Guess what? It sometimes doesn't happen. Not true with weight loss, you put in the time and effort, make the necessary changes and you do see results. Granted sometimes slower and sometimes frustrating but as long as you do your part you will get results. After all, the formula in theory is simple, consume less than you burn off, and your body will feed off of itself!
Try NOT to be a slave to the scale! Being overweight, puts you at greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes...etc. Don't just think about loosing weight in terms of quantity, thing about the how much more quality life you are gaining. Time with your friends and family, being able to climb a flight of stairs without being winded, lessen/prevent joint pain. Those things are all just as valuable.
It is a naive statement in society today to say looks don't matter. They do. Hollywood stars are skinnier now then twenty years ago. Society/media puts pressure on us to reach unattainable standards. I have come to accept the fact that I may NEVER be 100% happy with my appearance. Maybe after I am at my goal weight I wish my hair had that healthy glow of the women in the pantene commercials, or my lips the fullness of angelina jolie. I think that has more to do with personal growth than weight loss. I am still trying to accept myself and even harder love myself, the entire package: the great and the just plain ok. The ironic thing is that the people who love you the most don't see what you see, and if they do, they don't care! Why is it so hard for us to look at ourselves like that? (not rhetorical, if any of you brilliant ladies have an answer please let me know!)
Sorry, I know this is long winded. Your post just really struck a chord with me. You can do this, start slow and keep at it. Becoming healthier is more like a marathon then a sprint. I hope you found this helpful and that you can apply some of this to yourself. Keep us updated, this is a very friendly group! If you have any questions feel free to ask. Good luck!
I would say many of the same things the pp said...
I've been at this for almost four years, and I'm not done yet-realinzing that I never will be. But if you don't start, you'll never finish...and in my experience, when I'm not working at losing weight, I easily gain it.
It is a long hard committment, but it can be very rewarding.
Best wishes
SJ
225-168-135
You are not your size. You are the same person you were when you weighed more, you are the same person when you weighed less.. and you will be the same person when you weigh 130lbs. Love yourself the way you are and work on getting better.
The first thing you do is start taking care of yourself. Life doesn't stop until you reach your goal weight. Life goes on and you have to live every second of it. Don't miss up on anything just because you're a certain weight because life is not going to wait for you. Put on some makeup (if you wear makeup), tidy up your hair (go to the hairdresser if you have to), paint your nails, and wear a nice outfit.
BTW I am 5'5'' and started at 247.. I'm now down to 209lbs and I am working on losing more. We have a lot of members who are successfuly losing weight. So yes you can do it too. We are all living proof that it can be done.... welcome aboard
Well Said Mary.
One more suggestion to add: MEASURE, I haven't lost any weight per say BUT since Jan 8th I have lost 12 inches or so overall and it really matters the most. It makes my clothes feel better and I am able to climb stairs without almost dying now even though I have asthma, that is a BIG thing for me as my breathing is so bad anyways even without the extra weight that made climbing stairs a BIG deal.
Second WELCOME ABOARD and good luck!!
Angela