Dare to Lose weight

Where abouts in eastern Iowa are you? My hubby grew up in Council Bluffs, his folks still live there. We will be down there in October for his brothers wedding.

Sorry about the smaller house, we just moved into a bigger one ourselves, and I feel so much better. I feel like I can actually clean it, and theres a place to put everything.

Good job on the soda, it makes a difference for me too, always gives me that bloaty feeling.

We finally got rain here in St. Louis too. We needed it soo bad. We just moved out of our 850sq ft. house. The nice thing about small houses is that you can't keep a lot of junk around (good for OCD in my opinion) & it it's fast & easy to clean. I am no good w/ clutter either. Good luck w/ your downsizing.

Congrats on eliminating soda!

You gals are going to think I'm nitpicking, but I think it's important enough to note. What you are describing is OCPD, not OCD.

Yes B you are nitpicking. ;-)

I love garage sales and the decluttering has to help overall.. plus you are now with your hubby!

I had a doctor tell me once.. if you would cut out all soda pops and fast food I would lose 2 pounds a week without even trying... and he sure was right! I lost 40 pounds in like 3 months. Of course I added work outs and better eating.. but I do not miss soda pops at all. Yuck. And I was a 3 coke a day kind of gal! Keep those soda's away girl!

Sheila, I feel your pain on what it's like to move to a smaller space and suddently feel like everything is closing in on you. When I moved from Philadelphia to New York, I was suddenly spending four times as much money for an apartment half the size. Through a very difficult process of weeding out what I actually needed from what I just thought I would like to have around (and sending several things into storage at my parents' house and even more things to Good Will), I found in the end that I was much happier with less stuff.

Now I happily live in a 600-square-foot apartment with my fiance and our home is organized and tidy because we continue to force each other to edit our stuff. It also prevents me from being overly material because I physically can't fit new stuff in my apartment!

I think you'll feel so much better after the garage sale and getting all of that stuff out of your life. Anything you can't sell, just donate (it's tax deductible anyway) so you don't have an excuse to hold on to it. Your home and your mindset will surely thank you for the decluttering.

Not nitpicking at all Brian, I understand your pain :) By the way, just want to let you know how fun it is to watch you and the kids on FB. I am glad they have such a "crazy" dad!! Wish I had that much fun with mine when they were that little.

I think the hardest thing for me to declutter is the stuff that is given to me. It is all so emotionally attached. I am going to set up one shelf for items that I truly want to keep because of sentimental value and most of those items will be the things that were given by those who are now gone and I can not replace. Otherwise, I will learn to love the items from those who love me and then send them on their way and let someone else enjoy them as well. It is funny how much space I really do have when everything has its place.

I have also found it beneficial financially to be well organized. I get so frustrated when I need something I know I have and end up having to go by a replacement to find it later!! Annoying. And all the over the counter meds I have to throw away because they are out of date because I couldn't find what I needed at the moment. I have a whole box of lotions (not sure why I am a candidate for people giving to me, I rarely put anything on my overly sensitive skin). I think there are 15 different deodorants and body sprays in there as well????? Must have been on a good sale! Nothing is worth the sale if it is only going to frustrate you later!!

Another part of the problem was that with Rick living in a separate apartment for that year, he accumulated way more than anyone needs and trying to mesh everything back together is a long drawn out process.

I probably just need to the next set of classes to keep me busy so I don't have so much time on my hands :)

Berry, Council Bluffs in on the Missouri River on the Western side of Iowa I believe. Closer to Omaha, NB. I think Christy would be closer to Council Bluffs than me.

Oh duh, youre right, I had my east and west mixed up...lol

yup :)

Not moving in the wrong direction is great! How long have you been at a standstill?

just a little plateau... I'M ROOTING FOR YOU!

Well, a lot better than moving in the wrong direction! I feel like the more I focus and the more I really "try," then I gain weight! It's unnerving and makes me feel helpless. So, that's a big reason why I'm really going all-out, starting the tracker OVER (no need to dwell in the past) and making it public so at least in theory I'm super accountable for what I'm eating. It's true, I exercise a lot and regularly and have always been very active -- exercise is GREAT for sooo many things, but unless your eating is where it needs to be, it won't make a difference for weight. Lesson I'm learning. Wishing you luck, and I guess, myself as well!

Daedream....as some of us have come to realize....You Can't Out Train A rotten Diet: )

If youre just getting started, that may be normal. Usually the first week you can see a pretty big drop, and its your body getting rid of all that excess water and junk.

nope it has been a month or more actually that's why I am confused. The only difference I see is I started swimming this week but I don't think I burned THAT much extra.

woooo

Whoop Whoop!

You've already been there once, so you know what to do and more importantly, you know that you CAN! Good luck!

Congratulations on the 48 pounds:-) That's amazing dedication:-)

Getting sober is a long, tough process. I would encourage you to focus on that and get at least 3 months of complete sobriety behind you before really focusing on weight loss. One simple reason is that getting alcohol completely out of your system takes time. Your cravings for sweets is actually common among those seeking sobriety.

BUT I strongly encourage you to learn/practice healthy eating and exercise because that can be a key component in your sobriety!!Just don't stress what the scale says...concentrate on how you feel:-)

Most treatment programs even encourage those seeking sobriety not to make any major life changes for the first year of sobriety...its that important to get the whole emotional/physical on a healthy level. And again, healthy eating and exercise can be key in that pursuit.

Alcohol abuse takes many forms so give yourself credit--a lot of credit-- for seeking a sober life. It is WELL worth the struggle!!

I agree with Floskie - don't try to tackle too many life changes all at once - you will get burnt out so easily! Also - how many calories are you currently eating?

Thanks guys, I agree with you on all counts. I am however not a regular drinker at this point, so it's not so much about detoxing from heavy drinking. I am more or less just trying not to drink when I get stressed and just because it is generally unhealthy, and because before I did have problems with it and had been slipping up a little in the last few weeks with school ending. Before that I had been sober for months.

I've been on a pretty consistent path of change for the last five years. I actually went from almost 210 to 156 which where I am now, but that has taken all that time so I'm doing it slow. I see a therapist twice a week so I think I am on track emotionally - and man, do I know how important it is to take care of the inside first! :P

I try to eat no more than 2000 calories right now, so I'm definitely not eating too little. But I'm burning a lot so I am a little confused as to how much is truly right for me.

Thanks again for your feedback! I love this forum - it is super helpful and the support is amazing.

Congratulations on your past weight loss! And on taking such positive steps in your life!!

You have to be burning a lot playing tennis and I would suggest that you need to eat more than the 2000 calories. There are some good sites to help figure it out. Livestrong, for some reason though, doesn't have a good calorie calculator. Here are a few:

http://www.shapefit.com/calculators.html
http://bnelson333.wordpress.com/---this one is written by another LS member and has some links to help with figuring out the calories needed.
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm


Just one last thought on alcohol use/abuse...it is not how much you drink...it is what it does to you when you drink and why you drink. For many, getting sober isn't about the physical detoxing as much as it is about the emotional detoxing and learning a new way to cope with life...and for many...learning a new way of dealing/feeling life for the first time:-) It seems you have a good understanding of that:-)

Thank you, Floskie! I really appreciate that information and your support :) I am stoked to check out those calculators as I am sure they'll help get me to where I need to be calorie wise, especially because starting next I'll be playing more tennis than ever. Maybe eating more calories but from healthy, low fat food would be key - I will let you know how it goes.

And yes, you are right on about the alcohol use. I've gone through times when I could have one glass of wine and be OK, but my mindset was way different before. Lately I'd been reaching for it for the wrong reasons, and while it is hard, I have to look at the reasons and figure out how to cope in other ways. The answer is never alcohol or anything else that clouds the mind and poisons the body. Alcohol is just not a fit and so far I am going strong :)

Thanks again!

so glad you posted. This is pretty much what I've been feeling lately. I also need to loose 20lbs which I gained primarily from by alcohol abuse. I used to be able to drink occasionally and be ok. Lately because of stress and the busyness of life - it seems like I have one drink and it completely affects me - not only that then i have 5 more... So I am trying to work on the positive stuff - eating well and getting some exercise.

Floskie - I also appreciate your feedback. Thanks.

CC--:-) any time:-)

Then again, I also feel like Im fighting off a cold or something, maybe even strep throat, its been hurting alot. Hope thats not the case. Think Im gonna go get some rest.

Welcome to our family!!! I'm totally with you on the impulsive eating. That's something I'm terrible about myself. Just grabbing in the chip bag or whatever, not even thinking what I'm doing. I'm much better when I'm working and don't have the opportunity to do that. But at least I'm using my time off to get lots of excersize. Hang in there, this place is full of advice and encouragement:)

Are you tracking what you are eating? How many calories are you eating?

you should be proud of your fitness accomplishments :)

but make sure you are eating enough and hydrating enough to match your fitness level

Well - carbs won't help you with that full feeling - that's what protein and fiber do.

How many calories are you currently eating? How about protein and fiber?

my protein is 32 g
fiber 16 g
Calories is around 1240

I would say you definitely need more protein - without a doubt. I strive to hit about 100 grams per day of protein.

If you don't mind sharing - what are your stats? I would say right off the bat that you probably aren't eating enough. 1200 is rarely enough.

I'm 5'4"
184
The LS set my net at 1270 when i lost 12 pound
is that not enough then? so the sit is incorrect?
I usually have around 62 g of protien a day the
32 g is what the site says my protien intake should be in a day....
Maybe i'm just totally confused and not understanding...

How old are you? I just had to guess on your age - but for a middle aged person with those stats - you should be eating around 1500-1600 calories a day.

The thing about LS is that the calculator is just that - a calculator. It can't take into account what is healthy for someone of your size. I used a BMR calculator to determine what your calorie needs should be - which is more accurate. If you are still in your teens - you would need to eat more than what I mentioned above.

As far as the protein - LS recommendations are very low. I would suggest upping that to between 80-100 each day.

im 21
but thanks for the information...

There's mixed opinions on the subject, but generally I feel they underestimate the need for protein. I've found that hard boiled egg whites help to stave off the hunger. Just toss the yolks.

I'm 5'2 and 1200 is not enough for me. My scale won't budge at 1200

egg yolks are very healthy - eat them.

That sounds awesome, thanks! :)

Tried it, thank you for sharing it is awesome! Not much of a sweets person, but I sure do miss peanut butter. The chocolate protein powder was just enough to compliment the peanut butter!

Peanut butter can be great for you in moderations, one of those healthy fats. The problem is, that I can eat scoops and scoops of it...lol. So I save it for when Im really craving it. Recipe sounds great!!

I'll be weeding in the garden this evening too! Love Love Love the bountiful harvest that all of that work provides! I'm still eating canned green beans, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce and frozen sweet corn! Love it!

Sounds like a very productive weekend with a healthy outcome in the end :) Have a great day! It's the perfect temp here in Ohio. Just got home from a bike ride :)

I can't wait till My soil & yard is ready to plant a garden. Hopefully by next spring I can plant. My compost will be excellent by then too.