Great thread!
I have battled my weight since my pregnancies 10 & 12 years ago. I gained 50 & 75 lbs. with my sons. 3 years after my youngest was born I was still at 200 lbs. and a size 18. I got into portion control and not just watching tv in the afternoons. I'd park my stair stepper in front of the tv and eat off smaller kids plates.
It worked. I lost down to 168. I stayed 168 for quite a while. That's my plateau spot. My lowest since then has been about 145 but to obtain that I was eating very, very little, running a couple miles daily, and doing sit-ups and push-ups like mad. That was a very unhappy, over-stressed time in my life which I know contributed to the weight dropping. I didn't look good at all. I was too thin. Since that time I generally hover around 165-168. Again, it's my plateau spot.
On our December '07 trip I gained nearly 10 lbs. and (obviously) wasn't going to the gym daily like I do at home. That 10 days away broke my habit of going like I should. Then after we got home we got a new puppy so I still put my regular schedule on the backburner. Between Christmas and all our travels I never got back into the gym. By the middle of February I was back up to 180 lbs. on my 5'8" frame. I was NOT a happy camper.
After my check-up with the doctor I started the weight loss program they have at the doctor's office. Every week I go for a shot that contains low levels of HCG (the pregnancy hormone), a combination of 3 lipotropics, and vitamin B12. I also take a prescription diet pill daily (37.5mg Phentermine) to help curb appetite and boost energy.
They gave me a little pamphlet with basic guidelines to follow on a 1500 calorie/day diet. That's not hard at all. I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. Watching what I eat is important. Even when I'm on a trip or out of town I'm watching and planning. We just spent a long weekend at the lake in a cabin camping and fishing at a family reunion. I brought everything I needed. I never ate a bite of anything at any of the meals that were prepared as group events. I stuck to what I knew I had to do. There was cake and cookies and cupcakes and I never touched them. My weakness is sugar and sweets so for me it's better not to even start because I lose all self-control. Then I'm on the cycle of beating myself up, gorging with bad foods to try to convince myself that I don't care, etc. I read it recently and another person on this thread said it also, food is not for enjoying or entertaining. You have to set your mind that it is fuel. Nothing more or less. That's not to say I never indulge. I ate some of my son's birthday cake a few weeks ago. I ate 4 or 5 fries covered in cheese last night. I give myself a few little treats ever couple weeks. But I don't look for reasons or excuses to do it. For the most part I look at my food choices in terms of how long will this keep me sustained or how much energy can I get from this? Simple sugars, white breads, etc. take nothing for your body to convert straight to sugar. It's useless to eat this stuff and makes me hungry immediately. Food is fuel. I want good, high-octane fuel!
I go to Curves every day during the week after I drop my boys off at school. According to the Smart Equipment there my 30 minute workout has me burning anywhere from 650 to 750 calories each day. ((Think about that! That's more calories than I eat between my breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack combined!!)) To accomplish such a high burn rate I work each repetition on each machine with ever ounce of strength and effort I can throw against it. Just like with any workout, you get back what you put into it. If I go to Curves and just go through the motions I burn about half my norm. But if I make the most of my 30 minutes by pushing myself as far as I can then I maximize every aspect of my time there. I don't enjoy the pain or discomfort of the workout. I'm a lazy person by nature. It's very hard, very intense work for me. I'd even venture to say it's more work psychologically than anything else. I have to keep focused and keep pushing past any barriers my body tries to throw at me. Overall I highly, highly recommend Curves. It can really do a lot if you put 120% into each and every workout.
Since I started my program in the middle of February I have shed 12 lbs. and more than 3 inches from my waist. I was measured last Friday and even my upper arms have reduced in size by 1.5 inches. I have 8 lbs. to go to reach my target weight of 160. Much more below 160 makes me look unhealthy. I have a more muscular build so I tend to carry more weight than most folks think by looking at me. More importantly, my BMI has gone from 30.3% to under 28%. Reducing the fat and adding lean muscle is what I work towards more than the weight or size numbers. I like feeling healthier and physically stronger.
Soooo, when the hubby and I hit WDW for our May trip I hope to not only wear my tank tops without shame, I wanna look and feel like I do them justice with good tone and shape. I suppose weight and health will always be an effort for me. But it's one that I get a lot out of. Maintaining my physical health improves my psychological health, adds energy, and makes a night and day difference with my lifelong struggle with insomnia. There are so many benefits beyond appearance to being as healthy as possible. I enjoy reaping the benefits of my hard work. The sense of accomplishement is so uplifting.
I love this thread!!!!! Thanks to the OP and all the subsequent participants!
:sohappy: