Andrea's closed confessions.

A

Andrea2

New member
Everyone's welcome to read this diary -- in fact it's helpful to me to think that someone out there is watching -- but experience has taught me that I'm so sensitive in this area that the slightest word of advice will be perceived as criticism and I'll just lose motivation and quit. I tried this on another board and my first fast food confession resulted in a barrage of posts, politely informing me that a regular burger would have been a better choice than a Whopper. I mapped out my plan and was quickly warned that my calories seemed a little too low and I might get sick. All well-intentioned but just the wrong thing to say to someone who is already frghtened to death!

Why should I be afraid? What's so scary about moderate, healthy eating and 45 minutes of daily exercise? It's scary because it takes away my comfort-drug of choice. Because, what if I lose weight and still look ugly? Because, what if I get sick, due to some lacking vitamin or mineral? Because it's change.

But I'm going to do it this time. I'm going to remind myself that giving up sugar and going to bed a little bit hungry never killed anyone. I'm going to remember that women who exercise regularly are 50% less likely to get cancer. I should be afraid not to work-out!

I'm going to think of the nice, strong, safe feeling of being in control of my own life.

Confucius say: The road to change is to start; and then continue.

Dr Phil say: It's time to step up to the plate and demand more of myself.
 
Wow! I didn't know that women who do regular exercise are less likely to get cancer... 50% less likely huh? Well, I'm off to the gym.
Good luck with everything.
 
Thanks ToothlessFerret and Garfield.

I checked back in my notebook for the "50% less likely to get cancer" stat and it was from a breast cancer prevention brochure. Googling for statistics hasn't shown me the 50% on other types and one site said only 30% on the breast cancer risk, but I did find lots of medical links that say it reduces the risk of all types of cancer.
While looking, I found the "50% less likely if you exercise" words associated with diabetes several times and that's even better news for my particular risk factors!

( I love that sit-up chart. Hee.):)
 
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Well I have to say I have yet to be barraged with negativity from anyone here! We all just tell each other to get up brush yourself off and try again. ANd I am sorry you experienced that before:eek: ! We are here to support each other through the good and bad. So consider youself part of the group and add me to your cheering section!!! You can do this and make a difference in your life!
 
Good luck with everything, i was also afraid of negative feedback when i first joined but it was NOTHINg like that, i have made some good friends and supportive pals on here, who always give me encouriging words no matter how badly i cheated. We are all going to keep an eye on you, :p just do the best you can and you will be jusssst fine.
Welcome once again.
 
Andrea,

Its okay to be afraid. Nothing is ever certain. As long as you know what you're doing is the right thing to do-- just give it your all. Welcome to the forum. We'll all be watching out for you.
 
Spelin, Misslovley and Changing -- thanks mucho!

Last night, I went to bed without a snack.

For me that's a big deal. I know most of my calories fall into that tiny increment of time right before I hit the hay. I usually eat a small breakfast, around 200 cals, lunch about 400 cals and a healthy dinner of about 600 cals. That would be a good diet day but, late in the evening, I seem to step into another dimension for about twenty minutes. The cereal Twilight Zone if you will. :cool: If only the calories didn't count in that alternate universe.

I haven't posted one of those progress bars because it would be misleading.
SW 205
CW 158
GW 125
See. It looks like I'm doing fine but the truth is that from Jan 2005 to Jan 2006, I lost sixty pounds taking me down to 145. Since then I have gained 13pounds.:(
 
Andrea
Good luck in your journey
a journey starts with a single step and thanks for the cancer information I did nt know that and i am very firm on the cancer especially breast because alot of it runs in my family qnd i had a scare with it but it turn none malig thank God so thank you for that information
 
Andrea, snacking before bed is my worst thing too...it's been hard not too, especially if I had a bad day. Good for you! When I first started this, all I did was cut out night snacks and lost my first 4 pounds just from that!

Awesome start; way to go!:D
 
This is a great place to go for support. Reading lots of people journals and experiences will help maintain motivation for you :)

Goodluck!
 
Well done for not snacking before bed :)
Did you have some sort of strategy or secret weapon, or was it sheer willpower?
I ask because I usually end up snacking late at night.
 
I could have sworn I posted in here yesterday....:rolleyes: Well, GOOD Morning to you!!!!!! You have done a GREAT job on your loss so far. Congrats and Keep up the Awesome progress. Have a WONDERFUL Day and drink your WATER!!!!:D
 
Hi all and thanks for stopping by! I love how active this board is!

Garfield, if I stayed up late I probably wouldn't have made it past the kitchen without a snack, but I'm in the middle of a good book so I took it to bed with me early. I did think about getting back up for something to eat from time to time but I eventually just went to sleep.
 
Awesome, I wish I could just do that. I'm currently in the middle of an assignment that's due tomorrow (10pm here) and it will probably take me four or five hours to get through :( Yep, time for some chocolate...
 
welcome to the site, and you will definitely find lots of encouragement and support - but I will tell you, that part of support is telling you where you might be hurting yourself in your journey... we/me want you to be successful... Around here, people might offere suggestions because they care... not to criticize or to sabatoge you.. but to offer their support.

Just some things you said.., if I didn't care.. I wouldn't point this out to you...

Why should I be afraid? What's so scary about moderate, healthy eating and 45 minutes of daily exercise? It's scary because it takes away my comfort-drug of choice.
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Who knows, you may find that fruit is your comfort drug of choice or exercise... and honestly if you aren't used to regular exercise... pace yourself - work towards the goal of 45 minutes if you can't do it right away... I think if I tried to spend 45 minutes on my exercise bike, I'd keel over dead of a heart attack :D but I'm wokring towards that goal... and I will get there

Because, what if I lose weight and still look ugly?
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Ugliness comes from the inside... not from the number of the scale... you are a beautiful person... period. end of story... :D I'm not a religious person by any stretch of the imagination. but God made you - and God don't make junk :D See yourself as a beautiful person... and well.. .that's the only thing that matters :D

Because, what if I get sick, due to some lacking vitamin or mineral?
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Valid concern... Are you using some sort of online food journal to keep track of what you are eating and the nutrients you are getting? You can always pop a multi vitamin to make up for what you are missiing - though the ideal is to have it come from food... www.fitday.com and www.sparkpeople.com are both good free resources... Somewhere around here I beleive I relayed the story of my fat free diet attempt years back where i dropped 50 pounds and my hair started falling out because I had virtually no fat at all in my diet...

But I'm going to do it this time. I'm going to remind myself that giving up sugar and going to bed a little bit hungry never killed anyone.
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You honestly shouldn't be letting yourself get hungry... are you doing any kind of preplanning of meals? leave yourself some splurge calories so you can have those treats once in a while... diets of deprivation do not work as anyone who has done this will tell you... lifestyle changes where you do not deprive yourself and you allow snacks and treats do work long term.

You've made a huge step by coming here... You will be successful in your journey.. and we'll cheer you all along the way and celebrate your successes... Change is very scary... but read thru some diaries... you'll find people who've walked those steps just before you and will help guide you thru those dark hallways into the light.. (how's THAT for a metaphor? :D

Anyhow - welcome.. please don't take anything i've said as criticism.. i only want to encourage you... :D
 
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Listen to Mal...she's as wise as Yoda...:D

Andrea, going to bed and reading is a great idea for late night...I actually did it last night, and it worked!
 
Maleficent: I'm not worried about easing into the 45 minute exercise thing, as I have said; I started all this as a 2005 New Years resolution.
I resolved two things:
1) To eat absolutely no sugar (that includes honey, corn syrup and all the refined sugars).
2) To work out 6 days per week (I worked up to the 45 minutes over the first four months.)

I have been absolutely true to this for the past 20 months. Not so much as a piece of cake on my birthday or a cookie at Christmas passed my lips, and I haven't missed a single work-out even when I had a cold.

During the first year I lost 60 pounds with this simple plan. I thought I had found a permanent answer to my weight problems. Unfortunately, beginning Jan 2006, while sticking to the same plan, I began to regain. I've gained one to two pounds per month this year, where last year; I was losing five pounds per month.

So my weight went from 205 to 145 the first 12 months and now it's up to 158.

So. I already take a multivitamin. I already know that fruit is not a comfort food for me. I'm used to my work-out, it's exactly the amount I need to keep myself stong and flexible without straining my joints. I have arthritis so I need to be very careful about the amount and type of exercise I do.

I know that I won't really get sick or look ugly (although my jaw line is definitely not as tight and firm as it was before I lost weight) I was just expressing the general, albeit slightly irrational, feelings of anxiety that I have about dieting.


As for feeling hungry? Well that's what it's all about for me. I can only guess that the reason I am now gaining on the same plan that I once used to lose -- is that my portion sizes have unconsciously increased. I'm going to have to eat less and experience some hunger. I have never in my life lost weight without feeling hunger. Frankly, I think it's unrealistic to expect ones body to burn it's own fat for fuel and not send any hunger pangs to the brain. The only people I've known who lose masses of weight without hunger are cancer victims. If the day ever comes when I step on the scale and see that I've lost weight without feeling hunger, I'll go straight to the doctor.
leave yourself some splurge calories so you can have those treats once in a while... diets of deprivation do not work as anyone who has done this will tell you... lifestyle changes where you do not deprive yourself and you allow snacks and treats do work long term.
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Well my no sugar "diet of deprivation" worked fine for me as far as the initial 60 pounds and I really don't think that adding back in the sweets is going to help matters. Sweets are a trigger food for me. Telling me to splurge on them once in a while is like telling an alcoholic to have a little drink once in a while.

As for the statement that diets allowing oneself treats once in a while do work long term -- do you have any evidence of this? I'm asking because, everything I've seen says that 95%-98% of people who manage to lose weight regain it within five years, and that includes every variation of diet or "lifestyle change" known. I hope no one who reads this is discouraged by that fact, but I think we need to be honest with ourselves. There is no one simple answer that fits every person. Weight control will be an ongoing struggle for many people.

I have been dieting, working out, and reading articles about same, since I was 13. I've had many years of ballet, jogged miles and miles, done pilates, yoga, step aerobics, dance aerobics and weight training. I've done low fat, low carb, weight watcher points, counted calories and tried many other things although I've always had more sense than to go in for the true fad diets. Mostly, I've read; just about every diet book in the library and hundreds of diet articles in the magazines. Most recently I've read a few books that try to separate some of the myths of weight loss from scientific facts. Yet, I would never try to tell other people what they should or shouldn't do because I think we all have to find our own way in our own time.
 
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