*~* Finding a Life that's Mine *~*

ready2live

ready2live

New member
INTRO TO ME (for those who might've missed it before)

hi everyone...

my name is sharon, i'm 23 yrs old, and i'm a navy wife and mother to an adorable 8-month old boy. i come to this forum in absolute desperation, not only for support in my weight-loss endeavors but also in hopes of regaining a sense of self-worth and an opportunity to allow my inner self to shine thru. i haven't been excessively overweight all my life, tho i've often times perceived myself to be as such. i'm usually considered "average" or "big-boned", but for the last almost 4 yrs, i can honestly say i've been extremely overweight/obese. i truly believe that a particular failed eating/exercise program is what began my downhill plunge into obesity nearly 4yrs ago, but i know that ultimately the responsibility lies with me.

i was at my heaviest (almost 280lbs) right before delivering my son in may of last year. i dropped most of the baby weight (around 40lbs) in about 2mos, but then gained a few pounds back from continued poor eating habits and lack of exercise. i recently went to live w/ my parents for 3mos. while my husband was out to sea, and began taking steps to get back into shape. i started at 247lbs and managed to lose 22lbs within 6 weeks by simply eating right and following an exercise workout dvd 3-4 times a week. unfortunately, i chose to begin this attempt of a new lifestyle change at the worst possible time-- right before the holidays. needless to say, i have since regained 17 of the 22lbs i worked so hard to lose, and i am now feeling absolutely horrible and hopeless .

my biggest motivation for joining this forum today, tho, is the realization of the harsh reality of my weight problem and how it's affecting my life and those around me. i find myself a lot more grouchy, impatient, and just overall mean and insensitive to those i love and/or simply come in contact w/, and i hate it becuz i know that's not the person that i am. i have been blessed w/ so many wonderful things, wonderful people, yet i can't seem to overlook the unhappiness and embarrassment that comes w/ being overweight long enough to enjoy any of it.

i hope that as i attempt once more to implement a more healthy and nutritious lifestyle, i'll eventually be able to find contentment in not only my appearance but also in my being. to those of you who are willing to give me a helping hand along the way, i give you my utmost gratitude, and i hope to be able to return the favor.

i'm ready to live...

*******************************

THE BASICS

-- How much weight do you want to lose?
*-- Ultimately, I'd like to lose 90lbs


-- What is the timeframe for reaching your target weight?
*-- I'm gonna shoot for January 2008 (about a year), but definitely by March 12, 2008 (my 4yr anniversary and tentative date for our renewal of vows ceremony)


-- How do you want to accomplish your goal (what methods do you want to use)?
*-- Eating healthy foods, portion control, and exercising AT LEAST 3 times a week


-- Who or what can support you in reaching your goal?
*-- My cousin is currently working out with me and my husband is a great supporter, too. Unfortunately, he will be going out to sea for 6mos come February =(. I guess my main support will have to come from within myself, but I'm hoping this forum will be a great support system as well =).

-- How realistic is your goal?
*-- I think it's pretty realistic. Recently I lost 22lbs in 6wks by simply eating healthy and exercising 3-5 times a week. Since I don't work, I have the time necessary to dedicate to this new lifestyle. The only problem is finding the willpower to do so and continue.


-- When will you start?
*-- I just started yesterday (1/24/07-- took measurements and worked out), but I think I'll really be gung-ho about it all (particularly the food) starting next Monday, January 29, 2007. Wish me luck!
 
Thursday, JANUARY 25, 2007

all right... i'm starting to think my initial post has scared ppl off from responding or even reading it (since it's so long ^_^"), but i guess it just teaches me to rely on myself that much more.

newayz!~!! it's only 1PM, and i'm already bumming the day away. i guess it's only natural since i don't work, but oh how i'd love to get out of this house! problem is, i have no clue where to go or what to do, and having an 8mo. old in tow doesn't help matters much ^_^". i need to do some serious cleaning in my house, but i'm so overwhelmed by all that needs to be done that i just wind up doing nothing. it's pathetic, i know.

yesterday i started working out for the first-time since november. i almost DIED! it was so disheartening to know that the workout i was doing was the same workout i did w/ relative ease just two months before but now was barely managing to pant my way through. i really didn't like the idea of starting my whole "lifestyle change" in the middle of the week, but my cousin (workout partner) was sick on monday, and i just couldn't find the will to go it alone just then. needless to say, i've kinda been slack all this week thus far, but i plan-- no, i WILL-- bring my A-game come this next monday.

nehowz, this entry didn't turn out to be much shorter than my last one, so i doubt anyone has bothered to read this, but thanks to those of you that did.

i think i'm gonna go shower and start on some of that much needed house cleaning i was talking about ^_^"...
 
Good job for taking the first steps.

Remember there's lots you could do that doesn't take a huge effort right away--start focusing on drinking more water, walking around the house more, if you have a few spare minutes take the baby in a stroller and go walk around the block once or twice, just little things that all add up. The best time to start something like this is always *now*, not next week, not tomorrow, but right now.

And don't try to push yourself into exercising too hard right away, work up to it. If you push yourself too hard and burn yourself out or hurt yourself, it'll just be a huge setback.

Good luck, and we're all here rooting for you :D
 
ready2live

Just wanted to let you know that your posts ARE being read. I am starting my third week and have learned SO much about losing weight in a short time. You've come to the right place. I started with counting weightwatchers points as I had had some success on it before but now, since joining the forum, I track my calories on fitday.com. Its so easy and reassuring. If all these wonderful people can do it then it must be possible for us to do it too. I have at least 50 pounds to lose but have started with a small goal.
 
Friday, JANUARY 26, 2007

thanks for all the encouragement and advice, ladies! :)

well, i didn't get around to cleaning like i thought i would yesterday, but i did wind up showering more than once (thanks to my son's upset stomach ^_^"). i think i'll try and give the house cleaning one more try, though, but i'm gonna focus on cleaning one room a day that way i won't get too overwhelmed and wind up not doing anything at all (like yesterday). so first up, it's the bathroom. ohhhh boy!

in other news, i decided to take bethyness' suggestion into consideration, and got up this morning hoping to go for a walk w/ my son, but unfortunately Mother Nature wasn't in agreement; it started to rain :(. i guess i'll start working on drinking more water instead. baby steps, right? :D

newayz, i think i hear the bathroom beckoning, so i'm gonna end this for now... here's hoping for a successful, productive day! :)
 
i think i'll try and give the house cleaning one more try, though, but i'm gonna focus on cleaning one room a day that way i won't get too overwhelmed and wind up not doing anything at all (like yesterday).

That is what i suggest, cleaning the house can be a workout in itself. I would also suggest turning on some music and just dance with your baby and be silly and have fun. I have been doing this a few times a day for 10 -15 minutes everytime, it may not seem like much but atleast you are up and moving and interacting with your child at the same time. Good Luck!!
 
Tsk, the weather can be so moody! But it'll clear up sooner or later. In the meantime, yup, baby steps, take this journey a bit at a time.

I tend to trick myself into cleaning, or sometimes into exercising XD I'll tell myself I'm just going to relax and not do it, and then without planning to or thinking about it I'll just get up and start, and by the time it hits me that I'm doing it I'm halfway through.
 
that's a great idea, hamhac! thanks! :)

well, i'm half-way through cleaning the bathroom right now, and boy am i breaking a sweat! i'm getting really hungry, tho (i only had a bowl of cereal around 9AM, and it's already almost 1PM :eek: ). fortunately/unfortunately there aren't many choices to snack on, but i do have some reduced fat triscuit crackers that i think i'll have w/ some peanut butter. i'm thinking of making a homemade pizza later, too, but it's a healthy one (it comes from Betty Crocker's "Healthy Heart" Cookbook :p).

newayz, i also have some bathroom rugs in the wash, so i gotta go and throw those in the dryer then get back to scrubbing the bathroom :eek:. catch u all laterz!~!!
 
oops! i guess we were posting at the same time, bethyness :p...

yea, the weather can definitely be moody (especially on this island), but i'm really gonna try and make it a daily routine to walk every morning w/ my son. i wish i could just walk around the neighborhood, but i'm trying to avoid any encounters w/ my husband's family and relatives who live up the street (we don't really get along, but they try to act nice just to get near my son :rolleyes: ). not to mention, there are numerous stray dogs roaming around everywhere. however, since there's a naval base about 5mins away w/ a sidewalk trail, i hope to use it as an alternative instead. i drove by there earlier today and kinda "eye-d" the trail, and it looks like a decent hike for an everyday routine :). i could walk even further over time if i wanted to, but for now i think i'll stick w/ the shorter route :p.

hopefully the weather will be a lot nicer tomorrow ;).
 
I just wanted to stop by and thanks for stopping by my diary! Just remember it's one day at a time. Oh, and on the days when you can't make it out, you could always do some home exercises. They have some great ones on this free website.
 
Sunday, JANUARY 28, 2007

thanks for stoppin' by, manaloa! i've only briefly been able to check out the website you suggested, but it looks pretty neat so far. :)

well, it's sunday night and i'll probly be off to bed soon (i have what feels like a head cold :( ), but i just wanted to update my lil' diary before doing so. this whole weekend has been a total binge (i'll admit it was on purpose :eek: ) bcuz i'm really set on getting serious about my eating habits starting tomorrow, so i figured i might as well enjoy one last weekend of "free eating". i know, i know... it's a lousy excuse, but it's over and done with now, and tomorrow is less than 3hrs away :p.

against my own prior judgement, i've also decided to try COUNTING CALORIES (*gasp*!), which seems to be all the rage on this forum ^_^". i found and purchased this book today, too, titled "The Calorie Counter" (4th edition), which has more than 20,000 calorie listings for different foods so i'm hoping that'll help my efforts some as well. according to the book's formula for determining your daily calorie count, my count came to 1500 calories a day! good grief! it's definitely gonna take a LOT of cutting down on my part, but it's good to know what my limit is so that i can work on staying within it.

i also bought the cutest little notebook for use as my "hard copy" weight-loss journal. i think it'll be easier to keep track of what i'm eating if i have a notebook on hand to record everything as the day progresses, and then at the end of the day i'll simply copy what's written onto my online journal here ;).

newayz!~!! assuming my head doesn't feel as awful as it does right now (and granted Mother Nature is merciful), tomorrow morning i plan on taking my son for a stroll on that sidewalk trail i mentioned the other day. wish me luck! tomorrow's gonna be my first step on this "journey of a thousand steps"... g'night everyone! :D
 
okay... now i'm confused (yea, i know i said i was going to bed, but i couldn't help checking up on some stuff first :p ).

i decided to search online for any other methods of determining your daily caloric intake needs, and i came across the following formula:

STEP 1: Calculate the minimum number of calories you need by multiplying your current or desired weight in pounds by 10 if you're a woman, 11 if you're a man. This number represents your basic calorie needs.

STEP 2: Calculate the number of calories required for your activity level (see tips, below) by multiplying your basic calorie needs (the calculation from step 1) by your activity level - 20 percent or 0.2, 30 percent or 0.3, 40 percent or 0.4, or 50 percent or 0.5. The resulting number represents your activity-based calorie needs.

STEP 3: Calculate the number of calories your body needs for food digestion and absorption by adding your basic calorie needs and your activity-based calorie needs (the answers from steps 1 and 2) and multiplying this sum by 0.10. These are the calories you need for digestion.

STEP 4: Add the three calculations from steps 1, 2 and 3: This is your total daily calorie need to maintain your desired weight.

**********

it also mentioned the following tip/warning:

Consuming fewer than 10 calories per pound of your current weight will slow down your metabolism and cause you to burn calories more slowly. For instance, if you weigh 145 pounds, avoid consuming fewer than 1,450 calories a day

********

so now according to this formula, my daily caloric intake should be 1980 calories a day, but if i take the tip/warning into consideration, my caloric intake shouldn't be less than 2390 calories a day! so which method of daily caloric calculation do i follow??? UGH! how confusing! :confused:
 
Hi Ready2Live,

Have you gone to or ? Both are resources for inputting/tracking calories, nutrition & fitness. Very easy and they can give you a goal range to shoot for - just don't hang out at the bottom of the suggested goal range ;)
 
I second M2M's suggestion. I haven't been on Fitday, but I know Sparkpeople will adjust the caloric intake for the amount of weight you'd like to lose per week against the amount of exercise you say you'll do. Very no-brainer.

As for cutting what your eating down a lot, it's more like changing it to something healthier, which in turn happens to have lower calories, which in turn allows you to eat more. So if you're like me and like large portions of food. Then healthy eating is definitely the way to go.
 
Monday, JANUARY 29, 2007

THE CALORIE COUNT IS OUT! :mad:

i'm sorry, but i gave it a try today, and it's just not the thing for me. i was so paranoid of eating over my limit that i hardly ate anything at all! by 6PM i had only eaten 780 calories when i have a daily calorie allowance of somewhere between 1220 and 1570 calories (according to SparkPeople). needless to say, i was absolutely famished to the point of feeling weak and having cold sweats by mid-evening. the fact that my head is still pounding from this head cold i can't seem to shake doesn't help matters either. i wound up blowing my calorie count for the day by wolfing down a meal from burger king after my husband was told they were out of salads (he was ordering us food on his way home from work). however, i did manage to go for a morning walk w/ my son as well as do 25mins of cardio exercise (interrupted by my son towards the end). sooo... even tho i may have crashed and burned at the end of the day, i still think i made a lot of productive strides in the right direction. i really think i'm better off trusting myself to eat sensibly (even tho the BK binge might sway ppl to think otherwise) and just exercising on a regular basis. calorie counting is just too stressful and time-consuming for me. i'd rather just eat healthy when i'm hungry and find ways to keep myself moving throughout the day. welpz, i'll let you all know how tomorrow goes ;). g'night for now!
 
hey ready2live welcome to forum. i was really touched by your first post, especially with that sentence "i'm ready to live". this was my motivational feeling when i started. i was sick and tired of making up excuses and running away from things. when i realized that, i started ckecking out tools to help me understand myself better and i come up with things why i sabotage myself. and the truth is... i never gave myself a chance. not this time, now i DECIDED to stop runnign and become No1. in my life.
You'll have ups and downs, and that is ok, just remember that there is a goal at the end. and that is march 2008 for you. i'll be happy to see you reach it :)
Lena
 
Tuesday, JANUARY 30, 2007

I'M NEVER GONNA LOSE WEIGHT :(

i am so frustrated with everything right now. i've been trying so hard to plan a last minute baby dedication for my son this weekend and NOTHING is going right. the whole reason we're rushing to have it done this weekend is bcuz my husband got word last week that he was set to deploy SUPPOSEDLY on feb. 12th. i didn't want to take any chances planning for next weekend in case he wound up leaving a few days early. soooo... i found a place to have the celebratory lunch after the ceremony and booked a reservation for 35ppl this saturday (the vip room requirement and a number of ppl i wasn't even sure would be able to attend). several ppl were already telling me they wouldn't be able to attend due to work or other previous engagements, including my relatives who made up the bulk of people on the guest list. either way, the show still had to go on, but now my husband didn't even know if he'd be able to make it bcuz he has duty this weekend! UGH! sooo... he tells me he'll find out today and give me a call. THE BOY DOES NOT CALL ME TILL 5:30PM when he's been AT work since 7:30 this morning! :mad: what's more shocking is he tells me that they're NOT deploying on the 12th or any other time in february, and they're back to their original deployment schedule, which has them set to leave sometime in april, maybe. at first that sounded like great news 'cuz then i could switch the reservation to next weekend when more ppl could attend and my husband wouldn't be working, BUT! then i call the restaurant and find out that next weekend the restaurant's vip room is already reserved for SOMEONE ELSE! :mad: so now i have to figure out what the heck we're gonna do.

gawd, i am just so stressed out! even though i've done relatively well as far as eating goes today, once again i found myself scarfing down some doritos in all my agitated fury not too long ago. i cooked up some taco meat for dinner tonight, and i know that wasn't the best idea either. i feel like i'm NEVER gonna get out of this fat body of mine! i've fallen so deep into this obese black hole that any attempts at getting out are just in vain. it is SO HARD to lose weight when you have a gawd awful day and no one to help hold you accountable for your eating habits but yourself... and of course that doesn't do much good bcuz then u just start making excuses for yourself, and BAM! you're back to eating your way into a house in Fat-ville! my cousin is sweet as can be, but she's already missed THREE DAYS worth of workouts, and we just started LAST WEEK! so now i'm basically back to losing weight by myself-- and it seems IMPOSSIBLE :(.

sorry guys... i know this was a pathetic entry... hopefully tomorrow will be better.
 
from what i've rad i see that you hold lot of anger inside. the right step is sharing and you are doing it...so just vent and yell all you want :) as for calories intake, you don't have to count in this panic, eat smaller portions and then see approximately how much calories you take. of you see you're over, juts cut out something, or if you see you're under then add something :)

it is not impossible to lose weight on your own. eventually we all do things by ourselves. we either have or haven't got outside support. if you don't have support at home, you can find it here...and plenty of it. the trick is to make that decision. there will definitely be ups and downs and bumps on the road. maybe if you visualize this road and imagine you're in a car. instead of avoiding those bumps and stones, stop remove the obstacle and continue. you can do it. i'm sure you can, because i can.

your quote says it the best...so get out of the water. you can take a swim every once and a while, but don't stay in it :)

just in case, i'm sending you every positive vibe i can across the ocean :) and hang in there :)

Lena

P.S. hope i didn't bother too much :)
 
Friday, FEBRUARY 2, 2007

well, it's been a couple days, but i have good news: I LOST 4 POUNDS!!! :D i honestly have no idea how i did it, and it's probably just water weight, but as one of my best friends would say, "it's still 4 pounds lighter than you used to weigh!" i can only hope it STAYS off this time :eek:.

before i continue with my latest happenings, i juss wanted to say, "thank you SO much, lena, for all the encouragement and support!" :) i actually started writing you a response as soon as i got your last post, but for some reason i never got around to finishing ^_^". either way, i just want you to know how much i appreciate your posts; you nearly brought me to tears with your last one! thanks for being so thoughtful and kind :).

newayz!~!! the whole baby dedication is FINALLY squared away and set for the end of the month. my cousin and i just went shopping earlier today for the materials to create the party favors that will be handed out at the celebratory lunch, and i'm so excited to start making them! :p i just have to get the personalized labels made, and then we'll be set to go. we probably won't start putting them all together, though, until the week before the dedication. i can't wait! :D

nehowz!~!! getting back to my weight-loss journey, i really haven't been exercising much aside from the morning walk and 25mins of cardio on monday, but i have been watching how much and how often i eat. perhaps that's what i have to thank for this week's unexpected weight loss ^_^". i feel like i'm more aware of when i'm hungry, and that's usually the only time i eat instead of snacking all day just becuz i'm bored. it's kinda weird 'cuz it's like the sudden awareness just came to me almost effortlessly. right now i'm trying to focus more on WHAT i'm eating and not only on how much and how often.

as for exercise, i'm thinking of focusing more on strength training than cardio for now. the cardio i've been doing has been pretty intense for my current fitness level, and i just feel like i need to build up my endurance a lil' bit more before engaging in a more rigorous routine. since the strength training workout i follow is less intense and obviously helps to build muscle, i think it'll help prepare me for a more regular routine of cardio in the future. in the mean time, i'll have to get my cardio from walks and housework :p. wish me luck!

have a great weekend, everyone!~!! :cool:
 
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