Hanging on...barely

[Stuckintherain]

Hello,

I'm not completely sure what I'm going to accomplish by joining this forum, but I figure it's in the right direction. It is official the first time I am using the internet to help me along this roller coaster weight loss madness.

I have been overweight since for as long as I can remember. It's cripled my sense of self worth and confidence. I have always been the girl who "has a cute face" I've even run into people who have told me that I could be such an attractive person if I lost some weight. If only it were that easy.

I guess what I'm looking for here is motivation. To get involved in a community where I won't be judged by how many times and for how long I've failed. I have a tendency to follow a weight-loss cycle. 1-Step on the scale horrified at how high the numbers are and vow that today is the day I start to lose these 50lbs of negativity that plague me. 2- Go full out on an exercise and diet program for a week (if I'm lucky) 3- Become obsessed because I begin to see success. 4-Take it too far 5-Burn out and Binge claiming that I'm pre-destined to be over-weight I might as well eat what I want because nothing is going to change.

I've recently gotten engaged and this time I want it to work out. I want to be able to show people wedding pictures with pride not hide them or worse...avoid taking pictures for fear of what I'll wind up looking like.

Any messages of encouragement or hope or ANYTHING helpful would be insanely appreciated. Also, if anyone is interested in something like a pen-pal situation where we could help each out message me and we can help each other out.

Here's to hanging on.

 

[maleficent]

I'll attempt helpful...

What you're doing isn't going to work for you long term... You're way too hooked on a diet mindset and that just sets you up to fail every single time.

Take your measurements... Step on the scale and record those numbers - you need a starting point. Now leave the scale alone - it clearly doesn't help you one bit...

Next - read around the forum -especially in nutrition about what consitutes a healthy diet and reasonable calories... and work towards a lifestyle change -NOT a diet... A lifestyle change will stay will you for the rest of your life and incorporate all your favorite things and not leave you feeling deprived.

Start a diary below -it's a great way to keep track of your successes and challenges and to have people offer insight into them.

Congrats on your engagement...

 

[Blancita]

If your usual cycle is to go overboard, starve yourself and over exercise, and then burn out and binge, why in the world would you start out this way again? You are in another thread saying you're already eating only 1200 calories per day and you want to know if you can safely go lower than 1200 calories per day. Isn't that the epitomy of starting off too gung ho? Why repeat a cycle that never works for anyone! Slow down! Eat around 1800 calories, exercise regularly, and you'll see the weight drop off. No need to starve oneself or overexercise, and then give up and binge. Just keep at it by eating in a normal, healthy NON DEPRIVED manner, and you'll see consistent results. That is the ONLY way this is going to work long term.