Omega
Moderator
Hi
My name is Margaret and I live in England.
I am 48 years old, and very happily married.
My weight problems began around the time that I got married in my mid 20s. My weight was normal up to then - but I suddenly put on a great deal of weight. I also gained other symptoms and later found out that I had become a PCOS lady. This generally means that my ovaries had changed causing my hormones to go mad. This somehow means that you are more likely to put on weight and find it harder to lose weight. Rather unfairly the only real suggestion for reducing the other symptoms is that they tend to improve if you lose weight.
As I got bigger - my husband decided to keep me company in the larger sizes - so he got bigger too.
Every so often we would make an attempt to lose weight - and as soon as one of us failed the other would fail too.
Over the years we have both joined (and paid vast membership fees to) three different gyms. We have been members of weight watchers too. Many times we have tried counting calories and got nowhere. Each time we have put back on every pound that we lost - and some more as well.
At the start of this year I weighed 21 stones (i.e. 294 pounds) and I am 5 foot 3 inches tall with a small frame.
At the same time my husband was about 25 and a half stones (i.e. about 357 pounds). He is 5 foot 8 inches tall.
In February this year I was inspired by a successful slimmer on television and like him have started walking.
Unlike previous attempts I am not doing this alongside my husband. He joins me in some aspects but not all - and this means that I do not see a choice that he makes as US failing in OUR diet.
I am careful with my food and choose healthy food - but have not counted calories. This is mainly because every attempt which involved this failed in the past - so I have little faith in it producing the desired effect for me. Experience tells me that I get sick of counting calories and do not bother (in fact trying is more likely to make me give up on the whole idea) - and I certainly never bother after the diet has finished.
I now wear a pedometer every day - and have increased my walking from basically nothing (I had the ultimate sedentary lifestyle). In the early stages of this project I congratulated myself if I went out and walked 3/4 of a mile in the day.
I have become very committed to my weight loss project and have recently averaged 28,000 to 30,000 steps per day. I have found that I like walking - although the idea of going to a gym does not appeal. In fact - when I did go to gyms the only thing that I ever used was the treadmill.
I prefer to go out into the fresh air and see people. Most days I walk by the river - and quite a lot of people see me out walking every day and speak to me.
My husband has recently started wearing a pedometer - and has brought his average step count up to about 5,000 steps per day. He has managed to keep his weight fairly static this year - which is quite an achievement in itself as it is so easy to put weight on.
I still have a very long way to go. I am down to 14 stones 5 pounds today (i.e. 201 pounds).
Every time that I have hit plateaus I have reacted by increasing the distance that I walk each day. Although this technique has worked thus far - I am getting to the stage where I think that I am walking far enough. I seem to currently be staggering from one plateau to the next.
That is enough about me.
I was pleased to spot these forums - as it seems to be very friendly - and there is also a lot of good advice.
My name is Margaret and I live in England.
I am 48 years old, and very happily married.
My weight problems began around the time that I got married in my mid 20s. My weight was normal up to then - but I suddenly put on a great deal of weight. I also gained other symptoms and later found out that I had become a PCOS lady. This generally means that my ovaries had changed causing my hormones to go mad. This somehow means that you are more likely to put on weight and find it harder to lose weight. Rather unfairly the only real suggestion for reducing the other symptoms is that they tend to improve if you lose weight.
As I got bigger - my husband decided to keep me company in the larger sizes - so he got bigger too.
Every so often we would make an attempt to lose weight - and as soon as one of us failed the other would fail too.
Over the years we have both joined (and paid vast membership fees to) three different gyms. We have been members of weight watchers too. Many times we have tried counting calories and got nowhere. Each time we have put back on every pound that we lost - and some more as well.
At the start of this year I weighed 21 stones (i.e. 294 pounds) and I am 5 foot 3 inches tall with a small frame.
At the same time my husband was about 25 and a half stones (i.e. about 357 pounds). He is 5 foot 8 inches tall.
In February this year I was inspired by a successful slimmer on television and like him have started walking.
Unlike previous attempts I am not doing this alongside my husband. He joins me in some aspects but not all - and this means that I do not see a choice that he makes as US failing in OUR diet.
I am careful with my food and choose healthy food - but have not counted calories. This is mainly because every attempt which involved this failed in the past - so I have little faith in it producing the desired effect for me. Experience tells me that I get sick of counting calories and do not bother (in fact trying is more likely to make me give up on the whole idea) - and I certainly never bother after the diet has finished.
I now wear a pedometer every day - and have increased my walking from basically nothing (I had the ultimate sedentary lifestyle). In the early stages of this project I congratulated myself if I went out and walked 3/4 of a mile in the day.
I have become very committed to my weight loss project and have recently averaged 28,000 to 30,000 steps per day. I have found that I like walking - although the idea of going to a gym does not appeal. In fact - when I did go to gyms the only thing that I ever used was the treadmill.
I prefer to go out into the fresh air and see people. Most days I walk by the river - and quite a lot of people see me out walking every day and speak to me.
My husband has recently started wearing a pedometer - and has brought his average step count up to about 5,000 steps per day. He has managed to keep his weight fairly static this year - which is quite an achievement in itself as it is so easy to put weight on.
I still have a very long way to go. I am down to 14 stones 5 pounds today (i.e. 201 pounds).
Every time that I have hit plateaus I have reacted by increasing the distance that I walk each day. Although this technique has worked thus far - I am getting to the stage where I think that I am walking far enough. I seem to currently be staggering from one plateau to the next.
That is enough about me.
I was pleased to spot these forums - as it seems to be very friendly - and there is also a lot of good advice.
Wishing you all the best...
