Struggling with Loosing Weight and Need Some Good Ideas

I am a 40 year old work at home mom and have fought with my weight my whole life. I was the biggest ever in November and finally did something. I have done every diet known to man (almost) and I learned more about not having to feel full to be full and eating frequently with what I am doing now, though this is personal and what works for you may take some thought. I am on the Smart for Life program, aka the cookie diet. I eat 6 "cookies" they are fiber bars a day, 5-6 oz of protein at lunch and 5-6 oz of protein at dinner with some veggies. I have lost 55 pounds and have never felt better. I am never hungry and never feel overly full, but I am full as I am not hungry. Whatever you do, good luck and stick to it. BTW, a friend to do it with also really helps. I started with my neighbor.

HI D.,

I just had my baby in February. I had always been a little "chunkalicious" but baby added 25 more pounds which put me at a weight where I don't feel healthy anymore. At first, I was doing exactly what you were doing; "watching" what I ate. I always ate lots of veggies, salads and lean meats, but I didn't realize that I was snacking as well,& those few handfuls of nuts or m&m's are actually a LOT of calories! "watching" what you eat can end up being very deceptive. In the past two weeks, I have lost about 8 pounds by using the following method: I write down what I am going to eat for the day BEFORE the day begins, and I stick to it. If I am going to have a handful of nuts, I write down 2 TBS nuts or whatever (by the way, my handful of nuts was usually a LOT more that 2 TBS!). Then I walked for 30-45 minutes 4 x a week. I used this method when I was in college and I dropped 50 lbs!I am going to keep this up and I believe I WILL lose the rest of the baby weight over the next three months! Good Luck! You can do it!

I'm 50 and have been struggling for the last 8 yrs with an additional 30 lbs. I think as a mom it's easy to fall into the routine of taking care of everyone but ourselves so using that train of thought I decided to get a dog.

Now since I don't have a fenced yard I have to take the dog out walking several times a day ranging from 5 minute pee breaks to 30-40 minute excercise walks. I've had him for 2 weeks and have lost 8 lbs.

The other thing is that since my dog only eats twice a day I have cut down to only eatting twice a day on his schedule. Any eatting other than breakfast and dinner is fruit or a veggie.

It's funny how once again I'm thinking of someone else instead of myself but this time around I'm getting the benefits.

Depending on how long you have been trying, I would talk to your doc. Under-active thyroid runs in my family and it is extremely difficult to loose weight with the condition. My mom will be 50 in September and has had this for at least 5 years now. She does so well on dieting and exercising, but can't seem to make much of a dent in the scale.
If you have been doing this for a while, and think that you should be loosing when you're not, ask your doc if there is anything he/she can check for to make sure that you're not fighting against a brick wall.

Other than that, the only words of encouragement I have is to keep trying. One or two weeks isn't going to be enough. Maybe challenge yourself a little more. Good luck, and good for you trying to get back in shape. Right now, I have 1 more month until my due date with our first, so come summer, I will be out there with you trying to loose the baby pounds! I hope you are able to accomplish your goals, and try to stick with it even if the scale doesn't give you the numbers you want. Its good to live healthy anyway, and you will be a good role model for your son.

I am first of all so sorry that it is a struggle. I can speak for my mother only. My mom weighed easily over 200 lbs. my whole life. When I was in college I came back home and half of her was gone! Literally! She tried dieting, etc. all her life and never could do it. She decided to try portion control. Everything she ate, she only ate the serving size. She absolutely does not count her calories! In fact she eats carbs, etc. She does not allow herself to have any dessert during the week. She waits till Sunday and allows herself to eat desserts up to a certain point in the day if she desires. But that is the only day! She also told me when she first started this she was hungrier than she would like to be, b/c she had stretched out her stomach in the past from overeating her portions too much. It took a good week or two for her stomach to come back down to the size it really should be. She has been doing it for probably 10 years now and has lost over 90 lbs. She has kept that weight off ever since she started. She says that food now is just not as important in her life like it used to be. She doesn't live to eat, she eats to live.

It sounds like you need to burn more calories. Maybe the walking isn't enough. I know that exercising is the only thing that really helps me. Try doing some strength training in addition to your cardio. Having more muscle will help your body to burn more calories even while resting. Also, try walking up some hills if you like to walk and carry hand weights. Or maybe do some different cardio sometimes. Do you have a Wii? If you do, there's a great game called "My Personal Trainer". It's great! Otherwise, try some DVD's. Jillian Michael's has some good ones and they're only about $10-15 each. Some cable companies have workouts for free on their service and if you have NetFlix they also have workout DVD's.

Take time for yourself for some exercise. Running around after a 4 yr old doesn't count. I don't know why but it doesn't. Try walking or joining a gym, plus eating a certain amount of caleries daily matters too. At least 1800 caleries per day. My sister-in-law joined Weight watchers and it has worked for her.

Hi D.,

I have found that only the Lord can truly free you from the bondage of food and weight. When you draw near to Him and spend time in pray and in His word, seeking Him with your whole heart, you will find Him and He will help you overcome your struggles with weight. Now don't get me wrong, you will still have to do the work, but God will be your strength. "For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity;" (Jeremiah 29:11-14a) The Lord promises to bring you out of your captivity D., trust in Him and lean not on your own understanding...He will set you free! If I can help or if you just want to chat, know that I am here for you.

God Bless,
C.

Try eating foods that speed up your metabolism. Baked sweet potatoes, fish, berries and all leafy green veggies. Drink lots of water too.

D.-
My brother is a holistic physician and his partner a nutritionist. You must stop eating processed foods, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, foods that are not organic will have pesticides and are often genetically modified. Eat organic everything and NO "diet" food of any type. No diet soda, no diet sugars, and no low fat anything. Believe it or not, this stuff ultimately makes you fat. Eat often -- every 2-3 hours....even if its a little bit. Drink lots of pure , truly pure water. And keep moving. You will lose weight but you must reset your metabolism....unless you have a thyroid issue, this should do it. Stick with it--make it a lifestyle change. You will feel better too. Eat foods closest to their original form and make sure you eat some raw stuff too.
If you like protein shakes, I promote an excellent one--it is a vegetable pea and brown rice protein-21 grams-highly assimilated by the body and packed with vitamins, anti-stress and anti-aging ingredient. If you want to learn more and try it, go to www.beauty-with-integrity.com. Go and read just to get the knowledge.....I hope this helps you a bit..
R.

The weight watchers program and lots of high calorie burn exercise (weight training, kick boxing, jogging)is what it took for me to loose 50 pounds, 10 to go. Persistence. You can't just give up at a bad week.

Hi D. - at 43 your metabolism has slowed down some. I am an Arbonne Consultant #17222859 and decided to use some of our products. I am not, repeat,not able to exercise (I keep busy), but by using our Fizz Tabs and Going, Going, Gone blend and just trying to stay away from a lot of processed food and watch how many bad carbs I eat, I have lost 22lbs since the first of the year!! If you want, call me ###-###-#### and we can figure out what is the best program for you. Talk with you soon, I. J.

D., You're on the right track. You do need to be patient, and you do need to up the exercise plan. Yep, the 40s are a pain. Depression is the worst and adds to slowing your metabolism down. Keep in mind that you need to follow a life-style change instead of a diet, because you'll gain it all back once you go off the diet or stop taking diet aids. You can even eat bread, just don't combine your starches in the same meal. Example: Don't eat pasta and bread at the same meal. (Starches are breads, pasta, rice, peas, and corn.) Keep in mind that you may not see any changes for 3 months, so try to be patient. Measure out your serving sizes. (a deck of playing cards is the size of a single portion of meat.)Exercise 5-6 days/week for 1 hour. 3 times is not enough. You can divid up the hour into 2 half hour sessions if you like.

Get your 4 year old to help you exercise....Make a rope ladder to put on the ground to do ladder exercises. (It's on the internet for free.) Kids love to skip up and down the ladder, so you can take turns. Play a made up version of soccer without worrying about who wins. My son and I used to race after a huge ball (You know those .99-$1.00 ones in the big fenced in container.) and see who could kick it first. 4 year olds can give you a nice "run" for your money and lots of wonderful sweat.

Hi D.,
Once you get to be our age, it's not so easy to take that weight off, I'm hearing you.
I've never followed one of those plans or anything. Usually when I'm trying to be better about eating, I try to up the fiber - oatmeal with nuts for breakfast, an interesting salad with protein at lunch, an apple in the car on the way home from work - one of those microwave 100 calorie popcorn packs if I need a snack. I also found in the past, what I had success with is what I referred to as the Quarter Plan - ate whatever I normally ate in terms of types of foods at meals and snacks, but threw out 1/4 of everything or put back 1/4 of it ... effectively cutting out 25 % of the fat and calories.
Being more active should help. For a few years, I was primarily a SAHM when my son was a toddler/preschooler and my daughter was in elementary school, and I would exercise daily when my son napped or was at preschool. Harder to find the time now - after work/school, it's always something - orthodontist, baseball practice, band practice, etc - so I walk with a friend during our lunch hour - we eat for 1/2 hour and walk for 1/2 hour.
I see that you're a SAHM - does your son go to preschool? If so, use that time to exercise, 1/2 hour every day. If you can afford it, join a gym with childcare. Find a friend with whom you can swap kids every other day for an hour so that you can each exercise.
I'd also suggest getting rid of the scale. If you lose 2 pounds, it's not going to look any different on you if you need to lose 40, and it's going to frustrate you. The weight is just a number and doesn't determine how you look. Keep eating healthy and increase your exercise, and you'll know when your body looks the way that you want it to.
Good luck D.!

I am sure you will get many ideas - however here is a website for you to consider during your research.

http://www.cinchplan.com/healthmatters4u

If you decide to use it, your are guaranteed satisfaction or money back. Do your due diligence and ask any questions you want? Please be careful not to take anything that has not been clearly researched and that does not come from a reputable company with a proven history of integrity. There are a lot of scary things on the market - your safety is more important than 40 pounds. :)

L.

Weight Watchers!!! I tried for years to loose weight and had done al you are doing currently and would get frustrated and quit! I tried weight wachers for a few months and lost 17 lbs. The meetings helped me to stay try to what I should do and the program taught me what I really should eat and what a "portion" is!!! I was never hungry because of the program (sometimes only because I didn't follow the program). I am currently 28 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child but plan on going back to weight watchers after the baby is born. You may start the program and find you only need to do the at home (computer) program but I found the meetings were very good for me to stay honest with myself! Good luck! A.

Hi D., I totally know where you are coming from. I have battled weight my entire life. I have tried all the fad diets and honestly have found Weight Watchers to be an excellent program. They really do teach you proper portion control and help you learn how to incorporate all kinds of food into your daily life. It's not quick and it's not easy and you will definitely go through weeks when you just don't want to follow the plan but if you stick to it you will definitely lose weight. Good luck.

Throw out your scale! As you walk and move your body, don't think about the weight, think about how you are enjoying the movement and allow yourself to be inspired to eat better, make healthy choices. Don't completely deprive yourself! The idea is to feel good not punished. If you have a little yummy at some point don't get frustrated with yourself. If you're going to eat it, Enjoy it! Play physical games and run around with your son. Pay attention to how you feel when you're moving your body, Enjoy it! Pay attention to how you feel when you eat healthy food, Enjoy it! Be inspired by it! Keep it all positive, soon you'll be walking up the block a little faster, a little less out of breath and you'll want to walk more because it feels good! You might look in the mirror occasionally, or feel different parts of your body, but don't step on a scale!
Feel Good and Enjoy the Ride!
Peacefully,
Chris

My suggestion would be to step up your activity level. When you walk make sure you are walking at a brisk pace. Enough that you can carry on a conversation with some difficulty but still can breathe. Try carrying 5 pound weights with you while you walk. Also go to the doctor for a physical and have blood work. Request a thyroid test to make sure everything is okay there. Just have them do a complete blood work on you so you know where you stand before you start. This way in a year when you get retested you can see the results of your hard work!! Good luck to you on your quest for a healthy life!

PS stop using the word diet and use life style change instead!! Even if you do not lose weight your body still could be changing. you might be losing fat and gaining muscle. Go by how you feel and how your clothes fit and don't worry about the scale so much!!

I can definitely feel your pain! I got back down to my pre-pregnancy weight w/both girls (11&5) but now it's the killer. Plus I quit smoking almost 2 yrs ago so that adds to it. I'd so much prefer the diet coke/nicotine diet anyday! But in all seriousness I think that it's so easy to gain when we have young children. I would find myself munching out on my daughters snacks, then I'd feel inclined to eat mac & cheese w/her for lunch just about everyday! It is a very hard thing to do as far as the discipline goes - one thing that my dr told me was that if you are only walking to maintain - doing the same # of laps or miles per day, it wouldn't really do much w/out adding a lap or two a day. I have done the meridia diet which was a diet rx pill - that worked but was about $5/day just for the pills - I've done Weight Watchers - I think one of the best things to do is to write in a journal what you had during the day at the time you are eating. For some reason it made me less likely to cheat. Good luck!

My friends all do Zoomba...and they love it, I'd love to start but the class is during 2 kids soccer practices...and I'm so there with you, don't deprive yourself of anything or it won't work if you're miserable...portion control is the key and hey you're not alone!!!

D., I have lost ten pounds in a little over two weeks on a great new program! I have not had to change my eating habits and absolutely love the results I have received. Go to www.c4weightloss.com and order some today. You will be glad you did!

After I had my youngest daughter, I still ad 43 pounds that didn't leave...lol. I started drinking Arizona Green Tea because it tasted good. Little did I know that it also was helping me loose weight. I lost the 40 pounds in two months. I didn't drink much pop during that time and still drank water and milk, but I found that the tea was what did it.

Nanc

Hi D.-

I've been working on my weight recently as well and have a couple of things to share. First, about 8 years ago (before kids) and then again this winter I've used Weightwatchers.com It's only $16/month to join and you can keep track of your weight, journal your food and search recipes on there. I'm not a meeting person, but I like the database of points and foods. I like WW because it allows you to live your regular life. If you want pizza for lunch, you realized you'll need a salad with some chicken at dinner to keep below your points for the day. I've lost 15lbs this time, and used it to lose 40 before.

You might also like hungrygirl.com. It's neat site with lots of ideas, recipes, and info on newer products. I've found some great tips there.

Finally, I'm now following a new "diet" I got from a friend. She had gestational diabetes and was put on this by the nutritionist. Her GD went away and she stayed on the plan and lost her baby weight practically immediately. It's lower carb diet. You can eat 1-2 servings of carbs at dinner, 2-3 at lunch, as many snacks as you want at 1-2 servings, and 4-5 for dinner. Any item that has more that 4 grams of dietary fiber, you can subtract that number from the total. I wont' lie, I really haven't lost weight doing it and I've been on it for about 2 weeks, but I feel better and WAY more energetic. My friend's husband has also lost weight this way and they say you need to give it a couple of weeks. I'm hoping to see results soon, but certainly the energy is helping me exercise more. If I don't see results soon, I'm hoping to combine the WW and lower carb "diets". Phew, that's a lot - I hope it helps!!

Hi D.,
I'm a 35 year old mom of 6 (13 days, 2,4,6,8, 10) and know how you feel about the added weight. During my first pregnancy I gained 70lbs, and was very depressed because of it. I managed to take the weight off within a year, and since then have returned to my ideal size (the size I was when dh and I got married) between each pregnancy. The best advice I can give is to imagine your body at your ideal weight. Think about how it felt to have a spring in your step, to have that extra energy available because you're lighter, to put on those flattering clothes that accentuate your best physical features. When you look in the mirror, focus on what you love about your body - even if it's your ankles! Love yourself as you are, and use your imagination to feel what it's like to be slim, and I promise, your efforts at weightloss (sounds like you're doing all the right things!) will surely pay off. Also, give yourself a time limit. Focus on a deadline within which you will fit into a certain size - and maybe use the clothing size as a marker instead of your scale (they can get off easily!). All my best to you!
G.

I gained a few pounds this winter. Plus, I was obese for 3 1/2 yrs when I was a kid. Therefore, I always have to watch what I eat & excercise is a must for me...

Make sure you eat a small breakfast. I eat a pc of organic fruit.

I walk 3 times a week, too. Do you walk fast? I find that a stroll does not help me lose weight...I bring water!

I eat a healthy mid-morning snack.

For lunch, I've been eating a salad w/ an organic vinegarette dressing and I add chick peas or black beans for protein. I add at least 4 veggies in every salad...

I eat a mid-afternoon snack, too.

I drink 10 oz. of water about an hr and a half before dinner.

I always eat another small salad before dinner. Then, a regular dinner w/ the family. Nothing fried or high-fat is served in my house...

At night, I lift light weights at least 3x a week. And on Sundays, I have my husband watch the kids and I excercise for an additional 1 full hour.

Evenings, I do 3 sets of crunches during the week when I'm lifting weights. It's important to keep your core strong!

Cutting portions is always a great thing to do. Do not starve your body though. When you diet, muscle is lost. A combo of aerobic excercise and lifting light weights is a great combo to retain muscle. Occasionally, I do yoga in place lifting weights.

After age 35, fat replaces muscle a bit every yr we age. So, excercise is so important!

Rule out any medical conditions...just to be on the safe side.

Think positve, too! Your mind plays a big part in this provided that you eat healthy and excercise. It takes a few months before results really begin to take place.

Take it one day at a time and try not to be stressed out about it. I had to lose 70 plus pounds to be in the normal range...I did it!

You sound like me! I think you need to add more fats into your diet - the lowfat direction is making your body shut down and not burn up anything. If you want a book for direction, I recommend "The Maker's Diet" by Dr. Jordan Rubin or "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" by Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon.

Weight Watchers! Its a fabulous program to really put into perspective exactly what you are eating. You will look at things very differently once you start realizing TRUE portion sizes and exactly how certain foods really contribute to weight gain...even healthy foods. Keep exercising, try to kick it up a notch if you can - maybe add some 1 pound hand weights. I find that I need to really be mentally into the challenge - sometimes I just don't have it, but when i do I can really do well. I think thats where weight watchers helps b/c meetings and online support will get you into it, in addition to teaching you how to really eat well and track what you are eating. When I'm not writing things down, its sooooooo easy to go overboard and not realize it. Sounds like you are on the right track, you just need to "tweek" your program and stick with it!

Hi D.,

I am 42 and have been trying to loose weight for a long time. I finally found something that is working for me, slowly. The sugar prevention cookbook is very good, the recipes are good and they help keep your blood sugar regulated throughout the day so you are not as hungry. I have replaced white flour with whole wheat flour. It is very important that you eat a well rounded breakfast (whole grains, protein and fat). Some healthy options are peanut- butter (power house of nutrition)and banana on rye toast, or 2 eggs and a whole wheat muffin and a piece of fruit. The Sugar Connection has a very good peanut butter muffin recipe that is 93 calories, paired with 2 eggs and a banana, you will stay full and eat less throughout the day. make small changes and include your family in eating more healthy, the kids will not notice if you add healthy foods gradually.

One week is not enough, give your self more time, one day you will step on the scale and notice that you have lost some weight. Also, rather than concentrating on the scale, focus on your health and how your clothes are fitting.

Another good resource online is Myfitnesspal.com a free online weight loss site. Online Weight Watchers is also good.

Don't deprive yourself, have a treat every now and then that way you won't binge. Most importantly remember that weight loss is a life style change. Think Healthy for you and your entire family and you will loose.

Stay away from products made with high fructose corn syrup. It is in everything, including diet products and bread. It is better to eat whole foods. Read labels.

Let us know how you are doing.
Best of Luck
Sarah

Hi D.. Of course most of us can relate to this process. I am at my highest weight EVER at the moment, and my husband and I are teaming up to lose weight together. I hope it actually happens this time. there is a great website that is FREE. It's www.sparkspeople.com

D.,

Talk with your OB about your feelings - and for ideas! It was amazing to find out most of the OB's in my doctor's practice have great physique and have had more than one child! Don't let your weight get you down - but if you are down, the doctor will have a better strategy for helping you with your weight loss and your 'down' times.

One week won't do it! Your body is adjusting to being really, really good - and I don't know if that means denying yourself or just good portion control. Weigh yourself only in the AM. There are a couple of sites that may help you with recording and being positive about your weight loss: www.flylady.net and www.bratfactor.com - They are two positive women who have free stuff on their site.

Take a brisk walk after you eat. Drink a glass of water before you eat - and after. Develop a sense of hurry when you hit the stairs, don't take them slowly! (well, don't sprint with the laundry basket - or you'll be doing a lot more stairs!) Think of your house as an $xxxK stairmaster! :)

Think slim: consider everything you want to add to bless your body through your mouth. Think more of whole foods than processed. Add a cup of vegetables to whatever you are eating - even if you have to resort to a snack tray (you know, carrots/broccoli/tiny tomatoes, etc with a little bit of your favorite dip or even just a little ranch dressing - put a tray in the fridge and when you want that cookie - grab a veggie!). Take your son on nature hikes. Pack water and finger veggies - save the granola for a real hike.

If you are used to desserts - and are really missing them, can you manage to have a 'tiny' dessert? (Are you able to dismiss them altogether and not want them? I want THAT from you! :)

There are a ton more things to think about, including light exercise and yoga and much more. Don't overwhelm yourself, and remember: the weight didn't get there overnight - don't beat yourself up over it not going away overnight! If you lose a pound a week - or even a half pound a week - and keep it off, that is MUCH healthier than dropping a lot and not keeping it off.

Good luck! You've done half the battle and want to know more. Keep it up! You're doing great and you don't even realize it.

M.

Hi D.: I have noticed in my area the gyms and curves are doing great deals. Curves in my opinion is the best stepping stone for loosing weight. Their workout routine is great and they really help with things like portion control. Good luck, I'm not as thin as I would like(who ever is anyway?), but I feel healthier then I have in a long time. I went to Curves for a year to get into the routine of exercising and now I use the tread mill and weights at the local "Y"

Hi D.,

No one has mentioned a wonderful program called Overeaters Anonymous. It's a 12-step program similar to AA, and it's basically free (you donate 1-2 dollars per meeting if you want). Check out their website for a meeting near you: http://www.oa.org -- it's the only program that has ever worked for me, and I have done them all, including Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. Good luck!

Can you join a gym? Planet fitness is only $10 a month. Or, if you have the $ other gyms have childcare but are more pricey.

Anyway, I have found that weightlifting as the best way to lose weight. It makes your metabolism work around the clock. When I get really into it and weightlift a couple times a week and do cardio a couple times a week, I do really well losing weight. Not only does it make you burn calories, but it makes you feel really good about yourself and you don't feel like falling into that depressive eating habit.

Another thing to try is writing down what you eat. It makes you honest with yourself. If you are TRULY eating just the veggies, whole grains, and lean meats, I think you would lose weight. So there must be some subconcious eating you are doing that you aren't realizing.

And I just want to make sure I don't sound judgemental.... So i want to let you know I have struggled with my weight and I lost 80 pounds over 2 years doing what I suggested. Unfortunately, I gained 6o back when I got preggers with my daughter. After I have my 2nd kid (due in July) I plan on doing exactly what I am advising you to lose it again.

If you want any support or want more detail on how I REALLY lost the 80 pounds, you can email me through my profile. And, starting in July, I may need a support to do it again....

get your thyroid checked. the stubborn weight gain could be a symptom that you are hypothyroid. this happened to me. also, try to eat only foods that are natural. nothing processed at all. thirdly, you must increase your workout. try interval running and walking. interval training burns more fat. and you must do it at least 4 days a week. on the off days, lift weights and do push ups and sit ups at home. it's hard work, but you'll feel great. good luck!

Dear D.,
Don't sweat. Thirty years ago I lost 40 pounds and have kept them off since then. I am now 51 with 2 grown children, who also have no weigh issues. I recently published a book, called "Good Things Come to Those Who Weight", which explains how to achieve your best weight for a lifetime. It should be available soon on Barnes and Noble's website and amazon.com. Look for it. It will help, I promise.
W. Olving

D.,

The 1st advice that I can give is stop depending on the scale...its like watching a pot boil water...and its only going to bring you down...and discourage you from staying on your diet.

What I did was picked a day...went on the scale and decided how much I wanted to lose...ok hard parts done right?!?!...Never....:-)...I then tried Mega-T Green Tea Diet...its a herbal diet supplement that you only take 2 time a day after your meals (this can be found at Walmart and for 90 pills its only about $10)...I didn't change my diet dramatically all in one day either...that's the problem with most diets...you have to go from all bad to absolutely nothing...which does nothing for you...after beginning my diet supplement (and yes you do get a little hyper at first because its a metabolism booster as well) and getting use to it I slowly began "adjusting" what I ate...instead of 2 pieces of bread with pasta, just having 1 and then none...and only having pasta 1 or 2 days a week instead of 4 or 5...mixing meats ...having grilled chicken 1 day, a steak (seasoned & broiled) and then maybe a tuna salad the day after....eating fruits w/ a bowl of raisin brand cereal...1 med cup of coffee a day instead of 1 extra large...etc...I also began stretching and working out every day in the morning and at night for just 5-10 mins...no killer exercises at 1st...and then I gradually build up as the days worn on...I may have even did a stretch or two in between laundry loads...by the end of my 3rd month I had already lost 30lbs without even looking at the scale...Oh and most importantly keep a water bottle by your side at all times...it became a craving for me...and it helped to keep my body up with the extra kick of metabolism it got from the supplement as well...

So don't over think it and don't depend on the scale...start out gradually and work your way up...before you know it...its already part of your daily routine...and you'll only be left wondering why you didn't do it before...

Good luck and let me know how you do...

Hi D., I share your troubles! LOL. I have been struggling to lose weight since about 3 years ago when I said enough was enough - and I put myself last as well. After I get everything done, homework, baths, dinner, bedtime, lunches for next day - I STRESS EAT. I joined Weight Watchers 2 years ago and have lost 23 pounds and kept most of it off - which tells me I have made healthy lifestyle changes on what I choose to eat. Although I still have more to go, I have found that the pressure is off if I don't concentrate on the scale as much as I concentrate on how I feel and the good food choices I make to put in my body without being so caught up in the "no carbs" or "no sugars" aspect of what I choose to eat. Hang in there - find a friend or a support buddy to help you and try to take a few more minutes a day for yourself to put yourself first - without YOU your family would be upset so you have to take care of you too! :)

Diets don't "work" because what happens when you go back to eating the way you used to when you're done dieting? Choose healthy foods, watch your bad ones but don't completely deprive yourself of them either and try to focus more on the health aspect than the weight aspect and you'd be surprised how it comes off easier that way. Stress keeps it on too!! Best of luck and keep us posted how you do! :)

Hi D. -
First of all - good for you for getting on the right track! Sounds like you are really trying by exercising and eating healthy so try not to get frustrated... (I know -its so hard!) Maybe you can put some weight training into your workouts to help build muscle which will help your metabolism.
Weight watchers has worked great for me.. For me, the key was finding a consistant meeting with a great leader that I can relate to...
Another thing that has kept me motivated was this book I recenlty read.. The Beck Diet Solution by Judith Beck (she also has a newer book - the beck diet for life - which I just started) I LOVED THIS BOOK! And I have read a lot of diet books in the past... She is a cognitive therapist, and has great tips on what to tell yourself to talk back to those sabotaging thoughts we all have... She also helps alot with dealing w/ cravings and snacking....
Keep positive! Good luck!

Hi D.,
I've learned that no matter how consistent I am when dieting I don't lose weight without exercise. Keep up the good work with your diet changes and try increasing the frequency and duration of your workouts. Maybe add some 3lb hand or ankle weights. And get a stop watch and push yourself to walk faster - go further in the same time period. Soon you'll be burning twice the calories in the same amount of time! Remember, it all comes down to calories eaten vs calories burned. And don't underestimate the value of a good multivitamin! Ask your doctor to recommend one for your weight, age and medical needs. Good luck!