The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Mom23]

Wow! It's been a very busy couple of weeks for me and I really haven't had much time to get on the computer to catch up with all of you! You are all such an inspiration to me...

I love that we can have journals now -- hopefully, things have slowed down in my household and I can keep up with a journal.

To start, I'm Bobbi. I'm 45 (until August). Since puberty, I've actually had a tendency to put on weight, but I always managed to lose it -- I never made it to the "obese" category, that is, until my pregnancy with my oldest (who will be 18 in August). I had a complicated pregnancy with her and gained over 70 pounds (11 of which were gained in 2 days!!!). I joined Weight Watchers when she was about 4 months old and then lo and behold, I was pregnant again. I didn't gain as much with the next pregnancy, but heck, I didn't need to!

Oops my 8 year old wants breakfast and I need to refill my water bottle, so I'll continue later!

[JeepGirl]

Hi Bobbi!! Congrats on your restart!!
I am really enjoying reading everyones journals as it shows me that I "aint the only one!"

When is your birthday in August? Mine is the 5th.

[Mom23]

so, it's been the battle of up and down weight for 18 years. I've tried a couple of other diets besides WW. I had another baby 8 years ago -- after I had lost over 30 pounds on a Christian based weight loss program. I had a very difficult pregnancy (very long story, but it was a very scary 9 months) and know that God blessed me with a miracle son.

Two years ago, I joined LA Weightloss and did very well. I also worked out a lot and suddenly my weight came to a screeching halt. I stayed on the program during an almost 4 month (yes, MONTHS) plateau. Then I started to gain a pound here and there. The counselors and nutritionists kept giving me different advise, changed my program, etc. I finally gave up as I felt that no one really knew what to do with me. I also let life get in the way -- we were trying to sell a house, build a house and had lots of turmoil in our lives. Slowly but surely those pounds I lost found me.

I hated how I looked. I wanted my daughter to be proud of me when she introduced me to her friends in college (when she starts), so I decided to look into a solid weight loss program. That's where I discovered Medifast and decided to take a chance.

I got slightly off track over the past couple of weeks. My daughter graduated from high school, my son was officially diagnosed with autism(we suspected it), my other daughter has been diagnosed with ADD, my step-son just got married, and we had to go to my newly graduated daughter's freshman orientation out of state (she'll be 8 hours away in PA), and DH was diagnosed with diabetes. Lots of stress to say the least, yet with prayer I am getting through all of it...

During this time I tried to eat wisely -- I 'sort of' followed the program. I did not go wild. I gained one pound and lost it plus 2 pounds since I started back on track 3 days ago. I know this program works and I'm determined to see it through.

I am taking one day at a time and sometimes I'm having to break it down into smaller time increments. I am doing a lot of self-talk and prayer, but I need to do this for my family and me. I need to be healthy and strong for my DH and children and I need to show all of them that with lots of prayer and determination we can overcome any obstacle that is put in front of us.

[Mom23]

Hi JeepGirl! Thanks for the encouragement. I'm glad to meet you and know that you'll do well! My birthday is August 23. My oldest daughter's is August 2nd.

I know we'll be chatting lots -- welcome to the group!

[DntCryLilEmoGrl]

my cousin and i also did la weight loss.. i didnt find them that helpful and i guess like ww it gave me too much freedom to cheat lol. but they really upset my cousin when they told her "you dont want to be a fat bride at your wedding do you?' grr after that i didnt like them

[Mom23]

This program is the best. I am so encouraged by all of the posters here -- the success everyone is having is such motivation to me. When I feel the slightest temptation, I just think about all of the weight everyone has lost and is losing...
It's been hot and humid here so getting my water in has been a breeze. I also find that when the weather is like this, my appetitie is not as good, so that to me, is a good thing! Just give me my puddings and my hot cocoa plus a grilled L&G and I'm a happy camper!

[Mom23]

What happened? Looking back, I allowed my stress and those "little cheats" stop me in my tracks. I would take a bite of something and let that evil voice tell me "oh, it's just a bite -- it won't hurt" Well, little bites turned into bigger bites, then into meals and pig-outs and now I have to lose 12 pounds over again PLUS the other pounds I need to lose. I find it so hard to fight that little demon voice sometimes -- I can find all sorts of excuses , but it just boils down to my love of fattening foods.

All summer long, my MF foods would try to draw me back in -- I'd start out great -- I'd make myself a shake or cocoa in the morning, have a pudding or bar 3 hours later, another MF product, and then WHAM! my almost perfect MF schedule would breakdown and I'd eat something wrong. Then I'd "cop" this attitude and think "well, I blew it now, I might as well finish the day bad and start again tomorrow".

As my newer jeans and tops started to get more snug, I realized that this way of poor eating was doing me harm. I had been avoiding the scale, staying away from here (because I was embarrassed and actually felt like a failure when I stopped by one time and saw the successes), and was in absolute denial.

It took a lot of self-talk and self-lecturing to get me back here. I also received an email from Becky, my health advisor, and I knew right then, that I needed to get serious about this weight loss again. I was successful and doing it before and can do it again.

So, here I am, on day 2, I have a headache, but tylenol will help. I have my cocoa and water in front of me, and I will take one hour at a time. I know that after day 3 or 4, it will be easier, and with the wonderful losers here, I will have the inspiration and motivation to do what is best for me -- to LOSE all of this flab! Because as Nancy says "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" -- and she is absolutely correct!!!

[Mom23]

It hasn't been easy, but I'm sticking with it -- since Friday, I've lost 4 lbs -- not too shabby -- I'll take it! Now I have 8 more lbs to lose to get back to where I was. I hate that I have to re-lose these pounds -- makes me so mad!

Whenever I feel I might slip up, I come here and read all about everyone's successes. It is so inspirational and motivational to me. If I am going to succeed at this I need to make myself more accountable and I have to face my food addiction head-on. I am addicted to food and I love to eat and I'm going to have to re-train myself once and for all!

[Mom23]

I've been kicking myself pretty good over the last week or so and now I am so angry at myself that I'm determined to make this work.

I did so well last spring with staying compliant and losing over 30 poiunds and then I let those little excuses get in the way -- step-sons wedding, daughters high school graduation, daughters college orientation trip, fourth of july, birthdays, etc. etc. I kept telling myself "oh, I'll get back on program tomorrow". When tomorrow came, I started out so well until mid-afternoon and then I let temptations get the best of me. And they really got the best of me -- I gained back 12 pounds as of the end of October!! Now, I have to lose that 12 pounds AGAIN (well now it's down to 5)! It makes me so angry that I have to lose that weight again -- that I let myself give in to those temptations, let those excuses rule my eating and make my goal weight further away from what it would have been if I had just stayed the course! UGGGGGGGGGGGH.

During the past 2 weeks, I have been making an extra effort to come here, I look at the befores and afters in the Studio and I see the faces of those who started around the time I did, of those that I got to "know" last spring, and I see how well they are doing, see how thin they are and see that they are 'doing it' (or did it) and I tell myself -- that if they can do it, so can I. I did it before and if I had stuck with it, I would be at or very close to goal and I could be buying those smaller more fashionable clothes.

I think what I'm trying to say is that I believe it is all in the mindset. I am coming to believe that if it is what we really want to do -- if we are truly determined to lose the weight, then we will not let those excuses and temptations block our path. I admit, I am a food addict, but I cannot and will not allow food to rule my life anymore. I am tired of being fat, I am tired of comparing myself to others or being embarrassed in front of others who have self-discipline and take care of themselves. Those feelings last and have more of an impact on me then the momentary temptation -- I hate feeling "inferior" or like I failed, so I am going to stay the course. I don't like feeling regrets, I don't like to have to inwardly 'beat myself up', and I know that if I give in then I am going to continue this cycle of up and down weight and feelings of remorse. I am going to take back my health and my life...

I'm not saying it is going to be easy. I know it won't be. I have 3 children that have trouble GAINING weight. The doctor says they need to weigh more! I have to keep those food temptations in my house because they are the foods that help my children get those extra calories. I have to really make an extra effort of feeding my son (who is autistic and ADHD) high caloric foods because he won't eat if I don't feed him. I just have to mentally talk to myself and change my attitude towards those foods -- they are off limits to me -- they got me to where I am -- they are the reason I have to fight so hard to lose weight -- they are my children's "medicine" and not mine...

I have to take this challenge one day at a time -- one hour at a time -- one prayer at a time. Today I pledge to myself that I will be compliant...