[Shannon-2007]

Hi!
I have been on a lifelong journey of yo-yo dieting where I lose a little and gain twice as much back. I am determined now more than ever to lose 219 (well now only 207) pounds. I am taking phentermine for the first time and I have completely changed my eating habits/styles. In fact, when I started my diet, I went through my cabinets and fridge and took out everything that was not low calorie or fat free and that might be a temptation. I no longer eat out unless it is a salad. I am starting out slow with exercise because I am extremely out of shape. I am walking in the afternoons when possible. My husband and family are being very supportive but I would love to have some outside assistance/friends/encouragement from some of you that are going or have been through the same thing. I know that it is going to be a long journey but with the right mindset and a little motivation and encouragement, I can do it!
Thanks a Bunch!!!!!!
Shannon

[Smilee]

Hi Shannon-2007,

Welcome and GOOD LUCK. I totally understand where you are coming from. I too would like someone to talk to as well. I think that we could struggle, cry and be happy together of any accomplishments and be there for each other when we are having a really tough day. I weigh 210 and would like to get down to 140 ish. I have not seen that in a while and it would be really nice to shop for cute stuff for the smaller crowds off the clearance racks that don't look like moo moo's..lol. Anyways. YOU CAN DO IT.

[Shannon-2007]

Thanks for the vote of confidence! I know what you mean about being able to shop the clearance rack! Heck, I can't wait to be able to buy clothes from a store period! It has been Lane Bryant Catalogs for me for a while, lol! Good Luck to you! Keep me posted on your progress!
Shannon

[much2live4]

Hi Shannon-2007, I too have a great deal of weight to lose and I would be happy to have someone to encourage and recieve encouragement from. My family is also supportive and I have a little weight loss buddy here at home(My 11 year old neice)but sometimes I cant just tell them everything that I am going through because I think they will feel as though I am whining or feeling sorry for myself. I am 256 right now and have lost 19 lbs. in 4 wks. I hope to lose 101 lbs. Good Luck!

[Shannon-2007]

Much2Live4,
First off, let me say congradulations on your weight loss!!!!!You are definitely on a roll! I know exactly what you mean. No one in my family is as overweight as I am and no matter how much they love me or support me, they really don't understand what I go through on a day to day basis being this overweight. I am in this for the long haul though. I am sick and tired of my weight controlling my life. We CAN and WIll do this!!!!

[Fatty9609]

Hi Everybody,

I would like to join a support group too. I am currently 254lbs (started out at 263 2/3/07 when I started phen). I would like to get down to 140 or so. I am only 5'2" so I look like a giant balloon right now. I am worried that I am going to fall off of my new eating habits soon, b/c it is so hard to keep to it. I am worried b/c I don't have the same side effects as everybody else I see on here has. I still feel hungry when I take my pill in the morning. I am on 1/2 of a 37.5mg pill a day. I also don't get dry mouth, and I don't feel like I have more energy than normal. I know exactly what you mean Shannon, about the excercise. It is really hard b/c I am very out of shape also. I started out doing the walk away the pounds videos, and sometimes I feel like a blood vessel in my head is going to pop b/c I push myself to finsh them, and it is too embarrasing to go to a gym.

Good Luck to everybody, and I am anxious to hear about everybody's success. Keep up all the good work gals!!!

[Shannon-2007]

Fatty9609 <--- I don't like your screen name, lol, I think I will just call you 9609. I understand how you feel though. Being overweight controls your life and it is all you think about. PLEASE don't give up! 9 pounds is a GREAT start. What kind of diet are you trying? I am taking the full 37.5mg of phen and it keeps me pretty satisified for the most part. I haven't had any of the side affects either. No dry mouth, no rapid pulse...it seems to be doing what it is supposed to. I have been having a slim fast and banana for breakfast and a sandwich and yogurt for lunch. I usually eat a cereal bar and a fruit for snack and then some type of baked or grilled meat for supper. Broccoli has pretty much been the veggie of choice with supper since it is low in calories and I can eat more if I am still feeling hungry. It's all about quantity right now, lol I can't really say that the phen is what is causing me to lose weight because I have completely changed my eating patterns. I went from eating God knows how many calories a day to 2000 or less. And what I am eating is healthy stuff....no junk! Today starts the first day of my third week and as of Friday, I have lost 12 pounds. I think that is a good start. But heck, 90% of that was probably water so who knows what this week will bring. I am taking this one day at a time, one pound at a time. 219 pounds of excess fat didn't jump on me overnight and it's not going to come off overnight. I haven't exercised in the last couple of days. I am a full time student majoring in Early Childhood Education and things get so hectic in the middle of the semester. 9609 don't push yourself to do more than you think you are ready for. Start out by doing half the tape 3 or 4 times a week until you build up to doing the whole tape. When you start feeling your head about to explode slow down your exercise andthen stop...by the way, do you have blood pressure problems? I do and what you described sounds similar to what I feel when my blood pressure skyrockets. Now that I have written a novel : ) I will close..... I continue to wish everyone much success!!!

[Fatty9609]

Awww, Thanks For the advice Shannon, I feel much better now. I think I get discouraged, b/c I read some posts of people losing 9-10lbs a week. Also, I am eating healthier than ever, I would hate to actually sit down and count the calories I used to eat =(. I usually eat a weight control oatmeal in the morning and an apple, then for lunch half a sandwhich and an apple and low fat yogurt. For Dinner...just depends, sometimes meat and veggies, sometimes, I just go to subway b/c I get too stressed to try to make a healthy meal. Does anybody eat those weight watchers or lean cuisines? Do they fill you up? I just look at how small the box is and take a pass. I swear, my eating is out of control sometimes. I did have high blood pressure when I first started the phen, but it has gone done tremendously..but I know it is not b/c of the phen, it is b/c of my eating habits. My acid reflux has gone away too, b/c I am not eating McDonald's everyday. I know that it is not going to happen overnight, I just feel so much pressure from my friends and family to get down to a good size. Well I hope that your week is going well!!

[Shannon-2007]

9609, you have got to internalize your weight loss goal. And by this, I mean you have to get to a mindset where you are losing for you. Not for family and friends that are pressuring you. If they are not overweight, I can assure you that they don't know the half of what we go through on a day to day basis. It's easy for them to say you need to lose weight but it is a lot harder to do. Eating healthy is a new experience for me. Until now,I have never went to the store and bought a fat free, low-calorie anything! And I guess the way that I would describe my relationship with food is similar to how alcoholics feel about alcohol or drug addicts feel about drugs. It was controlling my life. And, if I lost the mindset that I have now, it could easily take back over. My every waking moment revolved around food. And I guess if I am going to be honest, it still does. I am scared to death of having a weak moment and giving in to temptation. I know that it is going to take me a long time to lose the full 219 pounds but I try to take it one day at a time. I made myself a schedule for eating so that I would know exactly what time the next meal or snack would be. If I am having a particularly bad day, instead of trying to make it to the next day, I try to make it to the next meal. And it's really not that I am hungry....it's just wanting to eat out of habit or because I am distressed about something.
9609, are you eating enough calories during the day?? My doctor recommended a 2000 calorie diet because of the amount of weight that I have to lose. Once I have lost a certain amount, he will lower it. You have to eat to keep your metabolism working. He suggested eating breakfast first thing every morning to get it kickstarted. The list of foods that he gave me to choose from is huge. There are some absolute no's on there such as candy, cookies, chips, alcohol, regular sodas, ect. But for the most part, if I watch my caloires and fat, I can have just about anything. Some things on the list are higher in calories and fat than others so I haven't been eating as much of those because like I said in a previos post, it's all about quantity right now. I would rather be able to eat lots of broccoli or green beans than have a small baked potato. This way, I am assured of feeling full and will be less likely to cheat. I do eat the healthy choice dinners or lean cuizine but I usually do this for supper and I always cook a veggie to go with it and add a fruit and possibly a starch....depending on the amount of calories I have had for the day. I try not to go over 700 for supper. So far, so good. I may have to adjust strategies as I lose and get to a stand still point. I am glad that teh blood pressure problems and acid reflux has gone away. Eating healthier is agreeing with you already!!! Hang in there.... it's got to get easier (at least that's what I keep telling myself, lol). We can do this!!! We have the will power to abstain from unnecessary eating!!! We are going to be slimmer and healthier!!!
Much2live4 and Smiley I hope that your week has started off and will remain successful! Hang in there everybody....we have almost made it through another day!

[much2live4]

Hi, Shannon-2007, thanks for the good wishes I hope you are doing well also! Today is my 34th b-day and I feel so sad for some reason, also took my last phen yesterday(haven't been able to make it to the clinic to get them)so I am on my own today! wish me luck! I think it is TOM for me so I am sure that is responsible for my mood.I haven't lost anymore pounds this week so far but havent gained any either so thats good.Although my hands and feet feel so swollen(thanks to time of month again) so maybe i have lost a pound or two and just holding in water Pray for me Ya'll! and I will pray 4 u!
Fatty9609--You are doing great, I don't have that kind of discipline to exercise that you do, but please don't over do it and harm yourself, that would totally defeat the purpose! hang in there girl!

[Fatty9609]

Wow, Thanks so much for responding Shannon. It is so nice to hear that somebody else is struggling just as much as I am. Food controlled my life very much so before this month, and yes, I hate to admit it, but it still does. I am worried about every meal, b/c I don't want eat the bad stuff anymore and I know that I am supposed to watch quantities, but I get worried that I am not going to get full enough and I am going to cheat and go to the chinese buffet. I am very impressed of the mindset that you have yourself in for the weight loss. If I could only get that confident, I would not have as many problems as I do now w/the whole process. I am very, very self conscious and I feel like everybody is watching me and waiting for me to mess up, and it is discouraging, but I am definitely going to try harder now. It is much better to have a buddy to talk to that knows exactly what you are going through. Thank you sooo much again for your inspirational post!! Have a great day.

By the way, my name is Kris, I know a lot of people don't like calling me Fatty, I was just very depressed when I joined the forum, and I tried to go back to change the "Fatty," but it doesn't allow you to change your name.

[Shannon-2007]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUCH2LIVE4!
I am sorry that you are feeling down but you're right, maybe it is b/c it is that TOM. It was my time at the end of last week and I don't know if it was because my body was in shock at all the healthy food I have been stuffing in it, hormones, side affects from the phentermine, or a combination of everything but I would just burst into tears for no apparent reason. And, it would take me forever to stop crying.This happened 3 times over 2 days and I just couldn't explain it. My poor husband and daughter didn't know what to think, lol. It was also that TOM when I weighed in for the first time. My husband and I started our diet together and he had lost 15 and I had only lost 12....so I am claiming that it was water weight too!!! And it could very possibly be. I hope that you did well without the phen today. I went without it too, only my reason wasn't due to being out. I just forgot to take it! When I remembered, it was too late unless I wanted to be up half the night. So far so good though. I don't remember feeling hungry. I went to Chili's for lunch today with some friends of mine and I was extremely nervous because this was the first time that I had been to a "real" restaurant since starting the diet. Chili's is one of my favorite restaurants and I love their cajun chicken alfredo. I order it every time I go. Today, however, I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich on wheat bread with just lettuce and tomato, no mayo and instead of fries I got steamed veggies -which included more broccoli, lol. I was going to order a salad but it was full of crumbled bacon and cheese so I decided against it. I am SO proud of my choice. And I was actually satisfied when I finished!!! Imagine that! Hang in there Much2Live4....We're going to do this! If you ever need to talk, vent, rant rave, ect....I am an email/post away. I am an excellent listener. Well, in this case I would have to say reader .

Kris....this is much better than fatty! I know what you mean about being self-conscious. Believe me, this confidence in succeeding at a diet is a new experience for me. I really don't know where it came from.Well, yes I do. God plays the ultimate part in it. But it is very out of character for me. I do know that no one can change my weight for me and that if I don't get off my butt and do something about it, it will continue to get out of hand. I really think my decision to start dieting came from a television show. My husband and I were watching TV one night- the medical channel- and a show came on about a man that weighed over a 1000 pounds. I tried to turn the channel because I just didn't want to face reality! But I kept coming back to that channel. I just couldn't quit watching. It scared me to death! I kept thinking, if I don't do something, that is going to be me. My weight is going to continue to grow and I will be just like that poor man-not able to walk, turn over in bed by myself, or even wear clothes for that matter. I am slowly killing myself. Several shows came on about different morbidly obese people over the course of a few weeks and I was tuned in to every one. My heart ached for these people because I know the struggles and challenges I face being the size I am . I couldn't imagine being that big. I cried watching the shows and prayed for them and could not get them out of my head. I think that is when my mind began to be made up about losing weight. I have a beautiful 10 year old daughter and a wonderful husband that need me around. I want to bake cookies with my grandbabies one day and take them to the park to play. I want to go into a restaurant and not worry about whether or not I am going to fit in the booth. I want to go to Six -Flags and get on the rides with my daughter. I want to go to the beach and not feel like everyone is thinking "how did that whale get out of the ocean". I want to go to a party and not stand in the corner because I am too self conscious to socialize. I want to be able to walk into Fredericks of Hollywood and pick out sexy lingerie to wear for my husband. I want a "new and improved" me. The biggest hurdle that stands in the way of these wants is my weight. Ya'll I have to do this. I don't have any other choice. I am carrying around a whole extra person! It has got to go! I have the mindset, determination, will power, and faith to do this. I try to keep a positive outlook on it. I don't look at how long it's going to take me and I don't jump on the scale every other day. In fact, I have only weighed once and I am half way through my 3rd week. I also try to keep the word "can't" out of my vocabulary. The bible says that life and death lies in the power of the tongue. I choose life for all of us. We are beautiful, soon to be healthier, happier, thinner women.
I really look forward to coming home in the afternoons and reading and responding to the posts. There is something theraputic about it. It's great to know that others are fighting the battle with me and cheering each other on! Stay strong and resist temptation! We are almost through another day!