I very much HATE extra pounds!

[crayonblue]

I was super, super skinny as a kid/young adult and even into my late twenties. And then I had kids. And now I am not skinny at all. In fact, I am chubby. And I HATE those pounds. I do not feel like myself at all. I gained 15 lbs. last year when DH started traveling for work and we moved and DDs both started new schools and life was a mess. Now, life is settling back down and I have to get these pounds off. I hate feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. That's all.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Right there with you. :( I am holding steady but more than I want to be. I was a great size in my teens (and way too skinny as a kid). Got good after both kids then my thyroid went wonky. I am totally jealous of the people on the boards who committ to hard core life style food changes but I just can't even though I know I should. I just don't recognize my body right now.

[jgenie]

I am right there too. I have ten pounds to lose and I just can't seem to make the changes to get the ball rolling. I have a closet full of clothes but only one pair of jeans fits me right now so it's jeans and a tshirt every single day. I refuse to spend money buying larger clothes. Uuggghhhh….

[lizzywednesday]

While I've got 4 times as much weight I'd like to drop, I understand completely. My knees hurt, I'm tired all the time, and I'm also reluctant to buy new clothes, though I desperately need to.

I was a skinny kid who was nonstop motion and constantly eating. When I hit puberty, I became a lot more sedentary and that's stayed with me, but I've found that I do NOT like to be sedentary because it frustrates me.

Anyway, I know this is the BP so you are venting but ... maybe we could do a BBB MommyFit activity/healthy eating support group so we could keep tabs on and support each other in our fitness goals?

[arivecchi]

I so hate it too. Just a few pounds makes a big difference on my small frame. I'm doing nutrisystem and my fitness pal right now to get back on track.

[elektra]

I so hate it too. Just a few pounds makes a big difference on my small frame. I'm doing nutrisystem and my fitness pal right now to get back on track.

Same here! I do have a larger frame so it's not so noticeable when I gain weight (or so I tell myself) but I feel awful too.
I made a commitment to make it happen now though. It's 75% mental mindset for me. Good luck OP!

[123LuckyMom]

I get it! I've always been very athletic, and that's how I keep my weight down. I can't ever seem to keep anything off long term with diet alone, but I can always bump up my activity level and get an endorphin rush, too. Well, I injured my back very badly when pregnant with DD, and it's been 21 months since she was born, and I'm still in pain. I'm trying everything short of surgery, which the surgeon told me would not be a long term fix, but it sucks! I've put on a lot of weight. I'm eating pretty well, but I'm right there with you feeling like I'm not at all myself. It stinks! Hugs to all of you in this kind of boat. It's not a pleasure cruise for sure!

[lizzywednesday]

Same here! I do have a larger frame so it's not so noticeable when I gain weight (or so I tell myself) but I feel awful too.
...

I'm a bigger person and friends cannot believe I weigh over 200lbs right now, so I agree that it's easy to get complacent.

But the way I feel tired all the time, have foot, knee, & ankle pain, well, that has to stop.

[georgiegirl]

I have about 7 lbs of baby weight left to lose. I can't do anything too intense or restrict my eating much since I'm nursing. But I turn 40 soon and I know those pounds aren't going to come off on their own. I've been stuck at the same weight for more than a month.

[MamaMolly]

I'm ashamed to say how much I have to loose. :bag I've just asked my Dr. to switch my meds as weight gain/retention was a side effect and nothing NOTHING was budging it. I worked out hard (Zumba, Salsa and Yoga) three hours a week for 6 months and lost less than 5 lbs. Something's got to shift this weight!

[crayonblue]

I am totally jealous of the people on the boards who committ to hard core life style food changes but I just can't even though I know I should. I just don't recognize my body right now.

DH and I went on a vegan diet at the beginning of last year. DH dropped 20 lbs. and looks better and feels better than he has in YEARS. And bonus, he completely stopped snoring. I lost a few pounds and then when our lives tipped upside down with job change, move, etc., I gained those pounds back PLUS added another 15. Granted I also went from exercising 3-4 times per week to...not. And I pretty much ate all the crap I saw for a few months there. I'm back on my diet and back in the gym, which I actually really enjoy, but the pounds are sooooooo stubborn.

[crayonblue]

I am right there too. I have ten pounds to lose and I just can't seem to make the changes to get the ball rolling. I have a closet full of clothes but only one pair of jeans fits me right now so it's jeans and a tshirt every single day. I refuse to spend money buying larger clothes. Uuggghhhh….

Exactly. I can squeeze into my jeans but they are so darn uncomfortable!!!!!!!! I am NOT buying the next size up. NOT.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I did suck it up and buy the next size up. They are too big! So, it's like I need that number between sizes.

[specialp]

I totally relate. I had a baby at the end of 2012 and dropped all of the lbs. so quickly. I'm working on the photo book right now and all the pictures of me from the beginning of the year looking "normal." A couple of big changes for us at the end of this year and I have 7 lbs. that I cannot shake. 7lbs. is nothing to my tall DH. He might not feel great, but he can fit into his clothes, but for my frame it means nothing fits and I feel so blah! I'm working on it now, but it is SLOW!

[KLD313]

I'm ashamed to say how much I have to loose. :bag I've just asked my Dr. to switch my meds as weight gain/retention was a side effect and nothing NOTHING was budging it. I worked out hard (Zumba, Salsa and Yoga) three hours a week for 6 months and lost less than 5 lbs. Something's got to shift this weight!

Try weights if you haven't. I have 40 lbs to lose, I lost 10 in a month by seriously restricting calorie intake under the direction of a trainer. Now I need to start doing the exercises DVD from her because I know it will help and a lot of it is using weights.

[wendibird22]

Sing it! Since going GF for health reasons I've GAINED 8 lbs. I hardly eat any carbs and I haven't replaced grains with GF alternatives that are loaded with junk. And in the fall I was getting 20-30min of daily cardio in and the number didn't budge a bit. I'd love to lose 12lbs. I'm approaching 40 and just don't see metabolism working in my favor.

[elektra]

Exactly. I can squeeze into my jeans but they are so darn uncomfortable!!!!!!!! I am NOT buying the next size up. NOT.

This is where I was at Jan 1. Refusing the buy the next size up too!

[daisysmom]

If anyone wants some motivation, wanted to tell you 2 real life stories. One is my mother, who was overweight as I remember her when I was a child, was obese as she was goign through menapause when I was in college, and probably obese through my older brother's wedding (the first of my 3 siblings to get married). Two knee replacements. Uncountable diets - seriously I recall the "Diet Center" pills that she would keep hidden when I was little. To no avail. I think when I got married 9 years ago she was a size 18 or 20 dress. Then about 2 years ago (not sure when she started exactly as she didn't broadcast it), apparently she was told by her dr (she doesn't go to the doctor often, even though my father was a doctor, so she must have been having some sympoms... she won't really tell the story to us, she is pretty private about it) that she was either pre-diabetic or maybe diabetic (this is from my father). And at 72 years old, she lost a ton of weight. She is now a size 10. And she is on fire! She looks healthier, and more radiant, than my older overweight sister and my younger overweight sister (and if I really am honest, than me). She feels awesome. I don't exactly know her lightbulb moment though it was somehow tied to that drs appt. She is very low carb... but she feels great.
The other story is a good friend of mine who at 45 (squarely into perimenapause like me) hit her highest pregnant weight (that daughter is 17 now) last year, as she is not pregnant. And some lighbulb went off for her too. She has lost 35 lbs and looks incredible. At a holiday party she told me "I can't help but share, I am so proud of myself to be here now and for the first time in as long as I can remember, I am not making a New Year's resolution to lose weight. I am exactly where I want to be and I feel terrific." It was really inspirational.
Both my mother and my friend were trim as teenagers and when they got married, and before they had their first children.
Anyway, as much as it hurts to say "this extra weight HURTS", this might be your ah-ha moment and you might be the success story that motivates others in 6 months.

[alootikki]

I completely relate! I was a super skinny kid and teenager - well into my 20s. I was active but could eat anything at all and not gain. And now, I've been carrying 15-20 extra pounds around since DS was born. I think about my weight all the time and hate it! And I don't fully realize how I look now until I see pictures and think "yikes, that can't be MY body!" Ugh. My appetite hasn't changed, but my metabolism sure has!

[BabyBearsMom]

Hugs to you! I totally know how you feel. I've been working on losing weight for 7 months now, although I didn't really get on board with the eating until about 4 months ago. I've lost a lot of weight (nearly 40lbs) but I still have so much to go. Sometimes, when I think about what I have left, I feel really discouraged. And while I have gotten to the point where I recognize myself in the mirror and I feel okay in clothes, I am still really self conscious of all of my flaws when I am undressed. I keep reminding myself that this is a long term change and not a short term fix. I'm definitely not a petite person (5'9" and big boned), but it is quite obvious that I am over weight.

So far, I have found having some kind of goal/competition is really helpful for me. From September through December, I did a biggest loser competition with the women I work with (I won and lost 26lbs so a double win!). Now that the competition is over, I was having trouble feeling motivated so I just started Couch to 5K. I got a bunch of friends to do it with me and I'm holding myself extra accountable by posting my runs on facebook. That way, I can't wuss out of it. I am looking for a 5k to run in the spring, and I want to put my money down for it because I know if I spend the money, I will be more inclined to stick with it. I hate running, but I know it is a good exercise. I am also looking into signing up to work with a trainer a few times a month. I think having a standing appointment like that, will keep me motivated and focused.

Anyway, just wanted you to know that you aren't alone! Hugs!

[marymoo86]

It's not even the numbers b/c technically I'm back to prepregnancy weight or even a bit below but the whole body makeup has changed. Diet won't cut it for me and trying to make time to get back to exercising isn't happening right now - except for carrying around a baby chunk or toddler.

[Minnifer]

I can definitely relate - I feel uncomfortable in my own skin too. I just can't seem to get my head around the fact that I cannot eat like I used to and stay slim. I want to eat what I want to eat and not have to worry about it, like, ever - like I used to :thumbsuck:.

I don't know what it's going to take for me to get over that and do something about this, b/c I know otherwise the problem is just going to keep getting worse...

[crayonblue]

I just can't seem to get my head around the fact that I cannot eat like I used to and stay slim. I want to eat what I want to eat and not have to worry about it, like, ever - like I used to :thumbsuck:.



Precisely! I was the person who could eat more than everyone!

Thanks for the encouraging stories...my brother lost 160 lbs.--from 330 to 170 so I know it is possible to lose these pesky 15-20.

[AnnieW625]

As someone who is 40lbs over my pre kids and 6 mos. pp weight with DD1 I hear you and sadly I am 60lbs over my lowest weight as an adult (when I was 21 and lived on campus and walked everywhere and worked out at an awesome gym on campus 5 days a week) it sucks, and now I curse myself for thinking that my lowest weight ever was still fat. I am 36 yrs. old and too afraid that if I don't lose these pounds soon, even 30 of them I will never lose them. Another larger frame girl here too.

Good luck to everyone:)

[crayonblue]

As someone who is 40lbs over my pre kids and 6 mos. pp weight with DD1 I hear you and sadly I am 60lbs over my lowest weight as an adult (when I was 21 and lived on campus and walked everywhere and worked out at an awesome gym on campus 5 days a week) it sucks, and now I curse myself for thinking that my lowest weight ever was still fat. I am 36 yrs. old and too afraid that if I don't lose these pounds soon, even 30 of them I will never lose them. Another larger frame girl here too.

Good luck to everyone:)

Annie, I will say that DH warned me about SoCal...that it would be hard to not start obsessing over appearance. I poo-pooed that as I have never been obsessed about my looks. Or so I thought! But, when I, at a size 8/10 am the BIGGEST mom at every single social gathering, well, that sucks. This place is filled with size 2/4 blonde tan people, lol! I have yet to decide if it is all exercise and eating perfectly OR there is a whole damn lot of plastic surgery going on. I was sort of normal on the east coast. No offense to the east coast peeps!

[mikala]

Sing it. My toddler is dropping nursing sessions but my apoetite missed the memo. Plus illness and holiday treats.... this time of year seems like a cruel trick. You desperately want to go outside and move and eat yummy fresh food but it's cold outside and the local food ootions are limited for many regions. I'll eat a fresh tomato like an apple in the summer but winter tomatoes don't even deserve the name.

[bcafe]

I really hate to perpetuate this, but my metabolism "quit" 3 months after I hit 40. Seriously, like I noticed within a week at the 3 month post bday. I am several years past 40 and I still feel very uncomfortable in my skin. My eating has never changed either, in fact we quite healthy. I started the Whole30 challenge a bit ago so I hope this will jumpstart something! I don't own a scale so I have no idea what I weigh, just that I don't fit into clothing. I take that back, over Christmas I weighed myself at my parents and I need to lose 20#. I am short at 5'4" so every lb counts!

[KLD313]

I really hate to perpetuate this, but my metabolism "quit" 3 months after I hit 40. Seriously, like I noticed within a week at the 3 month post bday. I am several years past 40 and I still feel very uncomfortable in my skin. My eating has never changed either, in fact we quite healthy. I started the Whole30 challenge a bit ago so I hope this will jumpstart something! I don't own a scale so I have no idea what I weigh, just that I don't fit into clothing. I take that back, over Christmas I weighed myself at my parents and I need to lose 20#. I am short at 5'4" so every lb counts!

This whole thread is so depressing. Lol. I have thyroid issues although not hypothyroid and I'll be 40 in March. I need to lose this weight. I'm doing a metabolism boosting diet and exercise plan but idk how much longer I can stay on it because it's kind of pricey for me. :(

[daisysmom]

I am almost 45. My metabolism has seriously slid back in the last few years. From about 30-36 (I got pregnant then, so that is when I stopped really feeling that way), I could easily cardio-exercise off whatever I ate (and drank). As a lawyer, I would go to lavish client/closing dinners and events, eat a lot of donuts and croissants at breakfasts, and everything in between, but I was able to basically run it off. Now, if I go "off plan", I easily jump 5 lbs (and I think I would keep going).

While it is harder, though, people in their 40s and older have found ways to lose significant weight. It is just harder, I agree. But it isn't impossible. And better to do it now, because I think it gets a great deal harder in the throws of menapause.

[bisous]

I'm right there with you. Skinny my whole life. Recovered after three kids (though the pounds came off progressively slower) and now I find myself in a position of not losing anything at all for the past two months pp. I have no clothes that fit at all. It makes me a little sad but I'm trying not to be a downer about it. Glad I can complain about it here!

[hellokitty]

Lump me in with the rest of you. I was waif skinny as a kid, but as soon as I got hit menarche, BOOM it's too easy for me to put on wt. The only reason I was able to keep my wt down before I went to college was b/c I was on the tennis team and I had a borderline eating disorder (basically, the only, "real" meal I ate each day was dinner, bkfst was a glass of milk, lunch was a soda and sometimes some crackers). I went off to college and gained my freshmen 15, plus some. I've always had more of a, "sporty" build, but due to that, my parents always considered me fat (they think that only waif skinny = "healthy," so I grew up thinking I was fat, even though I definitely was not. In fact, I looked up my BMI for my high school wt and realize that I was on the very low end of, "normal" and borderline underweight, but if you ask my parents, they would tell you that I was fat. Pretty much, after college and work and now becoming a mom, wt has continued to be a struggle for me. I turned 40 last yr and yes, maybe it's all in my head, but my metabolism seems to be even worse now (and I never had a great one to begin with, pretty much I take after my dad's side of the family, they are all overwt, diabetes and have heart disease). Even when I am extremely active, I am still considered overwt. It's just a continual uphill battle and I know I will never be, "high school skinny" ever again unless I become gravely ill. However, if I could just get 30 lbs off, I would be ecstatic.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

It's not even the numbers b/c technically I'm back to prepregnancy weight .
:yeahthat:

i'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight (which, BTW, took me TWO YEARS. Yes, TWO YEARS to lose 30 measly pounds despite exclusively nursing two 6-pounders into the 90th+%ile..WTF was up with that???!!). Six months postpartum people would ask when i was due. :( Once I finally stopped nursing and I could eat like a normal person I started losing weight. I think i lost 10 lbs in a first few months, then nothing, then another 10 lbs after going gluten-free, etc. And now I am exercising 3x a week. I am down to pre-preg weight....Yet, i would say about 80% of my pants do not fit and maybe 30% of my tops don't fit anymore. The tops are mostly too short (what? I didn't grow). The pants are too tight around the waist. I'm wondering if the muscles around the stomach just got super stretched out or something..who knows.

i don't know. i'm still bitter over the fact that i spent the first 4 months of each pregnancy puking my head off, then the next 4 with wicked heartburn, which is likely the reason I only gained 30 lbs by the end, but still had to struggle SO HARD to lose the weight. and then there's the moms who gained 60+ lbs happily eating pickles and icecream who are wearing prepreg designer jeans few months post partum. NOT.FAIR.

[twowhat?]

:yeahthat:

i'm back to my pre- I am down to pre-preg weight....Yet, i would say about 80% of my pants do not fit and maybe 30% of my tops don't fit anymore. The tops are mostly too short (what? I didn't grow). The pants are too tight around the waist. I'm wondering if the muscles around the stomach just got super stretched out or something..who knows.


Haha same here! I had to replace my entire wardrobe once back down to pre-preg weight and that was one of my main complaints - tops TOO SHORT! Even now I feel like it's hard to find tops that are just long enough. Part of it is that I have a tummy (diastasis) now that takes more fabric to cover but even then - I can't believe I was able to wear those tops before having kids, they were SO short!

And pants, yes - I had to buy all new work clothes because even though I could squeeze into my old suit pants, the hemline suddenly was 2 inches too high! I don't get it - like you said it's not like we grew taller!! But definitely the weight has distributed differently and I can tell that even my bones have re-distributed:) My hips and rib cage are wider than they were pre-preg:) My feet too!

[hellokitty]

If anyone needs some motivation, esp those who have a lot of wt to lose and while you have lost some, still feel discouraged, that you have more to lose, I have a friend who was over 300+ lbs and has lost a total of 149 lbs through diet and exercise (she does not believe in gimmick diets). I always find her to be an inspiration, and she is very honest in her blog. She has bad days and sometimes feels discouraged that she still has some more wt to lose, but I admire her so much for what she has accomplished.

http://www.fatmom-tofitmom.com/p/about-me.html

[daisysmom]

I am in Richmond too. She is an inspiration!!

[Kindra178]

I hear ya. What I can't wrap my head around is that I need to watch what I eat. I did a very low carb restrictive diet two summers ago and lost weight but it slowly creeped back up as I regularly cheated. Started Whole30 on Jan 1. Although it's a lot of meat, which I don't prefer, I have seriously never felt better (I think that's more because I am avoiding dairy). I don't feel deprived, eat fruit and even when hungry don't feel crazy out of control hungry. I also like how I don't have limit the amount of food I eat. I don't do well with portion control diets. I am always hungry and focused on food.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I hear ya. What I can't wrap my head around is that I need to watch what I eat. I did a very low carb restrictive diet two summers ago and lost weight but it slowly creeped back up as I regularly cheated. Started Whole30 on Jan 1. Although it's a lot of meat, which I don't prefer, I have seriously never felt better (I think that's more because I am avoiding dairy). I don't feel deprived, eat fruit and even when hungry don't feel crazy out of control hungry. I also like how I don't have limit the amount of food I eat. I don't do well with portion control diets. I am always hungry and focused on food.

I wish I could just make a big change like that. I just can't. It's overwhelming. I don't feel like I eat badly either. Compared to some posters, yes, I do a terrible job. Compared to the US population? I do well. I am super jealous of those of you that just do it. I can't see making a huge lifestyle change. I would keep thinking about losing weight then not sustaining the same eating practices and seeing the weight come back- I have defeated the idea before even trying. But, huge props to you for doing it!