Dieting Club: 10 - 25 Lbs Community

RoseLynn02,

I can so relate to the overwhelming feeling of trying to figure out where to start and feeling exhausted with two little ones. I started by picking healthier food choices, like eating fish a couple of times a week and making brown rice instead of white. I bought an inexpensive scale to weigh my food and logged everything I ate.

I then got creative to get myself moving. I started by doing squats. Then I added push-ups and torso twists. To work on strength training I used an old gallon milk container filled with water.

When I started over a year ago I too weighed 163lbs and I am only 5' tall. I now weigh 150. I hope to loose at least 25lbs more and keep it off.

Don't give up. Keep working at it and know you are not alone in your weight loss journey.

I have 5lb dumb bells & a work out video that targets abs, considering my tummy is my problem area, but I have to use my husbands PlayStation to watch it because we don't have a DVD player & I don't know how it works. LOL. I try to eat healthy, but I hate fish unless its fried & that doesn't help. & then with 2 picky kids I have to make food they like which ends up being chicken or pasta most nights. I come from an Italian background & it's really hard to cut out pasta even though I know the carbs don't help. I think I'm just so scared of change (& maintaining it) & just have no idea where to start that I just sit down & give up. I did the slim fast diet for a while & it was really working, but then when I stopped I gained all the weight back. & now the holidays are here & my parents want me to make them a huge feast. I think I just need to eat smaller portions & get moving somehow. Thanks for the advice, but you really only lost 13lbs in a year? I lost 17lbs over the last 10 months & I don't do anything but clean house & take care of kids. Well I was walking every day during the spring & summer months though. But now that it's so cold & I can't take the kids for walks anymore my weight loss has been at a stand still.

You talk about "only 13lb" weight loss in a year, but I think 13lb loss is excellent! If it was me I would have been so happy and relieved, and I would even have been at my target weight.

If I manage to lose it is also at a rate of 1/4 - 1/2 pound a week - far better than not losing at all.

Tomato05, thank you for your kind words. Loosing some, even a 1/4 pound, is better than not loosing at all or gaining. I didn't get to be 163 pounds over night and I know it will take time to loose the weight I want to.

RoseLynn02, change can be scary. It means stepping away from where we are comfortable. You have the right ideas, smaller portions and get moving. You can make the huge feast for your parents and have smaller portions and enjoy the holiday with them.

Please keep me posted on how your weight loss journey is going both RoseLynn02 and Tomato05.

I'm sorry, my reaction obviously offended you. I have gone down the weight loss road before, but I was working as a server, so I lost 40lbs in a yr. Now I'm not working, so I guess the idea of slower weight loss is shocking and scary for me. That means it would take me over 2yrs to lose almost half of what I've lost before in 1 yr. And to top it off the 1st time I lost weight I didn't diet. I ate all day every day & whatever I wanted to as well, but I was running around a busy restaurant 8hrs a day 5 days a week. So, for me, putting effort into loosing weight is new. I understand everyone looses weight differently & I should have considered that before making that statement. I agree, any weight loss is better than none.

Not offended at all. Like you say, we all lose weight differently - unique metabolisms, eating patterns, different obstacles, exercise schedule, etc.

I have 9 lbs to lose, so for me the time span of 4 months is not too daunting.

HHolloman - I am going to visit my family in South Africa 25 Nov. to 15 Dec.; not too sure what effect that will have on my weight! I won't have much exercise opportunities while I'm there, and my stepmom's food is not always prepared in a healthy way (and far higher in carbs than I'm used to), so I'll try to control the portions.

When I went to South Africa last Dec. I actually lost 3lbs, but then I wasn't staying with the family all the time.

Will let you know when I'm back what the outcome is...

Good luck with your weight loss journey too, RoseLynn and HHolloman! For exercise, RoseLynn, you could maybe also consider exercise bands to use at home - one can do quite a lot of useful strength training exercises with them, or exercise videos for cardio at home.

Thanks for the advice, oh, and really the apology was directed more towards HHollowman, I really shouldn't have insulted his achievements and that honestly wasn't my intent. I think that goes with the think before you speak(or type) thing. Sorry HHollowman, I meant no disrespect.

RoseLynn02,

No apology needed. I am actually a she and I could almost say you and I have a mirror life. I have 3 kids now, I too worked in a restaurant and was shaking and moving and got down to a size 4 when there. I come from an Italian background along with hispanic. I too feel I am a single mom at times due to my husband's work schedule, only I am deaing with 19, 17, 10 year olds.

I agree with Tomato05 that we all loose at different rates. When I was 25 I probably lost it a lot quicker than now that I am 40.

My words are meant to encourage you, and all I might meet, in this weight loss/healthy lifestyle adventure we are all on. It's hard in the best of conditions. Just don't give up.

Tomato05,

Have a wonderful trip! I will keep you in my prayers for safe travels and insight on portion control and exercise opportunities. Please, let me know how everything went when you return.

Smiles to the both of you.

"...I am actually a she..."

OK, roselynn02...

Now, you can say "I'm sorry..."

Oh wow, now I really fell bad. Your user name is deceiving. I wasn't aware your female. My mistake & I apologize for that too. Wow, I'm really on a roll here with you huh? Well anyway I got this work out video at walmart & oh my gosh is it a work out. If I can manage t keep myself motivated & do this work 3 times a week plus cut down my diet then I'm sure I'll meet my goal. A work in progress now at least. How are you doing with yours? My mom is trying to loose 40lbs, but she has arthritis tendinitis & carpitunel(spelled wrong) in her hands & tendinitis & arthritis in her knees & 5 bulging discs in her back & she is bone on bone in her shoulder & arthritis in her hip. She has cut down her diet but is scared to exercise because she doesn't know what she can actually do safely. Any ideas? We are supposed to start being each others support/ partners in our weight loss journey, but I don't know how to help her.

Hello, I would love to help you by sharing my personal story because it may motivate you and really give you lots of advice. I had a baby 9 months ago. My starting weight was 145 and my ending weight while pregnant was 185! I am now down to 156 but my goal is 130. I struggle with food so bad. I love food! I have found loosing weight is 80% diet 20% exercise. I have the fortunate help from a dietician I work with, but I would love to share my advice with you. Its so much fun for me to talk to other mommies with the same problem. I'm obsessed with getting healthy and rocking a hot bod someday. The best advice I have ever gotten was to make this a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. Start with small changes. Try not to drink soda and at...only milk and water. Your body really needs that. Make glasses of wine or crystal light a "treat". If you drink coffee, try to drink black or with splenda, if you use creamer...DONT. Switch to skim and a sugar free syrup. I have a good brand name from walmart if you're interested. Don't buy cookies and chips or whatever your weakness is. Allow it once a year. My weakness WAS oreos. Count your calories. That is so successful. SPARKPEOPLE.COM is the best site I have used and I still use it. You can find so much information on there from food, exercising, and much more. The best thing is that its FREE! With exercising, do a lot of "extra" things in your life. Take the stairs. I take the stairs at work up and down once. I have 10 floors....great workout. Park your car far away a lot. It will add up. Walk Walk Walk!!! Best workout by far. I started using a pedometer and I try to get 10,000 steps a day. Some insurance will give you it for free too! Mine did. Look it up. If you have questions email me at kellybraunel@yahoo.com

LOL...there is really no need to feel bad. I am staying faithful at not giving up. I slipped up this week when my husband took me out to eat. Kind of went overboard with the calories but I didn't let it discourage me. I will keep at it. I have been laying tile in our home and I have managed to actually loose 2 pounds. I might need to find another room to tile!

I would suggest some sort of water exercise for your mom. Being in the water is easier on the joints. You are already helping her in the biggest way possible, you are supporting her and encouraging her. It makes all the difference in the world to have that.

And again, there is no need to feel bad or apologize for anything. I didn't take offense at all. You brought a smile to my face. Feel free to email (Bella.cacciatrice@yahoo.com ) or you can always catch me on here. Please keep me posted on how the workouts are going.

Miss Kelly,

Would you be so kind as to share with me the name of the sking and suger free syrup you use for your coffee? I love creamer in my coffee and I know it adds tons of calories.

Thank you so much.

Brunosbud,

She brought a smile to my lips.