Lose Weight With A Little Help From Some New Friends

Kristi's First Step

2008-02-01T23:45:46Z

In my opinion, the first step to losing weight is accepting that you have a problem in the first place. My turning point was just before Thanksgiving. I needed to get my wedding ring resized, because it was too small. I thought, “If I do this I am accepting being over weight for the rest of my life.” Lucky for me, it had the opposite affect on me. I found Sparkpeople.com soon after. In the first month I was able to lose 15 pounds. In the past, I would give up after the first month because I would get tired of the diet. But during this time my younger brother was sentenced to drug rehab and this had a huge impact on my weight loss. My family did an intervention with my brother and I realized that my brother was not the only one with an addiction problem. I too was addicted to something; the only difference is that food is not illegal. But both addictions can kill you.

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In my opinion, the first step to losing weight is accepting that you have a problem in the first place. My turning point was just before Thanksgiving. I needed to get my wedding ring resized, because it was too small. I thought, “If I do this I am accepting being over weight for the rest of my life.” Lucky for me, it had the opposite affect on me. I found Sparkpeople.com soon after. In the first month I was able to lose 15 pounds. In the past, I would give up after the first month because I would get tired of the diet. But during this time my younger brother was sentenced to drug rehab and this had a huge impact on my weight loss. My family did an intervention with my brother and I realized that my brother was not the only one with an addiction problem. I too was addicted to something; the only difference is that food is not illegal. But both addictions can kill you.

I am 5'4". I currently weigh 159 pounds. I started my weight loss journey at 260 pounds and my goal is to be 122 pounds. I eat between 1200- 1350 calories per day and drink 14 glasses of water each day. I set a goal to burn 3500 planned cardio calories per week and I do strength training 30 min 3 - 4 days per week. My goal is to lose 1 pound per week for the next 37 weeks.

Rosie's First Step

2008-02-01T23:44:04Z

1. What is the first step in losing weight?

The first step in losing weight is making the decision. For me, it took getting to the point emotionally where I was willing to do anything to change. Even as a first grader, at one hundred pounds, I longed to shed my dreadful nickname, "Fatso." Year after year, I sought and tried fad diets and funky exercise plans in hopes of finding the miracle that would change my life. You name it, I've tried it: the grapefruit diet, the Atkins diet, the cabbage soup diet, the liquid protein diet, the banana and boiled egg diet, the 600-calorie-a-day diet, etc.

But I could never stick with a "diet" long enough to make a significant difference. Time after time, the pleasure and comfort of food intercepted my plans and schemes to become thin. In the moment of temptation I always caved in. It was because some pressing emotional stress or special occasion would take precedence over my desire to wear normal sized clothes and to fit in with all the other girls in my class.

The first step for me was claiming a motivation that was stronger than the instant gratification of food.

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1. What is the first step in losing weight?

The first step in losing weight is making the decision. For me, it took getting to the point emotionally where I was willing to do anything to change. Even as a first grader, at one hundred pounds, I longed to shed my dreadful nickname, "Fatso." Year after year, I sought and tried fad diets and funky exercise plans in hopes of finding the miracle that would change my life. You name it, I've tried it: the grapefruit diet, the Atkins diet, the cabbage soup diet, the liquid protein diet, the banana and boiled egg diet, the 600-calorie-a-day diet, etc.

But I could never stick with a "diet" long enough to make a significant difference. Time after time, the pleasure and comfort of food intercepted my plans and schemes to become thin. In the moment of temptation I always caved in. It was because some pressing emotional stress or special occasion would take precedence over my desire to wear normal sized clothes and to fit in with all the other girls in my class.

The first step for me was claiming a motivation that was stronger than the instant gratification of food.

2. What was your turning point?

My turning point came in my forties when two of my siblings, my older brother and a younger sister, had heart attacks in the same year. I had always been the fattest among the six children in my family, and I knew that if I didn't change, I was next in line for the heart attack. The fear of not being around to see my son grow up motivated me to choose day after day to eat healthful foods and to overcome my resistance to exercise. I wanted to be alive more than I wanted one more pizza or half gallon of ice cream or package of cookies.

3. How has your life changed?

When my friends see my "before" pictures, they comment that while they knew I was overweight before, they don't remember ever realizing I was as obese as I was. I, too, have a hard time remembering my old self because so many aspects have changed, not just my personal appearance. Exercise is a way of life; it is a joy, not a chore to move. I realize that food is not as much of a stress reliever as the endorphin rush of exercise; whether it's a brisk ten-minute walk or a 40-mile bike ride. I think of food as fuel, or an investment in my well being, not as a primary source of comfort or pleasure. My body feels better eating lean protein, fresh vegetables and fruits, and whole grains than gorging on sugary treats. I still enjoy food, especially eating out at a fine restaurant, but I often ask myself the question that kept me going day after day while I was trying to lose weight: "Is it worth it?" Sometimes the answer is a resounding yes, but more often than not, I can walk away from foods that used to be my downfall. The biggest change is that my weight no longer defines me. I no longer have to overcome the barrier of people's judgments about my obesity in every area of my life (buying clothes, meeting new people, ordering food in a restaurant, sitting in an airplane seat or amusement park ride, etc).

Any great recipes?

My great recipes are the roasted chicken and salad bars that are available everywhere these days! Thankfully, I am able to eat healthy and not to have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

Kristin's First Step

2008-02-01T22:14:01Z

The first step in losing weight is to finally decide that it's something you not only need to do, but want to do. People who are overweight know that they need to lose weight, but unless you are ready, there's nothing anybody else can do to motivate you. For me, it was the moment my daughter brought a picture home from school that was taken at the beginning of the school year. She was hugging me and could not get her arms around me. I looked bloated and red-faced, and it was embarrassing. I just didn't picture myself as that fat, and when I saw it in the picture, I was so ashamed. I was embarrassed for myself and my daughters. I was uncomfortable at nearly 300 lbs. I was always hot in the summer, running the air conditioner while the normal sized people were freezing. I didn't feel like going anywhere or doing anything because I was either too lazy or too ashamed. Seeing this picture was the final straw and something inside me just clicked and I decided it was time to do something about it.

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The first step in losing weight is to finally decide that it's something you not only need to do, but want to do. People who are overweight know that they need to lose weight, but unless you are ready, there's nothing anybody else can do to motivate you. For me, it was the moment my daughter brought a picture home from school that was taken at the beginning of the school year. She was hugging me and could not get her arms around me. I looked bloated and red-faced, and it was embarrassing. I just didn't picture myself as that fat, and when I saw it in the picture, I was so ashamed. I was embarrassed for myself and my daughters. I was uncomfortable at nearly 300 lbs. I was always hot in the summer, running the air conditioner while the normal sized people were freezing. I didn't feel like going anywhere or doing anything because I was either too lazy or too ashamed. Seeing this picture was the final straw and something inside me just clicked and I decided it was time to do something about it.

My life has changed dramatically since losing weight. It began shortly after I started losing. I didn't have to reach my goal in order to start seeing the benefits. I felt better, I had more energy, and as I began to lose the pounds, I didn't feel so ashamed to be seen in public. People started noticing the changes and the positive attention I received just encouraged me more. I gained confidence, and decided to try some new things. I joined a soccer team, then a softball team with my husband. Then I joined a women's basketball team. These were all things I loved doing but had not been in the physical condition to do them. I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried new things. I ran a couple of 5k races. I rode my bike to work, which was a 16 mile round trip. I loved it so much that I commuted to work on my bike every possible day that I could. I am looking into other classes that I'm interested in, such as kick boxing, and I would like to try kayaking too. The possibilities are endless!

On SparkPeople.com, I've found and used many of the recipes. As with most families with children, we have a couple of picky eaters, and I'm a picky eater as well. The best recipe so far was the Tilapia Parmesan, because it was a recipe that was not only delicious, but it got everyone in my family to eat fresh fish! We've tried several other fish recipes and so far, they've all turned out well. My family also likes the Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins. They're made with whole wheat flour, applesauce, and oatmeal. They're high in fiber, low in sugar, and with a little Brummel & Brown on them, heated in the microwave, they just melt in your mouth.