I don't know if anyone has an interest or if this was already done. I was thinking maybe we could start a thread for people who are looking to lose weight. For motivation, for diet tips, for people who have lost weight and can offer suggestions, maybe if people live close they could buddy up and walk or do other fitness things together. Pros/cons to different types of weight loss methods. I know for myself, I am going to begin weight watchers this week,they are having a special to join and I want to do it now while the cost is lower to get started. Then off to get rid of the junk food and replace those foods with healthier ones.

Why would you wait to join Weight Watchers to dump things that are no good for you?

I have taken off more than 75 pounds just changing my eating habits, working out 5-6 days a week, and sticking to what I start. There were no weight loss clubs or special pills that burn off the fat without zero work at all.

What I have learned about those clubs is this: they take your money and don't necessarily help your mindset so that when you are ready to go it alone, you are clueless. They are just crutches and you need to learn to do the math yourself. I feel that those clubs are lumping all overweight people into one group and don't necessarily look at people as individuals. True, they have counselors that will help you. But truthfully speaking, you can get more out of going to the gym and hiring a personal trainer who will assess you individually and put you on a plan and routine that works.

Think about it.

that's absolutely right! I have a year membership and within my first 6 weeks I lost 2 1/2 inches and 5% body fat..was going to aim for 10% body fat and 3 inches the next 6 weeks, but had all 4 wisdom teeth removed so been out of gym for 2 weeks, blah....

Just cutting out soda, caffeine, fast food and sticking to more lean white meat, vegetables and baked food along with exercise and LOTS of water you can lose substantial weight and gain muscle back rather than just losing the fat.

Good for you! There are many roads that reach the goals of sensible weight loss and long-term good health. Attitude is the sine qua non of successful weight loss...and that comes from within...and you appear to have it. Set reasonable expectations...realisitic changes in your life style and eating decisions...and you'll do fine. Fewer calories, a focus on nutrition (four main food groups stuff), and exercise. You know, I never weighed myself for the first six months...just watched my clothing get bigger! Like so many, I turned to food when I was unhappy with my life. Over the years, the once athletic body that saw me play college baseball and football, reached 250 pounds. First, I changed my life...ending a long marriage that was more roommate-like than love. Secondly, I adopted what I advised above. I'm now 180 pounds...59 years old..look and feel much younger. Happiness is a good thing! Good luck to you and all who visit here.

Congrats to you on your weight loss! Thats wonderful. Thank you for the kind words. I am not using the scale either but can already tell a difference (be it a small one) in how my clothes are starting to fit me. I am a stress eater and lately I am trying to find other things to do to get me away from that. I am teaching myself that eating got me to where I am now and obviously its not healthy. It took me over 2 yrs to gain this and now I need to stay on track to get it back off.

Oh I know that there is no miracle to losing weight or no one would be an ounce overweight. I have struggled with weight all my life, I am not one of those who can eat anything and not gain a pound.

I have learned the hard way that weight loss comes through proper eating habits and exercising to maximize health and fitness. I don't just pop anything into my mouth. As a matter of fact, I eat at least 6, if not 5, times a day. Portion control, with the addition of protein and your carb intake is important and it is better to do it this way than to get used to prepackaged meals that don't truly teach anyone how to go it alone. Also, I drink up to a gallon and half of water a day. Any soft drinks are diet and it is a sip here and there, never chugged, to kill my taste for sweets during that time of the month. Yes, even I have a weakness. I may indulge myself once in a blue moon and this does not affect my progress or my goals.

A good colon cleanse is important as it removes up anywhere from 5 to 30 pounds of impacted waste from the intestines.

Wow! you look great!
I agree with what you have said.

I have had the battle with the buldge myself.
Truth is there is no magic pill, expensive berry, 7 min miracle workout program, a diet plan that allows you to eat whatever, whenever you want.
Losing weight is easy..keeping it off is hard. That's why you need to change your way you prioritize eating and really your way of life. The way you eat, what you eat and develop a love for working out.
I lost weight, and kept it off for a long time now. It's like with any other addiction, you have to want it bad enough to keep your motivation going. You wanting to be healthy, and being able to fit into sexy clothes (I personally love clothes shopping in the Jr Department..sorry Lane Bryant clothes just sucks..lol), and looking good has to outweigh your foodcravings and get you motivated enough to excercise, even when you don't feel like it. Surround yourself with ppl that are physically fit, ppl that have lost weight and kept it off...anything to motivate you. No need to pay an organziation to drop pounds.
What did I do to lose all my weight?
For me it was candy. I love candy! I could eat chocolate all day long.
I simply stopped buying candy. Stayed away from it. Sure, at first it was hard, the first 3 weeks were horrible. I stopped craving it tho.
In addition to cutting the candy, I started first walking, then running as a everyday routine. And when I say everyday, I mean EVERYDAY come rain or shine, in the 100F degree weather in Texas...no excuses!I bought myself a gnarly MP3 player to take with me. One hr a day, I run. Then last year for Christmas I got a Gold's Gym, its in my bedroom...right next to my bed...soo no excuses, I'm on that machine everyday..while I still run everyday.
My friends don't believe me, that is all that I did. Some of them have issues with weight as well. But its true. I still ate the same other foods, just no Candy. If I go out to eat, i usually get something that has Chicken. Chicken Sandwiches from McDonalds, or Chicken friend steak from Cheddars. (yes, I said Fried..lol) for me it was candy. For you it may be Wine, Chips, Soda.
Just cut that out of your diet, and start a excercise routine, it could be running, walking, tennis, dancing whatever works for you and keeps you comming back for more...and I will promise you you will lose the weight.

You have some valid points, BUT, everyone is different. Some people respond to the support and counseling, even tho the information is readily available for free, on the internet or at the library.

I've seen quite a few family members and friends lose weight with Weight Watchers or L.A. Weight Loss. Some have only joined for a few months and were able to continue the program on their own, successfully.

Losing weight isn't as complicated as people make it out to be.

Whatever you are eating...eat half the amount.

Get out and walk. Ride a bike. SOME form of exercise.

It takes a little longer to lose the weight, but it doesn't give your body as much of a shock as cutting things out of your diet.

I lost 120 pounds over a period of a few years.

I think this thread is a great idea! Hopefully people could find someone in their area to start exercising with. I tried that a while back through emails, but could only find one taker and we eventually drifted out of emails even. I think everyone is right, consistency is soooooooo key. That is one huge problem I have, sticking with the exercise routine, even though I feel great when I do it.

A good support system is a great way to start. If Weight Watchers help you with that, then by all means use it. Several of my family members used it and had great success.

Motivation is something I have a hard time with on my own. I like having someone to talk to and it helps to keep each other on track. My sister and I walk a couple days a week and that helps alot. My mom and sister both go, my mom is pretty close to goal but my sister has a ways to go. I am bummed cause I can't make it to the same meeting they go to.

I lost 20 pounds recently....very difficult-

requires a constant effort to lose and then maintain the loss.

Good luck-It can be done if you try!

If you goggle the cons and pros of lots of water you will find that some people even die from too much water . The question is what is lots, much....etc .

Wow, someone would have to drink alot of water to die from too much.

Many years ago I was WAY overweight Nicole ALOT worse then you are TRUST ME. I went to a weight loss dr. for help. No magic pills, no special diet really. Only told me to stay away from ANY diet soda with carmel color. It reales the sugar into your body. I was drinking diet Dr.Pepper and I thought it was OK cause it said DIET on it. That is a BIG no no. The other thing he told me was 4 oz of lean beef or baked chicken with 4 oz of green beans, peas, broc., asparagas...and green for supper. For lunch a salad with no dressing on it. For breakfast, I could have a boiled egg and a piece of fruit and a piece of toast. I could have a piece of fruit in the morning for a snack and in the middle of the day if I got hungry. Nothing with SUGAR. You body would go into what they call keytoses (sp) after about one week you will not want any sugar any more. It does work. Plus with the walking you already are dedicated to doing EVERDAY with your sister, YOU just watch the weight come off. You will be so suprised. You don't want to loose it fast anyway. Fast weight loss is fast weight gain. You want to keep it off.

I hope this might help you...

Thanks, Linda. That sure does help and to look at you, you'd never think you were ever heavy!

Thank you ((Nicole)) , but I used to weigh almost 200 lbs. YOU can to it!!!...

my advice for those who need to lose-do weight lifting in the morning and aerobic exercise in the evening (running, walking, etc). When you do your weight lifting, do sets of 8 reps. Do your reps quickly, with breaks between sets as needed. (I currently do 7 sets of 8 per exercise). Start with one set and small weights and add more as you get better. Also, set up your routine so that you work opposing muscle groups. I've had a lot of success doing this, and it helps with my instrumental virtuosity too.

As an RN... I can tell you, that soda that is "brown"...has phosphoric acid in it, which leaches the calcium from your bones. This is rapidly becoming a problem in America, as we drink so much Coke and Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper... not to mention that every 12 ounce can of soda has about 9-12 teaspoons of sugar in it. If you will measure that into an empty glass, you will see that it fills up an 8 ounce glass half way, with nothing but the dry sugar. It gives you a bit of perspective, especially when you find out that sugar is very destructive to your skin cells, making you age quicker than someone who doesn't indulge. Eating more often, say every 3 hours or so, will help keep your engine revved...and you will burn more calories with a faster metabolism. But to lose, you've got to MOVE!!!.... plus, get enough sleep. At least 7 or 8 hours to keep your cortisol levels down, which is from your adrenals... above your kidneys. These levels particularly rise in females, in a higher proportion than in men. Yes.. its easier for a man to lose than we ladies...simply due to the fact that they have bigger muscle mass than we do. Which is why, if you eat more protein, in small amounts, and use weight training, not to increase the size of your muscles, Ladies.. but to build muscle for "burning" of calories, you will possibly weigh more, than you used to, before weight training, but look thinner...Muscle weighs more than fat...and metabolizes calories quicker. Water is very important in losing weight, or in just staying hydrated, so you don't confuse dehydration with hunger. You can drink too much, that is true, and become electrolyte depleted, of the minerals and electrolytes that make your internal engine work. But it takes an impossibly crazy amount of water to do this... so, concentrate on at least 8 to 10 glasses of fluid a day. And, if you add fiber to your diet in the form of melons, and veggies with fluid in them, you will also add more hydration to your system, which will make your skin dewy and soft. Check out low glycemic fruits and veggies with lots of fiber, and you will lower your blood glucose, or blood sugar, and this will help you lose faster and will also decrease your chances of becoming diabetic. Its complicated how our bodies work..but, in some ways, its simple to understand, once you get the tour. Good luck on your weight loss. It takes determination, and just putting that one foot in front of the other. Walking is great exercise, easier on the knees and hip joints than running. You can take short walks throughout the day.. go up stairs or down...increase your moving, period. Dancing in the middle of your livingroom is a great way to work out..to a fast beat... or hiking a trail, or anything that will make you get going... No pill or exercise device will make the weight come off, its what you put in your mouth and how often you get off the couch.. BUT... go to your doctor and get a good physical first.. a real one, not just a poor excuse for one that they generally say is a physical, these days. Get some blood work so you know what your labs say about your glucose and your electrolytes and iron.. so, you can have a baseline idea what you are dealing with..and the state of your current health... then later... check those values again, once you've lost the weight. I guarantee, you will see a big difference in your health, once the weight is gone. Also, make sure you take a multi vitamin to help make sure you are taking in what you need on a minimal basis daily. I believe that we are seriously deprived of proper vitamin intakes with our fast food diets...and I think that it creates inflammation in the tissues of our bodies, which creates swelling and weight gain, from fluid retention. Vitamin D is a biggie that we need, and most people are seriously depleted in supply of it. Sunlight and food supplies some, but not enough.. take a dose of cod liver oil daily. They have it now, where it doesn't taste bad and even has flavors to make it taste ok.. it will make your joints and your skin and your eyes better. Oh..and there are sites online, like Sparkpeople.com that is a free weightloss support group, with recipes and calculators.. even Prevention.com is available for free visual makeovers..so you can download your picture and see a before and after weight loss of yourself..for motivation. Again...good luck!!!....Appyspotz....