This morning I got on my scale -gasp!- I couldnt believe how much weight I have gained since Christmas. About 25 pounds...

I keep getting a cold one after another and not feeling like diet and exercise. Although I am running a fever now, which is what inspired my temperature thread, I was so shocked at my weight, I have to do something, and soon! My clothes are not fitting.

I am ready to commit. What is working for you ladies out there?

Hi Shawn, I also have gained a few pounds since Christmas. Keeping my weight down in my early to mid 30's was fairly easy. But after 37-38 yrs I started to gain about 7 pounds a year. I will be 43 in August and know that I need to do something about it now! I even have a free gym membership to the YMCA since I am an employee but lack motivation. I think I may check out Weight Watchers to see if they can help inspire/support me. My husband said the other day that he was tired of carrying around his extra 60 lbs and he wanted to start back working out as well.I would like to hear from others on how they finally got motivated.
Ann

Update, would still love to hear advice. I told you all that I have decided to do this! I have lost 5 pounds already. I hope I can get back to bikini shape in time for summer!

I have a book that a great friend of mine gave me that has south beach food dos and don’ts. I am giving that a try. So no sugar or chocolate for a long time , I LOVE chocolate!
I am also going to start back a jogging routine and working in some other exercise. Wish me luck and I hope the next time I see some of you; I will be a slimmer Shawn!

in the past i have tried the atkins diet. and it worked wonderful for me. until i decided i didn't want to diet. and i put all the weight back on that i lost. the south beach diet is a lot like it but healthier. whats nice about them is you lose the weight fast, because your cutting out carbohydrates. and you can pick your meal planes. unlike weight watchers were you really have to stick within your points.
good luck

I will try to add it back in as I go along, but for now, I need to be sugar free, and even dark Chocolate has traces of sugar. Don't worry chocolate will soon be back in my plan, I even cheated this past weekend and had some . I did walk a mile and then jogged 2 tonight so I don't feel as bad.

The chocolat movie, is that the one with Johnny Depp? I haven't seen it. I always thought I wanted to catch it, I will try to in future.

This is probably not news to everybody, as it has become more and more recognized, but green tea is an excellent metabolism aid. It speeds up the body's overall metabolism and is good for the health in many ways from what I understand. I've even noticed there are now vitamin supplements that incorporate green tea, so, if you don't like drinking teas, (some don't) or you just want to up the amount you get, the green tea enriched vitamins would be good. They likely sell these vitamins at most drugstores, but I noticed Wal~Mart has the generic version which is far cheaper.

And I don't diet per se, because I feel like avoiding favorite things completely in a diet (unless necessary for health purposes) leads to a feeling of missing out and often backfires, but restricting portions can work. Another trick that works for me is eating well for the early hours of the day and afternoon, but avoiding food after a certain time in the evening when supposedly, metabolism naturally slows. And it's pretty important not to eat at least a few hours before bedtime anyway due to the negative affects of lying down during the digestive processes, which can lead to stomach upset and heartburn or even esophageal damage because the acids can travel upwards then, and they're meant to stay in the stomach which is better equipped to handle the acids. It's much healthier if your body is done digesting well before bedtime.

If anyone else is dieting, it is hard not to be ecouraged and inspired by Lenore. Lenore has a Ledger blog used as her dieting diary.

When she first told me that she wanted to lose weight, I thought, "Where?" She looked great before!

She has been on track and done a tremendous job. To date she has lost over 20 pounds!

Check out her blog where she gives great tips on sticking it out.

http://letsloseweight.theledger.com/

I have been on Weight Watchers for over a year now and have lost 86 lbs. I know several people who have had great success on it also. Now I am in a boxing fitness class trying to firm up the flab. I have 6 lbs to goal. If you have not tried it you should give it a go for a few months and see what happens. I know I am happy with the results. Just my 2 cents worth.

Hi all! I have been doing WW since the beginning of November and have lost 45 lbs (including a few cheat weeks during the Holidays!). It really is simple, yes you have to stick within your "points" range but at least you don't deprive yourself of something (mini-snickers now has replaced my snickers addiction). Plus you get an additional 35 points to use for "cheat" meals.

You can also earn Activity Points by exercising!! YAY! lol For restaurant Point Values (we frequent restaurants quite often, my husband is a restaurant manager) you can visit www.dwlz.com/restaurants

All of the major restaurants are on there. Carabba's unfortunately doesn't divulge their nutritional information (personally I just plain use all my 35 extra points eating there!).

Hope that helps!!

Congrats mom, Keep up the good work. I love ww also.

Wow ladies, what tremendous results you have shown, Congratulations. Maybe I should look into Weight Watchers. I never have because I thought it would be to hard to get away and make meetings

Hi Ladies,
Thanks to Shawn for the complement above, although I wish I really didn't need to lose weight! Like most of you I"m doing Weight Watchers, and because I eat out a lot I live by DWLZ.com! I've lost 26 lbs. since Jan. 2 and have about 8 to go to get to where I was two years ago; after that I'd like to try to lose 12 more. We shall see. If I get to 120 lbs. it would be the first time since I saw it on the way up as a kid! Keep up the great work everyone!!

If you want to try a "program" that really works do Body for Life. The book is almost always on the best seller list and it is diet and exercise together. It does require some time, and as a working mom I have none, but it really does work.

What I am doing now is a reward system of my own. I know what to eat and what not to in order to lose weight and be healthy. We all do. Just like with our kids, I reward myself when I make good decisions. If I go a day and eat healthy, I put a dollar in my jar. After a while, I can go buy those Nine West boots I want or a day at the spa and not feel guilty about spending the money on me and not my family.

Oh, and if anyone is interested....you can do an AMAZING step aerobic workout to the Wiggles! I give my daughter a step (without risers of course) and we just "Toot, Toot, Chugga, Chugga..." the fat away.

Great Idea Cindy!