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Hi Bees!
I just got engaged two weeks ago and have FINALLY found the motivation I need to lose the extra fifty pounds I've been lugging around for years! Every time I see that sparkly rock on my finger, it reminds me that if I want to feel comfortable, beautiful and happy on my wedding day, I need to lose weight for ME - for MY HEALTH, MY HAPPINESS and my CONFIDENCE!! Any other bees out there have a fair amount of weight to lose? I'm a big girl and have been most of my life so I'm really hoping I can use this year before the wedding to go at it with gusto. I'm going to start with 3x a week at the gym, cardio and strength - and really try to cut out the crap I've been eating! Just curious who else out there is hoping to really slim down before their big day!!
you're definately not alone! I am trying to get my body into shape by going to the gym and eating healthy. My wedding is 10 months away and I want to focus more on the way my body feels rather than the number on the scale! It's not easy but you can definitely do it! I love Jillian's 30-Day Shred. Have you found any tricks that work for you?
I keep hearing about that 30 day shred!! Maybe I should invest in it!!
As for tricks, it's old school, but drinking tons of water really fills me up. Also, I've noticed that just getting to the gym is the hard part. Once I'm there, I'm fine, it's just hard to build up the courage when it's been a long day at work, i'm tired, etc!! I actually am about to launch a fitness and weight loss blog so I'm hoping that will help! I think you're smart too to focus more on your feelings! I need to do that but I'm a little obsessed about the number, hehe, and at my level of obesity (yuck - hate that word) 50 to go is what I need to be back into a healthy BMI :)
I didn't/don't have a large amount of weight to lose but I do have some! I posted my most recent success post here: http://crosscountrywed.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-hate-you-jillian.html
I would suggest Weight Watchers and 30day Shred. Plus lots of walking, water and writing down everything you eat for the first few weeks.
I would also LOVE to lose about 50 lbs in the next 10 months or so before the wedding.
I am joining a gym that does "bikini contest" events 3x a year, where for 450 dollars you are put on a 3 month program with 5 exercise classes a week, plus nutritional counselling. I am doing some classes starting in September/October as a "warm up" then doing the "bikini contest" in January, and possibly again in May so I get my butt kicked.
They have awesome results with the "bikini contest" and then there are maintenance classes once it is over (for up to a year) for an additional cost to keep up the results!
@GabGal - I like your blog!
@Ms Mini - That sounds like a great plan! Keep me updated!!
I'm on the fence about weight watchers. I did it once, and I totally didn't do well with tracking my points. I know it works, but I'm also concerned because financially, I'm broke! I know it's only about $40 a month, but on top of my gym fees, loads of veggies, allergy injections, writers groups.. It's just another thing to go to/pay for. I know so many people have had tons of success on it so maybe I should rejoin and just FORCE myself to be honest in tracking those points!!
The only time I've successfully lost weight was working with a free nutritionist when I was in college. Once I got into the swing of exercise and eating right, the weight was just falling off.
I have a LOT of weight to lose.
I don't think you need to do WW to lose. WW is just about portion control. One good way to get to where your portions are more in balance is to cut your meat / carb portions in half and double your veggies. Use half as much: sauce, mayo, etc. and start using "free" stuff like salsa, mustards, etc. to flavor food.
It's all about the little things which, when added up, combine to create an impactful and sustainable life change.
Working out is key, too!
As of now I am 52lbs below my lifetime high (which I was back in 2001) but I've lost 22lbs since the beginning of May.
WE CAN DO IT! 
@SweetheartDealer - way to go! Finding motivation is 99% of the battle, I think. Just stick with it and remain consistent. I lost 75 pounds 6 years ago, with the motivation of not wanting to be the HUGE bridesmaid in one of my good friend's weddings. Every time I wanted to skip a workout, I thought of those pictures, and off to the gym I'd go. As you retrain your brain, healthy eating will become easier. When you find yourself struggling to workout, that's the time to switch up your routine. Remember that what works for one person, may not work for you - so keep at it and don't give up! Keep in mind that HEALTHY weight loss is 1-2 pounds a week. SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE!
Also, the 30-day shred in great for toning, but I would wait til a few months before you do it. I know if I started it as I was beginning my weight loss/exercise program, I'd be very discouraged (but that's just me!). It will definitely tone you up, but I don't think it gave me the cardio I needed.
I have lots of weight to lose too. I have been taking off and putting on 30 pounds for the last five years... and I am ready to take it off for good and GET and STAY healthy. After a summer of excess I have just started to get moving. I am planning on following a simple high fiber high protein low calorie/sugar diet found in a variety of diet books ( ie: Bob Harpers' Are You Ready, FAT SMASH) and perhaps do a healthy , safe cleanse when I feel ready. In terms of fitness I am back at the gym on my 3x a week 40 mintue cardio sessions mixed with pilates and weight training and morning runs. Additionally my FI and MOH are challenging me to get up a run with them and complete a 10k about a month and a half before my wedding. I agree Lorienne- WE CAN DO IT!
I have 30 pounds to lose. It' not easy though. Motivation is lacking, even wih a shiny sparkly ring. We should try and check in with each other. My friend had a weigh in with her friends every Monday. Each girl set her own goal, one or two attainable goals ex: lose 1 pound, run 1 mile/3 days. Then they'd check in with the group the following Monday to see how they did. Knowing that someone is keeping you accountable helps. We could probably start one here.
Maybe we can keep each other updated on this thread.. or PM each other our progress. I have started "food/fitness journal". Its time consuming but it really helps keep me accountable. In Bob Harper's Book "Are You Ready" he gives you a really simple template to follow.
Basically I write down what I ate at each meal total the calories and write a little bit about how i felt that day. The I jot down what I did in terms of working out and write how I felt doing it.
it takes about 20 minutes. I try to do it before I go to sleep. It helps me see patterns in my diet ..like on Wednesdays I have particularly stressful work days and I tend to eat more calories.. or when I lift at the gym I eat alot more protein.
I'm on WW and I've lost 13.2 pounds. I hit a standstill for awhile, but Ii'm doing good again and I'm on a roll. I've been combining a healthy eating lifestyle as well as hitting the gym several times the week for cardio, weights and yoga. I still have a long way to go!
ive lost 100lbs and have kept it off for a couple of years now... my advice:
food diary, write down EVERYTHING thing you eat and drink and the times, you may be surprised by how much you are snacking without realizing it
be honest with yourself and have someone else weigh you weekly (or fortnightly). weight watchers, sureslim, a friend or FI - whatever. i NEED weekly weighins to keep myself hones because i lie to myself way to easily and regain weight just by looking at it
drink lots of water, i drink 2 to 3ltrs per day which is about a gallon
cut out sugars, breads and high processed foods - fresh is best, organic fresh is better
reward yourself!!!! set small goals and rewards - it can become too hard if youre constantly on fat watch all the time. i have monthly facials & massages and i buy myself things, doesnt have to be expensive
take a photo of yourself now - you will be glad down the track when you compare the new you to the old
dont let the scales disappoint you - you will have weeks where you have worked your butt off and no movement on the scales. look for other signs, a pair of jeans that are loose or a smaller size
dont go telling everyone you are on a diet because they will be watching you to fail or enabling you to fail. one day a co-worker was talking to me and stopped mid sentence to ask 'have you lost weight' - it will happen so be patient
plan, plan and plan. plan your meals weekly, have the produce in the house so you dont have any last minutue/im tired takeouts. make your lunch the night before, inc a protien, salad and fruit so you dont have to stress about it in the morning
and when you fall off the wagon, we all do honey, dont beat yourself up about it - start a do-over for your very next meal
exercise - start with a walk three times per week and build on it from there. i do my training at 6am as it fits into my schedule best but last winter i was doing dvd's at home because i was over the dark & cold. find something that works best with you & your schedule
take one day at a time, one meal at a time
think long term, this isnt just for your wedding day but for your future
goodluck - you have the best motivator on your left hand!
I'm right there with you! I've lost over 30 lbs and went from a US size 14 to a US size 8! I'm hoping to be a 6 by thanksgiving...but we'll see. Getting a personal trainer was the best decision I have EVER made. I was able to drop from a 14 to a 12 by myself, but shredded the weight off (12-almost a 6) since starting!
If you are having trouble with the actual physicality of losing weight, I recommend working on the "mental" part as well as diet and exercise. A good place to start is by reading "Skinny Bitch." While rather grotesque and raunchy at times, it will open your eyes to what you put in your mouth every day, and make you thing twice about your food choices. It's pretty eye opening! I've lost 10 lbs so far in 3 weeks after changing my lifestyle and eating habits. (although I haven't gone vegan/vegetarian and enjoy a nice new york strip every other month, I've replaced a lot of food items with organic and natural choices.) They still taste good!
Wow, I got some great advice on here!!
Thanks everybody!
By the way, anybody who wants to check in with each other on progress, just send me a message and we'll go from there! I'd love to have a "Fat chat" buddy!
SHDealer, on my sewing forum we have a fitness thread (one new thread per month) so people can pop in and share what they did that day either with food, exercise or weighins.... its a nice way to touch base and support each other
Update: I'm down two pounds! w00t w00t!!
I do great M-Thursday, and then the diet attitude totally disappears on weekends. Need to stop "rewarding" myself with yummy fattening stuff!
Ok girls, I'm going to throw my hat in the ring. I have 30 - 40 pounds to lose and have gained about 15 in the last six months (really not paying attention to life). I'm so embarrassed of 'letting myself go' and getting to this point, I'm having a problem with motivation. I know I eat out of stress, boredom, and procrastination; so graduate school is definitely NOT helping! So, I bought Shred about two weeks ago and have done it maybe four times! 
So I decided to tell you all this in hopes of creating some sort of accountability. I did it today and am trying to create a 'fresh start' but still have all of the old cravings. Any suggestions? Advice? Support? Thanks ladies!
My advice would be to just not beat yourself up about it. Everybody falls off the wagon at some point.:)
You could start up a reward program for yourself. Like, for every x times you go to the gym, you get a certain "prize." Like, manicure, dvd, book, etc. Non-food related goals. That's a fun way to go about it.
Also planning what you're going to eat for the week (or day if you don't have the time) will help. You eat more regularly, and graze less because you know what your next meal is and when it is.
I'm with you on the fifty pounds!
I did Weight Watchers a few times, and both times were really great for me. In all honesty though, I never went to meetings, so I basically was paying money to get weighed. For me, it was worth it though. It held me accountable. If I still followed the plan at home, I know I would just weigh myself early and cheat wayyy too much, because who's reading my progress but me?
The best advice I can give might be some that people might not agree with. Both times I did Weight Watchers, I took one day completely off, right after I weighed in. I ate whatever I wanted and didn't keep track at all. I know that's not exactly healthy, but I ended up losing a lot of weight and I never felt deprived, because I had my one day to look forward to where I could eat whatever.
I agree that the best way to watch what you eat is to literally do that--keep track of everything, and control your portions. It makes an ENORMOUS difference!
ScotIrish: It's never too late for a fresh start! Lots of us are in the same boat, so join us! We can use this thread to check in or start another.
DarlingNikki: That's not a bad idea, to have a "cheat" day!! I am never super strict just cuz I CAN'T be, but if I need to attack the food plan aggressively, that might be a good way to go. Lately I just haven't been as hungry (been a little angsty with some work stress) and have been toning down my portion sizes, in addition to regular gym time.
So the weight is coming off!
I would seriously suggest a heart rate monitor with calorie burn counter. I lost about 60 pounds 10 years ago and managed to keep it off with no problems until I met my darling FH. Then about 12 pounds managed to creep on slowly, even though my diet was still mostly good--I just found myself "cheating" frequently and I was eating more meals because of him!! The last two years were extremely depressing because I was working out 3-4 times a week and I could not lose anything (because my body was already used to my eating habits) and I could not figure it out...even had my thyroid tested! So then I got a Polar Heart Rate monitor this past Christmas and between March and now I finally lost the 12 pounds that I could not lose before!! It's like having my own personal trainer!! Unfortunately, gym equipment lies to you about how many calories you've burned so I think people have an inaccurate idea of how hard they are working!! For example, according to an eliptical that I use most days, in a 60 minute HIGH INTENSITY workout, the machine says I burned more than 800 calories!!! Reality--I really only burned just over 400!! It puts things in perspective and makes you realize how hard you really have to work to burn off all those things that you just can't not eat!! Also, one of the things that helped me 10 years ago was that I tried to think of my obesity as a health issue similar to heart disease or diabetes. A person with those conditions can't just say that they can't be strict about cutting back certain foods or they'll die...Thinking of it from a similar perspective definitely helped me with any "willpower" issues I might have had!!
Good Luck!
I lost 80 lbs working out at Curves and following their diet program... It took me about a year to lose the weight and 3 years later, I need to get back at it. I quit caring for a while and that was bad news. So I'm headed back to Curves and back on the plan. eloping had great advice in her 1st post... You can do it girl. And I'll be doing it too!!!
I have 15 lbs to lose , but one problem i think about excersize and get sooooooooooo lazy and i will find other stuff to do just to avoid it.But i do walk a lot daily , we walk to do groceries , live near the lake so walk there a lot , but doesnt seem to be doing anything except keep my legs toned, my major problem is my stomach area , ughhh ive had 2 ppl ask me if i was pregnant cuz the rest of my body is toned but my stomach just sticks out . maybe situps ?
I've lost 30lbs in the past year (with many, many off the wagon periods). I used WW at first to really teach myself what was proper portion control and I also upped my work out regimen. The biggest tip I can give you is to hold yourself accountable.
It's bad to deprive yourself of what you want -- because, if you're like me, then you'll go out and eat WAY too much of it. However, you have to remind yourself of what you're working for. My biggest downfall was eating out. I let it feel like a "treat" every time and ordered whatever I wanted. After a while I wasn't losing weight anymore. Eating out happens and shouldn't always be treated as a splurge! As soon as I learned to pick better choices at restaurants, I started making serious headway again.
Good luck in your goals! The bees will always be here to support you along the way!
Good luck! I've lost 40 pounds, but I want to lose at least another 40 more. I'm down to a size 14/16/18 (depending on the pants - mostly 16W now in pants) from a size 22.
My wedding in November has been a huge motivator. Between the two of us as a couple, we have lost over 100 pounds. We've lost a person!
The keys are exercise, portion control and limiting "bad" carbs and packaged foods (at least that's what worked so far for me).
Okay so I'm not right there with you... but that is only because about a year and a half ago, I started watching what I ate and working out and I lost 43 pounds. I just wanted to comment on your post to encourage you to make a plan and stick with it. You can do it if you set your mind to it! :)
can i join too even though i'm not engaged? i really want to look good for christmas pictures though....
I'm trying to lose 35 pounds by December. It's pretty much September and I've only lost 5 pounds.
I can't seem to get myself motivated enough to get up and go to the gym! Once I'm there, it's totally fine and I'm in the zone, the trouble is actually getting there!
I have found a really helpful website though. It's www.fitday.com. You input all the food you eat, and can even create custom foods so you can know exactly what you're eating. It gives you a caloric restriction and also allows you to put in any excersice you do and then tells you how many calories you burn! Very cool, and very helpful.
I too need to lose about 50-80 lbs in the next TEN months, i think that my wedding is totally motivating me, i figure if i lose 5-8 lbs of healthy weightloss until my wedding i am going to be good to go, but i am in super need of some partners to track progress draw inspirations from! I.M. me :) im super excited for my wedding and i would like to be a little thinner than i am now :) after two kids and gaining 30 pounds after each one, im ready to get rid of this 60 pounds :)
My latest motivator was my engagement photos. SO PRETTY! I could so see how much I'd lost, but I could also see how far I need to go as well.
My tips:
I am joining!!!!!!!!
I want to lose 30 pounds by Aprilish but the last 10 are a killer for me!
Last year I lost 20 by Dec and I have gained 10 back as of right now! I am doing WW and working out 6 days a week (I work out regularly and have for as long as I remember but I need to monitor my caloric intake to lose weight)
I had a bad weekend this weekend because Mr. Ms family was down from England and so there was lots of food around UGH! I am jumping on the scale right after this to find out the verdict!
I'm in!!! Ready to lose 30lbs! I recently bought GNC Lean shake in vanilla because it was recommended to me by the salesman and i literally almost threw up. Something about the smell and texture just wasnt working for me. maybe its better in chocolate?
@jm1773: I haven't tried the GNC shakes, but I love the SlimFast Chocolate Royale flavor. I like the mix thought, not the pre-mixed cans. And it's actually really filling!
I love the costco weight loss shakes!!
Some stress made me drop weight a little quickly.. I'm down about 12 pounds now.. my appetite is smaller, gotta remember I don't need to eat huge portions to be satisfied!! Glad to see so many bees are excited and ready to do the same fitness wise! we rock!!!
Wow, great posts everyone. I'm new to this Weddingbee thing and I think I'm going to love it. I have at least 50 lbs to lose before October 2010 so I'm really appreciating everyone's tips. I really hope I can make some lasting changes to see the weight come off and stay off.
I've lost 100 pounds and still have 30 to go. It is a challenge to leave the bad foods alone, but any time that I am tempted to cheat, I think about my wedding and how I want to look and all the hard work I have put in to lose this weight and I usually can say no. My advice to you is to drink lots of water as another bee has mentioned. It helps tremendously with inch loss. I drink a gallon each day. Also, treat yourself occasionally. We went out this past weekend and I allowed myself two dinner rolls (I cut out bread) because they are DIVINE! Keep a food journal--it helps to hold you accountable, and also, when you have a good week, you can reflect back on what you ate and repeat that to ensure another successful week. Exercise is great! Once you get in the swing of it, it makes you feel so good afterward! I dread going to the gym some days, but by the time I walk out of there, I feel like I am floating on air. Make sure you are eating a good breakfast to get your metabolism going in the morning and have a protein snack in between meals (light string cheese, protein bar, etc). It keeps you full and prevents you from gorging on crap because you're hungry. Good luck to all of you. You can do it!
I am with you bees...I need to get back to my normal weight which means dropping 25-30lbs....unfortunately I was able to lose the weight a couple years ago. But, since last summer I've put it all back on due to poor exercise and eating habits. I know I can get back there again, but have been putting it off until now. We have just set our date and I think this is just the motivation I needed to get back into shape and kick the bad habits to the curb. My FI and I have started a gold star system where we get a start each day we go to the gym and will work out some sort of reward system to help motivate each other. I am super excited to get back to my old gym loving veggie downing self.
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