Well, I started out badly the first time. At 407 I was shocked at the weight (hadn't stepped on a scale that would give me a weight in years). I wasn't quite sure what to do, and decided I just needed to start something. I went low-fat vegetarian as I tried to shake my bad habits out. If I did the drive-thru, it was a veggie burger and a salad, with my own low-fat dressing. I would joke that it was 'no meat, no fat, no sugar', but it wasn't really a great diet. Of course it worked, since even eating tons of veggies, fruit, and soy, I was eating fewer calories. I didn't exercise, although I had a job that allowed me to be active. I spent more time on the production floor, instead of my desk, which was actually good for my job. I think I lost about the first 100 pounds that way. That covers most of 2004. I even went on a cruise at the end of the year (food galore) and came back at the same weight after 3 weeks. Oh, just looked, it was 3 pounds lighter.
The real problem was that I hadn't managed to learn a way of eating I could maintain. I tried South Beach, which was way too much meat for me (after staying away from it for a year). I also started 5-day a week cardio. Over the next 5 months I only lost about 17 pounds, although I did lose inches, and I felt good. Of course, looking back at the food logs I started keeping at that point I was eating badly. I was still just under 300 pounds and eating under 1400 cals on average. Again, looking back it was 800 some days and 2000 others. Eventually I got an infection that I couldn't fight and ended up in the hospital (summer 2005).
The long and the short of it is that by the fall of 2007 I had slipped into better food choices, but just too much of it. December I was back to 358.2 (finally bought a home scale I could get a number on it), and decided I had to find a better way to live. I decided on calorie counting this time, with an emphasis on less junk, more quality foods. And I started with a higher daily intake (about 1800). In January when I went back to using the treadmill I put the calorie count up (about 2000), but found that wasn't quite enough so went to about 2100 in Feb. Now I'm doing 2200 and 2600 on lifting days.
Some weeks I lose weight, some weeks I don't. Once a month I'm usually up a pound or two (the women will know what I mean). I think I've found a way that works for me, but ask me the same question in a couple of years (when I reach my goal) and maybe again in 5 years (to see if I've maintained it).
It's not easy, and it's not fast. And if I keep up the same general loss it will be close to the end of May before I even get below 300 again. I have noticed that this time I'm not cheating, or going off plan, as I did in the past. I'm hoping that's a good sign.
Ack, I saw your post on your log and you sound like you're having a bad day. Motivation is not my strong suit. Heck, I don't even motivate myself. I just commit to eating to plan every night when I sit down and work out tomorrow's meals. I'm still not sure how I make myself exercise every day. Those who have always exercised may not understand how hard it can be to force your big old overweight frame into movement each day.
Keep going Kelly, it is possible. Really it is.
