 Deborahjjhayes 9 years ago | the most wonderful thing about this program is you get to eat real food and there is NO GUILT allowed. 😛 We are supposed to eat to be healthy!!! 😛 |
| Deborahjjhayes 9 years ago | Lwimmer, what a wonderful encourager you are. We’d love for you to join us in successful Beginnings and support! 😛 |
 LWimmer 9 years ago | I have read all these comments and can sympathize with all of you. I have about 35-50 pounds and inches to lose as well. I am tired of the weight/health yo-yo and that’s why I decided to cut the string to the yo-yo for good and join the Trimdown club. I do not see this program as being a “diet” but a “change in lifestyle.” I want this for the rest of my life. I also want to encourage each of you and everyone else in the club to remember that YOU are in control of YOUR day when it comes to food and exercise. Sometimes it comes down to controlling one hour or even a minute at a time! When we are tempted to go to the fridge or cabinet for a junk snack we are taping the yo-yo string back together and giving in to our old yo-yo habits and weight problems. Today is a new day, so we need to turn our backs on the yo-yo and throw away the strings so we can’t put it back together. We need to turn our backs to our old bad habits and start new good habits. How can we fight our cravings and old habits? Call a friend or get on the group forum and talk to us, find something to do with your hands and feet, some activity to take your mind off of the temptation. Say positive things to your self like “I CAN do this!” Because you can, YOU have the power inside you! In my eyes that makes you beautiful! |
 Ossie-Sharon 9 years ago | Hi, PeggyJK. There are quite a few folks here with fibromyalgia, so you are in good company, and on the right track with this sort of program. As I suggested in my post below, the groups are a great way to connect with others, and “New Beginnings” is actually hosted by a fellow fibromyalgia-coper.
As for the appetite issue, I am happy to do what I can to limit the challenge. If you have a moment, can you compare the menu you get here with what you are comfortably capable of eating? |
| Ossie-Sharon 9 years ago | Hi, dalrymp, and welcome! In addition to these forums here, the groups (link above) are a great place to connect with others just like you for tips and encouragement. The most popular is “New Beginnings”. |
 PeggyJK 9 years ago | I read all of these letters and they all move me (now if I can just get myself moving). My problem with dieting (and exercise) now that I am in my 60’s is, until my mid 40’s I was super skinny and had to work constantly to keep my weight up so I wasn’t exhausted. I have never had to diet before, instead I had to force feed myself. Menopause and fibromyalgia changed all that. Slowly went from a size 6 to a 12-14. I think my body stays in starvation mode of the time because I don’t get hungry very often. Unfortunately, when I do I want cookies or pastries. When I look at all those meals and snacks, it is overwhelming. I am going to try following the menus and grazing as much as possible. Any hints on getting my appetite back to normal? By the way, I really like the idea of “dancing through the day”. What a great way to exercise and lift your mood. |
 dalrymp 9 years ago | Hi everyone!
when I signed up, I thought what have I done? This will never work! I need to at least lose 40 lbs. but my goal is 50 lbs. So this morning was my official day starting, I drug myself out of bed and drove to a place where there is a nice paved trail, I walked about 45 minutes, felt great, but need to do this earlier because of the heat. I ate a hamburger patty and two eggs when I got home, now to commit to walking every other day, I need encouragement from someone!! |
| Ossie-Sharon 9 years ago | Hi, Dawniedark. You don’t have to get out of bed to exercise. There is a little routine for depressed and achy people. Just lay on your back and do leg lifts, arm lifts (with heavy objects), sit-ups (also not critical with certain leg lifts), glut lifts, and thigh squeezes with a “Thighmaster” type of apparatus or even just a very firm decorator pillow. These are actually soothing. If you can do them in front of an uplifting show or movie, that can also help. Don’t forget to drink water during! |
 Dawniedark 9 years ago | Hi there. I am on my 4th week. Had positive results week one but not week 2 Then had to spend a week away( my sons wedding in Vancouver)I did ok with my diet only went up 1lb. What I’m having problems with is excersise. Years ago I would go to the gym or do aerobics to my Gilad tape bodies in motion. I love it. But I get really confused. As some say excersise everyday and others say 3 times a week All say something different. I struggle with fibromyalgia and depression and some days it is very hard to get out of bed and move around at all I know that excersise is the best thing for my condition and that doesn’t even motivate me to excersise everyday. Any thoughts from anyone? |
 dhughes02 10 years ago | Hi, I’m new here and am enjoying what you all have to say. I have not been active forever and have never been in a gym. I got some home videos and am going to start using them this week. it has taken me a long time to realize that I cant reach my goal just eating better, especially being over 40! my goal is to start slowly and do a little more each day. |
 philpayne 10 years ago | Hi Cora, how are you getting on? I have been exercising at home for the last year and a half now, never spent a single day in the Gym and lost 2 stone. There’s plenty of home exercise DVD’s out there and even free workouts on youtube, don’t feel you need to go to the Gym. I lost 2 stone in 9 months, doing the P90X workout, just start out going at a pace you can cope with and gradually increase the intensity as you get fitter. Good Luck Phil. |
 bnewbee41360 10 years ago | By the way I am new to this program also. I have a long way to go myself, so remember you are not alone and you can always talk to someone on here. This program is not here to judge us but to help us. I have over 100 lbs to lose and I am using the exercises I am recommending to you. A dear friend of mine told me about them. |
| bnewbee41360 10 years ago | (1).Turn the radio on or put on some music that you like and just dance around the house. Whether you slow dance or wiggle doesn’t matter. You don’t have to be a break dancer or move like the heart stopping dance videos on tv. just moving more will burn calories and help until you start losing weight. I like the zumba videos and I can move as fast or slower as needed. (2) Put on a slow song, Close your eyes and just slowly move your body to the rhythm, you can imagine you are a tree that is being swayed back and forth by the wind. Make sure to move your hips and waist. Now embrace your arms like you are cold and while your eyes are still closed and you are swaying to the music imagine you are slow dancing with the one you LOVE. Start out doing this to a couple songs at first. Then increase the number of songs every 2 – 3 weeks and before you know it you will be dancing for 30 minutes and wondering where the time went. (3). Stand with your back to your kitchen table. Take a 16 oz. can of veggies or soup, place the can in your right hand and with your back facing the table, stretch out your right arm, turn to the right and place the can on the table, this will set your start point. Now place both arms straight out in front of you and then move both arms to the right, your left hand will slide up your right arm to the shoulder, pick up the can with the right hand, as you come back to the left your left hand will slide back down your right arm, bring both hands out in front of your body like you are getting ready to clap your hands and then switch the can to the left hand, go to the left side of the body, sliding your right hand up the left arm to the left shoulder and place can on table. Pick back up with left hand and repeat the process back to the right side placing the can back on the table. That is 1 time or rep, do this 10 times. Right to left and left to right equals one time. This will help with your waist line, build muscles in your arms and back. The first week do this routine once a day. As it gets easier you can increase the number of reps. After 2 weeks try and do this 2 times a day. It doesn’t take long but it helps. I prefer to do it to music. I do the reps till a song is over. After you start losing weight you may want to start adding walks to your daily exercise routine. |
 jsingle 10 years ago | Hello Cora, This is my very first time posting to Trim Down Club and yours happened to be the first post I read. Your post brought a tear to my eye b/c I often feel the same way you do. I have started going to a yoga class recently. Does my weight and my shape, keep me from doing many of the poses correctly, you bet! Are most of the girls there skinny and flexible, yep! Do I feel self conscience and envious of their bodies, yes! But one of the instructors recently opened the class by emphatically stating “This practice is for you and you alone. Don’t look at your neighbor, don’t compare yourself. This class and this time is for YOU and for where you want to take your own body! Honor your own practice and know your ability is exactly where it should be, right here right now in this space, on this day you are perfect in your practice!” This has truly resonated with me, so I keep going to this class (which is heated and I sweat a ton) which helps me feel better physically and motivates me to exercise in other ways as well. Find a class with an instructor who can bring you the same peace and motivation. I have a long road ahead of me and a lot of weight to loose but kind and understanding people can help you along way. Don’t give up hope, seek out places where you can feel good about your efforts and know that we are all here on this journey with you. |
| Ossie-Sharon 10 years ago | Hi, Sara. It looks like you’re off to a good start. It does take some people a while to get their metabolisms off and running, and the fact that you are working out can help more than you can imagine. Don’t worry about being perfect with regard to food choices – just ease into them, and remember that eating whole, unrefined, unprocessed food is already a huge part of the equation. If more time passes and you don’t notice a change in how your clothes fit or how you look (never mind the scale, because lean muscle is heavier than fat, and you are in the lean-building phase), please do repost, and I will work with you on rightsizing your menu.
With regard to your age, keep in mind that you are in the same area code as Harrison “I do my own stunts” Ford and bodybuilding champ Jim Morris, and 20 years younger than Betty White. |
