I'm new...and this is long...but I really appreciate your help, advice, and support!

mkate428

I'm new to the knot boards and really wanted to get a post on this board since losing weight is my biggest goal right now.  I'm getting married on 9/24/11 and would like to lose around 70-80 lbs before my wedding.  I'm the type of person that procrastinates and likes instant gratification (hence the weight issue!) and I'm having a hard time finding motivation to work out and eat healthier with a busy schedule.  I'm tired of making excuses but its so darn easy to say "yes" to that brownie tray in the work kitchen sometimes!  How do you ladies focus on the big picture and what's motivation for you?

Also, when is the right time to get your dress?  Everyone keeps asking me when I'm going to go looking and pick one out but I feel like I should wait as long as possible to be closest to my goal.

I really appreciate you for reading my long rant and thanks in advance for all of your help and advice!

Molly

Corrie23

Molly congrats on your engagement.. i am also getting married on September 24, 2011 and have recommitted to getting down to my goal weight before then.  I am a "on again-off again" weight watcher and I can promise you that it does work if you work it.  I just came across a posting on the Getting in Shape Board for weight watcher accountablity.. check it out

I just went to get my dress last Friday, but I was thinking that I got it far too early but it was the last dress (discontinued) in my size..

Good Luck!

Corrie

slubkin

Sorry for the long post.  Here is what I did (I've lost ~30 lbs in 6 months and hoping to lose more in the next year before the wedding).

I started getting up earlier and hitting the gym before work.  My boss decided everyone in our office could benefit from getting in better shape and so we we started an office "Biggest Loser" competition, which is actually much more supportive than competitive.

I found that changing what and how much I am eating is also really key.  Exercise doesn't do too much for my weight loss if I go home after work and binge at dinner.  Changing the foods I buy really makes a difference (more fresh fruit and veggies, less pasta and breads, only eating whole grains, low fat dairy and meat, etc).  The part that was hardest for me was portion control at dinner- it can still be hard to not give myself too large of a portion or go back for seconds.  My solution has been to dish out my portion, dish out FI's portion, and then pack up anything that's left into containers and put them in the fridge before I even start to eat.  I also try to make sure that I am eating a large salad or portion of veggies with lunch and dinner. 

I did Nutrisystem for a while and found it to be very effective when I wasn't exercising heavily (when I upped my workouts, the portions were too small to satisfy me- the plan only includes about 1000 calories a day plus whatever vegetables and dairy you add in). Most of the non-frozen foods are pretty terrible, so it took a month or so to figure out what to order that I would actually eat, and made my meals pretty monotonous.   It also was a bit expensive and I just couldn't afford to keep paying $300-400 a month for it (and I felt bad that FI had to scrounge for dinner, because I couldn't bring myself to make something for him and then eat cardboard).

If you have a hard time staying committed to the gym, try to make it part of your every day (or at least weekday) routine.  I go on the way to work, but I have also gone on the way home from work (that only worked for me if I didn't stop at home first- once I got home, I never wanted to go back out again).  Sometimes it can help to have a friend who wants to go with you, that way you make the commitment to each other to go and you feel more obligated to make the effort.  A third option (if you can afford it) is to work with a personal trainer at least twice a week- they will help keep you motivated and doing the right things to meet your goals.

You might also consider going to see your doctor and letting him/her know that you want to lose a significant amount of weight in the next year.  My doctor referred me to my health plan's weight management program and behavioral health departments when I told him I could use more support and possibly help from a nutritionist.  Your doctor may have similar resources they can steer you towards.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I am about to start dress shopping in the next month or so.  Most of the bridal shops that I have talked to say that ordering the dress can take 3-5 months and that you should leave at least another month for fittings.  I am the same as you in wanting to postpone it as long as possible to let my new figure hopefully open up more flattering options for me, but if I were you I would go dress shopping by February or March to make sure your dress will arrive in time for fittings.  Remember that it's always easier to take in a dress that's too large than to try to let out the seams on one that's too small. 

Good luck and have fun!

raynes

You've gotten some great advice so far.  I want to add that don't get discouraged if the weight doesn't come off immediately.  It can take a few weeks for your body to clue in to what you're doing.

Healthy, sustainable weightloss happens at a rate of 1-2 lbs per week, or around 1% of your weight.  You didn't put all the weight on in a week, it will take more than a week for it to come off.

Laur0813

I lost quite a bit of weight also, and it took awhile, but I feel like I was coming from a very 'ignorant' place, I didnt know anything about health, fitness, or the community that comes with it. 

A few tips from my experience:

Read more!  The more I read about health and fitness, the more I wanted to learn!  You would be amazed at what online articles can do for you!  You can easily find tons of recipes, workouts, general health articles!  I really think this helped change my attitude about my own health.  I didnt want to eat those brownies in the office!  It proveded me with a source of motivation.

Set small goals.  Go 5 pounds at a time.  1 BMI number at a time.  Small goals helped keep my interest, and stopped me from getting very overwhelmed.

Step back and look at your emotions.  I am an emotional eater.  am i raiding the pantry because I am bored, hungry, or because I just am a little more emotional than I would like?

Eat what you like!  I gaurantee there is a healthy recipe for it!  Portions Portions!!!  Learn what they are!  protein, 3-4 oz, i.e. the size of a deck of cards!

And finally, if you lead a healthy lifestyle, your body will reflect that!

ehathewa

Find exercise you like!  I go to dance class and play on an Ultimate Frisbee team because if I said I was going to run, I never would! 

Try moderation for treats.  I love sweets and chocolate, so I have found that frozen fudge-cicle popcicles are only 100 calories and satisfy my cravings.  Those 100 calorie snack packs are a lifesaver too. 

Drink lots of water!

Good luck!

msange727

ditto everything that everyone else is saying - damn ladies, we've got a lot of wisdom around here! :]

and i would just like to add, because of my personal struggle: don't get complacent once the weight starts coming off. it will hit you one day (very soon, if you do all the things everyone is suggesting lol), that you've lost a wonderful amount of weight. don't do what i do and let that be a subconscious reason to slack! i lost about 20lbs last year and have stalled out after hitting a major plateau from - you guessed it - complacency. just remind yourself that you're progressing at a great pace, and that you're on you way to greater things (and smaller clothes!).

and you know, stick around!