Oh, this was about LOSING weight?

[ML]

Ha,

I'm getting really scared. I am gaining weight. Sure, I'm going through M and things have slowed down but this is getting out of hand. I'm heavier than I have ever been in my life.

I'm also still using food to some extent for my depression and anxiety. I am not happy with aspects of my life and not ready to change them. But that's another story altogether. Though it's all tied in.

So I'd like to make today the first dayof the rest of my life. A life filled with joy and healtier choices.

I can exercise by walking on lunch hours. A must do for me if I want to be successful.

Wish me luck. ML

 

[Marguerite]

Concentrate on your walking for now, Michele.

First - you are capable of it.

Second, it produces endorphins which will make you feel more positive. This helps you deal with the emotions which are dragging you down.

Third, it gives you something to do other than activities which encourage you to eat more.

Fourth, it helps your circulation, boosts your metabolism and in general keeps your body young.

Fifth, load-bearing exercise keeps your bones strong. Menopause and the hormonal rises afterwards can leach your bones of calcium; you need calcium for good muscle and nerve function and if your body is low, it will steal it from your bones and teeth.

Even if all you can do is stop your weight from rising, you are doing well. Get some bloods done, aim to be healthy first of all. What I'm doing - losing the weight is directly connected to my health now, but it is the focus on my health that I'm maintaining, rather than my dress size.

But if you want to join me on my quest - feel free. If you can exercise that will give you an edge, and you just might beat me!

Marg

 

[Nomad]

You sound like you have the makings of a plan. If you haven't done so already, you might want to get rid of all tempting/junk food from your home. Instead, buy fruit, vegetables and some other healthy items. Love the idea of the walking! Another help is buying and reading exercise magazines like Shape or magazines like Weight Watchers.

 

[ML]

Thanks Marg. You are soo cool! I always appreciate your posts. I think you may be right that if I can keep from gaining any more for now, it's all good.

I hope that you are able to get your body feeling better and that you are able to get in some very low impact exercise started soon.

It's cool that we all have each other.

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

ML,

I think Marg and Nomad have given you some good advice. in my humble opinion, I think you should see your doctor to have blood drawn, as Marg suggested, to make sure you're physically healthy - no thyroid problem, etc... And, as Nomad suggested, get rid of the "junk" food that is just too tempting. I honestly don't believe in "willpower."

I think that walking is a great idea! Just make sure that you leave enough time to eat lunch too. Don't skip meals. If you do, you can mess up your metabolism even more and make it much, much harder to lose weight.

As you know, I'm also an emotional eater. I've found that by taking more "me" time, and making my needs just as important as those of my difficult children, I'm beginning to feel more emotionally "fit." I'm beginning to find that I don't have as much of an urge to eat emotionally.

I understand what you mean when you say that you're not happy with some aspects of your life but you're not ready to change them. I'm also not happy with parts of my life that I really have little or no control over at the moment. However, even though there are parts of my life I'm not ready to change and other parts that I cannot change, just taking time for myself, and making my needs as important as everyone else's needs, has given me a much more positive outlook on life. For me, this is enough to break my emotional eating cycle for now. However, I know that this is a problem that I'll probably always have to be aware of. I think I'll always be one step away from being an emotional eater. I hope this makes sense!

Once you begin walking, I think you'll begin to feel better. Once you begin to feel better physically, I think other changes to your lifestyle will be a bit easier to accomplish.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!! I know it is really, really hard at first, but leading a healthier lifestyle gets easier as more time goes by. I'm glad you're here!!!

WFEN

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Michelle,

It is the baby steps in life that creat the most change. The leaps usually lead to a fall.

Keep up the positive thinking, life is, after all, a state of mind!

Sharon