Discussion Board

I dont even want to tell you how many times I have started again. Just look at my archived posts.

I am taking a cellular biology class and the instructor advocates McDougal. I have all the DVDs. I lived this lifestyle when my kids were growing up. Fell off after the divorce. Now, I am 56, my last boy is itching to leave home, he is 18 and I need to redefine myself.

I need help. I cannot do this alone. How can I benefit from this board to get the support I need to get back into eating a starch based diet and exercise?

I know that is the only time I have stuck with excersize when I had somebody who cared about what I was doing on a daily basis.

Mary
Anacortes, WA

Come join us Mike T's holiday excursion. We started on 11-01 but you are more than welcome to join. You can post your food in the food log & if you have any questions or need any encouragement, you can post in the discussion thread.

We may not be able to go out & exercise with you or plan your meals, but we all care about each other. It is a great group. Noone gives anyone a bad time if they make a mistake & eat something off plan.

It is Maximum Weight Loss or you may do the regular plan as well.

Either way, welcome back!!

You can do this, Mary! Spend some time reading among the threads on the board here, and perhaps start a journal. Ask questions, and follow threads, and folks will respond. I did this over the last two years, losing 95 pounds, and my friends here can hardly believe I did it "alone," with no coach or support group. I tell them I have a daily support group here! Also read all of Dr. M's newsletter articles, check out all the recipes, read Jeff Novick's "stickies" at the top of his forum, and look at Lani's forum to get ideas about exercise. You can do this! There are a lot of friendly, supportive, experienced and well-informed folks here to help you.

Mary, why do you think you cannot do this alone? I do not know if you can get all of the support you need here (or anywhere else).

Welcome. There is a great support system on here.

Pink-rose,
Tell me...why are you here?
Mary

You get out of it what you put into it. That is my experience. The more you reach out to people, the more they will reach out to you. Frozenveg said it well... start a journal, read threads, read Dr. M's newsletters and read the STAR McDougaller Stories. Participation is key. You will find motivation, encouragement, advice and often a push in a better direction from those that have been successful.

Don't you find that once you start exercising regularly, you feel so great that you WANT to do it? I have exercised all of my adult life -- even when I was obese -- because it perked me up and gave me energy. It's such a habit now that I feel somewhat bereft on my rest days.

People are very supportive here - I think though the main force for change has to come from within, and from the hope of preventing and/or reversing disease.

Ha ha! I am here for the education, mutually beneficial relationships and fun!

Mary, I would like for you to decide to be strong. Say you can do it alone and then do it even better with the encouragement you will get from others here!

wife2abadge, My knee-jerk reaction to your question was an emphatic NO!! I have never been one to exercise--I felt humiliated in gym as a kid (not a fat kid, just didn't like competing and running around). I did walk everywhere as a teen, but not to exercise. I cannot stand health clubs.

However, when I committed to this way of eating, I acknowledged that I SHOULD do some exercise every day. I was very obese, and in terrible pain in my leg joints. I felt like I should move to make them more flexible and stronger in some way. I FORCED myself to do at least 10 minutes a day of step exercises on the Wii Fit. I did not ever feel "great" after exercising--I was doing it as a survival mechanism. Some days I had to literally drag my feet through the minimum 10 minutes, sarcasm dripping in every step.

It wasn't until I had lost nearly all of the weight I had to lose that I began to see what you are saying about exercise. I now like to exercise, and get in at least 20 minutes a day. I do not usually work up a sweat, and I don't leave the house to do it. I am no athlete, and I still would not say that I LOVE it or look forward to it, but I do it every day--it is now part of my life. First I was doing it to help me move--then I was doing it to help me lose weight--now I am doing it to firm up the stuff that's left after 95 pounds are gone--and now I do like it, and need to do it every day!

So, take heart, Mary--we will help YOU care about doing exercise on a daily basis! You will see great rewards!

Well, you will note that nowhere did I say I ENJOYED exercise. I don't really like it and never have. Believe me, I've tried it all: weight training, biking, hiking, walking, jogging, swimming, classes of alllll sorts, ice skating, roller skating, yoga... you name it. I never really LIKED any of it. I do sort of enjoy biking outside sometimes when the weather is perfect and I have the path to myself, but that's it. I always dreaded gym class and was never good at anything. Even casual picnic volleyball games were sheer torture for me because I am not athletic in the slightest.

I've just always done it because it gives me the morning boost that I couldn't get from anything else, helps me sleep at night, raises my good cholesterol, and hopefully will keep me from needing one of those chairs that helps you get up when I'm elderly.

Dear All,
Before I get started on studying for my Math Final this Thurs., I wanted to say thank-you to each of you who have come and showed your support...even you Pinkrose. Your contributions, has either made me think about what I am doing or given me ideas on how this board can be the support during the next month. So, know I take quick breaks and come read your posts, even if I do not reply.

I am challenging myself to form new daily habits. I have a month in between school and I want to head into the next quarter with a habit of exercise and eating right.

On a serious note to Pinkrose (the greasy wheel always gets the grease) I am fiercely independent. I learned this past year how much I need others. It was a huge life changing lesson. More about that later.

Nuff said, gotta take some practice tests over Chapter 1-4 and then on to tackle Chapters 5-10.

I love your honesty in regards to working out ladies.
Thanks again to all!
Mary

From the greasy wheel, Mary, please let us know when you need some grease!!!

Will do Pinkrose.