In order to keep the old thread from growing too large, here is the October thread.
Good luck losing! 
Well, here’s to hoping that I will lose the projected 2lbs/wk if I stick to the plan. I’ll let you know.
I have done nothing in weeks. I have something wrong and feel dizzy far too often.
My doc is checking my heart and my head. I suspect a chemical imbalance, even though he took blood and claims it is all normal.
I spent the weekend eating food high in potassium and feel more normal that I have in a long time.
In any case, I will be out of losing until we get it all sorted. 
Damn, I hope you get everything straightened out soon, Khadaji!
I’m posting mainly so I’ll be subscribed; nothing to report really, except that after a birthday party at my sister’s house yesterday, I’m surprised my “tight” jeans are fitting me well this morning!! They had the party catered by Famous Dave’s. Ribs, wings, corn muffins. Mmmmm. Then, the birthday cake was a Boston cream cake: moist yellow cake, topped by dark chocolate ganache, topped by a thick layer of cream, topped by more yellow cake, topped by an even thicker layer of dark chocolate ganache. ::drool::
True to my efforts lately, though, I planned my eating all week long so I could cut loose on the weekend without feeling even a teeny bit guilty!
Sounds like quite a shindig! I have the feeling that both Jayjay and I will be using the same plan for this upcoming weekend. 
That kind of reminds me of the “Wendie plan” where you eat less some days and more some days. If you can plan around special events then isn’t that the essence of lifestyle change?
My weekly average today is 170.57, down from 172.78 last Monday I’m really digging the averaging, I don’t get nearly as caught up in the daily ups and downs. I’m still trying to hit 165 by October 22 when I leave for NY.
I have made it through an entire week without alcoholic beverages. That’s an accomplishment for me and my hubby as we are quite fond of wine but we both decided that we really, really like being able to finish a gig and not have to worry about a bar tab at the end of the night.
UPDATE:
I am a 44 year old, 6’-3" man, who weighs:
------------------------------2006
July 1st: ~310#
Aug 1st: 297# (-13)
Sep 1st: 287# (-10)
Oct 1st: 281# (-6)
Nov 1st: 269# (-12)
Dec 1st: 263.5# (-5.5)
------------------------------2007
Jan 1st: 260.0# (-3.5)
Feb 1st: 253.2# (-6.8)
Mar 1st: 248.8# (-4.4)
Apr 1st: 247.8# (-1.0)
May 1st: 244.4# (-3.4)
Jun 1st: 243.0# (-1.4)
Jul 1st: 240.6# (-2.4)
Aug 1st: 242.8# (+2.2)
Sep 1st: 239.0# (-3.8)
Oct 1st: 239.4# (+0.4)
Not bad for having a serious ankle sprain 3 weeks ago and not exercising. I did get down to 236.2# last week, but I pissed it (the weight loss) all away.
I haven’t lost any weight this week, I’m still at 216.5. I have gotten stronger though - I’m lifting about double on most of the weight machines compared to when I started a couple months ago.
Can I join the party?
I am a 26 female who was looking through pictures taken a few years ago and got more and more depressed as the night went on. I really have no idea about how to lose weight. The last time I did I was in college and went about it in a very unhealthy way. Binge and purge was the preferred method. A tiny little part on me is thinking that if it worked once… But then I know my fiance and friends would kick my ass if they found out.
Two years ago I switched from a job in a carpentry shop to a desk job, so I have been doing less and eating the same. And the clothes have been getting bigger and bigger. I don’t own a scale, I think I would die of shock if I know how much I actually weigh, but I am thinking of getting one so I can give myself a kick in the pants.
I am getting married next August and have started to go wedding dress shopping. It’s unbelievably depressing to not be able to even try on some of the styles that you like because they wont fit past your hips. Apparently, anyone over a size 13 only wants the big puffy dresses.
So basically enough things have be making me depressed that I know I need to do something. I just don’t know what.
Any help or guidance would be wonderful.
supervenusfreak, any weight gain I lay claim to this weekend will probably be water gain from putting Bacon Salt on everything in sight! 
Looking forward to the baked goodies you fellows will be bringing, too. Not to mention just plain old looking forward to you fellows. . . 
Ludy, welcome, and congratulations on the upcoming nuptials; I, too, was a “Plus-Size bride”, and that was almost 20 years ago, when it was sort of, umm, unusual. (Fortunately, I have a MIL that sews; I ended up buying a size 20W white prom gown, and she tore it apart, and re-built it into a wedding gown). Even now, I’d be a plus size, because I haven’t had plastics yet. Even with plastics, though, I’m not really looking at getting down to anything much smaller than a 14. That’s okay with me, though.
Welcome to the club Ludy! Good luck losing!
Sigh. I’m back. I gained about 50 lbs over the past 5 months or so. I am hypothyroid, so I have no metabolism and as soon as I stop exercising, I start putting on weight. When I stress, I don’t make the time to exercise (which is stupid, since exercise is great for relieving stress) and I eat for comfort. My mom was seriously sick for a couple of months and she died at the end of August. I missed some time at work and sacrificed working out to catch up. Now I’m paying for it–I weigh more than I ever have in my life: 230. The only other times I’ve been over 200 pounds (really, over 170) was when I was pregnant.
So, I didn’t work out today, either. I want to go to the gym tomorrow (I will go to the gym tomorrow?) and get a jumpstart on things. I feel so damned slow and old.
Welcome!
There’s an excellent thread in IMHO that addresses this very question.
You may not specifically be looking for sympathy, but as a support group, it’s just part of what we are. I’m sorry for your loss.
It really sucks, as an overweight person, that often part of who we are means that we eat for comfort, stress relief, etc. It sucks, but there it is. Unfair, yeah, totally, but then there’s that whole thing about life being unfair. . .
So sorry to hear about your mom, Ceejaytee.
As a fellow hypothyroid sufferer, I can relate to where you’re coming from on the metabolism front. I could probably cut my calories down to practically nothing and it wouldn’t make a difference. Without exercise I just can’t lose. I hope you’re feeling up to getting back on the exercise track very soon. But please don’t beat yourself up too much over your recent gain. You’ve just gone through one of life’s most traumatic experiences and I don’t think anyone here is going to judge you for getting off track for a while. What we will do is encourage you to get back on track. I know you can do it!
As for me, I’m at 179. Not too proud of that but at least it’s down a pound when I could have gone up. I’m comfortably in a size 12 pants and actually had to buy myself a couple of new pairs of dress pants for fall/winter to replace two old favorites that are obviously way too big now. That was a nice boost. It’s interesting in putting on some of my old clothes to realize how delusional I really was. I used to think that Old Navy’s clothes ran so small and now I think just the opposite. Before their 14s were a little snug and instead of blaming it on my fat ass I blamed it on their sizing. Now, when my new 12s are loose in the waist I’m thinking, “Damn, these things must run big!” Same with their sweaters. I used to think their XLs ran more like larges so every once in a while I’d have to get an XXL. The sweater I ordered last week in a size large fit perfectly. But man, it’s SO hard for me to give up clothes that I love because they are too big. New ones help to ease the blow somewhat, but not entirely.
Ludy --Welcome!
Ceejaytee – I’m sorry for your loss. I think many of us are emotional eaters and can understand the stress/eating connection as well. Hang in there.
I’m still dealing with my stupid calf injury and I really can’t stand it much longer. I want to run! I went to the gym once on Saturday and it wasn’t too bad. I manged to do the bike for 15 minutes although it was a little uncomfortable. Then I lifted weights for upper body.
I’m going to go back today and see what I can do. It sure doesn’t help that I stuffed my face this past week. I can’t believe myself, sigh. I have not went off like this for so long in months and months. Eh, nothing I can do now but move forward.
I’m taking responsibility for it and putting it behind me.
I never know what to say when someone suffers a loss. It sucks and it’s horrible, but eventually the pain lessens and you remember the good things about the person’s life.
Can I join too? Huh? Please, please?
I quit smoking on December 7, 2006, and have gained 41 lbs. There was no weight gain whatsoever until May and then alluva sudden I just ballooned.
I was previously underweight due to an illness, so I’ve set losing 25 lbs as my goal. Have been following a version of Weight Watcher’s that a friend is using and started two weeks ago. Doc told me to go for it.
I look forward to monitoring my progress as well as everyone else’s and will be glad to have the support.
Thanks!
I’m so sorry for your loss Ceejaytee. Go to the gym…it’ll make you feel better, honest.
Welcome Ludy and straykat23! And happy losing.
A good way to get started is to journal what you eat before you try to change your habits. Helps to know where you are so you can chart a course for where you’re going. Check out Fit Day which is a free online diet and weight loss journal. It’s a handy tool for keeping track of things.
I don’t think a scale is necessary. If you’ve got a collection of clothes in various sizes you could just shoot for trying to fit into the next smaller size in your collection until you’re back to the size you liked.
And of course the best way to lose weight and keep it off? Eat less and exercise more!
Good luck.