Eight pounds your first week is phenomenal!  Way to go.  You'll be looking smart and sassy in those fancy clothes in no time at all.  My first weigh in is on Friday, so I'm a bit nervous...but whatever it says I'm going to keep on keeping on, because I already feel better and can tell a difference in the way my clothes fit.  One day at a time I'm going to conquer this.  Thanks for being an inspiration to us all.

GREAT first week PLVines!!!! Congarts!

Yea i agree with you. When I am at home I don't care how I look but when I go out I feel so self concious & I hate it because I see bigger people then me and go out dressing better and everything.

Thanks Rose!  I am about to start  a new job and need to wear professional clothes everyday.  So needless to say, I have to stick with the program.  I want to fit into some other things in my closet, but my wardrobe needs an overhaul anyway. So this program is really motivation to stick with it.

PLVines

Thanks Bridget!  I am feeling what you are saying...I feel a little  bit better.  I weighed in today and lost 8 lbs on my first week.  It was not so bad this weekend.  I did manage to keep under my calorie goal for each day even though I was out of town.  It is a process though.

I don't know how to do the buddy thing, but will try and look it up today.

PLVines

It's always easier when you are at home and can wear any old thing that is stretchy and loose...the problem always comes when it's time to go somewhere where you at least have to look decent and wear clothes that look nice.  That's when my melt downs start as well and I feel so bad about myself that I don't want to leave the house at all.  My self-esteem is in the gutter and it's up to me to pull myself out, one day at a time.  Thanks for your share...at least I'm not alone in this insanity. 

It sounds like we have about the same amount of weight to lose, so if you'd like to buddy up, let me know.  Of course I have no idea how to make someone a buddy...I just rejoined yesterday. 

Bridget

I hear ya, I am kind of in the same boat. One of the big reasions why I am doing this is that most of my normal close dont fix me any more. I had a party yo go to and I ended up going in one of my b/f shirts. I felt so embarrassed. I personally never stayed the same weight, so for me to go up and down isnt that big a deal. But I was really sad when my normal stuff didnt fix, and surprized. That one of the reasions why I am here. If you need to talk or what ever feel free to make me a buddy.

Rose

Thank-you, too...You've lost 5# . It's better than gaining 5#, right?  Any loss, whether a pound, 1/2 pound or an oz. is better  than a gain. At the rate I was going pre-2008, I could easily...easily... have gained alot more weight. Someday you and PLVines will be here encouraging others with your success!

PLVines, it is a process, but it doesn't have to be a really hard process. Talk to yourself daily and as I said earlier, go over youreasons for wanting this lifestyle change. I never looked at it as a "diet" but simply as a healthy lifestyle change that I would make work for me and I did. I too, have a sit down job, so my butt was really big. My husband used to tease me and say "what a wiggle :-)  I'd always come back with "waddle"..Walking has literally taken my waddle away. I work in my office 10 hrs. a day, but made myself walk in the evenings at our community gym at first. I gave up my nightly lounge time for this and have never, ever regretted it. I have had trouble with my feet cramping for years. I dreaded the thought of starting a walking routine. My husband went with me in the beginning and I would only walk 10-15 minutes a night at first, slow like a snail. Gradually I increased my time, slowly increasing my speed. I am by no means a runner, tho. If I walk outside I walk at a fair clip, maybe 3-3.5mph. Remember tho, if you start out slowly, you will condition yourself alot better than jumping right in full bore. My feet still give me trouble, but nothing like they used to. I guess I wanted to get the weight off bad enough that I just pushed myself. I know my limits and when it's time to quit for the evening. I always tried to go a little farther and not give up for the night when the cramping first started. I started to challenge myself to do more. Sometimes I'd tell myself that I was going to walk to a certain point, farther than normal. I always reminded myself when walking on the road, that I had to also walk back. That way I didn't go overboard and keep on hoofing it to the point I couldn't make it back home. So, I just challenged myself within my ability. Does this make sense? I started out walking 10-15 minutes a night and now  have no problem with 5 miles. Sure, after working all day you're giving up some evening activities, but you're doing this for you. I also said earlier that I was very strict. Down the road I loosened up a bit so I could go to friend's get togethers and be able to trust my judgement and restrain myself from eating every snackie in site! I knew in the beginning I'd miss some functions because of things like this. I wanted to make this work and I did..I have to tell you honestly this: When I was on the program about a month I told my husband I felt ok with going to a resturant. So, we designated Sunday night's as my splurge night. We usually went for pizza on Sunday's. I felt that because I weighed, at that time, on Sunday mornings, that Monday was the start of my new week. Lo and behold, I was so determined that I only ate until I was satisfied and not stuffed. I'd go home feeling happy with how well I did then I would enter the pizza into my menu....I too was addicted to food..whether happy or sad. I have two granddaughters that I want to be around for. I think that helped keep me motivated, too.

thank you very much and thank you for ur motavation and congrats on doing so well on the program i hope it works out that way for me