Weight Loss Motivation

I want to lose some weight in the worst possible way but I just cannot seem to kick my ass in gear.

I'm 33, female, 5'7 and currently weigh about 180. My realistic-goal is to get down to 160 and my dream-goal is to get down to 145. I work out 3-4 times a week, but my problem is that my job involves entertaining clients and eating out a fair majority of the time for lunch and dinner (I am not the one choosing the restaurants and sometimes it's fixed menu). Between that and a busy social life (I could probably stand to cut down on the booze) I just can't stick to any one diet or calorie-counting plan.

Is anyone else trying to lose weight (successfully or not!) and would like to be my weight loss buddy? I'm looking for someone where we could seriously PM each other every single day to motivate one another to work out, share food tips/journals and help stay on track.

If not, I still appreciate any insight or advice here if you've tried something that worked well for you -- tips, strategies, ideas, etc.

And I know this isn't a weight loss forum but I know this board is full of smart and interesting people who might have good ideas!

I would really love to do that with you. I'm trying to lose weight as well. I'm in about the same position you are; female, 5'1, and I weigh about 190 right now. My goal is to get down to 160 and my dream is to get down to 120 eventually. I really need motivation to work out and eat healthier (my problem is I'm addicted to junk food like fries and such,) I keep saying I'm going to start working out, but then I either forget or tell myself I'm too busy.

I'll join in!

How ironic that I just mentioned that I often go out for biz things for the 'booze and schmooze' - I hear ya on that!

Too cold to go out tonight, and I do want to shape up too!

I'm probably in a relatively 'normal' weight range - I'm 5'10 and I will guess 160 lbs. I'd like to be 140. Or, 150 and muscular. I am out of shape and flabby. "Skinny Fat". Yep, that's me.

And, I'm heading into middle age, and was seriously ill a few years ago - so now it's about health for me, for the most part. I so want to be healthy and strong again! Played serious Tennis at Uni (got a scholarship) - now - I feel like I might conk out from walking a block.

Yeah. That illness (and the drugs involved) *really* took it out of me! Speaking of weight - prior to I was probably 140 - 3 weeks later - like 95 lbs.

I looked like *death*. And I pannicked because I *kept losing weight*. It was the chemo drugs. To put it back on - I decided to go on one of the few sure weight gain diets of - junk food + beer. And it worked! But I should have quit while I was ahead and gone to "healthy eating". Kept up with the junk though, and now I've got some to lose and am out of shape and flabby.

I am working on it. I have made some half assed strides. Now eating more healthy and trying to do what exercise I can. Helluva time to undertake that, in the Winter, but I'm trying anyway.

So I'll join in too! I need it too! Oddly enough I was thinking of starting a thread like this, or resurrecting a sim old one -

Yes, let's support one another and post the diet and exercise tips that we know of or find.

I'm in! wink

ETA - IMO no need to PM - plenty are interested in such things (sim thread in the past) - so we could have it all right here on this thread.
That is one tip I have - keep it simple. The simpler you can make your plans, IMO the more you will stick with it.

@ihateshriekers, I am the same way. Logically I know what I need to do to lose weight and keep it off...but every time I have a few good days, I go to a dinner where I eat too much of something indulgent or I drink too much and come home and snack on everything I see. I have an appointment with my trainer tomorrow so I know I will be working out! Do you ever do group exercise classes? When I have a certain class or meet with my trainer and "have" to be there I'm so much less likely to skip then when I just plan to go use the cardio machines or weights.

@Zzelda Glad you're interested in the thread! Maybe one of our wonderful mods can change this title to "Weight Loss Motivation" or something of the such.

LOL at "Schmooze and booze." I am in sales so I'm out 4-5 nights a week (hence why I'm home on Saturday night thinking about how I need to lose weight!!). I love to work out but depending on what my schedule is like, I can't always get there during the day and I'm horrrrrible at getting up to work out in the AM. I'm such a night owl but I always feel better when I get that AM workout in.

After college I lost 25 lbs. on Weight Watchers and participated in a wonderful forum there that really helped keep me on track -- I almost felt like I'd be letting the others down if I slipped or didn't most a daily menu/journal. None of those members are still there but I seriously miss having it. Myfitnesspal is good for calorie counting but I use the app and it isn't very interactive. Really excited to have you (and anyone else to join in) here!

Stop thinking about your weight in numbers and build muscles! This is the only way to lose weight and keep it off.
Your goal must be, how you look in the mirror, not what your scales show. I'll give you an example: You have 8 kg of fat, that you want to lose. You gain 6 kg of muscle mass. Your scale shows that you've lost 2 kg. But your body will look completely different.

Concentrate on muscle-building exercises and skip cardio (it's useless and a waste of time). Your heart rate will go up anyway, trust me. Prepare to be hungry more often and make sure that you get enough protein. Eat 5 or 6 small meals every day.

I will suggest exercises, if anyone wants them.

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" ... what's one more once you've already got two shedding on the couch?"

Thanks @trekkiemonster! You are right that strength training is important and I 100% agree it's all about how you look not what the scale says. And believe me, if I weighed 167 and was back into my size 8 jeans I wouldn't be whining about two measly pounds!

I do work out with a trainer. I suppose for me, the diet aspect is the hardest part. I know it all sounds easy on paper and I know that logically weight loss is eating fewer calories than you burn. It's just not easy for me to actually stick to! My mother gives me crap and says things like "if you were really ready to lose weight you wouldn't have trouble sticking to it." But I truly believe it's harder to change habits I've built over the last few years than just flipping a switch.

Getting to the gym is important to me but my real issue is how I eat.

I've lost some, so I can tell you what I've learned. My own goal is to get down to 120 (I'm 5'0) although I'm not sure how much I weigh (floor is not level, do to it being an old building and shifted foundation.)

First rule and most important: NEVER let yourself get too hungry. Once you start getting too hungry, any self control goes out the door. Plus some people think that if they skip meals, this will help them lose weight. NO IT DOESN'T as you'll be super hungry by the time the next meal comes around and 'compensate.'

Second: Food is not your enemy, nor is your body. I've seen many dieters treat themselves and their bodies like crap, just because they ate the 'wrong thing.' It's not eating the wrong thing, but often people eating too much of it once they get into the mindset of "Oh well, my diet's ruined. I might as well have the rest of that cake." Moderation is the key. You won't gain if you have a slice of cake, but you will gain if you stuff yourself with it.

Third: Are you eating to feed a feeling? A lot of people eat because of an emotion, not out of true hunger. Often it's boredom or sadness. Don't be afraid to feel. It feels unpleasant at first, and you might even find yourself crying at first (I know I did) but it feels cleansing and is better then numbing that feeling with food.

Fourth: Most of that candy, alcohol and whatever is concentrated calories. They are not 'bad' calories and they aren't 'good' calories. But their concentrated form makes them easy to eat a lot of in one short sitting. They aren't disallowed, but think of them holistically as part of the rest of what you will be eating. Fruits and vegetables are far less concentrated, and you have to eat a lot of them just to get the same calories in a candy bar (especially with vegetables.)

Fifth, portion size and exercise. Portion size has gone up, and exercise has gone down. Look at the portion sizes from the 1950s. They were smaller then the things you have now. Don't put food on a big plate or bowl, or you might find yourself filling it up so it doesn't look so 'empty.' You'll likely have to retrain yourself to eat less, pretty much because we've gotten used to seeing (and eating) bigger sizes. Also find something you like to do and just do it. Dancing, walking, swimming, bike riding. If it's fun it doesn't feel like 'exercising.'

Sixth, don't use the car whenever possible. In a car, it's good for getting from a to b, but it's a little too good. You aren't really moving, just sitting and pressing peddles with your foot for a while. When you aren't using the car, you're forced to get out and walk (or bike) to get somewhere. Plus it's more time doing an activity, and less time sitting around and being bored (or sad.)

Set up your meals, so that 60% of each one, is something that contains protein. When you get enough protein in your diet, you will stop craving carbs and sugar.
Make sure that you get adequate vitamins and minerals. This will make sure that you don't retain water and have PMS or menstrual cramps.
Your life will get easier right there.

Then set up a schedule for "cheating" - one or two meals a week. For instance, set up a Saturday afternoon, to vedge out in front of a computer, eat pizza, chips and ice cream. This takes your focus off of trying to resist eating junk food. You will eat it, but you will decide when. It's much easier to delay something, than it is to deny yourself.
Set yourself up for success. Buy junk food a day before your scheduled junk time. Make it so, that healthy food is readily available to you and you have to go out of your way to get junk food.
And stop counting calories! The process of weight loss is signifficantly more complex, than simply using more calories than you consume.

Even if you're not so strict, to limit your junk intake to once or twice a week, you can do things to offset their impact. For instance, you can have a pizza, but before you do, you eat a big salad, with something proteiny in it. This way, you can eat anything you want. This will help you to not stuff yourself.

Avoid white things, diet foods and anything low-fat or no-fat. The high fructose corn crap will do much more damage to you, than ordinary sugar.

If you have a hard time getting yourself to the gym, you can exercise at home. You can get adequate training, without machines.

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" ... what's one more once you've already got two shedding on the couch?"

I was doing WW, while simultaneously training for a half marathon this coming March. I lost 15 pounds in 2 months and have spent over the last month losing and gaining and losing the same 3 pounds. This seems to be the level for any eating plan I try, so I don't think I am going to pay for another round.

That said, My Fitness Pal app has apps that work similar to the WW app. And it is free.

It is said abs are made in the kitchen. I have lost almost nothing running alone, so this is true. Portion control seems to be my only success at this stage, and restaurants are killer. A running book I have (Running for Mortals) discusses diet. In one case, they went to their fave restaurant and measured out a single serving bowl of their pasta. It was actually 17 servings! Since you eat out a lot, I would check out the portions on any of the apps out there beforehand.

Drinky drinky: I like a predinner cocktail of a Hendricks (gin) martini. Very smooth, but a "slow" drink and not the worst caloriewise, though it is not the best either--vermouth and olives add to it. Wine is better. Light beer is good, but I consider it pisswater. Straight alcohol (neat or on the rocks) has the fewest calories apparently.

I have 50 more to lose before I deem my weight perfect but the fat pants are already too big. I will take that little victory.

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From a bottle cap message on a Magic Hat #9 beer: Condoms Prevent Minivans
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I want to pick up a bus full of unruly kids and feed them gummi bears and crack, then turn them loose in Hobby Lobby to ransack the place. They will all be wearing T shirts that say "You Could Have Prevented This."

I've been trying to lose weight too! Over the last year I lost about 12 pounds. I think that this is because I went off of the birth control pills, which I personally believe are fucking evil. Anyway, I now want to take off an additional 10. I eat lunch out a lot, and I discovered that what helps me is a protein shake vice a meal for the meals I eat at home (or maybe just breakfast or dinner, but not both). They fill me up and my body likes the protein. No hunger pangs or upset stomach.

I've also been going to Body Pump at the gym. My weight is holding steady for the most part, but I just got into one of my "skinny" skirts this morning and am wearing it comfortably, so yeah, building muscle is really helping me too.
Also, on days when you just *can't* bring yourself to work out, do yoga. Even a short warm-up and stretches in your living room will get the blood and digestion flowing.

I hope this thread is still going in a month and a half or so. I definitely want to join, but right now we're frantically trying to finish this remodel. The permit expires January. They didn't give us a day date, just January, so we're not sure if that means December 31st or some point in January.

Next year we are dedicating to working on ourselves and the yard, which will be a nice workout too.
I've lost 60lbs, and now I'm looking at the difficult 10-20. I've held steady at this weight for two or three years, and it's time to finish it off and find a maintenance routine.

I truly believe "you can't out exercise a bad diet". And I know I eat too much chocolate. Mmmm chocolate!

I want to build some more muscles, I feel so much better when I do. I hurt all the time right now. And even though I work hard on this stupid remodel project, it's not really the same as exercise.

I'll be reading this thread, even if I can't properly participate until the new year some time...
Rock on!

@nightfire thank you for sharing! I completely agree with your tips, especially about food being the enemy. I love to cook and dine out and I actually really enjoy food, so I hate classifying things as "good" and "bad" foods or days as "I was good today" or "I was bad today." I think occasional splurges are important! I guess mine are just....way more than occasional!

I have always wondered if there was a reason why I binge eat, which I think I do. Sometimes I'll order in takeout and eat enough food to reasonably feed four people -- I am not especially sad or lonely (I get the seasonal blues but I manage it by getting sunlight whenever possible, exercise and staying busy) and while I do eat out of boredom, I don't think that's the main issue. BUT at the same time, I know logically what I need to do to lose and yet I haven't been doing that.

I live in a city so even though it's winter, I am going to try to walk more on rely on the train/cabs less...all of that extra movement will add up!

Thank you for all of the tips!

@navi -- Congrats on your half marathon! I want to do another one this spring but I haven't picked one yet. When I trained for my first, I didn't lose an ounce.

Smart tips about drinks and portion control. I tend to like darker spirits but those probably have more calories -- maybe I will stick to wine for awhile! When I go out while I'm tracking on MFP I try to compare dishes to ones that are out there on chain restaurants -- it's not exact but it helps. The good thing is my friends and I share a lot so if I really set my mind to it I should be able to manage portions.

@starbelly I have wondered if my birth control was a contributor to my weight but I have been able to lose while on it, just not as much and I haven't kept it off. I have never been to Body Pump but my friend told me about it recently! Maybe I'll try it out.

@Presto How did you lose your weight if you don't mind my asking? Sometimes it's harder when you have less to lose!

Make sure you absolutely avoid unproven and unsafe fads like Manuka Honey, HCG, diet pills etal. There are no double blind studies supporting its safety or efficacy. Anything coming from a spammer is suspect.

Likewise use caution with anyone who just signed up and PM's you

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“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

Yeah, the words 'weight loss' is one of the top things for drawing spammers. We had one already on this thread.

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writer44
@navi -- Congrats on your half marathon! I want to do another one this spring but I haven't picked one yet. When I trained for my first, I didn't lose an ounce.

Smart tips about drinks and portion control. I tend to like darker spirits but those probably have more calories -- maybe I will stick to wine for awhile! When I go out while I'm tracking on MFP I try to compare dishes to ones that are out there on chain restaurants -- it's not exact but it helps. The good thing is my friends and I share a lot so if I really set my mind to it I should be able to manage portions.

Thanks, not my first half marathon, but I want to PR it. It is a flat and fast course, so it is possible. I did not lose weight by running alone either.

Most whiskeys will have the same calorie count as vodkas, gins...and it is around the same as wine per normal sized drink; so enjoy your brown liquor. Here is a chart I found....

Wine - Red or White (12) 23 Calories-Ounce
Champagne (12.5%) 26 Calories-Ounce.
American Beer (non-micro: 4.5%) 12 Calories-Ounce.
Liqueurs (17-24%) 86-105 Calories-Ounce.
80 proof Liquor (40%) 65 Calories-Ounce.
86 proof Liquor (43%) 70 Calories-Ounce.
90 proof Liquor (45%) 74 Calories-Ounce.
Malibu Rum 68 Calories-Ounce.
Sweet Sherry 43 Calories-Ounce.
Medium Sherry 37 Calories-Ounce.
Dry Sherry 37 Calories-Ounce.
Drambuie 61 Calories-Ounce.
Southern Comfort 61 Calories-Ounce.
Tia Maria 52 Calories-Ounce.
Pernod 47 Calories-Ounce.
Champagne 42 Calories-Ounce.
90 proof Liquor (45%) 74 Calories-Ounce.
Port 53 Calories-Ounce.

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From a bottle cap message on a Magic Hat #9 beer: Condoms Prevent Minivans
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I want to pick up a bus full of unruly kids and feed them gummi bears and crack, then turn them loose in Hobby Lobby to ransack the place. They will all be wearing T shirts that say "You Could Have Prevented This."

Good point! Thanks Thom and Yurble.

Navi, that's interesting about spirits. I always thought the darker ones had more sugar. I guess I'll just have to drink LESS of them. UGH.

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writer44
@Presto How did you lose your weight if you don't mind my asking? Sometimes it's harder when you have less to lose!

Well... Giving up gluten, sadly.(gawd I hate being like Shaumoo in any way!) And then dairy, soy, and all the other grains eventually.
It's definitely not the solution for everybody.
I can eat some dairy now, and a little bit of rice once in a while.
I'm going to have to exercise to get rid of the rest. Weights and muscle building and then some kind of maintenance program I can stick with.

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Snark Shark

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Presto
I hope this thread is still going in a month and a half or so. I definitely want to join, but right now we're frantically trying to finish this remodel. The permit expires January. They didn't give us a day date, just January, so we're not sure if that means December 31st or some point in January.

could even be Jan. 30/31! weird.

I sure hope so! We're scheduling things into early January, hoping nobody calls us on it. Carpet goes in on the third, yay!

I'll join in too! I don't know what I weigh now and I kind of don't want to know. Close to 300, I bet. I'm 5'8 and want to get down to 180 and see how I feel. 160 is the absolute lowest I'm going to go. I want to be a size 10-12 (realistically, single-digit sizes are out of the question because I do have a lot of muscle and a thick frame).

I'm working on cutting soda out of my diet and drink mainly tea and water. Coffee as a once-in-a-while thing. I'm not one for sweets, but ice cream is my biggest weakness. That's not something I will ever give up, but cut down to once a week. It's mostly fatty and salty foods and large portions that are my undoing.

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"Why children take so long to grow? They eat and drink like pig and give nothing back. Must find way to accelerate process..."
- Dr. Yi Suchong, Bioshock

"Society does not need more children; but it does need more loved children. Quite literally, we cannot afford unloved children - but we pay heavily for them every day. There should not be the slightest communal concern when a woman elects to destroy the life of her thousandth-of-an-ounce embryo. But all society should rise up in alarm when it hears that a baby that is not wanted is about to be born."
- Garrett Hardin

"I feel like there's a message involved here somehow, but then I couldn't stop laughing at all the plotholes, like the part when North Korea has food."
- Youtube commentor referring to a North Korean cartoon.

"Reality is a bitch when it slowly crawls out of your vagina and shits in your lap."
- Reddit comment

"Bitch wants a baby, so we're gonna fuck now. #bareback"
- Cambion

Oh whatever. Abortion doctors are crimestoppers."
- Miss Hannigan

I'm starting this:

https://www.presidentschallenge.org/

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“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

Would it be worth a new subforum called something like The Gym for exercise & weight loss?

------------------------------------------------------------
"Why children take so long to grow? They eat and drink like pig and give nothing back. Must find way to accelerate process..."
- Dr. Yi Suchong, Bioshock

"Society does not need more children; but it does need more loved children. Quite literally, we cannot afford unloved children - but we pay heavily for them every day. There should not be the slightest communal concern when a woman elects to destroy the life of her thousandth-of-an-ounce embryo. But all society should rise up in alarm when it hears that a baby that is not wanted is about to be born."
- Garrett Hardin

"I feel like there's a message involved here somehow, but then I couldn't stop laughing at all the plotholes, like the part when North Korea has food."
- Youtube commentor referring to a North Korean cartoon.

"Reality is a bitch when it slowly crawls out of your vagina and shits in your lap."
- Reddit comment

"Bitch wants a baby, so we're gonna fuck now. #bareback"
- Cambion

Oh whatever. Abortion doctors are crimestoppers."
- Miss Hannigan

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paragon schnitzophonic
Would it be worth a new subforum called something like The Gym for exercise & weight loss?

I don't think we need a whole subforum. I think I can pin this thread for it.

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“There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

For all those, who are trying to cut soda out of their diet, may I suggest water kefir?

Water kefir

All you need, is water, kefir grains, sugar, a few pieces of a citrus fruit, optional things that you can find in numerous recipes for water kefir, and a container.
You get a probiotic drink that contains more strains of probiotics than the so touted probiotic yoghurts.

If you keep the container hermetically closed, it will even be fizzy. I haven't bought a soda in years. It's cheap, healthy and it doesn't have the detrimental effect on my voice that store bought bubbles do.
I drink about 2 litres per day, which would melt my teeth and give me diabetes, if it was soda.

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" ... what's one more once you've already got two shedding on the couch?"

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trekkie monster
For all those, who are trying to cut soda out of their diet, may I suggest water kefir?

Water kefir

All you need, is water, kefir grains, sugar, a few pieces of a citrus fruit, optional things that you can find in numerous recipes for water kefir, and a container.
You get a probiotic drink that contains more strains of probiotics than the so touted probiotic yoghurts.

If you keep the container hermetically closed, it will even be fizzy. I haven't bought a soda in years. It's cheap, healthy and it doesn't have the detrimental effect on my voice that store bought bubbles do.
I drink about 2 litres per day, which would melt my teeth and give me diabetes, if it was soda.

Is this the same stuff as kvas? If so, I drank a ton of that while in Russia. It's delicious, although definitely not calorie-free (even with the health benefits of the probiotics). Still has far less calories than soda, though. EDITED to add: Derp, I had a brain fart. Kvas is made from rye bread, so it's not the same thing as this water kefir, although kvas has a ton of probiotics as well.

I like this thread! Thanks for starting it, Writer44!

I've been overweight and obese for a good chunk of my adult life. I've lost significant amounts of weight, and while I'm fine at losing weight, I'm not so great about keeping it off. I'll get to a comfortable weight and slowly but surely I let my old habits creep back into my life and gain it all back. Luckily I've never gotten heavier than 200 lbs, but I'm really short so 200 is a lot for me. I feel really uncomfortable at that weight, physically and otherwise. What I'd like to do is get it into my head not to stop with the healthy habits once I do reach my goal weight. My goal weight may still sound fat to some people, but it's a weight I like to be at. I like how I look and feel at around 160-170 (with a lot of muscle mass), and that's where I'd like to get to and then maintain. I'm usually around a size 12 at that weight, and I'm fine with that.

Like you, OP, I love working out. I feel really good when it's a part of my daily routine, and I become addicted to it when I'm doing it regularly. I go swimming for a good, long swim once a week at the Y on Friday nights (cheaper to just pay as a guest for the once a week swim and I don't have to get up early on Saturdays), I ride my bike for several miles during the warm seasons, and I have a stair stepper machine at home, in addition to a set of resistance bands which I use to do strength training. I have a ton of workout DVDs and I do them in kind of a rotation. I just can't afford a gym membership, and with a commute on the bus to and from work (working full time) which takes around 45 minutes each way, I really don't want to spend extra time commuting to and from a gym every day, so I work out at home to save time and money. While staying fit is important to me, time spent at home with my husband is more important. I'd miss a lot of time with him if I had to bus to and from both work and the gym every day. We'd maybe get an hour together, tops, which I'm not OK with. As I mentioned, I just pay out of pocket to use the pool at the Y once a week, but that's actually cheaper than the yearly membership fee, and it's the only day I have time to go (no pressure to be in bed by a certain time, etc.). I'm self-motivated enough about working out that I don't need a class or trainer. Working out is not my problem. Eating is.

My biggest challenge is not eating too much. I love to eat. I'm nowhere near the level of sheer, unbridled gluttony and food obsession displayed by Horta and company, but I do have to watch myself. I have a slow metabolism and a large appetite. I have to really push myself to watch what I eat, so I keep track of everything. I use a calorie counting book (from Calorie King). I don't have a smartphone, but my little phone has a "notes" function in addition to a calculator, so through the day I keep tabs on that. I know that diet can undo all the work of any fitness training regimen, so I try to be careful. I have good days, and I have bad ones. I just try not to dwell too much on when I've eaten more than I planned to and keep on truckin' the next day. I eat out once a week, and I've started asking for a to-go box when they bring the food. They might look at you funny if you do, but I find it helps me to box up half my meal to take home for the next day and get it off my plate (out of sight, out of mind) before I munch down the whole thing. Many restaurant meals contain an entire day's worth of calories and sometimes even more! Restaurant portions are enormous. I only drink diet soda (I don't care if it supposedly gives you cancer), and I only drink that like once a week. Beverages aren't my problem. It's the eating. And with my slow metabolism, it doesn't take much overeating to keep me at the same weight for a long time (or make me gain if I'm not working out).

I'd love to check in on this thread, and I like the idea of it being a sticky thread about staying healthy and keeping up with a regime of maintaining a healthy weight (whatever that may mean for each individual).