I don't think I can do it

[Owletterocks]

I have tried to lose weight countless times. I always lose and put back on (manage about a stone). I am fed up and fat. I hate any pictures of myself and don't have one picture of me and the children that I like. Last week i started on the diet again and lost 2lb but it's so hard and it takes so long I just know I will give up again. Don't really know why I am posting, I want to change but just don't know how!

Good advice from 50sometimes

Yes it's hard but the way I looked at it when I had a huge amount to lose was this.

2lbs a week feels like not a lot but is over 7st in a year. In a years time you could be the weight you want to be or feel the same way you do now.

I know how hard it is, I lost 6st and it actually took me 18 months. But interspersed with my weight loss was holidays, weekends away etc where I ate more normally. There will be times when you gain or stay the same but it becomes your normal. I realised I had to say no to the glass of wine or the slice of cake because I couldn't have both. I couldn't eat the way I wanted to eat and not be fat, I had to choose.

I hope this doesn't sound preachy, I do understand and good luck.

Megan its not preachy what you are saying - its encouraging!

I think its a bit of a journey, weight loss, for many people. Its not like getting in a car and going in a straight line 60 mph until you get to your destination. I think for lots of people its more meandering, and things tend to get clearer as you go along.

For instance, I think my mother has always been a bit funny about food - a new realisation. If I lose weight, she says "be careful" (fair enough but I'm a size 16 at the time and not about to keel over!). When my son was younger, whenever he was ill, say with a cold, she would almost accuse me of not feeding him as a reason "Are you feeding him enough?". She recently started this with my cat ! My cat is fine and average. So was my son (a natural plump baby/toddler and normal child)! So, at my age, just only starting to notice some of these habits I might have picked up.

I still have about a stone to lose and I am sure that will take months. Will review again in Spring! You don't quite know where its gonna take you when you start ... and I think keeping an open mind and just seeing what happens along the journey is all part of it.