When I entered my freshman year of college, I weighed a whopping 95 pounds, soaking wet. Gaining weight had never been my strong suit, and try as I had through high school to keep my chicken-bone legs hidden, I was still teased mercilessly about “being so thin that if I had an extra Coke, I could be used for a thermometer.”
So I had no real thought of my body size ever really changing…and then…COLLEGE happened. My diet basically consisted of yeast rolls and honey with an occasional meat patty or salad thrown in for variety. I sat in the library and studied. My exercise, other than the required PE electives, consisted of climbing the stairs to my 9th floor dorm room a couple times a week when I was too impatient to wait on the elevator. I was entirely too busy to notice that by the time Christmas break came around, my clothes were a lot more form-fitting. In fact, all this happened completely without my knowledge or assent – – I just turned around in a year’s time and BAM!! I was almost exactly 15 pounds heavier! But having been so painfully thin throughout childhood and adolescence, I almost found this growth spurt endearing.
Cut to…2009. Longer work hours at the computer, prescription meds with the obligatory side-effect of “ungodly possible weight gain”, and a nasty new habit of eating every time I walk into the kitchen has again put me right back into the circumstances of freshman year. Packing on the pounds without even realizing what was happening! And believe me, I’ve added the freshman 15 at least twice over now, and my clothes are a lot more than just snug. “Endearing” is not quite the word I would use for my current feeling about my pear-shaped reflection in the mirror.
I’ve definitely made some feeble efforst to battle the bulge, including a stab at the “S Diet”, which was working well until it wasn’t. I’ve also had several bouts of consistent exercise, which was working well until it wasn’t.
So now, the girl who used to be teased about her knobby knees and bony butt would give just about anything to be able to even DISTINGUISH those bones again.
Please, bloggy buddies, tell me what a computer-bound, spinelesss, stick-in-the-mud, pre-menopausal woman is to do to get back down to a healthy weight again!!
I’m not under the impression that I will ever be mistaken for my high-school self again, but I wouldn’t mind at least becoming recognizable to myself in the mirror again.
Feel free to insert words of advice or encouragement below……….
Topsy-Techie 
I like sparkpeople.com They help you track what you eat and can suggest meals and workout plans.
Well what do you know…another thing we have in common.IMy nick name was STICK. I didn’t start gaining till Z weaned herself at 10 months. I needed to gain but gosh it did not stop. I have gained 30 pounds in the last three years!
This week we discovered a nice walking trail fairly near our house on N Main. We think it is round trip 3 miles. If we were to go straight on it we would cross 7th and end up in J park. Lemme know if you want to walk it sometime.
The thing is…I’m walking 2-3 miles a day and I keep gaining…sniff sniff.Let me know when you find a solution….
This month we discovered the trail…not this week…go to bed Joy…
If it’s a geek diet you’re after then try http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/hackdiet.html
Work with skinny counselors… seriously. I work at a summer camp year-around. I know each summer the skinny high school and college-age counselors will be coming and to me, that’s enough incentive to maintain my weight. Since last June I’ve been consistently eating better and exercising more. I lost 15 pounds and have kept it off for almost a year now.
Okay, so perhaps you may not have skinny counselors at your disposal… I try to be realistic. I start off with exercising – cardio and muscle toning. Once I’m in the routine, my body starts craving better food. Within 2 weeks or so, I don’t even want to eat unhealthy foods. Other tips – smaller portions, no snacking after 7pm and eat less fat. All things in moderation. I don’t cut out anything. If I eat ice cream, I try to eat it in a small mug rather than a bowl and eat it after lunch rather than supper. I put less cheese on our pizza – nobody notices. I eat a very small handful of dark chocolate chips to satisfy my cravings rather than a candy bar. When I go to the pantry because I think I’m hungry, I stop myself and think am I really hungry or am I stressed? If the latter, I’ll chew a piece of gum. If the former, I grab an apple instead.
That’s all I can think of for right now. Hope it helps!
I’ve forbidden myself to have “flashbacks” of my former high school self. It’s all my mind or body can manage just dealing w/…”the flashes” :p
Gosh, you sound like me. I weighed 95 lbs. when I went to college and 105 lbs. when I got married. Cut to now- two kids, some serious love handles, and saggy boobs. The worst thing is running into someone from long ago who still looks fabulous, and I absolutely detest how much exercise and starvation it takes to even lose five pounds. Add that to my love of sugar and baking- well, you get the picture. Take heart- you’re not alone.
The best thing I ever did for my weight was give up my car for the summer and get around completely by means of my feet, my bike and – when absolutely necessary – the bus. I even put the car on storage insurance, just to keep myself honest. I used Dad Windu’s car about once a week if I had a particularly heavy package or delivery that couldn’t fit in my bike’s rear baskets.
I haven’t gone so far as to get rid of my car completely – Although I will be doing exactly that once PL and I are fully moved out to the new locale! – but I know it’s do-able now and I’m less likely to “just drive” when I can get around in a more waistline-friendly way.
I use weight watchers; I’ve lost 70 lbs. I don’t do the normal points plan; I do “simply filling.” Basically, you eat until you are satisfied of whole grain, natural foods and then get 35 points & activity points for “other.” It’s a little more complicated than that, but those are the basic ground rules. It works for me.
Melanie…simply can’t do tracking…I’ve tried. I either become OVER-obsessed or quit altogether. I have no happy medium. I know it definitely works for some people, though.
Joy – – I know. Seems like you can walk for hours and burn about 20 calories. But it still makes me feel good, so I shall definitely continue! Hiking up and down hills is bound to burn a few more, though, so a-hiking I will go!
Mike – – Absolutely hilarious! Can you burn calories by laughing??!!
Karen – – good common sense advice, lady!! Thanks!!
Holley – – sigh…no old high school photo album parties in our near future, eh?
Angela – – misery DOES love company…it DOES!!!
Obi-Mom – – that is definitely a good idea except that none of my friends live within walking distance. I’m doomed to be very VERY lonely if I ditch the car. Hey…maybe if I was depressed I wouldn’t eat so much!!
Holly – – the “simply filling” plan is definitely close to the No-S Diet. I’m working hard to get back to that way of eating again!!
My nickname was ‘ribs’ , that’s how thin I was. Well, once I married and had two kids it was like yeast dough in a warm room. So, if and when you figure something out let me know LOL, i’d love to know…
I tried dieting but turned into a raging b*tch. I was encouraged by my spouse to allow my natural curves to ‘shine’ through. They are shining alright… all of them….
hey there,
My husband and I both approached weight loss in different ways. He, a techie, loves his body bug (or at least a cheaper version of it). I started walking, kickboxing, and I took out as much white flour as I could. Once the flour was gone, I didn’t crave as much sugar. I just started eating as many fruits and veggies as I could so I wouldn’t feel hungry. And it worked! Since November I’ve lost 12 pounds and my husband has lost 12 since January. Look up nutritional info if you go out to eat a lot- it was a HUGE eye opener!! You can do it!
I have *no* idea, but if you figure out the secret, will you let me know??
The only people I know who have lost weight and are “skinny” again are women who work out 2 hours a day or have gone on ridiculous crash diets (one was on a 500 calorie a day diet – for 2 months!) Everybody told me when I had to go GF that I would lose a bunch of weight. It’s been 8 months and I’ve lost 3 pounds 😛
I’ve never been skinny, but I wanted to add that I’ve been working on losing weight, and I stumbled upon the website 3fatchicks.com. They have been the most helpful thing I’ve come across. There are quite a few on there who are maintainers, so that you not only get support with losing the weight, but keeping it off IN REAL LIFE, with advice from REAL PEOPLE!
well, I was excited, anyway….. 🙂
I did WW 7 years ago and 50 pounds just melted off me like by magic. Fast forward 7 years and I gained it all back. It’s harder to lose weight now, and having watched several seasons of The Biggest Loser didn’t help my expectations!
However, I have had good results losing weight with just keeping track of my calories using the Lose It! app on my iTouch and keeping track of the water I drink with the Water Your Body app. I lost 16 pounds in January-Feb doing just that with just a bit of walking for exercise. Then I took a break… and I’m still on it 🙂 I need to get back on the wagon and lost another 20 pounds. I don’t think I’d look very good too skinny so I’m going for a realistic goals and not thinking of it as a race.