me

[sposd2bworkin]

Hello, my name is Heather, and I am a Fatty. I have a huge array of excuses for my current appearance, they include: being pregnant and/or nursing right out of high school for 7 years straight; just recently having my 5th baby at the age of 31 and because I never took the time to lose the pregnancy weight gain between children all the baby weight just all stacked up on top of each other; I just went through my second failed relationship of my adult life and have indulged in comfort eating to the fullest; I am a care-taker - I take in medically fragile/special needs foster babies who are usually newborns and require a lot of time - because I put everyone else and their needs before mine, and I still would benefit from an extra 6 hrs or so in a day, it goes without saying that taking care of myself has never made the priority list.

But I'm done now. I'm done being tired from my eating habits, being sore from all the extra weight on my bones and joints, making excuses, feeling unworthy, lacking in energy, and most importantly being a bad example to my children.

I know I can do this. Following Howie's progress on Facebook has motivated me. And everyday I put off starting, for fear of failing, is one day later that I'll reach my goals.

So here I am - all 5' 8 1/2", 268.5 lbs of me (I just went to the bathroom and pulled out the dusty scale that I had hid from myself.... eek!!!... pause for emotional breakdown). For the record that is the most I have ever weighed in my life, INCLUDING being 9 months pregnant. In fact, I am 18 lbs heavier than I was 7 months ago after I gave birth to my daughter.

So there you have it.

[Howie]

Welcome Heather!
You are totally right about every day you make an excuse being one more day you haven't achieved your goals.
Weight loss and fitness is weird. Starting off seems like it's just a waste of time and that all the effort cannot possibly see proportional returns. The returns, however, will definitely exceed the effort if you stick with the program and faster than you might think. I'm sure Ward can surely agree here that after even your first month you'll see changes in yourself that will emotionally reshape you.
You are just starting off so the key right now isn't to stop eating, it isn't to grind yourself into dust with intense workouts, what you absolutely have to do right now is stop making excuses and as they say in the P90X videos "Keep pressing Play".
I promise you there are going to be countless times that you will want to be pushed off a moving train rather than work out but as long as you "Press Play" and put one foot in front of the other you've moved one day CLOSER to your goal and you've strengthened yourself physically and mentally .
I have fallen out of fitness programs so many times over the years even after sticking with them for months and months because I started making excuses and didn't follow the rules I had set for myself. You think to yourself "Ahh, missing one day isn't going to make a big difference. I'll just work extra hard tomorrow..." and to some degree you are absolutely right. Missing one day of your workout program really doesn't make much difference in your progress, BUT, what it does do is opens a door in your brain. Once that door is open it's very easy to find your way back to it and walk right on through. One day off will turn into two days off, two to three, than before you know it you're not in any program, you're gaining weight again, and probably more weight than you had to began with.
Set a short term goal of sticking to the program for just one month (it goes by fast). Take a photo(s) of yourself at the start of your program (don't let the scale be your motivation EVER!) and one at the end of your month. You will almost certainly see some changes between photo #1 and #2 and it's in those subtle changes the motivation for month 2 will come.
I hope we continue to keep seeing you around here Heather, I promise you'll be happy you've stuck around.

[wardjf79]

I struggle every day. I've missed workouts for one reason or another. It's easier to get back on the horse if you don't miss many or any when you begin. You really need to go strong those first three weeks to form the habit. When I say "strong" I don't mean kill yourself, but to "push play." Just like Howie said about opening that door. I just missed a couple days taking my kids to Silverwood (Theme Park) We closed the park each day and were 150 miles away from home. I won't make excuses, but will only say I feel like the couple days I missed killed a couple or more weeks of progress once you add the carnival food to the equation. The only thing I can do now is move forward and work past the setback and push ahead again. Good luck and we'll be here for continued encouragement.