A little over a year ago, I came home from vacation to find that I weighed more than I ever have (212 lbs).  Being a yo-yo'er I thought that it would be no problem to get back down.  Well, I found it very difficult, but with alli I managed to get down to 183 by June.  I was excited that my weight was down (not as low as I wanted, but better than 212).  By the end of the summer, my weight already started going up again and then, between October and february of this year I gained 17 lbs.  I was back up to 207 and more than disgusted at myself.  The doctor wants to put me on medicine for my cholesterol and being only 25 I really don't want to go on medication for the rest of my life.  Within the last month, I started losing weight again (determined to not have to go on medication), but I have such a hard time maintaining.  Also, I live with my significant other who has happily embraced his unhealthy eating and has given up on losing weight.  I find it very hard to stay on track.  Even at my lowest weight, doctors still think I am overweight (168).  I want to finally end the cycle of yo-yo'ing and just keep it off.

 The main point here, is, you're not giving up!  Good for you!  It is very hard to do this plan when your support system at home is less than enthusiastic-not to say he isn't happy for you. 

You have a great support network here.  Just keep posting, and we'll help you along!

Shanna

It's tough when my husband is eating fried chicken and I'm having a salad but you can do it.  I've gotten a bit off track myself this past week, I cringe reading my food journal but that's life.  I did an extra workout yesterday just to jump start my back on trackness.

Karen

March 2008 203 lbs

Goal weight 135 lbs met December 2008

Thanks for the support.  It is very hard to sit there and eat a salad when my other half is chowing down on a burger and fries (dinner tonight).  Anyway, I just wish he would have the same enthusiasm.  He knows that he is unhealthy and is constantly saying how he has to "stop eating like that" since he is now having trouble bending down to tie his shoes.  With him, it is always tomorrow and it is frustrating to see that he is killing himself when I am working really hard to be healthy for myself and out future family.  The problem is that we both love food, love the way it tastes, love trying new things and enjoying old things.  I think I would be happy as a food critic. 

I went out to dinner tonight.  I went to where they had a salad bar.  I love salad bars, even though there are always things in the salad bar that I would love to eat, but refuse to.  Because I have been doing so well so far with my weight loss, I am nervous if I reward myself with a treat that I will either slip back into my old ways or gain weight back immediatly and then spend the next week trying to lose it.

As of today I am down 20 lbs.  I would like to lose 24 more lbs and I hope that it is a realistic goal.  As long as I could remember, my lowest weight is 170lbs.  My goal is 160, so I am hoping that I don't frustrate myself with an unrealistic goal.

My husband has about 80+ pounds to lose, though he hides it well.  he has always had very high cholesterol, even since his early 20's, and now has high blood pressure.  His 40th birthday is his goal to lose the weight (or at least some of it!), but he started the last couple of weeks really ficusing.  It's been "Ya, I gotta get in shape, lose this weight as he was munching on a steak bomb & spicy fries.

I restarted on this plan in January, and I've been plugging along, and he's seeing the progress (18 pounds) so now he's on board with me.  We're challenging each other to eat better, and pushing the exercise.  We go for a walk with the dogs, and when we get to our "destination" one of us is like, "Wanna keep going?" and the other's like, "OK!"  We've been walking 4-5 miles a day when he's home. We logged 15 (I did 18) miles last week, and we were psyched!!!!

I guess he is motivated by my motivation.  Maybe that's what your other half needs to see and maybe it will make him not want to be left behind... Just know that this work you do on this plan will make you feel better, no matter what, and don't give up!  No goal is unrealistic... better than no goal at all!

Shanna

I have now lost 20 lbs and my boyfriend fondly calls me skinny minnie (even though I am really not that skinny).  I am still 11 lbs up from when I met him 4 years ago (and that still wasn't my lightest).  My other half has also started losing weight, though not as commited as me.  He will come home and say he stopped at KFC or the taco place and asking  "was it really that bad since he got vegetable?".  I tried to explain to him...just because the quesadilla has vegetables doesn't change the way it is prepared and all the other things in it. 

Just trying to slow down the eating and make smaller portions is killing us.  One of newsest obsessions is salad (thank god).  Though we tend to add a whole bunch other things to it.  Chick Peas and feta cheese taste sooo good in salad.  I think the other problem is eating late.  I wake up at 4:15 every morning.  By the time I get home from work (or wait for my other half to be home and ready for dinner), I end up eating between 6:30 and 8:00. 

I just have to keep it up, even though my weight loss has slowed.