# Another one joining.......



## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

Hello, I thought I would join you all if you don't mind? I have gained a LOT of weight over the past few years as I've struggled to quit smoking. I haven't smoked a single cigarrette in almost 5 weeks so now am turning my attention to getting rid of this fat and controling my sweets cravings. It's funny but sad......I've seen a couple of photographs of myself in a group setting recently and I honestly didn't recognize who that person was! 
So now in an effort to be better examples for our kids (one 22months old and one due in Oct.) we are changing some of our habits including trying to stay away from all processed foods and eating only organic, natural, and homegrown (which is hard to do when you don't have much money and don't have any property yet!)  
I currently weigh 259lbs and my long term goal is 179lbs (I hate even numbers). My first goal is to get down to 245lbs by Aug. 19th (family campout). In addition to changing eating habits I will be walking/hiking/biking and I have been saving my former cigarrette money and next friday I'll have enough to buy a kayak!!!(it's on layaway) That is something that I've always wanted and I'm excited about it! 
My biggest challenge will be blocking out my wife when she gets a craving (nearly 6 months pregnant) for something sweet! 
I apologize for rambling but don't know anyone else interested in losing weight and getting fit!


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## MOJILL (Aug 27, 2002)

Jerngen WELCOME! :dance: 

It has been a little slow here lately......... but this is a good place for support and extra help in staying motivated and on task.

Congrats on the kicking the habit with cigs. It's been about 12 years for me! 

I'm been working on dropping cigarrette weight and baby weight (he's 10! LOL) for a while now.

:hobbyhors 

Jill


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## okgoatgal2 (May 28, 2002)

welcome. congrats.


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## tltater (Jul 13, 2004)

Congrats on your trying to have a healthier lifestyle! I quit smoking 12 years ago and remember how hard that was. DH quit 11 months ago and we are all so proud of him for that, but he also gained about 30lbs along with it and hope that soon he'll be able to work on that. He was overweight to begin with and that has just made it worse. But with my losing weight(baby fat from 6 kids over the years...last one 3 yrs old!) it has made him more conscious of what he is eating. 

Good luck!

Tracy
Southwestern, NY


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

Thanks for the welcomes and congrats!


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

Hmmmmm......... I guess I'm well overdue for an update! I am down to 245 so fourteen pounds in 4 months...... not so great but better then gaining! The main things I've done is reach for a healthy snack when hungry, lowered my portion sizes, walk a lot more, and I eat breakfast now. The last one is a biggie because for some reason I HATE eating breakfast! Don't know where that attitude came from but I force myself to at least a slice of whole grain toast with jam (no butter) and half a piece of fruit (give the other half to my son). 
Oh yeah, I keep a box of low-fat oatmeal raisin granola bars (our fav) in the van at all times. We eat one before grocery shopping (helps with hunger impulse buys) and whenever we start considering stopping at a drive-thru (gets us through 'til we can make a healthy dinner at home). I've found some recipes and am working up the courage to make my own granola bars, lol! Other then those we've pretty much quit eating all mass processed foods (except spaghetti sauce and the multi-grain pastas).


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## dashley (Jan 23, 2005)

Jerngen said:


> Hmmmmm......... I guess I'm well overdue for an update! I am down to 245 so fourteen pounds in 4 months...... not so great but better then gaining! The main things I've done is reach for a healthy snack when hungry, lowered my portion sizes, walk a lot more, and I eat breakfast now. The last one is a biggie because for some reason I HATE eating breakfast! Don't know where that attitude came from but I force myself to at least a slice of whole grain toast with jam (no butter) and half a piece of fruit (give the other half to my son).
> Oh yeah, I keep a box of low-fat oatmeal raisin granola bars (our fav) in the van at all times. We eat one before grocery shopping (helps with hunger impulse buys) and whenever we start considering stopping at a drive-thru (gets us through 'til we can make a healthy dinner at home). I've found some recipes and am working up the courage to make my own granola bars, lol! Other then those we've pretty much quit eating all mass processed foods (except spaghetti sauce and the multi-grain pastas).


WOW your doing great!!! I started about 1 month ago and I've lost 5lbs dosen't seem like much and it is a slow go but I am trying also to do it right. I am hypoglycemic so I try to eat several small meals a day and it has helped greatly all the way around. We also are eating healthy foods as well. Organic food is good and has a longer shelf life I've noticed.


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## okgoatgal2 (May 28, 2002)

ya know what?  
it's been 6 months and i've lost 9 of the 30+ i need to lose, so you're doing really good to have lost 14 in 4 months and 5 in a couple of weeks. 
i've cut portion sizes, exercise 4-5 times a week, sometimes more, and ji've lost 1 pant size in that same 6 months. granted i've put on some muscle, but i've still not lost most of the fat. 
how's the wife, jerngen? have that baby?
keep up the good work.


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## dashley (Jan 23, 2005)

Well, I have to admit I had a little bit of help, but trust me none of you want this kinda help. I had a really bad virus last week that was good for a couple of those lbs. I'm still not back to normal yet!


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

Down another 1.5lbs (243.5)
Thank you for the kind words! I've heard it's easier for men to lose weight and easier for those of us who are very overweight (at least initially). I actually didn't start getting truly serious about it until mid-august so I'm happy with the progress. Am shooting for a 1 - 2 lbs a week for permanent weight loss. I intend to be a role model healthwise (and otherwise) for my kids. 

Yes the baby arrived October 26th and she is an absolute sweetie!  Wife is doing great as well (just tired!) Sorry, I don't remember where all I posted about her impending arrival. I've tried to let everyone know she was here :shrug:


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## MOJILL (Aug 27, 2002)

Jerngen said:


> Down another 1.5lbs (243.5)


Congrats on the weight loss!

Yes you are right. At least in my experience men lose faster than women. My husband will drop twice as much as me in the same time.

When we went on WW last spring he was down 20 when I was down 10. We've both gone "off the wagon" lately and I've put a few back on.

I just recently went OFF my vegetarian diet because I couldn't find the combination of low cal diet/yet high enough protien needed to run long distances. SO........I'm back on low fat meats (chicken/fish) for a while.

Anyway -- good job Jerngen. Keep up the good work

Jill


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## vtfarma (May 6, 2003)

Jerngen, 

Mojill and you are right. Those darned men lose so much faster than us women. My dd will eat the same thing as her ds. They do the same thing activity wise too and she will gain and he will lose. Drives her batty. DH can drop 50 pounds in 2 months of trying "kind of" and I have been dieting since March 2 and am still down only 31. I was down 40 but the dreaded 3 bags of twix candy bars and some other junk got me. 

Why don't you join us on the other thread to see how soon we can get 100 pounds off between the lot of us. We are at 95 pounds to go. 

Kepp up the good work and congratulations on the new arrival! 
Laurie


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