Hi all,

I just joined this group. I saw the title and knew it would be perfect for me!

I'm a slow loser, but I can be a very quick gainer -- a couple of years ago I gained about 20 pounds in six months, and 20 pounds on a small frame feels like carrying stones around.

The advantage to being a slow loser: slow and steady wins the race! And since we're only racing against ourselves, and in my case against my urges to eat more than my body will probably ever need....

Anyone have any tips or wisdom for me as fellow slow losers? Anyone need any motivation?

Have a great day!

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When words are both true and kind, they can change our world. -- Buddha

Start 147 / Goal 125 / Current 138

Hey Legallyblond,

I have been a slow loser my whole life. I'm now 53 and all I can say is that it does not get easier. If I would have known this I would have tried harder to keep the weight off when I was in my thirties. I just took a peek at your food diary and it made me crave cupcakes. A couple years ago I was very successful following the L A Weight Loss program; which was like the old Weight Watchers food exchange diet but with candy bars. I swear it worked because it was manditory to eat 2 candy bars a day and I never felt deprived of sweets. I now fit one or two Atkins endulge bars into my daily calorie allowance and have the very occassional cake, muffin or cookie. (L A Weight Loss went chapter 11 in my area) You might want to experiment with lower calorie, less sugary, treats that satisfy but do not tempt. Also try to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. I TRY to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day before I start in on the treats. I also exercise, even if only 20 or 30 minutes. I lose between 1/2 and 1 lb. a week. That does add up. Glad you keep your diary. It is probably the most important thing to do. Take a look at my food diary for some ideas. (I probably eat more than you because of exercise.) Keep up the good work.

Dear Slow losers,

Please add me to your list. I lost 15 pounds after my divorce in 2003 without trying, no dieting, I just started being active and I was happy for the first time in years. And then I got a trainer and I got fit, and *slim* for the first time in my life, it was extraordinary.

I kept the weight off, I kept exercising, I became a runner, I bought a bicycle. Then in the summer of 07 my dad died and I started a big crazy new job and I was overwhelmed and exhausted and sad and I gained 7 pounds. That seven pounds turned into 10. This summer I was training for a half marathon (if I know one thing, it's that running a lot makes you skinny and happy at the same time) and I got a lung infection that went on for 4 months!! So. I got back on the horse in November but I'm in a long distance relationship which means that I was away for all of December and it was the holidays and I gained another pound or two (I now won't get on the scale).

I'm going to a 9 week boot camp. 3x a week, super crazy wonderful group circuit training, and on top of that I try to get in two cardio workouts a week and a yoga class or some pilates. I'm trying hard to keep my net calories at about 1100 calories a day (this is hard on the days I'm burning 600) but I don't want to screw up my metabolism.

I'm scared I can't lose this weight. But as I said to my gp and my trainer, it's unlikely that I'm a scientific anomaly and if I eat between 1100 and 1200 calories (net) per day, and work out hard, five times a week, and stay away from booze (and junk and sweets aren't a problem for me, I don't actually like food that much), the surely, even though I'm 48 years old, I *will* lose this weight. Right?

Hormones though. But all the literature I read says that that the major reason women in perimenopause (which I am) gain weigh is because they get less active. I've never been more active.