From: meh8@quads.uchicago.edu (maurita e horn)
Subject: need help getting back on track
Reply-To: meh8@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 23:48:23 GMT

Hello, as have many others, I've been following this group for some
time but have never posted anything.  I guess that makes me a lurker. :)
I can sympathize with the poster who said that they were afraid that "someone
they knew might see them."

I started dieting at the end of June and everything was going fine up until
a week ago Tuesday.  I had lost 6 lbs, was staying around 1000 calories a
day, and was very happy with my progress.  Well last Tuesday everything seemed
to go to hell in a handbasket.  I realize that 99% of it was due to anxiety
and stress.  However, now the anxiety-causing event is over and I still have
not gotten back on track.  This is very discouraging and I feel myself falling
into that ugly cycle of "eating more because I can't eat less" and I really
need help.  Any motivation and/or advice which you can provide would be greatly
appreciated.

Also, just for the record and in case this provides any insight, I have been
on 3 major (and successful) diets.  The first one was back in 1987 and I lost
over 30 lbs.  The second one was in 1989 when I signed up with Nutrisystem and
I lost about 20 lbs.  (Between 1987 and 1989, I gained about 25 lbs.)  I
didn't diet again seriously (for me seriously means longer than 3-4 days)
until the summer of 1991 when I joined Weight Watchers.  The first day I went
to WW, I learned much to my horror that I had gained  about 50 lbs!  After 
getting over that shock, I was very successful on WW.  In about 15 weeks, I
lost over 20 lbs.  I was a very happy camper and would have continued until
I reached goal weight but unfortunately I had to move.  When I tried to
join the WW meeting in my new neighborhood, it was HORRIBLE(!!!) and I never
went back for a second time.  I guess I was just used to my old set of group
leaders and I was just greatly disappointed.  I would have thought that my
new location would have been better because I moved to a much much much larger
city!

Over the course of the past year, I gained back about 10 lbs.  I started
law school and the whole year has been very stressful.  Anyway, I've already
lost 6 and if I can lose 4 more I'll be back where I finished up last year.
I then want to lose many many more but I'm trying to take it one step at 
a time.

For the people who were asking about Nutrisystem,  I was very successful
on the plan but it is VERY expensive and because I am a student I soon
ran out of money.  I gained back all of the weight I had lost plus many
more pounds.  To be honest, I lost weight at about the same rate on WW
and it was considerably cheaper.  $9/week for WW as compared to $45/week
for Nutrisystem.  However, in terms of convenience, NS was very easy because
all of the meals were prepared.  If I had all of those options today I would
almost surely sign up for WW.

This group has been great and it has been instrumental in helping me
lose 6 lbs over the past few weeks.  I know that isn't a large amount
but I figure any loss is great.  I just want to get back on track :(

elaine