Thanks for being #1 person to officially encourage. (geez I hope I do this right). Guess you won't be worse off at least ;)
Ok, here goes-
I am proud of you for starting. that's really the hard part and sticking with it even though you've not gained as much ground as you'd like. Personally, I can't make a system like ww work for me. I had to get away from thinking in terms of "treats" and rewards. Like the old saying "Hard work is it's own reward. I am sort of anti-social when it comes to being told what I can and cannot eat. I had to make my own choices, which have evolved a lot over the course of the last year. First, was nothing but water ( maybe a no-brainer). Maybe a small cup of coffee, black. Now I drink a lot of herbal teas. Love them! So many healthy options. I still have a small glass of o.j. with my morning vitamins but its the half calorie kind. I started out by strolling around the block and no more fast food. I set smaller goals that were (I hoped achievable) like giving up cheese :( and going a little further on my walks. Now I have added cheese back in but only as a nice snack - say a lovely cheddar with whole grain crackers and grape tomatoes. So you can evolve and adjust. - God this sounds all so cliche'. I know I can't really tell you anything you don't already know. Once you treat your body like the machine it is, it will respond by working my functionally. It WANTS to be healthy. Don't eat bad stuff. Period! When I say I gave up cheese it's the processed kind. I can tell you exactly the last cheeseburger I had. I was rushed for time and that's what the kids wanted so I did it, even though I hadn't eaten one in months, It was bleh at best and my stomach hurt afterwards. I'd rather go hungry now than put that in my system. Practical advice-#1 Get a fitness magazine( those girls in there look ridiculous and NOT what I'm going) for but in the words of Robert Browning " Reach for the moon, even if you fail you'll land among the stars." #2 Shop at a Whole Foods. Expensive I know but even if it's only occasionally. Or just wander around in there. I fell healthier by osmosis and inspired how healthy and delicious can be one and the same. 3# Dress for the part. Put on your workout clothes and lace up those shoes dammit! 4# Don't be afraid to sweat! I spent years avoiding perspiration-really. Now I love for sweat to be dripping into my eyes. Nothing feels better than laying down at night after a good work out and a warm bath- except eaking up the next morning and feeling great!
Sorry this is so long. I could say so much more.
Check out bodyrock.tv and sparkpeople.com
love love love.