The Continuing Journey

Here's the cliffs notes version of my last seven years of dieting.

I currently weigh 167 pounds, and my goal weight is 140 pounds. At 5'4", that's a moderate, healthy weight.

Looking taller than I really am on 7/10/11.

My highest weight ever was 265 pounds -- thanks to emotional eating and an abusive relationship.

Let's ignore the fact that I'm cosplaying...5/2002

I can't stop staring at my legs! They look like tree trunks!

My lowest weight was 147 pounds.

In French clothes, even! 1/2010

 I began making a concerted effort to lose weight in 2004.  I spent six months on the South Beach Diet, and I got down to about 240. I like the philosophy, but it just didn't work for me. I became hyperglycemic, shaky and ill. It defeats the purpose of avoiding sugars if it takes a Mountain Dew to bring my blood sugar back up.

I switched to the Weight Watchers plan in 2005. I attended meetings off and on, but mostly I did it on my own.

I was a hardcore Dance Dance Revolution player from 2005-2008, and I ended up in one of those supermarket magazines touting "Lose weight playing video games!" Jennifer Aniston was on the cover.

I am clearly not a professional model. 9/2008

My last two years of university in 2008/2009 were my most productive. I was going to class full time, working 30 hours a week, and still getting up at 6am to workout for a few hours before my 8:30am class. I'd get home from work after 9pm, do homework and crash. I was too busy to binge. On winter, spring and summer breaks however, when my frantic pace came to a crashing halt, I filled up the time with food.

I lived in France for the 2009/2010 school year, and my weight yo-yo'd from 164 to 147 and back to 164 by the time I got home. I was doing a lot of walking, but an eclair or chocolatine and a can of Oragnina do not a healthy breakfast make.

In fall 2010 I moved to Tucson. Grad school gave me daily panic attacks and dropped my weight back down to 150. A little extra work and I got it back to 147. But I've been unemployed for nearly 10 months, socially anxious, and spending a lot of time on the couch. When my boyfriend wants to eat junk food, I find it hard to say no. And so I've gained gained gained!

This is some crazy yo-yo'ing, yo. I'm ready to hit my goal weight and stay there. Sunday begins my newest journey with Weight Watchers Online.

What are your diet histories? Have you had success with WW Online or another plan? Let me know in the comments!