Nervous but Excited

happymonkey2014

Okay so I've started this before. About twenty times.

But this time, it's different. At least, I hope it is.

It's different because this time, I know exactly what I want. I don't want to get clean for others. Not for boys or friends or judgemental strangers. I want to get clean (and I mean, clean with my eating and excercise) because I feel gross inside. And out. I used to have so much confidence in myself when I was cheerleading and dancing full-time. I want that zest back.

I have been trying for a while, but I don't have any support. I have a family and boyfriend and friends who love me, but none are willing to commit to healthy living 100% yet. That's why I'm here. I need support from others who are going through it with me.

I am 22 years old. I am 5 foot ten and I weigh 181 pounds. Which is actually down 14 from my heaviest, which was this time last year. I'm proud of myself for losing the first 14 pounds, but my goal weight is 160.

I am willing and excited to offer support to anyone who needs it as much as I do. Follow my blog on this site or shoot me a friend request.

Wish me luck I'm gunna need it!

AJ_G

Well I hate to say it sounds like you're starting off in the exact wrong way. If you want a sustainable way of eating that will help you get healthy, "eating clean" is not the way. Eating clean is a restrictive diet. For people restrict their diet, when they inevitably go off of their diet, and every single one of them does, then they binge. It's an unhealthy way of eating and living your life. You may last a week, or a month eating clean, but the second you decide to have one brownie or one cookie, you blow your restrictive diet and end up eating 15 brownies. This happens just about every time without fail. Instead set up a balance diet with a calorie goal, macronutrient goals, and a fiber goal and eat whatever you'd like to hit your goals. That is a healthy way of eating.

happymonkey2014

I think it's sort of pessimistic to assume that I would inevitably go off my "diet". Eating clean to me means eating healthily, not dieting. It means eating whole foods and spreading out my meals throughout the day. It doesn't mean depriving myself of treats or cutting it out cold turkey, just being accountable for what I eat and trying my best to stay on plan. So maybe we see "clean" eating differently, but I appreciate your concern.

AJ_G

happymonkey2014 wrote: »

I think it's sort of pessimistic to assume that I would inevitably go off my "diet". Eating clean to me means eating healthily, not dieting. It means eating whole foods and spreading out my meals throughout the day. It doesn't mean depriving myself of treats or cutting it out cold turkey, just being accountable for what I eat and trying my best to stay on plan. So maybe we see "clean" eating differently, but I appreciate your concern.

Based on what you've said, it's apparent that your knowledge of nutrition is lacking. I don't say this to be mean, I say this so that you'll do the necessary research for yourself and find out what you need to do and what is actually healthy. I'm not pessimistic, I'm realistic, and you need to be realistic too.

Spreading your meals out into 4,5, or 6 smaller meals throughout the day vs eating all of your calories in one or two bigger meals makes absolutely zero difference in terms of body composition or being healthy granted that your calorie and macronutrient intake is unchanged.

No individual foods are healthy or unhealthy on their own. Foods are healthy or unhealthy within the context of your daily intake. Without dosage and context, a food cannot be deemed healthy or unhealthy. For example, there are contexts where eating an apple (a food most people assume to always be healthy) is unhealthy for you. If your calorie goal is 1500 calories a day, and it's the end of the day and you've eaten 1500 calories and hit all of your nutrition goals, then eating an apple on top of that would be unhealthy in that context. There are also situations where eating a brownie, or a cookie, or a snickers bar can be healthy for you.

If you have the time, I STRONGLY suggest you watch this video. The guy who's talking is Layne Norton. He's a former bodybuilder, and also has a PhD in nutrition with an emphasis on protein metabolism so he knows what he's talking about when it comes to nutrition and he's very respected in the fitness and nutrition community. The video has a lot of good info in it.

unicorncat

Hi, have been using MFP for about 18 months...bought food scales first..got portions right...then scanned in foods..then looked at the data, started cutting back on the high fats, and ate loads of fruit, porridge and some Special K.

Cut out sugar..use sweeteners...slowly changed from green to purple the red skimmed milk...added a bit of gym and shed about 82 lbs...didn't feel like a diet though..

Just got a second wind from a Fitbit One to keep on track..it all helps the motivation..

Male @ 65...

opalsqueak007

Good for you Monkey. Add me if you like

happymonkey2014

AJ_G wrote: »

happymonkey2014 wrote: »

I think it's sort of pessimistic to assume that I would inevitably go off my "diet". Eating clean to me means eating healthily, not dieting. It means eating whole foods and spreading out my meals throughout the day. It doesn't mean depriving myself of treats or cutting it out cold turkey, just being accountable for what I eat and trying my best to stay on plan. So maybe we see "clean" eating differently, but I appreciate your concern.

Based on what you've said, it's apparent that your knowledge of nutrition is lacking. I don't say this to be mean, I say this so that you'll do the necessary research for yourself and find out what you need to do and what is actually healthy. I'm not pessimistic, I'm realistic, and you need to be realistic too.

Spreading your meals out into 4,5, or 6 smaller meals throughout the day vs eating all of your calories in one or two bigger meals makes absolutely zero difference in terms of body composition or being healthy granted that your calorie and macronutrient intake is unchanged.

No individual foods are healthy or unhealthy on their own. Foods are healthy or unhealthy within the context of your daily intake. Without dosage and context, a food cannot be deemed healthy or unhealthy. For example, there are contexts where eating an apple (a food most people assume to always be healthy) is unhealthy for you. If your calorie goal is 1500 calories a day, and it's the end of the day and you've eaten 1500 calories and hit all of your nutrition goals, then eating an apple on top of that would be unhealthy in that context. There are also situations where eating a brownie, or a cookie, or a snickers bar can be healthy for you.

If you have the time, I STRONGLY suggest you watch this video. The guy who's talking is Layne Norton. He's a former bodybuilder, and also has a PhD in nutrition with an emphasis on protein metabolism so he knows what he's talking about when it comes to nutrition and he's very respected in the fitness and nutrition community. The video has a lot of good info in it.

I didn't ask for a lecture. It's my body and if I want to follow a certain eating schedule then I will. Thanks.

shai74

AJ_G wrote: »

Well I hate to say it sounds like you're starting off in the exact wrong way. If you want a sustainable way of eating that will help you get healthy, "eating clean" is not the way. Eating clean is a restrictive diet. For people restrict their diet, when they inevitably go off of their diet, and every single one of them does, then they binge. It's an unhealthy way of eating and living your life. You may last a week, or a month eating clean, but the second you decide to have one brownie or one cookie, you blow your restrictive diet and end up eating 15 brownies. This happens just about every time without fail. Instead set up a balance diet with a calorie goal, macronutrient goals, and a fiber goal and eat whatever you'd like to hit your goals. That is a healthy way of eating.

WTF is wrong with you people who instantly jump on someone who wants to eat clean, but think it's okay to eat cookies and pizza and other rubbish? A "balanced" diet as you put it means balanced as far as nutrients, not an excuse to eat crap. Eating Clean is not restrictive. Cutting all of those trigger foods out of your diet is the only way some people can succeed.

It's fine for you to offer your experience for the benefit of others, but you are not qualified to tell someone "eating clean is not the way" ... everyone's different. How can it NOT be better to eat a diet of fresh meat and vegetables and other produce and stay away from processed foods? IMO, and it's JUST my opinion, losing weight is not only about weighing less on the scales, for many people getting healthier is just as important, if not more so.

Lasmartchika

shai74 wrote: »

AJ_G wrote: »

Well I hate to say it sounds like you're starting off in the exact wrong way. If you want a sustainable way of eating that will help you get healthy, "eating clean" is not the way. Eating clean is a restrictive diet. For people restrict their diet, when they inevitably go off of their diet, and every single one of them does, then they binge. It's an unhealthy way of eating and living your life. You may last a week, or a month eating clean, but the second you decide to have one brownie or one cookie, you blow your restrictive diet and end up eating 15 brownies. This happens just about every time without fail. Instead set up a balance diet with a calorie goal, macronutrient goals, and a fiber goal and eat whatever you'd like to hit your goals. That is a healthy way of eating.

WTF is wrong with you people who instantly jump on someone who wants to eat clean, but think it's okay to eat cookies and pizza and other rubbish? A "balanced" diet as you put it means balanced as far as nutrients, not an excuse to eat crap. Eating Clean is not restrictive. Cutting all of those trigger foods out of your diet is the only way some people can succeed.

That bold part right there is why you have failed about twenty times according to you. You don't have to do such a drastic change to lose weight. I'm not saying that you're supposed to gorge yourself of junk food, but why not phase it out slowly out of your diet instead of a drastic change? Slowly incorporate all the healthy food you want without banishing foods you love forever. It's all about a balance. Hopefully this will be the last and successful time you'll do to lose weight. :flowerforyou: