I give up :(

124»

Replies

  • tlyric97
    tlyric97 Posts: 15 Member
    edited January 2016
    Dont forget - if you have pulled muscles do a stretch/yoga.. stretching/yoga still counts as fitness minutes And dont' forget to drink lots of water :):) dont give up! I on 2 months and the scale hasnt moved (i have lots more weight to lose than you - but I do feel better )
  • veganxpizza
    veganxpizza Posts: 40 Member
    What you really should do is concentrate on the quality of the food you're eating. Calories matter, yeah, but why even bother working out and trying to get fit if you're gonna fuel your body with crap? That doesn't nourish your body or help it recover/help it function efficiently. Make sure you're getting tons of lean protein and veggies and complex carbs to stay full, regulate your appetite, and help you function better. Eating well doesn't have to mean eating tasteless!
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    edited January 2016
    aggelikik wrote: »
    I'm actually 20 bout to be 21 in July. I was hoping to be 130lbs by my 21st birthday. I know that still young but stuff happened. I just started working at my second job about 2 weeks ago because my husband got in a car accident and couldn't find a way to work so they let him go. I'm only working till next month till he get a car but If I don't my money is going to go straight to bills and I don't want to have money just for bills! I'm going back to school next semester so life will be better again! Anywaysss idk why I'm explaining this, this has nothing to do with weight loss. Yes my life isn't the best right now but I can still manage to lose weight. I honestly think I can lose weight. I've learned a lot on the calorie deficit thing and it has helped. I said I was going to give up yesterday but y'all just motivated me to do better (:

    Lifestyle has to do with how you manage weight loss. There are periods of time when people are in "survival" mode, and need to focus on the basics.
    I am a bit slow sometimes, but I guess everyone thinks I was judging you because doing all that at your age is supposed to be somehow "bad"? The description you do of your life is not bad in anyway, but it is exhausting. And this matters when it comes to what lifestyle changes you can realistically implement. I would not expect the same to work for a student who still lives at home, a retired 65 year old, a housewife, a truck driver, a single parent to twin babies or you. Because these are completely different circumstances and what is easier to change for one person might be much harder for another. Someone might find it easy to exercise 5 hours per day, someone else can prepare every meal at home and weigh all ingredients, someone else might work with estimations and trial and error, for someone else cutting out all treats might be the easiest and so on. Of course it is always about a calorie deficit, but there are many ways to get there, depending on how you live.

    I don't think you are trying to be judgmental toward her life but I am confused why you seem to be encouraging her not to do something that could help her reach her goals. I think you are trying to be charitable in acknowledging how tiring it is to do everything OP is doing right now (it does seem exhausting!) but she doesn't seem to think that weighing and logging her food is too unreasonable for her current lifestyle so I wonder why you think it. There is no doubt that she can be successful if she chooses to use a food scale and if she's on board, why encourage her to do something that has the possibility of working, though is less certain. Wouldn't it add more stressful if she just "eats healthy" and "watches what she eats" but still doesn't lose weight? I've tried all of the methods listed here and didn't have success with what you are recommending and found it infinitely more stressful. If she feels she has the extra few seconds to weigh her food, why encourage her to do otherwise?

    Considering she has never logged this way , does not have a food scale and has never used one, plus doe not cook right now, I suspect she simply has no idea what it will be like. I am trying to get myself into her shoes, and I cannot imagine what would be there to weigh to begin with? Take away? Meals cooked by someone else? She comes home exhausted after 2 jobs and before eating she starts posing questions to her husband about how many grams of which brand tomato sauce and how many ml of oil he put in the spaghetti sauce and if he weighed accurately the cheese? And did he actually weigh the whole pot before eatign any himself, or otherwise how does OP know what her serving will be? These things are tiresome to an experienced and organised cook with a bit of free time. I cannot imagine how it will work for her.
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    I'm actually 20 bout to be 21 in July. I was hoping to be 130lbs by my 21st birthday. I know that still young but stuff happened. I just started working at my second job about 2 weeks ago because my husband got in a car accident and couldn't find a way to work so they let him go. I'm only working till next month till he get a car but If I don't my money is going to go straight to bills and I don't want to have money just for bills! I'm going back to school next semester so life will be better again! Anywaysss idk why I'm explaining this, this has nothing to do with weight loss. Yes my life isn't the best right now but I can still manage to lose weight. I honestly think I can lose weight. I've learned a lot on the calorie deficit thing and it has helped. I said I was going to give up yesterday but y'all just motivated me to do better (:

    Lifestyle has to do with how you manage weight loss. There are periods of time when people are in "survival" mode, and need to focus on the basics.
    I am a bit slow sometimes, but I guess everyone thinks I was judging you because doing all that at your age is supposed to be somehow "bad"? The description you do of your life is not bad in anyway, but it is exhausting. And this matters when it comes to what lifestyle changes you can realistically implement. I would not expect the same to work for a student who still lives at home, a retired 65 year old, a housewife, a truck driver, a single parent to twin babies or you. Because these are completely different circumstances and what is easier to change for one person might be much harder for another. Someone might find it easy to exercise 5 hours per day, someone else can prepare every meal at home and weigh all ingredients, someone else might work with estimations and trial and error, for someone else cutting out all treats might be the easiest and so on. Of course it is always about a calorie deficit, but there are many ways to get there, depending on how you live.

    I don't think you are trying to be judgmental toward her life but I am confused why you seem to be encouraging her not to do something that could help her reach her goals. I think you are trying to be charitable in acknowledging how tiring it is to do everything OP is doing right now (it does seem exhausting!) but she doesn't seem to think that weighing and logging her food is too unreasonable for her current lifestyle so I wonder why you think it. There is no doubt that she can be successful if she chooses to use a food scale and if she's on board, why encourage her to do something that has the possibility of working, though is less certain. Wouldn't it add more stressful if she just "eats healthy" and "watches what she eats" but still doesn't lose weight? I've tried all of the methods listed here and didn't have success with what you are recommending and found it infinitely more stressful. If she feels she has the extra few seconds to weigh her food, why encourage her to do otherwise?

    Considering she has never logged this way , does not have a food scale and has never used one, plus doe not cook right now, I suspect she simply has no idea what it will be like. I am trying to get myself into her shoes, and I cannot imagine what would be there to weigh to begin with? Take away? Meals cooked by someone else? She comes home exhausted after 2 jobs and before eating she starts posing questions to her husband about how many grams of which brand tomato sauce and how many ml of oil he put in the spaghetti sauce and if he weighed accurately the cheese? And did he actually weigh the whole pot before eatign any himself, or otherwise how does OP know what her serving will be? These things are tiresome to an experienced and organised cook with a bit of free time. I cannot imagine how it will work for her.

    I get what you are saying and I really appreciate that you tend toward empathy. That is often missing from these boards...but it seems like you've already written it off that she won't be able to do it. Perhaps, instead, we give her the tools and let her decide what she can and cannot do. The truth is, no matter what she chooses to do, it will be difficult. It's up to her to decide how she will do it and to find ways around the challenges. Will it be difficult? Yes. Should we assume she's not up to the task? No.

  • tlblue
    tlblue Posts: 1 Member

    I don't eat sweets like that. It was just last night, except the Pringles though. I work overnight so I don't know when it's a good time to eat, and umm I don't really know how to cook so I just eat what my husband cooks. It's usually not healthy food, or I just eat out.
    It's not easy to cut back on calories, maybe it is for you guys but not me

    You can do this. Just take baby steps. Weight gain does not happen quickly, and neither does weight loss. Start small. Best thing you can do for yourself right now is to plan ahead. Start by planning healthy snacks and have a plan in place for when you get hungry. And you don't need to cook anything extravagant to be healthy, salads, sandwiches with low fat meat and cheeses. None of this takes a chef's degree. Start small by replacing a few high fat foods with something healthier. Instead of pringles, have some low fat popcorn or pretzels on hand, instead of cookies, have an orange or apple with peanut butter ready to go. Sometimes it's the small start that ends up giving you the most success!
  • star1407
    star1407 Posts: 588 Member
    Op after a while weighing stuff becomes so natural you can find yourself doing it when you don't need to! Weighing stuff helps. Without a scale, I was having twice as much chocolate spread on my crispbread than I realised, and it all adds up.
    It's pretty daunting to look at the total weight you need to lose, well in my case anyway as its a lot. So I would suggest you break your goals down, baby steps and small goals you can achieve to boost your confidence.
    Feel free to add me as a friend. Slow and steady wins the race
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    star1407 wrote: »
    Healthy eating and being a healthy weight should always be a priority in order to have the energy to work and be a mum. Just sayin

    x2
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    edited January 2016
    I'm actually 20 bout to be 21 in July. I was hoping to be 130lbs by my 21st birthday. I know that still young but stuff happened. I just started working at my second job about 2 weeks ago because my husband got in a car accident and couldn't find a way to work so they let him go. I'm only working till next month till he get a car but If I don't my money is going to go straight to bills and I don't want to have money just for bills! I'm going back to school next semester so life will be better again! Anywaysss idk why I'm explaining this, this has nothing to do with weight loss. Yes my life isn't the best right now but I can still manage to lose weight. I honestly think I can lose weight. I've learned a lot on the calorie deficit thing and it has helped. I said I was going to give up yesterday but y'all just motivated me to do better (:

    You're explaining yourself, because you truly are ready, and you probably already feel a slight trust here. GOOD!!! You have nothing to fear, most of us completely understand your struggles. I too was a 19 yr old mom, then a 21 yr old mom (many years ago) who was overweight. Never heard of weighing and logging back then, and I sure wish I had!! Life will get easier for you, like it did for me and for most of the single moms on here. Give yourself time, and go easy on yourself. Zayne needs a happy, healthy, SANE mommy. It sounds like you've figured out what you need to do, now it's just a matter of putting it into play, consistently. It took me a LONG time to lose my weight, but eventually, it started to melt away...and it will for you too, if you just stick to your plan. You got this, we have total faith in you! Feel free to add me, I'd love to help motivate and support you if you like :)
    Edited...just realized, you're not a single mom...my bad! Either way, it's on you, I know...you can do this!!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    I'm actually 20 bout to be 21 in July. I was hoping to be 130lbs by my 21st birthday. I know that still young but stuff happened. I just started working at my second job about 2 weeks ago because my husband got in a car accident and couldn't find a way to work so they let him go. I'm only working till next month till he get a car but If I don't my money is going to go straight to bills and I don't want to have money just for bills! I'm going back to school next semester so life will be better again! Anywaysss idk why I'm explaining this, this has nothing to do with weight loss. Yes my life isn't the best right now but I can still manage to lose weight. I honestly think I can lose weight. I've learned a lot on the calorie deficit thing and it has helped. I said I was going to give up yesterday but y'all just motivated me to do better (:

    Lifestyle has to do with how you manage weight loss. There are periods of time when people are in "survival" mode, and need to focus on the basics.
    I am a bit slow sometimes, but I guess everyone thinks I was judging you because doing all that at your age is supposed to be somehow "bad"? The description you do of your life is not bad in anyway, but it is exhausting. And this matters when it comes to what lifestyle changes you can realistically implement. I would not expect the same to work for a student who still lives at home, a retired 65 year old, a housewife, a truck driver, a single parent to twin babies or you. Because these are completely different circumstances and what is easier to change for one person might be much harder for another. Someone might find it easy to exercise 5 hours per day, someone else can prepare every meal at home and weigh all ingredients, someone else might work with estimations and trial and error, for someone else cutting out all treats might be the easiest and so on. Of course it is always about a calorie deficit, but there are many ways to get there, depending on how you live.

    I don't think you are trying to be judgmental toward her life but I am confused why you seem to be encouraging her not to do something that could help her reach her goals. I think you are trying to be charitable in acknowledging how tiring it is to do everything OP is doing right now (it does seem exhausting!) but she doesn't seem to think that weighing and logging her food is too unreasonable for her current lifestyle so I wonder why you think it. There is no doubt that she can be successful if she chooses to use a food scale and if she's on board, why encourage her to do something that has the possibility of working, though is less certain. Wouldn't it add more stressful if she just "eats healthy" and "watches what she eats" but still doesn't lose weight? I've tried all of the methods listed here and didn't have success with what you are recommending and found it infinitely more stressful. If she feels she has the extra few seconds to weigh her food, why encourage her to do otherwise?

    Considering she has never logged this way , does not have a food scale and has never used one, plus doe not cook right now, I suspect she simply has no idea what it will be like. I am trying to get myself into her shoes, and I cannot imagine what would be there to weigh to begin with? Take away? Meals cooked by someone else? She comes home exhausted after 2 jobs and before eating she starts posing questions to her husband about how many grams of which brand tomato sauce and how many ml of oil he put in the spaghetti sauce and if he weighed accurately the cheese? And did he actually weigh the whole pot before eating any himself, or otherwise how does OP know what her serving will be? These things are tiresome to an experienced and organised cook with a bit of free time. I cannot imagine how it will work for her.

    I get what you're saying. I agree that if someone's life is extremely full, baby steps would be more manageable than a drastic overhaul. And also, the primary cook, who is not the OP, needs to be willing to use the food scale.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    edited January 2016
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    I'm actually 20 bout to be 21 in July. I was hoping to be 130lbs by my 21st birthday. I know that still young but stuff happened. I just started working at my second job about 2 weeks ago because my husband got in a car accident and couldn't find a way to work so they let him go. I'm only working till next month till he get a car but If I don't my money is going to go straight to bills and I don't want to have money just for bills! I'm going back to school next semester so life will be better again! Anywaysss idk why I'm explaining this, this has nothing to do with weight loss. Yes my life isn't the best right now but I can still manage to lose weight. I honestly think I can lose weight. I've learned a lot on the calorie deficit thing and it has helped. I said I was going to give up yesterday but y'all just motivated me to do better (:

    Lifestyle has to do with how you manage weight loss. There are periods of time when people are in "survival" mode, and need to focus on the basics.
    I am a bit slow sometimes, but I guess everyone thinks I was judging you because doing all that at your age is supposed to be somehow "bad"? The description you do of your life is not bad in anyway, but it is exhausting. And this matters when it comes to what lifestyle changes you can realistically implement. I would not expect the same to work for a student who still lives at home, a retired 65 year old, a housewife, a truck driver, a single parent to twin babies or you. Because these are completely different circumstances and what is easier to change for one person might be much harder for another. Someone might find it easy to exercise 5 hours per day, someone else can prepare every meal at home and weigh all ingredients, someone else might work with estimations and trial and error, for someone else cutting out all treats might be the easiest and so on. Of course it is always about a calorie deficit, but there are many ways to get there, depending on how you live.

    I don't think you are trying to be judgmental toward her life but I am confused why you seem to be encouraging her not to do something that could help her reach her goals. I think you are trying to be charitable in acknowledging how tiring it is to do everything OP is doing right now (it does seem exhausting!) but she doesn't seem to think that weighing and logging her food is too unreasonable for her current lifestyle so I wonder why you think it. There is no doubt that she can be successful if she chooses to use a food scale and if she's on board, why encourage her to do something that has the possibility of working, though is less certain. Wouldn't it add more stressful if she just "eats healthy" and "watches what she eats" but still doesn't lose weight? I've tried all of the methods listed here and didn't have success with what you are recommending and found it infinitely more stressful. If she feels she has the extra few seconds to weigh her food, why encourage her to do otherwise?

    Considering she has never logged this way , does not have a food scale and has never used one, plus doe not cook right now, I suspect she simply has no idea what it will be like. I am trying to get myself into her shoes, and I cannot imagine what would be there to weigh to begin with? Take away? Meals cooked by someone else? She comes home exhausted after 2 jobs and before eating she starts posing questions to her husband about how many grams of which brand tomato sauce and how many ml of oil he put in the spaghetti sauce and if he weighed accurately the cheese? And did he actually weigh the whole pot before eating any himself, or otherwise how does OP know what her serving will be? These things are tiresome to an experienced and organised cook with a bit of free time. I cannot imagine how it will work for her.

    I get what you're saying. I agree that if someone's life is extremely full, baby steps would be more manageable than a drastic overhaul. And also, the primary cook, who is not the OP, needs to be willing to use the food scale.

    no, she needs to learn to cook. or how to eat much less to result in weight loss without weighing food.
  • deardevon
    deardevon Posts: 13 Member
    I don't eat sweets like that. It was just last night, except the Pringles though. I work overnight so I don't know when it's a good time to eat, and umm I don't really know how to cook so I just eat what my husband cooks. It's usually not healthy food, or I just eat out.
    It's not easy to cut back on calories, maybe it is for you guys but not me

    It's actually not easy for us, or else we wouldn't be here. I am 32. I have been trying to lose weight my whole life, because I love to eat junk food, actually I just love to eat food, and when I have tried to lose weight in the past it was always while still eating the foods that I love.

    This time, I am doing it right, the healthy way. You can eat a lot of food, as long as it's full of protein and fiber and not sugar, and the less processed the better. Those ads for programs and pills that promise you can "eat what you want and still lose weight" are appealing to the people who want an easy and quick fix to their problems, which would be great, except it's all bogus. You would have to eat the tiniest portions of junk food to lose pounds, starve yourself, and not do your body any favors just to see the scale budge.

    You say you don't know what food scale is? Come on. I have always hated the kitchen and never learned to cook, but I know what a scale is. It's a handy tool, along with measuring cups and spoons. I am teaching myself how to cook by following healthy but simple recipes with 3-5 ingredients, and it's going great. Used ground turkey breast, a can of diced tomatoes, and a can of kidney beans to make a filling and healthy chili. If you want more flavor, add some spices like chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder, and more (you can Google what to add). Toss in some pre-diced, pre-packaged peppers and onions from the produce section of your grocery store. SUPER quick and easy. Brown some ground beef (or again, ground turkey breast) and stir in a cup of organic salsa (less processed) and poach a few eggs on top. Delicious and filling and healthy, at least way healthier than what you've been eating.

    Need snacks? Buy a box of Halos or Cuties. They are mandarin oranges that are super easy to peel and have no seeds. They're geared for kids but my husband and I devour them. If you don't live in the US I don't know what the alternative is, but try apples and other oranges when in season, or any other fruit you might enjoy. Also try unsalted almonds. A handful of about 23 or 1/4 of a cup is a serving and super filling to get you to your next meal. We LOVE chips and chocolate bars and pizza and spaghetti and soda and cookies... so we don't buy those things. If they're not in the house, we have to eat the healthy stuff.

    After two weeks of doing this, my husband and I both feel so healthy and clean, we don't even miss sugar and processed carbs. This is the first time we feel like we can make this work long term.

    If your husband is the one making the meals, maybe he needs to be more supportive and start making these healthy changes. Even if he doesn't need to lose weight, it will be better for his health and your child's. And whatever is made for dinner can be taken to work as leftovers. That's what we do, and it keeps us from even having to decide what to eat for lunch that day, because it used to be always fast food.

    I am 270 lbs. My husband is a bit more than that. We are the laziest, junk-food addicts you will ever meet, and we would have probably lived the rest of our short lives in obese bliss if our doctor hadn't stepped up and said our health was in jeopardy. That's what you will be facing if you let this go and just "be fat". It affects your heart, liver, even your brain, and more. That's what I'm facing AT THIRTY TWO YEARS OLD. My knees are already giving out. I have no endurance. I have to build up to it. When I was 155 I hated how I looked and what size I was, but I never gave a damn about my health. I wish I had. I hope you take it more seriously than I did.
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
    edited January 2016
    deardevon wrote: »
    I don't eat sweets like that. It was just last night, except the Pringles though. I work overnight so I don't know when it's a good time to eat, and umm I don't really know how to cook so I just eat what my husband cooks. It's usually not healthy food, or I just eat out.
    It's not easy to cut back on calories, maybe it is for you guys but not me

    It's actually not easy for us, or else we wouldn't be here. I am 32. I have been trying to lose weight my whole life, because I love to eat junk food, actually I just love to eat food, and when I have tried to lose weight in the past it was always while still eating the foods that I love.

    This time, I am doing it right, the healthy way. You can eat a lot of food, as long as it's full of protein and fiber and not sugar, and the less processed the better. Those ads for programs and pills that promise you can "eat what you want and still lose weight" are appealing to the people who want an easy and quick fix to their problems, which would be great, except it's all bogus. You would have to eat the tiniest portions of junk food to lose pounds, starve yourself, and not do your body any favors just to see the scale budge.

    You say you don't know what food scale is? Come on. I have always hated the kitchen and never learned to cook, but I know what a scale is. It's a handy tool, along with measuring cups and spoons. I am teaching myself how to cook by following healthy but simple recipes with 3-5 ingredients, and it's going great. Used ground turkey breast, a can of diced tomatoes, and a can of kidney beans to make a filling and healthy chili. If you want more flavor, add some spices like chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder, and more (you can Google what to add). Toss in some pre-diced, pre-packaged peppers and onions from the produce section of your grocery store. SUPER quick and easy. Brown some ground beef (or again, ground turkey breast) and stir in a cup of organic salsa (less processed) and poach a few eggs on top. Delicious and filling and healthy, at least way healthier than what you've been eating.

    Need snacks? Buy a box of Halos or Cuties. They are mandarin oranges that are super easy to peel and have no seeds. They're geared for kids but my husband and I devour them. If you don't live in the US I don't know what the alternative is, but try apples and other oranges when in season, or any other fruit you might enjoy. Also try unsalted almonds. A handful of about 23 or 1/4 of a cup is a serving and super filling to get you to your next meal. We LOVE chips and chocolate bars and pizza and spaghetti and soda and cookies... so we don't buy those things. If they're not in the house, we have to eat the healthy stuff.

    After two weeks of doing this, my husband and I both feel so healthy and clean, we don't even miss sugar and processed carbs. This is the first time we feel like we can make this work long term.

    If your husband is the one making the meals, maybe he needs to be more supportive and start making these healthy changes. Even if he doesn't need to lose weight, it will be better for his health and your child's. And whatever is made for dinner can be taken to work as leftovers. That's what we do, and it keeps us from even having to decide what to eat for lunch that day, because it used to be always fast food.

    I am 270 lbs. My husband is a bit more than that. We are the laziest, junk-food addicts you will ever meet, and we would have probably lived the rest of our short lives in obese bliss if our doctor hadn't stepped up and said our health was in jeopardy. That's what you will be facing if you let this go and just "be fat". It affects your heart, liver, even your brain, and more. That's what I'm facing AT THIRTY TWO YEARS OLD. My knees are already giving out. I have no endurance. I have to build up to it. When I was 155 I hated how I looked and what size I was, but I never gave a damn about my health. I wish I had. I hope you take it more seriously than I did.

    I didn't know how to use a food scale. Someone here on MFP actually had to explain it to me. I dont' know how to use a grill either (that might be because I'm a vegetarian and rarely have a need for a grill). The point is, it's reasonable not to know how to use it. thankfully there are people on here that can walk you through it.

    OP, you are getting alot of advice, some of it conflicting. A lot of weight loss is meeting a challenge and using trial and error to figure out how to conquer it. If you want further info, you might do better finding someone specifically that you have the confidence can help you and ask them specifically. Or pick whatever advice here you have the most confidence in or feel would fit you best and try it. Weight loss is a process and it will likely take a while to get where you want to be. In the words of Dori, "just keep swimming!" :wink:
  • deardevon
    deardevon Posts: 13 Member

    I didn't know how to use a food scale. Someone here on MFP actually had to explain it to me. I dont' know how to use a grill either (that might be because I'm a vegetarian and rarely have a need for a grill). The point is, it's reasonable not to know how to use it. thankfully there are people on here that can walk you through it.

    OP, you are getting alot of advice, some of it conflicting. A lot of weight loss is meeting a challenge and using trial and error to figure out how to conquer it. If you want further info, you might do better finding someone specifically that you have the confidence can help you and ask them specifically. Or pick whatever advice here you have the most confidence in or feel would fit you best and try it. Weight loss is a process and it will likely take a while to get where you want to be. In the words of Dori, "just keep swimming!" :wink:

    That's good advice.

    I didn't mean to come off as harsh, but I guess I did. I wanted to be helpful. Basically, I didn't know how to function in a kitchen either, but when it finally mattered, I learned and am still learning. Just get lots of veggies and protein and keep refined carbs (like white pasta in spaghetti) and added sugar to as minimum as possible. Best of luck.
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
    deardevon wrote: »

    I didn't know how to use a food scale. Someone here on MFP actually had to explain it to me. I dont' know how to use a grill either (that might be because I'm a vegetarian and rarely have a need for a grill). The point is, it's reasonable not to know how to use it. thankfully there are people on here that can walk you through it.

    OP, you are getting alot of advice, some of it conflicting. A lot of weight loss is meeting a challenge and using trial and error to figure out how to conquer it. If you want further info, you might do better finding someone specifically that you have the confidence can help you and ask them specifically. Or pick whatever advice here you have the most confidence in or feel would fit you best and try it. Weight loss is a process and it will likely take a while to get where you want to be. In the words of Dori, "just keep swimming!" :wink:

    That's good advice.

    I didn't mean to come off as harsh, but I guess I did. I wanted to be helpful. Basically, I didn't know how to function in a kitchen either, but when it finally mattered, I learned and am still learning. Just get lots of veggies and protein and keep refined carbs (like white pasta in spaghetti) and added sugar to as minimum as possible. Best of luck.

    :wink: no big. You are right too, it's all about finding out how to do things that you don't know. It's all about figuring out what it is you don't know and taking the necessary steps to figure it out. I was a terrible cook but when I got married, I had to figure it out. I had to educate myself and practice. You're right--challenges aren't an excuse they are just something you have to find a way to conquer. :smile:
  • srv524
    srv524 Posts: 1,363 Member
    You two better hug and make up...I'll film.
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
    srv524 wrote: »
    You two better hug and make up...I'll film.

    There is not an emoticon to express the look I'm giving you...dxi6b5wf1xu5.jpg
  • deardevon
    deardevon Posts: 13 Member

    srv524 wrote: »
    You two better hug and make up...I'll film.

    There is not an emoticon to express the look I'm giving you...dxi6b5wf1xu5.jpg

    Haha right on *high five*
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I'm actually 20 bout to be 21 in July. I was hoping to be 130lbs by my 21st birthday. I know that still young but stuff happened. I just started working at my second job about 2 weeks ago because my husband got in a car accident and couldn't find a way to work so they let him go. I'm only working till next month till he get a car but If I don't my money is going to go straight to bills and I don't want to have money just for bills! I'm going back to school next semester so life will be better again! Anywaysss idk why I'm explaining this, this has nothing to do with weight loss. Yes my life isn't the best right now but I can still manage to lose weight. I honestly think I can lose weight. I've learned a lot on the calorie deficit thing and it has helped. I said I was going to give up yesterday but y'all just motivated me to do better (:

    You are right that you can lose weight.
    Everyone has their own challenges to overcome. We do it and you can too.
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
    deardevon wrote: »
    srv524 wrote: »
    You two better hug and make up...I'll film.

    There is not an emoticon to express the look I'm giving you...dxi6b5wf1xu5.jpg

    Haha right on *high five*

    hehe they really do need an emoticon with this look :lol:

    Lounmoun wrote: »
    I'm actually 20 bout to be 21 in July. I was hoping to be 130lbs by my 21st birthday. I know that still young but stuff happened. I just started working at my second job about 2 weeks ago because my husband got in a car accident and couldn't find a way to work so they let him go. I'm only working till next month till he get a car but If I don't my money is going to go straight to bills and I don't want to have money just for bills! I'm going back to school next semester so life will be better again! Anywaysss idk why I'm explaining this, this has nothing to do with weight loss. Yes my life isn't the best right now but I can still manage to lose weight. I honestly think I can lose weight. I've learned a lot on the calorie deficit thing and it has helped. I said I was going to give up yesterday but y'all just motivated me to do better (:

    You are right that you can lose weight.
    Everyone has their own challenges to overcome. We do it and you can too.

    Right on!
  • Afw94
    Afw94 Posts: 11 Member
    edited January 2016
    I'm 21 so I'm a similar age to you and I've been at this for 2 years, I probably have 2 years to go (I started a lot heavier than you are ofc), the first 2 weeks REALLY sucked, in fact the first 2 months really sucked but the more you stick at it and the more you learn about weight loss the more it'll all become automatic. You won't think about weighing food, you'll just do it, you won't have to spend time looking up calories because the calories of the foods you eat most often will be right there in your head, you won't feel like you're dieting anymore because it'll all come so naturally that you'll hardly notice you're doing it.

    Everyone has days when they just think '*kitten* it', all thoughts of healthy eating go out the window, and you end up eating Nutella out of the jar with a spoon, but once that's day's over you just strike it off as a moment of madness and carry on as you were, don't let one bad day ruin the rest of your life.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I'm actually 20 bout to be 21 in July. I was hoping to be 130lbs by my 21st birthday. I know that still young but stuff happened. I just started working at my second job about 2 weeks ago because my husband got in a car accident and couldn't find a way to work so they let him go. I'm only working till next month till he get a car but If I don't my money is going to go straight to bills and I don't want to have money just for bills! I'm going back to school next semester so life will be better again! Anywaysss idk why I'm explaining this, this has nothing to do with weight loss. Yes my life isn't the best right now but I can still manage to lose weight. I honestly think I can lose weight. I've learned a lot on the calorie deficit thing and it has helped. I said I was going to give up yesterday but y'all just motivated me to do better (:

    You can definitely lose weight. I agree that a lot of times when people feel overwhelmed adding some structure can help, and that includes when you don't feel like you are in control of what or how much you eat. It sounds like your husband is in charge of the cooking because he knows how and is home -- maybe have some involvement in food choices, at least so you understand what he is preparing and can figure how many calories are in it and what a sensible portion size is. Often people end up overeating because they start by eating too little, and it seemed like that's what was happening to you.

    It's also helpful to learn about what makes for a balanced diet and will be healthy. What healthy food is can be a much broader calorie than many dieters (who think it must be chicken breast and vegetables only, or nothing but smoothies) think -- for example, for me pasta is a really easy and healthy meal option (and easy to make). I top my pasta with lots of sauteed vegetables and some lean meat (lean ground beef works great) or make a sauce with tomatoes and lots of veg and lean ground beef, but adding some vegetables and lean meat to a store-bought sauce is fine too. So if that's what he's making (the spaghetti), it's not unhealthy -- you just need to figure the calories and how much makes sense to eat. If it doesn't have protein or vegetables, it's probably good to add some (and will be more filling). You can bring something like a sandwich to work if that's easy (don't worry about not eating overnight, since that's when you are up). Stuff like that.

    Also, you can really do this in baby steps. Maybe start by coming up with a plan for eating while at work and log your food and start learning how to figure out how much you are eating. After you do that you can figure out what you want to do next.
  • angelamichelle_xo
    angelamichelle_xo Posts: 646 Member
    a pound a week is good though. good job, keep going!
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    zaynesmommy2015, you are an inspiration! I was a young mom as well and at 25 went back to school with two toddlers at home, a business(cabin rental) to run and a baby on the way. I gained weight, it has taken me years to get it off and get healthy again.

    My suggestion to you would be to be stubborn! Make yourself a schedule and stick to it! Set out a plan for what you will eat and log it the night before or the week before if you have to. Pack your lunches and snacks when you are home so you don't have to worry about portion sizes on the go. I work less hours than you currently but it makes life so much easier(and less stressful) when I have a bag of food along and just have to pick a baggy of pre measured food out of it to eat on the go. I wish you luck! Hopefully life calms down a bit for you soon, but in the meantime planning ahead can help you save precious minutes to spend with your family and rest.
  • benzieboxx
    benzieboxx Posts: 253 Member
    Plan your day the night before. Prelog everything and make changes if you have to...

    This! Prelogging has saved me so many times. I weigh and track all my food either the night before or the morning of, and then through out the day I check my log. Did I eat that yogurt I packed? Nope. Delete it. Did I eat the entire baggie of chips I packed? Yep. Already logged for me. I usually prelog my breakfast and lunch because I'm home for dinner and have time to do it as I'm cooking.

    OP, you can't keep making excuses. If you want to lose the weight you HAVE to be thorough and you HAVE to stick with it. No one is going to lose the weight for you. We ALL struggled with this, some of us still do. We all have temptations and I think it's safe to say we've all wanted to throw in the towel some days and just devour whatever it is we were craving. But you take control and start logging and being honest with yourself. All that negativity isn't going to help you. Good rule of thumb: if you wouldn't say it to a loved one, why would you say it to yourself? Be positive!
  • srv524
    srv524 Posts: 1,363 Member
    benzieboxx wrote: »
    Plan your day the night before. Prelog everything and make changes if you have to...

    This! Prelogging has saved me so many times. I weigh and track all my food either the night before or the morning of, and then through out the day I check my log. Did I eat that yogurt I packed? Nope. Delete it. Did I eat the entire baggie of chips I packed? Yep. Already logged for me. I usually prelog my breakfast and lunch because I'm home for dinner and have time to do it as I'm cooking.

    OP, you can't keep making excuses. If you want to lose the weight you HAVE to be thorough and you HAVE to stick with it. No one is going to lose the weight for you. We ALL struggled with this, some of us still do. We all have temptations and I think it's safe to say we've all wanted to throw in the towel some days and just devour whatever it is we were craving. But you take control and start logging and being honest with yourself. All that negativity isn't going to help you. Good rule of thumb: if you wouldn't say it to a loved one, why would you say it to yourself? Be positive!

    +1 to you
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    Everyone thank you for your advice. Sorry it took me long to reply, I work 16hrs a day. These comments motivated me not to give up honestly, I didn't think any of the comments harsh. I was just a littler bummed out yesterday because I ate so much and thought I couldn't do it anymore. I'll make sure to go buy a food scale and look at what I eat. Thank you again
    Woohoo! You can do this! Don't let a few days ruin your weight loss experience. I've fallen lots of times, hell a few years ago I lost 100lbs then gained 50, but I am back on that wagon. Don't give up, you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish. :)

    No excuses, just do it. Don't let anything get in your way.

  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
    Everyone thank you for your advice. Sorry it took me long to reply, I work 16hrs a day. These comments motivated me not to give up honestly, I didn't think any of the comments harsh. I was just a littler bummed out yesterday because I ate so much and thought I couldn't do it anymore. I'll make sure to go buy a food scale and look at what I eat. Thank you again
    Woohoo! You can do this! Don't let a few days ruin your weight loss experience. I've fallen lots of times, hell a few years ago I lost 100lbs then gained 50, but I am back on that wagon. Don't give up, you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish. :)

    No excuses, just do it. Don't let anything get in your way.

    +1
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    Having a child and working 16 hours is not the typical life of a 19 year old. There's nothing wrong with it, and it's admirable that the OP is working so hard. But if you were to poll a bunch of 19 year olds, there would be more doing what my 19 year old is doing (enrolled in school full time, having a part time job) than there would be in the OP's situation. I don't know why people get so outraged by the statement that the life of your average 19 year old doesn't include a child and 16 hour work days. Yes, there are clearly people in that situation. But is that the norm? I don't think so.

    Anyway....

    Even with her hectic and demanding lifestyle, I don't think the OP should put off trying to lose weight if that's what she wants to do.

    OP, you sound like a very determined young woman. Weight loss isn't easy; just keep your head up and keep going.
This discussion has been closed.