200lbs to lose!

chattipatty2

sarahrachelnajman wrote: »

Thank you I've been doing a pretty good job of keeping track of my food intake, somewhat even exaggerating portion size just to be careful. I did splurge a little today with a cream based soup for lunch, but I will eat very light tonight. I think meal prep is going to be my savior. Have you guys been meal prepping for the week? I think that might be one of the most important factors because it's so easy to get lazy and just grab whatever is around to snack on in place of eating a balanced meal. ALSO, you can't eat it if you don't have it around, so saying NO to yourself when grocery shopping or even running into the gas station/etc can feel so restricting but also liberating at the same time. Any suggestions on afternoon lag? I honestly feel great just from cutting out soda and junk and it's only been three days but I lack energy.

chattipatty2

YUP, prep. but weigh, measure, have a scale. Use your smart phone to easily scan. Think of your refridgerater as a huge salad bar with proteins, such as chicken, eggs, etc... Add everything but the kitchen sink. Don't say YUK. I have reluctantly followed advice and now eat all sorts of different inexpensive things especially for cravings (Jarred peppers and pickles for instant and hey, the 100 calorie popcorn that youve been eyeing? Buy it. Especially the kettle corn.
Im on a 1200 cal diet. Now that Im used to it, if I know "im in for it with that gathering" I move more.
I feel your pain baby, but no one can make this happen for you except you and your friends in MFP and of course, consistency. Again, good luck lady. Were all here for you and would love to hear your success story Sarah. Will be looking out for you!

chattipatty2

you can even scan deli meats now. just have a scale for accuracy

SueSueDio

enterdanger wrote: »

I like chewing. Liquidy stuff doesn't make me feel full. It could be like 1000 calories, but if I drank it I want to know when my meal is coming.

Yep, I had this problem. Couldn't have a shake without at least a salad on the side, so I felt as if I'd actually had a meal! Also, and I've said this in a couple of other threads now, using shakes taught me nothing about portion control or healthy choices, and when I stopped using them the weight started to creep back on. This time I want to learn better habits that I can stick with.

OP, I wish you luck - taking that first step was great, now you just need to keep taking little ones until you get where you're going. Like other people have said, don't think of it as having to lose 200lbs. Concentrate on smaller goals, maybe 20 - 50lbs at a time. And remember that you're human, and you will slip up now and again - don't beat yourself up about it, just get back on the wagon and keep going!

NicoleS16

Sarah what you're doing is fantastic and I can tell that you're already so strong! My mom has just started her weight loss journey to losing 150+ lbs. what you're doing as a mother and a person, is courageous and brave. I tell her everyday that she is one step closer, one minute, one day, one week closer to changing her life for the better. You will FEEL the changes every single day and that will help fuel you even further. Keep it up girl, take it day by day we are all here to support you

Mmarst

I have 210 more to lose and would love to cheer each and everyone one of you on! We can all do it!

RogerToo

sarahrachelnajman wrote: »

enterdanger wrote: »

Hi Sarah. Good Luck with your weight loss. If you want this to happen, you can do it! The only recommendation I have is that you don't over think it. Just eat at the calorie goal that MFP set for you and the weight will come off. A lot of people think there is a some "trick" to weight loss, and we make it harder than it has to be with "strategies" and cutting out whole food groups.

Those are some good links that @farfromthetree posted.

I agree, and thank you. I've been bombarded by these shake companies - Herbalife, Isagenix - and while they may work for a period of time - then what? My aunt is using Isagenix now and having good results, but I'd rather be eating real food and get the same results then pump my body with liquid nutrients. What is everyone's opinion on protein/herbal shakes as a meal substitute?

Hi
I like a Protein Shake TBH.
What I do is start with a Vanilla Shake and blend in fruit for texture and flavor. Really helpful when I end up with really ripe bananas.

I do like some of the other flavors too. I would not use them except to add protein to my diet once a day, not to replace real food.

Loosing on shakes will work, however it will come back plus more since You do not learn healthy eating and portion control with them.

By eating Fruits, Vegetables, proteins, a supplements I am currently down from what I weighed when I started on this latest weight loss trek.

My Current loss is 215 pounds lost. More Energy and Mobility too. Was it fast, IMO fast does not work. This has taken 2 years and 2 weeks to get there.

Do I cheat, once in a while. My latest was a End Cut Roast Prime Rib Dinner that I split into Lunch and Dinner from a local Diner. Included were Vegetables, Salad, Small slice of carrot cake, Cream of Turkey and french fries. Did all that cause a weight gain? Yes it did, a quick one from all the Sodium. Then a week and a half to get back to where I was that morning and start losing again. Once in a blue moon You can do that sort of thing. However if You cheat on the diet at least make it food worth it and not junk food or fast food and get right back on the diet.

Did I eat Turkey and fixings for Thanksgiving? yup did I restart on the diet right after? of course, My Diet survived the minor speed bump.

Good Luck
Roger

sarahrachelnajman

You guys are so amazing. I wish I had chosen to really stick to this sooner, knowing I'd have this type of support. After tracking my food intake for the last couple days I've realized my major issue is sodium intake. It's absolutely horrible to see that I'm under my calorie intake and negative in the one thousands for sodium at the end of every day. Does anyone else have or had this problem? I know I went a little overboard the last few days with au gratin potatoes I made. Any tips or pointers? Obviously I will cut that out of my diet, but would like to replace it with some sort of starch so that I am not insanely craving some "comfort food."

VeeGeeMom

I am so thankful for MFP. It keeps me aware that I must choose what I eat...and do it every day. 29 pounds are gone of a 155 wt loss goal and I am noticing the difference. I have broken the big 155 ito smaller goals and I think that helps. The first big one is to lose 60 pounds by my 60th birthday in May. Well on my way to 60 by 60!

silverarcheress

sarahrachelnajman wrote: »

You guys are so amazing. I wish I had chosen to really stick to this sooner, knowing I'd have this type of support. "

The great thing about this site is there are always people to support you, and forum threads to browse to keep you motivated.

I've lost 77lb with another 23lb to go and I'm a big fan of keeping it simple. Increase in activity levels and decrease in calories. I try and do food prep, my fridge and freezer have a couple of days worth of meals which I know are 500cal. Also in my fridge are chopped up veggies so I can whip up an omelette without hassle.

The biggest tip I was ever given was motivation doesn't last but routine/habits do. My key habits that never fail, even after 2 years is a gym class every Tuesday evening (the other classes I do when I can or when I feel like it) and taking the 3 flights of stairs to my flat instead of the elevator. This means even when I'm having a low point I'm still not sliding that far backwards

besaro

tip for reducing sodium, prep food at home. And that means if you want to make au gratin, do it from scratch. that means no soup cans too. That said, sodium, unless you have a medical reason to be concerned, isn't that big of a deal. Ive never understood the panic over water weight. The table salt you add to your broccoli isn't gonna kill you.

my favorite starchy tuber thing, slice up a sweet potato or yam, 1/4 inches thick. spray a baking sheet with some spray oil, cook yams on sheet at 400-450 flipping them once, until they are brown. Salt the hell out of them. enjoy. I do this to all sorts of gourds.

VeeGeeMom

Shakes do not work for me either. Leave me hungry. This time around my hubby and I decided what we eat must be sustainable - a life time change for us. So it is real food this time around and building better habits. This is not a diet but a life style choice.

Pandabear0324

Hey everyone! I started my journey about 4.5 months ago at 380lbs. This week I am floating between 312-314 and sorta at a plateau. Looking to lose another 150 ish. I could use more supportive friends to take this challenge on together! Add me

holly_roman

For starch I do sweet potatoes. You can eat them baked, cut into chips, and even as fries. They are much healthier and give that needed starch of potatoes. Otherwise I try do baby golds on the side with onion and soul seasoning then roast them. They are good and I was surprised how many I could eat within my calorie budget. I really really want to try eggplant in place of spaghetti noodles. I heard it is amazing if cooked right. Can't wait to try it. Good Luck to you, I wish you the best!

holly_roman

oh I also wanted to mention. I don't have a fitbit, way to too expensive for me, but I did buy a pumpkin Bluetooth v4.0 and I love it. It was much cheaper and I find it to be accurate. Since having it I have gone from sedentary to lightly active. Also buy a food scale if you haven't already. I bought mine for $15 at walmart and it was the best investment ever. Don't forget there is always google if you need to come up with a healthy alternative to what you want to eat. GL.

danadinunno

Hi. I just wanted to stop and say. You are gorgeous and if you set your mind. You WILL DO THIS!!!!!!!'

bcherniwchan445

I personally am an Isagenix product user and can not speak highly enough about the products ! Best tasting and nutritious shakes I've ever tried

CitizenMichael

Personally I use herbalife, have tried lots of things and nothing ever stuck, it works for me and has been the only thing I have ever been able to stick due to the simplicity of it, I also still eat food 3/4 times a day and have treats / cheats, it's not for everyone though and I say each to their own, if someone is trying to make a change provided it is legal and not involving surgery then good luck to them.

So far I lost 3.5stone & 13% Bodyfat and have turned from occasional gym goer and heavy weights lifter to someone who likes to go run obstacle courses

Keeping myself on track has been the key and being accountable to my peers, I need to take the extra step so have come back to MFP and saw your post.

Binge eating is massively under heard of eating disorder it doesn't have the same press as anorexia or bulimia, so from someone who has struggled for over 20 years with B.E.D it is a daily commitment that I make not to fall back into bad habits, and I truly wish you the best with your struggle

My advice and the formula I follow
10/5/1/R

10 glasses of water (approx 2.5 litre water), for every tea and coffee you may have get an extra glass of water down you

5 balanced meals, this app will help keep you on track, just make sure the correct balance of protein / carbs / healthy fats, swap some refund pasta and rice for whole meal

1 form of exercise 30 minutes or more if you can but do what you enjoy if you like to swim or go to the gym then great if not why put yourself through something you don't like, find something you do like, you can even start by parking your car at the far end of the supermarket and give yourself that extra few minutes walk

Rest - get adequate rest

Good luck with it all