I am pathetic.

Ninkyou

midlifesally wrote: »

Thank you for all of the responses - the support, the a$$kick, the reality, the great advice. I tracked my food today. Calories are high, but I felt a bit more in control and tracking is a big start for me. I also like the idea of planning and not leaving food to chance.
I'm also going to be more realistic about rate of loss...1 pound a week is ok. It might take me a long time to lose, but right now I just want to start feeling a bit better.

Hey, those 1 lbs a week add up quickly and before you know it you'll be at goal.

Pinkvela

A) You're not "pathetic", you're just "you" - don't use a qualifier. You are just "you". Try really hard not to eat the sweet. Or reduced it drastically, like I'm talking 1/4 tsp in yr. coffee or whatever you have in the day and that's it! It's not supposed to be easy. In my experience, you have to go through the pain to get to where you want to be, there's no way "around" it. Sugar is addictive, so yes, it's supposed to be hard. Just do it. Then at a later point you can introduce something small but controlled in to your diet (and not as a reward, I don't believe in this good and bad food thing, it's just a question of too much of certain things). Good luck! You CAN do it. I know you can.

JanetMMcC

Pathetic? Human. I'd bet big bucks ain't none of us, incuding those of us who are now maintaining, who hasn't backslid, hasn't eaten huge amounts of something, whether that's two of the biggest cheeseburgers at wherever and a giant fries, or that whole bag of cookies or Halloween candies, or a full jar of marshmallow fluff, straight from the jar.

It took me until I was 63 to feel that I've finally gotten on top of things, and I turned 64 this month. With care, thought, and a lot of hard, hard work, you can do it sooner than I did. You can.

Tracking is an excellent start. It really helps to *see* what you're doing, and how many calories there are in that Coke or orange juice or lava cake or even the big fancy salad. (I love that Panera puts calorie counts up so they're easy to see.)

And a pound a week is 4 a month. Think of them as pounds of butter, and take a mental look at that stack every time you drop a pound. In one month, you can have a stack 10 inches high, if you live in the eastern US. If you live in the western US, a pound of 1/4-lb butter "cubes," stacked 2x2, will be a foot high.

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-343879.html

sunnybeaches105

midlifesally wrote: »

I am pathetic. can't seem to keep myself on track re: diet. I have good intentions, then end up overeating. It is very, very, very hard for me to resist sweets.
Maybe I have a deep seated fear of losing weight? Or is that too weird?
Every day I get up with good intentions then go to bed feeling like a loser.
My lifestyle is chaotic. I rarely eat a meal at home (I travel or end up at my kids' houses most evenings)
The sugar cravings are the worst.
Any advice is appreciated.

Stop expecting yourself to fail and start expecting yourself to succeed. I know that may sound like a bunch fo new age crap, but it's not. I think it's easy to get in the habit of wanting to change and then not doing anything about it. We talk about it, we set plans, and then we don't follow through. Don't do that. Expect more from you. Get serious.

Now, the other side of following through is setting realistic goals. If you're life is chaotic and you rarely eat at home, then you absolutely must learn portion control and discretion when it comes to eating everything offered. Learn to say no. And absolutely do not make eating out an excuse. You can "cheat" if you're eating out on a special occasion once in a while, but if you're eating out 3-4 days a week then it's time to order on the calorie controlled part of the menu. Also don't make being busy and excuse not to cook. If you're busy Monday through Friday then cook and freeze food on the weekends.

Finally, keep in mind that the most successful people are "busy" and have "chaotic" lives. The difference is that successful people take control over what they can, and that is often quite a bit.

2snakeswoman

I'm struggling too. I have a lot of bad habits - like cruising MFP when I should be active. Break up your routine as much as you can, and it will help to break other bad habits. I learned this in the past when I was determined to be successful at weight loss. If what you want is a new you, do new things. Go out a different door than usual. Come in a different door. Put on your clothes in a different order. Shake things up. If you usually eat in front of the TV, set yourself a nice place at the dining table. The more you can shake things up, the easier it becomes to make different choices.

stillnot2late

I call myself pathetic. I am going to learn from your post. I've been maintaining for two years but wait, I still have 20 more to go. I got rid of the sweet cravings, I do not desire the candy and cookies. But I'm hooked on Lenny and Larry food bars. So I gotta work on that. First of all I wont call myself pathetic any more. Thank you for your post.