Vent.. Am I being Unrealistic?

Long post.. sorry...

Quick background- I'm 32. I grew up overweight.. not obese I guess.. but always carried extra pounds. At my highest, I weighed 176 lbs (in high school.. lost some, but gained it back in college.) At 5'4", that's a significant amount of extra weight. In 2007 I started exercising and it worked wonders for my health and self esteem. I was able to lose 35+ lbs and although I have never felt "thin" I was comfortable and happy with where I was. I fell in love with running and have participated in numerous endurance races, including 10 half marathons and 2 full marathons- then I got injured. It's been about a year and a half since I've been able to run long distance and I've had to find other ways of exercising to compensate.

I met my husband in 2008, so he has been with me throughout all my health and fitness endeavors. He has seen me at my smallest (In 2012, I got down to ~134 lbs) and when I was heavier (Currently in the 150's). He is happy with whatever my weight is- and since he has never struggled with weight issues himself he can not relate to my fitness/food obsession.

I've gained about 15 lbs since I've stopped running distance, despite continuing to work out at an intense level (HIIT style workouts and weight training.) I've been struggling to find success. I started using Beachbody products, simply because I love that they don't add artificial ingredients or sugar, and they are meant to help fuel your body- giving it the nutrition it needs to make the most out of work-outs. I've been using Shakeology mostly as a multi-vitamin supplement for overall health, the new Performance line Recover drink after workouts, and most recently, the Performance Energize drink for a pre-workout. I have been loosely following the 21 Day Fix meal plan to control my portions and make sure I get the right macros every day, and I have been working out using Insanity Max 30, and occasionally Body Beast fitness programs. I don't do the coach thing.. since I'm fairly well educated on nutrition/fitness, and can self-motivate (most of the time).. plus, I REALLY dislike the whole sales/commission aspect of it.. despite when all the "coaches" (who don't even need to be fitness experts, or certified in anything) say "I just want to help people!" Whatever.

Anyways, despite everything I know and everything I do, I'm still struggling. I know my nutrition could be better- Vacations, social events, and holidays can de-rail here and there.. plus I tend to have the "treats" too often, and without compensating the carbohydrate serving- so there's room for improvement there. Also, I've been finding it harder to go to the gym in the evening- Usually I come home from work ~6pm, walk the dog, eat/chat with hubby, then get to the gym around 7:30. Lately though, I struggle to find the will to get out. I'm tired of getting home from the gym at 9 or 10 at night. I've been doing Insanity Max 30 in the mornings, so I get up at 4:30 am to fit in breakfast and a workout before work. I find myself skipping the gym in the evening altogether.. but I feel like I'm hindering my progress by not getting in my strength training. I'm just at an impasse where I feel like I shouldn't have to work this hard.. and why am I not seeing results. Cue frustration.

In addition to this, I'm starting to get resistance from my husband. He sees me spending all this money on Beachbody products, and actually said to me "You've been doing this for how long now... where's your Beachbody?" What he meant was- He is concerned that I'm buying into a scam or a fad and "jumping on the bandwagon" with all these products that as he sees it, isn't doing anything for me. He is fine with me, whatever size I am. But I am not fine. I am uncomfortable. I do not see Beachbody as a scam, fad, or jumping on the bandwagon... I see it as tools to achieve health wellness and the goals I'm trying to set for myself.

In an effort to bring me out of my funk I've been stuck in lately, I thought maybe I should switch up my routine. I can try to go straight from work to the gym.. that way I can do my strength training then relax at home.. instead of going home, relaxing.. and trying to muster the motivation to go back out... but my husband doesn't like this plan.. because I wont be there to eat dinner with him.. and he will have to walk the dog for me. I could easily tell him, "oh well, I'm going to do it anyways because it's important to me and that's how it's going to be." But I do want to consider his feelings.. marriage is a compromise, and I don't want to be selfish by taking/doing what I want without considering the other person.

As far as he is concerned.. I'm always adding new products/workouts, and trying new ways of doing things.. and nothing changes. I feel like the reason I'm not getting anywhere is not the products being a "scam" or "not working", but my nutritional and exercise shortcomings- which he doesn't see.. because to him.. I eat super healthy (compared to "normal" people) and exercise all the time (30 mins 4-5 days/week as of late.) Part of me wants to just stop doing everything and show my husband what would happen if I didn't put in all the effort.. but that would be counter productive and put my mental health in a bad place :-p Sigh.. I'm just stuck and don't know what to do with it.

Am I trying to do too much? How do I balance my personal time with my marriage? Am I being selfish or unrealistic? Ugh.

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Replies

  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    If you're working this hard and not seeing results, have you talked to a doctor and had any recent blood work done?

    I have a thyroid condition and I basically have to cut calories to below 1,000 a day and workout for an hour every single day just to see a pound a week loss. Anything less than that and I'm lucky if I don't gain. Before my thyroid went kablooey, I actually was one of those annoying "can eat anything and not exercise" naturally thin people.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    It's a forest/trees thing. Your food is an excess supply of nutrition. In fact, your various fitness foods are marketed to the runner you were before your injury, and the fitness enthusiast you were before you became demotivated. You are not that person now. Get back to the basics of weighing your food and depending on your food to create your calorie deficit rather than trusting your running/exercising to create the deficit you were always able to keep despite occasionally munching on the goodies off plan.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    minizebu wrote: »
    You are putting all your effort into the exercise. That's great. However, you need to put less food into your mouth.

    It all comes down to the energy balance equation. It does not matter if you are killing it with a kick *kitten* exercise routine, if you are then going to eat more calories than you expend.

    To lose weight, you must take in fewer calories than you expend.

    You don't need fancy shakes or a special diet. You just need to eat less. Begin counting the calories you are consuming, if you are not already doing so. Make realistic estimates of the calories you are burning. Make sure that the calories you consume add up to less than the calories you are expending.

    That's really all there is to it. Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.

    Yeah this is basically what I was going to say. Your husband is likely frustrated because he sees you spinning your wheels, spending all that money on a bunch of overpriced products, then eating too much.

  • morgan_mfit
    morgan_mfit Posts: 58 Member
    Hey girl! First of all, congratulations for coming so far on your fitness journey! You should be proud of all your accomplishments to date :) After reading your story maybe I can offer this advice from my own personal experiences.
    "Am I trying to do too much?" Well the answer to this is up to you. Some people spend 3 hours a day working out because it's their passion, and some people spend zero hours a day working out! Neither is better or worse or too much or too little, it all depends on what is making you happy.

    "How do I balance my personal time with my marriage?" Schedule time for both things and stick to it. Sounds like your husband is resistant to a change in routine but I wouldn't let this deter you from making a change if you're in a funk right now. You are more responsible for your own happiness than you are for his.

    "Am I being selfish or unrealistic?" NO! Selfish is a bad-word and you should never associate it with yourself! It's clear from your post you are very caring and cognisant of others feelings. Just make sure you are taking care of yourself!! Honestly some of the things your hubby says to you sound somewhat bullying like "You've been doing this for how long now... where's your Beachbody?" It's not fair for him to say that and maybe that needs addressing! I've had to ask my partner to be more positive when it comes to my fitness goals- for whatever reason people seem really quick to rag on those that are working to better themselves. Maybe a conversation between you two on that would benefit the both of you :)
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Did the OP delete her profile??
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,421 Member
    Just do you, boo.

    I mean it sounds more like your husband may just want you to relax a little. No one wants to go along on someone else's anxiety-trip.

    If you talk about your food/exercise with anyone, expect there to be a response to that. How your husband reacts to life is how he will react to your complaints, as well. If you are over-doing it, admit it. It sounds to me like you really expect too much perfection from yourself, and your husband may be getting a little annoyed.

    Beachbody obsession isn't healthy. I know they preach, but it isn't emotionally healthy. It's also way too expensive, so I agree with your husband.

    Give yourself a break. 15 pounds is not a life-altering amount of weight.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    emdeesea wrote: »
    Did the OP delete her profile??

    Seems to have. I guess she didn't like the responses or didn't really want help.

    Never mind then.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    A lot of runners get injured and then become cyclists. They're the ones who can't hold their lines. I kid, I kid. You should think about taking up cycling as it can be an endurance activity and you move at speed, it's similar to running in ways that are important to a lot of people who enjoy both.

    Also, as somebody who has always done a lot of exercise and has been big and small, everybody else is right to point to calories in and out. If your goal is to lose weight you should be keeping track of what you eat and what you burn, and you should have a calorie deficit goal. Those are the tools that help people achieve weight loss.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    emdeesea wrote: »
    Did the OP delete her profile??

    Looks like it. Odd to type out such a long post and then disappear. Can she still read responses? I have no idea how that works on this site.
  • mrp56839
    mrp56839 Posts: 159 Member
    I agree with all of the above. Over the last 7 months, I've lost 53# using MFP and making an investment in a great personal trainer 2x/week. I run on my off days if I'm feeling spunky, but the majority of my exercise amounts to about 2 hours a week in the gym with the free weights. I'm stronger than I've ever been and as a former cardio junkie, I can't imagine now going back to that endless cycle just to maintain.

    I've looked into some of the 21day fix meals and while they look delish, some of them are crazy high in calories for a serving. One that I made was around 750 calories (I have no idea what the crazy little boxes amounted to, but it wasn't very many). That's half my daily allowance in a "healthy" meal. To each their own. It works for some people, so I can't knock it. It just doesn't sound like it's working for you, so maybe a different nutrition program is in order.
  • PurpleRunningPug
    PurpleRunningPug Posts: 16 Member
    edited May 2016
    Yes, I count calories. Not always strictly, but I know where I fall most of the time. Using the 21DFix method.. you shouldn't have to count calories (As you have the correct portions of the correct marcos you are supposed to eat for your target), but I still do. I'm averaging 1500ish calories.

    My work offers a health and wellness center- I've had metabolism and body fat screenings done several times. (Bodpod and CO2 exchange methods) The last time I went I was ~30% bodyfat and my BMR was 1250. Thus.. I was doing strength training along with cardio to try to build up my metabolism. I log my exercise along with my calories and 1500ish is still under goal.

    I eat non-processed, whole foods 90% of the time (sometimes you can't control what other people put in your food/where it comes from). I prepare my foods as close to the 21 Day fix plan as I can. I meal-plan every week and cook our lunches/dinners on Sunday for the week. My Husband helps.

    I have been with my husband 7+ years.. and not once have I been able to get him to the gym (LOL) He HAS worked out with me before at home a handful of times.. and I did get him into running a little when I was able to do it. But fitness is NOT his thing. He is of healthy weight and eats whatever he wants (SO not fair.) My dog is a 9 year old pug in a wheel chair (ridiculous, I know.. but super cute lol) Walking him is not considered exercise.. as we can't go that far/long with him. He was mine before I met my husband and I've always been the one who has taken care of him (Although I get some help sometimes).

    I agree that food is my bigger issue... always has been. Fitness comes "easy" to me.. but I struggle with food- especially with sugar. I've been better as of late.. but it's always an internal struggle, sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. I also agree that I want to spend more time with my husband.. which is part of my motivation issues in the evening- but I feel I get the best results when I do both morning and evening workouts. That's my internal struggle.
  • jlemoore
    jlemoore Posts: 702 Member
    Sorry, have to say it... "you can't out run a bad diet." Doesn't matter how much you workout. If you are over eating, it's not going to come off. You need to evaluate your "treats".
  • itsthehumidity
    itsthehumidity Posts: 351 Member
    OP made this long post then deactivated. Don't waste energy, as she's not interested in feedback.

    For others who may feel like they're in a similar position (exercising a lot and having the perception that you're eating well), you should be aware of the shortcomings of this person's approach. In no particular order, she's:
    • relying on products and services to do a lot of the work for her (calories/macros/portion control etc.)
    • wasting a great deal of money on those products and services, which are unnecessary
    • following temporary fixes and plans, and only "loosely" at that
    • not preparing/weighing/measuring her own food, or at least not as much as she could be
    • overall, eating back too many of the calories she burns off and wasting a lot of effort
  • PurpleRunningPug
    PurpleRunningPug Posts: 16 Member
    edited May 2016
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    emdeesea wrote: »
    Did the OP delete her profile??

    Looks like it. Odd to type out such a long post and then disappear. Can she still read responses? I have no idea how that works on this site.

    I don't have a profile. Never set one up. Use MFP as a tracking tool mostly.. and I keep my food diary private. Just wanted to vent to the universe today.
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    emdeesea wrote: »
    Did the OP delete her profile??

    Looks like it. Odd to type out such a long post and then disappear. Can she still read responses? I have no idea how that works on this site.

    I don't have a profile. Never set one up. Use MFP as a tracking tool mostly.. and I keep my food diary private. Just wanted to vent to the universe today.

    When people go to your profile, it says "Page not found" - I'm not sure I've ever seen that, so that's why people think you posted and deactivated. Usually it just says "____'s profile is only viewable by their friends."
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited May 2016
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    emdeesea wrote: »
    Did the OP delete her profile??

    Looks like it. Odd to type out such a long post and then disappear. Can she still read responses? I have no idea how that works on this site.

    I don't have a profile. Never set one up. Use MFP as a tracking tool mostly.. and I keep my profile private. Just wanted to vent to the universe today.

    You should have a profile. It's automatically created when you set up your account. For people that have a private profile, it usually just shows a profile pic and then "this users profile is private". When clicking on your name I either get this user has deactivated or error page not found.
  • PurpleRunningPug
    PurpleRunningPug Posts: 16 Member
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    emdeesea wrote: »
    Did the OP delete her profile??

    Looks like it. Odd to type out such a long post and then disappear. Can she still read responses? I have no idea how that works on this site.

    Hi. Still here.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    How can one post to the forum - and have an avatar (profile pic) - without a profile?
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    That's odd. Usually it says that only if they "poof." :)
  • Kimo159
    Kimo159 Posts: 508 Member
    Is there any way you could convince your husband to eat dinner a little later so you could hit the gym after work? I always work out right after work (my boyfriend actually meets me at the gym but we work out separately) then we go home, make dinner, walk the dog together and have the rest of the evening to ourselves. It means we eat a little bit later but it works for both of us. Perhaps this is an option for you and your husband (except the part where he meets you at the gym, obviously). Another question - are you doing a morning workout and then the gym in the evening? So two-a-days on a regular basis? On 1500 calories? If that's the case that might be overkill a bit. Also, are you sure you're at 1500 calories a day? Or are you assuming that based on the portion sizing on 21 day fix? Since your on MFP why don't you try to weigh and log the food you're eating currently and see where your calories and macros land. If you are already doing that then that's great, you know where you fall.
  • PurpleRunningPug
    PurpleRunningPug Posts: 16 Member
    OP made this long post then deactivated. Don't waste energy, as she's not interested in feedback.

    For others who may feel like they're in a similar position (exercising a lot and having the perception that you're eating well), you should be aware of the shortcomings of this person's approach. In no particular order, she's:
    • relying on products and services to do a lot of the work for her (calories/macros/portion control etc.)
    • wasting a great deal of money on those products and services, which are unnecessary
    • following temporary fixes and plans, and only "loosely" at that
    • not preparing/weighing/measuring her own food, or at least not as much as she could be
    • overall, eating back too many of the calories she burns off and wasting a lot of effort

    No idea what's up w/ the profile thing. Again.. first time posting. Yes, I do prepare and weigh.. and measure.. my own food. And I get made fun of for it. All the time. I've never followed any "fix" "temporarily". I'm not usually one for gimicks at all. I'm just trying to do different things b/c what I've been doing's not working anymore.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,512 Member
    Something is not right here. I'm 42, about 5'3.5" and started out at 149 pounds. I now weigh 122. I eat way more than you do and exercise far less. We can't see your diary (or anything for that matter), so it's hard to give specific advice, but it sounds like your logging is way off. Fix the food and you won't have to kill yourself at the gym so much. End result = weight loss and more time for hubby. :)
  • PurpleRunningPug
    PurpleRunningPug Posts: 16 Member
    edited May 2016
    Kimo159 wrote: »
    Is there any way you could convince your husband to eat dinner a little later so you could hit the gym after work? I always work out right after work (my boyfriend actually meets me at the gym but we work out separately) then we go home, make dinner, walk the dog together and have the rest of the evening to ourselves. It means we eat a little bit later but it works for both of us. Perhaps this is an option for you and your husband (except the part where he meets you at the gym, obviously). Another question - are you doing a morning workout and then the gym in the evening? So two-a-days on a regular basis? On 1500 calories? If that's the case that might be overkill a bit. Also, are you sure you're at 1500 calories a day? Or are you assuming that based on the portion sizing on 21 day fix? Since your on MFP why don't you try to weigh and log the food you're eating currently and see where your calories and macros land. If you are already doing that then that's great, you know where you fall.

    My BMR, which I had measured, puts me at 1250 calories.. I end up ~1500 after exercise. I do track my actual calories, not just assume. Sometimes I'm a little over, most times I'm in range. The cool thing about the 21DF is that you eat the right kinds of cals. As previous posters have said- I know energy in, energy out... but ice cream is not the same as lean chicken nutritionally.. even if the portions have the same calories.

    Based on the responses I'm getting, I'll have to pay more attention to my food.. as I've been suspecting/working on... just kinda sucks when you're a health/fitness nut and your support system thinks you're already doing enough. I just needed an outside opinion to push me in the right general direction.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    He sees me spending all this money on Beachbody products, and actually said to me "You've been doing this for how long now... where's your Beachbody?" ... I'm always adding new products/workouts, and trying new ways of doing things.. and nothing changes.

    Stop using "weight loss" products; stop changing your workouts. You don't need any "products" to lose weight; you just need to eat fewer calories.

    What you need is a lifestyle change. Beachbody is not a lifestyle, it's a money-siphoning machine that exists only to steal from you and deliver nothing.

    Here's all you need to do:
    1. Figure out how many calories you should be eating, and eat that many with foods that you like enough to do it forever.
    2. Find a workout that you like enough to do consistently forever, and then do it.

    Once those 2 things are accomplished, you'll look and feel great and healthy for the rest of your life. Don't try to complicate it.

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