Depressed & disgusted

estherfsoto111358
estherfsoto111358 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi. I'll be 57 this year and have been trying to get below 200 lbs and maintain it there but no luck I started at 225 went down to 214 and now back up to 22 :'( . I track my food (well i try too but cheat a lot) I try walking a couple times a week but don't keep it up cause i get bored and my back starts hurting. Wow what a cry baby I am. Trying to reach out for inspiration and motivation. Thanks.

Replies

  • silverfiend
    silverfiend Posts: 329 Member
    edited September 2016
    get back on the horse and start again! Most of us have been on diets then then let ourselves go again. Be firm with yourself, make the effort to track your food better. Walk as much as you can with your limitations. You know what you NEED to do, it's just not as much fun as eating the junk food. I'll tell you from personal experience (260 to 186 so far) it's DAMN NICE putting on a smaller size of clothes having them fit. Compliments from friends and family are nice too. Lots of support here, get back to it!
  • frankieb1990
    frankieb1990 Posts: 10 Member
    Hey Esther! Are there any other exercises that you like doing besides walking? I find my foot habits are better when my exercise is more on point :) I also find walking quite boring! X
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,161 Member
    Don't give up. You can do it. Do you have a digital food scale? If you are just eyeballing your portions or if you are using cups to measure then you are likely eating more than you think. Are you trying to be too restrictive? For me putting things off limits does not work. I don't classify foods as good or bad. I eat only things I like and just fit them into my daily goal. Are you walking outside, or on a treadmill? I walk every day at a park near my house that has a beautiful walking trail. My neighbor just walks in the neighborhood and occasionally goes to the park. She gets bored at the park. I get bored walking in the neighborhood. I would die of boredom on a treadmill, but some people use that time to watch tv and exercise at the same time. Try to find something that works for you. Weight loss is going to come from your diet, but exercise is really helpful to your body in lots of ways. But if you need to start by focusing on your eating then do that and add in exercise later. Sometimes it is easier to just focus on one goal at a time.
  • tryett
    tryett Posts: 530 Member
    I am 57, have gone from 243 to 221 so far (since the end of May). I will get below (hopefully well below 200). I started with just getting the food and tracking my steps (I was about 2000 a day). Gradually built up the steps til I was getting at least 5-6000 then started back at the gym a couple weeks ago. Now in addition to the 4-5000 steps a day I am at the gym 6 days a week. In a little over two weeks I have gotten up to 50 minutes on the treadmill. I will send a friend request, you can do this.
  • STLBADGIRL
    STLBADGIRL Posts: 1,693 Member
    I know how you feel....but depressed is what keeps you where you are....Disgusted should get you moving in the right direction. Its about discipline and consistency. Be honest with yourself, do you REALLY want to get under 200lbs.... because if so, you will MAKE IT HAPPEN. Your goal has to be worth it, that you will not let anything stand in your way of it. Set some attainable goals, plan and ATTACK. If you re read what you typed, you will know why you aren't reaching your goals (I have to do this to myself too). Little goals and effort, little results, mediocre goals and efforts, equals some results, etc. etc. etc. I'm so tired of MYSELF and this weight, that I had to reset. Now I am going hard! Meal planning, waking up early going walking/jogging, hitting the gym, reading positive things that will keep me in line with my goals. My point is, YOU CAN DO IT.... NOW gooooooooooooooo get'em!
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Try a diet you don't need to cheat on!
    Get a digital food scale (Walmart or Amazon for around $15). Put your stats into MFP and choose a goal of 1 lb per week. Then start out eating the same foods you always do, but weigh out your portions. Log everything, everyday, accurately and consistently. Figure in little treats so you don't feel deprived. If you have days you struggle to stay at your calorie limit, look at what those days have in common. Where are you wasting calories? Make small little tweaks as you go until you find a way of eating you enjoy while staying at your calorie goal.

    Get extra activity whenever you can. While it's always better to get some exercise than not, it's not necessary to lose weight. Consider it a bonus.

    And don't give up when you have a bad day. Everyone has days they blow past their calorie goal. Everyone has weeks where even though they did everything right, they didn't lose weight. Just keep going. Good luck!
  • estherfsoto111358
    estherfsoto111358 Posts: 2 Member
    Thank you all for your responses. I will read and reread them to motivate me to continue this diet. Blessings and luck to you all.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    estherfsoto111358 wrote: »
    Hi. I'll be 57 this year and have been trying to get below 200 lbs and maintain it there but no luck I started at 225 went down to 214 and now back up to 22 :'( . I track my food (well i try too but cheat a lot) I try walking a couple times a week but don't keep it up cause i get bored and my back starts hurting. Wow what a cry baby I am. Trying to reach out for inspiration and motivation. Thanks.

    Hi Esther - my Mom is my inspiration - she wants me to go hiking with her in the White Mountains next year for her 80th birthday - eep! She was training for the Grand Canyon a few years ago but her trip was canceled due to Hurricane Sandy.

    I am almost 50, have bad knees and am prone to shin splints, but I was able to work my way up from walking 20 minutes to 75 minutes plus hills.

    I walk on trails in the woods, so not on pavement. I wear good shoes - Asics Gel.

    I have various strategies to keep from getting bored. I have an mp3 player and listen to music or NPR. I may add podcasts or books on tape. Sometimes I bring along my clippers and do trail maintenance. I always pick up sticks that have fallen in the trail. I have a favorite spot, but have four other walking trails to chose from if I need a change of scenery. I'm going to be moving in the fall and have located a new place with 15 miles of trails that I'm excited to check out.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    There are a few ways to keep walking from getting boring. My favorite is an app called Zombies, Run! I know a lot of people who are using it who walk, not run. If you like zombies and apocalyptic type shows, it's a great story and the app is free. My mom walks about 4 miles every day through our neighborhood. Since I run the same streets I can tell you how boring that can get and she has only her dog for company. She listens to audio books when she walks and she only listens to those books while she's walking. That's both motivation for her to go on her walks and the entertainment to keep it interesting.

    As far as your back hurting, pay attention to your posture. Keep your shoulders back and stand as tall as you can. Many people who have a lot of weight to lose find that simply losing weight helps with back pain because a lot of times it's caused by weak core muscles compounded with too much belly fat. Reducing the belly fat reduces the strain.

    All of that said, exercise is not needed to lose weight. It's definitely good for you, of course, but weight loss is about eating less calories than you burn and that can be done without adding exercise. Simply log everything you're eating and try to eliminate the "cheating". Remember that the only person you're cheating here is you. If you feel like your eating plan is too restrictive which is causing you to feel the urge to cheat, then loosen up a bit. Change your weight loss goal from 2 pounds per week to 1 pound per week and allow yourself some treats every day. You'll lose the weight more slowly but you'll be more likely to stick with it which is the important part, right? Better to lose 5 pounds per month and still be losing after 6 months than 10 pounds per month for the first month and then quitting.

    As I'm sure you know, the thing about motivation is that it has to come from within. No one can give it to you and you can't give it to someone else, either. Every one of us has to find it for ourselves. You can, however, be inspired by others' motivation. Look at the success stories in these forums or strike up a conversation in the boards. Make a list of the reasons you want to lose/maintain your weight, post it where you can see it often and refer to it when you feel yourself slipping. Many here will tell you that rather than needing motivation, you need commitment, good habits and dedication. When motivation wears down, and it always does eventually, commitment, your habits and dedication will often take over and get you through the tough times.

    Keep your chin up!
  • OneWayOnlyCycles
    OneWayOnlyCycles Posts: 67 Member
    Maybe get out and get more exercise and find some buddies to exercise with? Fitness centers are a great place to start!! The exercise will counteract that depressed feeling. It's true! Psychologists will tell you.
  • 220Dani
    220Dani Posts: 198 Member
    If you find walking boring, do something else. I find walking to be super boring too so I don't do it unless I have to get something in. What do you like doing? There's probably an exercise one of us can think of that might fit you better. The challenges section might also have some things you're interested in doing and this way you have friends to help motivate you.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    Eating healthy and working out is kind of like marriage, you can't cheat and expect it to work.

    Track your food, even when you eat more than you planned, at least then you know what you are consuming and get into the routine of thinking about what is in each meal or snack. Try substituting high calorie items for lower calorie items to find alternative that are still satisfying, such as making spaghetti with shredded zucchini noodles instead of pasta or making eggs with half as much butter in the pan.

    If walking hurts your back, try walking less time/distance with greater frequency...so instead of trying to walk 30 min in a day, take a 10 min walk 3 times a day, the cardiovascular benefits are the same and it will give your muscles time to grow and adapt to the activity. You can extend the time once a month or more frequently if you feel up to it. Try other activities and see if some other kind of exercise is a better fit, youtube is full of stuff.

    Small changes add up progress over time, if you try one new change a week that can be enough to start seeing results and nothing is more motivating than seeing changes.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Use that feeling as motivation to start tracking more accurately and get moving.
  • beaglady
    beaglady Posts: 1,362 Member
    Esther, how is your sleep? I'm 57 too, and just don't have the level of quality to my sleep like I used to when I was younger. That definitely has a negative effect on my mood, and I feel much whinier and more sluggish all day if I was super restless the night before.

    Keep tracking, even on days when you're not careful about what you eat. Seeing my food written down has been the major motivator for me to stick with this, and to avoid lapsing into eating any old thing.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    Esther, stop cheating a lot and you'll actually lose weight.

    If you simply record every thing you eat you'll stop being frustrated because you'll see plain as day why you weigh 220. There ain't no other way around it.
  • Katiebear_81
    Katiebear_81 Posts: 719 Member
    I've done a lot of "lose weight... gain weight". My biggest struggle with counting calories is feeling deprived. I dread counting calories and always feel like I don't have enough for the whole day. Then I start skipping meals, and binging later, or I say "screw it" and just eat whatever I want.

    This time, I've decided to set my own calorie goal and see how it goes. MFP recommended 1550 to lose a half pound per week, but I put my calories at 1800. I know I was eating more than that when I was gaining, and I'm taking the chance that I might not lose very much (or would lose very slowly). But it give me a few extra calories so I don't have to "cheat" very often. I still have room for a drink or a bit of sweets or something like that. And, this week anyway, I've consistently come in under 1800, or darn close if you don't count the exercise.

    As for walking... it's not all that exciting, especially if you live either somewhere very rural or very urban. I've used Zombies, Run! before, and it's definitely fun and motivating - you have to go for another walk to find out what else happens in the story! Right now, I've been playing Pokemon Go! while I walk. My pace is much slower than it would be if I was just walking, but that's ok... walking slowly is better than sitting at your desk surfing the MFP forum! ;) I use Map My Run at the same time as Pokemon Go, which gives me an average pace and time (what you need to log your exercise).

    You can do this, if you want to. :)
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    Do you have any friends or family members who would support you or join you in your walks? Do you have a neighbor who needs their dog walked? A walking companion might make it less boring. In my hometown, there's a "mallwalking club" of folks who get together and make circles around the mall every morning. Have you tried bicycling? Maybe walking to a nearby destination instead of driving?

    If you feel like the depression is causing you to be more sluggish and less motivated, you may be able to talk to your doctor. If you haven't had bloodwork lately, that might also be a start. I had some low blood levels that when brought up, greatly increased my energy level.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
    My current goal is to just log everything, even the "cheats". Start there. Eventually you see the impact that extra serving has and hopefully that shows you where you can make a small simple change for yourself. For me, that change is dinner time. I eat great away from home, but then when I get there I'm cooking for myself and two grown men who eat a heck ton of food and I feel out of place and embarrassed when I weigh out my portions and eat less. Makes it feel like I'm putting my weight loss on display, or admitting to how awful I look. My fix for this is getting my husband invovled. He's one of those grown men and having him watch portion sizes too will hopefully help me feel a little less on my own about it. I'm also deciding to start drinking tea at the very end of dinner then immediately brush my teeth and put in my retainers. The should stop me from going back for more.
  • ultra_violets
    ultra_violets Posts: 202 Member
    You can do it! I'm 46 and a type 2 diabetic. I started at about 226 and I'm down to 197 so far. I refuse to eat anything I don't like, I make sure I have snacks like yogurt and fresh fruit to keep the sweet tooth at bay and I try to eat high protein/low carb. I average 1000-1200 calories a day and I don't feel deprived. I have one treat day a week, and I bicycle for exercise. You can do it. You just need to find a lifestyle you can live with.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    estherfsoto111358 wrote: »
    Hi. I'll be 57 this year and have been trying to get below 200 lbs and maintain it there but no luck I started at 225 went down to 214 and now back up to 22 :'( . I track my food (well i try too but cheat a lot) I try walking a couple times a week but don't keep it up cause i get bored and my back starts hurting. Wow what a cry baby I am. Trying to reach out for inspiration and motivation. Thanks.

    This is something you're going to have to really work on, first and foremost. All that is needed for weight loss is a calorie deficit, so if you eat at the calories that myfitnesspal gave you, you will lose weight. However, using a food scale instead of cups/spoons will help to get you to weight loss. Estimating and sporadic logging will only go against you here.

    If you're finding yourself cheating, perhaps look at your approach. Have you cut many foods or entire food groups out of your diet? If you have, this could be a problem. Personally, every time I cut out my favourite foods (even chocolate), I would end up cheating more and more and screwing my efforts. Now I include my favourite foods/treats alongside my nutritious foods and am losing weight and am happy. Another thing to look at is your calories. How many pounds do you have to lose? If it is under 50lbs, then a 2lb per week loss is to aggressive and can cause one to cheat as well. Chose a deficit that reflect the amount of weight that you have to lose (more than 50lbs to lose? Chose 2lbs per week, anything under 50lbs chose 1.5-.5lbs per week).

    Also, make sure that you're getting enough protein, fiber and fats in your diet.

  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    OP,

    Your and most failing dieters' problem comes down to...you love foods too much, to the point that it's detrimental, abusive. It may not be all your fault because you might never have looked at it that way, never tried to change "that relationship". Basically you unwittingly let it thrive and then now trying to reign it in!

    To me, tracking foods, counting calories, selecting foods is all bandage "solutions". This reminds me of the task of pulling out weeds in a fertile garden. You try to get all the weeds out but then fertilize the soil again. Too much work and it has to be done regularly!


    I got to the core of the problem. I use my energy to tune out eating, work out which days to eat heartily and what days to eat "light", discipline and suppress my appetite (techniques and strategies abound), which is not different than we condition ourselves not to get up at 3am to eat.

    When your cravings, hunger and energy level are under control, eating/weight control becomes very natural and seemingly effortless.

    You don't need inspiration or motivation. You need to put your effort where it's necessary.



Categories