Sick of being fat
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Small suggestion in addition to what everyone else has said: try switching to only drinking water and never soda or juice. Those calories add up quickly, but are easy to cut out. Good luck with your new, healthier lifestyle!3
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I don't intend to sound unkind. But you need to empower yourself and figure this out. Don't be a victim, as if something beyond your control is making you gain weight. Hating being fat isn't the same as working hard to not be any longer.
You are at the right place here. Read through the forums ..and the success forums.. it takes owning up and realizing that food and lack of exercise on a constant basis is the reason for becoming overweight. A quick fad diet or walking for one week isn' going to do anything. It takes constant behavior change for a long period of time.
You can do it. just start...each day you will get that much closer to your goal. I didn't see any changes for 50 days.. but I stuck to my diet and exercise plan.. now I'm 72 days into it.. I still have more to go.. it never happens fast enough..but it is happening,13 -
"My Dr put me on a pre diabetic diet once, 60 carbs per meal/snack. I died."
Nope... you didn't die. As a type 2 diabetic, I only wish I had had the opportunity try and right things before I got the official diagnoses. How long did you try it? It took me a long time to adjust to the new diet. 60 carbs at a meal is not really as little as you might think. As a matter of fact, if I over do it on the bread now, that's when I am exhausted.
You are getting lots of wonderful advice here...take it before it is not your choice.
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amandavgomez wrote: »I can try to move every hour, get at least 10000 steps a day and make healthier choices when I eat.
You're not listening. You don't need healthier choices; you need to eat less.amandavgomez wrote: »Most days I have a deficit.
If you don't weigh your food, you have no idea if this is true.
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Did you really mean 60 grams of carbs per meal or snack is a diabetic diet? And not doable for you? Are you sure you don't mean 60 for the whole day? I just finished my day of eating and only had 156 grams of carbs total. If I had 60 with every meal and snack it would be 300 (I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day). That seems fairly generous.
I think we might have discovered the key to why you are gaining so much weight- a large excess of carbs!1 -
Carbs don't make you gain weight. Calories do.courtneyfabulous wrote: »Did you really mean 60 grams of carbs per meal or snack is a diabetic diet? And not doable for you? Are you sure you don't mean 60 for the whole day? I just finished my day of eating and only had 156 grams of carbs total. If I had 60 with every meal and snack it would be 300 (I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day). That seems fairly generous.
I think we might have discovered the key to why you are gaining so much weight- a large excess of carbs!
Given that if she's eating 60g of carbs with each meal that's already a minimum of 240 calories per meal just from carbs - but that would mean that her tracking/logging would really have to be whacked if those aren't already accounted for.
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amandavgomez wrote: »
A want to eat normal as in eat what everybody else eats.
You can eat what everybody else eats, but not necessarily as much as everybody else eats, especially if you're comparing your plate to that of a six-foot male. Maybe compare your plate to that of the kids (sounds like yours are pre-schoolers)
Seriously, though, you're going to have to decide what you want. You clearly cannot go on eating the foods you're used to eating, in the quantities you're used to eating, without adding exercise to increase your calorie burn, and expect to lose weight, when what you've been doing is causing you to gain weight. If you eat the same foods, you're going to have to eat less of them, and just deal with the fact that you're going to feel hungry or bored (things you mentioned on a previous page). Or you could eat smaller amounts of the foods you've been eating, and fill in a bit with high-volume, low-calorie foods, like veggies or popcorn with little or no added fat. Play with the amounts and kinds of foods you eat to see where you get the biggest satiety bang for your calorie buck. For some people it's protein, for some fiber, for some fat.5 -
Carbs don't make you gain weight. Calories do.courtneyfabulous wrote: »Did you really mean 60 grams of carbs per meal or snack is a diabetic diet? And not doable for you? Are you sure you don't mean 60 for the whole day? I just finished my day of eating and only had 156 grams of carbs total. If I had 60 with every meal and snack it would be 300 (I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day). That seems fairly generous.
I think we might have discovered the key to why you are gaining so much weight- a large excess of carbs!
Given that if she's eating 60g of carbs with each meal that's already a minimum of 240 calories per meal just from carbs - but that would mean that her tracking/logging would really have to be whacked if those aren't already accounted for.
True calories make you fat not carbs- but if she can't stay under 60 grams of carbs per meal I imagine the meal portions are rather large or they are calorically dense foods like pasta, bread, sweets... meaning she is most likely going over daily calories if that's the case. (She already mentioned she hasn't been measuring/weighing her food).
Also there is a benefit to having a good balance of protein, carbs, and fats- and not eating an excessively large amount of carbs. If they are high glycemic carbs or even low glycemic but in large portions it will cause blood sugar to spike and fat storage, then a crash later which usually causes snacking. Also large amounts of carbs make hunger cravings much stronger.
Or if she is actually eating correct calories but has an excess of carbs, that means there must be insufficient protein and/or fat. Both protein and fat are essential for proper hormone function including hormones that are responsible for fat loss/utilization of body fat for energy. And you need to get enough protein to maintain muscle mass and more muscle mass means a higher metabolism (and health in general), while lower muscle mass results in a very slow metabolism. If she's getting a lot of carbs and little protein I'm willing to bet that's slowing down her metabolism.
So that's what I meant by it being a probably solution to why weight gain is happening.4 -
amandavgomez wrote: »I just want to eat like a normal person. Realisticly, I'm not going to "work out". I'm tired, I have to many other things to do, and I'm often in pain from a bad back.
I can try to move every hour, get at least 10000 steps a day and make healthier choices when I eat. That's all I got time for. My diet has to match my families diet. I'm not buying and preparing special meals for just me. I'm to the point where I eat to get rid of the pain in my stomach or head, or sometimes because I'm bored. I hate dealing with food, I don't even care if I drank a protein shake for every meal and never ate food again. I'd still gain another 40+ lbs by next year. And frankly, I'm sick of being fat. Sick of feeling like crap. Sick of trying to find time for the gym. It's not as simple as having a calorie deficit. I stopped eating what they gave me for my calories burned over a week ago. Most days I have a deficit.
Well....life is about priorities. Right now it sounds to me like you don't consider your health to be a priority and as a result it is suffering. So either you can start considering it a priority and stop doing other things to make time to prepare healthy meals or portions and get some exercise or you can choose to continue as you have been. If you choose to continue I'm not sure why you are expecting your health to improve.
Sounds like your unsatisfied with your health so you are going to have to either start prioritizing it or just accept your current level of health or fitness. If you are unwilling to put work in you shouldn't expect to see results.
There isn't an easy fix, you have to work for this. If you come out of the gate saying you cannot expend any effort then Im not sure what you are expecting to change. You don't like being fat? Then you need to take a hard look at your priorities and recognize health takes time and your health is important.11 -
OP, thanks for doing the important work you do. Totally get it that travel limits food choices, especially in places dealing with catastrophe aftermath.
I echo everything others said about the food scale. It makes a huge difference. You don't realize what a hassle guestimating is until you stop. Scales are light and easy to pack and inexpensive. Also agree vigorously that you do not need to add exercise.
I also hear you and respect what you are saying about the convenience of meal replacement shakes. Could there be a disconnect with the shakes that's interfering with your progress? Supplements are totally unregulated, so maybe it doesn't actually contain what the label says? Or the scoop measurement is not what's represented on the label? I know a label serving, "one scoop" (21g), of my protein powder is about 3/4 a level scoop.
Maybe a reasonable next step is to weigh the shake portions instead of relying on the scoop. And maybe try a different shake product. I'm wondering also if you get enough fiber (i.e. vegetables). Honestly, this may sound gross to you, but in your situation on the road, I think I would buy a couple cans of black beans and a compact can opener and eat 100g of those with breakfast or dinner every day. Out of the can, room temp. Carrots, celery, spinach -- I'm a huge fan, and you can store & eat those room temp, too. Maybe some hummus in the mini fridge.
I hear your frustration loud and clear, and I think you really have success within reach with very few adjustments. Best to you!1 -
Forgot to mention one thought, OP, about eating "like a normal person." Something like 50% of Americans are overweight and 33% obese. Technically, normal is overweight. Think hard about if that's really what you want.
ETA: 66% of Americans are overweight, not 50%7 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »amandavgomez wrote: »I just want to eat like a normal person. Realisticly, I'm not going to "work out". I'm tired, I have to many other things to do, and I'm often in pain from a bad back.
I can try to move every hour, get at least 10000 steps a day and make healthier choices when I eat. That's all I got time for. My diet has to match my families diet. I'm not buying and preparing special meals for just me. I'm to the point where I eat to get rid of the pain in my stomach or head, or sometimes because I'm bored. I hate dealing with food, I don't even care if I drank a protein shake for every meal and never ate food again. I'd still gain another 40+ lbs by next year. And frankly, I'm sick of being fat. Sick of feeling like crap. Sick of trying to find time for the gym. It's not as simple as having a calorie deficit. I stopped eating what they gave me for my calories burned over a week ago. Most days I have a deficit.
Well....life is about priorities. Right now it sounds to me like you don't consider your health to be a priority and as a result it is suffering. So either you can start considering it a priority and stop doing other things to make time to prepare healthy meals or portions and get some exercise or you can choose to continue as you have been. If you choose to continue I'm not sure why you are expecting your health to improve however if your current habits have gotten you where you are.
Sounds like your unsatisfied with your health so you are going to have to either start prioritizing it or just accept your current level of health or fitness.
There isn't an easy fix, you have to work for this. If you come out of the gate saying you cannot expend any effort then Im not sure what you are expecting to change.
I haven't just come out of the gate. I've been trying to lose weight actively for about 3 years now. When I started I was 180 lbs. I had a different job and worked out every day at the gym. A few things have changed and i gained back what i had lost plus some (40lbs). I rarely drink anything but water. I eat the recommended serving size for everything. When i eat out i opt for fruit or salad when its available. I rarely eat fries, chips, or fatty meats. I eat half of my food not all of it. My 13 yr old eats more then I do.
I had MFP app years ago and deleted it because it did not help me. I just started using it again. I have tried so many different things and keep gaining. Most of the foods i eat come in a package. I scan it and eat what the package says a serving is. I don't get how MFP can't accurately count calories this way but ok. People say I need a scale, it's the only way. Fine. I will get one. That is actually something I have never tried yet and because I've tried for so long and am willing to try most anything I will try this method.
I've made many changes to my life in attempts to be healthier and thinner. I've spent more money then i care to admit. There are things I can't do and things I refuse to do. I'm not doing anything extreme or crazy. If the only way is aerobics at the gym everyday, not going to happen right now. I work nights, have kids, and must get my sleep to function. I'm not willing to give up the few hours I get to spend with my family each evening to hit the gym. Also not giving up any sleep for it either. That doesn't mean it's not important to me. It just means I need a plan that doesn't include a gym right now.0 -
You said there aren't a lot of options - basically just fast food. Are there any grocery stores available? You can find plenty of nutritious, easy to prep/no prep foods at the grocery store. No need for fast food. I don't eat that garbage when I'm traveling. It makes me feel sick anyway, so I wouldn't want to be on the road eating fast food and feeling terrible . Find a grocery store. Even convenience stores - which are loaded with junk - should have at least a few decent items. You just need to read labels and make good choices. Good luck!
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Amanda, forgive me for repeating myself. I don't think you need to make major lifestyle changes. I think you're really close to success. You don't have to go to the gym every day. Whatever you do, don't give up your family time. Don't undertake a major change. Just be strategic about the small changes you can sustain.2
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amandavgomez wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »amandavgomez wrote: »I just want to eat like a normal person. Realisticly, I'm not going to "work out". I'm tired, I have to many other things to do, and I'm often in pain from a bad back.
I can try to move every hour, get at least 10000 steps a day and make healthier choices when I eat. That's all I got time for. My diet has to match my families diet. I'm not buying and preparing special meals for just me. I'm to the point where I eat to get rid of the pain in my stomach or head, or sometimes because I'm bored. I hate dealing with food, I don't even care if I drank a protein shake for every meal and never ate food again. I'd still gain another 40+ lbs by next year. And frankly, I'm sick of being fat. Sick of feeling like crap. Sick of trying to find time for the gym. It's not as simple as having a calorie deficit. I stopped eating what they gave me for my calories burned over a week ago. Most days I have a deficit.
Well....life is about priorities. Right now it sounds to me like you don't consider your health to be a priority and as a result it is suffering. So either you can start considering it a priority and stop doing other things to make time to prepare healthy meals or portions and get some exercise or you can choose to continue as you have been. If you choose to continue I'm not sure why you are expecting your health to improve however if your current habits have gotten you where you are.
Sounds like your unsatisfied with your health so you are going to have to either start prioritizing it or just accept your current level of health or fitness.
There isn't an easy fix, you have to work for this. If you come out of the gate saying you cannot expend any effort then Im not sure what you are expecting to change.
I haven't just come out of the gate. I've been trying to lose weight actively for about 3 years now. When I started I was 180 lbs. I had a different job and worked out every day at the gym. A few things have changed and i gained back what i had lost plus some (40lbs). I rarely drink anything but water. I eat the recommended serving size for everything. When i eat out i opt for fruit or salad when its available. I rarely eat fries, chips, or fatty meats. I eat half of my food not all of it. My 13 yr old eats more then I do.
I had MFP app years ago and deleted it because it did not help me. I just started using it again. I have tried so many different things and keep gaining. Most of the foods i eat come in a package. I scan it and eat what the package says a serving is. I don't get how MFP can't accurately count calories this way but ok. People say I need a scale, it's the only way. Fine. I will get one. That is actually something I have never tried yet and because I've tried for so long and am willing to try most anything I will try this method.
I've made many changes to my life in attempts to be healthier and thinner. I've spent more money then i care to admit. There are things I can't do and things I refuse to do. I'm not doing anything extreme or crazy. If the only way is aerobics at the gym everyday, not going to happen right now. I work nights, have kids, and must get my sleep to function. I'm not willing to give up the few hours I get to spend with my family each evening to hit the gym. Also not giving up any sleep for it either. That doesn't mean it's not important to me. It just means I need a plan that doesn't include a gym right now.
Well suffice to say based on what you've said here what you have been trying for the last 3 years hasn't been working right? So whatever it is it isn't helping and there are no points for effort in terms of getting healthy.
If you want to lose weight and improve your fitness there are only two ways to do that. Exercise (for increasing a caloric deficit and improving your fitness) and having full control over your intake through strict control of your diet. In this thread you have already made excuses for why you can't do either of those things because you are to busy. So you have two options.
Option 1. Continue doing what you are doing because you consider those things higher priority than your health and don't expect to see improvements to your health. Or Option 2, stop doing some of the other things in your life (or request help and delegate those tasks to others who are willing to help you) and take those recovered hours to focus on your health through increased activity through exercise and/or control over your diet through meal preoparation and portioning. Thats it, it is your choice. Right now I see you upset at the state your body is in but saying you have no time to fix it and make excuses as to why you cannot exercise and cannot cook or prepare seperate meals for yourself. That is ultimately your choice. You either need to take a hard look at your priorities and change some of them or not, that is up to you. But unless you put more time and more work into your health than you currently are I'm not sure what you expect to change.
So determine the amount of calories you maintain at. If you have been maintaining your weight over the last three years or gaining slowly then if you have a long history that should give you a fairly accurate number. Cut 20% off of that number and come up with a meal plan that hits that target while having a reasonable macro split. Prepare and portion out meals in advance into tupperware and eat those meals. You can eat normally but you need to have firm control over what you eat and be able to track the calories with high accuracy and take the time to have that control. Take an hour each day to go for walks, consider that your time for your health and do not make excuses as to how you don't have time to do it. Unless the pain is so severe that your doctor says you shouldn't walk that much then its just going to hurt a bit. Delegate other tasks to other people so you have that time. Your health matters and the more you put it off the harder it will be.
Sorry if thats harsh but right now you are just making excuses as why you can't do A, B or C to aid in your health because you are too busy. So get less busy, delegate, prioritize your health....its important. So its up to you...what more important?6 -
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amandavgomez wrote: »I just want to eat like a normal person. Realisticly, I'm not going to "work out". I'm tired, I have to many other things to do, and I'm often in pain from a bad back.
I can try to move every hour, get at least 10000 steps a day and make healthier choices when I eat. That's all I got time for. My diet has to match my families diet. I'm not buying and preparing special meals for just me. I'm to the point where I eat to get rid of the pain in my stomach or head, or sometimes because I'm bored. I hate dealing with food, I don't even care if I drank a protein shake for every meal and never ate food again. I'd still gain another 40+ lbs by next year. And frankly, I'm sick of being fat. Sick of feeling like crap. Sick of trying to find time for the gym. It's not as simple as having a calorie deficit. I stopped eating what they gave me for my calories burned over a week ago. Most days I have a deficit.
I work two jobs and have three kids and a very needy husband (in all seriousness, he suffered a traumatic injury and has been needy ever since). I also have a bad back and have had a hip replacement already (I'm only 48). I work out 5 days a week at 5:30am. If I can do it, you can do it. I weight lift. I started out slow and built up over time but my back pain is non-existent. Literally, I have zero back pain. Strengthen your core and you will eliminate your back problems.
I'm not saying you have to lift weights but you have to do something to make your body healthy.
As for the food, you've received some great advice here. Weigh your food, eat under calories. If you don't want to make a different meal for you than you do for your family then make healthy meals for everyone.
Start small, do one thing at a time. The weight didn't show up overnight and it's not going away over night. This is a long journey filled with ups and downs.
Good luck!9 -
amandavgomez wrote: »Ok. Good feedback. As for having better options for food here, not really. I've scoured google. I picked up some snacks and grapes at Walmart last night. Since hurricane Mathew hit half the resteruants are closed still.
I don't like deli meat sandwiches and that's about as healthy as it gets (Subway type places).
I will buy a scale.
A want to eat normal as in eat what everybody else eats.
By that defintion, nobody eats normal...everybody eats different. I don't pig or shellfish. Yes, it's true. Bacon makes me gag. My husband hates fish. One of our friends hates anything fiberous *fruit, veg...is also VERY overweight. We eat like ourselves. When we become health conscious, we either eat like lunatics (grapefruit diet or the all-bacon diet, anyone?) or like our better selves. Just paying attention to what does and doesn't work helps...and measuring and logging, either here or on paper.
My husband decided he was going to actively help this time around on my weightloss journey and he's found he isn't eating some of the crap he used to because he doesn't want to log it...and that says SO much. And he's lost 5 pounds in the past month.
Losing weight on the road is HARD but you can do it!!3 -
When you reduce portion sizes it takes a bit to get used to, but after you get used to what a REAL "normal amount" is it's honestly surprising.1
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I can actually say I've been where you are currently sitting mentally (okay, and I use to work for State Farm too
). There was literally no time. Somewhere along the way I hit the "I'm sick of being fat stage." And I sat there and got mad, frustrated, etc. for a number of years. This year, I finally decided that my health would be a priority. It had to be. I said all that to basically say that AaronK123 is right. Life is about priorities. My 18yr old said that to me today when I was complaining about how much work it is to lose weight and make changes. I think, until you hit the point where you decide your health is a priority, you will probably continue to sit where you're at. I do want to encourage you to get a scale. My first several weeks on MFP all I did was weigh and measure everything I ate. I didn't try to follow a deficit, etc. I just ate my normal way. Low and behold, I was eating at maintenance everyday. The scale will be an eye opener for you so I'm glad you're willing to try it.
Everyone has given you good advice for losing so I won't repeat it. I do hope you'll take some of the suggestions. They have been good.
As for gaining weight - BTDT too. At one point I was gaining 20#'s (literally) in a month. We did the whole check the thyroid levels (TSH) but the doctor stopped there. That's a problem. Make sure your doctor checked your Free T3, Free T4, TPO and TAA antibodies. If your TSH is above 1.5 that is a problem. Most reference ranges will say someone is "normal" up to 4.5 or 5.0 but I don't know anyone that can function at that level. If your FT4 is normal but your FT3 is low then it means your body is not efficiently converting T4 to T3 b/c it is low (or lacking in enough) selenium. So make sure your doctor did a FULL thyroid work up, not just TSH. You can check out www.stopthethyroidmadness.com website to get a good understanding and also check your body symptoms. Then talk to your doctor if it's warranted. Once someone explained all of the thyroid stuff to me we did discover mine was way off (even with a "normal" TSH). Treating it with armour has significantly improved life and weight loss. So do make sure this is not a factor right now.
All the best! And I loved SF too so I love that you love your job.
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