Sick and tired of feeling bad.
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Best advice I have is meal prep and a food scale. It's difficult to make wise food choices when we are starving. I plan ahead and know what I will eat for each meal all week. I also pre-log my food. I find this helps me manage my calorie spending.
It took me about 2 weeks to settle into a routine, but now a few months in it just comes a second nature.
Best of Luck!!!2 -
browneyedgirl749 wrote: »browneyedgirl749 wrote: »Have friends on MFP that have an open food diary. I found that very helpful!
THIS - It works for some people but not for everyone. I'm a fan
Obviously it can be challenging if you're in a different country since the brands can be different. But if I see someone had something for dinner but I think it was a recipe they manually did, I'll send them a message and ask about it. I would hope others would do the same to me.
Well that is one side - there is also the guilt side. The idea that someone can see what you are eating makes you more careful but can also be stressful for some people. Why it pays to have a really good circle of friends on here I find
That is true. But show me a person that eats nothing but healthy stuff 24/7. I see so many people talk about cheat meals. Some people allow one a week, some people do whole cheat days, one a week. We are all on MFP for a reason. Who are we to judge because someone had a whopper with cheese for lunch? If someone wants to make a negative comment at me because I had a slice of cheesecake, then I'll just remove them. I won't let what someone thinks of my eating habits stress me out. You are doing this for you, not for everyone else. Just my $.02. 1 -
I was there. In 2012 I began my journey. I was 285 lbs, pre-hypertensive, and always felt lousy. I lost 120 lbs in the course of a year and have never felt better. Make up your mind now that you're going to do this for yourself and nothing will be able to stop you!1
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browneyedgirl749 wrote: »browneyedgirl749 wrote: »browneyedgirl749 wrote: »Have friends on MFP that have an open food diary. I found that very helpful!
THIS - It works for some people but not for everyone. I'm a fan
Obviously it can be challenging if you're in a different country since the brands can be different. But if I see someone had something for dinner but I think it was a recipe they manually did, I'll send them a message and ask about it. I would hope others would do the same to me.
Well that is one side - there is also the guilt side. The idea that someone can see what you are eating makes you more careful but can also be stressful for some people. Why it pays to have a really good circle of friends on here I find
That is true. But show me a person that eats nothing but healthy stuff 24/7. I see so many people talk about cheat meals. Some people allow one a week, some people do whole cheat days, one a week. We are all on MFP for a reason. Who are we to judge because someone had a whopper with cheese for lunch? If someone wants to make a negative comment at me because I had a slice of cheesecake, then I'll just remove them. I won't let what someone thinks of my eating habits stress me out. You are doing this for you, not for everyone else. Just my $.02.
Great attitude! Suggesting that someone should feel guilty because of something others might see in their food diary isn't exactly a supportive mindset, especially on a site where so many people already struggle with disordered eating or feelings of negativity around their food choices.! Not everyone is here to smash it at the gym. Many people just want to lose weight to improve their overall health and quality of life and suggesting that they should feel guilty over what they chose to eat or have to make up for it the next day isn't going to help them at all.
When I first started I often perished the diaries of successful members to see how they were able to fit delicious foods in as well as meet their goals. I miss one of my old friends who used to make the most amazing homemade ice cream recipes even while losing >100 lbs!1 -
kschwab0203 wrote: »Best advice I have is meal prep and a food scale. It's difficult to make wise food choices when we are starving. I plan ahead and know what I will eat for each meal all week. I also pre-log my food. I find this helps me manage my calorie spending.
It took me about 2 weeks to settle into a routine, but now a few months in it just comes a second nature.
Best of Luck!!!
I do this too. Tomorrow I'll go into MFP and go forward to Monday's food log day. I'll fill in the whole day with meals that I'll look forward to (things I've eaten before and I know I love or recipes/snacks I've been wanting to try). I'll tweak it until it fits the calories limits I need for that day. I'll shop over the weekend and make the recipes ahead of time. Then, I'll eat that same day for two weeks. This gives me two weeks free from meal planning and stressing about calories. If an unexpected dinner or lunch outing pops up I either say no thanks or I change things around for that day. If I screw that day up at the unexpected lunch/dinner and eat way over what I planned, I just go back to my planned meals/snacks that are already laid out and prepared for the following day.0 -
browneyedgirl749 wrote: »browneyedgirl749 wrote: »browneyedgirl749 wrote: »Have friends on MFP that have an open food diary. I found that very helpful!
THIS - It works for some people but not for everyone. I'm a fan
Obviously it can be challenging if you're in a different country since the brands can be different. But if I see someone had something for dinner but I think it was a recipe they manually did, I'll send them a message and ask about it. I would hope others would do the same to me.
Well that is one side - there is also the guilt side. The idea that someone can see what you are eating makes you more careful but can also be stressful for some people. Why it pays to have a really good circle of friends on here I find
That is true. But show me a person that eats nothing but healthy stuff 24/7. I see so many people talk about cheat meals. Some people allow one a week, some people do whole cheat days, one a week. We are all on MFP for a reason. Who are we to judge because someone had a whopper with cheese for lunch? If someone wants to make a negative comment at me because I had a slice of cheesecake, then I'll just remove them. I won't let what someone thinks of my eating habits stress me out. You are doing this for you, not for everyone else. Just my $.02.
Thanks for the 2 cents lol. Its not quite what I was driving at, I mean if I see all my mates smashing their allowance and hitting the gym and I am over that day it can be a hard pill to swallow. For me however I kind of like it and know it is ok if I go over - cos next day it pushes me to make sure I hit the green and the gym
But it's ok to be over once in a while. If you see your friends are kicking butt at the gym and you were over that day, use that as motivation, not discouraging. I think that is where a lot of people go wrong. I will take a day of being over and try to laugh about it. Make a status that says something like "my stomach was a bottomless pit today." We are our worst critic. I know I am. We just need to stop being so hard on ourselves.0 -
browneyedgirl749 wrote: »browneyedgirl749 wrote: »Have friends on MFP that have an open food diary. I found that very helpful!
THIS - It works for some people but not for everyone. I'm a fan
Obviously it can be challenging if you're in a different country since the brands can be different. But if I see someone had something for dinner but I think it was a recipe they manually did, I'll send them a message and ask about it. I would hope others would do the same to me.
Well that is one side - there is also the guilt side. The idea that someone can see what you are eating makes you more careful but can also be stressful for some people. Why it pays to have a really good circle of friends on here I find
I think guilt in weight management is a poor overall strategy. Leads to shame and people kicking themselves for being a failure because they ate something "bad." How many posts do we see where OP is beating themselves up because they failed? And when asked, they ate a cookie that took them 100 calories over their goal. Which still leaves them in a calorie deficit for the day. Extremes in dieting mindset are a slippery slope.0 -
I never thought I would be tired if eating but after this holiday that is all I did. I was gonna wait until the New Years resolutions came around but I just feel terrible. I have gained 60+ pounds since I got married. I have high blood pressure, borderline diabetic, cholesterol is becoming high , severe heartburn, and sleeping issues. I could be a candidate for weight loss surgery but my insurance doesn't cover it. I know what to do. I have done it before. I feel great when I eat better and exercise. Why do I have such a struggle with staying with it?? I am 46 and it is so much harder to lose that weight. I am going with lower carb no sugar no processed foods. Please anybody that would have tips or just wanting to encourage each other I'm in need of you
I can get a sense of your frustration. I am going to tell you what works for me. Log everything you eat for a week, without making changes. See what's going on. What are you over consuming? What are you missing (protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals)? How can you adjust what you are eating to meet your nutritional needs? How can you reduce calories, within reason, while meeting those needs? Is there physical activity you can add that you enjoy? Focus in what you are gaining (health, fitness) rather than what you are losing. There is no need to give up the foods you love. You may find that when you analyze your intake that they don't fit in the same quantities or as often, but you can still have them. I suspect the reason you have difficulties sticking with it is because you are trying to make drastic changes.
Work with your doctor regarding your health issues. High blood pressure has several contributing factors. I limit my sodium by not adding it to anything. It's in a lot of foods anyway. It seemd that dietary cholesterol has limited influence on blood cholesterol, but exercise has an impact. Plus losing weight can go a long way in helping both of these. I only ever got heartburn when my belly was big. Hopefully that will reduce for you as well. Although it doesn't for everyone.
Most importantly, have patience. You didn't gain overnight. You won't lose overnight. If you go over calories one day, get back at it and don't beat yourself up. You are human and this is a learning and growing process.2 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »browneyedgirl749 wrote: »browneyedgirl749 wrote: »Have friends on MFP that have an open food diary. I found that very helpful!
THIS - It works for some people but not for everyone. I'm a fan
Obviously it can be challenging if you're in a different country since the brands can be different. But if I see someone had something for dinner but I think it was a recipe they manually did, I'll send them a message and ask about it. I would hope others would do the same to me.
Well that is one side - there is also the guilt side. The idea that someone can see what you are eating makes you more careful but can also be stressful for some people. Why it pays to have a really good circle of friends on here I find
I think guilt in weight management is a poor overall strategy. Leads to shame and people kicking themselves for being a failure because they ate something "bad." How many posts do we see where OP is beating themselves up because they failed? And when asked, they ate a cookie that took them 100 calories over their goal. Which still leaves them in a calorie deficit for the day. Extremes in dieting mindset are a slippery slope.
I'm not going to get in the ins and outs cos the context of many situations makes a difference. For me - I like the guilt, I like others pushing me, I like to have a laugh with friends here, I like cheat meals. I completely understand that others don't want to "demonise" food, don't like any guilt, take it seriously, want positive energy, don't like cheat meals - everyone is different, I was just discussing open diary which some people love - some people hate. I'm not advocating - I'd say to anyone, try it and see what you think
It's absolutely individual. For diet, I don't use guilt and shame. For exercise, when I'm ready to give up, I often use the phrase "suck it up, cupcake." I just don't see guilt and shame being useful for someone who sounds overwhelmed.1 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »browneyedgirl749 wrote: »browneyedgirl749 wrote: »Have friends on MFP that have an open food diary. I found that very helpful!
THIS - It works for some people but not for everyone. I'm a fan
Obviously it can be challenging if you're in a different country since the brands can be different. But if I see someone had something for dinner but I think it was a recipe they manually did, I'll send them a message and ask about it. I would hope others would do the same to me.
Well that is one side - there is also the guilt side. The idea that someone can see what you are eating makes you more careful but can also be stressful for some people. Why it pays to have a really good circle of friends on here I find
I think guilt in weight management is a poor overall strategy. Leads to shame and people kicking themselves for being a failure because they ate something "bad." How many posts do we see where OP is beating themselves up because they failed? And when asked, they ate a cookie that took them 100 calories over their goal. Which still leaves them in a calorie deficit for the day. Extremes in dieting mindset are a slippery slope.
I'm not going to get in the ins and outs cos the context of many situations makes a difference. For me - I like the guilt, I like others pushing me, I like to have a laugh with friends here, I like cheat meals. I completely understand that others don't want to "demonise" food, don't like any guilt, take it seriously, want positive energy, don't like cheat meals - everyone is different, I was just discussing open diary which some people love - some people hate. I'm not advocating - I'd say to anyone, try it and see what you think
It's absolutely individual. For diet, I don't use guilt and shame. For exercise, when I'm ready to give up, I often use the phrase "suck it up, cupcake." I just don't see guilt and shame being useful for someone who sounds overwhelmed.
So much this.
If I were to find that I had to use guilt or shame as a motivator, then I'm not doing it right because the motivation needs to come from *me* to be sustainable in the long term.
I also don't have the time or interest to go snooping through people's food logs unless they specifically ask for help.
To each their own.
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I'm 48 and have been on MFP for almost 2 years and have lost @ 40 lbs & kept it off (have another 30 or so to go). Like you, I started because I just felt so lousy all the time, and I knew most, if not all of it, was related to my weight & diet. I was watching t.v. one day and a Prilosec commercial came on (I was on the generic equivalent at the time) and I realized how ludicrous it was- "Why give up the awful way you eat and lose a few lbs when you can just take a pill to make the symptoms go away?" I made an account on MFP the same week, though I wasn't thrilled with the thought of having to give up one of the few things that still gave me joy... food. But here's the thing, as many others have pointed out, you don't have to cut things completely out of your diet. Set a *reasonable* weekly weight loss goal (probably not 2 lbs/wk unless you are obese). I was surprised at the number of calories MFP gave me. I logged, cleaned up my diet a little, and learned how meeting my macros helped me stay satisfied, but I didn't have to give up treats & carbs to do so. If I had, it probably would have been too burdensome and I wouldn't have lasted long. Just don't be in too big of a hurry or try to overhaul your entire diet overnight and you'll do fine! 3
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BTW, even though my diet still includes things others might view as "unhealthy", I cut my bad cholesterol by 30%, cut my triglycerides in half, and went from a high risk cardiac category to a low one. I wasn't diabetic, but reduced my blood sugars as well. The weight is usually the culprit, not the foods themselves.3
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I think for me I'm finding that it has to be REASONABLE. A balance is essential for me to be able to sustain my efforts. I know it sounds cliche but it really is about changing my lifestyle.. like when I'm at home needing to relax or feeling exhausted from my day my go to thought used to be "icecream and couch" because that would make me feel better temporarily. What I'm beginning to think today.. after a long time of practicing new ways.. is "gym and a healthy nutritious dinner" will make me feel better not only now but next week at my weigh in, tomorrow when I don't get tired riding my bike with my daughter. I personally would caution you against an ALL OR NOTHING mindset like this:
"I am going with lower carb no sugar no processed foods."
This is a great goal.. but it's tough to keep up day after day in the beginning.. and I would find this way of thinking to be defeating. If I screwed up I would just go off the rails. Today I follow the 80/20 principle that as long as I'm doing the right things (exercise, sleep, nutrition) 80% of the time I'm going to be moving in the right direction on my health. That leaves that 20% out there for days when I just need a quick easy meal, or want to eat something sweet at a social event, or need to skip the gym for some reason. It doesn't have to be discouraging or the end of the world. I can actually ENJOY it because I know I'm still at my 80/20 and I'm reaching my goals with some flexibility. This mindset makes the process more of a lifestyle change and less of a "diet". It makes it 80% more sustainable. LOL!
Best of luck to yoU!!!3 -
Why wait until the 1st? Start right now!
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i was down to my ideal weight a few years ago. then like boom..i went back my unhealthy style of eating. this time around i will lose the weight using the same method as before only i am looking into ways to stay at my ideal weight. i won the prize before but then i was lost at keeping it off. my mindset is good right now, i think about all those nights popping antacids, etc. , feeling bloated all night. now these past few days, i am already feeling better. mindset is the key for me. i have all the diet info i need. i wish all of you the best this coming year.2
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terryearl46 wrote: »i was down to my ideal weight a few years ago. then like boom..i went back my unhealthy style of eating. this time around i will lose the weight using the same method as before only i am looking into ways to stay at my ideal weight. i won the prize before but then i was lost at keeping it off. my mindset is good right now, i think about all those nights popping antacids, etc. , feeling bloated all night. now these past few days, i am already feeling better. mindset is the key for me. i have all the diet info i need. i wish all of you the best this coming year.
Not saying this is true of you, but another problem with adopting a restrictive diet (eliminating food groups or treats) while losing weight is that, unless a person plans on avoiding those things forever, when it's time for maintenance they often struggle because they add these things back into their diet but haven't had any practice including them in moderation, so they kind of go nuts. We can never go back to our "normal" way of eating, because all of us were eating too much. But that doesn't mean we can't include the foods we enjoy in our diet, now and later, just not as frequently or in such large portions.0 -
terryearl46 wrote: »i was down to my ideal weight a few years ago. then like boom..i went back my unhealthy style of eating. this time around i will lose the weight using the same method as before only i am looking into ways to stay at my ideal weight. i won the prize before but then i was lost at keeping it off. my mindset is good right now, i think about all those nights popping antacids, etc. , feeling bloated all night. now these past few days, i am already feeling better. mindset is the key for me. i have all the diet info i need. i wish all of you the best this coming year.
Not saying this is true of you, but another problem with adopting a restrictive diet (eliminating food groups or treats) while losing weight is that, unless a person plans on avoiding those things forever, when it's time for maintenance they often struggle because they add these things back into their diet but haven't had any practice including them in moderation, so they kind of go nuts. We can never go back to our "normal" way of eating, because all of us were eating too much. But that doesn't mean we can't include the foods we enjoy in our diet, now and later, just not as frequently or in such large portions.
This is why I continue to enjoy restaurants in my plan.0
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