I'm floundering on my own.....

charmurr

OK, so here I am. Part of me says yea, let's do this! while another part says meh. I turn 51 next month. I have never had a weight issue. I have always worked out. Funny things are happening.... It's as if there is this rebel that continues to consume food with ill regard that she is not able to metabolize as she once did. I need to make adjustments. Finding this to be difficult. My hopes are if I were to find a like minded individual who is also struggling to maintain (at this point really to lose a few). Anyone? Anyone at all? Perhaps if we find the compassion for ourselves through another, barriers will soften and it won't be so difficult after all......

L1zardQueen

How about me? I am not struggling to maintain. I would be the perfect mentor, don't you think?

charmurr

So I am curious then. Why be here on MFP? Keeping tabs? I remember when I first started with this maybe a year ago I was a little shocked by some numbers showing up. I mean, was I really consuming that many calories?! So I began to look a little closer only to discover that cutting back was not so easy. As a matter of fact, the more I tried, the harder it became. Frustration set in. "Am I really not in control?" How does one not struggle? After all, I am trying to change a life long style. This is insane to me. I want to shake my shoulders. Put the fork down!! It's not worth the let down feeling the day after. It's like I check out only to return to the damage. I'm sitting here actually grinning about it because it's so crazy to me. OK. So how does one not struggle? Let's hear it. I'm ready.

L1zardQueen

Well for me, it's the calories that keep me at the roughly the same weight. With logging all my food and my exercise for a while, it turns out I need approximately 1800 calories. I make those 1800 work for me. I don't snack anymore and embrace hunger. I never felt hunger before because I was always snacking. But for me now, being a little bit hungry is okay. We are supposed to feel a little hungry between meals.

charmurr

I read how hunger comes on slowly and the snack monster grabs hold fast. So to be mindful of actual hunger pangs..... I also read if you wait till hunger sets in one over eats. I have developed a habit and now want to reign in, be relaxed instead of the anxiety I feel. The fear I won't stop once I begin. Breathe...... Silly I know..... I'm working on it. Thx.

L1zardQueen

The idea is to eat enough to tide you over until your next meal. Dont let yourself get so hungry. If you need to snack, eat an apple with some cheese. Mindful eating.

charmurr

Do you ever listen to TED Talks? There is this guy, Matt Cutts, talking about how to break bad habits. To become curious. He even encourages doing whatever the habit is, mindfully. I eat when I feel anxiety. Weird how I seem to think it'll calm me down when in fact I regret it. For instance, I had to tell a job today I won't be back until I've been paid for Dec. I hate when I have to do this.... anyway, came right home and had my keilbasa soup. It's really good. Now I sit and go, "OK, that was my dinner". It's only 4:30. I have 5 hours before bedtime. Time of day that seems to be the hardest not to ingest something. I read because it's also the time of day where I can relax and "enjoy" a meal. Otherwise I eat on the road. Between jobs. Fast too.
Did you know that writing things out helps ourselves? Even better when there is someone on the other end.....
Wish me luck tonight.

L1zardQueen

Ted Talks has good stuff sometimes, I have not seen that one in particular.

My favorite was this one.

http://www.ted.com/talks/terry_moore_how_to_tie_your_shoes?utm_source=tedcomshare&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tedspread