Scale Distraction/Destruction

KhalilahSS

This is my first day logging in since Friday. I went to YMCA prepared for my workout- was getting really close to hitting 1000 in 1 hr 5 minutes of doing cardio. My mistake- I stepped on the scale before my workout. It said I gained 2lbs. I was devastated. I was angry, frustrated and confused. I work hard everytime I go to the gym, drink a gallon of water a day, and though I go over my calories, I didnt understand the gain. Im breastfeeding my 8wk old daughter and at first I was extremely hungry- not thirsty- hungry. So knowing exactly how many calories I need to consume and lose weight is a challenge that I havent figured out.

This whole weekend was spent going back into my old ways- chocolate, wine, burgers, everything fried- didnt care, ate everything I wanted. I gave up- that easily. It took my husband and an hour on the elliptical to put things back into perspective. Though I can eat a pound in one day (3500 cal), thats not what I want to do. I have to learn how to develop good habits to replace these destructive ones. Its not going to be an overnight thing- it truly is a lifestyle change that takes work. I have to remind myself throughout the day that Im worth the effort. In my mind losing 100lbs in a year should be easy- they do it in 3 months on Extreme Weightloss. But thats not my story- I'm still writing mine.

Stay encouraged guys- hitting 700cal is easy to me now- now to do it consistently :happy: We CAN do this- one day at a time.

Lilah

gracejr

I can relate! I'm an emotional eater with a huge family history of food issues of all sorts. My youngest was born in March, and she's been my focus and part of my determination in getting healthy. I want her reality to be one of a healthy and capable parent, not one who is too tired or in too much pain to participate.

One thing I've noticed is a pattern with my hunger and the food I'm eating. On days I've eaten refined sugar, I don't just crave more sugar, I crave more food overall. If I'm consuming any sort of processed sweet, my hunger is insatiable for the entire day, to the point of obsessing about foods. When I avoid refined sugar, my appetite is under control, I feel better, and I don't have strong cravings. I also make sure to eat fat and protein at every meal/snack to help feel satiated.

When you mentioned 700 calories, is that your daily exercise goal, or your food goal? If it's a food goal, it is way too low, especially for breastfeeding. Breastfeeding uses 500 extra calories a day, and you really don't want to go under 1200 a day before that anyway. What I do is add "breastfeeding" as a food at breakfast every day, with a -500 calorie value. That automatically adjusts my calories to compensate for nursing, just as adding exercise would. Or you can just customize your calorie goal to add the extra 500 calories there. Also keep in mind, if you eat too few calories, it will affect your milk supply.