Mom of 3, lifelong yo-yo dieter

juliejeanette1123

Hello!
I've been using MFP for 3 weeks straight now, and I haven't made an intro post!

My name is Julie, I'm 48 years old and live in a small tourist town in northern Wisconsin. Mom to three- girls 20 and 18, and a boy, 11.

I've been on the yo-yo dieting roller coaster all of my life. I'm an emotional eater, and I'm trying to work on my core problem which is using food for more than what it is! I use food for entertainment, soothing anxiety, relieving boredom. Once again, I'm tracking my daily intake and eating only when hungry and stopping when full.

The unpleasant fact is this- I am going to have to eat this way for the rest of my life if I want to lose weight and keep it off. I just cannot eat like that anymore- on a whim, snacking because it's an immediate fix. On the other hand I don't want to spend my life obsessing over calories!

I'm tracking now, keeping my limit to 1300 or below. I've lost 7 pounds so far. I need to lose about 40 to 50 pounds. Needing motivation to keep doing this for the long term. Hope to get to know some of you!

4legsRbetterthan2

Welcome,

I think these two links are extremely helpful and can help you get the most out of MFP:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

The first covers accurate logging and some of the tools in MFP to help you make things easier. The second discusses caloric needs and setting goals. These two posts completely changed my MFP experience and helped me be much more successful, so I hope they do the same for you.

~Best wishes on your journey

Stephiesjourney

Sending you request...we have alot in common!

kommodevaran

Welcome! I'm your age, and have a history of abusing food too, and subsequent ups and down in weight (mostly up; ended up with 50 excess pounds). I too had a revelation that I can't eat just to eat, eat because I can, eat for each and every reason - but I will indeed keep the weight off as long as I don't do that - so I don't think it's an unpleasant fact, it's just a fact.

Getting the neutral facts on the table (so to speak) has helped me detach a lot of emotions from food and eating, and that has helped me not obsess - 3 1/2 years into maintenance, I still work on my issues every day, but it's not a struggle and I'm not suffering - I plan and log my meals, but I don't count calories.

Eating and moving is now just part of what I do - and I go on living my life and enjoying food and other enjoyable things, as trusting, but also responsibly, as I can. This means that "motivation" is something I never have to deal with.