The 'Woe is Me' Thread

maliciouspenguin

Or similar.

I started MFP a few years ago, and I was 255lbs. Eventually, in January 2012 I hit 207lbs.... and since then I've put it all (almost) back on. I put on 2 stone whilst going through a lot of personal stuff, and now, whilst out of work, am struggling to get it off again. I've tried Atkins as a short-term boost, but then I neglect MFP and balloon again. I had got to 34" waist, 42" chest, and now I've added 4" to both.

Some days I just pig out, and don't care, others I do all my job hunting, have lunch, and feel too lethargic to exercise. I'm doing Jillian Michaels' 30DS at present, although I'm more inclined to go for long jogs.

Not quite sure what I hope to get from posting this, but I guess it's therapeutic to get things out.... right?!

letmebangbro

Just time to get back on track.

If anything, if you ever do feel stressed from personal stuff, just hit the gym imo.

It's 100% diet and 100% gym.

Good luck!

maliciouspenguin

Thanks - gym is out though! Can't afford! I've got various DVDs, some hand weights, a mat, running shoes though..!

sharonfoustmills

Just do the workouts you have at home, and start logging the food and watching the calories. Good luck in your job search and on your journey to health.

letmebangbro

Thanks - gym is out though! Can't afford! I've got various DVDs, some hand weights, a mat, running shoes though..!

I see, you can workout anywhere tho!
Even the park for free if you need to.

Can focus on calisthenics

CaffeinatedConfectionist

I feel your pain! I've been on MFP since May of 2011 and every once in a while I get really discouraged when I think where I could be, physique-wise, if I had been 100% consistent and committed for that entire time. Instead, I've fallen off the wagon several times for months at a stretch and put weight back on more than once (and am currently trying to claw my way back into a good eating & regular exercise routine after my most recent lapse). But if I really look at this as an attempt to develop habits for a lifetime, occasional lapses and regained weight seem less important; each time I fall off the wagon, I regain a little less weight than the last time I lapsed, I retain a little more of my general fitness level, and I get back into my routine a little more quickly, so I still come out ahead. I keep coming back to it, and that's what really matters, I think.

I do most of my exercise at home, too. I do go to the gym occasionally, on someone else's dime. Waaay too expensive for me otherwise. The best investment I've made for working out at home is a cheap barbell set, bench, and rack. It all cost around $200-300, and it's definitely not the best quality, but between that, some dumbbells, and regular cardio, I don't feel like I miss out on too much.

Good luck to you!

clarklynch

I've been unable to lose weight and keep it off for a decade, and each attempt resulted in a move up the scale.

The motivation for me was a call from my brother raving how great he felt. He is planning to walk/run the Arizona Grand Canyon Rim to Rim this year. He was so enthusiastic about how he was losing weight and believed in me so much I started following his lead.

Is there anyone you know that can motivate/cheer you on? Give you a daily call?
Invite the person that believes in you the most to be your champion. It worked for me. I believe you can succeed.

jackielou867

It is a vicious circle. I know I have fad dieted and yo yo dieted for 20 years. This time I got it right. I have been eating "clean" In other words all but banished white flour (cakes, bread, cookies etc) pasta and potatoes from my diet. Sugar is out too, and most processed foods. I have not felt this alive and full of energy for 20 years. And losing weight just seems now to be an added bonus.
I discovered early this year that the crap I was putting in my body was making me feel crap. You wouldn't put sugar in your petrol, that would really mess up your car. You would not put Diesel in a petrol car. So why put junk in your body.
I didn't intent to go so healthy in the beginning, it just started when I did it for a couple of weeks, then realised every time I ate junk, I felt crap, bread bloats me, sugar, after the initial high, makes me tired. I was a chocoholic who grazed all day long, and often had days where I would skip a meal because I was too full of cookies and cake. It was like the most successful detox ever, once I got rid of the junk from my system, I actually stopped wanting to eat it. For me now I don't call it a diet, I call it a lifestyle. I am so loving the way I feel right now I have no issues carrying on for the rest of my life. I only had 16 kilos to lose, and I just have 2 left, but the best thing is, I feel like I have lost 20 years. I feel like my 20 year old self, and I am wearing her clothes :-)
Try it. It takes a lot of willpower to start, but the results, if you do it properly, will be so amazing you will never want to stop.
It is your body, it is your life, you CAN make it better.

Katla49

Time for KISS--Keep it sweet and simple:

1. Log every bite and include liquids.
2. Move your body more, starting with long walks, and increasing time and intensity when you are ready.
3. Drink lots of water.
4. Stop by here every time you need moral support, even twenty times a day, (between walks, dancing, DVD's etc.)

Good luck.

maliciouspenguin

Thanks guys - I know I can do it (because I've done it before) - it's just depressing when you don't notice any change after two weeks of stringent logging

It is just the motivation that I struggle with - because I don't always cook it can go harder, plus if I lived alone I know I could eat better...

But they are just excuses. Must defeat them!

zichab

In all honesty, you need to make a mindset change. Instead of focusing on weight, failure, etc, think "what am I willing and able to do for the rest of my life for my own health?" Rarely will the answer be a commercial diet. Food is a personal habit that changes very slowly so why fight that? Instead of "pigging out" eat what makes you happy, especially now when you have job insecurities screwing with your emotions. Just weigh it, measure it and log it! Make that the focus of your thinking rather than "failure." Day by day, you will feel better, have more energy and little by little it will become a permanent change to simply eat less, even on the days you "pig out." 30DS is great, but with the kind of stress you are under right now, I think you need to move much more. Walk, run, jog, whatever to get the blood pumping through your arteries every day and get the endorphins flowing. I suspect some of your overeating is just a response to the tremendous stress you are under job hunting. Change your mindset to "running (walking jogging) off the stress instead of eating it off. It is amazing how much more in charge of life you will feel. Who knows, you may even interview better because you are more in control. The secret to this whole process is taking charge of our own lives and changing our responses to life's stresses. Once you do that, weight loss becomes an added bonus rather than your "success"or "failure." I KNOW this is much easier said than done, but "woe is me" isn't working right? Time for a new approach? :drinker: Best wishes in your job search! :flowerforyou:

maliciouspenguin

Thank you

You have given me an idea; whilst intense exercise may burn more calories, I think a longer bout of milder exercise will help - can't eat when jogging

MuseofSong

Thank you

You have given me an idea; whilst intense exercise may burn more calories, I think a longer bout of milder exercise will help - can't eat when jogging

You know, I think you're right. Longer, mild exercise is of great benefit, too, even if they burn less calories.

When I want to do more intense things, I do them in 10 minute intervals with breaks in between. At my level of fitness (newbie status), if I try to do personally challenging workouts for more than 10-12 minutes (like 10 minutes moderate / 2 minutes intense), I slow down and don't push as hard because I get winded and tired.

So, do whatever you're comfortable with. Just do something. Do it when you feel like it, do it when you think 'Oh I should exercise, I have a few minutes!', whatever/whenever, just something.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRScb2l4Z4g <-- I like her DvDs, and once you learn the moves and pacing, you can do the same routines on your own as you watch movies.

trisH_7183

In all honesty, you need to make a mindset change. Instead of focusing on weight, failure, etc, think "what am I willing and able to do for the rest of my life for my own health?" Rarely will the answer be a commercial diet. Food is a personal habit that changes very slowly so why fight that? Instead of "pigging out" eat what makes you happy, especially now when you have job insecurities screwing with your emotions. Just weigh it, measure it and log it! Make that the focus of your thinking rather than "failure." Day by day, you will feel better, have more energy and little by little it will become a permanent change to simply eat less, even on the days you "pig out." 30DS is great, but with the kind of stress you are under right now, I think you need to move much more. Walk, run, jog, whatever to get the blood pumping through your arteries every day and get the endorphins flowing. I suspect some of your overeating is just a response to the tremendous stress you are under job hunting. Change your mindset to "running (walking jogging) off the stress instead of eating it off. It is amazing how much more in charge of life you will feel. Who knows, you may even interview better because you are more in control. The secret to this whole process is taking charge of our own lives and changing our responses to life's stresses. Once you do that, weight loss becomes an added bonus rather than your "success"or "failure." I KNOW this is much easier said than done, but "woe is me" isn't working right? Time for a new approach? :drinker: Best wishes in your job search! :flowerforyou:

What she said :flowerforyou:

jackielou867

This might sound hard, but I got a little fed up with lack of support at home. So at dinner time I headed for the gym, you could walk, run, cycle for an hour. I told hubby, if you want the food that makes me feel bad, make it and eat it while I am out, if you want my healthier option, wait till I get home and I will make it. Now he is more supportive, and cooks healthier food for both of us...sometimes....but that's a start :-)

jackielou867

This might sound hard, but I got a little fed up with lack of support at home. So at dinner time I headed for the gym, you could walk, run, cycle for an hour. I told hubby, if you want the food that makes me feel bad, make it and eat it while I am out, if you want my healthier option, wait till I get home and I will make it. Now he is more supportive, and cooks healthier food for both of us...sometimes....but that's a start :-)