Hello, new to group

tinaonmove

Hello, My name is Tina. I live in upstate New York in a very small town. I am 58 years old and obese. I am just starting this program and it has only been 5 days so far. I am struggling with staying within my calorie intake and could use some suggestions on how you reduce calories and add more vegetables to each meal. Especially at breakfast if you are not a fan of vegetables, but I still eat them. I don't have time to make omelets with lots of veges each morning when I am getting ready for work. Currently, I eat a plain yogurt and add blueberries and a hard boiled egg. I have no problem with most proteins. My biggest problem is sugar and carbs. Once I take that out of my diet, I don't feel like I had enough to eat. But, I also know that if I eat the right foods, that won't be the case. I started exercising but doing it slowly. I walked 4 of the 5 days. I started doing a yoga 10 minute morning stretch and this morning I did the beginner strength exercises that was 15 minutes. I was surprised how energized I felt after that workout. I have never been a fan of exercise and that is one reason why I am at this weight now. I am married to someone who does not eat healthy, at all. He won't eat a vegetable and eats only high fat and unhealthy meats and carbs. But, he is not overweight and has doesn't really have to worry about weight. So, there is always sugary treats and salty snacks in the kitchen. I try to keep hidden so I am not tempted. Right this minute there are jelly beans in a candy dish on the counter. Before I started this week, every time I walked by, I would grab a handful. Now, I just walk by but I look at it tempting me. Can't wait for them to be gone. If he buys more and fills the dish, I will have to move it to his man cave so I don't see it. Well, thanks for reading my introduction. I hope to find some friends who will inspire me to keep up with this program and continue to lose weight. I have a cruise scheduled for May 2022 to Alaska and I want to be able to do excursions and not get winded upon climbing a flight of stairs. I don't want to avoid doing something because I don't think I can do it. Or because I won't be able to breathe or I won't fit into the seats, etc.

commonsensefitness

You can do it.

NecessaryChange

Welcome. That's some amazing progress. My mother loves to bake. So there are always cookies cakes breads and bagels all over the place. It is ridiculously tempting.. and a drain on your mental fortitude for sure.. but I try to see it as a challenge. I won't lie, I've caved and broke my calorie limit quite a few times, but in general I know I'm going to stick to it.. I know it can't happen again but I try not to beat myself up too much. Everything takes time including my fight against temptation! I have replaced the breads I ate with a healthier style. I'm not sure if there is one similar in your area, but it is called Dave's killer bread. If I have a sandwich I try to make sure it's just 1 but sometimes I have 2 and adjust accordingly. I have also started buying healthier wraps instead of buns or try doing lettuce wraps whenever I can. I'm not picky and I can eat the same thing every day if need be.. but variety does make it a little easier. I hope this helped a little. You're off to an amazing start! I know you'll do great!

Janatki

Hi Tinaonmove! Feel your pain....live with 3 men, 2 of whom can eat anything! OH & I are not so fortunate! Holiday to Alaska sounds good motivation to me and hope joining MFP will be good for you!

springlering62

My husband eats what I cook. It’s healthy portions and ingredients for me, and he’ll eat and enjoy it, but I can’t control the size of his portions.

I’d get the jelly beans off the counter. Out of sight, out of mind. He keeps his treats downstairs in the den, or hidden in the garage- something I didn’t even know til I went to get a hammer and got aggravated and cleaned the tool chest. I discovered a whole bag of Hershey’s minis, which I promptly ate. I keep very few “treats” in the house for myself- a few individual chocolate bars, usually 2-4 big bakery cookies, and those I keep in the freezer. Most the time I just forget they’re there. If I do go buck wild and eat them, I can’t eat a whole lot, because I just don’t keep that many on hand.

I rely on healthier, more filling foods for treats. Yogurt pudding, fruit and cottage cheese, jerky, hard candy or candy canes (not an über fan,so one piece is usually plenty). Today’s afternoon snack was airpopped popcorn with some melted margarine and zero calorie nacho cheese shakes. Tonight will be sugar free lemon pudding powder mixed with a serving of Greek yogurt, and a drop of lemon extract. Delicious, and something I truly look forward to now.

Counting calories is very effective, but it’s up to you to focus on you. It does work. I am 58 myself, and in the past two and a half years have lost 40+% of my body weight.