I feel vulnerable & have so many questions

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  • meeppeepneep
    meeppeepneep Posts: 56 Member
    Not entirely what your asking for, and your dietician will probably have something to say about it; but Mindful Eating helped me to avoid binge eating, and being more aware of why I was eating be it hunger, boredom, or anxiety.
  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 657 Member
    I'm glad you posted. Your introduction is so raw and heartfelt. People on here can be harsh, so this is nice that you are so open.

    The food scale will help immensely. Especially since you were never "trained" in how to eat in a healthy manner. I was raised by a super aware and healthy mother, but a food scale surprised me in how off I was (usually overestimating calories).

    My biggest trick comes because I cook for my family and for a husband who works out so much his calorie intake is 3 times mine. I like to add lots of veggies to whatever "normal" food I'm eating. For example:

    -You can break up one hard shell beef taco (or two) over a big fat bed of lettuce and it's still really delicious and still tastes like a taco.
    -I add a huge pile of sliced tomatoes to my breakfast of one egg and whole grain toast.
    -A big pile of broccoli (I know it's not your favorite) or zucchini/squash next to your spaghetti or lasagna will help spread out the flavor.
    -I made a really yummy tuna sandwich for lunch today and had a huge amount of carrots/celery as a side. I ended up not finishing them for lunch but ate them for a snack later in the afternoon.
    -Lean meats are also great for balancing things out. The other day my husband wanted fried fish, so I baked/broiled a portion of it in the oven with lemon juice, salt/pepper, and a few other fresh herbs. (Mine was so much tastier than his.)
    -Tonight I'm making homemade fried buffalo wings with a huge side salad and more sliced tomatoes.

    Something about this journey made me appreciate veggies so much more (I used to NEVER eat vegetables). Now I order the side of veggies at restaurants, look forward to grilled/baked Brussel sprouts with a slice of bacon and salt/pepper, Pico de gayo/salsa by the scoopful. Avocado on everything. Even onions, sweet potatoes, green peppers, tomatoes... things I used to hide from, I LOVE.

    Working out will also help. I ran/walked 4.5 miles today with the dog and managed to get in more steps at work. I have burned enough calories to basically cover my breakfast, lunch, and snack calories so for dinner I can add a couple glasses of wine and probably some tortilla chips or pasta.

    Just know that some days you will eat too much, and start over the next day. Some days will you eat everything right, but the scale won't move for days...weeks. Be patient, be forgiving. If one bad day is like your many old bad days then you can fix it tomorrow. But believe me when I say: the more you stick to it, be truthful with it, and don't push yourself beyond what you can handle... the more success you will have.
  • Coupongrl79
    Coupongrl79 Posts: 193 Member
    I started not far from where you are and I’m now in a normal BMI class. I have been a serial restarter. I‘d do great and then have a bad day. I’d skip logging my food and tell myself I’d be back on track tomorrow. But eating would continue to be off track the next day. I’d avoid the scale. I’d stop logging in. I’d regain it all back over the next days, weeks or months. If this is you, your first goal should be to add friends and commit to logging on to mfp daily, even if you aren’t logging anything. By committing to signing on daily, you are forcing yourself to think about your choices even when you don’t want to. Friends will help you keep coming back.
  • AlexandraFindsHerself1971
    AlexandraFindsHerself1971 Posts: 3,106 Member
    You don't have to eat broccoli if you don't want to.

    I just want to tell you that I have lost 50 pounds eating chips and candy and cookies most every day, and not exercising. I don't like broccoli either (and it doesn't like me back) so I don't eat it.

    But 50 pounds down... 1/3 of the way to my goal... I feel SO much better. Better enough to start moving more. I don't suppose I'll ever be a runner, but I discovered I like the feeling of pushing weights around on the machines at the gym. And I am okay with putting on a podcast and getting on an exercise bike for a few minutes.

    You are going to do this your own way, and you're going to be okay.

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