Stopping before it goes too far
TMHoy
Posts: 54 Member
Hi everyone, about 4 years ago I weighed 170 lbs. and lost something like 36 lbs. I was at my all-time low and almost to my goal weight of 130 lbs. I'm 5'2" and almost 49 yrs. old. I was SO happy. My clothes fit, I was buying cute ones too. I was getting compliments. Then, covid. I'm now 150 lbs. It just crept up! But I'm not at 170 so that's good. Thing is, I feel terrible. Inside. Sooo sad. I tried on shorts from last summer, can't even button them. And the roll, the muffin top is back.
I work out daily and often change my routine. I have a home gym, with a treadmill, weight bench, weights, and barbell. So I'm set, right? My problem isn't that, it's FOOD. I have a 1 lb. bag of Hot Tamales in the kitchen. And a 1 lb. bag of gummy bears.
Now, I ate that stuff when I was losing, but I ate a lot LESS of that stuff. I gotta get that weight back down, I WILL NOT go back to what I was. I keep thinking, is it because I'm almost 50? Is it because with covid I sit so much more? More weight training or more cardio? I have no idea anymore.
Any thoughts?
I work out daily and often change my routine. I have a home gym, with a treadmill, weight bench, weights, and barbell. So I'm set, right? My problem isn't that, it's FOOD. I have a 1 lb. bag of Hot Tamales in the kitchen. And a 1 lb. bag of gummy bears.
Now, I ate that stuff when I was losing, but I ate a lot LESS of that stuff. I gotta get that weight back down, I WILL NOT go back to what I was. I keep thinking, is it because I'm almost 50? Is it because with covid I sit so much more? More weight training or more cardio? I have no idea anymore.
Any thoughts?
2
Replies
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It sounds like you know what the problem is. Now look a little deeper and see if you can find out why. Is there a time of day you are over-eating? Type of food (candy is my weakness too)? Make changes around the foods/situations that you struggle with, and continue to make changes until you find a solution that works for you.
For me, when I sit in the evening (usually in front of a screen), I snack. When I exercise instead, I burn calories AND I consume less...win-win! I also need to log everything to stay on-track.
Good luck finding what works for you!1 -
Hello, trash can. Good bye, Gummy Bears and Hot Tamales.
Don’t let your pantry hold you hostage.
😘2 -
I so hear you. Soo much easier said than done. Can't I just eat them all and not buy them again? LOLspringlering62 wrote: »Hello, trash can. Good bye, Gummy Bears and Hot Tamales.
Don’t let your pantry hold you hostage.
😘2 -
I vote eat them all and don't buy again LOL3
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I'd be wary of trying to make too many changes all at once.
It sounds like you have the exercise piece down.
Maybe just start by tracking both food and exercise with 100% honesty? Don't necessarily make any changes to what you eat. Keep your food diary to yourself if you want. But you will see just what an impact your eating habits are having, and that the burn from exercise may not be as much as you think. Which may make the next part easier.
Next eliminate (most of) the junk. Don't worry about how many calories you eat from healthy food. Track 100% and see where that gets you. Also, once you stop eating candy for a while, the cravings may diminish.
Once that gets easier and more "normal", you can start working on portions and calorie deficits.
If you're like me, you'll see that the candy and pastries just aren't worth it (most of the time, lol) vs. what it takes to get rid of. And if you want some, it will be an informed, conscious decision.
It's not a quick fix, but a real solution won't be.3 -
springlering62 wrote: »Hello, trash can. Good bye, Gummy Bears and Hot Tamales.
Don’t let your pantry hold you hostage.
😘
🤪 Candies make for the best hostage takers though.
If the willpower is there; portioning may be an option. Same goes for the occasional allowance of certain foods.
While neither of these candies would float my boat Sesame Snaps, Reese's Pieces (but only King size or mini and only if they've been in the freezer - don't ask), along with certain fresh-made pastries from specific local bakeries need to be monitored.
It can take time to get there. But you did it before @TMHoy so you can do it again but also be more aware of how to maintain your results this time.
Good on you!
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Hey guys, thanks for writing. I know you can't outrun a bad diet. But man, how did I do it before? Just 3 years ago. I was logging back then, and it looks like I was having things like ice cream sundaes. But it wasn't nightly. It was about 1x per week. I definitely moved more - I worked in a high-rise office about 45 min from my home. I took the train, booking it to my station on foot. Then booking it to my office. Then at lunch I booked it to go meet friends. Always on the move it seems.
Now, I WFH 100%. So much more sitting. I've thought about afternoon walks but of course we are having a crazy heat wave, 100+ temps, and fires galore so our air quality is bad. Perhaps next week if it dies down. I will also say my workouts have totally slacked in the past year. Whereas before I was on a 5 or 6 day lifting split. Now it's an "hm, what do I feel like working" kind of split.
I'm terrible with willpower. And portioning makes me think about what it was like when I was trying to quit drinking. Oh, I'll just have one. Suuuurrre. Portioning booze doesn't work for me so I stopped altogether. Maybe sugar's my alcohol. Alcohol turns to sugar in your body, so when you quit booze, you want sugar. But sheesh, that was years ago. Maybe my brain just has some deep sugar programming. And come on, even Jillian Michaels eats gummy bears. But I don't have her body either. Anyhoo, with the bag of Hot Tamales tucked back in my pantry, that seems to help a lot.
I bought some new shorts today via Amazon. I love them, only, only, the gut area of course. The rise is kind of short too. And I'm no spring chicken any longer. I'm wondering, do I keep them, and use that as an encouragement to lose that weight I had once lost before - or face reality and send them back??1 -
Never carry the bag around with you. Measure out a serving and put the rest away. It's TOO EASY to keep eating if the bag is in your hand.Hi everyone, about 4 years ago I weighed 170 lbs. and lost something like 36 lbs. I was at my all-time low and almost to my goal weight of 130 lbs. I'm 5'2" and almost 49 yrs. old. I was SO happy. My clothes fit, I was buying cute ones too. I was getting compliments. Then, covid. I'm now 150 lbs. It just crept up! But I'm not at 170 so that's good. Thing is, I feel terrible. Inside. Sooo sad. I tried on shorts from last summer, can't even button them. And the roll, the muffin top is back.
I work out daily and often change my routine. I have a home gym, with a treadmill, weight bench, weights, and barbell. So I'm set, right? My problem isn't that, it's FOOD. I have a 1 lb. bag of Hot Tamales in the kitchen. And a 1 lb. bag of gummy bears.
Now, I ate that stuff when I was losing, but I ate a lot LESS of that stuff. I gotta get that weight back down, I WILL NOT go back to what I was. I keep thinking, is it because I'm almost 50? Is it because with covid I sit so much more? More weight training or more cardio? I have no idea anymore.
Any thoughts?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Hi everyone, about 4 years ago I weighed 170 lbs. and lost something like 36 lbs. I was at my all-time low and almost to my goal weight of 130 lbs. I'm 5'2" and almost 49 yrs. old. I was SO happy. My clothes fit, I was buying cute ones too. I was getting compliments. Then, covid. I'm now 150 lbs. It just crept up! But I'm not at 170 so that's good. Thing is, I feel terrible. Inside. Sooo sad. I tried on shorts from last summer, can't even button them. And the roll, the muffin top is back.
I work out daily and often change my routine. I have a home gym, with a treadmill, weight bench, weights, and barbell. So I'm set, right? My problem isn't that, it's FOOD. I have a 1 lb. bag of Hot Tamales in the kitchen. And a 1 lb. bag of gummy bears.
Now, I ate that stuff when I was losing, but I ate a lot LESS of that stuff. I gotta get that weight back down, I WILL NOT go back to what I was. I keep thinking, is it because I'm almost 50? Is it because with covid I sit so much more? More weight training or more cardio? I have no idea anymore.
Any thoughts?Hi everyone, about 4 years ago I weighed 170 lbs. and lost something like 36 lbs. I was at my all-time low and almost to my goal weight of 130 lbs. I'm 5'2" and almost 49 yrs. old. I was SO happy. My clothes fit, I was buying cute ones too. I was getting compliments. Then, covid. I'm now 150 lbs. It just crept up! But I'm not at 170 so that's good. Thing is, I feel terrible. Inside. Sooo sad. I tried on shorts from last summer, can't even button them. And the roll, the muffin top is back.
I work out daily and often change my routine. I have a home gym, with a treadmill, weight bench, weights, and barbell. So I'm set, right? My problem isn't that, it's FOOD. I have a 1 lb. bag of Hot Tamales in the kitchen. And a 1 lb. bag of gummy bears.
Now, I ate that stuff when I was losing, but I ate a lot LESS of that stuff. I gotta get that weight back down, I WILL NOT go back to what I was. I keep thinking, is it because I'm almost 50? Is it because with covid I sit so much more? More weight training or more cardio? I have no idea anymore.
Any thoughts?
0 -
Thank you for your honesty! I understand how you are feeling right now. It’s very personal to me but I night eat! So I totally get it) If you need help let me know! I think we have similar stories.0
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I eat up to 11:30pm every night. It doesn't matter WHEN you eat. What matters is that you don't exceed your calories to keep you in deficit or maintenance. So if you save calories up for night eating, it's fine.harmankathryn wrote: »Thank you for your honesty! I understand how you are feeling right now. It’s very personal to me but I night eat! So I totally get it) If you need help let me know! I think we have similar stories.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition 1 -
I think giving proper time to your meal is very important. I eat fruits to fill the big gaps but for breakfast, lunch dinner I have divided it in 8 hrs gap. This helps me to eat healthy and moreover body doesn't react to any kind of starving situation.0
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...store your candy in the freezer.
really that's my sole contribution here, but frozen candy takes effort to get to and eat and is hugely good at slowing me down.0 -
Use those shorts and be grateful. I’ve gotten shorts and a skirt that are out of my comfort zone but then I see everyone else is wearing them and I figure that’s in my head, a throwback to the fatter days.
OR, if they don’t quite fit, hang them in the closet like so: when I first started losing weight, and was in the 22-24W range, I found a really pretty pencil dress at TJMaxx. It was a size 8, and was only $14.99 so no great investment, but I loved it.
I hung it sideways in the closet, overlapping everything else. You couldnt miss it. I had to move it to get to anything else. Every time I went in the closet I talked to it, stroked it, told it what good times we would have someday.
It was motivating having a tangible goal I couldn’t ignore, and extremely helpful in keeping me in the groove.
The day I wore it was a red letter Goalz kinda day.1 -
Never carry the bag around with you. Measure out a serving and put the rest away. It's TOO EASY to keep eating if the bag is in your hand.Hi everyone, about 4 years ago I weighed 170 lbs. and lost something like 36 lbs. I was at my all-time low and almost to my goal weight of 130 lbs. I'm 5'2" and almost 49 yrs. old. I was SO happy. My clothes fit, I was buying cute ones too. I was getting compliments. Then, covid. I'm now 150 lbs. It just crept up! But I'm not at 170 so that's good. Thing is, I feel terrible. Inside. Sooo sad. I tried on shorts from last summer, can't even button them. And the roll, the muffin top is back.
I work out daily and often change my routine. I have a home gym, with a treadmill, weight bench, weights, and barbell. So I'm set, right? My problem isn't that, it's FOOD. I have a 1 lb. bag of Hot Tamales in the kitchen. And a 1 lb. bag of gummy bears.
Now, I ate that stuff when I was losing, but I ate a lot LESS of that stuff. I gotta get that weight back down, I WILL NOT go back to what I was. I keep thinking, is it because I'm almost 50? Is it because with covid I sit so much more? More weight training or more cardio? I have no idea anymore.
Any thoughts?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
yup, absolutely. And the portion is so pitiful compared to what I'd normally eat - which actually makes me happy to know.0 -
wunderkindking wrote: »...store your candy in the freezer.
really that's my sole contribution here, but frozen candy takes effort to get to and eat and is hugely good at slowing me down.
A frozen Hot Tamale? Love your trick!1 -
wunderkindking wrote: »...store your candy in the freezer.
really that's my sole contribution here, but frozen candy takes effort to get to and eat and is hugely good at slowing me down.
A frozen Hot Tamale? Love your trick!
Yep. Either gotta wait for it to thaw or work REALLY HARD to eat them. It's great.0 -
wunderkindking wrote: »wunderkindking wrote: »...store your candy in the freezer.
really that's my sole contribution here, but frozen candy takes effort to get to and eat and is hugely good at slowing me down.
A frozen Hot Tamale? Love your trick!
Yep. Either gotta wait for it to thaw or work REALLY HARD to eat them. It's great.
I've been measuring into a cup using a scale, then sealing and tucking the bag into the pantry, instead of on the counter where I'd routinely grab a handful. That handful looks to be double a serving and I'd do that several times a day. Just NOT doing that makes me feel so much better. I didn't realize that me doing that was me saying "screw it" in my head.0 -
springlering62 wrote: »Use those shorts and be grateful. I’ve gotten shorts and a skirt that are out of my comfort zone but then I see everyone else is wearing them and I figure that’s in my head, a throwback to the fatter days.
OR, if they don’t quite fit, hang them in the closet like so: when I first started losing weight, and was in the 22-24W range, I found a really pretty pencil dress at TJMaxx. It was a size 8, and was only $14.99 so no great investment, but I loved it.
I hung it sideways in the closet, overlapping everything else. You couldnt miss it. I had to move it to get to anything else. Every time I went in the closet I talked to it, stroked it, told it what good times we would have someday.
It was motivating having a tangible goal I couldn’t ignore, and extremely helpful in keeping me in the groove.
The day I wore it was a red letter Goalz kinda day.
I like it! I'll check the price, and maybe keep them in the closet as you suggest. Thanks!0 -
... I definitely moved more - I worked in a high-rise office about 45 min from my home. I took the train, booking it to my station on foot. Then booking it to my office. Then at lunch I booked it to go meet friends. Always on the move it seems.
Now, I WFH 100%. So much more sitting. I've thought about afternoon walks but of course we are having a crazy heat wave, 100+ temps, and fires galore so our air quality is bad. Perhaps next week if it dies down. I will also say my workouts have totally slacked in the past year. Whereas before I was on a 5 or 6 day lifting split. Now it's an "hm, what do I feel like working" kind of split. ...
don't you have a treadmill? While you're unable to walk outside, take afternoon breaks for a walk on the TM. if you find it unbearably boring or something even for just 10-20 mins for a quick afternooner, watch a show on a mobile device, listen to an audiobook, podcast, etc. You have a great sounding home gym set up, you WFH full time, you can get quick little movements in all throughout your day.0
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