Started Over....Kind Of

bluecrayonz

I'm 19 years old- 5"4 and around 140 pounds. My whole teenage life I was fat. Then I finally lost some weight and gained a bit of confidence....for every pound I lost, I gained 4 pounds of confidence. But for the last month, I've been horrible. Every single day I started out right, but by the end of the day, I went to sleep with a full belly and hating myself. Today was the same. I'm stuffed and embarrassed. I really need help and support to really make a change, and get back on track for good. Any takers?

jrsyjess

Hey- I too have been stuffing myself lately and feeling terrible about it..I am 38..soon to be 39 and I have about 15lbs to take off..I don't know why but I have been eating like a pig for the last month as well... I just found this site, and so far I love it..I have logged all my food today and I am only 85 calories over where I need to be..I also biked with my kids today for about an hour..This seems like a great place for support, you just have to read the posts. This is a lifetime journey, not just a quick fix. Good luck and if you ask specific questions, it seems like people answer well. I look forward to feeling good and healthy again soon, only I can make that happen..That is what I have learned through all these years of gaining and losing...

corgicake

Start by banning guilt from your diet.

emjean76

Remember what you did when you lost weight and got down to 140? That's what you need to do again. Take it from me, a person who was also an overweight child, it's in your best interest to get your eating habits under control ASAP. Don't wait until you're 37 like me and trying to lose weight and recondition your brain about food. The older you get, the harder it gets to lose. Try to eat more filling foods earlier in your day so by the time evening rolls around you're just not that hungry and you will make better choices. At your height 140 lbs. is a perfect weight, so don't stress about that. Just incorporate more fruits, veggies and complex carbs into your diet and it will work itself out naturally. Stay away from fast food and soda....even though I realize that's easier said than done, especially at your age. Good luck sweetie!

allshebe

1. There is no "bad" food, just "bad" quantities, so in general, eat what you like, but practice moderation (especially relative to foods that are high in calories and low in nutrition)
2. I find that logging everything helps me think about what I choose to eat and eat more "mindfully".
3. When you feel like you are "starving", but "shouldn't be", try waiting 15 minutes before eating anything ("cravings", passing as "hunger" tend to go away in about 15 minutes), alternatively, drink some water or other unsweetened, zero calorie beverage or eat something relatively low calorie and high bulk (non-starchy veg, air-popped popcorn, etc) or eat a small quantity of something high fat, like nuts or seeds -- you may have to experiment to see which option works best for you.
4. Cut back gradually. Make small changes. Change the ratio of food items on your plate (fewer starches and more veggies)

I'm guessing the "diet" you lost weight with was unsustainable for "some" reason (generally too much restriction). You need to learn to eat in a way that you can live with for the rest of your life. It's not about dieting. It's about modifying your lifestyle.

dangerousdumpling

Your calorie goal is kinda low. If I had to get by on 1350 calories I'd be shoving burritos and donuts down my throat by the end of the day. Try changing your weight loss goal to 1 lb per week and eat your exercise calories if you work out. When you are regularly eating more you will be more satisfied and less likely to binge so you'll be able to stick with it longer. Losing weight doesn't have to mean being hungry. Your progress might be a little slower than you would like but slower progress is better than the hunger/binge cycle that's totally not effective.
Another option would be to focus on lifting weights and change your weight loss goal to 1/2 lb per week. You won't lose much weight but you'll lose fat and reshape and shrink your body. At 5'4" 140 you don't have far to go.