Freaking out (Lots of "what if" questions.)

WBB55

I can't picture what I will look like. I just don't see me thin.

5 years after losing most of my weight, I still can't see myself as thin. I still grab larger sizes off the rack and am surprised when they don't fit in the changing room at the store.

baldmitch

RE: Protein...

grilled chicken breasts and greek yogurt are my favorite ways to get protein. Plain greek yogurt tastes a little more like sour cream, so add some fruits and nuts (walnuts - also a very good source of protein).

Dried beans - pinto and white - are not only good sources of protein, but pottassium as well.

As for the price: dried beans aren't terribly priced. Chicken can cost a little more. If you buy a whole, raw turkey breast cut up into steaks, it comes out to $1 or so a day. You can probably find greek yogurt on sale sometime during the week. We just bought some 10 for $10 single serving cups.

I figure my lunches cost $2.50-$3 a day - turkey on "thin rounds" with the cabbage from a slaw pack, OR chicken breat and quinoa/brown rice blend with a little feta OR Progresso light soup and a cup of greek yogurt with walnuts and dried fruit.

Dinners, for me, are more of the same mostly, with a salad. Breakfast is always eggbeaters (and oatmeal, most of the time).

Spicy Wheat Thins for 1 snack, and a cored apple with cinnamon for the second snack....Water, water, water, (diet powerade, ) water, and a little more water....maybe a green tea for breakfast or right before a workout. Diet Powerades are on sale wherever I go - $.69 for 32 oz.

MEJovanovich

I am now finding ways to "hide" protein in my meals. Thank you soo much. I have been eating healthier since I posed this and I am learning to read labels. I'm also going to try and eat as local/organic as possible in the new year. Thank you all for the advice and the help. It really does mean a lot to me.

supergirl6

Take a very deep breath.

what if is fine - you can wonder what things are going to be like when you've lost the weight. It's a big change. Who knows what it'll be like until it happens?

But what's the alternative? Staying exactly the same? You already know how that feels.

Sure you might have loose skin. Maybe only for a little while, maybe forever. Half of it is your age and health, half of it is genetics. you can't control it even if you wanted to. You can do what you can - my doctor recommends fish oil twice a day, vitamin D, and has me keeping my skin healthy. I use a very good lotion every night - I have an expensive one (Epionce body lotion) that has faded my stretch marks and scars so you can barely see them, and I have a cheaper one (Jergens with Vitamin E) for everything else. My doc said the only thing I can really do is keep my skin hydrated, drink lots of water, moisturize, lift weights, hope for the best. Even if you have loose skin, most doctors won't even consider taking off the excess skin until you have been done losing weight for a certain amount of time because the body takes a while to bounce back. My doctor recommended I wait a year before I start to really worry I'll need to have excess skin removed.

Will other things happen like, you lose the weight and you're still not happy? That's all up to you. Your weight isn't really tied to your happiness. Not really. That's a mental change that takes time and patience and self-love. Loving yourself has absolutely nothing to do with weight loss. I honestly didn't make the switch to being happy and loving myself until after I started to take care of myself - not just lose weight but eat right, go to the doctor regularly, keep my hair and skin and nails in good shape...whatever I needed to do to feel like I was the first person on my list of important people. That happened a long time before I lost 70 lbs.

Wonder how it'll be, but don't let it stop you from finding out. Seek guidance from friends and counselors and family. Talk about how you're feeling, never be ashamed of asking these questions. Just remember why you are doing it in the first place and be mentally ready for anything.

MyOwnSunshine

It sounds like you're getting your excuses lined up so you can rationalize your failure when you give up (or don't start at all).

All those "what ifs" will take care of themselves in time.

Loose skin? Why, yes, I have some.

A perfect life? Why, no, losing weight doesn't fix everything.

Guaranteed happiness? It doesn't exist.

... but life is much better after losing 100 pounds. I am much more energetic, disciplined, strong, fit, healthy, happy, confident and self-loving. None of it came easy, but all of it was worth it.

Francl27

You don't have to limit carbs. Just weigh everything you eat and log it, and stay under your calories. You just want to try and eat 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass (or change your macros to 40% carb, 30% fat and 30% protein).

Now the saggy skin... I have it. I'm actually unsure right now if that soft pocket on my stomach is mostly skin or fat (thinking mostly skin at this point, I already had stretch marks too). And yes, it looks horrible (picture a Shar Pei, that's the idea). But I still look so much better in clothes, I don't lose my breath when I bend over anymore, my acid reflux is better, my blood pressure is perfect, my cholesterol is normal... It's totally worth it. I'll never look good in a bikini (really... even if I manage to lose my last 12-14 lbs, over my dead body you'll see me in one, I think), but that's ok with me at this point.

determined_erin

After losing 90 lbs and getting to my goal weight, I still have a "belly overhang." Getting rid of that will mean losing maybe around 10 lbs more and working on toning. You can't know what will happen, but you can work on yourself today. Focus on getting to a healthy weight, and then go from there with what you want to do next to achieve the look you want.

navyrigger46

If I may, (because you sound like you're trying to find reasons not to do this) I'd like to go the opposite direction with a few "what If's"

What if you develop Diabetes and go blind, or lose a foot?
What if you develop apnea?
What if you suffer a massive heart attack and die?
What if a stroke turns you into a potato?

Loose skin is nothing compared to any of those. Your fears are minimal compared to what lies ahead if you don't get on the proverbial wagon. Will you fall off? You may, find some supportive friends who will motivate you, set small goals for yourself to keep you going. When I started I made my goal to just lose 40 pounds, and it terrified me because it seemed like a lot of weight. After that I figured I'd like to weigh 205, that sounded about right to me, this morning I was 202, and my new goal is 185. Once you start seeing progress you'll just want to keep going. Friend me if you like, or don't, most people read my profile and decide I'm an @$$, and that's fine, but the small group of friends I do keep seem to really like my lack of bush beating.

Good luck.

Rigger

MEJovanovich

I appreciate it all guys. I am not quiting this time. I found a "challenge" and I like the routine that I have myself on. I'm just anxious to see a change. I'm sure once I do, I'll feel so much better. Doing the challenges and seeing that I can do more then I thought is amazing, and seeing your messages, are very lifting. I'd MUCH rather have lose skin then die at 22. I have done some extensive research and know what I can do to attempt to help with the skin. I'm not making excuses. I am going to finish this. Thank you for calling me out on it. I know that is what it sounds like. rest assured, I am not going to just be done. I'd rather have these "what if's" then a "What if I didn't quit... where would I be" then have to go through the whole starting over process again. No thank you!

verptwerp

Don't worry about "what if" ......

Do make the healthiest choices at each meal ....... move more ...... no excuses ...... use common sense & enjoy the "adventure" ......

And at the end of each day, go to bed knowing you made the best possible choices for yourself :flowerforyou:

ldrosophila

I'll give you the most important "what if" question you should ask...

What if I die never achieving success because I let a fear of the unknown paralyze me with doubt?

PS-glad to see youre still in the fight fears are valid of course just dont let them take away the joy of your hard work

mthr2

I didn't read all your replies, so maybe somebody already said this, but I think the fact that you are so young will really help with any loose skin. You have natural beautiful elasticity.