Feel like giving up :(

HerbertNenenger

Embrace the hunger. I have to convince myself that I'm not really starving and that hunger is not an emergency.

no, I'm sorry. "embracing the hunger" doesn't work. It leads to a binge. Eat more protein, it will fill you up.

Bernadette60614

Also, eat at the table. Not in front of the TV, not noshing while reading or in the car.

Sit down at the table with a dish and eat. It seems bizarre to eat an apple this way, but part of filling satisfied, I've found, is actually paying attention to what I'm eating.

Zaftique

Thanks for all your help guys. I limit myself basically because I don't know what else to eat. I also hate preparing food so it makes me more inclined to just give up. I am going to give it another go. I appreciate everyone's kind words and support, you all are so great!

I am going to look on pinterest for different recipes. I just have a portion control problem. I feel like I am always hungry no matter what. Any advice for that?

Open diary friends would be helpful too

Thanks again guys!

Get a digital food scale and read labels to control your portions.

Honestly, getting a FoodSaver has been a godsend. I can spend 3 hours on the weekend making enormous batches of food that I then portion out, seal, and freeze. This gives me readymade lunches and dinners for those times when I just don't feel like cooking and want something fast and easy.

To help with munchie feelings, make sure your meals have some protein (I'm guilty of forgetting this m'self!) to help with punching up the satiety response.

DerekVTX

Thanks for all your help guys. I limit myself basically because I don't know what else to eat. I also hate preparing food so it makes me more inclined to just give up. I am going to give it another go. I appreciate everyone's kind words and support, you all are so great!

I am going to look on pinterest for different recipes. I just have a portion control problem. I feel like I am always hungry no matter what. Any advice for that?

Open diary friends would be helpful too

Thanks again guys!

1. Get your portions under control. Its hard at first but I promise it will get easier once you get control of your appetite.
2. WEIGH and/or MESURE everything (you would be amazed at how easy it is to overestimate things like butter, oil, steak, etc). If you eat 4 potato chips then weigh them first. Eventually you will get better at judging too.
3. Log everything, no mater what. Log through out the day....don't try to remember it all to log later as you will forget stuff. Cheating and eating a couple of chocolates or just a few chips and not logging them is only going to hurt you. You can eat some chocolate or chips, but keep it in your daily calorie limits.
4. Being hungry is okay, it is not the end or your world...............if you keep going down the path we were all headed that will end your world.
5. This is open to debate: But I say don't worry about how often you eat as long as you are eating enough (but not too much). Im not hungry in the morning so I dont' eat until I am hungry around noon. This helps me control my appetite.
6. Preparing your own food is very important. Eating out is not good at all. Decide whats more important, preparing your own food or being fat your entire life.

I know I may sound harsh but this is what works for me. I let myself go, then just accepted that i would not be an attractive guy ever again, let myself go some more before I finally woke up and realized that being Fat sucks and that I had been lazy for too long. I care about myself, I deserve to live life to the fullest, I deserve to be attractive, I deserve to live a long healthy life, I deserve to be happy and have fun every day. How do you feel about yourself? Do you feel that you are worth the hard work?

felonebeats

Stick with it,it's hard work but well worth it

diannethegeek

Thanks for all your help guys. I limit myself basically because I don't know what else to eat. I also hate preparing food so it makes me more inclined to just give up. I am going to give it another go. I appreciate everyone's kind words and support, you all are so great!

I am going to look on pinterest for different recipes. I just have a portion control problem. I feel like I am always hungry no matter what. Any advice for that?

Open diary friends would be helpful too

Thanks again guys!

My 5 tips for hunger:

1. Make sure your calorie goal is appropriate for your size and activity levels. Way too many people skip this step and then wonder why their bodies are telling them something.

2. Look for foods with more protein, fat, and fiber. These help us feel fuller and more satiated for longer.

3. Drink plenty of water.

4. Play around with meal timings. Some people do really well on 6 small meals a day and others do better with 2 large meals. Meal timing won't affect your weight loss. It may affect your mood, energy levels , gym performance, and sustainability. Find what works best for your schedule.

5. Wait it out. If all of the above fail and you know you're eating enough, getting enough nutrients, etc. then you may just have to let your body adjust for a couple of weeks.

radiantsunshine40

Sugga, if you feel the need to quit then JUST DO IT!

Quitting will never get you HEALTHY!

I've taken a break during the winter and OH MY!

My body was a talking to me thru the pain in my lower back and my right knee! I found just a casual stroll on the track for twenty minutes was a BIG RELIEF!

As far as my eating habits.....HEALTHY has always been daunting!! Simply because the expense and the prep time! I am of the mind set the MORE FOOD the MERRIER I AM! Therefore, I'm wanting LARGE AMOUNTS of the GOOD VEGGIES etc...
I've learned to gradually add in HEALTHY......a fruit here.....raw veggies there! SWEETS are a pit fall for me HOWEVER I limit myself! Never fully taking anything away but ADDING HEALTHY every way possible!

TAKE A BREAK......BUT DON'T EVER QUIT!:flowerforyou:

farfromthetree

If I feel I am hungrier than normal, I drink a protein shake (one scoop 100 calories) with 1/2 cup 1% milk . It really does help. More protein or fat to help with hunger!! I like the magazine "cooking light" they have some great recipes. If you do not like to prepare your own foods, shop around the supermarket. We eat plenty of frozen meals (fish, ravioli, meatballs, etc...during the week.) I love picking up and trying new things...as long as the calorie content is not too crazy!
Someone mentioned Amy's Burritos...they are really good! I am almost at goal, but I have an open diary and am on daily. Friend request sent!

marialynn2014

Start exercising if you don't already. Find something you like. For me, it's outdoor trail walking and indoor beach body videos. Invest in a heart rate monitor so you can see all those calories being burned.

For dinners, I have enjoyed searching Pinterest and trying new recipes. Trade out ground beef for ground turkey and your possibilities are endless. Whole wheat spaghetti, tacos, turkey meatballs, etc. I eat lots of tilapia and grilled marinated chicken breast. Then, you just have to think about your sides. I have now figured out I love squash, sweet potatoes, brown rice with Mrs. Dash.

Is it worth giving up and staying the same or letting it get worse? If you aren't ready, that's ok! I can't tell you how many times I was just OK with giving up and just put on 10 more lbs before I would "try again" for a week, and quit again. Something finally just "clicked" with me and in May, I am just SiCK of starting over, so I am going to stop giving up. Good luck with your journey. You need to really want to change to make a change

I started treating my MFP like FB. Make friends and help cheer them on, it'll help you be accountable to yourself as well. I am here every day, feel free to add me.

Ronni66

It does not have to be all chicken and vegetables! I am a diabetic and need to stay on a strict diet that forbids me from eating sugar , breads, pastas , potatoes , most rice and limited fruits and definitely very very little fruit juice. Basically most yummy things and i got very discouraged and went off my "diet" which resulted in dangerously high blood sugars....not good.

Note that a diabetic diet is right on par for those that want to lose weight..it's an excellent diet if done right.

What we have in common is that it really sucks to give up all the foods you love,...and you get resentful and bored with food choices...so this is what i did.

On a diabetic diets there are two food groups i am able to have a lot of , and that is meats and vegetables. Not just chicken though! I eat Steak, chicken, pork and a variety of all of those. On a daily basis i will have meat that is baked, sometimes Barbecued inside or outside, Even fried on special occasions.

I HATE vegetables..and i miss my potatoes and Pasta's and rice! So you know what i do? I eat them. But not every day and in small portions at one meal. So, i have that baked potato, or even french fries... I eat at fast food sometimes. Does it up my calories? You becha...but i supplement a few meals with Slimfast and I eat nuts as a snack or popcorn.

Point i am getting at is don't give up...and do not deprive yourself! Have a small sliver of cake or pie , but that's it for the day for treats . Drink lots of (yuk) water. Keep away from Sugar sodas. I hate Diet drinks ..but Snapple diet peach is really good and so is Walmart sugar free ice tea. I drink that exclusively because it does not taste like diet drinks.

Mc Donalds has a new diet tea that is also good, so when you have that small cheese burger, drink some diet tea or soda. Fast food is not out on a 'diet"...but it must be done maybe once or twice a month and have the kids menu lol

I hope you do not give up...believe me, i am the WORST when it comes to following a diet, but i have to...in the process i am losing weight and i don't cardio myself out...i hate it.

instead i dance around the house or make sure i get up every 30 mins and march in place for 30 steps. Working out does not have to stink on ice...working out is just getting moving doing something.

I like to do Interval training because it takes about 10 -15 seconds each session. Oh it's hard for that 15 seconds..but at least i am not running on a treadmill for 30 mins and burning very little off ...screw that.

Sorry so long winded...i guess i don't want you to give up cause i have to do it and others must suffer too!! Muhahaha

good luck!

ponycyndi

Thanks for all your help guys. I limit myself basically because I don't know what else to eat. I also hate preparing food so it makes me more inclined to just give up. I am going to give it another go. I appreciate everyone's kind words and support, you all are so great!

I am going to look on pinterest for different recipes. I just have a portion control problem. I feel like I am always hungry no matter what. Any advice for that?

Open diary friends would be helpful too

Thanks again guys!

1. Get your portions under control. Its hard at first but I promise it will get easier once you get control of your appetite.
2. WEIGH and/or MESURE everything (you would be amazed at how easy it is to overestimate things like butter, oil, steak, etc). If you eat 4 potato chips then weigh them first. Eventually you will get better at judging too.
3. Log everything, no mater what. Log through out the day....don't try to remember it all to log later as you will forget stuff. Cheating and eating a couple of chocolates or just a few chips and not logging them is only going to hurt you. You can eat some chocolate or chips, but keep it in your daily calorie limits.
4. Being hungry is okay, it is not the end or your world...............if you keep going down the path we were all headed that will end your world.
5. This is open to debate: But I say don't worry about how often you eat as long as you are eating enough (but not too much). Im not hungry in the morning so I dont' eat until I am hungry around noon. This helps me control my appetite.
6. Preparing your own food is very important. Eating out is not good at all. Decide whats more important, preparing your own food or being fat your entire life.

I know I may sound harsh but this is what works for me. I let myself go, then just accepted that i would not be an attractive guy ever again, let myself go some more before I finally woke up and realized that being Fat sucks and that I had been lazy for too long. I care about myself, I deserve to live life to the fullest, I deserve to be attractive, I deserve to live a long healthy life, I deserve to be happy and have fun every day. How do you feel about yourself? Do you feel that you are worth the hard work?

This X 1,000,000,000. You sir, are awesome.

oregonzoo

Embrace the hunger. I have to convince myself that I'm not really starving and that hunger is not an emergency.

For the portion control, use a smaller plate. It tricks your mind into feeling more satisfied with the meal.

Make "rituals" about eating. Eat without distractions. Enjoy every bite and eat slowly.

Plan ahead so that you can enjoy your favorite foods on occasion, unless they are "trigger" foods. Identify those and stay away when possible.

These are my strategies.

"embrace the hunger" has to be one of the most irresponsible things I've read on here.
If you are hungry you need to eat.

DerekVTX

Embrace the hunger. I have to convince myself that I'm not really starving and that hunger is not an emergency.

For the portion control, use a smaller plate. It tricks your mind into feeling more satisfied with the meal.

Make "rituals" about eating. Eat without distractions. Enjoy every bite and eat slowly.

Plan ahead so that you can enjoy your favorite foods on occasion, unless they are "trigger" foods. Identify those and stay away when possible.

These are my strategies.

"embrace the hunger" has to be one of the most irresponsible things I've read on here.
If you are hungry you need to eat.

This may be irrelivant but I have an old kids book from when I was a kid called "But No Elephants". Well they let that elephant in the house where he was nice and comfortable. Well that elephant....he ate, and he ate, and he ate until all the food was gone. And later that night that fat elephant crashed through the floor and got stuck. If he didn't keep feeding that hunger he wouldn't be in the predicament that he is in, same as in the real world. You need to control that hunger and fight it, you can't just keep giving in to the hunger and just becaue you are hungry doesn't mean thta you need to eat.

maillemaker

If you were/are obese, and you lose body fat, you will be hungry. It is a natural consequence of losing body fat mass. Losing body fat causes a decline in leptin levels, which in turn causes a cascade of other hormonal changes that are designed to protect your fat stores. This includes reduced metabolism and increased hunger. And these effects may be permanent.

Eating more protein can help reduce hunger.

But the reality is, you may be hungry for the rest of your life.

Iwishyouwell

Embrace the hunger. I have to convince myself that I'm not really starving and that hunger is not an emergency.

One of the best bits of advice you can ever give on weight loss/management...

And one of the best bits of advice most people will never be open to hearing.

Embrace the hunger. I have to convince myself that I'm not really starving and that hunger is not an emergency.

For the portion control, use a smaller plate. It tricks your mind into feeling more satisfied with the meal.

Make "rituals" about eating. Eat without distractions. Enjoy every bite and eat slowly.

Plan ahead so that you can enjoy your favorite foods on occasion, unless they are "trigger" foods. Identify those and stay away when possible.

These are my strategies.

"embrace the hunger" has to be one of the most irresponsible things I've read on here.
If you are hungry you need to eat.

If you are really hungry, you need to eat. Eventually.

However many, many people, especially the fat/obese, can't tell the difference between true hunger and cravings.

Becoming comfortable with the idea that hunger happens, is normal, and is almost never dire, is so very important. Human beings are suppose to experience hunger. We're not suppose to walk around in a constant state of perpetual fullness or even satiation. Hunger is normal, natural, and most overeaters need to experience it enough to lose the fear and anxiety. And to differentiate between hunger and cravings.

albayin

Embrace the hunger. I have to convince myself that I'm not really starving and that hunger is not an emergency.

One of the best bits of advice you can ever give on weight loss/management...

And one of the best bits of advice most people will never be open to hearing.

Embrace the hunger. I have to convince myself that I'm not really starving and that hunger is not an emergency.

For the portion control, use a smaller plate. It tricks your mind into feeling more satisfied with the meal.

Make "rituals" about eating. Eat without distractions. Enjoy every bite and eat slowly.

Plan ahead so that you can enjoy your favorite foods on occasion, unless they are "trigger" foods. Identify those and stay away when possible.

These are my strategies.

"embrace the hunger" has to be one of the most irresponsible things I've read on here.
If you are hungry you need to eat.

If you are really hungry, you need to eat. Eventually.

However many, many people, especially the fat/obese, can't tell the difference between true hunger and cravings.

Becoming comfortable with the idea that hunger happens, is normal, and is almost never dire, is so very important. Human beings are suppose to experience hunger. We're not suppose to walk around in a constant state of perpetual fullness or even satiation. Hunger is normal, natural, and most overeaters need to experience it enough to lose the fear and anxiety. And to differentiate between hunger and cravings.

this^^ a lot of us end up needing to control eating habit because "we just eat when we feel hungry".

tmj4477

Cooking can be overwhelming, if you don't like to do it. How about on Sunday you prep everything for the week and then it won't be as daunting for you.

ElliTree

Don't give up. Starting is the hardest part. You've already started, now, it's about putting one foot in front of the other. I am a firm believer that going hungry is the number one way to derail a diet/healthy way of eating. If you're hungry, you can hold out only for so long until the resolve will crumble. The key is finding filling, low cal alternatives and figuring out what foods will keep you full. I know, easier said than done.

Personaly, I know I have an unhealthy relationship with food. I use to eat when I was bored, I use to eat when I was upset. I use to eat because I thought I "deserved it." I also hate boiled chicken with the passion of a thousand burning suns.

I found that drinking a glass of water before a meal helps me curb a lot of the hunger. I try to stick to as much fiber/protein filled foods as I can because nothing fills you up like fiber. And a happy coincidence, fiber filled foods happen to be pretty damn low cal. I am, of course, talking about veggies. Sounds boring, but I found I love roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic and hot pepper. No salt even needed. Find the food that works for you.

I also started substituting some of my bored/reward things. I have taken up a few hobbies and now I am being more productive and eating less.

I treat my calories like I treat my finance budget. Find a system that works for you.

As a side note, the stomach muscle is incredibly adaptable. If you overeat for a long time, it will stretch and expect more food. If you, however, eat smaller portions for a while, it will shrink, and you will feel full much sooner. Also, eat slower and really enjoy your food.

PS, I wanted to add that I also can't stand cooking. My philosophy is if I can't make it in 20 min, I won't do it until the weekend. But honestly, to roast some veg in a skilled takes five minutes and tastes so darn good. Especially if you use a ton of aromatics.

I wish you all the luck int he world. Add me as a friend and you'll see my diary. Hugs.

gaxarlis08

I just want to thank everyone for all the advice, kind words, and friend requests! I am overwhelmed by how much support you have all given me. I will NOT give up and I will keep trying. I wish I could reply to each of you but I got so many responses! I am taking all the advice I have received from you all and I am happy to have gathered so much information! Thanks again everyone and I am open to friend requests Thanks again!!