Discouraged and seeking support

aascobee

I am feeling discouraged. I have been trying to lose weight for over a year. All I have been able to do is maintain weight which I try and use as a positive focal point. However every attempt I have made I am unable to keep moving forward. I try very hard to keep my calories down and to watch what I eat and I can do well for a few days then the craving set in. Once that happens it becomes nearly impossible for me to not give in. I have been trying to transition to a plant based diet (vegan) but just when I think I can do it all I can think about is a deep dish pizza. Then if I give in to the craving I feel discouraged and angry with myself. If I do not give into the craving I feel irritated and annoyed that I can't have just a little. As far as working out and going to the gym I am trying but I strongly dislike working out. I am feeling very discouraged and am not sure what to do, I want to lose the 30 pounds I put on in the last few years which doesn't sound like a lot but it feels like it might as well be 100 because I can't seem to kick it. Any support would be welcomed.

missyjg99

Hey! Can you try not giving up any foods, just work on portions? I need something sweet everyday, so I just make sure I have it in my calorie budget. I stopped looking at it like a diet and more like a budget, like a household budget. You can do this. Add me if you want support. I lost 60lbs a few years ago using MFP and have gained it all back during pregnancy. So I'm back at the starting line. But never give up. I'm sorry you're feeling discouraged.

TAsunder

There are a lot of ways to work out, and a lot of ways to approach working out. Going to the dreadmill or the elliptical and churning for 30 minutes is one way, but there are a lot of other ways, many that don't require a gym. Walking, biking, swimming, quick workout apps, exercise dvds, yoga, various sporting activities. Some people prefer group activities (I used to for sure), others prefer to work out alone. I'm not saying you will necessarily find something you enjoy, but mix it up and see... you never know. I used to assume I would hate group exercise classes, but now I love them.

Liftng4Lis

I'm going to agree with the "you shouldn't have to give up any foods" part. You just want to have moderation in your choices and keep them in your allowance. For me this is a lifestyle change that I've made. I'm not giving up anything, I'm just being more contentious with my food choices instead of just eating whatever I want, whenever I want.
As far as working out, can you just walk?? Start with that. I don't want to say does anyone really enjoy working out, because apparently LOTS of people do. I don't happen to be one of them, but can say I LOVE how I feel when its done. I absolutely do NOT love cardio, but I'm actually enjoying the weights.
I wish you the best with this. Feel free to add me!

bdenitto

I think most people give in to cravings at some point. You have to forgive yourself and make a healthier choice for your next meal. I love cake. I try to plan to enjoy a slice every once in a while. That way I don't attack and eat an entire sheet cake. I know some people schedule a guilt free day or meal each week. Maybe in the beginning you need to have something like that, so that you don't feel you are denying yourself. Also instead of going vegan cold turkey, slowly change a few things and build toward a completely vegan diet. I found gradual changes over a year helped me to build new habits. Feel free to add me as a friend. Having a support group helps!

SueInAz

First of all, you need to work on your mindset. What you are trying to do is to make a lifestyle change, not just "lose some weight" because if you lose the weight you want and then go back to eating like you have been you're going to gain all of the weight back. True story, seen it a hundred times. So, your thinking about the whole process is what needs to change.

Second, if you're merely maintaining you aren't eating few enough calories to lose weight. Congrats on the maintenance part, it might have been easier to gain more and that's something you didn't let happen. It's not so much that you've "failed" as it is that you're not playing the game by the proper rules. Have you been logging what you're eating? I mean, truly logging every single calorie that crosses your lips? If not, that's really the first thing you should do. At this point, don't necessarily eat less, just be completely honest about what you're really eating. Being forced to log everything you actually eat is usually an eye-opener for people who start using this app. Plus, it makes you think twice about eating something if you have to take the time to enter it.

Third, exercise isn't necessary unless you really want to do it. You can successfully lose weight without working out. Most people will tell you, however, that they feel better for doing it, plus it gives them extra calories on the days they work out so they can eat a little more. Rather than forcing yourself to do something you don't enjoy, find an activity you DO enjoy and just do more of it. Walk, bike, play with the kiddos, whatever. You can also incorporate more movement into your daily life by doing small things like parking at the back of the parking lot, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, going on a 10 minute walk during your breaks at work, etc.

Fourth, there's no need to eat a plant based diet unless it's something you want to do for moral or health reasons. You won't lose weight any easier than you would on any other diet and it's apparently making you crave foods you have now forbidden yourself. And that leads me to the fifth point, you don't need to give up the foods you love to lose weight, you just need to eat LESS of them. Instead of eating three slices of deep dish pizza, eat one slice and a big, green salad. Have a mini Reese's peanut butter cup instead of the regular package of two cups. You'll find that you can easily fit in the foods you love as long as you watch your portions.

Good luck and keep fighting the good fight!

wolverine66

First of all, you need to work on your mindset. What you are trying to do is to make a lifestyle change, not just "lose some weight" because if you lose the weight you want and then go back to eating like you have been you're going to gain all of the weight back. True story, seen it a hundred times. So, your thinking about the whole process is what needs to change.

Second, if you're merely maintaining you aren't eating few enough calories to lose weight. Congrats on the maintenance part, it might have been easier to gain more and that's something you didn't let happen. It's not so much that you've "failed" as it is that you're not playing the game by the proper rules. Have you been logging what you're eating? I mean, truly logging every single calorie that crosses your lips? If not, that's really the first thing you should do. At this point, don't necessarily eat less, just be completely honest about what you're really eating. Being forced to log everything you actually eat is usually an eye-opener for people who start using this app. Plus, it makes you think twice about eating something if you have to take the time to enter it.

Third, exercise isn't necessary unless you really want to do it. You can successfully lose weight without working out. Most people will tell you, however, that they feel better for doing it, plus it gives them extra calories on the days they work out so they can eat a little more. Rather than forcing yourself to do something you don't enjoy, find an activity you DO enjoy and just do more of it. Walk, bike, play with the kiddos, whatever. You can also incorporate more movement into your daily life by doing small things like parking at the back of the parking lot, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, going on a 10 minute walk during your breaks at work, etc.

Fourth, there's no need to eat a plant based diet unless it's something you want to do for moral or health reasons. You won't lose weight any easier than you would on any other diet and it's apparently making you crave foods you have now forbidden yourself. And that leads me to the fifth point, you don't need to give up the foods you love to lose weight, you just need to eat LESS of them. Instead of eating three slices of deep dish pizza, eat one slice and a big, green salad. Have a mini Reese's peanut butter cup instead of the regular package of two cups. You'll find that you can easily fit in the foods you love as long as you watch your portions.

Good luck and keep fighting the good fight!

I'm quoting this in case you missed it the first time. This is pretty much all i was going to say and more (and in a much better way than I would have said it)

Francl27

Stop restricting yourself. Eat what you like, just have a little bit of it. Weigh your food, control your portions, eat within your calories... it doesn't have to be all or nothing.

bobbijodmb

One thing that worked for me is that I don't restrict many foods unless I decide I no longer want them. I just eat healthy 80% of the time and the other 20% I allow myself to make some other choices but I just limit the quantity of those choices. Even if you just started weighing/measuring your foods but eating the same types of food you can lose weight. Just eat a little less.

myfitnesspale3

... all I can think about is a deep dish pizza. Then if I give in to the craving I feel discouraged and angry with myself. If I do not give into the craving I feel irritated and annoyed that I can't have just a little. As far as working out and going to the gym I am trying but I strongly dislike working out. I am feeling very discouraged and am not sure what to do, I want to lose the 30 pounds I put on in the last few years which doesn't sound like a lot but it feels like it might as well be 100 because I can't seem to kick it. Any support would be welcomed.

You can have a piece of pizza. 300-600 cals, depending on what it is. Can you stop at 1/2 piece? If you want more, is it worth the re-igniting hunger in a couple hours? I used to have 4-5-6 pieces (ok I fell asleep at 6). Now I'm stuffed if I have two - so I stop at one.

So if you could control hunger/cravings, would it be easier? I found it easy to go LCHF/ LowCarbHighFat. After 2-3 days of slight weirdness/irritability and tight tracking, hunger/cravings were pretty-much gone. Then weight fell at about 1-2# per week (overestimating intake calories helped). It felt TOO easy. I did find myself instead of eating a "whole" portion of anything, I would usually have a bite, and stop. The more sugar, breads, rice, grains, pasta I cut, the easier it got.

But if you are vegan-inclined, LCHF would be tougher. Eggs, meats, nuts, fish, protein shakes, cheese and logging are my staples now. All the white carbs are minimized.

My attitude has changed, so it's not just a diet.

Allisonfitness99

I think maybe if you start slowly into becoming a vegan it will be Easier for you to do if being vegan is what you really want like maybe only do two or three days a week vegan and the rest is a normal.. Though moderation is key!for any food you eat.i find the people who go vegan for diet reasons don't always make it, because it's it's a "diet" if you focus on just changing eating habits and just eating healthier in general you have a better chance because that's a lifestyle change. And the working out part I think there is tuns of things you can do with out it feeling like "working out" I'm in love with turbo jam because it feels like I'm kickboxing and dancing at the same time... Hiking is also great you can make a day out of it, dancing, bike ridding.. Good luck!!