Day 2 and I want to quit already

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Replies

  • don't quit.... I am doing this with my friends at work and we are constantly trying to come up with things to eat with LOW carbs... What kind of foods do you like.. Are you doing it with anyone??? Having SOMEONE even if its a stranger helps so much. I went to a sabres game yesterday and instead of finishing my sons nachos, pretzel with Cheese, OR and a slice of pizza, I only ate my 100 calorie almonds. and the BIGGEST reason I didn't eat the left overs is because I knew I would have to come to work tomorrow and tell my friends I cheated.. and we have a policy.. 3 strikes of cheating and you have to tell the whole office how much you weigh!!... Jump on our band wagon, or someone else's.. but don't quit!!!!..... I PROMISE it will be worth it!!!.. Let me know what you like.. We are coming up with SO MANY things for low carb more protein foods!!!!!.. Good luck!!!
  • So I am going to tell you how I have lost my weight with success. Slow and steady absolutly wins the race. You do not want the problems that come with losing weight too fast (saggy skin and health issues). I started my weight loss journey at the end of April this year. I told myself enough is enough. I started at 233.6 and I weighed in this morning at 188.9. An amazing feeling to see that number on the scale for sure. I have worked hard but not to hard. It is not miserable. I do a protein smoothie diet. It may sound miserable but it is not bad at all.
    This is just an example of my day...
    Morning
    I blend in my blender bullet
    1 c. ice
    8 oz light and fit Greek yogurt(play around with flavors, my favorite is the toasted coconut vanilla)
    and a scoop of protein.(i look for the one with lowest carbs possible but still a good amount of protein. (wal-mart has some good ones) don't get the really cheap stuff because it doesn't blend well.
    **I will add a chopped up frozen banana if I use banana flavored yogurt and I will do frozen strawberries and blueberries if it is a fruity flavored yogurt. You just have to play around with the flavors. It never gets boring. If you like coffee they have a mocha flavored one and you can do a scoop of coffee flavored protein powder.

    Snack
    I will have a cup of whole fat cottage cheese with salt and pepper

    Lunch
    I will have a veggie burger(the morning star ones in the green box) I always look for the ones with the lower
    sometimes i will have cottage cheese with it or break it up on a salad with onion and raw salad mushrooms and a light dressing with lots of pepper.

    pre-workout i will eat a banana with peanut butter on it and drink a sugar free vanilla/blueberry iced coffee with skim milk(99 cents and dunkin donuts from 3-6, the best) this gives me a boost of energy that i absolutely need to make it through my workout.

    right after my workout i have a protein shake

    for dinner i have something with very light carbs since it is usually around nine that i eat
    i usually just have another protein smoothie (which is why i call it a protein smoothie diet) If i am on the go i will replace any meals with one of them too. They have all you need in them. Add some flax seed for some good fiber.. it blends so well you would never know its in there.

    and of course lots of water.

    I also set my desktop background at work to something inspirational. Keep a picture on the fridge with and inspirational quote. It really helps me. I have tried so many diets and this one really seems to work. I can sip all through out the day.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    You might want to look at when you feel hungry too. I get late night snack attacks but am so busy in the mornings that I never have issues then. Maybe adjust when you are eating to when you struggle the most with snacking. I try to save calories for night or go to the gym late to head off the late night munchies.

    Plus, I'm not gonna lie. I took that garcinia stuff the first month of starting this. Not sure if it really made me feel fuller or if it was all in my head, but it seemed to work. I'm sure there are other, natural appetite suppressants out there. Also, I was 223 and 5'3" so I just accepted that I would feel hungry sometimes and that isn't a bad thing. If you feel stuffed all the time, you are probably doing something wrong. I'm down to 192 lbs in about 7 months.
  • kwest_4_fitness
    kwest_4_fitness Posts: 820 Member
    Instead of starting out at any kind of deficit, why don’t you just log what you normally eat for a week? Afterwards, you’ll have a visual which can help you determine where you can swap out certain foods for better choices and see where you might want exercise portion control.
  • acollis1
    acollis1 Posts: 167 Member
    That carb goal of 247g per day means you're never going to lose anything. You're torturing yourself for no reason right now.

    Huh? What do carbs have to do with weightloss?

    This^^^
    you need to eat a balanced diet to avoid cravings and fuel your body properly!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Just eat what you normally do only in moderation. One thing I try NEVER to drink my calories. EAT FOOD, I like food. Good luck
  • jessiruthica
    jessiruthica Posts: 412 Member
    One little thing I've noticed as someone who has ALWAYS been overweight. Don't be afraid to be a little bit hungry :) After being overweight for so long, I'm not sure I ever really experienced hunger. I didn't listen to my body, I just ate and ate.

    Now, if I'm hungry, I eat. When I'm not hungry anymore (not stuffed full, just not hungry) I stop. Then if I get hungry again, I eat. On top of that, I try to make healthier choices when I eat. Rather than a bag of chips when I need a snack, I wrap roast beef or ham around a cheese stick.

    This journey to health is all about, well, the journey :) This is a new road to be on, and it's one I want to stay on for a long, long time. So it has to be a road I can live with. My most recent favorite quote is this: "I'm not saying it won't be hard. I'm saying it will be worth it."
  • It does get easier! After a couple if weeks, you get used to it and the routine just kicks in!
  • northbanu
    northbanu Posts: 366 Member
    As for keeping the hunger at bay, don't be scared of fat. Fats and protein really keep me satiated (sated?).
    Of course, stay within your calorie goal.
    Eating more fat will require shifting your macros around a bit.
    If you stay within your calorie goals, shifting your macros wont really matter as far as weight loss goes, but you may find decreased hunger by increasing fat and protein.
    When I stopped buying and eating food re-formulated to be "low-fat" and started eating and buying the full fat stuff (cottage cheese, sour cream, dressing, etc) and not worrying if the meats I buy were supper lean, my meals kept me full longer, and I was less tempted to snack just to tide me over.
    Besides, the full fat stuff and fat free or low fat stuff often have very similar calorie counts. And the full fat stuff tastes better.

    Or.... that method wont work for you so much. No worries. If you stayed within your calorie goals, no harm no foul.

    Regardless, the hunger does subside. I don't know it your stomach shrinking when you eat less food is a real thing or a myth, but I know I can't eat the same amount of food I used to.

    And also, willpower. It gets stronger the more you use it.

    Stay with it! Keep positive. Don't beat yourself up if a day goes south. Just acknowledge what happened, and pick up where you left off.

    Go, baby, go!
  • Catter_05
    Catter_05 Posts: 155 Member
    If you are wanting to do low carb, there are low carb boards where you can get answers for your questions. I control my carbs and try to keep my carbs around 100 a day. The carbs I do eat are from oatmeal, whole grains, fruit veggies, etc. I watch sugars especially because I am insulin resistant. My total sugars are usually around 30 a day. Basically I don't add sugar to my food. I use unsweetened almond milk in my coffee, for instance, because even 2% milk has enough sugars to mess with my totals at meal time.
    A lot of people like low carb high fat diets because they don't feel as hungry throughout the day. That is because your body digests carbs first and fats last. But, when people say low carb they mean LOW carb (some below 30, but usually under 100). 247 isn't low carb.
    Im not suggesting that you choose this way of eating, just that you are unnecessarily creating angst for yourself. If you love your carbs and sugar and have no medical reasons for cutting carbs, just count calories. It works for most people. If you continue to find hunger difficult to deal with, do some research on low carb. You may find that it is an easier way for you to control your hunger.
  • northbanu
    northbanu Posts: 366 Member
    That carb goal of 247g per day means you're never going to lose anything. You're torturing yourself for no reason right now.

    Complete rubbish. Please disregard.

    Also, strong first post.
  • hoyalawya2003
    hoyalawya2003 Posts: 631 Member
    You've gotten a lot of good advice (with the exception of the carb thing). I would add that I find drinking carbonated flavored water helps me keep hunger at bay--sorry if this is a repeat, but didn't see it in the tips I skimmed. I also second the protein snacks recommendation; I find if I concentrate on getting in more protein I am not as hungry.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    I mainly look at the calories. You can set the macros manually if you would like. I am aiming for 60-80g of protein/day, but that is just my preference.. I think now that you have a higher calorie bar you will find it easier to stick with.
  • mlyn627
    mlyn627 Posts: 104 Member
    One little thing I've noticed as someone who has ALWAYS been overweight. Don't be afraid to be a little bit hungry :) After being overweight for so long, I'm not sure I ever really experienced hunger. I didn't listen to my body, I just ate and ate.

    Now, if I'm hungry, I eat. When I'm not hungry anymore (not stuffed full, just not hungry) I stop. Then if I get hungry again, I eat. On top of that, I try to make healthier choices when I eat. Rather than a bag of chips when I need a snack, I wrap roast beef or ham around a cheese stick.

    This journey to health is all about, well, the journey :) This is a new road to be on, and it's one I want to stay on for a long, long time. So it has to be a road I can live with. My most recent favorite quote is this: "I'm not saying it won't be hard. I'm saying it will be worth it."

    This is what I struggle with too! I just ate and ate and ate because I was bored and food is so good!

    I am learning so much from all of you! I have never had this support and and input in previous attempts to lose weight I know it's going to be the difference this time. I have felt so encouraged here! I have always felt like I was the only one who felt this way and I was not like everyone else, everyone else was stronger, had more willpower, whatever it was. Now I know I'm not alone!

    :heart: :heart: :heart:
  • asani0203
    asani0203 Posts: 2 Member
    I know exactly how you feel, this is my third day. But the end reward of better health, body and spirit is worth it. Just take it one day at a time. Good luck!
  • itsmesuv94
    itsmesuv94 Posts: 3 Member
    Hang in there!!! Same as you...I've tried so many times to lose weight, but have fell off the wagon after just 2 days because of the hunger and the cravings...I started all over again Sep 14th, today is my 11th day into the journey..the bloating is gone, double chin is almost gone...and over all i'm feeling so much refreshed and have lots of energy...and it's really motivating. So far I've lost 5 lbs. But the 4 first days are the worst.....after that it will get better! :) It takes 21 days to make it a habit. Go girl!!
  • newlife7654
    newlife7654 Posts: 36 Member
    Best advice I have seen. This is my third time on MFP and I didn't make it a change to stick with...I made it a choice. My calories were set at 1300 (for 2 lb weight loss) and it was killing me to maintain that. Once I bumped it to 1.5 it is so manageable and usually I am under my calorie goal. I will keep it here until I get adjusted. It's a huge motivator and has taken all the quit out of me. Let's be real, I was eating way more that 1620 calories before, so my body should still respond. I plan on changing my eating first, then hopefully in a week or two start exercising. Thanks for the great motivation and tips!
  • mlyn627
    mlyn627 Posts: 104 Member
    Best advice I have seen. This is my third time on MFP and I didn't make it a change to stick with...I made it a choice. My calories were set at 1300 (for 2 lb weight loss) and it was killing me to maintain that. Once I bumped it to 1.5 it is so manageable and usually I am under my calorie goal. I will keep it here until I get adjusted. It's a huge motivator and has taken all the quit out of me. Let's be real, I was eating way more that 1620 calories before, so my body should still respond. I plan on changing my eating first, then hopefully in a week or two start exercising. Thanks for the great motivation and tips!

    YES I know I too was eating way more than the calorie goal I have set now! OMG probably double the amount! I wish I would have logged a week of my previous eating habits to see just how much above I was. I am also working on the eating part for now and will start exercising more after I am more accustom to the lower calories.
  • ginz
    ginz Posts: 4 Member
    just read this article and thought of you... http://greatist.com/fitness/eat-more-move-less-transformation
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    Thank you for all the replies!

    I am 5'4 230lb 40 yo. I set my goal to be 1.5 and my calories are at 1370. I have been trying to get protein in but I'm probably blowing it! I guess I am so used to eating whatever, whenever I want that it's a shock to my system. I haven't exercised yet, last time I tried my knees hurt and I just honestly haven't wanted to again...yet.

    You said your calories are set at 1370 but today's daily goal in your diary is 1,693. Anyway, doesn't really matter, I was just confused by that. [I guess i didn't read all the posts and skipped the part where you upped your calories]

    Also looking at your diary. I like what you are trying to do. You are balancing out your calories among the macros, especially trying to target your protein. However, you may need a little more whole slow metabolizing carbs in the morning. A serving of oatmeal may do the trick. I also notice a few days where you are still in the green by like 200 or 300 calories but are complaining that you feel like you are starving. Try finding maybe some more low calorie snacks in your trigger times. You know, the times when you feel the most like you want to cheat or binge. Just enough to get you closer to your target calories and feel more satisfied but not going over . Maybe 1 oz (or whatever the containiner says is 1 serving) of cashews or almonds as an example.

    As far as lunch, instead of the Oscer Meyer stuff, try eating 4 or 6 oz of whole chicken breast. That is very satisfying.

    One last thing. It's only 2 days. You can hang in there for 2 more days. Those cravings will subside a bit once you get used to this.


    Edited to answer my own question.
  • I haven't read all the posts, but here is my advise.

    First, I second all the folks who said make sure your goal is no more than 1 pound a week.

    Second, I agree with exercise. It helps you not feel so hungry AND it lets you eat more.

    Finally, increase your fiber intake. I can really tell when I've missed the fruit or when I've eaten white bread. The fiber in fruit and wheat bread is harder to digest. That means you'll feel full longer.

    Keep up the faith. Losing weight is a lifestyle change and is hard work. But, it's worth it!!!
  • Catter_05
    Catter_05 Posts: 155 Member
    Even if your exercise is slow at first, it is a start. Go for walk. Do 20 min on a treadmill. I'm in Tx too and it is finally(!) getting to be a reasonable temp here for walking outside. Even if it's short it's something. And build on that. I know how hard it is to be patient, but it's better for your body to start an exercise regiment slowly. If you start running 5 miles today, you will be miserable. But if you say to yourself, "today, I can do 20 minutes". That is possible and attainable. Do that 2 or 3 days this week. Next week walk 22 minutes 3 days and do some planks, squats and sit ups on 2 or 3 days. (Or an exercise video). Whatever, just go slow. Make your goals reasonable. You got this!
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,282 Member
    Don't set such an aggressive weight loss goal, or yes, you will want to quit! Drastic changes almost always send people off the rails.

    The right way to do this is not to punish yourself, and not to go hungry. Just be accountable and stick with it.

    Try for the half-pound a week loss goal. If you accurately weigh, measure, and log everything, and manage stay within that higher number of calories for a while, you'll establish good habits. Then, start cutting back your calories a little and moving a little more, and see what happens.

    ^
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    This.

    You're starting out too aggressive. You mentally made the commitment, so let's get that body to do what the brain says it's already doing. Up your calories. Work in exercise when you start to see results without it and you think, "Hey, if that all came off when I wasn't working out, what would happen if I lifted a few heavy things??"

    And continue on with your Cheetohs, my dear. You rock!
    LOVE the Cheetoh snack entry. A girl after my own heart!! :drinker:
    ~Curly (whose brain is usually committed to the plan long before results with the body are visible... still learning patience!)
  • crazyspike
    crazyspike Posts: 3 Member
    For me, I started by just getting rid of 1 different bad thing a week before i really plowed in. I started with fried foods. I changed it to grilled foods or changed to salads/veggies. Remember veggies are your friend. They are so low in calories and so good for you, so eat up. Anyways, each week I changed something (of course leaving chocolate/desserts for last) until I found I was eating more healthy in the end. For exercise I started with just walking a little at the park and malls (great that malls usually open a couple hours before the stores do for walkers), and then build from there. I now go to the gym 5 days/ 9 times a week and still walk my dog a mile every morning. Sometimes I splurge like during birthday parties or holidays but you always just move forward. I'm now down 95 lbs and still have 65-70 lbs to go.

    So don't get discouraged. You CAN do this. It will get easier. Make sure you say out loud every day what you want to accomplish for you and then go for it.

    Friend me if you like and let me know how your doing.
  • tony56pr
    tony56pr Posts: 141 Member
    Hunger. It can be sign of you guessed hunger, but boredom, depression, stress, and well simply thinking about food. Beating yourself up when you go off track will make this worse.

    How do you ignore? It takes practice. Give yourself time to relearn how to eat and how not too. Know this sounds odd but don't get in a hurry. Try to do better each day and remember there is tomorrow. This doesn't mean you don't have to work at it or that you don't need to start now, but instead take it day by day and strive to do better tomorrow.
  • curlygirl513
    curlygirl513 Posts: 199 Member
    I went whole foods vegan and cut out sugar, because I can go over and still lose weight. I cannot stand being hungry. May I suggest parceling out your meals so you have a bit to eat throughout the day? Also, try eating at least 2 servings of vegetables before the meals. That will fill you up and help you to not be hungry.

    Also foods with fiber naturally, fruit vegetables whole grain and legumes will always fill you up and keep you from feeling hunger for much longer. Hope these suggestions help you to make it a little easier on yourself during the transition. Hang in there. You will find your way.:drinker:

    And I'm proud of you for starting this journey. Give yourself a pat on the back for the courage to change and for following through!
  • HeyPretty1
    HeyPretty1 Posts: 11 Member
    That carb goal of 247g per day means you're never going to lose anything. You're torturing yourself for no reason right now.

    What should it be at? I have no idea I just put in how much I want to lose per week and it auto populates it I guess.

    If you want to lose weight you need to be in ketosis. Don't count calories, count carbs. If you keep your carbs under 20g per day (and don't eat them all in one meal), you will lose the weight you want. Eat plenty of protein and fat and eat to satiety. Stop starving yourself!

    I'm at ~3.5 months and I'm down 42lbs. Granted, I was pretty heavy to begin with, so that might not be what you get, depending on how much you have to lose. Check out www.reddit.com/r/keto. Read their FAQs.

    There's one thing I need to make clear. No one can agree on anything except that you have to limit carbohydrates.

    My diet consists of 5% Carb (~18g/d), 25% Protein (73g/d) and 70% Fat (122g/d). This works out to like 1500 calories but I don't even look at my calories. I'm usually full before I hit 1500 calories because the fat in my diet keeps me energized and satiated. I eat delicious, savory food. Sure, I miss carbs, but after two weeks, it didn't much bother me at all. Some TV advertisements were cruel though.

    If you read, I highly suggest Gary Taubes' "Why We Get Fat: And What to do About It" I can loan you a digital copy if you pm me your email.

    Don't stress. Keep Calm, and Keto On.
  • HeyPretty1
    HeyPretty1 Posts: 11 Member
    And for everyone who claims that she just needs to exercise... Sigh.

    Exercise is a wellness tool. It is not a weight loss tool.

    Most people feel better and function better if they get a modest amount of regular exercise. On average across the population, thin people get more exercise than heavy people. People who exercise regularly across a lifetime live longer. But the extrapolation of these observations – that if heavy people exercised a lot more they’d be thin and live longer – is not supported by science. Nonetheless, that is the message that many health care professionals and the media consistently communicate to heavy people.

    Here are some basic (but often ignored) facts. Fitness is primarily an inherited trait. Training can increase aerobic power at most by 10-20%, but (figuratively speaking) a different choice of parents would increase or decrease your fitness by as much as 50%. It takes about 350 miles of running or 1000 miles of cycling to burn off 10 pounds of body fat (assuming that your appetite doesn’t increase or your metabolism slows down). Unfortunately, when heavy people exercise regularly, their resting metabolism slows – this is not a typo! – it SLOWS by 5 to 15% on average. Based on the results of 4 tightly controlled, inpatient human studies, instead of losing 10 pounds, the average person loses 7 pounds with this much exercise, and some people lose as little as 2 or 3. These studies specifically demonstrated that this less-than-expected weight loss was attributable to the observed reduction in resting metabolic rate.

    Exercise done by heavy people causes a lot of collateral damage. Think ankles, knees, hips, and low backs. So here’s a radical idea: let heavy people try carbohydrate restriction first, lose some weight (which most do without resorting to exercise), and then let them decide when to become more active once they are empowered, energized, and lighter of foot.

    Making heavy people exercise is punitive. Enabling heavy people to lose weight and then become more fit is smart.
  • I know how you feel. I've been trying (like seriously trying, no cheating and exercising) for a while now and I haven't lost much. I need to lose over 150 pounds. I feel hopeless, stupid and ugly. And on top of that I'm lonely (no friends) and I want to turn to food but that's what got me in trouble. I just feel miserable all the time. :(

    I hope things get better for you.
  • IThinkImObsessed
    IThinkImObsessed Posts: 1 Member
    I seriously know the feeling. Today is my 3rd day on mfp and right this moment I'm sooo hungry. Water is probably the only thing that's keeping me going. You need to "suffer" for the first few days so it's better to just get them over with then to start all over again. Stay strong and keep thinking about WHY you want to get fit. That's just what I do.