I want to quit, but just not ready to

JessesGirl05

I want to quit so bad but at the same time I'm just not ready to throw in the towel just yet. So I'm asking for help. I have a few questions:

1) I only have an electric griddle (sort of like a stove, but much smaller) and microwave to use to cook with. Our stove/oven is in need of repair. What are some suggestions of foods I can buy next time I go to the grocery store that are healthy?

2) I don't have a heart rate monitor, and no money to invest in one. So I looked around on different websites to compare their calorie burned estimators and got very different answers from each of them. Does anyone know of a website that they have found to be accurate? I hear MFP is usually pretty off.

3) how do you fight the cravings? I know its easy to say "just dont have junk food in the house" but when i REALLY want something- i always find a way to get it. I have even been known to walk 2 miles, after midnight, for a dr. pepper. (sure, it gets me up off my but and MOVING at least, but i'm pretty sure the Dr. pepper un-dos all the "good" from walking)

4) how do you people keep your motivation? I know MFP is a huge help for a lot. and i agree it helps me realize exactly how much cals, sugar, etc., i am eating...but i really haven't bonded with anyone on here, so i dont really feel that friend support. though there is a lot of support...IDK how to explain it.


I had a lot more questions when I started this thing and have got up to do various things in the meantime that i have already forgot my questions. so i may add more later if i remember.

trixylewis

i'd walk for a dr.pepper too! i really like the real sugar kind. i budget it into my calories and have one in the evening before bed.

RachelJE

Hang in there, honey!!! I know it is hard. Is there a community agency that you could contact to see about getting some help with your stove? Like maybe social services might be able to help since you have children. Also, a great resource is "angel food ministries." You can get great food at a fraction of the cost. A lot of what your body NEEDS can be eaten raw - fruit and veggies. I lost 95 pounds, but my first "baby step" in month one was giving up SODA (and I'm right with you on the Dr. Pepper!!!!). Even if you start with that and commit to it for a month, that is a positive change. After a couple months of drinking water and crystal light, a MIRACLE happened to me. Now soda tastes NASTY. I'm not even kidding!!!! And if you knew how addicted I was, you'd understand what a HUGE change that is!! I'll try to look for some good microwave recipes. Please don't give up!!!

MyaPapaya75

if you have no reason to throw the towel in then why do so? you have much more reason to live a healthy active lifestyle..I personally have never had a Heart Rate Monitor ..I think its really only essential for people who eat back the exercise calories...if your going to eat them back then you shouldnt eat anything you cant get the nutritional info on. as for cravings i ate sugar free jello ALL the time in obscene amounts...as my weight dropped so did the cravings..i stay motivated by myself if I need a kick in the rear I have one good friend on here i can always rely on...good luck

MrsZMartin

Don't quit! Healthy foods= fresh foods. Lots of produce! Also, lean meat. I have even cooked eggs in the microwave.

Allow yourself to indulge in your cravings. If you don't indulge in the super strong ones, you will quit, and end up giving in to all cravings, no matter how small. I read recently that if you visualize yourself indulging in the craving, like REALLY see yourself giving into it, when you do get it, you tend to not need as much to satisfy the craving. I've also heard 3 bites or sips satisfies the brain. Not sure if this stuff is true, but it's worth a shot.

I personally do not deny myself. If I REALLY want a blizzard from DQ, I have one. But I always get a mini. If my friends are going out for drinks, I join them. I'm in this for the long haul, and that means I have to make it work for me. Good luck finding the ways that will make it work for you. I 2 mile walk for a DP sounds like you're already making your cravings fit into this lifestyle. It's not an all for nothing game.

Good luck!

pocomama

Please dont give up! Add me as a friend. I have so far to go but the difference for me this time is the support I am getting. I dont have the money to invest in any equipment or monitors. But even if the MFP numbers are wrong I am still doing so much more than I was before I started. As for junk food. I dont deny myself. If I did I think I would give up. I still eat cookies... but 2 instead of 20. I drink Pepsi Max. You can do this!

sarah44254

1) I don't use my oven for hardly anything. Many things I eat are of the cold variety, like sandwiches or fresh fruits/veggies. I do as much cooking in a skillet as I can. I imagine your small griddle can warm a small skillet and that is all I would need.

2) Give it a try with eating 1500 or 1600 calories a day when you exercise, and 1200 when you don't. It is not very accurate but a good safety net if you feel you aren't burning as much as MFP suggests (which is sometimes the case)

3) Sorry I don't know. Very rarely do I have a craving, and when I do, I usually have a little piece of whatever it is I want. Ice cream, soda, whatever. I just have a little bit and put it away. That is what takes willpower. I just put it away after I have a little bitty bit.

4) Sorry you haven't found any close friend support here. I will say that though I have found a group of awesome people I like messaging, I find that just seeing the weight loss and feeling smaller has helped me more than chatting with them. I do get lots of ideas and helpful comments from folks here though! The motivation I get is kinda twisted, I have a bad body image so I am working hard to fix that in a bad way, I'd rather change my body than change the way I think about it. Kinda a bad situation there.

adfranks

Well, here are my answers to your questions

1. Buy meat, fruit, and veggies. Simply cook with a little seasoning but without too much oil. I use cooking spray.

2. I have lost over 100 lbs. without a HRM. I use the numbers MFP suggests for exercise burns... I don't always eat back all my burned calories.

3. I find substitutes for the things I crave. I will eat a yogurt when I want ice cream or a fiber one bar instead of the candy bar. I still get the "candy" feel but not the calories and fat.

4. I log everything and that makes me feel good about what I am doing. Also, yes, having friends to support you is very important. Feel free to add me if you would like!

Good luck with your goals!

jamielise2

Don't quit. You can do lots with a microwave and hotplate. I used to travel A LOT, and lived on roasted chicken (from the store), steamed broccoli and baked potatoes topped with cottage cheese. Don't want to sell anything here, but Pampered Chef makes a great line of microwave cookers and steamers that are BPA free. Ask around and see if one of your friends sells them. The rice cooker version is awesome because it acts like a pressure cooker, and in addition to rice you can cook fish or chicken (any meat really), steam veggies, or even make a cake.

Hope that helps. I do a TON in the microwave, including barbecue pork tenderloin.

SimplyDeLish

First...don't quit! You've lost 10% of what you want to lose. Just repeat that 9 more times and you're there! You can do it!

Using a griddle and a microwave you can cook anything you can on a stove. Use the griddle for meats, toasted sandwiches, etc. Microwave veggies (I throw frozen veggies in the microwave straight from the freezer...cook 5 minutes and you have perfectly steamed veggies - experiment a little depending on the power level of your microwave), bake potatoes in the microwave etc.

Don't worry about an HRM - use the best guess approach and you will be close enough on calories burned. I find MFP is generally high as compared to an HRM on some exercises, low on others. I think the difference is how our individual body responds.

Cravings...they will always be there. As I continue to eat a cleaner, healthier diet the cravings are less and less. We just have to deal with them. Drink lots of water, find low cal substitutes, and eat those foods you crave in moderation.

Motivation - I am doing this for me. But it does help to have the best MFP friends! You won't bond with everyone, but find a couple of friends that are there for you regardless of the bumps in the journey.

You can do this - one day, one decision at a time!

jamielise2

And yes, build in your treats. I eat the Lil' Drumsticks or Magnum ice cream bars several times a week and have still lost 27 lbs in less than 10 weeks. Some of us need those treats to avoid bingeing. I'm one of those...

tatiana_13

I think its time to take stock...why do you want to do this? Are you really ready? Because, if you're not, there are always going to be reasons not to. You don't need a food scale, a HRM, a treadmill, a Jillian Michaels DVD, a protein shake...even the cheering (or not) crowds on MFP...don't get me wrong...all these things can sure make it easier, and those of us who use them are certainly happy to have them...but if not having them is going to be the reason you use not to make a change, you're not going to get through this.

What's going to get you through this?

There's a little voice inside of you that wants to live the best life possible. There's your kids faces looking up at you (or nieces and nephews). Its your life partner sitting next to you, and you want to be the best person you can be along side them. And success will build on success. The healthy food you eat will actually make you feel better. And you won't want the crap you were eating before. And you'll like the way exercise makes you feel. And you'll have more energy. And you'll decide that while losing weight is your goal, the process of getting there is actually what's changing your life for the better.

And that's what's going to get you through this.

fa_malik

I am in the exact same position as you. Funny how you got no replies. So i thought I should tell you that you are definitely not alone. It is very difficult to fight those cravings and keep yourself motivated. I am still trying to do the same. Although I have found the biggest motivation ever but I still feel as if i’m lazy. Going on a vacation in December 2011 (to the in-laws...i know not much of a vacation but oh well..) so I sure as hell wanna look good. I think that’s what you need to do (maybe). Not saying go on a vacation but what I mean is that when you know for example that your in-laws will talk crap so you stop urself from giving-in to the craving..I don’t know if I am making any sense.
Just like you I am trying to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight (40 lbs to go). I have been a size-small all my life and being at the weight that I am now kills me..I don’t feel like myself at all. The in-laws part is just my “motivation” but more than anything I want to do this for myself..I want to feel the way i used too...If you need any kind of support just add me and we can go through this together =D just know that you are not alone..trust me knowing that helps!
Take care

Slinkybaz

I'm finding the Lean Cuisine frozen microwave meals really good. Dead easy and max 350 cals for each of the ones I've tried so far.

Don't give up, you've done great losing 8lbs - I've lost 8lbs in my first 2 weeks properly doing this. It's really hard work some days and easy others. If you can build up a good community of people on here it's great to get the reassurance when you need it and the reciprocal support. I'm enjoying this journey but it's really hard too.

I'm sending you a friend request if you're interested. Good luck and we're all rooting for you.

Sarah

wonnder1

I once lived in a tiny bachelor pad with a hotplate and bar fridge. It can be done I promise!

If you can't give something up yet-then don't. Just fit it in your day.

I wish I had had a griddle, why you can do anything with that!

It comes down to that fact that the only motivator that works-and the only one that counts-is the one inside of you. Did you come here on a whim? You planned it. Now you do it.

runlorirun

1) I only have an electric griddle (sort of like a stove, but much smaller) and microwave to use to cook with. Our stove/oven is in need of repair. What are some suggestions of foods I can buy next time I go to the grocery store that are healthy?

Does your's have large sides (the sides are about 2 inches deep) or is it flat? I have used mine (with sides) for loads of things: cooking up veggies with a little olive oil and seasonings, there are some frozen skillet dinners you can do in the griddle also.


2) I don't have a heart rate monitor, and no money to invest in one. So I looked around on different websites to compare their calorie burned estimators and got very different answers from each of them. Does anyone know of a website that they have found to be accurate? I hear MFP is usually pretty off.

I have used this one, it seems pretty accurate when I have tested it with what I know my treadmill said I did: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc


3) how do you fight the cravings? I know its easy to say "just dont have junk food in the house" but when i REALLY want something- i always find a way to get it. I have even been known to walk 2 miles, after midnight, for a dr. pepper. (sure, it gets me up off my but and MOVING at least, but i'm pretty sure the Dr. pepper un-dos all the "good" from walking)

It will get easier! The other day I had been eyeballing the mini cupcakes we had, and finally I 'broke' down to have one, still had the calories for it, sat down to eat it and I discovered I really didn't want it. I ended up throwing it away without even tasting it.

4) how do you people keep your motivation? I know MFP is a huge help for a lot. and i agree it helps me realize exactly how much cals, sugar, etc., i am eating...but i really haven't bonded with anyone on here, so i dont really feel that friend support. though there is a lot of support...IDK how to explain it.

It's hard when you don't feel the connections. With two young kids, it's got to be hard. I am a mom of three plus I do home daycare so having small kids around makes it difficult for my to get on here as much as I would like to. I try to pick one person in my friends group to make sure I respond to and it changes daily. This way I know at least I made a connection with someone, even if it was just to say 'Way to go"

MJKC9397

Then don't. :-) I have no clue about heart rate monitors, calories burned/accuracy, or any of that. What I have done on MFP is stick to my goals, be brutally honest about my food logs, and always err on the side of caution when logging exercises AND eating my exercise calories, etc. I have had success with this. It is so hard to ignore cravings. So what I do is try to ignore them for as long as I can, but if the craving doesn't go away after a reasonable amount of time, I go on & have whatever it is I'm craving. My personal experience is that it either will go away (meaning it wasn't really what I was wanting anyway--like thinking I'm craving sweets or soft drinks when what I really wanted or needed was a nap! lol) or I won't end up wanting it any more after the craving has been answered. It has helped to teach me to 1. break habits like "needing" the soft drink (Diet Coke was what I went to after Dr. Pepper...and now I can take it or leave it. I don't "need" it every day). and 2. listen to my body and it's hunger cues, etc. I LOVE to be able to record exercises in the daily log, so it's helped me to be more active. Even though I've not been faithful to logging my food the past couple of weeks while my computer was in the shop, etc., I still can't help but think "Wonder what the calorie burn would be for THIS activity..." every time I'm playing outside with my kids, playing in the pool, or whatever.

As for the support on here--you don't have to have it from anyone but YOU to make it work. HOWEVER, there are tons of people and TONS of advice on here that can help carry you through each goal. YOU CAN GET THERE! And I saw your goal is for next January. You can do it! HANG IN THERE!!!!

kellyscomeback

1) You can still check chicken and use a light amount of cooking spray to grease the griddle. I also suggest keeping an eye on garage sales and Craigslist for a George Forman Grill. I love mine, it's like an indoor BBQ/Grill.

2) You may not be able to find an accurate number because everyone is different. I did see a cheapo HRM watch only for $25 at WalMart and I've seen some on Craigslist too.

3) Eat something every 2-3 hours and try to make sure it's high in fiber (keeps you feeling full longer) or high in protein (like nuts). You will also need to beef up your will power and ask your self if you need that food versus wanting it.

4) I bought a $20 bikini today and hung it up on my closet door. I will always see it every day and I want to fit into it next summer. I also bought 2 great programs off Ebay too. I'm just tired of my body, I hate how I look right now and I know that only I can change it.

shonasteele

After 3 weeks I realized it was unrealistic for me to go from eating 2-3000 calories a day down to 1200 so I reset my goals to maintenance (1870) for a few days just to get used to eating at that amount. After 4 successful days I set it for 1/2 lb. loss (1630) and will do that for several days. This has taken off so much of the stress about what I'm eating and made me feel much better about being able to make long term changes to how I'm eating. It feels better to succeed at a higher calorie goal than to fail by going over a lower goal. I'm going to ease back into it and let my body adjust to the lower calories gradually so it's not such a shock, so I'm not so hungry and to lessen the stress around what I'm eating.

And when I do want something that's not very healthy I try to eat a smaller amount of it. Like try having half a dr. pepper served in a fancy glass (so it feels like a cocktail) and really slow down and savour it. If it's chocolate you crave, try a fibre one bar (nuts and dark chocolate is delicious) or a small piece of dark chocolate that you suck on slowly. I'm having a crappy cranky night myself so I asked my dear hubby to bring me home some ice cream (a mini dq blizzard) since I don't keep any in the house anymore. Baby steps sweetie - it took a long time to get where we are and it's gonna take a long time to fix it so you have to be able to live with what you're doing.

I also wouldn't worry about the HRM - just do what you can and don't stress over the numbers too much - be proud that you're doing something and allow yourself a 'reward' by eating back maybe half of the calories you burned.

Good luck and good eating! Feel free to friend me, every little bit helps!

Seajolly

1) I typically don't eat a lot of food that I have to cook. I like raw fruits and veggies, cold things like salad, hummus, yogurt, almond milk, etc. Try to incorporate more of these kinds of things into your diet.

2) I don't have a heart rate monitor either. I use the exercise calculator on MFP as a rough estimate. I don't take what it tells me completely to heart, but more as a guide. I tend to think it counts things a little too high, so if I walk 2 miles and it says I burned 250 calories, I'll pretend it's really something like 210-230. I think it's completely possible to lose weight without a heart rate monitor and many people agree! It's a nice thing to have, but not a requirement.

3) You just have to be strong. It's okay to occasionally give into cravings. We are only human. But everytime you say no to a craving, it gets easier and easier to say no again! Maybe allow yourself a "guilty pleasure" once every 2 days. Then have it once every 4 days. Then once a week. And so on. Pretty soon you probably won't want it as badly as you once did.

4) MFP keeps me motivated for sure! Also just knowing that I'm doing something good for ME and it's something I'm going to be very proud of keeps me going too.

TXMayFlower

My husband and I lived in a hotel for three months and only had a microwave.

- You could try turkey burgers on the griddle instead of ground beef with wheat buns instead of white and with lettuce and tomato.

- They have pre-packaged fajita chicken and beef that you can microwave. I usually would heat up the meat and put it on salad with cucumbers and tomatoes and some feta cheese.

- Maybe you could invest in a medium sized crock pot and there are a ton of inexpensive crock pot meals you could prepare.

- I use http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc for a calorie calculator. They have not only your basic exercises, but also various activities as well.

- I'm doing Medifast, so besides regular "dieting" I'm a extremely restricted on what I can or can't have, so the cravings are murder! But I'm doing it! I psyche myself out of the cravings. I think about how great I'm doing and how great I'm starting to look and feel. I know how I feel after eating the bad stuff and I just don't want to feel like that anymore, so I keep telling myself it's not worth it. I have hobbies and activities that I do when I start obsessing over food/cravings and just get my mind off of it. I also drink a bottle of water or have a cup of chicken/beef broth. It's been hard, but I've had to retrain myself and become more aware of what goes in my mouth.

- I totally understand what you mean about the Dr Pepper. I LOVE Dr Pepper and HATE diet ANYTHING. On my program, I can't have regular sodas and am limited to 2 diet sodas a day. I have learned to appreciate the diet soda, just for the sake of being able to have one. But it has also increased my water intake. You have to look at it as you aren't making a temporary "fix" - these have to be changes you make forever otherwise you'll end up right back where you are.

I really hope I don't sound too "preachy." I don't mean to be, but I have been overweight for over 20 years and I now have a wonderful husband and a beautiful baby that I want to be healthy for. It took a little while, but I'm finally seeing changes in myself and I get more and more excited. I guess you can say that's my motivation. I started off with 105 lbs to lose and I'm down to 78.5. I love seeing those numbers go down and it makes me want to keep going.

I'd love to be friends and offer as much support as you need!!!

wnw64

Hi There! I won't tell you something lame like "fight your cravings"... That's just bogus.... What I have been doing is just cutting down on the portions or just cutting down the parts that are really bad calorie wise. For instance, I really wanted a Rita's tonight. Instead of getting my typical gelati (which is water ice & ice cream), just go the water ice part. It satisfied me, I got my treat, but didn't sabotage my day (by leaving out the ice cream part). Yesterday, I was at a party & really wanted the "strawberry shortcake" for dessert. I went ahead & ate it, but I only took 1/2 of what I normally would have taken.

What was really frustrating for me in the past was that i felt i wasn't eat too badly, but was still gaining weight. MFP has been really helpful in allowing me to see where the excess calories are coming from. In some cases, it's actually allowed me to eat more without killing my diet. For example, I eat cheerios for breakfast on weekends. I was eating Cheerios Apple/Cinnamon thinking it was healthy/ When I tried to log it into MFP, I noticed a 3/4 cup of Cheerios A&C had almost twice the calories of a whole cup of Cheerios Cinnamon. Needless to say, I chucked the Cheerios A&C & kept the Cheerios Cinna.

There are no silver bullets, but by being aware of the calories, you can actually increase portions & still keep to your calorie goals which should help keep you better full & cut down on the cravings.

Hope my rantings helped !