Motivation?!? Help??

Jennifoy

Hello all!

Since I am new to this site (joined today, yay me) I would like to tell you all about myself/eating habits etc..

I am finding it very hard to motivate myself to start with the weight loss routine, not because I don't want to exercise but because I do. That won't make sense until you have read this whole post but I would just like to ask for advice.

Firstly, I shall tell you about myself. I am 27 years old, weigh 182lbs and I am roughly 5'5. I have 2 children, an 8 year old (almost 9 eek) and a 5 year old. All my life until I was around 24 years old, I was a steady 126/130lbs. This is my pain. 3 years since my "normal" weight and I am now almost 4 stone heavier than I have ever been, since leaving college!

I have been eating hardly anything for most of my adulthood. I don't have an eating disorder (that I know of) I just have a small appetite. I don't snack much either. I thought this was fine because I have always been that way, my mum used to say I had a pigeons appetite but I was healthy so it didn't bother me and I didn't eat junk food so it didn't bother her either. For both of my kids pregnancies I gained the usual baby weight and as soon as they were born the weight just fell off. It did take a little longer with my first child but with both I was breast feeding so I was trying my best to eat more regular and more healthily. I breast fed my youngest till he was 10 months then before I knew it he was 2 years old. Then something happened..

I got an online job.. After being out of employment for so long with having a family and all nobody wanted to hire me, the only place I could get a job was online. I now work as a customer support agent for 20 hours per week. It was 40 but I shortened it as it was taking it's toll with family life. My work involves sitting on my butt for 6 hours per shift, sometimes 8 hours straight. When I first started online work I would sit for sometimes 12 hour shifts, that's a lot of sitting! I noticed the weight creep on, my jeans were getting tighter on the thighs and my bras weren't too comfy around my underarms. I was getting chubby! I didn't think anything of it because weight loss to me was nothing, it will just fall off like it had before right?

Wrongggggg!

Because of my appetite, still pigeon sized and breakfast skipping was the norm, my metabolism has gone into reverse and I can't shift the weight. I read the article on this site and I was like.. Wow.. That is so me! I don't think I starve myself but I have this thing.. I never feel hungry.. When I feel dizzy I think right, time to eat. The kids get fed at normal hours but I think "I will fix something for myself later" I have got into this habit now and can't shake it.. So now, I am at a loss. I have no energy to exercise because my food intake isn't enough and I eat the wrong foods. I don't really do junk food but I do like the odd Chinese takeaway :blushing:

So where does that leave me in the grand scheme of things? I can't start on my dieting/exercise plan because I can't exercise with no energy and I can't increase my food intake to where it should be. I find it so hard to eat more than I already do, it feels like it's coming back up. :sad: That sounds terrible but I swear I don't have an eating disorder, I just can't eat a lot. I didn't realize at the time but before, when I used to be active with the kids and around the house, I kept the weight off because there was balance but now I just sit and work. I need advice. Where do I start??

cjjones007

believe it or not, increasing your food intake WILL help - it will tell your body it's ok to burn - that will give you energy to work out, and voila

Seriously - eat what you "should" based on the guided goals, follow the protein especially, and cut out as many processed foods (especially carbs) as possible... Drink lots of water - I means LOTS - it helps with energy believe it or not... within a week (at 389 lbs even) I found that eating "healthier" and drinking 12-16 glasses of water a day allowed me to start working out...

C>J.

wwhite94

Just start with a little game of try and catch mommy(or so and so) with the kids for exercise. You will feel more energy after a little while.Or go for a walk to the park with the kids maybe on a picnic. Each time you feed your kids eat just a little bit NOT a full meal at first just a bit or two of everything Or have a timer and every 2 hours eat something a handfull of nuts a fruit(apple banana,etc..) or a vegetable( carrot, celery etc....). Dont force yourself to eat a lot just a small amount every couple of hours will get the ball rolling and you will see your energy start to pick up. Bake up some chicken and cut it up like you would for your youngest and then snack on it throughout the day just something hope this helps. You may add me if you like.

abzbargs

Sorry you're having a hard time of it:( I can imagine it's hard juggling family life and a sedentary job and so on. I'm the heaviest I've ever been too, but have lost 11bs in the 45 days I've been on MFP. For me the food diary really helps me and the fact you can input your exercise into that is motivational to see the extra you can eat.

I love food and could eat forever... that's how i got to where I am:( I see your problem is lack of appetite. Perhaps you can eat little and often througout the day so you don't feel uncomfortable? You can play around with the settings in your food diary to include mid morning/afternoon and evenings snacks/meals to remind you to eat then. Maybe planning your food the day before in the diary could help too, so you don't have to think too much about it as you know what you're having.

With exercise I noticed you got the 30 day shred. That's only 20 mins you could fit into your day or evenings or whenever so maybe a good place to start out? If you hate it, then find somethng you love doing. There will be something. Wii/dvds/taking up running or swimming. Look at the forums and get ideas of what people are doing and enjoying.

Friends. I like having friends on MFP. You motivate each other through ups and downs and as you feel there's nobody you can relate with regarding weight loss this could be key to helping you along the way. This is a lifestyle change and you're not going to work wonders overnight but just play around with things and see what works for you.

i see you're in inverness, I'm from Scotland too, Ayrshire. Add me as a friend if you like. Good luck with it all, if you're like me you might find it's hard to get into it at first but something will click and you'll start loving your new lifestyle.