Overwhelmed Please Help!!!!

erica_turner88

I am about to start my third attempt in my lifestyle change so I can successfully lose weight. However, I am just so overwhelmed!! I feel like I am doing good and then I just get way in over my head. There is so many articles and weight loss programs out there and all of them tell you to eat this and not that. So where I am going at here is where should I set my calories, what kind of exercises/programs should I do? Do I eat bread or not? Stay away from dairy items? I feel like I set myself up for failure each time because I have no idea what I am doing or how to lose weight. I have two young kids and a fiance who are picky eaters so I also find myself steering away from what is good to make sure they eat. I don't know what to do anymore. I have asked my doctor for help but all she gives me is a diabetic diet outline and it really doesn't tell me how to cook meals or only gives me like 3 meal options. I have found recipes I like on skinnytaste.com and a youtube guru leanbodylifestyle. but I still just don't understand what I should be eating. Should I have a protein supplement everyday? Do I take a vitamin every morning? PLEASE HELP! Maybe you could share with me how you got into changing your lifestyle, what foods should i try to eat everyday, how can i get my family to join me, should i count only calories or do i set my carbs? Thank you for your time and I am looking forward to your helpful advise.

Kany

I totally understand what you mean. It can get overwhelming when you try to change too fast. I was the same with you. I started gaining weight 4 years ago. The scale kept climbing until it reached 144lbs, (I'm 5'0" btw). i was feeling unhealthy and I tried dieting. I would skip out on breakfast and lunch and I would scarf down my dinner. That didn't last very long, I lost a few pounds but it didn't cut it. It was so unhealthy. I've tried different diets to see which one yields the best result for me. Nothing really seem to work except for low carb/low glycemic index diet for me. It works for me because my body is resistant to insulin. In other words, i'm predisposition to diabetes. You know when you first start changing your diet, your body might need some time to respond. You might feel a little tired so take it slow. Don't rush into hardcore work outs because when I did this before, i would get sick and then I will get off track. I would start by logging in everything you eat and you can see what you can cut out of your diet. Start slow and overtime you can build your endurance and make better choices with your food. Feel free to message me.

Jennplus2

Start with one small goal at a time. For me it was no fast food. After about 2-4 weeks (once it is a habit for you) add a second mini goal. Mine was no more soda/drinking water. Again, after you got that in the bag, add in one more thing. Like adding a veggie to dinner or cutting out your morning cream with coffee, anything you think will help your losses in the big picture.
As far as a calorie goal it is hard to advise you on that without knowing your stats, but I suggest eating more than MFP's calculator. Keep in mind that with two kids (I have two myself) you are moving a lot! I have a desk job and the MFP calculator said I should be eating 1200, after a while eating at that I would binge like a crazy person and eat all the "bad" stuff until I gained back everything I lost. I would get back on track for a while just to repeat the same binge eating cycle. I spoke with people on here who let me know it sounded like I needed to eat more, and once I did I started to lose more weight and I also felt a lot better because I wasn't always craving things all the time. Now I eat around 1500 cal before exercise and I eat my exercise calories also. I do try to eat at least 5 servings of veggies each day, and I enjoy a protein shake every morning but other than that I just try to make the healthiest choices I can while still enjoying my day to day life.
It wont work if you are hating life on a "diet" so just try your best and let the rest roll off your back. Also, if you make a bad choice at a meal or snack don't let it turn into a bad day, if you have a bad day start again right away with healthy choices the next morning so it doesn't turn into a bad week!
Good luck girl, it is hard but YOU are worth it! Feel free to hit me up anytime if you want to vent or have anything on your mind you want to talk about.
-Jenn

ps You can make yourself a healthy version of what your family will eat. Tweek the stuff you make to have less cheese or use the lower fat versions or even just give yourself a small amount of dinner and fill up on extra veggies! I had a huge issue with this also at first. Now they all know that they better not touch the "mommy food" or else! :happy: lol

Acg67

you are over stressing on the details, the most important thing for weight loss is a consistent caloric deficit. i'd recommend eating foods that you like while trying to get an adequate amount of both protein and fats and then fill in the rest of your macros how ever you like. i'd put an emphasis on whole foods, but not truly necessary for weight loss

Tropical_Turtle

Baby steps. Can't reinvent the wheel in a day. Start small and add things a bit at a time. That will help eliminate the overwhelmed feeling because when you feel overwhelmed you set yourself up for failure.

Proteins are your main goal, and some carbs since your body does need them, but baby steps. Don't deny you the foods you enjoy, because then you end up feeling deprived and that too sets you up for failure.

Keep the body moving, as they have told me in classes - move to your hobby that way it doesnt feel like its exercise.

Espressocycle

Just use this site to count your calories set at 1 lb to lose a week and you will be fine. Ignore all the people who say you have to stop eating wheat, or go Paleo, or whatever. The human body is an amazing machine - it will run on just about anything you put it as long as you don't put in too much.

For a dramatic and slightly stupid example, here is an article about a guy who ate nothing but 1,800 calories of junk food every day. He not only lost weight, but cholesterol and triglycerides improved too:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

Bottom line, eat a reasonably sensible diet and stay under your calorie goal and everything will be ok.

MinnieInMaine

Been there, done that!!

That was why, when I started out this time, I was determined to keep it simple and livable. Every time I make a change, I think "would/could I do this for the rest of my life?" Prime example - I could never cut out an indulgence like pizza/take-out in the long run. It's a treat for me and hubby (who isn't on the diet bandwagon) and gives me a night off from cooking. So I make it work. I burn calories to give myself a cushion and I limit it to once per week and make better choices or eat smaller portions. And that is a change I can live with. Same goes for chocolate...

There are plenty of people who need to cut everything out but for me, that just makes me want it more and I'll only last a couple of weeks before I cave. Better to eat what I love and be happy!

Try to keep it really simple - concentrate on tracking your food, staying within your calories, exercising a bit for health and eating back at least some of those burned calories. I'm not saying it's easy, but it can be less confusing if you keep it basic and ignore all the hype.

Troll

Okay, take a deep breath! There, better?

It doesn't happen in a day. And MY nutrition rules might not work for you because we are not the same people, so telling you to get 150-200g protein a day and keep your carbs at no more than 115g might be great for me, but it could wreak havoc on you.

One step at a time: try to track your food (carbs, protein, sugar, salt, etc too!) for a week. Then nd tell yourself that NEXT week you will take one food group and improve it (if you think you're getting too much sugar, cut out 5 grams a week). Pick a new food thing every week to improve while maintaining the improvement of the week before and in no time you'll have the hang of it!

I can mention that if you are working out strenuously that you typically aim for 1-1.25 g of protein AND carbs per pound of bodyweight (a know a lot of people in the weight loss stage who keep carbs at their IDEAL weight). Also? You don't NEED more than 500mg sodium a day, but i keep mine at about 1200 because i eat some processed food. And sugar will get easier to cut the longer you go without it-i can't eat a lot of the sweets i used to dream about at night. Good luck, and message me if i can help in any way!

shannonkk

I just count calories and try to eat foods that fill me up with less calories like oatmeal, double fiber bread, soup, sugar free jelly, and only because its low calories I drink almond milk unsweetened so I can have cereal or coffe with it. If Im hungrier one day, I work out and use those calories to have what Im craving. I have worked cake and cookies into my daily calories before, it didnt help or ruin my diet. I love spaghetti squash or broccoli with spaghetti sauce on top, some bread with a little spray butter and garlic salt for comfort and that full feeling. Now I am not a supet fit six pack having person yet, but I have lost about 30 lbs and I feel good. For exercise, I find that some days its walking, some days I can jog and other days I just use my hand weights. I love to workout while watching tv and I started out just jogging in place or dancing to videos with the kids. I agree with what others have said, take it slow, don't starve and don't do anything that you don't feel you cannot maintain. Like, I couldn't go forever without bread, I live for peanut butter and sugar free jelly. I do eat protein, usually a baked chicken thigh with brown rice, but not my favorite unless its fatty with bbq sauce.

carey1932

My first few weeks here I adjusted goals several times because like you i felt overwhelmed with all the information -- and contradictory information, at that.

It all boiled down to two words for me: Common sense

I eat in moderation, track it all, walk for excersize, and don't freak out about anything.

marzahl68

Don't sweat the small stuff. Count your calories, create a calorie deficit and you will start losing weight.

HMonsterX

Been there, done that!!

That was why, when I started out this time, I was determined to keep it simple and livable. Every time I make a change, I think "would/could I do this for the rest of my life?" Prime example - I could never cut out an indulgence like pizza/take-out in the long run. It's a treat for me and hubby (who isn't on the diet bandwagon) and gives me a night off from cooking. So I make it work. I burn calories to give myself a cushion and I limit it to once per week and make better choices or eat smaller portions. And that is a change I can live with. Same goes for chocolate...

There are plenty of people who need to cut everything out but for me, that just makes me want it more and I'll only last a couple of weeks before I cave. Better to eat what I love and be happy!

Try to keep it really simple - concentrate on tracking your food, staying within your calories, exercising a bit for health and eating back at least some of those burned calories. I'm not saying it's easy, but it can be less confusing if you keep it basic and ignore all the hype.

Really, if you're starting out, this post is perfect imo. Exactly what i do too. Especially the part about thinking "Could i do this for the rest of my life?". The key is to make small changes that you are happy to live with. That way you are far more likely to continue it, and keeping it going for a long time is vital!