NEED HELP! dieting and exercise not working.

EatClenTrenHard

Would choose whooper over the lower picture anyday/anytime.

Vegetable diets failed me couple times, because all the willpower and dedication in the world wont stop you from cheating with mcdonalds.

lewandt

I think your exercise calories are way too high. 4 minutes on a bike 94 cals? I burn about 200 working 30 minutes or more on a bike. You have a lot of 6 minutes here and 8 minutes there. You should shoot for a steady 20 minutes on one thing if you can.

Also, are you weighing or measuring your food? That can make a huge difference too.

Lozze

I think your exercise calories are way too high. 4 minutes on a bike 94 cals? I burn about 200 working 30 minutes or more on a bike. You have a lot of 6 minutes here and 8 minutes there. You should shoot for a steady 20 minutes on one thing if you can.

She's at home with a young child. As long as the exercise is happening it doesn't matter if it's all at once or broken up. I agree with it being too high though. I do elliptical for five hard minutes and it's about 60 cals. (HRM)

AngelsheriHackley

Ok I looked at your diary and from what I can see you need to change your diet and increase your workouts. Your consuming too many carbs, try eating plain oatmeal and one whole fruit for breakfast a lean cuisine and small salad with fruit for lunch ( light dressing) And fish or a protein with veggies for dinner. snacks should be sugar free jello, sugar free Popsicles, snacks 100 calories per serving once a Day only, . Drink 10 glasses of water daily and workout use the elliptical for 45 mins 5 days a week. Also lift light weights three times a week and do Zumba for fun.. Don't give up this is what helped me lose 40 pounds and it will do the same for you. Also go to www.plussizedivaslimsdown you will learn so much from her.. God bless you and hang in there

milaxx

I understand you are busy, but I never use the the quick as calories. I find when you have a lot to lose those macro nutrients are really important and can factor in greatly. if you don;t have time to add specific food, find one in the database that closely resembles what you are eating. Also even if you do not add salt to your food, the processed foods you eat like lunch meat, subway, pizza hut, etc... are full of sodium and sugar. Expand your diary to monitor your sodium. I would also recommend getting more fresh food and vegetables in your diet. As for water, your body NEEDS it and while you may not like water, you indeed drink it. I am not a fan of chemical additives, but will on occasion add a bit of lemon or peppermint leaves (in cheesecloth) to my water. If you at a minimum drink a glass of water when you awaken, and before each meal you will eat less and feel fuller. Combined with fresh fruit and veg, you will feel full and lose.

the quick added calories are from things i wouldn't find in the database, but i ALWAYS used the label to get my info and i didn't add the rest of the info such as sodium fat and everything because i have a 1.5 yr old and don't always have the time, also mfp never seemed to save the info one the few that i did complete. also i dont drink pop or anything, i do have juice because i just cant force myself to drink water, its ALWAYS tasted and smelled like fish to me, even bottled water.so yes i know i need to drink more water and i try hard. i also don't use any salt on my food anymore, other then whats it in already. the ice cream and chocolate were valentines day and well another part of the month that i just couldn't resist it. i know my food's aren't as healthy as they could be but compared to what i use to eat they are amazing and iv new to this so i don't really know much about making up a healthy diet another thing i need help on. also for everyone telling me to do weights, i don't have access to any. memberships are really expensive and i have no one to watch my kid while i go. also for the few who think this is about loosing weight for vanity its not. i have a child and im over weight, i cant play with her with out getting winded or tired, that's not fair to her or to myself so im doing this for her and for my health. the weight thing is just a bonus, but its confusing because i don't understand why doing what i have been doing helped me loose the weight and though i haven't changed what im doing im gaining it all back.

i am thankful for all the advice and if someone would like to email me a list of healthier foods and where to get them in Canada that would be awesome. if you could even send me a link to a site that could automatically generate me a menu plan for the month or something i would follow it. i just find soooooo many different solutions and options on here and any other site that its just more confusing. im trying it might not seem like much to a lot of you but to me it really has been a huge change in life style. i am open to all suggestions though.

demhareis

My recommendation: Don't drop your caloric limit. Reduce your carbs by maybe one or two serves, but up those veggies by a good three serves, adding a lot more variety than you're currently getting.

Here's why I think this:

You seem to be getting enough carbs, proteins and fruit. (Maybe a touch too many carbs. you only need about 4-5 a day, and it looks like you're getting about 8.)

You're not getting nearly enough veggies, and most of them are the same thing over and over (really, how much cauliflower can one eat? You're a champion in that one!)

You need to eat at least five serves of veggies a day, and a wide variety. Sure, cauli is a veggie, but it's not a complete whole food for humans, with the right balance of vitamins.

I don't recommend you drop your calories, though. I believe that's not your problem.

I think what may be happening is that you've entered a variation of Starvation Mode. Sure, you're getting enough calories for your body to do what it needs to do in a day, but are you getting a good balance of vitamins and minerals? Probably not.

When our bodies don't get enough of *all* the right vitamins, minerals and other nutritional goodies we need for optimal health, it'll stop functioning at it's best.

Weight loss happen when the body reaches two different points:
1. there's not enough calories to sustain the body, so it dips into its fat stores (and muscle stores, etc). This is Survival Mode, known to our pre-20th Century ancestors as Winter Mode, the body doing its best to stay alive. Alas, this can bring all sorts of other health issues, such as Scurvy, etc, in extreme cases.

2. The body is receiving consistent, well-balanced nutrition over a long period of time. As it doesn't need its fat stores, it's happy to let them go.

Our metabolisms slow down when we don't receive enough of *everything* to keep them cranking away at their best. If you're not getting enough of the vitamins and minerals found in vast quantities in vegetables, your body's not operating at its best. Then you're pumping in all these carbohydrates, that take care of your energy needs, and your personal stores of fat aren't being used up.

Everything else you're eating seems to be fine. But go more veggies. How about adding a few mushrooms, tomatoes or red bell peppers to your eggs in the mornings? How about adding a garden salad to dinner?

Have a look at every meal and think, "how can I add another veggie to this?"

milaxx

That a lot of fake food. She can adjust her existing diet, by having a piece of fruit with her morning cereal. Buy a turkey breast and slice instead of lunch meat and have a small side salad or other green vegetable. If instead of junkfood she simply reaches for fresh fruit, or nuts there is no need to eat food coloring, fake jello as a snack.

Ok I looked at your diary and from what I can see you need to change your diet and increase your workouts. Your consuming too many carbs, try eating plain oatmeal and one whole fruit for breakfast a lean cuisine and small salad with fruit for lunch ( light dressing) And fish or a protein with veggies for dinner. snacks should be sugar free jello, sugar free Popsicles, snacks 100 calories per serving once a Day only, . Drink 10 glasses of water daily and workout use the elliptical for 45 mins 5 days a week. Also lift light weights three times a week and do Zumba for fun.. Don't give up this is what helped me lose 40 pounds and it will do the same for you. Also go to www.plussizedivaslimsdown you will learn so much from her.. God bless you and hang in there

Switty_Kitty

Doesnt look like you're eatng enough REAL food. Stop quick adding and actually log what you eat. Quick add doesnt count Fat, Sodium or anything else, besides calories. Try to incorporate more fresh foods.

By the way....Im a displaced blue noser...Yay NS!

milaxx

I think your exercise calories are way too high. 4 minutes on a bike 94 cals? I burn about 200 working 30 minutes or more on a bike. You have a lot of 6 minutes here and 8 minutes there. You should shoot for a steady 20 minutes on one thing if you can.

Also, are you weighing or measuring your food? That can make a huge difference too.

Depending on your weight, the calorie burn will be higher. I get insane calorie burns taking water aerobics. My sibling attended the same class with me and MFP recorded her burn at 100 calories less.

demhareis

... and now I've read more responses and had to add another tuppence of advice:


As a mom who had a passel of children real close together, I found that getting alone time to exercise was impossible. For the mother of young'uns, alone time of any kind is non-existent. Even the loo is no longer private.

So, you integrate the kids into your exercise, or integrate the exercise into the kids. Why leave them out?

Cardo: Chasing kids about the back yard. Nobody's got energy like a two-year-old. Play active games with them. Sure, you'll be puffed after five minutes, but do your best to keep up. If it's too cold or snowy outside, simply running up and down the hallway or around and around the family room will work.

Put on some kid's music (Wiggles, Sesame Street, what-have-you) and dance with the kids. I highly recommend this.

Involve them. Don't leave them out of your exercise. Not only are you getting the exercise you need, but you're teaching them good habits to last a lifetime. Also, you're spending good quality time with them which brings psychological benefits as well.

Weight training: Don't think you must go to a gym to do weights. Forget the gym*. Busy moms don't have time. But busy moms do have a their own set of free weights in their pantry cupboard. You've got cans. You've got bottles. There's your weights. Start lifting. Bicep curls. Tricep lifts.

And there's nothing like pushups to use your own body weight.

You've got a toddler, probably weighing 20kg. Sit your young'un on your ankles and do leg lifts. Do chest presses and shoulder presses.

(* That said, if you're new to doing weights, I recommend you visit a gym a couple of times and get the advice from a personal trainer on how to perform free weights properly to maximise benefits and prevent injury.)

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

bjohs

Would choose whooper over the lower picture anyday/anytime.

Vegetable diets failed me couple times, because all the willpower and dedication in the world wont stop you from cheating with mcdonalds.

Agreed. But I went from eating fast food a few times a week to maybe once a month now. All in moderation... it's okay to treat yourself once in a while. It just depends on what some people consider "once in a while". ;-)

zafferFL

Would choose whooper over the lower picture anyday/anytime.

Vegetable diets failed me couple times, because all the willpower and dedication in the world wont stop you from cheating with mcdonalds.

Agreed. But I went from eating fast food a few times a week to maybe once a month now. All in moderation... it's okay to treat yourself once in a while. It just depends on what some people consider "once in a while". ;-)

exactly!!

you can lose weight eating junk food, but that means either eating one meal a day or exercising an insane amount to create a caloric deficit. Over 1,000 calories for one McDonalds meal..no thank you. What a waste where you could be using that to put vitamins, decent protein etc... into your body instead of ground everything with a major dose of salt.

CLEAN food are needed by your body..this is not just about weight loss, but avoiding diabetes, heart disease and who knows what else

OShea72

KansasRain- Don't give up! It's frustrating but it takes time to learn your body's needs as you force it to change...

It's well known that everyone needs at least 8 glasses of water per day...but you (and me and anyone overweight) actually need more. I went to a nutrition doctor last year after hitting 100 lbs. overweight, and actually learned something new:

A body at their ideal body weight requires 8 glasses of water per day to maintain healthy cell and metabolic function. For every 10 lbs. of excess weight, a body needs an extra glass of water to perform those functions!

At 100 lbs overweight, I needed EIGHTEEN glasses (144 oz) of water a day...That's an entire gallon plus 2 glasses! That seemed unbelievably high to me, but I did it. The weight came off. I filled a gallon pitcher with ice water each morning and I made sure to drink at least that gallon every day. I noticed the days I gained weight were always the days after not drinking all my water. My water requirements have dropped as my weight has dropped. I now need 104 ounces per day, so I don't need an entire gallon anymore, but I do maintain or gain slightly on days I don't get at least 96 ounces.

Cola is counterproductive, even diet cola sabotages weight loss. Don't know why, just know it does.
If you can't tolerate water, you can "dress it up" a little with tea or crystal light to give it some taste, but try to get used to drinking plain water...it works better. I find it easy to drink ice water, actually like it. But I understand your "fishy" comment as it pertains to tepid or barely chilled water. Also, drinking ice water burns a few extra calories as your body has to "warm it up" to use it. Not enough calories to count in a journal, but every calorie burned matters!

Also, a previous post mentioned that dehydration sends the same signals as hunger. That is TRUE! When you are getting enough water you won't feel hungry in between meals.

Just thought I'd share this as I have been stuck at plateaus and gained weight when I thought I was working so hard...this water thing actually worked and continues to work 60 lbs later!

Once you are properly hydrated, you'll likely feel so much better and encouraged you will probably start thinking water is your favorite drink! :happy:

SunnyAndrsn

Don't try to do everything at once, but as someone else suggested, shop the perimeter of the grocery store, to start with. Add a salad with dinner and some veggies at lunch. I buy a head of green leaf lettuce and some green veggies every week. Fresh green beans, broccoli, snow peas, carrots, etc.

Try some new recipes http://www.zonya.com/healthy_recipes.html. I also have a bunch of Weight Watcher's cookbooks, and it helps to try and find lower calorie, lower fat substitutes for my old favorites. Try planning your meals and shopping accordingly. I try to eat a piece of fruit with breakfast, for example. I try to eat veggies with both lunch and supper, and keep snacks to things like a serving of pretzels (instead of chips), a serving of sorbet (instead of ice cream). I make my lattes at home with skim milk. Replace regular burgers with low fat turkey burgers, or bison burgers. If I get a french fry craving, I'll buy a bag of frozen fries and bake them--saves a ton of fat over the fast food version.

You've made some small steps in the right direction, and it's great that you've take the first steps in logging your foods and starting to exercise. Feel free to add me as a friend. I think it's helpful to look at other people's food journals for ideas.

the quick added calories are from things i wouldn't find in the database, but i ALWAYS used the label to get my info and i didn't add the rest of the info such as sodium fat and everything because i have a 1.5 yr old and don't always have the time, also mfp never seemed to save the info one the few that i did complete. also i dont drink pop or anything, i do have juice because i just cant force myself to drink water, its ALWAYS tasted and smelled like fish to me, even bottled water.so yes i know i need to drink more water and i try hard. i also don't use any salt on my food anymore, other then whats it in already. the ice cream and chocolate were valentines day and well another part of the month that i just couldn't resist it. i know my food's aren't as healthy as they could be but compared to what i use to eat they are amazing and iv new to this so i don't really know much about making up a healthy diet another thing i need help on. also for everyone telling me to do weights, i don't have access to any. memberships are really expensive and i have no one to watch my kid while i go. also for the few who think this is about loosing weight for vanity its not. i have a child and im over weight, i cant play with her with out getting winded or tired, that's not fair to her or to myself so im doing this for her and for my health. the weight thing is just a bonus, but its confusing because i don't understand why doing what i have been doing helped me loose the weight and though i haven't changed what im doing im gaining it all back.

i am thankful for all the advice and if someone would like to email me a list of healthier foods and where to get them in Canada that would be awesome. if you could even send me a link to a site that could automatically generate me a menu plan for the month or something i would follow it. i just find soooooo many different solutions and options on here and any other site that its just more confusing. im trying it might not seem like much to a lot of you but to me it really has been a huge change in life style. i am open to all suggestions though.

HonkyTonks

How much have you gained back exactly? That's a pretty crucial key to the puzzle. You can get a few pounds in fluid coming up to your period, or if you've eaten a lot of salt or more carbohydrates than usual. Probably best to give it a bit longer before freaking out too much.

Secondly, if you do feel you are gaining and have been for a while then you are miscalculating somewhere along the way. Weight loss is pretty simple, calories in vs calories out. I would focus on ensuring you are calculating the correct number of calories in, and not overestimating your calories out.

chuckleswk

I saw in there several times that you are eating out. Those meals are going to severally kill your diet....even if it's just one. It also doesn't list your water intake. If I were you, I would lower your caloric intake to close to 1600 and keep exercising and then go from there. The worst thing for your diet is McDonalds and Pizza Hut and other such fast food restaurants. If we are feeling pizza, we have a chain here that uses everything fresh and cuts it all themselves called ZPizza. We also have dropped the buns if we want a burger and eat out at Smashburger building our own meal and food so that we stay within out calories (the wife is doing it with me). I would also suggest weighing your food (which is what we've gone to). Hope that this helps. Feel free to add/message me anytime.

carriecarrot

I am going to be blunt. Based on what you said about your current exercise habits and how many exercise calories your diary says you are earning... I think that maybe you are overestimating how many calories you have burned. When you do the girl push ups and use myfitnesspal to record the calories--do you differentiate between real push ups and girl push ups when recording the calories burned? Do you think it is possible that you overestimate on how long or (if running) how fast you are doing the exercise? Also, it is possible to overestimate on how much effort you put into the exercise. I say this because I have noticed for myself, that exercise calories are much harder to accurately track than calories consumed. For instance, I played tennis for two hours, and put in 120 minutes of playing tennis. I don't remember the exact amount of calories myfitnesspal said I burned, but I knew it wasn't accurate because there were times when I was resting (waiting for serve, in between points, picking up scattered balls around the court) and not running around and hitting tennis balls for the entire 2 hours. So I changed it to an hr of tennis, knowing that at least half of that was spent actually running and hitting the ball. My point is, the diary can overestimate how many calories you burned due to input errors. If you went swimming, you have to put in separate exercise entries for treading, light swimming, backstrone, breaststroke, etc because putting in swimming (general) for 3 hours is likely to get you a highly skewed number and claim you burned over 100 calories lol

KansasRain

UPDATE: at the first post i mentioned i lost SEVEN POUNDS in about 1.5 weeks and that since then even though i had changed what i was doing to loose those pounds i gained them. I STARTED at 290 after i lost the seven pounds i was 283 then the weight came back and i was at 289 TODAY i weighed in at 282.4!

People asking how i know how long i worked out? simple, i have a stop watch and i use it, when i take a break i pause it when i start up again i start the watch again. i do NOT add time unless im actually working out. As for the the mfp telling me i have burned to many calories then what i actually burned. i had noticed some times the amount would seem high so i always took off about 10-15 min to be on the safe side.

Also for mfp give to FEW calories for food, if this is the case why should i bother using this site? why are any of you on this site? if everything i track is wrong according to all of you then whats the point? anyway i DO add more then i THINK iv eaten. if i think i had 1 serving i always add 1.5 servings to mfp to be on the safe side. Also no i do not weigh my food but i will start to do so if that's really what it takes.

As for the water/juice....if i drink it i add it. Honestly i usually DON'T drink much of anything during the day. i don't like water and i know juice isn't good for me so i go with out, but not to an extreme if i am thirsty then i DO drink and i DO add that. i am working on drinking water, and I DO NOT DRINK SODA not even a sip. YES i know i need more water then that.

yea i go to fast food places, like i said i JUST STARTED so no i don't have a HRM i don't know how to make healthier versions of my favorite meals, i don't know which veggies is healthier then the others or any of that, thus the reason im asking for help. Also my exercise is what i can do NOW as a fat person who hasn't been active in over a year, in a couple weeks it will be better.
My activity level is set to sedentary. I have started tracking my sugars and sodium like some of you suggested.

I think for the most part that answers all the questions i have seen, also im not discouraged im just simply confused and a bit stupid when it comes to all this. i have no clue about exercising or dieting this is the FIRST time i have ever tried. I WILL SUCCEED AT THIS and not because i want to be skinny or because i want cute clothes but because i have a daughter who deserves to have a mommy who CAN pay tag or hide n seek or teach her to swim and skate. Because i have a husband who is a big kid at heart and deserves some one who can keep up with him. I want more kids and this body is NOT up to ready for a HEALTHY pregnancy and i WANT to FEEL HEALTHY so for those of you who have emailed me calling me vain or telling me im doing this for the wrong reason tell me what better reason is there for loosing weight other then for your family and health?

instructor03

Here are a few tips: Don't like water? Buy light Crystal light or MIO. It flavors the water and there are some great choices. There are also many flavored waters out there. I recently had a Disani Strawberry water and it was delicious.

Green and orange veggies are the healthiest. Eat a variety of fruits. Go to www.choosemyplate.gov. It will guide you on what is healthy and portion sizes. Here is a hint: the palm of your hand is about the portion of protein you should have.

Di3012

Would choose whooper over the lower picture anyday/anytime.

Vegetable diets failed me couple times, because all the willpower and dedication in the world wont stop you from cheating with mcdonalds.

Actually I don't need any willpower to avoid MacDonalds - ever. Their grub does nothing for me and leaves me starving two minutes after eating a burger. Total waste of time for me is MacDonalds lol.

FluttershySweetie

Looking at your diary theres wayyy too much sodium in your diet. Also, alot of takeout food and wayy too much quick add calories that don`t take any other unit into consideration like fat and carbs... eat more veggies and fruits and you`ll be able to eat much more food and eat high protein high fibre... you can take a look at my diary if you want. Some days are better than others but I eat alot of filling food in the run of a day and I`m usually always under my calories, and drink lots of water or herbal tea!

Di3012

Would choose whooper over the lower picture anyday/anytime.

Vegetable diets failed me couple times, because all the willpower and dedication in the world wont stop you from cheating with mcdonalds.

Agreed. But I went from eating fast food a few times a week to maybe once a month now. All in moderation... it's okay to treat yourself once in a while. It just depends on what some people consider "once in a while". ;-)

exactly!!

you can lose weight eating junk food, but that means either eating one meal a day or exercising an insane amount to create a caloric deficit. Over 1,000 calories for one McDonalds meal..no thank you. What a waste where you could be using that to put vitamins, decent protein etc... into your body instead of ground everything with a major dose of salt.

CLEAN food are needed by your body..this is not just about weight loss, but avoiding diabetes, heart disease and who knows what else

Excellent posting Alexpapa!

climberchic

Give it more time and you should really try not to stress it too much. Think slim and healthy and you will be. Don't dwell on the scale!! Eat right, stay active and think positive and it will happen. Just not overnight. Anything worth while takes time. Good LUCK!!!

MrsBlobs

Your sugar and sodium seem consistently high, that may not be helping

mangozulu

19 days isn't enough time to see results. How long did it take you to reach your current weight? It will take at least a similar time frame to lose it. Be patient. A person can see 5-10 lb fluid fluctuations during a month. The point of dieting is to retrain yourself to eat healthfully and sensibly so that you can maintain a healthy weight for the long term. You will not being 'going off the diet' in the near term. So you'll just have to buckle down and do the work. If you have problems losing weight after 3 or 4 months of consistent adherence, see your doctor and/or a registered dietitian.

ejohndrow

1.) Your daily caloric goal seems pretty high, but to each their own I guess.
2.) Just looking back at the last week of your diary, there is very little nutritional value in the foods you are eating.

I know people say calories in vs calories out, but I've noticed that personally I need to eat a healthy diet in order to lose weight and keep it off. Also, if you don't already have one, get a heartrate monitor to see what you actually burn. Sometimes we think we burn more than we really are on a home workout.

Lastly, drink water.

oops, didn't see your post above, but well to beat a dead horse this is it. if you want to follow what we've told you works for is then go for it, if not, then oh well.

duffydog1

Hi, Many people here will have you beleive it is a simply what you put in against what you burn up. Maybe like me you have a low metabolism and need a little more thought about what you actually put into your body. I had a quick look at your diary ( no wonder you are hungry). You are eating quite a lot of dairy . yoghurts, shakes etc which have a fairly low nutritional value, but higher on calories - the same with pizza - just don't bother with that, you can only get a slice or 2 within your calorie allowance and it doesn't fill you. Try googling foods that boost your metabolism.
I have an underactive thyroid and find that if i eat within my calorie limit but more processed foods like you are eating I just don't loose weight at all. Try for just one week making everything yourself. Fruit salad for breakfast with wholemeal toast. Homemade salad for lunch with low fat dressing and maybe some lean ham. Chicken or white fish for dinner with loads of green vegetables and a small serving of brown rice or pasta. You will feel as if you have eaten properly and have more energy - plus the pounds will start to move providing you keep up the exercise.
Good luck to you!

youarewhatyoueat86

If you're gaining or at a standstill then you're eating too little. I eat about 1500 and burn 400-500 daily at the gym. When I ate 1200 my weight loss was extremely slow or I'd even gain a little. At 290 you should be dropping weight fast, as the heavier you are the quicker it comes off. And then it'll slow down. So basically reevaluate your plan, eat around 1500 and exercise a few days a week, be patient and it will come off.

CallmeSbo

Its only been 15days.

TONYAGOOCH

Ok....here are MY suggestions. I'm not here to criticize you cuz I know how hard it is. Especially when you are just starting out and have NO idea where to even begin. I used to be on Weight Watchers (which you might be interested in by the way). They taught me how to eat healthy and make healthier choices. They also showed me how my ESTIMATE of food portions were sooooo way off base from the actual MEASUERED ones. So my 1st suggestion is to measure your foods so that you can accurately log them. Suggestion # 2. Drink plent of water or fluids. If you don't like water, try adding Crystal Light to it for flavor. Drink unsweetened ice tea or Green Tea. You need to drink at least 8-8 oz glasses everyday. Preferrably 1/2 your body weight in ounces though. Suggestion # 3. Get at least 5 servings of Fruits and Veggies every day. Break it down to like 2 fruits and 3 veggies. Watch your fruit intake. Whereas fruit is very good for you, the have a lot of natural sugars and carbs. Choose the fruits that are more fiberous like apples and pears. Berries are great too. Suggestion #4. When cooking, try to sub "healthier" varieties of foods such as lower or fat free products instead of full fat. Applesauce instead of butter or oil when baking. There are several websites that have healthier versions of our favorite foods. Emilybites.com is just one of them. Try using whole grain products instead white. As far as eating out goes, I feel ya on that one. We LOVE to eat out. We have slowed down a lot though and that has really helped. It's really hard to chose healthy things at fast food restaurants. TRUST ME. Just when I think I did really good, I look up the nutritional information and WHAM! I'm hit with a ton of bricks. If you are gonna go out, I suggest looking at the restaraunts website and checking their nutritional information so that you can make the best choices. Most fast food chains will have a website. Unfortunately not ALL local ones will. When that happens, just do the best you can. Order without butter or oil, baked and not fried, lowfat or fat free dressings. You CAN do this. Hang in there and give it some time. If you are able to, I really do suggest Weight Watchers. The meetings are so very helpful. Then once you get your materials and get the hang of it and feel you can do it on your own then you can stop. There are no contracts binding you to it. Good luck and hang in there. ((hugs))