This ain't gonna be pretty

SuperSteph81

I hate diets. The thought of having to limit myself, makes me want to punch a dolphin. I have never been the type that could eat what I wanted and not gain weight. My genetics failed me even through my teenage years. i glare at the girl next to me that says, "remember when you could eat whatever you wanted when you were in high school?" No hag, i don't. Now at age 30, it's so defeating the thought of having to watch what I eat.
A friend suggested this site to me months ago and the stubborn *kitten* I am, dismissed it. Having to record my every move of food? It'll either show me how much of a fatty i am or show me how horrible i've been to myself with the crap I eat.
It's Day 2. I already feel like lying to my 'tracker' and say i ran for an hour so I can have more calories. No one would know! Then i go to the bathroom and walk by my mirror and remember why I'm trying this in the first place. . . . i would know and i'd feel i cheated myself. guilt is a hell of a motivator!

Spring is coming and summer quickly follows, meaning hiking and down-hill mountain biking are in my future. I have let myself go over the fall and winter of 2011. At first it was because of my asthma situation and i needed doc's help to get it under control. After that, it became an excuse to not do a damn thing over the cold months. But i remained to eat the same way. with no energy outlet, the pounds started piling on.

So, i need to do this. one-to not fall over after going up 1/2 mile on my hike this summer, two-get rid of this muffin top that has made residence over my jeans, and three-to feel comfy walking past a mirror & not thinking self-discriminating thoughts to myself.

It's just hard. . . . . .i work full time, school full time. . that in itself, leaves barely room for recreation. And then putting on top that i need to log in my food and hope i dont go over my calorie intake. that my friends, can be the most discouraging. I aint giving up yet, guess this is just a hard day. On these days, i just need a kick in the *kitten*.

EroseT23

I hate diets. The thought of having to limit myself, makes me want to punch a dolphin. I have never been the type that could eat what I wanted and not gain weight. My genetics failed me even through my teenage years. i glare at the girl next to me that says, "remember when you could eat whatever you wanted when you were in high school?" No hag, i don't.

Oh man, this made me laugh. I'm sorry you're having a deflating day. I know it's hard, especially with such a packed schedule. But remember, exercise doesn't need to happen in 60-minute intervals, there are lots of workouts and routines that are 30 minutes or less. (Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred comes to mind). And the food tracking will get easier the more you do it. Eventually, after honestly tracking a few "normal" days, you'll WANT to start making different choices so those numbers look a little better.

You have the whole internet supporting you for those hard days. :flowerforyou: You can definitely do this.

SuperSteph81

Thanks for the encouragement!

lcteaches

You are a hilarious writer - such a talent! Just get into the habit of logging all the food and exercise - whether it is a good day or not. If nothing else, it makes you more mindful of what you are doing, even if you aren't reaching daily goals.

soccer8s

Hey SuperSteph! I'm here for ya...I still feel like that and I've been on here for 3-4 months now...maybe more....Keep your head up...add me if you need more encouraging friends!!

CookieCrumble

Very funny post, SuperSteph... :-D

You can do this, build in a little bit of wiggle room in your allowance so that you can have a little bit of what you really want to eat - and don't feel guilty!

tomomatic

You had me at "punching a dolphin." Those smug little fishes... I'd like to put them in their place.

Friend request coming.

KXanthos

KICK!!!!

Nerdy_Rose

Dolphins are d*cks. You should totally punch them for exercise.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/dolphin_punch

Ge0rgiana

:laugh:

Don't look at it as defeating or a burden. Look at it as something you're doing to take care of yourself, like taking vitamins and going for checkups. I hate to sound like a raging hippie here, but your body really is a temple and all that good rot. Seriously. You only got one bag of meat that you're carting around in this lifetime. Nothing wrong with wanting to get it into really good shape. :bigsmile:

Ge0rgiana

Dolphins are d*cks. You should totally punch them for exercise.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/dolphin_punch

Ah yes... I the Oatmeal.

edisonswifey

Hilarious and so true! The more you log in, the easier it is to do. You will more or less the amounts you can eat. One thing I suggest is to workout the same amount each week. I was working out differant amounts to make up for the over eating and was starting to feel achy. My DR said it wasn't good to do that. YOU can do this! We all have those days/ruts. You are the only one who can make the change. Just remember, baby steps.

MeMountainMom

Thank you Steph!! Great job on the writing and tha nk you for the reality! Diets are so painful. Getting started isn't fun but you put the funny in it thank you!!!

jenluvsushi

I too have been tempted to "lie" to my tracker but then I had a realization......the only "person" I'd be lying to is myself. It is also the same thing that keeps me from wolfing down candy when nobody is looking. The first week or so is the hardest and then once you see the scale move, you will become more motivated too. I am not saying I don't ever slip up....believe me, graham crackers are not safe in my house before TOM but my god, I get back up on the wagon ASAP. You can do this!

reddi2roll

It is even more important when you are so busy to plan ahead. Cook big batch of something you like and divide it up for lunches and dinners when you are away from home. If you plan ahead the logging will be much easier. You can make big pot of soup and freeze small portions in zip lock freezer bags. Lay them flat on a cookie sheet until they freeze. Get as much air out of the bag before freezing. Then just throw it in your lunch bag and by the time you are ready to eat it, it will be defrosted. Pop it in microwave. Eat with salad or bread and you are good to go. You can do this.

Balance27

Tracking is a pain in the butt. I put the app on my phone and I track while walking around at work, especially when something is saved in my favorites. The bar code scanner helps too! I have talked myself out of junky food on more than one occasion just because I didn't want to bother tracking it.

And remember, every step no matter how small can be a step closer to your goal.

jennkess

tracking your food does help.. and it does get easier especially if you are like me and eat the same dozen or so dinners it will be listed for you already to check and add rather than so a search and add.

I started just logging, not really changing much just kept track of everything I put in my mouth. and pretty soon I started to view food different, I would look at the plate of pasta and remember how many calories it was when I ate 2 cups last time and started with just 1 cup....to see if it would fill me up, sometimes I went back for more but most times I didn't. Girls Scout cookies came around and i can eat a whole sleeve in one sitting. this year I took 2 cookies back to my desk ate and enjoyed them wanted more but decided to add them to my diary first, added the 2 cookies and saw they totaled 140 calories in 2 little cookies and decided while I enjoyed what I had it was not worth the "empty" calories to eat any more so even though a box has been open in the break room everyday since 95% of the time I manage to say no.

you are on this site because you recognize you need a change. take is slow if you dive right in you will just hit your head on the bottom - test the waters take it 1 toe at a time and soon you will be making life changes- Not Dieting!

good luck and feel free to add me as a friend if you want to stalk me

dane11235813

The thought of having to limit myself, makes me want to punch a dolphin.

:laugh:

best line of the day. thanks!

rjo921

Listen...we have all been there. Trust me. I can relate about working full time....then when I get home I am caring for two disabled people so that means tackling all of the home chores that need to be done...which in itself can sometimes be a full time job...and then there is a teenage son to look after.... But after a while this will become second nature.

Actually posting what you eat holds you accountable. Yeah, you can put down that you exercised for an hour and a half and have eaten salads all day long....but the only person that you will be hurting is yourself. If you are serious about your goals...then you can do this. Having this available has actually made me think about my food choices...do I go to McDonald's because it's quick and I can grab something? No...because I will eventually have to make that entry that I ate something from there....and the insane amount of fat and calories that are contained in their food is also another deal breaker.

Everyone has crappy days...there are days that I don't want to exercise or watch what I eat or do things that are good for me...but in the long run...it is that much longer that I have to work for my goal. Just do it right the first time....hang in there. You can do this. :flowerforyou: Feel free to friend me if you like....

marckilgore

You are freakin' hysterical - punching a dolphin...

kyle4jem

I've been logging for 7 months now... it's part of my daily routine and I've become very familiar with calorie values.

I think you need to start by logging EVERYTHING you eat for a week and not worry about dieting. As you log, think about why you've eaten what you've eaten and then see if there are any patterns forming: boredom, frustration, stress.

No, if you hate diets, the best thing is to learn portion control; have your favourite meals, but just take away 1/3 or even ½ and freeze it or pop it in a tupperware tub for tomorrow.

Find an activity you enjoy - walking, swimming, cycling - and then try and do about 30mins three times a week.

Once you've got into the habit of logging and taking regular exercise you'll be surprised how easy and enjoyable it becomes.

And then you've got your MFPeeps here to encourage you and make you realise it's not easy and there are no quick fixes and it takes commitment and planning and blood, sweat and tears!

But if you're truly determined to do something about your health and fitness and waistline, then I think this is the place to be.

Good luck!!! :flowerforyou:

Danny_Boy13

It can be difficult starting anything new that we are not comfortable with. Before too long you will be addicted, especially once you see the results coming you just want more and more. I too work FT and go to school FT and Im also involved in a speed skating team that also takes up a good bit of time so I feel ya pain. About 1/2 of the time I dont log but I have a good idea of what I am eating to make sure that I keep myself in check. Remember, you get out of something by what you put into it. If you or anyone needs any help just hit me up. Im a good MFP IMO!!!

mzhokie

Do you have a pedometer? I use a Fitbit and that's how I found this site. It's syncs so when I go over what MFP thinks I should burn in a day, I get the credit in my calories. If you are that busy with work and school, you might be burning more calories or might find ways to burn more calories if you have a way to measure them.

The Fitbit is expensive but I like gadgets. I like that can isolate events to see how many steps I take or calories burn... like on a walk with the dog or a walk around Target. I will walk up and down each aisle at the grocery store to see if I walk a half a mile. It's silly but sometimes it amuses me and on a rainy day I know I can walk 2000 steps buying groceries.

Another site to sync up to with a few things like runkeeper on an iPhone is Earndit.com. There you can earn points to exchange for rewards. I rarely get more than 30 points a day but it's another motivator. I will take the long route with the dog if I have the time or stay on the treadmill 5 more mins if I'm in a challenge there and need the points.

Anyway, I am like you.... I can not remember a time that I could just eat what I wanted without gaining weight. Because I don't want to starve myself, I'm counting calories and getting in some exercise. I take it one day at a time and many times I take not gaining weight as a victory! hehehe

Stick with it. Find what works for you and motivates you.

tomomatic

I try my best to log what I eat before I eat it. That way I'm using my diary to plan my day based on where I know I'm gonna be. If I wait until after I've already eaten it, then it's probably too late and I'm gonna take it out on a dolphin. I don't always follow the plan but I try to stay close to it. I try to put everything into MFP after breakfast so that I'm not planning when I'm hungry.

Leslye125

You crack me up; no truer words have been spoken. Yes, at first it feels demeaning and belittling to log everything you do every single day. But, in the long run, it does really bring things to light. You realize your faults yes, but slowly; you find strengths you never knew you had. Good luck, you will do well here.

YummyTpn

First of all, your words made me LOL! You have my kind of sense of humour, girl~!
I hear ya about fitting it all in...I just find that even if I work in 20 mins of cardio a day, it gives me such a mental and physical 'boost' that it makes tackling the rest of my day all that much easier. Exercise definitely has a domino effect and the more you do it the better it feels. It's always finding the motivation to get going that is the biggest stumbling block for most people, me thinks.
I wish you the best and sincerely hope you meet your goals. You CAN do it and you have a stellar community here cheering you on!
:flowerforyou:

YummyTpn

Do you have a pedometer? I use a Fitbit and that's how I found this site. It's syncs so when I go over what MFP thinks I should burn in a day, I get the credit in my calories. If you are that busy with work and school, you might be burning more calories or might find ways to burn more calories if you have a way to measure them.

The Fitbit is expensive but I like gadgets. I like that can isolate events to see how many steps I take or calories burn... like on a walk with the dog or a walk around Target. I will walk up and down each aisle at the grocery store to see if I walk a half a mile. It's silly but sometimes it amuses me and on a rainy day I know I can walk 2000 steps buying groceries.



I have a Fitbit too and love it! It's well worth the investment, just under $100. Actually, another MFP member told me she bought hers for half of that on ebay (I had already ordered mine, so it was too late for me, but it isn't for you!)
I want to say also that I shared your frustration at having to log everything every day, and saw it as a chore. However, as one other member posted here, it DOES become addictive! I now look forward to logging and seeing just where I'm at, I also have the app on my phone, which makes it very easy to do. It's exciting to see your progress, and also helpful to see how many calories you've eaten. We often underestimate this and they do add up quickly.
Do track, and track accurately. If you don't do it honestly, you are cheating your beautiful and funny self out of a whole lot!

Danny_Boy13

You realize your faults yes, but slowly; you find strengths you never knew you had.

:drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

mgmlap

stick with it...logging is a pain at first..then it becomes very natural. As far as working out...the more you work out..the more energy you have..i know..weird..but true.. there are loads of stuff on the Net that you can do in 30 minutes or less

Also when going to work..park real far..to get some extra burn..and when going to school..again..park on the opposite side you have a ways to walk..you can do it...

memcd911

i glare at the girl next to me that says, "remember when you could eat whatever you wanted when you were in high school?" No hag, i don't.

:laugh:

Right there with ya!

Good luck with your journey!!

k8blujay2

Those poor dolphins, they didn't do anything to you....

But I totally feel ya on the whole not wanting to deprive myself or lying to the food tracker (if I don't log it, I didn't really eat it right?)... We just gotta keep at it. It's for our health.