5 pounds down... Is that all?

kacyc1117

this is the end of my first week on MFP and i have dropped about 5 pounds. Any other time i would be thrilled that i dropped those pounds but i feel like i'm not doing well. It's hard to transform the way you eat overnight and I've always been a junk food addict plus i work at mcdonalds so I'll let you figure out how hard it is to eat healthy and work there. I had surgery about 3 weeks ago and still deal with the emotional loss of my baby and my attention goes to food. What do i do? I see all these people on the site that want to drop ten pounds and my 96 seems like too much. Any advice for me?

kacyc1117

this is the end of my first week on MFP and i have dropped about 5 pounds. Any other time i would be thrilled that i dropped those pounds but i feel like i'm not doing well. It's hard to transform the way you eat overnight and I've always been a junk food addict plus i work at mcdonalds so I'll let you figure out how hard it is to eat healthy and work there. I had surgery about 3 weeks ago and still deal with the emotional loss of my baby and my attention goes to food. What do i do? I see all these people on the site that want to drop ten pounds and my 96 seems like too much. Any advice for me?

FluffnStuff

First, you gotta breathe....
No one is saying you have to change EVERYTHING overnight.
This is a lifestyle change, not a temporary thing, so you need to do it at a pace you can maintain.
5lbs in a week is great. It may not happen every week and you need to be mentally prepared for that.

Take it a day at a time. Find other ways to cope with emotions besides food (trust me, I do it too). Most importantly, make small changes at first. Rome wasn't built in a day....:flowerforyou:

fatfranny

5 pounds down at a time. Set mini goals and reward yourself for each goal met. I too have lost a baby, so I know how you are feeling. A word of advise that I have discovered is that you can't control bad things that happen to you, but you do have control over what you put in your body. Concentrate on making your body a healthy temple for your next baby to thrive in.......

motivated1

I understand. I'm in roughly the same position. It's tough to see people eating that
way when you so desperately want to change your life.
My husband left me last year when I was two months pregnant..I ended up losing the baby..and eating my stress away (so I thought).
I know it's going to be a challenge, but I want this.
Good luck to you and your journey..if you ever need a friend, I'd be more than willing
to work alongside you.
We can do this!!!!!!!!
:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

angelascott919

Girl, 5 pounds in one week is great. It is hard to resist temptation when you have it around you all the time but you are doing good. Don't focus on the end number it can be depressing (believe me I know). Work toward smaller goals and keep up the good work. Remember why you are wanting to lose the weight.

Jenny_Bee

Don't be so discouraged, I think 5 pounds is totally something to be proud of! 5 pounds is the beginning of your 96 pounds and while the road may seem long, do it for yourself! You have a goal, and you will learn your limits. Always talk with a doctor to see if your goal is realistic, but in my opinion... shoot for the stars. Unfortunately tragedies tend to direct us to eating as a comfort. Maybe try taking up a new hobbie? Or when you're down and upset, go for a walk and look around and appreciate the beauty of this world, and get lost in the intricate nature of blowing grass, barking dogs and fluffy white clouds. Be proud of yourself and don't get discouraged! If hundreds of others can do it, I'm sure you can too!

pattitricia85

5 lbs is great, just think by next week if you lose another 5 you will be 10 pounds lighter. it sounds like you are well on your way!

chrissyh

5 pounds is AMAZING!!!! And guess what - that's 5 pounds less of you!!!

I started with 90 pounds to lose and I am 2/3 there - I never lost 5 pounds in a week - don't give up!

PinkShoes

Hi!
First...I am sorry about the loss of your baby. I have no idea how emotional that must be. But you will get through it! Every hard thing that you survive makes you stronger!

And...five pounds in one week is awesome!!! :happy: Most people lose about 1-2 a week when eating right and working out - and most guidelines tell you that the healthy average is 1-2 pounds a week. Sometimes when you first start a diet/fitness routine, you'll lose more at the beginning and then it slows down the more you lose.
And 96 may seem like a huge amount but it is possible!!! I'm trying to lose about 80-88 pounds and I've lose 30 so far and I'm still losing! There are people on here who have lose over 100 pounds - so it is possible!!! You may have some plateus (sp?) now and then where you may not lose anything for a week or two...but don't let that stop you! You'll get over the plateus! I did!

Try setting mini goals for yourself. I do 10-pounds by 10-pounds. So my first goal was to lose 10 pounds. And when I reached that, my new goal was to lose another 10 pounds and so on. Ten pounds seems less much overwhelming than the ultimate goal that you might want to lose. Just take it step by step and before you know it, you will have lost 40 pounds! And then your're almost half-way there! And don't be too hard on yourself! Remember to tell yourself that your worth it everyday! You deserve to be healthy and happy! :happy:

Emotional eating can be a struggle when you've had something tragic happen. Sometimes eating helps you forget the sadness that you feel. Maybe try replacing that eating with exercise. Exercise is a stress reliever that can help you work through emotions too. Or you could try yoga.

And it would be hard to work in a McDonalds and eat healthy...I'd be tempted by those fries all the time. Try and bring pre-made snacks, lunch, dinner, etc. with you. Like for a snack you could have an orange and some almonds (not too many though) or some carrot sticks or an apple with a little bit of peanut butter. As for lunch and/or dinner, you could make a healthy sandwich at home (whole grain bread, a lean protein such as white meat turkey or a veggie burger and lettuce and tomato (and even more veggies on the sandwich if you want). Try cutting out the mayo and just put mustard on your sandwich.
For breakfast you could try egg whites and whole wheat toast. Or a healthy cereal (whole grains, minimal or no added sugar and low-fat milk), a whole grain waffle with a non-trans-fat margarine such as Smart Balance or Promise. And if you want something sweet on the waffle, try a non-sugar jelly/jam instead of syrup ( you can get fruit juice sweetened jams that are delicious!)
Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, lean protein, whole grains, and a lot of WATER!!!

Also, pop is something that can really put you over your calories - and they're empty calories. If you drink a lot of pop try cutting down on it until you cut it completely out of your diet. I used to love pop but I cut down to once a week and now I rarely ever have it. I just drink water now and I don't even miss pop anymore!

I hope some of this helps! And you can do this!!!
Tell yourself everyday that you're worth the hard work!!!


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Binkylove

5 pounds is a really great start to your weight loss. Since i joined i have 74 pounds to lose and so far iv only managed a pound off a week!!!! Dont beat yourself up about the weight loss....your doing great!

Pamela XXX:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

ngwife4life

You've gotten some really great advice and encouragement here. I just wanted to add a few things. First, your mindset has to change if you want to be successful for the long term. This isn't a race and as much as I would LOVE my body to transform over night, I know that it is going to take me a long time. If it helps you to think for the shorter term, adjust your goals in MFP for a 10 pound loss and then adjust it again when you make it there. Hey, you're already half way to your first 10 pounds!!!

There will be weeks when you don't lose, where you may gain a pound or two or where you only lose a small amount. What matters is the measurement for the long term. I stayed the same this week but if I look at the last month, I've lost 7 pounds. I haven't lost 4, gained 5, lost 2, gained 10, etc. Try to keep that in mind and don't let it discourage you. You CAN do this!

Second, you may have already sought counseling but if you haven't, don't be afraid to do so. In the very least, find someone positive and encouraging to help you cope with your loss. I cannot fathom the feeling and I'm sure it is easier said than done to tell you to talk to someone. Just understand that food is not the answer and it's only masking the pain you're feeling. It will not numb you, it will only compound the issues. While I haven't dealt with the loss of a child, I have dealt with a lot using food as my comfort. Had I dealt with the issues long ago, I would probably only have 15 pounds to lose but instead, I ate myself into oblivion trying to make the feelings go away. I wish you the best and hope you can find the peace you deserve and lose a little weight in the process.
:flowerforyou:

blindwebguy

First of all... congratulations on 2 things... your loss of 5 pounds... and also making the commitment to lose the weight in the first place.

Now - if you're used to seeing everyone else in the 10 lbs to go boat... then list to me because I'm in the same boat you are. I have 98 pounds to go to my goal. That goal is probably on the low side. But I'm taking it one day at a time. I have been losing weight very slowly over the past year and a half. I started losing weight from my highest weight point during January of 2008. I had reached 370lbs.

Without being very serious about losing weight, I simply began making some better food choices. I did not add exercise at all until recently. From Jan 08 to Feb 09, I lost about 30 lbs. Since then, I found myfitnesspal.com. I began logging my food intake and my exercise. Since mid March I have dropped another 14 lbs... NEVER more than 3 pounds in a given week.

I'm going to succeed this time. I have changed my mindset and my attitude. I know that I also want to change my career. If your career is keeping you overweight, you need to realize it is time to move on. I sit behind a desk all day... that will not be the case in another year. I am going to train for a new, more active career. I am making that change to help me make my physical change.

Myfitnesspal is a great site. But there is more out there to be found. I also discovered a podcast called fat2fitradio. (www.fat2fitradio.com) LISTEN TO ALL OF THEIR PODCASTS! You will learn a lot.

Find out what BMR means. Learn it and then live it. It is the key! Calculate your BMR maintenance calorie intake for your goal weight - and then begin to eat like that person. Do not go much below that maintenance number or you'll begin to mess with your metabolism.

I am now eating better than ever and loving every minute. I have begun to exercise and the weight is slowly but steadily coming off. EAT Enough food. Eat when you are hungry. Eat 6 or even 7 times a day. Buy apples by the bags. I eat 3-4 apples a day... I love the Gala apples. As you log your meals, you'll begin to see how certain foods are better than others. You'll naturally begin to start cutting down on certain things .. like bread, because you don't want those calories. I'd rather add a few slices of meat to a half sandwich than have less meat and 2 slices of bread.

PROTEIN is your friend.

Begin walking. - I never knew how easy it was to walk 3 miles during lunch... while eating an apple.

Drink lots of water. If that's too bland - add a Benefiber go-pack to the water for taste.

CUT OUT ALL POP (SODA) / BEER.

Drink green tea.

READ, READ, READ.

Finally - here is kind of what I am coining as my key to success in life. Its called PIES. Do something everyday that address each one of these areas of your life: the Physical, the Intellectual, the Emotional, and the Spiritual.

The PIES of life.

Good Luck. 5 pounds is great. 2 - 3 pounds every week for the next 30 weeks is better!

missheidi

you also have to remember that some of us who are posting ten pounds or so to lose have been working on it for a long time and that's just the last ten pounds or whatever. I have 10 posted, but that's the last of 50 pounds, and i've been at this for more than a year now. (jeez, like, 18 months.) five in a week is amazing! just keep plugging along.

neecey

Everyone here is so supportive! I love this site! I can't add much more to the awesome replies you've gotten except to say that I've basically taken my eating plan in a different direction that just counting calories. My "rules" are:

No RED - as in red meat. I only eat chicken and fish, occasional pork loin (white meat) and I do eat animal products - dairy, eggs. I only eat "meat" once a day - usually the evening meal. So if I eat an egg for breakfast or a turkey sandwich for lunch, I don't eat meat at dinner. I eat lots of beans and veggie meat substitutes.

No WHITE - as in white pasta and bread. I always choose wheat or whole grain. The only exceptions are a sour dough English muffin once a week and a white potato once or twice a week. Sour dough is full of probiotics that benefit the digestion tract and white potatoes are a resistant starch that doesn't elevate the blood sugar as much as white bread and pasta because of the fiber. Plus its chalk full of vitamins and minerals

Lots of BLUE - as in blueberries, purple grapes, dried fruit and other berries. They have lots of fiber and nutrients as do other colorful produce.

Limit ANIMAL fat - as in the 4-legged animal fat. I read a tip once that the fewer the legs from which the fat came from, the better. Think about it: chickens have 2 legs; fish and plants have none

And the biggie that's made a world of difference to my eating plan:
No TRANS fat! - that means I limit my intake of ALL processed foods! I look at the ingredients and if I see "partially hydrogenated" or any other weird word like that I skip it. I only buy products that have normal, natural ingredients. I

It was hard at first to make the transition when I relied on convenience packaged stuff like noodle mixes and rice mixes to round out the plate, but once I learned how to make coating for chicken from Kashi whole grain crackers and pecans, I never bought processed crumbs or shake 'n bake again. Same for making noodles with a cream sauce. I cook the pasta in water till halfway done, drain it return to pan, add enough milk to almost cover pasta, add a spoonful of FF plain yogurt, a spoon of low fat cream cheese, some galic powder or fresh pressed garlic; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer till the sauce thickens and is reduced to the consistancy you like. Add some fresh grated Parmesan cheese or feta and serve

You're doing good and will continue to do good when you feel good. It all goes hand in hand. Hang in there!!!

:happy:

paddlemom

Hi, welcome to MFP. This is a wonderful support group, here, with great advice! You will find, as you visit the messageboards, everything from warm and fuzzy to a little "tough love" out there, but you will ALWAYS find they are a group of people who really care and share. There are so many who have been where you are, I hope you can find your kindred spirits to help you get through this rough time.

blindwebguy! That was such a great post!!! Thanks for your perspective - I love PIES!!! I will keep that in mind from now on.

One thing I would like to add is from the perspective of this taking a long time. For me the thought of only losing a pound or two a week felt like it would take forever for any meaningful results to happen. What helped me was to think about how quickly time passes for other things in my life.

Even something as simple as sitting here watching the leaves come out on the trees and realizing that it seemed like only yesterday I was shovelling snow! When I was shovelling snow I was 30 lbs heavier and one full pants size bigger than I am now. I couldn't walk around the block without stopping and bending over to tie my shoes actually hurt. I feel so much more fit and capable now!

At first I would just pat myself on the back for making it through another day, then another week of logging my food and staying within my calories. Then I would reflect on little milestones like feeling more flexible or walking a little further. Measure how far you look back to when you started this journey rather than looking at how far you have to go. Take one day or one week at a time and the results will take care of themselves more quickly than you know.

Phoenix_Rising

Go to the store.
Pick up a 5lb bag of sugar.
You have lost that this week!!
Don't lose sight of the tree for seeing the entire forest.
Small goals, small steps.
Inch by inch, life's a cinch. (Where did that cheesy line come from? I made myself groan. Ugh.)
Seriously though, focus on short term goals.
If your first goal is 10lbs, you are half way there.
If it's 50lbs, you are 1/10th of the way there.
Start small sweetie. 5lbs is a great loss!!