I'm a newbie!

TJFreeman

Hello everyone! I'm so happy to have found MyFitnessPal. I hope today finds you all in a good state of mind and ready to take on the week.

I joined MyFitnessPal because no matter what I have tried (Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, etc.), I have been unable to lose the 50 pounds I gained approximately 2 years ago. As I have listed in my profile, I feel as if I have become a slave to food. I think about it constantly, yet I want to break free of it. My main problem is I am a boredom eater. During the week I get home from work and my exercise class (at least I do that) around 7 p.m., but my husband doesn't get home until around 8:30. Between the time I get home and he gets home, I eat everything in sight. Then we have dinner. I feel that if I could change just that one little thing about my eating habits, I could lose weight. But HOW do I make that change? I try to convince myself I don't want to eat that snack, but in the end, the craving, or whatever it is, wins, and I end up eating and feeling guilty. I know I should go ahead and fix dinner for myself when I get home, but I really enjoy eating with my husband. Maybe I just have to do what's best for me, and try to enjoy eating with my husband on the weekends. I don't know. Does anyone else out there have this same problem?? How do I talk myself out of eating things that I know are bad for me - candy, etc?

I am ready to take my life back, to start living for the day and not living to eat, only to feel guilty at the end of the day. I look forward to taking this journey with those of you who are here with me.

MOMOFTWO29

Hello and welcome to MFP, the best website ever!!! You will love this site if you don't already. I love this site. It is so motivational, supportive, helpful, easy to use, and everyone is so nice and friendly. I just wanted to wish you a lot of success on your weight loss journey. You can do this!!!!!!!!!!! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

gnastro

Hi TJFreeman,

I think everyone has a certain time that snacking is a problem. I usually have 2 bottles of very cold water and then I eat a luna bar or a fiber one bar. The luna bars have about 170 calories but they are delicious.The fiber ones are 140 calories and are also yummy. Try to sit & read a book or a magazine until hubby gets home. I hope these tips help good luck.
If you would like to join a group I'm part of the Sexy September starters. We are under motivation and support We all just started in Sept. and weigh in on each Monday. Sometimes it helps to speak to other people.:drinker:

You can do it !!!

Gina

lizzys

hi

TJFreeman

Thanks everyone for the encouraging comments so far!

Gina, I LOVE the Fiber One bars. I haven't tried the Luna bars yet, so thanks for the suggestion! The water is where I have a problem. I HATE plain old water. I have discovered a love for the SOBE Lifewater zero calorie waters - especially the Fuji Apple Pear. That does help to sustain me somewhat on days I have my exercise class. I honestly think my snacking is more a boredom thing than a hunger thing! If I could just convince myself that I am not THAT bored!

LittleEva44

Hi TJ! Your first step was admitting you want to lose weight :flowerforyou: I went from 189 pounds to 172.8 (I weigh myself every 15th of the month). Here are MY tips for you:

Drink 64 oz of water daily; work out 3 days a week for 30 minutes. Take your vitamins/supplements, talk to your doctor before exercising/dieting, use extra virgin olive oil (this is yummy to dip wheat bread when you make your wheat spaghetti); speaking of "wheat" eat wheat products: bread, spaghetti, cereal, etc., eat fruits and veggies, snack on "any" type of nut (walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds are best), drink skim/soy milk, eat yogurt, eat fish/chicken/turkey/lean meats, have salads WITHOUT dressing (ask for extra virgin olive oil @ restaurants/use at home), stay away from POPS/SODAS (drink diet sodas/pops once a day if not, once a week), don't eat "fried foods" (french fries, potato chips, etc), try eating Baked Lays, air popped popcorn, buy a pizza stone ($29.99) and you can create your own delicious home made pizzas with Boboli wheat pizza crust (already made); veggies to your hearts content, one can of refried beans (protein), one can of whole kernel corn (drained), and lite mozzarella cheese...yum! You can eat the Oreda crinkle cut fries that you bake in the oven, stay away from the salt shaker, stay AWAY from processed foods, foods made with hydrogenated oils (cookies, cakes, pies, etc). For dessert you can eat a skinny cow chocolate w/peanut butter ice cream sandwich....yummy!

Stop eating 2-3 hours BEFORE you go to sleep. I learned from Oprah's Boot Camp you have to STOP eating 2-3 hours BEFORE you go to sleep because your metabolism shuts down (as everything does when you're in a REM (rapid eye movement).

Go to www.prevention.com. They have yummy reicpes and is another souce of website for motivation. Did you know that if you pay for your subscription to Prevention they give you a free pedometer? One should walk/step 10,000 steps daily. Check them out! They have a free website w/the magazine there in front of you in case you can't suscribe just yet.

Don't drink COFFEE. Drink Chai black/green tea instead. Chew gum all day. It keeps your mouth "busy". I've also heard/learned that before you eat a meal eat your soup first since it helps fill you up before the main course.

Please, please, please weigh yourself "monthly". We women suffer from PMS, water gain, bloating, etc., two weeks before we mensturate. I swear (Eva crossing her finger and doing a "cross" by her ) you WILL lose 3-4 pounds every month. If you do the "math" that's THE average of 1 pound a week. This helps you from NOT getting discouraged IF, if, you weigh yourself daily/weekly as alot of women in this site tend to do (weigh themselves daily/weekly and then get discouraged and give up on dieting/exercising).

Thirty minutes before you work out eat one of the following (check out the OR), one apple, OR one small box of raisins with a handful of walnuts, OR soup, OR yogurt. Why? "They are packed with high-quality carbohydrates, which provide a quick source of fuel for your muscles, but they have just enough protein and fat to help you maintain a steady, elevated energy level" (source: Prevention Magazine April 2007).

AFTER your work out, drink a protein shake (Slimfast, Special K, EAS Myoplex, etc). Why? "After a workout, your muscles need protein to repair microscopic muslce tears, plus another shot of carbs to help restock energy stores. Cyclists who drank it after a tough racing session had improved endurance and recovered fast than those who drank an ordinary sports drink (which supplies carbs and electrolytes, but no protein)" (Source: Prevention Magazine April 2007).

Stay away from alcoholic drinks (includes wine).

Set small goals for right now. Start with the FIRST 10 pounds. If you work out and eat right (the first month WITHOUT cheating), you'll lose 5-6 pounds (mainly water retention weight) because you are flushing your body (detoxing). THEN the weight will be HARDER to lose. Remember, it's soooo easy to gain the weight, but hard to lose it. "No pain, no gain!" No worries if the weight is harder to lose since it means that it is time to "up" your exercise regimen (1 hour 3-4 days a week). When you've lost the weight, then you can go "up" to 1,500 calories (maybe for the last stubborn 10 pounds). If you closely watch "THE BIGGEST LOSER" they have to lose more than 50 pounds; their calorie intake is 1,000-1,100. Wow! Bless their for doing that!!!

If you want more "tips" let me know as you know how to reach me. Blessings and good luck!

Eva

TJFreeman

Thanks so much for the encouragement and tips, Eva! I sincerely appreciate your taking the time to share all of that wonderful information with me. Those all look like very good things to follow, and I cross my heart I will do it to the best of my ability!!