Aha moments

sarita66

It has been fairly quiet on here so I thought I would start a thread to see if we can get some chatter going. Today was a big accomplishment for me. I went out to lunch with some friends today and ordered a healthy salad with steak tips (small lunch portion). The group ordered spinach/artichoke dip w/ chips, drinks and fried food. normally I would have indulged in all those foods, but I stayed within my cal count and opted for water with lemon. We also walked around the shops including the candy and ice cream shops. I was able to say no! This was Hugh, not eating ice cream. I didn't feel deprived and I really tried to focus on the company and not the food.

Has anyone else had some aha moments while trying to stay on track?

aweltha

Great job! Sometimes its difficult for me to realize that I can't eat the way everyone else does. Its just the reality that I live with. Luckily I surround myself with incredible people who love and support me.

lissa0040

Nice Sarita! It is really hard sometimes. If I only had 10 pounds to lose I might let myself have a twinkie lol but at this weight sometimes we have to say no. It won't kill you, you survive and then feel proud of yourself. I was in a business meeting with 3 other "normal size" girls and they decided after eating a sensible lunch of half sandwiches and salads that they were going to buy dessert. Huge cookies and a gigantic brownie. I was full and I would have had to force myself to eat it so instead of eating the extra 400 calories I passed on it and enjoyed their company. I didn't feel deprived or have plate envy I just drank my tea and continued on with the meeting agenda. It was nice because I didn't have to feel guilty for going overboard. Now yesterday was a totally different story. I worked my booty off at the gym TWICE yesterday according to my heart rate monitor I burned over 2,000 calories. Later that night we went to a ribs burn off, I enjoyed some ribs and other treats because I had worked so hard. I wasn't using food for a reward but I knew that my hard work had put me in a nice position to be able to enjoy a little without worrying about going over in calories.

I actually experienced an epiphany too. I learned how much I am physically capable of. My trainer had me doing things I didn't think i was "ready for at my size" I was sweating buckets and thought I might lose my lunch at a couple points but I kept at it and finished with a sense of self pride and worth that I haven't felt in years! I believe I can do this. Not sure if I didn't believe it before but yesterday that thought popped into my head. It feels really nice. Although I never thought I could afford to hire a trainer before it wasn't that expensive in the grand scheme of things and I am learning so much about myself that it is definitely worth it!

sarita66

Keep up the good work Melissa!
I love these moments when things start to click. The trainer has made a tremendous difference. It is worth the money. I figure what I have spent on eating out more than makes up for the cost of the training. I am also doing it in a small group with friends, so we can share the cost. I am trying not to eat up all my exercise calories. I have found that in the beginning that I was overindulging with food thinking I could because I worked out.

Onlineslimme

Hello Sarita66
Really great aha moment! i salute you. I don't know if i could have done that! This is my Day 4. I'm having a bit of a rough time getting started. But I feel like I'm on the brink of something big. I really believe that entering the food I eat in this format is really going to help.
I'm quiet too. This is my aha moment. I'm not on Facebook, I have never blogged. I can't believe I'm actually sharing anything here with strangers. But i need to make a change and I'm hoping this is going to do it. 2 pounds so far, 148 to go. unbelievably crazy. I don't know how i let this happen, but here it is. I wasn't heavy til after I had my children, but my mom had the same trouble. So I've got to stop this now.
So - good for you! that was an awesome moment - hang onto it and build. I plan to come here and read/look around the website every time i feel the need to eat something i shouldn't.
Keep up the good work.
Onlineslimme

lissa0040

Welcome Onlineslimme and Aweltha! I have to agree with you Sarita. I definitely don't want to get into the habit of eating crazy just because I worked out. I feel like if I am making this crazy effort I should be getting the most out of it - not eating all of my results away.

Over the years I have diet-ed off and on and off and on. I always would have big losses right away and usually would hit a slump and go back to my same old habits eventually packing it all back on again. This is my first real effort since I have been over 30yrs old and the difference is INSANE. It is taking me quadruple the effort it used to take to lose a single pound. It is awful and I couldn't understand what was happening but from talking to people I've heard it gets harder as you get older. What do you guys think? Next week I am shopping to eat clean and exercise hard all week and see what kind of results I get. So far I have been stuck at the same weight for a while. I am working out enough or eating just well enough that I should be progressing some just based on math alone -- but no such luck. I feel like my body has some sort of secret password that once I find the right combination of actions the weight will melt away! (fingers crossed)

sarita66

Welcome Onlineslimme and Aweltha. Do you guys have shorter nicknames? My typing sucks (lol). I am with you. I didn't think I would be comfortable talking about weight loss and my feelings online, but this has been a very supportive and friendly group. I look forward to writing things down in the MFP tracker and then checking in with folks to see how people are doing. It really keeps me motivated. I also like that there are no time constraints, you can check in anytime.

Melissa, I have changed my eating plan this week. My weight loss has been creeping off and I have been very frustrated. This past week I have cut way back on breads, cheese and sugar. I think I have been over doing these processed foods even though I had been staying under my calorie count. I will know tomorrow if this switch has worked when I step on the scale. I also cut way back on drinking Crystal Lt ice tea and have been drinking water with lemon and fresh mint (awesome w / mint)! I have given myself a small treat with a small piece each night of really good dark chocolate. I love Lindt chili dark chocolate.

Another aha today ( 3 days in a row, who is this woman?). I went to the beach w/friends and I packed a lunch with salad and fruit. No chips or ice cream even though the others were eating it.

Well,that's all for now. I hope we can keep these topics going. Hang in there everyone. As Melissa says, "we can do this!".

lissa0040

So I live in a town that comes alive once a year. The Pro Football Hall of Fame festival is this week and this morning there was a parade. I live right next to the parade route so I was trapped in traffic for a while -- making me late for my training. I called the trainer and asked if it was ok if I was late. He said I could be late if I don't mind working out with another girl. I SO wanted to cancel. I won't even lie. I know the other girl and she is half my size. I just didn't want to have to try and keep up with someone else. When I got there he had us doing exercises side by side. I was keeping up ok. Surprisingly, she is thin but not physically fit. At one point we had to race each other pushing a football plow down and back on the indoor football field. I WON every single race. Every one!! I am a good 125lbs heavier and I smoked that girl.

I am capable of so much more than I ever thought...

We can do this!!!

joannecando

I had one yesterday. My sister is in town for the weekend, and all "the girls" went out for Mexican food. We ordered queso, and I took one bite and decided it wasn't worth blowing my day over. That felt really good!

lissa0040

I had one yesterday. My sister is in town for the weekend, and all "the girls" went out for Mexican food. We ordered queso, and I took one bite and decided it wasn't worth blowing my day over. That felt really good!

AH-mazing! Now that is some self control! Great job!