Ladies-how do you cope?

RobinC37

I joined MFP on Monday (I think). Tuesday I had to go get my birth control shot, and since then I've been a complete wreck. I want to gorge on chocolate and went to bed sobbing last night because I had already reached my calorie goal, I was hungry, and I didn't want to mess up anymore. I had already cheated all day yesterday- I went to a big lunch with a friend (800 calories in one sitting OMG) AND had a sweet treat later (Soan Papdi- an Indian cake/dessert type thing-170 cals). I was crying because my boyfriend was yelling at me for being "too hormonal" (umm... duh... that's what birth control is) and because I'm afraid I don't have the discipline. I made it through last night by looking at success stories on here. What do you other ladies do to skirt the cravings?

I'm also pretty down because for exercise I am restricted to walking for another week because of surgery I had on Xmas. I enter my walks in the exercise bit here and it seems like nothing compared to the 2 mile jogs I had finally worked my way up to in December. I have my first weigh-in on Monday for a weight-loss challenge I am in on a car forum. I'm terrified the scale won't have budged from my 208.8, or worse, it will have gone up, even though I am sticking strictly to my micro and macro suggestions on here. Le biggest sigh ever. Help me feel better.

vim_n_vigor

Let me guess - you are trying to stick to 1200 calories?

Check this out here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717565-in-place-of-a-road-map

RobinC37

1420, adjusted for work-outs.

pastryari

I was on the depo shot for awhile. I did not have this problem.

BACONJOKESRSOFUNNY

Baby steps, kiddo. Work on one nutrition component for a couple of weeks. Perhaps just tracking your calories faithfully for a week with a goal of not going more than 200 or 300 over. Work on one exercise goal for a couple of weeks (walking every other day, perhaps).

Keep it simple. Make some attainable goals. Reach them, then move on to the next goal.

MariaMariaM

I was going to say something about using BC as excuses but I will just keep my mouth shut.

I guess I never had issues that some women have when using or switching BC.

FYI, 1420 seems too low in terms of calories. This could be the reason you are hungry.

chevy88grl

Well... there's a couple of different things:

A) your calorie intake is just too low. Yes, all of us go through an adjustment period when we lower our calories. But, they shouldn't be SO low that you're going to bed hungry. That is crazy and NOT something you can continue long term.

Your calorie goal is okay, but you're making high calorie food choices and eating through your calories too quickly each day.

C) A little of both. It could be your daily calorie intake IS too low and to make it worse, you aren't making the best choices which means you're going through your calories too quickly.

Do you know your BMR? TDEE?

sarahanncarson

sometimes you have to satisfy the craving so it won't overtake you. i try and keep some 100 calorie (or less) chocolaty treats around. when the hormones are raging is when its the hardest and the worst for me. what i end up doing is finding a lot of low calorie healthy meals and treats to have throughout the entire day. sometimes it seems like i am eating a lot of food but when i go back and look at my diary i see that it's all good stuff for my body. keeping the food flowing when the hormones are raging helps to keep the cravings away. as far as exercise goes... can you do yoga? walking is great and that sucks that you are restricted (hope you are healing well after surgery). but sometimes to change things up with yoga. try www.doyogawithme.com. It has free videos that you can follow along with. and keep coming here and asking for help!!!! this is why we are all here. we need each other

RobinC37

I was going to say something about using BC as excuses but I will just keep my mouth shut.

I guess I never had issues that some women have when using or switching BC.

FYI, 1420 seems too low in terms of calories. This could be the reason you are hungry.

I haven't been on depo for very long (this was my second shot) so I'm guessing my body is still adjusting. I thought PMS and hormones was a load of crap too, and I don't want to make this an excuse, but it is real. I started crying because I was fighting with my boyfriend, then I was crying because I was crying, then I was crying because I wanted chocolate.

I don't think 1420 is too low for calories. Remember I had surgery recently and have been pretty sedentary. I know the reason I got so hungry yesterday by bedtime was because I normally eat 6-7 times a day. Yesterday I went out to lunch with a friend and overate, so I cut out some of my later snacks to compensate. Hunger wasn't an issue until yesterday.

BelindaDuvessa

Depo was one of several reasons I gained weight. It also unbalanced my hormones to the point that I was a raging c*nt all the time. I stopped taking it 3 years ago and have slowly come back to normal. Even then, after I quit, it took almost a year for my to get pregnant with my oldest daughter. And after I had her, my cycles were still messed up.

As for what you can do, like another poster said, baby steps. Nutrition is the key to any weight loss plan. Concentrate on that first. Get into the habit of tracking, and possibly add 1 new, healthy thing to your diet this week. Next week, add another healthy thing. Then start trying to cut out the unhealthy.

If you need a guideline, Sparkpeople.com has a great step by step program you can follow. Plus they have a huge community. That's where I started out, originally. I just like the Nutrition Tracker here better. It's not much different from the one at Spark, but the Database is definitely bigger and more diverse.

Shelbert79

I chew minty gum and drink lots of water. I also pre-log my days and plan ahead on my food for the day, so I know if I can have that extra sweet thing. I look everything up BEFORE I eat it and then decide if it's really worth the calories. This past summer I went to an amusement park, ordered a funnel cake (because they're awesome) and before I took a bite I looked up the calories to determine how much of it to eat....well after being smacked in the face by just how many calories were in it, I gave it to my kids to eat. I plan ahead before I go out to eat anywhere too. I know it sounds anal but I never want to be over 200lbs again. I've been at this for almost a year and have lost 45lbs so far, its a long and hard road but (for me) saying 'no' has gotten easier. Good luck!

RobinC37

sometimes you have to satisfy the craving so it won't overtake you. i try and keep some 100 calorie (or less) chocolaty treats around. when the hormones are raging is when its the hardest and the worst for me. what i end up doing is finding a lot of low calorie healthy meals and treats to have throughout the entire day. sometimes it seems like i am eating a lot of food but when i go back and look at my diary i see that it's all good stuff for my body. keeping the food flowing when the hormones are raging helps to keep the cravings away. as far as exercise goes... can you do yoga? walking is great and that sucks that you are restricted (hope you are healing well after surgery). but sometimes to change things up with yoga. try www.doyogawithme.com. It has free videos that you can follow along with. and keep coming here and asking for help!!!! this is why we are all here. we need each other

I'm not sure about yoga yet, although I've done it in the past. It was an appendectomy so they cut up my abdominal muscles. Can't do any ab/core stuff until that's all fixed up.

I try to have a healthy relationship with food and my house is stocked with junk food (all my bf will eat). I'm good at avoiding it normally, but wanting more afterhaving already tried to satisfy the craving is frustrating. I have to keep reminding myself that I AM eating right and making good decisions. I've had problems with eating disorders in the past and am trying not to be too obsessive about this because that scares me, too. But if I don't obsess I can't stick with it.

Golly I am down in the dumps today though.

RobinC37

How can I make my food diary open so you all can see?

BACONJOKESRSOFUNNY

How can I make my food diary open so you all can see?

Toward the bottom: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

MemphisKitten

Do you have to be on the shot? I also had really bad emotional and physical reactions to Depo; the pill works so much better for me. :flowerforyou:

AlyssaJoJo

If you doing 2 lbs a week I suggest going up to one. This might make a GIANT change in how you feel. And you might find that you end up losing more weight doing this. I have... and I know a few other girls who have. We're all different but it might be worth a try.

RobinC37

Do you have to be on the shot? I also had really bad emotional and physical reactions to Depo; the pill works so much better for me. :flowerforyou:

Yeah, I smoke too many cigarettes for the pill. Also I like the convenience.

Tina0488

I actually lost weight, alot of weight on the depo. It does make you more hungry than usual but it's possible to lose on it! I'm a sucker for cravings as well. If I eat out, I try to save half for later. Buy healthy snacks for cravings, skinny cow bars or ice cream, weight watchers ice cream, special K bars. I also noticed that if I eat alot of processed high carb things my cravings are worse so I just try to stay away from them all together.

Amazonbella

There is definitely a thing known as "self-control" if you are too tempted by going out with friends and think you will have huge splurges than do something else with friends that doesn't revolve around food. This is a LIFESTYLE change, so sometimes you have to change your lifestyle.

I myself broke my ankle and was in a cast/crutches. That along with a torn meniscus in my knee, 4 bulging disks in my back and hip bursitis doesn't make working out easy, but you know what I don't do, let it be an obstacle that keeps me from doing the things I can do, including walking on a treadmill and exercising on the recumbent bike. Find something that works for you. No I can no longer play volleyball for 4 hours a couple times a week, I've had to adjust and you will too. Can you swim? can you lift weights? ect.

As far as the food goes, eatting too low will just set you up for failure. I would suggest planning out each day prior to having melt-downs. Start your day with a dose of protein, learn what 'snacks' satisfy you when you are reaching your calories (for me I make air-popped popcorn). Remember you can still incorporate 'treats' you just have to be accountable for them to be successful.

MFP has a lot of supportive, encouraging people, use them and LISTEN to their ideas and what they say, but always remember this is something YOU must ultimately do for YOURSELF. If you need more support, maybe look into Weight Watchers where you can have an open group to speak with about difficulties.

Best of luck!

wareagle8706

Why is everyone saying that 1400 calories is too low when you don't even know anything about this girl?? You can't give advice when you aren't aware of the situation.

My goal on non weight lifting days is 1380. If I eat real, whole foods it's hard to hit that number. My TDEE is approx 1560. My stats are I'm 5'1'' 120 lbs with 19% BF.

Don't make generalizations, please.

lilRicki

You just started, you'll figure it out eventually. I call it shark week, and i don't shy away from chocolate. but i don't binge either. Give yourself a chance before you start beating yourself up