Help please? Ready to give up :(

dakotawitch

I have thought about trying non meat versions of things, but was worried about taste especially as it costs more, lol. I do cook the kids stuff that I wont eat just so they dont become as fussy as me, but Ive never done them a full salad to pick at what they want. My mum does me a lentil curry which is fat free and full of flavour Thank you I will def be giving this a try

I feed one ovo-lacto vegetarian and one flexitarian (me) on about $50 (US) every week. It can be expensive, and of course I don't know what food prices are in your area, but it doesn't have to be. I find that not buying as much meat balances out. I get a 12 oz block of tofu for $1 (US) and it stands in for a much more expensive pound of meat. Or I buy a 12 oz bag of soy crumbles for $2.50 (US) on sale, and it stands in for a pound of meat. You just have to shop around and try things. You can also buy dehydrated textured vegetable protein and rehydrate it at home -- it takes a bit to get the hang of, but can be very affordable.

shazz88

I am feeling down and I have been to the doctors before but because it only lasts a few days, week tops, and I can kick myself out of it Im all good

Wow 100lb lost, well done to you!! The water thing does sound like it could be part ofthe problem, I also dont really pay attention to my sodium and I think that effects water aswell? I tend to live in leggings and t-shirt so I dont feel a difference in them but I might go out and buy a size or 2 smaller fittedish dress and every few weeks try it on and see maybe, thank you

jenilla1

...Want to get a serving size lesson? Go pour yourself a bowl of cereal. Don't read on until you pour the bowl of cereal - or choose any other simple meal you eat.

Got it poured?

Here's the lesson. Now measure it. How many cups of cereal did you pour? (or other food) Now check the box. How many servings did you pour that you are recording as one? Try this with any / all your recurring meals. You will learn where these hidden calories are coming from and your weaknesses lie.

Want another lesson? Now take the cereal you measured out with the cup and go weigh it. Many times it's way off. To get a truly accurate measurement, weigh your food with a scale. For example, I measured out some cereal the other day. The serving size was 3/4 of a cup or 55g. It turns out 3/4 cup was closer to 82g. If I'd eaten the full 3/4 cup I'd have got 1.5 servings worth of calories. (Cheese can be like that too.) All those extra calories add up!

shazz88

If I try substitue 1 thing a week and work my way like that I'll get used to it and it will become the normal

boatsie77

Thinking long term scares the crap outta me, I cant do it.

Then stop thinking "long term"...think "just this second"...can you do that? Of course you can. "Just this second I'll go pick up my walking shoes" "Just this second I'll put my left shoe on" "Just this second I'll put my right shoe on" "Just this second I'll stand up" "Just this second I'll walk to the door" "Just this second I'll open the door and go outside" "Just this second I'll close the door" "Just this second I'll put my right foot in front of my left" "Just this second I'll put my left foot in front of my right" etc, etc Congratulations, you just started your walk for the day. How do you eat a (low calorie) elephant? One bite at a time.

writemusic4him

If you are exercising more, you are probably gaining muscle and/or eating too little for however much you are exercising. I actually lose more weight on weeks I workout less than weeks I workout more. Physical activity is healthy, so I don't let it get me down. Slow and steady wins the race.

Everything affects your weightloss. Lack of sleep, stress, medicines. Not just diet & exercise. It will come. Just keep doing the right things

mockchoc

If you don't eat most of the exercise calories back then you are making it too hard on yourself to stick to this long term. MFP is set up that way so you should try to do it. If you are finding it hard to eat your calories don't eat low fat diet foods, eat real foods that are full fat as fat is not bad for you. Nuts/seeds, peanut butter, whole eggs, avocado, salmon or other oily fish, healthy oils to cook with or put on salads will all help you reach you goal. Best of luck achieving them!

shazz88

Everything I measure is on the scales, we dont do or have 'cup' measurements over here, its all grams serving sizes. Ive cut out completely. If its a bit to go in a sandwich or wrap, thats when I dont measure but I do still try to enter it in and its salads or veggies never anything that I know I really need to measure.

MaraDiaz

I am feeling down and I have been to the doctors before but because it only lasts a few days, week tops, and I can kick myself out of it Im all good

Wow 100lb lost, well done to you!! The water thing does sound like it could be part ofthe problem, I also dont really pay attention to my sodium and I think that effects water aswell? I tend to live in leggings and t-shirt so I dont feel a difference in them but I might go out and buy a size or 2 smaller fittedish dress and every few weeks try it on and see maybe, thank you

Thank you! With many ups and downs on the scale, I assure you. It used to drive me bonkers, now it just makes me slightly crazy.

Sodium does indeed affect water weight as well. And of course every month the scale will mess with most women. And that one will screw with our waistbands, too, so just gotta walk it off. Literally if you feel like walking!

shazz88

Ive never thought you should eat your exercise calories, the only time I do is if Im going out for something to eat, so I'll exercise more before hand to make sure I have the calories to eat my meal out. Haha, Im so fussy that all the foods you mentioned there I dont like except eggs, I like to yolk too much to just eat egg whites :happy: I havent really gone out and got 'diet foods' I have fat free yoghurts but thats for taste more than anything because I dont like creamy tasting yoghurts, erm and low fat/sugar snack bars, I have a wicked sweet tooth and packing up smokiing has hightened that so I munch on one of them.

shazz88

I have polycystic ovaries aswell so those monthly things are all over the place and can be every week or 2 weeks, drives me insane. I'll try keep an eye on my sodium as well thank you

dearsis

Shazz, i just started today, and I congratulate you on the 11lbs.I know how hard it is to loose, I lost 50 lbs 17yrs ago before igot married. then I gained it all back and then some. I am trying now to loose some of it. I know meals for me are going to be an issue I have a husband that does not like chicken fish etc, my son has autism and has sensory issues so he will only eat certain things. so it is going to be a challenge. by reading your posts, i feel you can do it if you just stay with it. I wish you luck.

dmj28

My sister lost 40 pounds, normal food. Says low fat foods, they add more sugar. I'm not sure if this is so or not, but it worked for her. She allowed herself one dessert a day even, still lost. It is most definitely portion size that I struggle with. I also find carbs kick in my cravings for more carbs, so I usually have carbs later in the day. That's just what works for me. You have to figure out what works for you.

I would advise measuring yourself as well, the week I didn't lose lbs, showed inches lost. I am like you, I need to not focus on the scale. But really we wouldn't even need a scale ever, you can tell by your clothing . I do not allow myself looks in between my weigh in days, I just have to trust my food choices are working. I'm old, I fell and hurt my knees, so I'm hobbling around. Even in spite of only being able to do slow walks and eating back the amount, I have had a pretty steady loss.

It works. But, you have the choice. Make an excuse to yourself or face facts and choose your health as being vital. Or you will be like me and have 120 lb to lose when you are 60 and have wasted precious moments/years on the sideline of life, because you were too fat for everything. I strongly advise against making the same choice I did.

My goal is to be more healthy in my 60's & 70's (80-90 etc.) I'm hoping your goal will be to start a more healthy life now, It only gets worse without attention. Believe an old woman who knows. I'm down 18 lb, 3 inches off my hips (and I didn't measure right away) I already fell better health wise and about myself in general.

Best wishes and good choices!

shazz88

Thank you. I know I need to do it, I know the reasons why, I know what foods to eat, what not to eat, when to eat certain things, I know it all its just making myself do it. I am quite an emotional eater, so if im alittle stressed or upset i turn to carbs, I need to fix this and I will. But I think I started this off and did too much at once. I quit smoking, cut right down on carbs, jumped on my elliptical? I think thats Americans call it, cross trainer too me, lol stattd going for longer walks, doing weights and going bed a lot earlier (not like tonight sitting here at 1.50am) and tbh I think it was a shock to the system and way too mouch to take on. I'll try again a few things at a time

XDiet_SlayerX

Have you ever considered getting a workout partner? I know it helped me tremendously. Another would be listening to your favorite music when working out. It did wonders for me. The diet part is the tricky part I know. Although consider this, the food they put on the market today is nothing but a drug and it will slowly destroy your body over time if you let it. I know my father (rest his soul) past away from diabetes when I was 22. Although that was not why I wanted to become healthier and lose weight.
I wanted to lose weight because I wanted to prove people wrong and also wanted to feel like a bad *kitten* with muscles. Maybe you want to feel like a bad *kitten* with a toned up body? It takes time. Just think about with each successful day accomplished with dieting and working out you are adding a brick to your dream body. The sweating and labor of the foundation is tough and grueling. Although once you look up and walk back a few feet to view your structure which would be your mirror, then you can smile and have bragging rights for the rest of your life. Not only that, you can also help others accomplish the same tasks you did! It all takes time. And unfortunately time these days are hard to come by. Although with the right patience and repetition we can all accomplish great things in life. Life is about evolving. And if you are not evolving you are not growing. :drinker:

Mistyfied_MD

Weight loss often occurs when you first begin any fitness/diet plan. But if you've literally lost nothing since then, I would suggest having your insulin levels and testosterone levels checked.

I have struggled for almost 4 years to lose weight and it was nearly impossible. I (mostly) watched what I ate. At one point I went a solid 8 months exercising 4-6 times a week, I kid you not. I'd struggle and maintain a strict diet for 2 weeks to lose half a pound, only to gain back a pound if I so much as thought about a brownie. It was very frustrating.

2 weeks ago, I was diagnosed with PCOS and placed on metformin to lower my testosterone level and combat possible insulin resistance. I'd managed to shed about 1.5 pounds in the preceding month before this diagnoses, but since going on the metformin 2 weeks ago, I've dropped another 4 pounds without changing anything about my diet.

Obviously diet and exercise are key--but if you know in your heart you've been mostly on track with those, I highly suggest having your gynecologist run a hormone panel on you.

Don't ever give up.

codapea

I know how hard it is to stay motivated, I've been there! The best thing I ever did was sign up for my first 5K fun run last summer. I ran the whole thing, slowly, but I did it, and then I signed up for another one the next month! I try to do a 5K race once a month because it gives me that motivation to work out and keep in shape so I can keep running them. Then I eat better, too, because I want to feel good to go work out. Running has made this whole weight loss process about so much more than the scale. So just go sign up for one, even if you have to walk the whole thing. It will get you motivated, trust me. Good luck and feel free to add me!

Mistyfied_MD

And I just saw you said you ARE polycystic...are you on anything for that? That was apparently my stumbling block this whole time. My poor little ovaries looked like they had the measles

shazz88

I dont really want to be toned or skinny, I have curves, I love my curves, I just want the to be alittle more defined so basially just getting the fat off and my stomach not stick out so much. I do want to prove everyone wrong and show I can do it im just so used to giving up its hard to get past it. I do need someone to workout with but its finding someone who wants to do it when I do, Ive had a few friends saying yes but then hardly avalible, I workout with my mum atleast twice a week and we go out walking too.

I was told I have PCOS over a year ago but nothing has been said about it again really, Ive had a couple of scans, nothing for a year though. I'll go back to my doctor and see what gets said, thank you

DewlyNoted

Just stick with it and the weight will eventually come off. Plateaus happen, that's normal. I pushed through mine by doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred on YouTube. 10 Days on each level (3 total) for 30 straight days. The first days are the hardest, but I promise it will get easier and you will see real results, quickly. Maybe your kids can do the cardio parts with you. Keep your head up, you didn't put the weight on in a few months, so taking it off won't happen that quickly either. Slow n steady wins the race.

shazz88

There arent many 5k race around here, the main one if race for life which i once a year in june and you can pick 5k or 10k. My mum did the 10k last year and im signed up to do it with her, we will begin training for it soon o hopefully that will give me a boost, thank you

shazz88

I have 30day shred and I think its jut 20mins of my day, it is ha I want to do, my head screams at me to go do it but my body dont move, lol. Yeah I got about 7-8 day into it last year. I have all of Jillian dvds, even body revolution, just gotta get my head and body on the same page thnaks

christina0089

11 pounds is a great start! It is what I have lost as well! I also find it hard to stay motivated in the excercise dept because it is exhautsting working full time plus and taking care of two kids a husband and a home BUT I have found that I am more apt to stay motivated if I do something I like such as swimming and Zumba! I LOVE to dance so Zumba for me is fun! Even if I do not get to go to my zumba class because it is cancelled or it does not work with my schedule I still throw on some music and get moving. I Dance around the house or go on you tube and get a dance/zumba routine to some favorite music. Find what motivates you and use it in your favor. Like to play tennis? Play out in the yard with your kids maybe kicking a ball around? GO DO IT! Best of luck! But don't give up on yourself! :flowerforyou:

LeggyAmericanGirl

I dont know why most people take years to get overweight and think it only takes a year to lose it. Did it take you a year to gain it, probably not.

I am 5 days from one yr of weight loss, from the beginning my goal was 2yrs for fat loss and then build muscles.

It sounds to me that your calorie goal is too low. I am around 210lbs and I am eating 1900 calories. Fat loss is mainly diet. If you arent losing consistently change your diet.

The first weeks are tricky, anyone that doesn't watch portions and doesn't work out will lose a lot the first month. Simply b/c you are doing something new your body isnt use to. My first month I lost 15lbs now I average 4-6lbs a month.

You will have to always monitor your progress and change things when you stall. FAT LOSS IS HARD.

shazz88

MFP gave me my calorie goal of 1430 then when 10lbs was off it went to 1410, im trying my hardest to get to that amount without adding more on top. no it didnt take a year, it took being on the implant for 3 years to put most my weight on. I havent got a def weight goal, it until I feel comfortable and like my body. 60lbs is my target and that should be easily done in a year, why would I put it up to more than a year or 2 years when 2lb a week which is a safe normal amount to lose would get me there before then? I want to be a UK size 14-16, average not skinny or slim or toned, just average and normal.

Silver_Star

shazz88

Im going to try zumba this week, it sounds and looks fun. If we had a garden things would be easier with playing stuff with the kids, Id go to the park but very self consious still, that will change when I start seeing changes

acbabbitt

Perhaps this has been mentioned already. I have found certain things to be more helpful than standard diet and exercise advice.

Don't misunderstand, eating well and moving your body are crucial.

For me, getting to the heart of why I struggle, has led to more success than any other technique.

I began with the Inside Out Weight Loss podcasts. Totally free. Totally worth it.

You are doing well. Be patient.

LinDiSm26262

Hi:
I can sympathize with you because I'm a slow loser too. I look at it this way, even though I'm not losing I know I'm doing the right thing by logging my food, saying hello to my friends here on MFP, and reading the most inspiring stories about people's ups and downs and accomplishments. If you don't do anything, then nothing will happen. But if you try, then something eventually will happen and your children will see you giving it your best effort. That is teaching them to never give up. You can do it. I know you can. Don't think about the gifts your mother offered. Those clothes will be there when you get there. Don't put pressure on yourself by setting dates. Slow and easy wins the race. The greatest gift you will have when you do reach your goal is the gift of a healthy life and the added years you will have given yourself. All the best to you and add me as a friend if you feel I can help you in any way.
Blessings,
Linda

boatsie77

If we had a garden things would be easier with playing stuff with the kids, Id go to the park but very self consious still, that will change when I start seeing changes

Do yourself and your children a favor--go to the park--you CAN do it; you are much stronger than you give yourself credit for. Do it and then come back here and let me know how it went. BE THE CHANGE you want to see in the world.