Need Help Getting Off the Couch
chiyograce
Posts: 1
I'm new to MFP also and hope to turn things around with some focused calorie and exercise tracking. Two things:
1. I thought tracking carbs was depressing!! Holy cow! Tracking calories is downright frightening! Turns out I'm a master at avoiding carbs in a lot of what I eat, but those calories are sneaky little devils. I've never really paid attention to my total caloric intake and have found out that many of my favorite low carb, go-to foods have been sabatoging any efforts I've made at losing weight. No, I'm not a dolt. I DO pay attention to all the warnings about high caloric food with little to no carbs and/or fat. I just never thought the difference was a great as it is.
2. Can someone tell me how to keep my tuckus off the couch after a full day at work? Our children are all grown and it's just me and my husband and three dogs, so I don't have a lot of mom-duties to do after work. Most of the time I get home, change clothes, check the mail, and collapse on the couch with the puppies. (They're only too willing to snuggle up with mom after a day outside in the pen.) And it feels so nice!!! It's total relaxation and stress just goes *poof*....and then I'm done for. I'm cemented to the cushions for the rest of the night convincing myself I'm just too tired. I am involved in several volunteer actitivies for my church and community, but it's obviously not been enough to break the seal between my backside and the couch cushions long enough to make a difference in my weight.
Anyway, I would really appreciate some suggestions and support. As a long time T1, I know the stakes and I know the work it takes. I just need some pushin'. "/
1. I thought tracking carbs was depressing!! Holy cow! Tracking calories is downright frightening! Turns out I'm a master at avoiding carbs in a lot of what I eat, but those calories are sneaky little devils. I've never really paid attention to my total caloric intake and have found out that many of my favorite low carb, go-to foods have been sabatoging any efforts I've made at losing weight. No, I'm not a dolt. I DO pay attention to all the warnings about high caloric food with little to no carbs and/or fat. I just never thought the difference was a great as it is.
2. Can someone tell me how to keep my tuckus off the couch after a full day at work? Our children are all grown and it's just me and my husband and three dogs, so I don't have a lot of mom-duties to do after work. Most of the time I get home, change clothes, check the mail, and collapse on the couch with the puppies. (They're only too willing to snuggle up with mom after a day outside in the pen.) And it feels so nice!!! It's total relaxation and stress just goes *poof*....and then I'm done for. I'm cemented to the cushions for the rest of the night convincing myself I'm just too tired. I am involved in several volunteer actitivies for my church and community, but it's obviously not been enough to break the seal between my backside and the couch cushions long enough to make a difference in my weight.
Anyway, I would really appreciate some suggestions and support. As a long time T1, I know the stakes and I know the work it takes. I just need some pushin'. "/
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Replies
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I have the same issue with the couch! I have an hour commute each way and it's exhausting.
Here are a few things I did to get me to the gym 3-4 days a week:
1. I started going BEFORE work. This is more of a habit now and it took a few weeks but I wake up at 6 and by 7 I'm in the shower and don't have to worry about working out anymore. It's nice to come home and relax.
2. On weekends I still set my alarm for workouts, just a little later.
3. I sometimes sleep in my sports bra and shorts. No lie. It works for me.
4. I usually log in my workout and foods in the morning so I'm forced to work out even if it's purely out of guilt. It also helps me stay on track all day.
As far as carbs and cals go, I sometimes let myself go over calories, especially if I meet my protein for the day. I also tend to run low with my BS levels so sometimes it's inevitable that I have to eat a little more. Also, good things like lean protein, salads, cheeses, oils, etc. fill you up more so I like loading up on those.
Hope that helps!0 -
Schedule your workout time in. Go before work, if possible. If you can't go before work change into designated workout clothes after work. Take a walk with your puppies, throw a ball with them. Take a walk with your husband. Little things add up.
You can do it! 0 -
I second all the suggestions for simply scheduling your workouts.
I like to exercise at lunch. Fortunately our gym is across the street from where I work. My wife likes to visit it on the way home from work - it's on her way home so it's easy stop. It's not out of the way and, like you, she also has a long commute.
Make exercise part of your routine. One of the things I started last autumn was to ride my bike to work. At first it made a 20 drive into a 50 minute ride. Now it takes only 40 minutes and is getting faster. I get ~90 of exercise on ride days and only costs me 50 minutes of time.
I hope this helps!
-Bob0 -
Yeah, it's been hard for me to get motivated to work out too. I have the calorie thing down great though. I have to be in at 5:30am a lot of times for work. So I've found that if I go home first & plan on going to the gym later that night I usually don't go, but if I go right after work then there is NO putting it off. At least that's worked good for me so far •••crossing fingers•••••0
