Losing weight is hard

MedinaR66

I haven't been at this long but I can tell you that I made a little list of things that I would try to do.
1. Say NO to the Taco Bell. (This is the only thng that I have done 100 % of the time)
2. Replace bread with corn tortillas (I now eat more multi grain flatbread because there's more of it and less calories)
3. Say no to the goodies at the front isles. (So hard)
4. Start exercising.
The first few weeks I walked 3 times a wk. Then I was required (taking a wellness class in college) to get my required Heart Rate up so that my exercising benefits my weight loss. This is 22 minutes, 3 times a week) I get on the treadmill and walk as fast as I can, I ride the stationary bike sometimes and I get on the eliptical machine that really gets the heart going. I'm on level 1.
The benefit has been weight loss and I have more desire to go exercise to get rid of more weight.
I have not gone hungry one day. I will not starve myself. Become faithful and truthful in listing what you eat. You will learn what eats up your calories and you will think of healthy things that you can spend your calories on.
I weighed 196 on Jan. 1, 13 and this morning I weighed 184. I didn't start until the around the end of January. It hasn't been long!
You can do this!! Be encouraged! You will lose it faster because you are a man. (Men tend to drop the weight faster than women).

JesterMFP

You're right; losing weight is hard. It doesn't have to be torture though. Too many people make it way too had for themselves and end up burning out.

I agree that 1220 calories a day sounds very low for a man who is 200+ pounds. It's little wonder that you're so hungry. I would try a higher calorie goal. I would also aim to eat back at least most of your exercise calories (you're supposed to - that's how MFP is designed to work).

You don't have to give up the foods that you like, but by making small, gradual changes, you can make it easier on yourself. I don't eat much foods from restaurants, but when I do, I find it much more difficult to stay within my limits. If you can, try to make more food for yourself, and you will find it a lot easier to control calories. I have nothing against fast food in moderation, as part of a balanced diet, but the kinds of foods you are choosing are probably not satisfying enough for their high calorie content - especially when you are aiming for 1220 a day.

Perhaps you could start by cutting down fast food meals to one per day, instead of two. Replacing one of those with a home-cooked meal will seriously make a difference to how much food you can eat for the same amount of calories.

You don't seem to be eating many vegetables, or getting much fibre in general. Vegetables will fill you up, for very few calories. They are also really important for overall health.

Brunner26_2

I mean this in a very sincere way. You sound like you could use therapy.

cgarand

Hi, I had a look at your diary your cal intake is too low, but what your eating is junk, amd nothing else, your on 1200 cals and eating at mcdonalds,wendys, burger king, in every day for the last few days. No wonder your hungry. The quality of the food you eat is important, learn to prepare and cook your own food. Learn to shop and learn to avoid those places. If you cant then I guess you have to go for healthy options Subway salads everyday? Learn to make smoothies, theres heaps of free recipe sites just do a search, I like that your on skim milk well done. My tip stay away from those places, when i started i went to my local library and borrowed books on how to eat clean, theres so many give it ago. Good luck xx

^This. You need to nourish your body. Fast food should be rare, not common. Find some healthier alternatives. Maybe a lean roast beef sandwich on whole grain bread instead of burgers on tortillas. Add some veggies. Make small changes, they can make a big difference. And, don't give up! You are worth it.

DebbieLyn63

I saw a quote once that really hit home.

"I am not a dog, I will not reward myself with food"

Whenever I feel tempted to eat something because I have done 'so well on my diet', I say this to myself. Now that doesn't mean I deprive myself of everything good. I just make sure it fits into my day and make choices. And I eat it because I want to, not because I 'earned' it.

89nunu

It is hard no doubt about that. If it was easier than eating all the time and not exercising there wouldn't be any obese people. But as many people on here show it can be done!

Think of some non food rewards and try the smaller plate trick, it really works! Also some wise person on here (can't remember who) once said whether you throw the last pieces away or eat them, it's a waste either way. Just when it's in the bin you don't have to train it off again. Waste should be in the bin not on your butt.

89nunu

I saw a quote once that really hit home.

"I am not a dog, I will not reward myself with food"

Whenever I feel tempted to eat something because I have done 'so well on my diet', I say this to myself. Now that doesn't mean I deprive myself of everything good. I just make sure it fits into my day and make choices. And I eat it because I want to, not because I 'earned' it.

I love that quote as well :flowerforyou:

nokanjaijo

Fast and junk food is designed to have this effect on you. Those f&*%ers spend billions of dollar figuring out how to give you food that won't satisfy you and will basically make you want to eat more. They want you to be obsessed with food, it is in their every interest to make you obsessed with food and it is no mere coincidence that you are, in fact, obsessed with food.

You should treat this like an addiction. Quit. No more junk food. No more fast food. If you want a burger, you can have a burger. The difference is that you have to buy some ground beef and cook it. I think you will be shocked at how much of a difference it makes, in your reliance on food for happiness and your general sense of well being.

If you feel like giving up junk food is too much to give up because you will be sacrificing your quality of life, recognize that thinking of food as a quality of life issue is precisely the problem you are talking about.

If you want to do this and you are just learning to cook, feel free to add me as a friend and use me as a resource. I love to cook and I love helping people learn to cook.

LoraF83

In the beginning, I thought it was really hard to diet, exercise regularly, and make good choices. When I started thinking like that, I remembered that being fat was harder.

It was harder to be out of breath when I walked up a flight of stairs. It was harder to only be able to shop in the plus size section. It was harder to feel ashamed that I couldn't run and play with my kid. It was harder to feel my thighs chaffing when I walked. It was harder to not be able to fit on the seat of a rollercoaster or airplane. It was harder to feel guilty when I binged secretly. It was harder to look at myself in the mirror. It was harder to avoid sex because I hated how my body looked. It was harder to be a wallflower at social events because I didn't want to draw attention to myself. It was harder to be depressed from sitting on my couch all the time.


I think that I'll stick with the "hard" of diet and exercise.