The first day of the rest of my life!!!

pcgirl58
pcgirl58 Posts: 42 Member
in Introduce Yourself
So, I am officially calling today the first day of the rest of my life!!! Aug 25, 2012....4 months from today is Christmas....that will be a target goal for me. I am such a procratinator .... whether it be housework, making phonecalls, paying bills, shopping for a gift, etc., etc., etc. Worst of all is tackling this weight issue. I think about doing something about it every day...but thinking is as far as I get. I know that I need support to lose weight, and thought of joining a weight loss program in my area, but the thought of putting out hard earned cash, getting to the meetings, etc, were all "legitimate" excuses that I use - over and over. Then I stumbled on this site. I am so hoping that this is the defining moment for me! I hate the way I look, but more importantly I want to be able to keep up to my two beautiful grandkids who are 3 and 5. I work 12 hour shifts - days and nights - and have for 30+ years. I find it so difficult to stick to a diet regime, because meal time is so screwed up. Plus I have a hubby who thinks I should be able to do it on my own, and he has no weight issue, and has no desire to "eat the way I will be eating", so it will be like cooking 2 meals instead of 1 and not being able to get rid of the food temptations in the house. On a positive note, I believe I am really ready to tackle this problem right now...and finding this site tells me the time IS right!!!

Replies

  • AlmstHvn
    AlmstHvn Posts: 376 Member
    This site was such an eye opener for me. Just learning what a "real" portion size is and how many calories (or how much sodium, or the other things you can track) was such a help for me. I hope it is for you, too! Welcome to MFP!
  • mela216r
    mela216r Posts: 23
    wow, we have parallel lives! I,m 53, a food manager who works 12 hour days also, and have 2 granddaughters aged 4 & 6. I too do nearly all the shopping/meal planning/cooking in the house. My husband generally goes with the flow so I don't cook two "separate" meals but instead I make extra portions for him, or alter my end (skipping the gravy, etc.). You can also modify your cooking methods & ingredients in some of the dishes he likes: for instance, use cooking spray instead of oil or butter; use light mayo instead of regular, use sugar free, etc. They are all little tweaks but they add up. I am careful to watch my portions & to use lean cuts of meat, and "veg it up".

    For me, the job demands are a huge issue. The lack of regular hours makes it hard to have any consistent "program" whether meal times, exercise times (and energy), etc. Job stress and routinely skipping meals have both been major factors in all these extra pounds creeping up. I have noticed, believe it or not, that since I am eating "NORMAL" amounts---more than before MFP--- the pounds are coming off steadily (so far). I just have to STOP and munch on something at work once in awhile. Still trying to work out the exercise timing but it's coming...

    Journal everything! Every. Thing.

    One thing that helps me tons: I got a basket & set it in the middle of the dining table. I put low-cal/healthy snacks in it such as Fiber One bars, apples, etc. I also keep some stuff in the fridge such as fat free yogurt, etc. Any of this I can just "grab" on my way out (or in) and it gives me a ready fix when I'm hungry so I don't overdo portions at dinner. If hubby is resistant, make him a little basket of his own with junky snacks he likes, then he won't feel restricted by your diet.

    Friend me if you like; we have many of the same challenges & I'd love to know what works for you as well as offer support! Good luck on your weight loss journey...YOU CAN DO IT!
  • azziria
    azziria Posts: 33 Member
    I share my life with a husband who is tall, lean, and can still wear (comfortably) the tux that was bought him for his 18th birthday (he's now 45), and two children who have inherited their father's long, lean physique and high-burning metabolism. Add to that the fact that one of those children is a girl of 12 (nearly 13) who I do not want to *ever* have body issues or think that it's in any way 'normal' for women to diet and obsess about their weight all the time, and you'll see that I share some of your challenges regarding preparing family meals!

    The way I've got round it is to cook one meal for everyone, but change the balance of what I eat. So the skinny high-burners get potatoes, rice or pasta with their meal as well as the protein and vegetables, while I serve myself a reasonable-sized (i.e. not huge) portion of the main dish, no potato/rice/pasta, and go heavy on the veg. That way we're all eating the same meal, but I'm not piling on the pounds. I'm happy to report that it seems to be working for me :)

    As for the food temptations, I'm with you there, too. We always have snack bars etc in the house (my teenage son apparently needs to feed constantly to function!) and I always found the snacks so hard to resist. But then one day I realised that I was actually not being good to myself when I 'gave in' and ate one (or several!). Now when I want something that is unhealthy for me I try and ask myself "What is the nicest and best thing I could do FOR ME right now? What is the kindest thing I can do FOR ME?" The answer, of course, is usually to do what is healthiest and best for my body and not eat the snack. Finally realising that I needed to be kind to myself and make my health a priority has really helped.

    And if the answer to the question is "Eat the snack and really enjoy every mouthful", well then that's what I do, because I obviously needed it and wasn't just eating it out of boredom/anger/unhappiness/whatever.

    Good luck with your journey to a healthier body - those grandkids need and deserve to have you fully fit and around for a long time :)

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