Need Some Encouragement

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EmilyS10
EmilyS10 Posts: 16 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm not so big on posting in forums or anything, as a matter of fact this is my first time. I have been using MFP for 2 months now. Unfortunately for the last two weeks I have relapsed to going the easy route and eating fast food for lunch and dinner almost every day! Embarrassing right? I feel so terrible. I really want to succeed at my weight loss goals and it's just not clicking for me.

I used to be thin. I used to be able to control it but ever since I've been married, working a full-time job, and a homeowner with all the bills that go along with it, I just can't seem to get a handle on it.

Any encouragement would be nice! I have a long way to go to get myself back to a healthy weight and I don't want to fail this time!

Thanks.

Replies

  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,212 Member
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    Hi Emily,

    Your profile page lists 2 very good reasons for getting in shape: a longer life and your future children. (I'm not knocking feeling sexier, either! That's important). Keeping your goals front and center (maybe a daily reminder?) may help you stick to your plan when you are tempted to veer off course.

    One of my favorite MFP quotes is: "Every choice you make about how you will move your body and what you will put in your body will either get you one step closer to good health or one step further away". To me, that's fast food in a nutshell. While I certainly understand the temptation (and on occasion it's fine) regular consumption probably won't help you achieve the goals that you've set for yourself.

    Don't beat yourself up for not always making the best food choices. None of us are perfect and almost all of us slip up sometimes. I did, many times and I still lost 45 pounds and got to my goal weight. You may find it easier to track your calories weekly rather than daily. That allows for some days going over your calorie allowance, since it will be balanced by other days when you're under.

    Best wishes...you CAN do this! Send me a friend request if you like. I'm a good and genuine cheerleader!
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    Change can make it hard to find the routine again... but with weight loss, you have to want it. Badly. You have to want it more than anything. It takes that much effort. It isn't easy. If it were, every overweight person would do it.

    I can't stress enough the importance of preparing your food at home. Restaurant food, for the most part, just has too many calories in it. Yes, you can find a few things that can be used when you must eat out. But on an ongoing basis it isn't feasible.

    Also, if you consider that you eat at least 21 meals in a week, you have 21 chances to make good decisions or poor decisions. Making one poor decision should not be a reason to make 1 or 2 or even more poor decisions back-to-back. There is no starting point and no wagon. There is just living and making decisions.

    If you have a smart phone, spend some time at the grocery store looking at foods and checking the MFP database for calories and other nutrition information. Find some foods you like that are convenient and you can use as staples in your home.

    Some quick and easy staples I like are hard boiled eggs, tuna salad on ryvita crackers, cheese strings, fruits, nuts, baked chicken breast (throw it on a salad, eat it as-is, toss it in pasta, make chicken salad from it).

    Once you get a handle on your diet and find the sweet spot, it really isn't hard to keep it going. Set a reasonable goal - 1lb or less per week loss is easiest and sustainable. Eat foods you like in moderation. Track everything. Even if you go over. Track it and own it.

    You can do this. If I can, you can. Spend time browsing through the success stories... so inspiring. You are worth the effort.
  • EmilyS10
    EmilyS10 Posts: 16 Member
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    Thanks for the encouragement. I like your idea about there not being a wagon. Just decisions every day. I am going to try to make the right decisions at each meal. I also have never looked at a week as 21 chances to make good choices, that is a great way to look at it and I will be using that.
  • jennibee70
    jennibee70 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Hi Emily, I know exactly how you feel. I work, I commute, I exercise, some days I only have minutes at home to feed my cat and eat before I run out the door again. Now, I'm not saying I actually do this, but I have the good intentions - on those occasions that I do have time to cook a proper meal, I try to cook extra and put some in a microwave dish for lunch the next day. That way you make one good decision and get two healthy meals out of it! I also make big pots of soup and freeze portions to take to work for lunch. Maybe that would work for you? Now that I've suggested it, I must get my soup pot out myself!
  • sicilysclover
    sicilysclover Posts: 173 Member
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    Married - working full time - tons of bills = story of my life! I feel you! What I learned to do is make better choices without feeling deprived. My husband loves burger king and wendys and we both work full time so that for us is dinner a lot. So I did my research, I wrote down a few meals from each place that will keep me within my calories and I keep it handy. So when you have that last minute "I have to get take out" you will go prepared. I found once I knew what I COULD eat - I ignored the rest of the menu. Last night I even had some onion rings and I was fine and within calories. I also don't exercise right now. My life is exhausting and I don't have it in me, but I don't beat myself up for it. The key is to find what works for you and your lifestyle and stay informed! Hope this helps - you can do it!
  • dinaeubanks12
    dinaeubanks12 Posts: 4
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    Hi Emily! I clicked your post because I was feeling the same way. I joined MFP about 3 months ago and the first 2 months were great. When I saw some of the calorie counts of the fast food choices I routinely made I was stunned. Some that I thought were worse choices were actually better so you really just need to check out items on MFP before you go to restaurants. It's about learning to balance. This month I thought I was doing fine and I stopped tracking what I ate. I lost 3 pounds this month. Happy it's a loss but with 50 pounds still to go it was pretty depressing. However, we just need to remind ourselves that this is an on-going day to day process and it's going to take a while. Track everything you eat everyday. WE CAN DO THIS! Don't give up and don't give in to bad choices. They are not worth it.
  • joannbrunton
    joannbrunton Posts: 93 Member
    Options
    Change can make it hard to find the routine again... but with weight loss, you have to want it. Badly. You have to want it more than anything. It takes that much effort. It isn't easy. If it were, every overweight person would do it.

    I can't stress enough the importance of preparing your food at home. Restaurant food, for the most part, just has too many calories in it. Yes, you can find a few things that can be used when you must eat out. But on an ongoing basis it isn't feasible.

    Also, if you consider that you eat at least 21 meals in a week, you have 21 chances to make good decisions or poor decisions. Making one poor decision should not be a reason to make 1 or 2 or even more poor decisions back-to-back. There is no starting point and no wagon. There is just living and making decisions.

    If you have a smart phone, spend some time at the grocery store looking at foods and checking the MFP database for calories and other nutrition information. Find some foods you like that are convenient and you can use as staples in your home.

    Some quick and easy staples I like are hard boiled eggs, tuna salad on ryvita crackers, cheese strings, fruits, nuts, baked chicken breast (throw it on a salad, eat it as-is, toss it in pasta, make chicken salad from it).

    Once you get a handle on your diet and find the sweet spot, it really isn't hard to keep it going. Set a reasonable goal - 1lb or less per week loss is easiest and sustainable. Eat foods you like in moderation. Track everything. Even if you go over. Track it and own it.

    You can do this. If I can, you can. Spend time browsing through the success stories... so inspiring. You are worth the effort.

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