Helpppppppp!!!!!MONDAY MADNESS

Hi
I hear you sister. I am 8 weeks logging MFP and 30lbs down. My food guide is Dr Olson 30 Days sugar free. Check out his website.
Dr Olson has saved me. Promise no cravings and no hunger. Eat from the Green list and log into MFP. I also enjoy a relax meal every other week to keep it real. I look forward to maintenance and I am treating this journey as rehearsal for maintenance because I cant do the you cant eat this or that. I am dialled into sugar free eating because its real food, no gimmicks. I thoroughly am enjoying eating myself to a strong & healthy women. I am a mother and wife. All the best :flowerforyou:

You're not going to get alot of support for using the meal replacement stuff. It's not generally sustainable in the long run, although I do understand that your job demands make it difficult for you to sit down and have a meal while working. I work 12 hour shifts at the county jail, and we don't get lunch breaks. And on the day shift, we get barely enough time to scarf something down in between doing whatever has to be done.

But I've worked here a while, and have a couple of suggestions for you....
1. Plan in advance. I know with a family and job (especially a stressful job) it's difficult to. But sit down and put together, even just before shift, some quick, easy, and painless things to eat. It can be as simple as a couple of baggies with almonds, or cut up fruit or something more complicated like a wrap. Anything you can actually *EAT* while in a vehicle. Take 5 minutes, park, watch traffic, and eat.
2. I know in our town, the local gyms have discounts for people who work in law enforcement. Look into that. I don't like paying for a gym membership, honestly, but at the same time, it makes me more accountable in the long run. It's definitely something to consider.
3. Get your TDEE and your BMR calculated. While they aren't magic numbers, it will give you something to go off of. Don't eat any lower than your BMR (generally....try to keep the week average at least on par with it), and eat less than your TDEE. There's a great thread here in the forums on how to calculate both, as well as several websites. ( http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/ great one, imo)
4. Don't use a laxative. A stool softener is much gentler and easier for "long term" use. I've never been a fan of either, but it could do more harm than good. If you must use it, don't use it every day.
5. Great job on getting the multi-vitamin. Lots of people don't get enough of their required nutrients. This at least will make sure you get enough. Watch the iron content. Too much iron will make you constipated.
6. Don't be afraid to experiment with exercise. This way, you can find something you love. Once you do that, it's much easier to commit to a workout plan. I'm a huge fan of walking, especially if I have music. I plan on easing into running after I have the baby.
7. There's no need to starve yourself while losing weight. Yes, you can and you will lose that way, but you will probably gain it all back once you up your calories. A safer bet is to not eat under your BMR and to also eat back any exercise calories (or at least eat some of them back). Use your judgement on this one, especially if you are using MFP's averages to track calories burned. Some things it completely over estimates.


You're going to have bad days where you will go over on calories. That's ok. Tomorrow is a new day to make better choices. And I'm not an expert. Your journey is different than mine. I can tell you, though, that I've successfully lost almost 34 pounds. I just gained it all back between 2 back to back pregnancies, one of which I am currently in. Alot of my success, was just making better food choices than I was before. Regardless, there's a great many people here more than willing yo help you and support you along your journey. Best of luck to you.