This weekend was a huge bust! Feel like I can't do this

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  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Worry about the long term weight loss and not the short term goals. When I started this it seemed like it would take forvever and I'd never make the final goals I had. Now I'm past that and going on to new ones. It is slow. But you do get there. Like Dorie says in Finding Nemo

    Keep on swimming, keep on swimming, keep on swimming, swimming, swimming . . .

    Every day you stick to your goals is another day you've stuck to your goals.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Any suggestions on what calorie intake should be? I upped my cals to just under my BMR according to the TDEE calculations. My BMR is 1589. I typically don't eat all my exercise cals back. Walking and circuit training (lifting 5 lbs) are my exercises of choice, only because I had to cut out all running because of heel pain :(

    You need to eat over your BMR and under your TDEE. If you want to eat some part of exercise back then set your TDEE to sedentary so you can calculate exercise accurately.
  • Dino924
    Dino924 Posts: 47 Member
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    I looked back on my diary and noticed that I am eating WAAAAY too many sugary treats. Some days they fit into my cals/macros and on others (this weekend) they absolutely did not. Need to figure out a way to get the sugar cravings under control. Having a hard time not slipping back into old habits. Need to remind myself why I am here. I think a lot of the problem is that its just not coming off as fast as I wanted it to. I wanted to be down 15-20 lbs by Christmas (I started in August) and 30-40 by our trip to Disney in March. The way things are going I don't see it happening, and now I just want to GIVE UP :(

    HELP MFPers. What should I change? Any suggestions??????

    I found eating before I got famished helped with sugar/white starch cravings. I used think I was following the "eat when you're hungry" doctrine, but I was waiting way too long and then only wanted something my body could process fast.
  • YaGigi
    YaGigi Posts: 817 Member
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    OT.
    I thought this thread was about huge boobies...
  • ruckerbenton
    ruckerbenton Posts: 94
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    I've been stuck this month. I have maintained my loss but not lost any more weight. Last time this happened, I reduced my calories from 1800 to 1500. This time I do not want to reduce my intake. I'm like you and have a sugar tooth. Like you, I have to figure out a way to curb it. I know by not eating sugar I don't crave it as much but then carbs and starch cravings kick in so I still get the sugar one way or the other. I know what I need to do. No free days. Watch every day closely. Eat only the calories allowed without using exercise calories. Watch carbs, starches like white potatoes and corn, and the real deal--sugar. Continue to seek and provide encouragement. I agree with others to relax some about this but I know that I am having trouble relaxing too so take action but try not to be too hard on yourself. Hang in there!
  • parmoute
    parmoute Posts: 99 Member
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    I've bought some expensive dark chocolate for sugar cravings. It's satisfying in small quantities and I'm aware of how much it cost, so it appeals to a different sort of guilt.

    Hang in there! I think it's valuable to have some kind of treat for yourself -- it reduces the feeling of deprivation. It hasn't been hard to budget for 28 calories and 2 grams of sugar when I have a piece from my chocolate stash.

    This worked for me too. I'm not much of a dark chocolate fan, but I keep a bag of Hershey kisses in the freezer and some thawed out in a dish on the counter. I have one almost every morning with my vitamins (maybe another after dinner) and then for the rest of the day I can tell myself I've already had my treat and I'm not depriving myself of anything. Seeing them doesn't make me want them, but it lets me know that they are available to me and that it's something I'm still allowed to eat, albeit in tiny quantities. (If having them out makes you crave them, keep them in the freezer -- at least it takes slightly longer to eat when frozen.)

    Also, whoever suggested logging your food first.... I totally agree with that as well and there are plenty of days it's the only reason I make decent choices.
  • parmoute
    parmoute Posts: 99 Member
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    Like Dorie says in Finding Nemo

    Keep on swimming, keep on swimming, keep on swimming, swimming, swimming . . .

    Every day you stick to your goals is another day you've stuck to your goals.

    YES! You have no idea how often I say that to myself -- because it's so very true.

    To the OP (and anyone else having an off day):
    You really can do this. If I -- the person who would be perfectly happy to eat pancakes three meals a day at the while telling myself for the last 10 years that I need to lose weight -- can do this, so can you, sugar/carb cravings and all.
  • Francesca3162
    Francesca3162 Posts: 520 Member
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    I did not read all the posts, so forgive me if I am being repetitive. I eliminated all sugary snacks from my home.. it was tough for the first week, but once that passed, I found myself not craving them so much.
    Also if you put everything in your calorie counter before you eat it, you will invariably find yourself not wanting to "waste" the calories.
    It takes time and perserverence..... I have lost fifty pounds since February because I never eat first then log.. I always log before I eat.. I allow myself to have whatever I want as long as it fits into my calories.. if I want a foamy rich coffee, I either have to give something else up, or work out first and earn the calories....

    If you want this.. and I think you do, or you would not be here.. then you have to work at making it work for you!! Not against you!
  • dansls1
    dansls1 Posts: 309 Member
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    OT.
    I thought this thread was about huge boobies...

    She's got huge tracts of ... land.

    OP - maybe don't cut out the sweets but cut the portions in half. If you normally eat 3 cookies, eat one, etc...
  • necie75
    necie75 Posts: 22
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    I too crave sweets.I figured out that if I deprive myself I end up eating something that I don't need.My solution was getting things like the Jello Temptations or something simliar and they satisfy that craving .The lemon merengue is pretty good.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I looked back on my diary and noticed that I am eating WAAAAY too many sugary treats. Some days they fit into my cals/macros and on others (this weekend) they absolutely did not. Need to figure out a way to get the sugar cravings under control. Having a hard time not slipping back into old habits. Need to remind myself why I am here. I think a lot of the problem is that its just not coming off as fast as I wanted it to. I wanted to be down 15-20 lbs by Christmas (I started in August) and 30-40 by our trip to Disney in March. The way things are going I don't see it happening, and now I just want to GIVE UP :(

    HELP MFPers. What should I change? Any suggestions??????

    I have had the worst sweet tooth most of my life, but I used a couple tricks to get it under control. I've replaced things like brownies and cookies and candy (whch I do still have in moderations sometimes) with healthy alternatives that trick my mind.

    I haven't been having this lately, but for a long time I ended my evening with "dessert" every night, which was a fruit smoothie:

    1 banana
    1 cup blueberries
    1/2 cup raspberries
    1/2 cup blackberries
    1 T Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams
    Ice
    Top with LIGHT whipped cream

    Also, I buy Green & Black's 85% cocoa dark chocolate and eat six squares a day with peanut butter. It's chocolate, but it's a healthy chocolate and quite filling and rich enough that a little bit goes a long way. And I am NOT a dark chocolate fan, but this stuff is incredible.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    Something that might help with having them in the house - have your Hubs pick a high cupboard in the kitchen where he keeps his treats. Make an agreement with him that these are his and you will stay away from them. And make sure you have something in the house that will satisfy you when you have your own cravings so that will guarantee that you'll stay away. Pick one favorite snack bar or even pick a nice dark chocolate you adore and let yourself have one serving per day and that's it. It's my belief that if you completely limit yourself, you will eventually give in and it will be bad - been there done that! Better to keep those kinds of things in your day to day but limit the portions so that they don't really impact your calorie goal.
  • tigerlily8045
    tigerlily8045 Posts: 415 Member
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    I had to go cold turkey with the sweets, candy, soda (even diet) for about 3 weeks. After that it wasn't an automatic response. I was able to then evaluate if I really wanted it or not. Now I can have a reese cup, not 4. But I had to just shut it out for a bit.

    If you are able, get a heart rate monitor. I found one for $28 on amazon that works just fine, nothing fancy. I then try not to eat back all of my calories in case that I forgot something.

    Keep working at it, It will happen if you just give it a chance. Setting a timeline I think backfires because you feel too much stress and when you have a bad week, it throws you off.
  • livinbb
    livinbb Posts: 84 Member
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    OT.
    I thought this thread was about huge boobies...

    Oh my goodness! I laughed so hard when I realized what I had done. Sorry for the misleading title! It wasn't intentional :laugh:
  • livinbb
    livinbb Posts: 84 Member
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    Thank you for all of your suggestions. After reading all of your comments I have changed my calorie goal to my BMR. I have also changed my diary so it tracks sugars and I've upped my fiber intake. Hoping these small changes will help me stay on track and away from the sugars.
  • drusilla126
    drusilla126 Posts: 478 Member
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    Well giving up definitely won't get it done so you're best to keep going. I personally eat a boatload of sugary treats not because I crave them but because I want them and I don't feel bad about it. I've lost 60 pounds even with the treats so something tells me that might not be where the problem lies. Perhaps you're overestimating exercise calories? Not eating exercise calories back?
  • RetiredAndLovingIt
    RetiredAndLovingIt Posts: 1,394 Member
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    I decided I wanted to stop drinking soda (only been drinking diet for a long time, but wanted to stop that also), so I started drinking only water. I found I wasn't craving sweets & it was really easy to avoid them also. Have started drinking a diet soda "only when eating out" lol, and I want more sweets again. It also helps to eat a fair amount of fruit, and if I want something sweet beside that, I try to have mini candy bars or kisses or nuggets on hand. They don't add a lot of calories (if you only have one) and can usually satisfy that sweet urge. Individual chocolate pudding cups are great for dessert, makes you feel really indulgent, and not horrible on calories, either.
  • CrazyCatLadylovescats
    CrazyCatLadylovescats Posts: 107 Member
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    Weekends are hard. It is much easier to stick to schedule during the week.

    I found for me, that along with cutting sugar, (I only have it in my tea in the morning) that cutting out grains helped me overcome the cravings the most. It took a few days for my body to adjust to not eating the grains, but after that I have felt much fuller and do not feel the need to reach for snacks. If cutting sugars does not help, you may want to try cutting the grains. (The two do tend to go together a lot of the time.)
  • livinbb
    livinbb Posts: 84 Member
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    Weekends are hard. It is much easier to stick to schedule during the week.

    I found for me, that along with cutting sugar, (I only have it in my tea in the morning) that cutting out grains helped me overcome the cravings the most. It took a few days for my body to adjust to not eating the grains, but after that I have felt much fuller and do not feel the need to reach for snacks. If cutting sugars does not help, you may want to try cutting the grains. (The two do tend to go together a lot of the time.)

    Thanks for the advice. I did cut out grains back around Lent ( I did it to support my brother), and I must admit that I don't remember having many sugar cravings. That being said once lent was over I obviously went back to eating grains again. I have changed my diary to start tracking sugar. Prior to watching my intake I was always a salty snacker. I could have done without sweets. Then I started tracking my sodium, and now I'm eating more sugary snacks. So I am hoping by tracking both sodium and sugar I will begin to make better choices.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    You should change the part where you feel like one weekend is enough to derail ALL your plans. Its one weekend, this is your new life. Not your new calendar.

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