Help please? Ready to give up :(

I have thought about trying non meat versions of things, but was worried about taste especially as it costs more, lol. I do cook the kids stuff that I wont eat just so they dont become as fussy as me, but Ive never done them a full salad to pick at what they want. My mum does me a lentil curry which is fat free and full of flavour Thank you I will def be giving this a try

I feed one ovo-lacto vegetarian and one flexitarian (me) on about $50 (US) every week. It can be expensive, and of course I don't know what food prices are in your area, but it doesn't have to be. I find that not buying as much meat balances out. I get a 12 oz block of tofu for $1 (US) and it stands in for a much more expensive pound of meat. Or I buy a 12 oz bag of soy crumbles for $2.50 (US) on sale, and it stands in for a pound of meat. You just have to shop around and try things. You can also buy dehydrated textured vegetable protein and rehydrate it at home -- it takes a bit to get the hang of, but can be very affordable.

...Want to get a serving size lesson? Go pour yourself a bowl of cereal. Don't read on until you pour the bowl of cereal - or choose any other simple meal you eat.

Got it poured?

Here's the lesson. Now measure it. How many cups of cereal did you pour? (or other food) Now check the box. How many servings did you pour that you are recording as one? Try this with any / all your recurring meals. You will learn where these hidden calories are coming from and your weaknesses lie.

Want another lesson? Now take the cereal you measured out with the cup and go weigh it. Many times it's way off. To get a truly accurate measurement, weigh your food with a scale. For example, I measured out some cereal the other day. The serving size was 3/4 of a cup or 55g. It turns out 3/4 cup was closer to 82g. If I'd eaten the full 3/4 cup I'd have got 1.5 servings worth of calories. (Cheese can be like that too.) All those extra calories add up!

Thinking long term scares the crap outta me, I cant do it.

Then stop thinking "long term"...think "just this second"...can you do that? Of course you can. "Just this second I'll go pick up my walking shoes" "Just this second I'll put my left shoe on" "Just this second I'll put my right shoe on" "Just this second I'll stand up" "Just this second I'll walk to the door" "Just this second I'll open the door and go outside" "Just this second I'll close the door" "Just this second I'll put my right foot in front of my left" "Just this second I'll put my left foot in front of my right" etc, etc Congratulations, you just started your walk for the day. How do you eat a (low calorie) elephant? One bite at a time.

If you don't eat most of the exercise calories back then you are making it too hard on yourself to stick to this long term. MFP is set up that way so you should try to do it. If you are finding it hard to eat your calories don't eat low fat diet foods, eat real foods that are full fat as fat is not bad for you. Nuts/seeds, peanut butter, whole eggs, avocado, salmon or other oily fish, healthy oils to cook with or put on salads will all help you reach you goal. Best of luck achieving them!

I am feeling down and I have been to the doctors before but because it only lasts a few days, week tops, and I can kick myself out of it Im all good

Wow 100lb lost, well done to you!! The water thing does sound like it could be part ofthe problem, I also dont really pay attention to my sodium and I think that effects water aswell? I tend to live in leggings and t-shirt so I dont feel a difference in them but I might go out and buy a size or 2 smaller fittedish dress and every few weeks try it on and see maybe, thank you

Thank you! With many ups and downs on the scale, I assure you. It used to drive me bonkers, now it just makes me slightly crazy.

Sodium does indeed affect water weight as well. And of course every month the scale will mess with most women. And that one will screw with our waistbands, too, so just gotta walk it off. Literally if you feel like walking!

My sister lost 40 pounds, normal food. Says low fat foods, they add more sugar. I'm not sure if this is so or not, but it worked for her. She allowed herself one dessert a day even, still lost. It is most definitely portion size that I struggle with. I also find carbs kick in my cravings for more carbs, so I usually have carbs later in the day. That's just what works for me. You have to figure out what works for you.

I would advise measuring yourself as well, the week I didn't lose lbs, showed inches lost. I am like you, I need to not focus on the scale. But really we wouldn't even need a scale ever, you can tell by your clothing . I do not allow myself looks in between my weigh in days, I just have to trust my food choices are working. I'm old, I fell and hurt my knees, so I'm hobbling around. Even in spite of only being able to do slow walks and eating back the amount, I have had a pretty steady loss.

It works. But, you have the choice. Make an excuse to yourself or face facts and choose your health as being vital. Or you will be like me and have 120 lb to lose when you are 60 and have wasted precious moments/years on the sideline of life, because you were too fat for everything. I strongly advise against making the same choice I did.

My goal is to be more healthy in my 60's & 70's (80-90 etc.) I'm hoping your goal will be to start a more healthy life now, It only gets worse without attention. Believe an old woman who knows. I'm down 18 lb, 3 inches off my hips (and I didn't measure right away) I already fell better health wise and about myself in general.

Best wishes and good choices!

Have you ever considered getting a workout partner? I know it helped me tremendously. Another would be listening to your favorite music when working out. It did wonders for me. The diet part is the tricky part I know. Although consider this, the food they put on the market today is nothing but a drug and it will slowly destroy your body over time if you let it. I know my father (rest his soul) past away from diabetes when I was 22. Although that was not why I wanted to become healthier and lose weight.
I wanted to lose weight because I wanted to prove people wrong and also wanted to feel like a bad *kitten* with muscles. Maybe you want to feel like a bad *kitten* with a toned up body? It takes time. Just think about with each successful day accomplished with dieting and working out you are adding a brick to your dream body. The sweating and labor of the foundation is tough and grueling. Although once you look up and walk back a few feet to view your structure which would be your mirror, then you can smile and have bragging rights for the rest of your life. Not only that, you can also help others accomplish the same tasks you did! It all takes time. And unfortunately time these days are hard to come by. Although with the right patience and repetition we can all accomplish great things in life. Life is about evolving. And if you are not evolving you are not growing. :drinker:

I know how hard it is to stay motivated, I've been there! The best thing I ever did was sign up for my first 5K fun run last summer. I ran the whole thing, slowly, but I did it, and then I signed up for another one the next month! I try to do a 5K race once a month because it gives me that motivation to work out and keep in shape so I can keep running them. Then I eat better, too, because I want to feel good to go work out. Running has made this whole weight loss process about so much more than the scale. So just go sign up for one, even if you have to walk the whole thing. It will get you motivated, trust me. Good luck and feel free to add me!

11 pounds is a great start! It is what I have lost as well! I also find it hard to stay motivated in the excercise dept because it is exhautsting working full time plus and taking care of two kids a husband and a home BUT I have found that I am more apt to stay motivated if I do something I like such as swimming and Zumba! I LOVE to dance so Zumba for me is fun! Even if I do not get to go to my zumba class because it is cancelled or it does not work with my schedule I still throw on some music and get moving. I Dance around the house or go on you tube and get a dance/zumba routine to some favorite music. Find what motivates you and use it in your favor. Like to play tennis? Play out in the yard with your kids maybe kicking a ball around? GO DO IT! Best of luck! But don't give up on yourself! :flowerforyou:

Hi:
I can sympathize with you because I'm a slow loser too. I look at it this way, even though I'm not losing I know I'm doing the right thing by logging my food, saying hello to my friends here on MFP, and reading the most inspiring stories about people's ups and downs and accomplishments. If you don't do anything, then nothing will happen. But if you try, then something eventually will happen and your children will see you giving it your best effort. That is teaching them to never give up. You can do it. I know you can. Don't think about the gifts your mother offered. Those clothes will be there when you get there. Don't put pressure on yourself by setting dates. Slow and easy wins the race. The greatest gift you will have when you do reach your goal is the gift of a healthy life and the added years you will have given yourself. All the best to you and add me as a friend if you feel I can help you in any way.
Blessings,
Linda