What is wrong with me?!

I struggle with dieting really bad. I could have been 30 pounds lighter by now but the last couple months I really slacked and kept cheating and I did not lose any weight in fact I gained 8 pounds back. Its frustrating I know. What I found that really helps me is exercised calories. Exercise and eat those calories they will help you make it through the day and you will still lose weight. After time it gets easier. Once the new habbits take place. Good luck and don't give up.

I know exactly what you are talking about....

I really think the key is planning. Log your meals the day prior, you'll be less likely to cheat. Only bring one day's worth of snacks to work at a time. Let other people know you might need help so they don't keep junk food out in front of you.

Really, though, I'm sure you know all of this. You know what you need to do, it's just putting it all together that's difficult. Take baby steps. Improve your breakfast first, cut out McDonald's and plan something else. Once you've got that down, move on to improving your snacking.

It's a huge lifestyle change, it's not going to happen overnight!! Set goals that are reasonable and do-able, and achieving the mini-goals will help you want to attack the bigger goals.

I got on an 1800 calorie diet when I was pregnant and gaining 6 to 10 pounds a week. My metabolism just went wacko. I had a super rough time. I failed a lot. Right now, as I have dieted off and on and starved my body by only eating 2 times a day and completely the wrong food, I have gone over to the notion of eating every two hours. It is hard to do. Still cant get myself to drink (drinking water will help a lot!) but, start off with a good protien and some starch to get your metabolism up and plan to eat : breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. Eating all day!! The Mc'ie D's is easy to duplicate without too much fuss. Get egg whites, or the premade egg white mix. Make a small egg circle, get extra lean turkey bacon, and a low fat whole wheat bagel. Use like half of it for an open faced sandwich. Tastes yummy and doesn't have anywhere near the calories or sodium Mc D's does. That is the worst place to eat! I got a biggest looser book that has wonderful light meals. There's all these 100 calorie snacks all ready to go these days. I'm watching carbs and calories.. I have a hard time since doing this program even getting the calories, cuz I found all these great veggie dishes and snacks. Lots of protien and veggies! Oh cookies!! my downfall.. but there are some wonderful reduce fat or vegetarian versions that I am experimenting with. BUT if you do the diet every two hours and put in lots of veggies and exercise, you can still have a cookie every couple days!! Imagine that! Once you get your metabolism reved up and your body knows its gettiing food you will feel better! I have so much energy the past couple days. I have forced breakfast down, but am really feeling I will make it this way. GOOD LUCK sorry for rambling on.

I'm totally in the same boat. First off...it all takes time. Try making changes slowly. Like drinking skim milk rather than 2%. Eat frozen fruit when you have those sweet tooth cravings coming on. When you go to McDonald's don't get the meat on the breakfast sandwiches. Every little bit counts. When I first started out I hit 1200 calories by lunch time. So I know what you're going through. So you have 1800 calories...divide that up by 4 or 5. If you eat 5 times a day...eat 360 calories for each meal. Plus when you exercise eat those calories too. It does get easier. Good luck!!! Jolene

Yep. The first time i tried this site i found it hard not to snack all day. The second time around i found it easier, i just picture myself getting on the scale and seeing my goal weight. That helps me turn down that food.

Before I started on MFP I would get a sausgae,cheese and egg biscuit from McDonalds EVERY morning. For lunch it would be fast food again. Supper would be either fast food or frozen pizza or something along that line. I am a lone and no need to cook since it was just me right?
At first, I craved the food!!! It wasn't so much the food as it was just stopping off and getting something to eat. Carbs are my downfall....any carbs, breads, pasta, crackers..any.
The first 2 weeks I went cold turkey and cut all carbs, everything out of my meals. Once my body got rid of the carbs it started to
respond to the veggies & fruit.
I no longer have the desire for all the carbs. I treat myself sometimes and really have to make sure I get right back on the healthy meals right after I eat it, but I am 100000% better then what I was before.
I now fix my meals in the slow cooker where I have food ready either for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I pack my lunch the night before and I don't have anything in my house that I can not eat....no chips, no cookies nothing. If it is not healthy I don't have it in my home!

I hope this helps!!!! Hey if I can start to lose I know you can too. I was a worthless cause before....but now I have the desire to do better, not just for me, but to be here for my granddaughter who needs me....
Mary

It's always a struggle. I tired and tried to gradually go into it, but that never worked. I'm trying this detox from a friend of mine that just because a personal trainer. Its REALLY hard, but it works. I'm eating all day long and dropping pound. Granted I have to eat things that are on the detox. So for example, I just had a snack . .. a big bowl full of broccoli (my co-workers love me :laugh: ). For breakfast I had a bowl full of fresh strawberries and some yummy almond butter. For lunch, I'll be having some salad and some soy beans. Let me know if you want to see the detox and I'll email it to you.

I totally want to see the detox!

wow, everyone has a lot of great tips.!! which will help me too!
also -- dark chocolate is apparently good for you for different reasons, so if you're REALLY craving sweet, allow yourself a little piece of dark chocolate here and there.
don't forget, once you've started and are well on your way, you're going to be a lot less likely to crave sweet and salty things.. it's amazing how addicting these things are !!! but our bodies DON'T need bad things like these.!
(a few years ago i did a detox that didn't let me eat bad sugars, fried foods, or much salt.. . eventually, i lost ALL cravings for things like cake, choclate, fries, chips, etc.. i mean, these things DID look good if they were right in front of me, but i didn't go crazy NEEDING to have them.). i can't wait to get myself back to that point!! it does take hard work. but it feels SO INCREDIBLY GREAT to have that much control of what you eat.!

I think the best thing you can do for yourself is plan, plan, plan! I know that's easier said than done, believe me. But if you make a list of healthy meals and snacks and pick them up at the grocery store, you will be so glad you took the effort to do it. This will also save you some money by not visiting the drive-thru lanes every day. You can buy yourself some new (and smaller) clothes from the money you save! :happy:

Different Little Tricks:

McDs - eat light for breakfast and lunch and eat just a happy meal.... you will get the taste of McDs with less calories and your whole day wont be thrown off because you prepared by eating light earlier.

Subway - Maybe if you know you are going to go there, grab something that is chocolate (but small - like one Hershey Kiss has 25 calories or something like that) and suck on that while you are down paying (near the cookies) - it will curb that choco craving ESPECIALLY while you stand in front of the cookies - then when you leave you will feel so proud you were able to bypass them! Also, maybe get some viactiv choco chews (extra calcium is good!) and eat that in line - you get calcium, choco flavoring and LOW calories all at one time!

As far as work, I agree with you! It is hard... my job has massive amounts of sweets and snacks sitting out all the time - it definitely takes willpower but make sure you have some healthy snacks at your desk or in the fridge like 100 calorie packs and apples or oranges....