Help me make it past the first week

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Hello everyone,

I am new here and hope to accomplish my goals of bettering myself inside and out. I figured I'd just post my first blog entry here as an introduction because it's a little into who I am and the goals I hope to accomplish. Good luck everyone and I wish you success in your fitness journey.

First Day

You know the first day is always the easiest. It's a week from now that I'm worried about. I start off with goals and energy but by the 7th day the excuses start. I'm sick, I hurt, I want to eat out, I have a craving, or I don't have time. These all seem to be things I end up turning to and end up eating unhealthy or neglecting my exercise routine. I found this site and I'm hoping that this time will be different. I've tried journals before but never online. Will this time really be different??? I guess we'll see in a week.



A little about myself.



I'm 26 and I still live with my parents but not for long. I came home after I broke up with my 5 year long relationship with my bf whom I was living with. I have 2 degree's but was never happy or statisfied for what I went to college for. Now I'm enrolled in a Nursing program and will be starting my CNA in June and my LPN in the spring. I'll be moving out soon and I am looking forward to it. It's easier to eat healthier if you are the only one buying the food. And I HATE shopping. I haven't bought clothes in a couple years. Although I will need to because most my clothes have holes in them and I can't attend classes looking like a bum. Although I'll probably be in scrubs anyways?

Some of my interests are animals, video games, traveling, cultures, reading, singing, dancing, surfing youtube, and watching various tv/movies/asian drama/anime.

I'm usually alone but it's mostly by choice. I've never really found people that I enjoyed hanging out with. I'm still searching for friends who just like going to the movies, museums, playing video/card/board games, and just hanging out in the wilderness. I'm not good in large groups, especially going to bars and avoid them at all costs. Even if my fellow employees try to get me to go. I prefer one on one social interactions or I get nervous.

I guess that's a gist of who I am.

Replies

  • KatieM7
    KatieM7 Posts: 588 Member
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    Welcome to MFP! Good luck on your goals. You can do anything you put your mind to. If you would like some support feel free to add me as a friend.
  • sls8486
    sls8486 Posts: 8
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    I am the same way.
    I get excited about starting a new journey in life... but then get bored or else forget about the goals I'm headed towards.

    With going to school, and getting into nursing you should be out walking a lot!
    Maybe get one of those things that you can strap to your hip, that tracks how many steps you took that day.
    That way you can see an immediate result number!
  • SassyMissDasha
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    Welcome! You sound like a motivated young lady. Keep working at it!
  • jeanywren
    jeanywren Posts: 72 Member
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    Hi , I am a lot older, but you mention a lot of things that pertain to me. It is easier to stay on a diet if you are only cooking for yourself, but it gets very boring too. I find that making stir fries makes use of a lot of vegetables that might go to waste. I am not a big salad fan, get tired of them very quickly. I don't like breakfast foods so make a light lunch type meal to start my day, always with a bit of protein in it. You will get better after the first week, always takes time for you to adjust. I find this site has been very good for me, never liked tracking what I ate before but this is so much easier. If you do one meal and get a wakeup call on the calorie content you can figure out how to make it more acceptable for the next time. I have no trouble getting vegetables into my meals , have to work on the fruit.

    You can do this, and if you add a little exercise, even 30 minutes slow walking, it gives you a bit more leeway with the food you are allowed if you are finding it too restricting. I have only been on here just over a month. I have a very sedentary job so lack of exercise is one of the factors that I have to contend with. My legs are bad and I am trying to add a little more at a time, and I am starting to feel like I am moving a bit better even with just a ten pound loss.

    I have not added all that many friends yet, but people on here are very supportive and you can look around and find some that you can connect with. Let's go girl, you can do it!!!
  • xarrium
    xarrium Posts: 432 Member
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    I feel like you just described me! I'm a rather introverted person... I need my time alone, and I feel like people don't know (or don't care?) about me and what I find important... I have a really hard time with people trying to sabotage my weight loss (it's happened twice already, so this is my third time on the wagon), so I'm really stoked about moving out on my own next week. I know it'll be hard to plan and make all of my own meals, but I'm hoping that if I'm the only one buying food, I'll buy what I need to eat and there won't be temptations everywhere.

    I came down with a cold this week, and despite my efforts I ran with the excuse and really overdid it yesterday ("I'm sick and it's my cheat day, so I'll just eat *everything*")... hopefully I can get back on the wagon this week! MFP is full of awesome people who'll help push you to not make excuses and get out there and exercise, even when you're tired or unmotivated--make lots of friends here and you can't go wrong!

    (And, aren't scrubs the best? No panic in the morning about coordination, and it really doesn't matter how you alter them, everyone still looks bad in them, so you don't have to worry about your scrubs making you look bad.)

    Hang in there, and good luck!!
  • SylvieJacques
    SylvieJacques Posts: 113 Member
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    Welcome to MFP, You will see that there are lots of people to support you. For me what got me through loosing the weight and not jumping into any of those excuses, was a trick that I was given. If I want something that is not on the "healthy" side or eating out knowing that I might go over, I was told to seriously ask myself if it's really worth it as it can jeopardize my weight loss. I can tell you that most of the time the answer was no (it was just because i was feeling lazy or it was easier that way) but there are a few times when the answer was "yes" and I went for it still being careful. The one thing I noticed, is that when I went for it, because I had taken the time to seriously think about it and it was a very well thought decision, I had no guilt and amazingly I actually enjoyed what I eat instead of wanting to overeat.

    Doesn't mean that because it works for me, it will work for everyone but it's simple enough that I wanted to pass it on.

    good luck and if you need any support, please don't hesitate to add me and I'm usually around on a daily basis.
  • Sherry45106
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    Hello!
    It sounds like you have your goals laid out, but you may be setting yourself up for failure by saying things like "it's 7 days from now that I am worried about." Also, it sounds like you are taking an "all or nothing" approach to this, meaning that it sounds like you think that if you mess up just one time, it's over. We are all human, and I don't care who you are the fact is that practically everyone messes up or has a bad day with whatever it is that they are dealing with. Some of us are dealing with food issues while others are dealing with smoking, drinking or even drugs. Just keep in mind that there probably will be times when you have an off day and you're probably going to over eat now and then. And like everyone else in life, you are going to want to go out and eat... DO IT! Just try to keep MFP in the back of your mind. What I do when I go out is I'll try to only eat half or two thirds of the "bad" stuff. And, I'll try to work in a nice long walk or a work out on the day that I am eating out. The main thing is to remember, that if you mess up one day, it's not going to ruin everything that you are trying to accomplish. Just keep track of what you ate on here, use it as a reference, and the next day get right back on track. If you try to be TOO strict on yourself, THAT'S when you WILL spiral out of control. You have to indulge yourself once in a while... you deserve it.

    Good luck dear!
    ~Sherry~
  • blancs18
    blancs18 Posts: 102
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    HI! Sounds just like me when I first started my weight loss. It's easy to be energetic and motivated at first...but as days go by you start losing that motivation. That's why it's great to surround yourself with people that will motivate you, like going to a gym and getting on a treadmill next to a person that is running. Trust me, this will make you want to run too ^_^ Instead of watching cooking shows..watch exercise shows on TV. These little things might seem silly, but trust me, I've learned they have helped me a lot! Best of luck on your journey! :D
  • popplylily
    popplylily Posts: 97
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    oh my it sounds just like me!!
    and i totally relate to the friends to hang out with thing.. all mine seem to just wanna booze and drug their way through life.. and im the only one who wants to hang out at coffee shops or go to the beach.. so i symapthis with that big time. over here the drinking culture is HUGE i mean like massive and no sport stuff or anything like that really.. so it really is pubbing and clubbing only. and though i love a good dance i can think of nicer smelling places to spendthe night! xxxx best of luck
  • jodieunited
    jodieunited Posts: 112 Member
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    i just started on monday...its hard with so much temptation.arghhhhh
  • marypa87
    marypa87 Posts: 1
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    It is hard to start a new diet, a new job a new life, because you're not used to it, everything is about adapting, once you get used to eating healthy and exercising, you won't even realize you're doing it. I love pizza, brownies, cookies, french fries but i know that everything in excess is bad and when you eat so bad so often you're obviously going to gain weight and of course slowly deteriorate your own health, what I'm trying to say is don't deprive yourself, it makes it seem harder than it is, eat things that you like with moderation and have some variety in your diet and exercise. You say you don't have friends and broke up with your BF, good (in a good way), now you can take this time to focus on yourself, on your career, your routine, your diet, eventually when you get a job or in school you'll meet people that have the same views as you and it'll be awesome, but first you gotta take care of yourself...... Good Luck :-) BTW: You picked a good career to go to, with a nursing degree you'll never be without a job!