My name is Alison and I have a problem with food

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Alycyn1980
Alycyn1980 Posts: 62 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi All

My name is Alison and for years I have been battling with my weight having lost and gained back more than I lost at each attempt. I have done WW, SW and MFP over the years and have lost with each. SW was the best as you can pretty much each what you like but there is no portion control with that.

I am starting on MFP, hoping for a new me once again. I am fed up of being overweight. Now I no this is my own fault. Joined a SW class last feb & lost stone & a half but now I am 13st 5 1/4lbs, a stone heavier than I was when I started last year and TBH I am ashamed now of how I look. I am pushing my OH away. I don't want him seeing me or touching me & I luv him so much I am scared I may push him away completely by not letting him close to me. We have been together for 11yrs and I no I am being paranoid about him leaving but u hear stories all the time. In saying that he just got y name tattooed on his neck!!!

I had been on a camping holiday in the Lake District but I was so uncomfortable the whole time as it was so hot.

I was we'll into completing the 5k jog Scotland and completed the 5k race for life but I ended up with shin splints so had to rest up for a few wks, tried again and ended up with other leg problems, then attempted Insanity, got a couple of weeks into it but gave up on that too between one thing and another - I always give up :frown:

I want to attempt to lose a stone for xmas and get back into a heap of clothes that no longer fit me again.

Anyhoo enuf wattling on, don't want to be boring you all.

Happy reading and I hope we can all inspire each other x

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Welcome to MFP!

    Can you work out why the other programmes didnt work for you long-term? MFp isnt a magic solution, unless you determine why you put your lost weight back on youare in danger of that happening again.

    Dont worry too much about exercise - weight loss is primarily down to what you eat, so concerate on getting that right first.
  • Alycyn1980
    Alycyn1980 Posts: 62 Member
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    Honestly it is not the diets that are the problem - I just like my food!!! I am ok when there are people around and that was when I was doing really well but OH started a job offshore and it was a case of of no one sees me eating it then it wont matter but of course it did as I ate it and am now stones heavier. I dont really have any close friends where I stay so I am in the house all the time apart from work. I do not have the money to go to classes or join a gym so am doing it alone.

    I just need to be strict with myself and not buy crap!!!
  • spdaphne
    spdaphne Posts: 262 Member
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    Hi Alison!

    Welcome! I like food too! Just remember that it's going to take time to change eating habits. I know last year I was doing well with my eating and this year I've gone back up 19 lbs that I had lost last year. Boo! So I think this year's been a huge lesson in patience and self-awareness about my body and listening to it. I think that's what it's all about.

    I think logging your food and participating here will help hopefully with making healthier food choices that contribute to what it is you want. I know for me, it took me a good 6-12 months to change my palette to enjoying foods that I used to not care for. It's hard to change habits you'd had for years, but knowing when you get off track, you can get back on. It's just remembering what you did to get back on so that when it happens again, you know what to do.

    Feel free to add me as a friend, I keep an open food diary!!

    Best of luck!!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    i like my food... i just had to come to terms with the fact that i couldnt like as much food and i had to learn to like exercise if i wanted to look good naked!

    once you realise that, you're good to go!
  • Alycyn1980
    Alycyn1980 Posts: 62 Member
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    Well on SW you could eat pretty much anything on the Extra Easy plan but although I lost weight I think I could have lost so much more as I am terrible with portion control!!! This is why I am still following the rule of SW but tracking on MFP to make sure I keep the calorie intake low!!
  • perrinjoshua
    perrinjoshua Posts: 286 Member
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    Hi Alison and welcome back to MFP. I read your story and I can definitely relate. Portion control, I think, was the big secret that I never got until just recently, utilizing the 5:2 fast program as well as the MFP site, which has been incredibly helpful and provided me with some fabulous new friends who give me the support and encouragement I need to stay focused long term. As one member has already said, love your food, just love it less and exercise to stay fit and toned and you are good to go! If you want to friend me, please feel free. I would love to be there with you on your journey. God bless.
  • jackielou867
    jackielou867 Posts: 422 Member
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    ‘Diets’ do not work – Diets may lead to short-term results, but as soon as your eating habits return to normal then so will your weight. And probably more weight! Yo-yo dieting is extremely common and most people will have tried it at some point. The only thing that will give you long-term results and improve your health is by adopting healthy lifestyle changes.

    I love my food too, but I have learned to love different food :-)

    I have sent you a long message. I hope you read it, you sound like me at your age. It took me 17 years to fix it. I would love to share what I have learnt these last few months. feel free to add me as a friend :-)
  • Alycyn1980
    Alycyn1980 Posts: 62 Member
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    Thanks Guys, just the encouragement that I am needing. OH home today so going to be going a shop. Just making out my shopping list.

    Jackielou I never got any message through from you?

    Had a good day so far, absolutely freezing though. Think I turned the heating off this morning as my bill is going to be mahoosive. As long as on in the mornings for me getting up and out of the shower. I will just get my snuggie out and wrap up with that and my onsie!!!
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
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    Hi, my name is Alison too. :)
    I started out adding regular exercise and not changing my diet much, then proceeded by making gradual dietary changes. This worked much better for me than previous attempts at immediately making drastic changes to what I eat.
  • TheSlorax
    TheSlorax Posts: 2,401 Member
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    HI ALISON!
  • fallhiker
    fallhiker Posts: 18 Member
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    Hello Alison. I just started on here yesterday. At 56, I can tell you it does get harder with every decade. I have 100 pounds to lose...never thot I would be saying that! I too have failed at every diet known to man in the last 15 years, and at times, just thot I would give up and stay fat, but I could never experience true happiness and freedom that way. Sooooo, here I am too, with 24 hours under my belt! :) I have decided for myself that 80 percent of my weight problem is my thots! The work for me is concentrating on getting my thots in order. I too am hoping for support, and lend it as well! Welcome! :)
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
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    Honestly it is not the diets that are the problem - I just like my food!!!
    This is me too! You can only lose weight if you have a calorie deficit, whatever method you use to control your calorie intake.
    I can burn off 500cal in an exercise session and eat them back and still have my all-important 500 cal deficit that loses 0.5kg a week. I know gyms are expensive but do you have a local leisure centre with a fitness room or pool? Could you do some more gentle jogging (avoid those shin splints) or perhaps the couch to 5k programme? I know that exercise was my magic bullet and has allowed me to stick with my new eating habits since June. Good luck! You seem to be properly determined, I'm sure you'll do it this time!:smile:
  • Alycyn1980
    Alycyn1980 Posts: 62 Member
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    Morning all.

    So far so good.

    I got shin splints doing the C25K, did go 2 physio, rested up tried again & same thing happened. I've signed up 4 metafit classes which looks similar 2 insanity (which I also have in the house) so will get back on track. Also have the treadmill so really have no excuses & I live 5mins from the beach.

    Like most of u I nd 2 severe the connection with food. I eat it like it's going to disappear, I have to realise that it will still b there 6 days later when I have my off day/weigh in day!!

    Seeing it calorie wise does make a difference so hoping I can do it this time, not getting any younger :-/
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    Well on SW you could eat pretty much anything on the Extra Easy plan but although I lost weight I think I could have lost so much more as I am terrible with portion control!!! This is why I am still following the rule of SW but tracking on MFP to make sure I keep the calorie intake low!!

    You say 'keep the calorie intake low'. How low are we talking? If you are restricting yourself too far then you're setting yourself up for failure because you'll end up hungry. Set your MFP weight loss goal to lose 0.5 to 1lb per week. You'll have a higher calorie allowance that you'll find easier to stick to. The weight loss will be slow but you are more likely to succeed long term with a slow loss.

    Your diary is closed so I don't know what you're eating, but keep an eye on what you are eating in terms of fat/carbs/protein. As you're a SW/WW vet then chances are you're in the habit of aiming for low fat products. Marketed 'weight loss' food products usually have the fats stripped out and replaced with sugar and sweeteners and usually just leave the consumer hungry and wanting more. Aim or more whole foods. Keep a reasonable intake of healthy fat such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, etc. Also keep protein and fibre intake high as this will keep you more satiated.

    Make small changes that you are comfortable with keeping up forever.

    Good luck.
  • Alycyn1980
    Alycyn1980 Posts: 62 Member
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    Well on SW you could eat pretty much anything on the Extra Easy plan but although I lost weight I think I could have lost so much more as I am terrible with portion control!!! This is why I am still following the rule of SW but tracking on MFP to make sure I keep the calorie intake low!!

    You say 'keep the calorie intake low'. How low are we talking? If you are restricting yourself too far then you're setting yourself up for failure because you'll end up hungry. Set your MFP weight loss goal to lose 0.5 to 1lb per week. You'll have a higher calorie allowance that you'll find easier to stick to. The weight loss will be slow but you are more likely to succeed long term with a slow loss.

    Your diary is closed so I don't know what you're eating, but keep an eye on what you are eating in terms of fat/carbs/protein. As you're a SW/WW vet then chances are you're in the habit of aiming for low fat products. Marketed 'weight loss' food products usually have the fats stripped out and replaced with sugar and sweeteners and usually just leave the consumer hungry and wanting more. Aim or more whole foods. Keep a reasonable intake of healthy fat such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, etc. Also keep protein and fibre intake high as this will keep you more satiated.

    Make small changes that you are comfortable with keeping up forever.

    Good luck.

    Hi Karen

    When I say low I am meaning in comparison to what I had been consuming. I am aiming at 1200cals a day but not going to get upset if I go over by a couple hundred as I know it will still result in a weight loss. SW is completely different (in my eyes) to other clubs. They do not have products on sale in the shops or anything like that. They push you to eat the foods you would normally. You have an allowance of 15syns (synergy something) a day which is used however you want. You were allowed pasta rice, veg, fruit, lean meats, poultry all Free as long as no fats etc, had Healthy Extras a day for Fibre and Calcium. It was a good diet but as I say portion control was my problem espectially with pasta/rice - I love it and it is not until you log it on here you actually see how many calories you are consuming.

    As with today, my lunch has turned out to be a lot more than I thought and it is just salad, chicken, houmous and a wrap!!!

    Will send you a friend request and you can nosey at my diary. I think I am eating enough, dont concentrate too much on anything else apart from the calories!!!

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