My last hope

Breylin
Breylin Posts: 23
in Introduce Yourself
Hi guys, my name is Brooke...this is my billionth time trying to get myself on a program to lose weight. All of my life it has been up and down...I have the craziest metabolism ever. It is not unusual for me to gain / loss over 10 lbs in a single week. When I was seriously dieting (Taking medication, exercising, eating healthy) i lost on average 10-14 lbs a week. Right now I'm sitting at about 30 lbs below my highest weight, so I guess that is something to celebrate! Still have a long way to go though...

My biggest problem is that I'm a total carbaholic. I eat bread and lots of it...bagels...toast..rolls..so dieting has been especially challenging because any time I have to give up carbs, I get disheartened and angry.

I just binge ate and now I feel so guilty that I want to join this and change. I don't like how binging makes me feel...I feel so sick right now. I'm too young to be doing this to myself...
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Replies

  • mlima14
    mlima14 Posts: 112 Member
    I can't give up carbs either because I'll also binge eat. And it will be with all kinds of sweets. So I don't give up my carbs I just try to control how much I consume. I'm not perfect at it but I'm still learning. :wink:
  • KnickersInATwist
    KnickersInATwist Posts: 237 Member
    Hey

    You've made the first step by starting this account. Stop beating yourself up! Mfp is definitely a great place to begin your journey and break the binging cycle.

    Feel free to add me, we're all on this journey together! X
  • Breylin
    Breylin Posts: 23
    Everyone seems very friendly here. The good news is that a few months ago I bought myself a treadmill (I don't like working out outside or in a gym) so I do have the tools...I don't know how to cook at all so I usually just rely on microwavable processed foods...I know that so many health problems that I have (Constant headaches, fatigue, moodyness etc) are all a result of how I eat. I am graduating college, moving across the country and moving into an apartment with my boyfriend (first time nerves) so I think this is the best time in my life to make a change...

    I am usually swinging back and forth...for awhile I'll be gung ho and be extremely healthy and active...then for some reason one day it just crumbles and I'll be back to my old ways...what I would like is for someone to help me come up with a plan that I can stick to....right now I'd like to do a walk on my treadmill every day for atleast twenty minutes...I need to start out slowly..at my best I was able to do an hour on an elliptical...it was my proudest moment..i'd like to get back to that point.

    Does anyone have advice for coming up with exercise routines? I don't have any other strength training type equipment but I can be creative..
  • laceyjjj
    laceyjjj Posts: 53 Member
    YouTube has a lot of great free workouts! I would check out Blogilates or any other beginning strength training video. Otherwise, Pinterest has more workouts to last a lifetime. Good luck.
  • Breylin
    Breylin Posts: 23
    Thanks Lacey, I will check those out!

    How do you guys get the tickers on your posts? i would like to get a tracker for myself...100 lbs exactly to lose
  • CindyB97
    CindyB97 Posts: 146 Member
    My advice is don't be afraid to start slowly with everything. If you are an all or nothing kinda gal like I am, you may tend to do everything at once on day one (perfect eating plan, huge workout routine, all the water, etc.). It is sooo easy to get burned out doing that. So your plan of walking 20 minutes a day on the treadmill sounds like a very realistic starting point. It's about what I am doing, too, only outside instead of a treadmill.

    As for cooking, again start slow. Pick one night a week where you will cook from scratch. It should be something simple yet flexible so that you can change it up and try new ingredients but stick with the same method. One example is stir fry. Saute onions/garlic in a pan (use whatever type of cooking fat is on your diet plan), then add the protein with any spices you want, then the vegetables (frozen vegetables make it easy), then some type of sauce if you want (soy, terryaki, etc.), then you're done! Serve with rice if your plan allows.

    Anyway, good luck. You will do great!
  • citylegend
    citylegend Posts: 408 Member
    Welcome, you've made the best choice in reaching your targets by joining here. You will find loads of people in the same boat, each with individual quirks, but just remember you are not on your own. You can and will reach your goals if you follow the targets, search around, add some supportive friends, and look for inspiration from others. It works, I am proof of that!!!!

    Best of luck to you, looking forward to seeing your progress.
  • Breylin
    Breylin Posts: 23
    With every post my smile gets bigger and I feel more confident. I feel like other than getting myself actually on the treadmill, it will be my eating that is the biggest challenge. Once I get motivated to put on my running shoes and get on the treadmill I am able to complete a workout..but it is the mindless binging that is killing me. I sometimes don't realize until it is too late just how much food I have consumed. I don't know if it is out of boredom or I hate to say the d word....I have been having a lot of family struggles recently and that is when I noticed myself getting food and binging in my room..I think I have to really come up with a program that helps with every aspect....physical and emotional.

    Congratulations on everyone's weight loss...you guys are truly an inspiration. I have PCOS and for the longest time I tricked myself into believing that it was not my fault that I had gained so much weight..it was my syndrome...and that I would be fighting a losing battle to try and lose weight..

    I know this post is turning into a venting / pity post but there is just a lot on my shoulders. I will be doing my first workout of my program tonight, so I will let everyone know how that goes
  • itsanewday
    itsanewday Posts: 9 Member
    Hi Breylin, and welcome aboard! My hubby and I have always been big carb and sweet eaters too. But we found out about a doctor that wrote a book called "The 17 Day Diet". It goes in cycles of 17 days. It has changed our life from all the weight we lost, and has changed our eating style. I know how hard it can be to crave carbs and to try to go without them. There are tons of help books and dieting plans out there. Just seek out the one that speaks to you and your lifestyle. I know you can do this! Keep us posted.
  • WeaponOfMassInstruction
    WeaponOfMassInstruction Posts: 65 Member
    The fact you are STILL trying says a lot. Do not give up. You have the motivation and desire. Now you need action. Hopefully tracking it all here will help you be accountable and successful.
  • jborski21
    jborski21 Posts: 13 Member
    Welcome :) I can relate to you- I am also a carbaholic! I don't deprive my self of carbs though ( I will never be able to do a no carb diet), I just am mindful of the types of carbs and portion sizes. Instead of regular white bread, bagels, rolls, tortillas, etc- try to buy a multi-grain or whole wheat version, and read the labels to find the one with the most natural ingredients and most whole grains. I also LOVE sweets- and have started substituting some greek yogurt with fruit and a little honey, or a "skinny cow" dessert ( "Skinny cow" is the brand- most of the treats are pretty low cal/ sugar.)

    As far as the exercising, you have already taken a huge step to success buy purchasing a treadmill! I agree that walking 20 mins a day is a great way to start. I also bought "Jillian Michaels' 30 day shred" --It was $9 at walmart and has three different levels of 20 minute workouts that incorporate cardio and weights into the workout- I actually love it! It would be a good change on those days you may be bored from just doing the treadmill :)

    Now on to cooking- before I got married, I'll admit that I could bake but had NO idea how to cook. I didn't even know how to cook chicken! I would suggest just looking up some recipes and trying them! Never hurts to try! Also, they sell a small one or two serving george foreman, and on that you could just put a couple chicken breasts, turkey burgers, or regular burgers, and it is a healthy, quick , easy was to make protein! As mentioned above, stir fry is always a great option! What I do is just saute some onions, peppers, baby carrots, and broccoli (or you can buy whatever frozen or fresh veggies you like), I boil a little bit of brown rice, and grill up some protein, and bam! Healthy, nutricious, easy, YUMMY dinner- and I always make enough so we have leftovers for lunch!

    Hope this helps a little? Lol- Feel free to add me- You can do it!!!! :)
  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
    You're 22!!! Don't Last Hope Anything girl!!!!

    Pick One food a week to try and make. Chicken is very easy. pop in oven.... bake at the right temp for right time and done. You don't need to start with fancy flavorings. (I still don't)

    Try one less carb a day. Want a bagel? have HALF. carbs DO give me a spike and crash. Even said that to my husband last night after spaghetti.... I may need to cut mroe things our myself... bleh! I understand not wanting to!

    You WILL slip up again. But we're here to pick you up.

    One day at a time. No Diets - Lifestyle changes!!!!! Now is a great time for you and your boyfriend to learn things Together.

    Good luck
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
    If you eat the carbs you must burn the carbs. It's that simple. Also, at 22 nothing is ever your last anything.
  • missomgitsica
    missomgitsica Posts: 496 Member
    Have you talked to a doctor about getting your thyroid checked? Based on what you call your constant health problems and crazy metabolism it sounds like you might have some issues there. Thyroid conditions are no fun and if you do have one, getting it under control will help you a lot.

    Good luck!
  • shmulyeng
    shmulyeng Posts: 472 Member
    I have many of the same issues. I love bread and bagels. You don't have to give it up completely. Just control how much you eat and when.

    Regarding exercise, I started with a long term goal of a bit more than 100 pounds. I started with walking. Over the next few weeks, I started walking faster and then started running for a few 30 second bursts throughout my walk. Once I was a bit more into it and lost a few pounds, I started C25K. I did most of it on a treadmill. Now I run about 4 miles a day.

    To get the ticker, go to this URL http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/settings
  • Mrs_Marvel
    Mrs_Marvel Posts: 39 Member
    You don't have to give up Carbs at all. All you have to do is stay within your daily calorie allowance. You can lose weight by eating whatever you want (I don't suggest it but it's possible). Weight loss is simply calories in vs calories out.

    The only thing I track is my calories. I don't look at fats, carbs, protein or anything else. I also eat pretty healthy. I don't eat a lot of sweets or salty foods (if I want some, i will eat it though). I lost 111 pounds so far by counting only calories and eating whatever I want. You got this. Don't restrict so much.
  • lstpaul
    lstpaul Posts: 2,013 Member
    I agree with the poster that said to take it slow.... just pick one or two things to change this week and concentrate on them. Making it all or nothing is too hard.

    Everyone is different with what motivates them, and there are many, many ways to lose weight.
    What has worked for me to stop the carb cravings is a plan from a nutrition class that I'm taking. The basics of the plan are to eat every 2-3 hours and a bedtime snack - so you don't get too hungry and then binge, and every time you eat you should eat a 2-4 oz protein, a healthy fat and healthy carb (mainly veggies and some fruits <30g for meals and <15g for snacks), trying to stick to real foods as much as possible. 2 cups coffee or tea and 1 oz dark chocolate everyday is allowed, but NO pop, diet or otherwise and no aspartame.

    I have the details of this plan typed up and would be happy to email them to you if you are interested. It has really worked for me to stop the carb cravings.

    We can do it!
  • Breylin
    Breylin Posts: 23
    I am so afraid of Jillian Michael it is not funny..I do not do well under pressure or getting yelled at / pushed...I am one of those "I need to go at my own pace and I will push myself" people. My boyfriend and I are both trying to lose weight together (He has way less than I do) but he is very supportive. At first he was always trying to get me to work out and pushing me, but like I said I did not like that...I would shy away and avoid him and avoid working out because it made me feel like I couldn't do it. We had a conversation about what works for me and now he is very supportive...he tells me how great I look and how proud he is when I do workout on the treadmill...boosting my self confidence and letting me work in private is how I succeed.

    I was never really introduced to cooking growing up, so I feel like I am kind of stinted in this department. The first thing I have done so far is teach myself how to make egg whites. They don't have much flavor, but I have been eating them with turkey bacon and I really like this for a breakfast.

    Another problem is that I was EXTREMELY picky growing up. I did not eat ANYTHING that wasn't bread...in the last 5 years I have improved dramatically however...I now try everything at least once...have recently discovered a love for tuna fish, salmon and greenbeans (Not all at the same time) so I will try and plan meals in the future around these. I do not usually like fish, but I am open to trying new things. I have tried grouper, but not really a fan. I do enjoy eating crab though, and from what I hear, without butter (I like it as is) it is a pretty healthy food. If anyone has seafood that they can recommend to someone who is a little squeamish (no fish heads / anchovies etc) I will try to incorporate them.

    I have been checked for thyroid problems and unfortunately I do not have any (I say unfortunately because I have heard that the medicine for thyroid problems will make you drop weight like crazy). I had an option of some type of medicine for PCOS via shots, but because I am afraid of needles, I passed. Apparently the shots also make you lose weight quickly. I decided that if I do this I want it to be long lasting...I don't want to cut corners
  • ball_FXDWG
    ball_FXDWG Posts: 44 Member
    No, there is another.
  • GoMizzou99
    GoMizzou99 Posts: 512 Member
    Glad you are finding good posts to your inquiry...there are rumors of haters using MFP.

    Set a mini-goal...make it...repeat.

    Small steps.

    You can do it.
  • Breylin
    Breylin Posts: 23
    I recently read a book for a marketing class and it taught me the law of 1%....even though it was about customer service..I think it can apply to anything. The law states that if you can improve every day, even if it's just by 1%....you are improving. Like everyone said, if every day I can change 1 thing to make myself healthier...then I will eventually reach my goal.
  • Greywalk
    Greywalk Posts: 193 Member
    going to binge on Carbs? Change mindset to got to earn those carbs. I have same issue but now am comfortable as I run a lot...why...runners get to carbload...big part of our diet. Happy me!
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Hi guys, my name is Brooke...this is my billionth time trying to get myself on a program to lose weight. All of my life it has been up and down...I have the craziest metabolism ever. It is not unusual for me to gain / loss over 10 lbs in a single week. When I was seriously dieting (Taking medication, exercising, eating healthy) i lost on average 10-14 lbs a week. Right now I'm sitting at about 30 lbs below my highest weight, so I guess that is something to celebrate! Still have a long way to go though...

    My biggest problem is that I'm a total carbaholic. I eat bread and lots of it...bagels...toast..rolls..so dieting has been especially challenging because any time I have to give up carbs, I get disheartened and angry.

    I just binge ate and now I feel so guilty that I want to join this and change. I don't like how binging makes me feel...I feel so sick right now. I'm too young to be doing this to myself...

    Think of it this way. Unless you are literally eating thousands and thousands of extra calories consistently, it's not fat weight you are gaining and losing over the course of a week. It's water weight. A carb-heavy diet will cause you to retain water, so that's probably part of it. What you do need to do is find a way to think of food as something you are eating for energy, not merely for pleasure or to mask emotions. FInd something to replace your eating with, whether it be working out, calling a friend or going to a movie or shopping. You are on the right track, keep reaching out!
  • DiveGal
    DiveGal Posts: 11
    A lot of other posters made the points I would make except one. I personally believe that all those processed diet meals made it harder for me to lose weight. Even though you haven't had much cooking experience, try more fresh foods. It doesn't mean you have to cook them. Plenty of fresh veggies & fruit don't require cooking. I too have a sweet tooth and LOVE carbs. But I've cut way back on both sugar and carbs, no frozen diet meals, and have watched my portions and that seems to have helped a lot.

    Regarding the treadmill, mine is in a room with a TV in front of it. Silly, maybe. But you do what you have to do until you get to a point where you start enjoying it. Before I got the TV hooked up, I used music while working out. The faster the better.

    Welcome Brooke. Don't hesitate to reach out during your journey. Feel free to send me a friend request if you like. Good luck!
  • Breylin
    Breylin Posts: 23
    Runners are indeed a special kind of people...I have so much respect for it. I one time for fun tried running on the treadmill (Well, I put it to 6 mph) and lasted all about 2 minutes...still proud of myself for that but I do get winded / out of breath very quickly. I LOVE swimming but I do not have easy access to a pool...especially in the winter. I think my apartment complex will have a pool though, so in the summer (Moving about July / August) I can start doing that. I love doing laps.
  • Breylin
    Breylin Posts: 23
    Regarding the treadmill, mine is in a room with a TV in front of it. Silly, maybe. But you do what you have to do until you get to a point where you start enjoying it. Before I got the TV hooked up, I used music while working out. The faster the better.

    I have my treadmill in my room facing out my window. We have a nice backyard facing into a forest, so I very much enjoy the view. It is also within viewing distance of my computer, so sometimes I like to turn on television shows and watch them while I work out. Watching tv shows takes my mind off of working out and usually they are 20-30 minutes long which is perfect. I tried playing videogames on my 3ds, but I end up having trouble keeping a steady pace and sometimes I even fall off :P I love listening to music, and I have the Pop Music Workout channel on my Pandora radio.
  • susanlee613
    susanlee613 Posts: 2
    I didnt read all the replys but dont eat carbs past 2pm. If you eat carbs late in the day your body doesnt have time to burn it off. My personal trainer has been the biggest help to me. Ive lost only 3 lbs but Ive also lost inches. Dont beat yourself up. Its not worth it. Find what makes you happy and do it. Good luck
  • Breylin
    Breylin Posts: 23
    I have a family friend who is also not eating carbs past 2 pm. He said that was the only change he made and he has lost 45 lbs total. I will add this to one of my list of changes to make (Not all at once, but good to refer back to)
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Read this...
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet?hl=short+sweet+<span class=

    And most definitely read this!!!
    http://www.vicmagary.com/blog/fitness-motivation/#comment-10883
  • Miffylou
    Miffylou Posts: 307 Member
    Hi,

    It sounds like you're not on your last hope as you have already made so many positive changes.

    In regards to fish I absolutely love salmon and there are lots of ways to cook it, just google some recipes. I'm in Australia so fresh fish is readily available. Love barramundi, whiting and swordfish.

    In regards to binging you've already worked this out. Look at why you're doing it. Emotional, habit or stress.

    Best of luck, I think you'll do great. ????????

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