Feel like giving up :(

This will guide you on your way:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

What would life be like if you stopped losing weight?

It IS hard! Anything worth having is worth working hard for.

Here's my experience. Instead of retyping it, here's the link to what I posted about my journey...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1254045-it-s-more-than-weight-loss

Glad you aren't giving up. That solves nothing. Try not to make this so hard on yourself, you can eat all the same foods you always did you just need to eat less. Focus on just the calorie deficit and logging first, than go from there. Don't overly restrict yourself that just makes it harder.

Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit: Have PATIENCE... I know these links have already been given but they are worth giving again

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

Log your food accurately and honestly this thread will help:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff

Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

I feel like I am always hungry no matter what. Any advice for that?

Exercise to earn more calories. I could never lose without exercise calories. I get too hungry.

Give up.

It's easier.




When you remember how badly that sucks. Remember why you want to do this.

Stop restricting your diet so much and it'll be way easier. I'd give up too if all I allowed myself to eat was chicken and vegetables.

First, do you eat regular meals or do you wait until you're starving to eat? I eat roughly every 3 to 4 hours, otherwise I make choices I regret.

Second, you don't have to cook to lose weight:

Breakfast: Smoothie in a blender: almond milk, protein powder, blueberries

Snack: Apple, peanut butter

Lunch: large salad (just buy the bagged kind), leftover veggies, a cup of beans

Snack: 3 cups of Skinny Pop, handful of almonds

Dinner: frozen Amy's burrito (about 300 calories) defrosted and zapped for about 6 minutes, roasted veggies (buy frozen veggies, defrost, spray a cookie sheet with Pam, spread on the pan, put in oven preheated at 420 or so...we make these in bulk on Sundays.

Snack: 1 150 calorie skinny cow.

That's about 20 minutes of food prep for a full day.

You just hit a bump, don't let it force you off the road!

Here's a few tricks I've learned to help with always feeling hungry.

1. Always drink a glass of water when you feel hungry and wait a few minutes to see if it subsides, your body can't tell the difference between hunger and thirst sometimes.

2. Drink a glass of water before each meal. (Also if you have trouble with plain water add a lemon)

3. If you feel hungry and it's not meal time, eat a banana or have a glass of milk if you don't have bananas on hand.

4. If nothing else is working, exercise and eat back those calories you've earned.

5. Try to limit drinks that are not water as drinking your calories will make this impossible.

6. When you do eat, eat a lot of protein, protein is what makes you feel full, things like greek yogurt, lowfat protein bars, even string cheese are great snacks that will keep you from feeling hungry all the time.

Also, eat at the table. Not in front of the TV, not noshing while reading or in the car.

Sit down at the table with a dish and eat. It seems bizarre to eat an apple this way, but part of filling satisfied, I've found, is actually paying attention to what I'm eating.

Thanks for all your help guys. I limit myself basically because I don't know what else to eat. I also hate preparing food so it makes me more inclined to just give up. I am going to give it another go. I appreciate everyone's kind words and support, you all are so great!

I am going to look on pinterest for different recipes. I just have a portion control problem. I feel like I am always hungry no matter what. Any advice for that?

Open diary friends would be helpful too

Thanks again guys!

1. Get your portions under control. Its hard at first but I promise it will get easier once you get control of your appetite.
2. WEIGH and/or MESURE everything (you would be amazed at how easy it is to overestimate things like butter, oil, steak, etc). If you eat 4 potato chips then weigh them first. Eventually you will get better at judging too.
3. Log everything, no mater what. Log through out the day....don't try to remember it all to log later as you will forget stuff. Cheating and eating a couple of chocolates or just a few chips and not logging them is only going to hurt you. You can eat some chocolate or chips, but keep it in your daily calorie limits.
4. Being hungry is okay, it is not the end or your world...............if you keep going down the path we were all headed that will end your world.
5. This is open to debate: But I say don't worry about how often you eat as long as you are eating enough (but not too much). Im not hungry in the morning so I dont' eat until I am hungry around noon. This helps me control my appetite.
6. Preparing your own food is very important. Eating out is not good at all. Decide whats more important, preparing your own food or being fat your entire life.

I know I may sound harsh but this is what works for me. I let myself go, then just accepted that i would not be an attractive guy ever again, let myself go some more before I finally woke up and realized that being Fat sucks and that I had been lazy for too long. I care about myself, I deserve to live life to the fullest, I deserve to be attractive, I deserve to live a long healthy life, I deserve to be happy and have fun every day. How do you feel about yourself? Do you feel that you are worth the hard work?

Thanks for all your help guys. I limit myself basically because I don't know what else to eat. I also hate preparing food so it makes me more inclined to just give up. I am going to give it another go. I appreciate everyone's kind words and support, you all are so great!

I am going to look on pinterest for different recipes. I just have a portion control problem. I feel like I am always hungry no matter what. Any advice for that?

Open diary friends would be helpful too

Thanks again guys!

My 5 tips for hunger:

1. Make sure your calorie goal is appropriate for your size and activity levels. Way too many people skip this step and then wonder why their bodies are telling them something.

2. Look for foods with more protein, fat, and fiber. These help us feel fuller and more satiated for longer.

3. Drink plenty of water.

4. Play around with meal timings. Some people do really well on 6 small meals a day and others do better with 2 large meals. Meal timing won't affect your weight loss. It may affect your mood, energy levels , gym performance, and sustainability. Find what works best for your schedule.

5. Wait it out. If all of the above fail and you know you're eating enough, getting enough nutrients, etc. then you may just have to let your body adjust for a couple of weeks.

If I feel I am hungrier than normal, I drink a protein shake (one scoop 100 calories) with 1/2 cup 1% milk . It really does help. More protein or fat to help with hunger!! I like the magazine "cooking light" they have some great recipes. If you do not like to prepare your own foods, shop around the supermarket. We eat plenty of frozen meals (fish, ravioli, meatballs, etc...during the week.) I love picking up and trying new things...as long as the calorie content is not too crazy!
Someone mentioned Amy's Burritos...they are really good! I am almost at goal, but I have an open diary and am on daily. Friend request sent!

It does not have to be all chicken and vegetables! I am a diabetic and need to stay on a strict diet that forbids me from eating sugar , breads, pastas , potatoes , most rice and limited fruits and definitely very very little fruit juice. Basically most yummy things and i got very discouraged and went off my "diet" which resulted in dangerously high blood sugars....not good.

Note that a diabetic diet is right on par for those that want to lose weight..it's an excellent diet if done right.

What we have in common is that it really sucks to give up all the foods you love,...and you get resentful and bored with food choices...so this is what i did.

On a diabetic diets there are two food groups i am able to have a lot of , and that is meats and vegetables. Not just chicken though! I eat Steak, chicken, pork and a variety of all of those. On a daily basis i will have meat that is baked, sometimes Barbecued inside or outside, Even fried on special occasions.

I HATE vegetables..and i miss my potatoes and Pasta's and rice! So you know what i do? I eat them. But not every day and in small portions at one meal. So, i have that baked potato, or even french fries... I eat at fast food sometimes. Does it up my calories? You becha...but i supplement a few meals with Slimfast and I eat nuts as a snack or popcorn.

Point i am getting at is don't give up...and do not deprive yourself! Have a small sliver of cake or pie , but that's it for the day for treats . Drink lots of (yuk) water. Keep away from Sugar sodas. I hate Diet drinks ..but Snapple diet peach is really good and so is Walmart sugar free ice tea. I drink that exclusively because it does not taste like diet drinks.

Mc Donalds has a new diet tea that is also good, so when you have that small cheese burger, drink some diet tea or soda. Fast food is not out on a 'diet"...but it must be done maybe once or twice a month and have the kids menu lol

I hope you do not give up...believe me, i am the WORST when it comes to following a diet, but i have to...in the process i am losing weight and i don't cardio myself out...i hate it.

instead i dance around the house or make sure i get up every 30 mins and march in place for 30 steps. Working out does not have to stink on ice...working out is just getting moving doing something.

I like to do Interval training because it takes about 10 -15 seconds each session. Oh it's hard for that 15 seconds..but at least i am not running on a treadmill for 30 mins and burning very little off ...screw that.

Sorry so long winded...i guess i don't want you to give up cause i have to do it and others must suffer too!! Muhahaha

good luck!