You Carry it Well

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Mrs_McFadden
Mrs_McFadden Posts: 1,139
in Introduce Yourself
I'm new, I've never made a very..organized or cognizant effort to lose weight. Before I had my children I weighed 120 lbs and now I'm at a lovely 209 lbs. Most people are shocked that I weight so much and I hear a lot of "you carry it well!" since I'm 5' 8".

Just had my last child, he's six months old now and I'm ready to be myself again. My father died a few years ago at the young age of 52 from a massive heart attack and his side of the family have all developed Diabetes. I have to take my health more seriously or I'll end up like all of them and I'd rather have a higher quality of life NOW.

This is a serious struggle for me b/c I'm not used to depriving myself of anything and that's the way I see it, deprivation. So I'm trying to Oprah-ize my brain and say 'this isn't deprivation it's health!' lol.

Good luck to us all!

Replies

  • xxxwings
    xxxwings Posts: 13
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    When you are counting calories you don't deprive yourself at all.. you can eat anything you want. You just control *how much*. I can't live without chocolate or cheese, now I just eat smaller portions. I'm still happy & full after meals :)
    So you can totally do it!! No deprivation required.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    When you are counting calories you don't deprive yourself at all.. you can eat anything you want. You just control *how much*. I can't live without chocolate or cheese, now I just eat smaller portions. I'm still happy & full after meals :)
    So you can totally do it!! No deprivation required.

    Yes, this! You can literally have ANYTHING you want. Just not all at once, and not huge heaping bowls full of it. :) Just... rearrange what you want to eat. You want cake today? All right, that's cool, just have one small slice and eat healthy stuff the rest of the day. No worries! Plus, I've noticed that some of the things we crave disappear when we start eating the RIGHT things. Now I don't crave chocolate and sugar as much as I used to, because I'm feeling energized from the other stuff I'm eating. I still want it sometimes, but it's not a compulsion.

    You can do it!
  • Mrs_McFadden
    Mrs_McFadden Posts: 1,139
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    Thanks wings..that's the route I'm going. I cannot eat a completely ascetic diet. I have a newfound addiction to dark chocolate /le sigh, that I developed this past pregnancy lol. At least it's healthy to eat small amounts, it's actually great for your body in very moderate amounts. I'm just going to have to treat (give myself indulgences) myself intelligently.
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
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    Good for you for realizing now that you need to do this for your health! That extra weight really does make a huge difference. Been there done that. So much of this is mental for many of us. I used to think of it as "depriving myself" too but learned to look at it more often as, "Do I really want that (whatever) right now or do I want lose these pounds in the near future?" Over time, and with success in weight loss, the answer became "option b" more often than not :)
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
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    Thanks wings..that's the route I'm going. I cannot eat a completely ascetic diet. I have a newfound addiction to dark chocolate /le sigh, that I developed this past pregnancy lol. At least it's healthy to eat small amounts, it's actually great for your body in very moderate amounts. I'm just going to have to treat (give myself indulgences) myself intelligently.

    Dark chocolate is built right into my diet, lol. I'm usually able to have a bit of it daily (usually with breakfast so I get that issue out of the way first thing!) and still stay within calorie goals because I eat a lot of fruits, veggies and whole grains.
  • Mrs_McFadden
    Mrs_McFadden Posts: 1,139
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    Thanks Enigmata and Ajweekly.

    I guess that honestly the biggest thing to do what we need to do is our attitude. I need to remind myself of the food version of buyers regret, and cognitively combat my mindless eating and be proactive about being more active lol. Too bad I can't read myself into health LOL.
  • jcolbrook
    jcolbrook Posts: 7
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    Oh my goodness this is me minus the kids! 5'9" and 205 lbs. I know I'm not carrying it THAT well since I am wearing a size 16. I work out with a trainer and everytime I say something negative like "I'm depriving myself" or I think I can't do something he reminds me I'm doing it. 3 months into my journey I am strong, most of my cravings are gone. I thought I would pig out on chocolate cake on my birthday - instead I took 2 bites and decided that was enough. No deprivation - just my tastebuds changing. It's hard to keep in your head all the time, but try to remember you are worth it and you won't have to Oprah-size your brain. Your brain will naturally do all the work for you!
  • Kudzu
    Kudzu Posts: 87 Member
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    Hello...... My first thought was OH NO...she said the "D" word!! Deprived........You have to consider this a LifeStyle Change.... The key is moderation. Eat what you want but in smaller portions. My doctor told me to not drink anything with calories, don't eat any portion bigger than your fist. And exercise (yuck!) I walk my dog (my kids are grown) You can make a difference in your kids lives so maybe they won't have to struggle with their weight and health. Incorporate them into your exercise---play ball with them, play tag, etc..... Take your usual meals and learn to make them low fat, low calorie....healthy. When my kids were home, I just cooked healthy without making a big deal out of it. They didn't notice and my husband didn't either.

    With your family history you should be the one to make the change! Live to see your great grandchildren!! Good luck...You have started out right...using this site is a blessing for me, helps hold myself accountable and it is full of support and wonderful advice and ideas!

    Take charge of your health, cause no one else will!!! :happy:
    Beth
  • qtrhrsewoman
    qtrhrsewoman Posts: 50
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    Girl, I've had a long running love affair with food, even when I was on the skinny side. Find things you love that are healthy and don't be afraid to try new things. I roasted some carrots the other night, and they made me think of french fries when I tasted them! I can't even begin to explain it, but I had to learn that I could eat food I love and it still be healthy. Good luck to you.

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