Hi and help?

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koshkacat
koshkacat Posts: 6
in Introduce Yourself
So I'm new to this. I have a really tough time staying committed to any sort of diet/exercise plan, I really need to get into a routine but I never seem to stick with something long enough for it to BECOME routine. I'm a sucker for chocolate and pasta and cheese. Anyway, I'm sitting here now and it's about dinner time but I've already eaten over my daily caloric allotment... Argh!! Any ideas/help/motivational techniques? I'd love to meet some people on here that can hold me accountable, since I apparently do an awful job of doing that for myself!

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  • KDemon
    KDemon Posts: 18
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    I have a hard time sticking with it too. I am in the process of self intervention as we speak lol. However, I have learned to not beat myself up too much and take it one day at a time. I have way more good days than bad ones, and when I do have a bad one I start to plan for the next day to make it better. I plan meals and when I will have time to exercise. I find that I go off the rails more often when there is no planning involved.

    Good luck. You made a decision to join this site. I did too, but it has taken me six months to really start using it. It is worth the effort, and so are you.
  • stephanie_m
    stephanie_m Posts: 16
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    Hey there! I have been there many times! I would make sure your drinking a ton of water during the day to keep you from overeating and plan out your meals and snacks ahead of time if you can. It always helps me from going over. Add me if you would like!
  • orangebella
    orangebella Posts: 10
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    Hey girl don't get too down on yourself. Can you think of any reason why you are overeating either just today or any other day? Are you working out at all?
  • jcham23
    jcham23 Posts: 7
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    I just started yesterday but when I'm tracking everything I eat, it's like a slap in the face realizing how many calories there actually is in foods that I LOVE! ... Like someone else said drink lots of water (talking to myself here, too) and exercise.. I was getting close to going over my calorie intake and then did a workout and it added like 230 calories back on.. I hope that made sense! Anyway, we can all do this together!
  • V44V
    V44V Posts: 366 Member
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    Easy for some of us to say but it'll come with time...

    I find doing my supermarket shop online rather than going to the store stops me buying the "end of aisle" bargains and junk I don't want to eat, my fridge is full of veg and fruit, the freezer is full of veg and frozen food I've made.

    Avoid temptation, eat smaller meals five times a day rather than three large meals, drink plenty of water and exercise, walking is always a good start.

    Feel free to add me.
  • adriannz
    adriannz Posts: 29 Member
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    The great thing about this day and age is that there is a lower calorie alternative to everything!

    There's something called Miracle Noodles that are noodles with 0 calories. (I haven't tried them because you have to order them online and my noodle cravings are satisfied with a weekly visit to Noodles & Company.)

    With cheese there's Laughing Cow cheese - not the same, I know, but it satisfies my cravings. And Sargento makes 50 calorie string cheese.

    Chocoloate - you actually have more variety there. Try sugar free chocolates. I quite like the Reese's Peanut Butter cups. There's also a lot of cereal and granola bars out there - try Chex Mix bars for ... 130 calories, I think. And Special K Chocolately Pretzel bars are really good.

    Don't give up what you crave because you'll never change your lifestyle that way! Rather, find the alternatives that you can live with.
  • DarkDiva2005
    DarkDiva2005 Posts: 140
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    As a recent college graduate I know how hard it is to lose weight while at school. The cafe isn't that great normally. xP But you can do it, just have some low cal snacks at hand for those munchie cravings. Carrot sticks, rice cakes, clementines and such. Feel free to add me :)
  • mehlen
    mehlen Posts: 28 Member
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    Hi Honey. As I've said to several folks...I'm a cancer survivor...but in the process of surviving that I had to "give up" on so much in my life that "dieting" just was too overwhelming a hurdle to get past. (Picture 3 year old temper tantrum starting..."I don't want to give up my powdered donuts. I don't want to give up my chocolate. I don't want to give up my Peeps...NONONONONONONO!!!"

    That's where I hit every time someone talks about dieting, losing weight, etc. For me, I had to decide to get honest with myself. I'm tired of being overweight...I hurt too much to exercise a lot...i love food...I eat when I'm upset...and more. I figured I overeat and just had to hit over those max calories every day.... Until I got on here.

    I finally figured if I want to lose weight I have to quit kidding myself (read that lying to myself.) I'm the only one that loses in that situation. So...instead of looking at what did I have to change...I'm first looking at where I am. After all...where I am got me to where I am. So...looking at things honest I find that my medication slows my metabolism...and trying to skip meals slows it more. Being under my calorie count slowed it further. No wonder I can't win thsi game. So...if I want the Peeps, I probably should do some walking. No...I don't have to go power-walking like those skinny atheletes that rush on dwon the street with their headbands and hand weights...but I probably need to stroll down to the park with my granddaughter and instead of sitting down to watch her play...maybe I should push her on the swing, follow her around as she races up to the slide...maybe even walk around the playground to the other side and back a few times. To the park and back is one mile. Walking, instead of hopping in the car uses calories that might help add up to those Peeps later. Heck...it takes me 20 minutes to vaccum the house if I just do a quickie...but it takes about another 20 minutes of picking things up (toys, clothes, etc) in order to do that vaccuming. Okay...not the massive calorie loss of that slinky power-walker outside...but for me...it's movement and it counts a little (trust me...to get to those Peeps I count every bit of what I'm doing.)

    I have finally figured out that this is not a dieting board. This is a group of folks working to be honest with themselves and share success and offer support to each other. It's not some dieting scheme, or some fad. It's about taking back control of our lives, our selves, and our decisions...without somebody standing over us saying "Bad girl (or boy)! You shouldn't...." Today, we have control and we have choices...all we have to decide what it is we want and why...then we can go for it!!!!!
  • mericksmom
    mericksmom Posts: 222 Member
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    I seen others do this but maybe you should figure out your meal plan before you start the day that way you know what you should eat and keep yourself under before you hit dinner. Other than that you can snack and eat low calorie foods all day along with protein.


    I used to under eat all the time so I am having to now eat more than normal and have switched to higher calorie foods like avocados....mmmmmmmm (200-250 cal in a small one alone)
  • mlbroad1
    mlbroad1 Posts: 14
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    I AM NEW ALSO AND KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THRU. I NEED TO STAY ON THIS ROUTINE FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTH. HAVE YOU TRYED THE WHEY PROTEIN DRINK FROM WAL-MART IT HELPS ME AND GETS THE CHOCOLATE CRAVE AWAY.. KEEP UP THE WORK AND WE WILL SUCCEED MARY LOU
  • Kat0310
    Kat0310 Posts: 341
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    Don't let yourself get down. It is hard getting yourself into gear and start eating right every day. Once you get there and start seeing the lbs. come off that should keep you motivated plus there are a lot of motivating people on this site :) Make sure you exercise too, that definitely helps!

    Drink plenty of water and fiber bars seem to help curb hunger and cravings too, plus they have that chocolate in them.

    Good luck :smile:
  • kimmahoney
    kimmahoney Posts: 1
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    Hi and welcome. I have found that having myfitnesspal as an app on my blackbeery is a wonderful help. No need to get to a computer - I can put in everything right when i eat it. As far as going over calories - what has helped me is eating every 2-3 hours. Portion size breakfast, lunch and dinner - then snacks between, Good snakes that have worked are trader joes kettle corn, almonds, fruit, 100 calorie packs. Drink lots of water and add lots of veggies to your meals - it really helps you feel full. Then one day a week - should i go over my calories a bit I dont beat myself up and the next day I get right back to what i have to do. Good Luck!
  • vjenelle
    vjenelle Posts: 23
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    Don't be discouraged. You can do it. When I first joined MFP, my caloric intake was really high. I learned to lower my intake gradually. When I tried to reduce to 1200 calories cold turkey, I was starving. So I lowered it gradually. My body had to adjust to eating less food. I still eat pasta (whole wheat), cheese (Sargento reduced fat), and my chocolate fix comes in the form of a protein shake or nutrition bar.

    Combine that with exercise, and I'm now starting to see results. I still have a few bad days when I overeat. Hopefully, I'll continue to improve.
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 21,738 Member
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    I have finally figured out that this is not a dieting board. This is a group of folks working to be honest with themselves and share success and offer support to each other. It's not some dieting scheme, or some fad. It's about taking back control of our lives, our selves, and our decisions...without somebody standing over us saying "Bad girl (or boy)! You shouldn't...." Today, we have control and we have choices...all we have to decide what it is we want and why...then we can go for it!!!!!
    Beautifully said!
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 21,738 Member
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    So I'm new to this. I have a really tough time staying committed to any sort of diet/exercise plan, I really need to get into a routine but I never seem to stick with something long enough for it to BECOME routine. I'm a sucker for chocolate and pasta and cheese. Anyway, I'm sitting here now and it's about dinner time but I've already eaten over my daily caloric allotment... Argh!! Any ideas/help/motivational techniques? I'd love to meet some people on here that can hold me accountable, since I apparently do an awful job of doing that for myself!
    It sounds cliché, but "fake it 'til you make it." For me motivation is what gets you started, but you have to make a commitment to yourself to stick to your plan after the motivation fades, because it will. That's the hard part. The easy part is that the longer you do it, the more it seems natural, and the more it seems natural, the easier it is to do. That doesn't mean there won't be challenges, because there will, but the more you learn, the better equipped you will be to handle those challenges. You'll find a huge amount of support here, so lean on people when you need to, but you have to look to yourself first for that accountability. You have what it takes, even if you don't know it. :-)
  • Moonkat09
    Moonkat09 Posts: 5
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    I'm the same way, and I just started on here after my best friend decided that I needed more of a push than his friendly threats of cutting off my chocolate supply XD
    I'm looking to add people who can give each other a push, and I'll help anyone who needs motivation if I can have the same in return :D
  • Moonkat09
    Moonkat09 Posts: 5
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    I just wanted to say to mehlen, that was really inspiring :)
  • koshkacat
    koshkacat Posts: 6
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    Thank you to EVERYONE who posted, it's really really uplifting to see so many people willing to support each other! I went for a walk and felt a bit better, but what really helped was knowing that a lot of other folks are going through this sort of struggle too. Thanks :)

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