Discouraged.

I'm no expert, but I have found that I have a few go to meals that I know are healthy, easy to prepare and food that I look forward to eating. Even whole days worth of food that I know if I eat will cause a weight loss. That way, when I don't want to think, plan etc it is easy to still stay on track.

Thanks for your post....I'm new on here and have been enjoying it so far. It's like yet another community of people who are trying to be the best they can be. I love being witness to that. You sound tired and discouraged yet from what I read you are having
much success and belief in success. Before you know it your little one will be fully grown and the challenges you face today you will wish for again someday when the new and more difficult ones come along (my son is 18 and it is hard to watch him struggle with his life choices). All I can offer by way of encouragement is to not be too hard on yourself, you are doing the best you can (for today) and that "this too shall pass". Hang in there and keep on keeping on Jen

No, you can't avoid discouragement - its normal. How we react to it determines our success. If your life is at a standstill today - stop and enjoy it. Take a minute to refect and think, and don't feel guilty about it. Commit to yourself that tomorrow can be a better day, and pick up where you left off. You've successfully lost some weight, so you know how to. This is not a race. Realize that for the next little while you will need to be conscious of what you eat, and that's ok - it will get better, Once you get to your target weight, you can have a more normal relationship with food, except that you will be able to make better choices not to get back here. You can do this.

I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same way sometimes. I really started on my calorie counting when I found myself at 216. Not pleasant.

I've been looking up easy low cal recipes that are good for freezing or are easy to make with things I have in the house. A bag of frozen raw prawns is great, they thaw really fast and I'll make quick stir fry with whatever veggies i've got around, and put it on some instant brown rice (a miracle in a box) or some quinoa. Make enough for lunch the next day and you're set! Depending on the size a 12-14 count is only 80 calories!! And who doesn't love prawns?

Soups are also a good option. And because they make a lot it's usually pretty low cal. Try a turkey sausage, white bean and kale soup. I just made one with an entire bottle of white wine and since it make 6L (my family wanted lots), 2 cups only came to 330 calories! Freezes like a dream, in convenient 2 cups portions!

If I'm craving sweets or still feeling hungry after eating I've found that having a fizzy drink, like a diet pop or a diet flavored sparking beverage with ice is great. It takes a while to drink, is sweet and cold, and by the time I'm done, I'm no longer craving anything. But you've got to realize that sometimes you'll naturally be more hungry than others and think if you've tried to take your mind of it and it's just not working, have a snack. It's not the end of the world.

Here's a link to a good low calorie muffin. I made some changes when I made them: I used unsweetened almond milk instead (lower in calories), added a lot of vanilla and an absolute ton of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom. They were great. I even added some nuts, but that upped the calories a bit.
http://healthy-recipe-group.fitsugar.com/Applesauce-Oatmeal-Muffins---Whole-Wheat-152898

Good luck!

You're right, it IS a lot of work. Unfortunately there's no real miracle cure to not getting discouraged, but look how far you've come already. 16 pounds is nothing to laugh at. Remember that it's not just about weight loss; it's being healthy in general.

As far as the counting calories goes, to keep from getting bogged down by it all I give myself one day to eat a little worse than I normally would. Not too bad, but enough to were I don't feel like I'm constantly deprived. It's kind of like a lazy day, but I still count all my calories.

I, too, am constantly battling a sweet tooth. You should try eating some fruit, like strawberries. Mmmmm. I find that I eat a lot of fruit. Just one small clementine will curb my craving and fill me up at the same time.

I can't ignore being discouraged, but talking to my husband, friends and family helps me through it. And that little square of dark chocolate can brighten your mood just a little. Not too big a piece now. Keep a bar of it in the fridge. I prefer Lindt's bars. They come in as dark as 85%.

I find I am less discouraged if I don't have to struggle with what to eat or prepare. I find if I take a hour or two to shop/prepare for the week, and I have things on hand that are easy to mix and match, I have a better time staying on track. I find it helpful to keep veggies cut up and cooked chicken in the fridge. Turkey burgers in the freezer (or veggie burgers if you like them) or some chicken sausage. I keep a bag of frozen berries on hand. Fruit, cups of yogurt, cereal and instant oatmeal, single serve cheese (like laughing cow or babybel) and some good crackers, single serve hummus. Cooked eggs are great to keep on hand too. Make a list of "must have" items to keep on hand to make meals easy, even in a pinch. I prefer fresh veggies, but keep a couple bags of frozen for THOSE days. I have 5 kids and homeschool. I never know what will derail my plans. Yesterday it was a badly scraped knee on my 4 year old right as I was going to start dinner.... out came the burgers and cut up veggies and a quick rice mix, and I moved the bowl of fruit to the kitchen table. In the past it might have meant I would have ordered pizza and wings, but because I have tried to be better prepared to stay on track, I did not have to resort to that. Today it will be the beef dish I had planned for yesterday... hopefully! LOL!

I know what you mean! I did the same exact thing, I always told myself okay, i'm never gonna let myself weigh more than 160, 170, 180. and once I weighed 185 (as much as my bf) I knew it was time for a change. You know what I would suggest for you is try to plan a small trip or something that you want to look good for. Then everyday just think about how bad you want to look good for it! It keeps you away from food, it really does. Or pick a pair of jeans that may be tight on you now and try them on once a week or once every two weeks and you'll be so surprised with the change! Not only does that help you see your progress, it motivates you to keep going. Cut out fast food and soda. Also, don't worry so much about spending every minute planning what to eat. If you see something you want and its meal time, eat it....just only eat a small portion of it. Eventually you will get to the point where you realize that unhealthy foods are a waste of calories that you could've used for something that was healthy and filling. You may craze sweets and other things, it's okay to have one bite but cut yourself off after that. The small victories add up in the end. Best of luck to you!

"this too shall pass". Jen

That's what I thought when I saw your post. This too shall pass. One day, you will be able to sleep again.

There has been some excellent advice here on planning for meals. Remember how many calories are burned by housework, gardening, laundry, etc. It reminds you that you have exercised and better surroundings always make me feel better.

And try to notice little things to celebrate as the day goes on. Your son's smile. A nice aroma. A beautiful flower. Keeps one's mood up.