Stuck?! Advice Please.

Rena421 · May 2011

I've been what I've felt, putting effort into losing weight for the past three years. My attempts have allowed me to maintain my weight and slowly I've put on 16lbs. I hate having a closetful of tight jeans. I only have a few pairs of pants that I wear because I don't want to invest money in fat clothes.

I've done a wide variety exercise DVD programs out there, including P90X, Jillian MIchaels, Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, Hip Hop Abs, and Jackie Warner. I enjoy exercise and workout an average of four times a week. I'm in great physical shape, but not as 'fit' looking as I would like to be.

Until recently, I put blame on the birth control pills that I was taking. I was convinced that the artificial hormones were interfering with my ability ot lose weight. After being off the pill for a month, there has been no change in my weight.

I know that my issue is with food. I don't understand it though? I make healthy choices by eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy, lean proteins, and whole grains. I know that I'm not perfect and do occasionally indulge in eat out, pizza, lattes, and chocolate.

When I was in university, I was so busy that I didn't really think about what I ate. I was as my 'happy' weight effortlessly. I'm now in a profession where I have a lot of free time in the evenings and less to occupy my mind. Maybe I snack more?

I'm also wondering if I model my eating behaviour after my husband? Am I eating too much or too quickly?

I've tried several diets and even purchased a hypnosis CD to control my eating and get in touch with my hunger signals.
That's another thing... I have issues with getting too hungry. If I don't eat enough I start to feel weird. I feel like I need to eat regularly so that I don't get that feeling.

I've recently joined this site and have been recording my food. It is something that I'm trying right now. I don't really like the idea of constantly assessing every single calorie. I don't want to obsess over this.

I can't figure out this problem. Sometimes I get down on myself, but then I think my issues are not really that big. There are people out there with much bigger problems than this. I feel bad. Does anyone have any insight or advice? I'm not sure how to move forward and see the results I've been longing for.

Thanks
Rena

MB_Positif · May 2011

I ABSOLUTELY fell into the eating like my husband trap! We definitely gained weight together, but I definitely gained more because it was out of control! Just don't worry about what he's doing, eat only when you're hungry and keep the portions small!

Heatherbelle_87 · May 2011

ok HUGE question.

Do you actually measure what you are eating or just estimate? Most people do not estimate properly, they estimate about HALF of what they are actually consuming. Even with the healthiest foods you can still eat too much. You should invest in a food scale and a few sets of measuring cups. As annoying as it may be, it will totally be worth it

registers · May 2011

I've been what I've felt, putting effort into losing weight for the past three years. My attempts have allowed me to maintain my weight and slowly I've put on 16lbs. I hate having a closetful of tight jeans. I only have a few pairs of pants that I wear because I don't want to invest money in fat clothes.

I've done a wide variety exercise DVD programs out there, including P90X, Jillian MIchaels, Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, Hip Hop Abs, and Jackie Warner. I enjoy exercise and workout an average of four times a week. I'm in great physical shape, but not as 'fit' looking as I would like to be.

Until recently, I put blame on the birth control pills that I was taking. I was convinced that the artificial hormones were interfering with my ability ot lose weight. After being off the pill for a month, there has been no change in my weight.

I know that my issue is with food. I don't understand it though? I make healthy choices by eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy, lean proteins, and whole grains. I know that I'm not perfect and do occasionally indulge in eat out, pizza, lattes, and chocolate.

When I was in university, I was so busy that I didn't really think about what I ate. I was as my 'happy' weight effortlessly. I'm now in a profession where I have a lot of free time in the evenings and less to occupy my mind. Maybe I snack more?

I'm also wondering if I model my eating behaviour after my husband? Am I eating too much or too quickly?

I've tried several diets and even purchased a hypnosis CD to control my eating and get in touch with my hunger signals.
That's another thing... I have issues with getting too hungry. If I don't eat enough I start to feel weird. I feel like I need to eat regularly so that I don't get that feeling.

I've recently joined this site and have been recording my food. It is something that I'm trying right now. I don't really like the idea of constantly assessing every single calorie. I don't want to obsess over this.

I can't figure out this problem. Sometimes I get down on myself, but then I think my issues are not really that big. There are people out there with much bigger problems than this. I feel bad. Does anyone have any insight or advice? I'm not sure how to move forward and see the results I've been longing for.

Thanks
Rena

When you where at university, you probably didn't have much time to eat either -cough cough- big clue.

lovelylawrenn · May 2011

ok HUGE question.

Do you actually measure what you are eating or just estimate? Most people do not estimate properly, they estimate about HALF of what they are actually consuming. Even with the healthiest foods you can still eat too much. You should invest in a food scale and a few sets of measuring cups. As annoying as it may be, it will totally be worth it

That is actually really good advice.

Rena - I am in the same boat you are in and am incredibly frustrated. I have found that tracking on MFP has opened my eyes to the reality of what I'm eating. I was thinking that I only indulged occasionally, and I'm finding that I indulge a lot more that I thought. Originally, I was surprised all the time, both for the good and bad - sometime I thought I'd had a really bad day, and I'd come in under, and other days I thought I had been doing well and I was way over. Now I try and decide what I'm going to eat before I do, and I look at all labels, and I have found that I make different decisions when I realize the impact it's going to have on my calorie intake. I don't obsess over it, I don't talk about it or go crazy with making sure I'm under, I just do what i can to be aware of what I'm putting into my body. I think you'll find as you track things, not for the sake of reducing, but for the sake of knowing, you find that you will naturally make better decisions about what you eat. If only because you know exactly what you're eating.

As I have become aware, and as I have made better choices every day, I have noticed the pounds slip off. It's been very slow, but it's still movement. If it takes me years to lose the weight, at least it's still losing.

I wish you the best of luck with learning how to control your eating and finding the right balance for you. I'm sure that as you keep at it you will hit your stride.

anacsitham5 · May 2011

Can't really say without looking at your food diary. Are you keeping your sugars and carbs at or below your threshold? Those are big inhibitors to losing. Breakfast should be your biggest meal and they should get smaller throughout the day. I eat 5 times a day (at least) snacking inbetween meals. They also advise you not to eat within 3 hours of going to bed at night. If you are getting too many calories and not enough exercise to burn it off, you will gain. On the other hand, if you eat to little, your body will go into the starvation mode and you won't lose. There has to be a happy balance. Good luck.

ItsLessOfMe · May 2011

Its sad to have to weigh and count every single thing but for many of us its reality. And as you get older and your metabolism slows down you have to change things. Its annoying but nesessary

Stuck?! Advice Please.

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