Millionth time I have started a diet this year... HELP!!
cmulvihill1989
Posts: 3 Member
I have tried so many times this year alone to get back on a diet and losing weight, I've had two babies very close together and gained 5 stone!! Any advice or tips about sticking to this for longer then a week would be much appreciated 
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Replies
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Yes change the thought from a diet to different lifestyle. Start with morning (any morning will do) and don't forget a simple thing: if you will starve your self with lettuce and water you will get nowhere! In couple days you will be tired and done with it. So make time for 4 meals a day . Morning have cereal with skimmed milk. By have cereal doesn't means full bowl but actually follow the 1 portion size wich is 30 grams . Add some fruit if you like . Handful should be enough. Coffee or tea. Personally I drink my coffee black with no sugar ( always have ) so it's an advantage but stay away from sugars ( use sweetener) if needed and preferably low fat milk( skimmed) also make time for lunch around 12 - 1 pm 100 gr of meat ( turkey breast , chicken breast, tuna,beef) 100 grams of vegetables like broccoli, green beans,peppers,courgettes,carrots,ect.and 50 gr of brown rice , wholewheat pasta , or jacket potatoe. Around 17-18 pm you should have your next meal wich is pretty much same as above just obviously change your meats vege and side dish. Evening have some chikenbreast with salad and couple nuts. If you hungry trough day have green tea and snack on fruit:like apple or pair .strawberrys or tangerines. Remember one should do the trick coz its high on sugar. You can exchange cereal for brown toast slice with chikenbreast slice and boiled egg if you like that better. And treat your self sometimes with low fat yogurt like once in 4-7 days with some nice fruits . The activia cherry is my fav. I hope this motivates and helps you stay strong:) feel free to add me - I have another 13 kg to go my self !0
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Yes, you must be going about this the wrong way. OR you may have some sort of mood issue. If you've got a mood issue, you probably need to resolve that. It could be the stress of your life that's impacting too. Try to manage your life so that it's less stressful and that you are happy and resolve any "problems".
If its not that, look at what've done on previous attempts. If you tell us what you did, we might be able to help identify some of your troublespots and i would recommend you take a different approach.
Here are some things i know don't work:
cutting calories severely.
relying on a lot of exercise and then missing a day because… and giving up as a result of that.
a busy life.
not eating interesting food
not eating enough
getting hungry too much
being bored
and so on.
some of these or none of these might be issues in yoru case but if you think about your process you will find what hasn't been working.
Also ask why are you quitting after a week? What is triggering the stopping.
Is it a social event?
is it a fight with the hubby
lack of sleep
you know it oculd be so manay things. whatever it is you are going to have to have strategies so that such events don't cause failure again in the future.0 -
'Chunk the challenge'! See it as lots of small, sustainable changes rather than one huge restrictive plan (with a potential end date) - smaller portions, up your fruit & veg intake, increase protein, move more, take the stairs, swap your snacks, weigh and log everything and, above all, be consistent. Practise makes perfect. Don't be too hard on yourself, if you slip up, get straight back on the horse. There's no need to go hungry, if you make the right choices (see fruit/veg/protein) you shouldn't feel the need to binge - make those calories count. Be mindful when you eat - are you really hungry, or are you bored? You can still socialise/eat out, you just need to tweak what you consume or 'bank' calories throughout the week so you can have a 'treat'.0
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Hay, eating a healthy diet is easy but you need to push past that with 45mins of cardio a day.!
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I've started and stopped a few times on the past and here's what's kept me going for 123 days and 27 lbs so far (I had at least 70 to lose):
I set my calorie goal to only 0.5 lbs per week. That gave me 1600 calories to start with which made it seem less restrictive. I only changed my eating habits at first. Some days I found it easy to stay under the 1600, some days I wanted them all.
Then I started walking. Just a little bit at first - 20 minutes or so, which was actually a little challenging as I'd been a couch potato for so long.
Now I have a Fitbit. I try to get my 10,000 steps a day and my Fitbit will give me extra calories if I'm active enough. I eat anywhere from 1200 on lazy days to 2000 on more active days and I'm averaging 1.5 lbs per week.
My diary is open to friends if you want to send me a request so you can see what I do. I've found this lifestyle change works for me.
Best of luck. You can do it.0 -
Thank you all so much for the tips, a lot of my problem is lack of willpower, confidence and sleep lol! I know what I should be eating and what I should be avoiding and that I should be more active, easier said then done, so all of your advice and personal experiences is encouraging to hear 0
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I'm sure you're committed to you kids and giving them the best care and protection possible. Once you get that same kind of commitment to lose weight, you'll stop starting over.cmulvihill1989 wrote: »I have tried so many times this year alone to get back on a diet and losing weight, I've had two babies very close together and gained 5 stone!! Any advice or tips about sticking to this for longer then a week would be much appreciated
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Also a tip. Since I started I always have a fruit in bag like apple for example or orange. When you go shopping in town or your at work and the temptation is so big and that cheese turnover is suddenly winking at you you grab your fruit and pay full attention to that till you pass the danger place and moment . And you will be surprised how much it is actually to do with visual and smell then the actual fact you being hungry!0
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I don't diet....I treat myself to amazing healthy and tasty meals. Never sacrifice on flavor, just make small switches in your regular life that will save calories throughout the day...English muffin verse a bagel, tilapia fillets verse red meat, steamed/grilled seasoned veggies instead of white rice... you can do it super mom!0
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LieneBrante wrote: »Yes change the thought from a diet to different lifestyle. Start with morning (any morning will do) and don't forget a simple thing: if you will starve your self with lettuce and water you will get nowhere! In couple days you will be tired and done with it. So make time for 4 meals a day . Morning have cereal with skimmed milk. By have cereal doesn't means full bowl but actually follow the 1 portion size wich is 30 grams . Add some fruit if you like . Handful should be enough. Coffee or tea. Personally I drink my coffee black with no sugar ( always have ) so it's an advantage but stay away from sugars ( use sweetener) if needed and preferably low fat milk( skimmed) also make time for lunch around 12 - 1 pm 100 gr of meat ( turkey breast , chicken breast, tuna,beef) 100 grams of vegetables like broccoli, green beans,peppers,courgettes,carrots,ect.and 50 gr of brown rice , wholewheat pasta , or jacket potatoe. Around 17-18 pm you should have your next meal wich is pretty much same as above just obviously change your meats vege and side dish. Evening have some chikenbreast with salad and couple nuts. If you hungry trough day have green tea and snack on fruit:like apple or pair .strawberrys or tangerines. Remember one should do the trick coz its high on sugar. You can exchange cereal for brown toast slice with chikenbreast slice and boiled egg if you like that better. And treat your self sometimes with low fat yogurt like once in 4-7 days with some nice fruits . The activia cherry is my fav. I hope this motivates and helps you stay strong:) feel free to add me - I have another 13 kg to go my self !
Or she can just eat whatever she wants, in a deficit? Also, there's nothing wrong with sugar. Meal timing, as well as how many meals, is entirely personal preference and has no effect on weight loss. If all that works for you, then great! More power to you. But you shouldn't talk like your way is the only way, or the right wayHay, eating a healthy diet is easy but you need to push past that with 45mins of cardio a day.!
No, she doesn't 'need' to. She can if she wants. Exercise is not necessary for weight loss - it's great for fitness, happiness and health, though.
OP, just focus first on eating in a deficit, then you can look at the kinds of foods you're eating - for nutrition. I never cut any kind of food out, and I've lost 60lbs. Just take it one day at a time, and log EVERYTHING, good or bad, over calories or not. Good luck 0 -
drink a lot of water.
get a stronger motivation.
don't give up if you slip up.
think of it as a change in your diet for the rest of your life,not as a diet.0 -
Seven days a week? That is a completely unnecessary amount of exercise, even for someone who was ready to jump in with both feet and didn't have any other responsibility to worry about.Hay, eating a healthy diet is easy but you need to push past that with 45mins of cardio a day.!
For a new mom of two? Forget it. The only way you'd get that much free time is by buying a Delorean and taking it up to 88 mph - or shelling out the money for a nanny.
Weight loss starts in the kitchen; health starts in the gym. There are hundreds of reasons to exercise, but weight loss isn't necessarily one of them. If you find yourself short on time, just work on your diet for now. Figure out what deficit works for you. Track your calories by weighing your food and logging everything. Squeeze in what movement you can.0 -
the biggest thing is don't think of it as a diet. diets can seem "bad" and impending and this can make it hard to stick with it.
think a new life with new opportunities
and keep it simple. weigh your food and eat at a deficit. this will help you lose weight
exercise will help you be fit and keep up with the little ones0 -
Over the last several years, I've started and stopped so many diets I lost count. I was extremely guilty of crash dieting for an event/occasion. I finally realized the up and down diets aren't doing anything but hurting me. The thing that I came to terms with was, this isn't another diet for me this time around... it's a lifestyle change.This is day three for me on MFP. I'm excited to be motivated like never before and to be part of this community of people dealing with the same issues I am. Day 1 - 10 for me are the hardest. But, I remind myself, without those first 10 days, I can't get to where I want to be. You can do this! Take it one step at a time. If you slip, that's OK. That doesn't mean you should throw in the towel all together. You just pick yourself up and keep going. You've got this! Start small with little changes and keep moving. Best of luck on your journey!0
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Everyone is different, of course, and another person's advice is worth what you pay for it. A few things have worked for me, though, and might be of some use to someone else here. First, I actually get mad at my food. Instead of looking at a slice of pizza or a handful of chips as a delicious treat, I tell myself that these are the enemy. I bring up a picture in my mind of those chips melting their way through my system and right into my stomach fat. And the very idea of putting one in my mouth becomes unpleasant. This is really the same, although on a different scale of course, as cocaine or other drugs if you one wants to break those habits. Yes, of course they taste and feel fantastic. But they are poisoning me. (Sorry, doughnut, but you really are a poison.) My wife thinks I'm weird, but, hey, it works for me. Second, I make sure to enjoy the foods I do eat. When on a diet, that first taste of fruit or beef or most anything else has far more flavor than it does when I am shoveling it all in nonstop hand over fist. Third, and this is a hard one for me because I normally drink like a fish--very little or no booze. I drink sparkling water with a splash of angostura bitters or a lemon slice. And a lot of canned diet drinks. Yeah, yeah. Diet drinks are killing me. After I lose 50 more pounds maybe I will start worrying about aspartame and nuclear holocaust. In the meantime, it's working great so far--three weeks and counting. Started at 303 pounds and have lost 17 of them. Good luck to all!0
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Lol thank you, glad you can appreciate that my lifestyle is a little challenging, my little ones are 6months and 18months, so you can appreciate that I need to do things with them in mind, am thinking maybe long walks out with the buggy is a good start with regards to exercise and food I think I just need to forward plan, so I'm not tempted to carry on doing what I've been doing which is going for ready made, easy to grab food!! Love some of the ideas that people have used that work for them, much appreciated!0
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cmulvihill1989 wrote: »Lol thank you, glad you can appreciate that my lifestyle is a little challenging, my little ones are 6months and 18months, so you can appreciate that I need to do things with them in mind, am thinking maybe long walks out with the buggy is a good start with regards to exercise and food I think I just need to forward plan, so I'm not tempted to carry on doing what I've been doing which is going for ready made, easy to grab food!! Love some of the ideas that people have used that work for them, much appreciated!
With a handful like that preplanning wi be your friend! The long walks with the buggy sound great as well.
If you can't get out and they are sleeping Leslie Samsone has walk at home videos on you tube.0 -
I do a few things - most are already mentioned. I too had a baby and gained about the same amount. I have lost 3.5 "stone" so far...
1. Choose to live a healthier lifestyle over dieting (buy only healthy foods and look at the nutrition facts of EVERYTHING you buy first)
2. Walk more often - take the stairs, carry your children around, park your car farther away in parking lots, etc
3. Do not eat past 6pm
4. Eat smaller portions more often - and set a caloric goal/day
5. Hang pictures of "inspiration" in your wardrobe, or make an "inspirational collage" with words and pictures that motivate you
6. reward yourself for each victory - no matter how small...for bigger victories buy yourself a little something or go out to a movie or something else that you consider a "prize" OTHER than food!0 -
I'm 9 months post partum with my 2nd baby (3 years apart). I definitely don't diet anymore, I'm changing my lifestyle. Feel free to add me. 0
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I agree with many things people have said. I, personally, don't deny myself anything because it has always been my downfall in the past. This time, I'm trying to either 1. replace my craving with healthier versions when possible or 2. give in, but in small amounts. I have found it to be important to be conscious of what I'm eating and also why I'm eating. Also, try making small changes and work on short-term goals. This has helped me keep going and stay motivated.0
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Try starting with a cleanse/detox. It's great to get rid of cravings and reset your body. I recommend The Conscious Cleanse as it incorporates journaling to help with the emotional aspect of eating. Also, educate yourself as much as possible about nutrition. Watch Forks over Knives to begin with. Aim for a plant based, whole food diet. Get rid of ALL processed foods. Good luck you can do it! I have started a million and one times too so I'm right there with you0
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I almost always become discouraged when I "make a mistake" and have a bad day where I eat WAY too much. I've learned that if I look at the overarching picture rather than the snapshot, I can see the direction and view every day like a "practice." Some practice days are good and some aren't so good, but as long as I'm seeing improvement overall, it's a success. (I'm a violinist, so this viewpoint works really well for me)0
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Yep, I suck. I've been complaining about being overweight, but have done nothing. So again, I am starting a new lifestyle change. I want so much to lose some weight. I'm not being unrealistic. I know what I can maintain with a little effort. I just don't do it, so I've put the weight back on. I suck. Today is a new start! I must write down everything I eat, so I can control my portions. This is what works for me. Good luck to us all!0
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Thing is that yes she can eat what ever she likes and stay same as well. To start loosing weight she has to kick that metabolism in a gear and have less carbs sugar and fat. A little of that is fine but she needs more protein and fiber.otherwise it will not change much and she will fail again. Problem with that is that ppl think diet has to be boring . It does not. There are many amazing recepies online that consist of those types of ingredients. It's just the fact of balancing them out and staying on track of what you eating and not skipping meals so the hunger attacks kick in. Iw done it all before with success and have let my self eat what ever I want for two years. Time to pay the consequences. Treating your self is good thing but it shouldn't become a habit or a replacement for a bad day or relationship substitute.0
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Try starting with a cleanse/detox. It's great to get rid of cravings and reset your body. I recommend The Conscious Cleanse as it incorporates journaling to help with the emotional aspect of eating. Also, educate yourself as much as possible about nutrition. Watch Forks over Knives to begin with. Aim for a plant based, whole food diet. Get rid of ALL processed foods. Good luck you can do it! I have started a million and one times too so I'm right there with you
Cleanses don't work. They are, sadly, complete woo. If they make you feel better, that's up to you, but they don't actually do anything for your body. She also doesn't have to get rid of processed food. The most successful people here often eat 'processed' foods, because they know that it doesn't help to demonise foodsLieneBrante wrote: »Thing is that yes she can eat what ever she likes and stay same as well. To start loosing weight she has to kick that metabolism in a gear and have less carbs sugar and fat. A little of that is fine but she needs more protein and fiber.otherwise it will not change much and she will fail again. Problem with that is that ppl think diet has to be boring . It does not. There are many amazing recepies online that consist of those types of ingredients. It's just the fact of balancing them out and staying on track of what you eating and not skipping meals so the hunger attacks kick in. Iw done it all before with success and have let my self eat what ever I want for two years. Time to pay the consequences. Treating your self is good thing but it shouldn't become a habit or a replacement for a bad day or relationship substitute.
You do not need to 'kick your metabolism into gear'. Nothing can do that, really, except muscle gain. If your metabolism stopped working, you'd die! Also, there is NOTHING wrong with fat. Fat is good! It keeps you full! A lot of successful people have high protein high fat macros. If you've done it all before, then why are you back...? Those who maintain successfully are those who do not cut anything out. Most successful people here have a treat every day and fit it into their calories. Some say 80/20 - 80% nutrient dense 'good' food, 20% 'treat' food. For example I had soup and a banana for lunch, and some tea. For dinner I'll have a chicken and cheese toasty and some broccoli. Then for dessert I'm going to have a brownie - it fits into my calories and macros, so why should I not have it? Having it keeps me sane. It keeps me from having days where I go 'fugg it' and eat a 100 chocolate bars. It will not slow my weight loss down.
Good luck to everyone 0 -
Fat and protein isn't the same thing.and looking at what you just wrote for what you eating is pretty much what I sed before,minus the brownie as I sed a treat :I put down yogurt and fruit as it is much healthier substitute .some ppl have slower metabolism in general and when your cholesterol levels and sugar or salts at sky high it will never work as perfect as it could if your body gets the right amount nutrition it needs.i can be that smart coz I have personal trainer who has explained and does this for me on every day bases now.coz in past yes iw lost weight but I went wrong about it and the unhealthy choises have returned and got me over time exactly where I was before.0
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And I'm not talking about cutting cake out for rest of hers life .of course not but whilst she's trying to reach the desired results she should stay away from high carbs and after moderate0
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cmulvihill1989 wrote: »Lol thank you, glad you can appreciate that my lifestyle is a little challenging, my little ones are 6months and 18months, so you can appreciate that I need to do things with them in mind, am thinking maybe long walks out with the buggy is a good start with regards to exercise and food I think I just need to forward plan, so I'm not tempted to carry on doing what I've been doing which is going for ready made, easy to grab food!! Love some of the ideas that people have used that work for them, much appreciated!
Have ready made food that isn't junk available. Precut and clean fruits and veggies when the children sleep, or buy it already precut and cleaned if you can. Make stews, soups, chili, and sauces and freeze it in microwavable containers for quick and easy meals.
Instead of rocking your babies, walk them to sleep. Just lifting and caring for your children is exercise. As is laundry and cleaning and other household chores. You can get plenty of exercise without carving out time specifically for it. If you are moving, you are exercising.0 -
Try starting with a cleanse/detox. It's great to get rid of cravings and reset your body. I recommend The Conscious Cleanse as it incorporates journaling to help with the emotional aspect of eating. Also, educate yourself as much as possible about nutrition. Watch Forks over Knives to begin with. Aim for a plant based, whole food diet. Get rid of ALL processed foods. Good luck you can do it! I have started a million and one times too so I'm right there with you
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That is a great suggestion!Need2Exerc1se wrote: »cmulvihill1989 wrote: »Lol thank you, glad you can appreciate that my lifestyle is a little challenging, my little ones are 6months and 18months, so you can appreciate that I need to do things with them in mind, am thinking maybe long walks out with the buggy is a good start with regards to exercise and food I think I just need to forward plan, so I'm not tempted to carry on doing what I've been doing which is going for ready made, easy to grab food!! Love some of the ideas that people have used that work for them, much appreciated!
Have ready made food that isn't junk available. Precut and clean fruits and veggies when the children sleep, or buy it already precut and cleaned if you can. Make stews, soups, chili, and sauces and freeze it in microwavable containers for quick and easy meals.
Instead of rocking your babies, walk them to sleep. Just lifting and caring for your children is exercise. As is laundry and cleaning and other household chores. You can get plenty of exercise without carving out time specifically for it. If you are moving, you are exercising.
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