One of those venting moments...

silentretz
silentretz Posts: 24 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hello - I have been an avid reader on health and weight and all this stuff. In high school I always played sports and stayed in shape - I was about 140 lbs. Overtime i gained weight but it was one of those things that i noticed and decided to ignore. I just logged onto my fitbit account and took a look at my 1yr weight graph - i inputted my weight manually and recently got a fitbit aria. In exactly a year from today I have gained a total of 23.6 lbs leaving me at almost 190 lbs.

I believe that i am currently standing at my heaviest weight ever. I really need to commit to some life changes in order to be healthy but I never really thought I had to - or it was just a few pounds and they would go away on their own. I am 23 and I think that my metabolism has slowed down dramatically. I don't think I can keep going on being a slob. It's also hard for me to eat healthy - i live with my significant other who rather eating out and ordering takeout to which i cant resist myself either. When i say i have gained weight, i get told that i am still looking good so i dont care enough.

I recently had some job interviews and i couldnt fit into a single one of my dresses. I wear jeans and t-shirts to work so I had not noticed the change. It is really time to get my *kitten* together and at least get my *kitten* at the gym. I have tried time and again to eat clean and go to the gym and I get overwhelmed over the idea of having to count calories, eat so many vegetables and so much protein that i give up very easily.

So lets try the gym, burn some calories then figure out the food situation. With holidays around the corner, I know that it will be hard but I have no choice. If anything, i need to squeeze my butt into my dresses somehow right? It's about time that I take over my life and achieve the goals i want.

Replies

  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    The gym is great but the battle of the bulge, will mostly to be done in the kitchen. You have to get control of your eating, as you will find it is the biggest most significant contributor to being overweight.
    You do not have to eat veggies and protein all day, and counting calories is not nearly as restrictive as you may think. It will take some habit building, and discipline but most people get a grip on it in a relatively short period of time.
    The gym can be a helpful tool but it is easier for most people to eat 300 cals less a day, then to do an hour of vigorous cardio.
  • dmn6789
    dmn6789 Posts: 8 Member
    The best thing you can do about this is don't stress. Losing weight is very hard but maintaining the loss is even harder. That's what I'm currently struggling with. It's all a mind game. You have to stay positive and not put yourself down. Even if you have to start over everyday. One day things will just click for you and you'll be at your weight goal in no time, but before then, you have to stay positive. You can do this!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Actually you should do it the other way around. Get your intake in check, then sort out the gym situation.
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    Exactly. Count and log your calories. Then go to the gym. How can you lose weight if you don't know how much you're eating? All of us on here tried eyeballing our food and guesstimating the calories. Look where that got us. Time to bite the bullet and put in the work to get your weight where you want it. Or you might gain even more. You can do it- if you're committed.
  • strozman
    strozman Posts: 2,622 Member
    riffraff2112 wrote: »
    The gym is great but the battle of the bulge, will mostly to be done in the kitchen. You have to get control of your eating, as you will find it is the biggest most significant contributor to being overweight.
    You do not have to eat veggies and protein all day, and counting calories is not nearly as restrictive as you may think. It will take some habit building, and discipline but most people get a grip on it in a relatively short period of time.
    The gym can be a helpful tool but it is easier for most people to eat 300 cals less a day, then to do an hour of vigorous cardio.

    THIS^^^^^^
  • headofphat
    headofphat Posts: 1,597 Member
    edited November 2015
    Stop talking about all the reasons you CAN'T and start talking about all the reasons you can. You think it's tough when you're 23? Wait till you're 40 and you're really set in your ways and your body doesn't respond the same way. My only regret about losing weight and getting in shape is that I didn't do it sooner. So my motivational speech to you is that if you don't get your *kitten* together and start now it's only going to get harder and harder and your body isn't going to respond like it will when you're still in your 20's. Life if short, it's going to be even shorter if you don't take care of yourself. Oh and I'm not sure if you've had kids yet but just wait till you see what that does to your body and your metabolism. Oh you want multiple kids? The roadblocks keep piling on.

    Sorry if this is harsh but you said people keep telling you that you look fine and I'm sure you do but do you feel fine? Screw everyone else.

    Good luck.

  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Maybe start taking baby steps instead of trying to go all in from day one. Start by focusing on getting into the habit of logging and slowly change your diet (noun) if you want to. As far as the gym goes, just play around until you find a routine you like. I've also found that my gym time is much more enjoyable when my sole focus isn't that I need to burn X amount of calories.

    You can do this, just don't overwhelm and burn yourself out straight out the gate.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    headofphat wrote: »
    Stop talking about all the reasons you CAN'T and start talking about all the reasons you can.

    This is such an important point! There will ALWAYS be reasons to wait. There will always be people who make it more difficult for you. There will always be obstacles. You have to decide to take responsibility for how you treat yourself, and decide that you are important enough to prioritize. People who care about you should want you to be healthier and feel better about yourself, but ultimately it's not their responsibility.

    You can eat take-out, just eat a moderate portion. You can eat at restaurants, just make better choices. But ultimately, you can tell the people around you that your health is important and you are choosing to make better choices, whether they think it is important or not.

    Get a food scale. Start logging. What you eat is way more important than what exercise you do. It is too easy to overeat more than you can exercise off.

    This site is full of people who plugged in their stats, logged their food, made small incremental changes to how they ate - week by week month by month, and lost the weight. You can do it too - good luck :drinker:
  • silentretz
    silentretz Posts: 24 Member
    headofphat wrote: »
    Stop talking about all the reasons you CAN'T and start talking about all the reasons you can. You think it's tough when you're 23? Wait till you're 40 and you're really set in your ways and your body doesn't respond the same way. My only regret about losing weight and getting in shape is that I didn't do it sooner. So my motivational speech to you is that if you don't get your *kitten* together and start now it's only going to get harder and harder and your body isn't going to respond like it will when you're still in your 20's. Life if short, it's going to be even shorter if you don't take care of yourself. Oh and I'm not sure if you've had kids yet but just wait till you see what that does to your body and your metabolism. Oh you want multiple kids? The roadblocks keep piling on.

    Sorry if this is harsh but you said people keep telling you that you look fine and I'm sure you do but do you feel fine? Screw everyone else.

    Good luck.

    I do not have any kids yet. I appreciate the motivational speech. I have already begun my day by tracking my food and walking around work more than usual. So at least.. that is step one right? :smiley:
  • silentretz
    silentretz Posts: 24 Member
    I appreciate everything you guys have said. It has become kind of a reality check for me and I greatly appreciate all of you taking the time to read my rant. I have sat down with my roommate and we have begun to prepare a weekly meal plan for both of us and giving ourselves somewhat of a semi-cheat day on sunday as long as its under moderation. I will update on progress as we go through our plan. All of you guys are great and thank you.
  • Devol82
    Devol82 Posts: 80 Member
    headofphat wrote: »
    Stop talking about all the reasons you CAN'T and start talking about all the reasons you can. You think it's tough when you're 23? Wait till you're 40 and you're really set in your ways and your body doesn't respond the same way. My only regret about losing weight and getting in shape is that I didn't do it sooner. So my motivational speech to you is that if you don't get your *kitten* together and start now it's only going to get harder and harder and your body isn't going to respond like it will when you're still in your 20's. Life if short, it's going to be even shorter if you don't take care of yourself. Oh and I'm not sure if you've had kids yet but just wait till you see what that does to your body and your metabolism. Oh you want multiple kids? The roadblocks keep piling on.

    Sorry if this is harsh but you said people keep telling you that you look fine and I'm sure you do but do you feel fine? Screw everyone else.

    Good luck.

    I love all of this, so true. Also getting a food scale really does make a difference.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    Ignoring it was your first mistake. At 23 you could stop a lifetime of weight issues if you address it now and make it a part of your life. Or you can join the other 90% of the American population that is overweight, sedentary and not willing to make health a part of their life.
  • LuanaBean
    LuanaBean Posts: 50 Member
    Logging what you eat gives you an idea of where you are. Yes, you must weigh and measure your food and count calories at first. You calories should be realistic for your age and activity level. Do not starve yourself, that will lead to other problems. Educate yourself about healthy foods. Learn to cook and prepare your own food, which may be a challenge at first if you're not used to it, but will be easier as you go. This will ensure healthy and satisfying meals. Lose weight slowly so it will stay off and realize that you are not on a diet. You are adapting a new lifestyle that you can live with for the rest of your life.

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