Help!!! Server that can't loose weight!

Ok so I am gettin married in two months and have been restarting a diet for months now. I'm not big, just a bit chubby, so I only want to loose like 15 lbs. I can't seem to stay on track though because I'm constantly around food and soda. I have been eating a lot healthier and have tried to stick to water. I tend to get really hangry tho and get mad super quick if I'm hungry or need sugar. So I end up drinking a coke zero. I seem to never have time to work out, or if I do I'm too tired from being on my feet all day. I would think by the amount of calories I burn and how much I sweat at work would suffice fir me too loose weight but I am still stuck. I think the most I have lostt is 3 lbs within the last couple months. What should I do?!
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Replies

  • myheartsabattleground
    myheartsabattleground Posts: 2,040 Member
    Get a time machine.
  • nmorwessel766
    nmorwessel766 Posts: 4 Member
    What?
  • myheartsabattleground
    myheartsabattleground Posts: 2,040 Member
    What should I do?!

    Again, get a time machine. You said you can't LOSE weight, and you're getting married soon.
    You asked for advice on a public forum :)

  • nmorwessel766
    nmorwessel766 Posts: 4 Member
    Lol well thanks for the help!
  • mgomezj1004
    mgomezj1004 Posts: 1 Member
    When your hungry drink water first. Lots of people confuse hunger for thirst all the time. Either way drink water through out the day it really helps. And this other one if your hungry think of an apple and if you don't want to eat it's cause your not that hungry.

  • erinc5
    erinc5 Posts: 329 Member
    How many calories are you eating per day and how do you determine that (do you weigh what you eat)? How much do you weigh and how tall are you?
  • hamstertango
    hamstertango Posts: 129 Member
    You can do it! Sounds like you have not had that 'Ah-ha' moment.

    Have you tried visualising your current self on your wedding day and then your lighter self on the day?

    You just need to weigh your food and log (everything!) stick to the calorie goal and you WILL get there! You really will! especially in your active job.

    Is there a friend who can join in? A little friendly competition may be just what you need!
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
    Nothing wrong with the diet soda. Better than the full strength stuff!

    Are you weighing and measuring your food? Perhaps you should take a pre-packed lunch to work.
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
    Ok so I am gettin married in two months and have been restarting a diet for months now. I'm not big, just a bit chubby, so I only want to loose like 15 lbs. I can't seem to stay on track though because I'm constantly around food and soda. I have been eating a lot healthier and have tried to stick to water. I tend to get really hangry tho and get mad super quick if I'm hungry or need sugar. So I end up drinking a coke zero. I seem to never have time to work out, or if I do I'm too tired from being on my feet all day. I would think by the amount of calories I burn and how much I sweat at work would suffice fir me too loose weight but I am still stuck. I think the most I have lostt is 3 lbs within the last couple months. What should I do?!

    I'm a restaurant manager been in this game a long time and was pretty overweight for a long time. Whilst the level of activity we do daily would make the weight drop off others, for us our bodies are used to it so alas you need to do the same as everyone else, cut those cals, do some exercise! I take fruit into work to snack on I know you will have time to shove a strawberry in your mouth! That will also combat your sugar cravings so 2 birds 1 stone! Good luck with the wedding x
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member

    You just need to weigh your food and log (everything!)
    Yeah... I know how easy it is to grab a few fries.. A little brownie... mouthfull of ice cream etc... be careful with this at work!
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited February 2016
    Yep I say the time in machine is in order or you need to really make your mind up that you want to try and loose some the 15 pounds before your wedding. If you stick to a deficit you loose some of it..

    It sounds like an all or nothing thing to me that you have and you are not able to control grabbing those things you know are not going to get you to your goal (Diet Soda is fine, I drinking a couple a day)..

    The calorie burn though exercise is NOT going to get you to your goal and you must adhere to eating less (the deficit) .. In other words you CANNOT exercise the weight off..

  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    "I never have time to work out"... say the people looking for an excuse....
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
    eldamiano wrote: »
    "I never have time to work out"... say the people looking for an excuse....

    It is an excuse, but some servers do 12 hour shifts charging about and if you're doing a 12-close 5 days in a row you just want to sleep in between! ! Don't get me wrong you can force your body to get up early and workout but it's harder than doing a 9-5 to push yourself to start that.i still find it hard after a 60 hour week to force myself!
  • runrascal
    runrascal Posts: 53 Member
    Oh please give it a try - before my daughter got married a few years ago I had the incentive and managed to lose 14lbs in 8 weeks with calorie control. CICO always does the trick. And actually I didn't exercise any more than my usual daily walk.
  • daisy552014
    daisy552014 Posts: 13 Member
    Waitressing leaves you feeling so exhausted, I worked in a restaurant where we had to carry all the plates on a massive tray both for serving and for clearing. Long shifts without breaks and unsociable hours can really take a toll on your body. I got through it by ALWAYS eating a healthy breakfast, taking healthy snacks to work (bananas, smoothies, nuts) and in between busy periods whilst all my tables were eating or something I would dash off and eat a banana. RESIST the leftover and spare food, it's tough when there's an extra garlic bread, but drink lots of water and eat lots of healthy snacks.

    When you do eat the food make lots of swaps and try to make the dish as healthy as possible!
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    you're eating too much.

    we can't make you stop putting food in your mouth.

    with that little to lose, its unlikely youll lose it all before the wedding anyways. you can lose some weight, and feel better, but this is something you should have started last year.....
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    ARGriffy wrote: »
    eldamiano wrote: »
    "I never have time to work out"... say the people looking for an excuse....

    It is an excuse, but some servers do 12 hour shifts charging about and if you're doing a 12-close 5 days in a row you just want to sleep in between! ! Don't get me wrong you can force your body to get up early and workout but it's harder than doing a 9-5 to push yourself to start that.i still find it hard after a 60 hour week to force myself!

    So you do have time to do it, but all you want to do is sleep. Thats the whole point....
  • Dez11B
    Dez11B Posts: 1,542 Member
    Don't drink any calories. Do that first. Once you get that under control cut back you calories by 500. Stick with it. Drink a *kitten* load of water.
  • Scamd83
    Scamd83 Posts: 808 Member
    or need sugar

    I'm assuming by that you mean you need the naturally occurring you get in fruit. But if you mean you've somehow convinced yourself you need sugar from other sources, then this might be something you should reassess.
  • allenpriest
    allenpriest Posts: 1,102 Member
    You don't need to exercise to lose weight. You need to eat fewer calories. The best way to manage that is to log everything. That's going to be really hard working where you do. But you can do it.

    Losing 15 pounds by the wedding is probably an aggressive goal. But you can get a start on it.
  • ModernRock
    ModernRock Posts: 372 Member
    There's no getting around it. Based on the evidence, you are not moving so much that you can get away with not tracking your food and still expect to lose weight. In fact, you might not even be moving as much as you think. Being busy is not the same as being active, and servers do plenty of standing between short walks from table to table and station to station. Borrow a pedometer from somebody and see how many steps you are actually taking. You might be surprised that in a full shift you might only take as many steps as what somebody walking non-stop could do in 90 minutes.

    You have to take control of your food intake to create a deficit. The foods you are eating "on the go" are adding up, but you also need to eat something throughout those long days to avoid over-eating when your shift is over. Plan what you'll eat at work, and plan what you'll eat when you get home.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited February 2016
    Its easy to find excuses and you have listed several here. Pick one or two and tackle them - it may be overwhelming to feel like you have to do everything at once.

    Coke Zero, nothing wrong with it. But drinking water is also necessary. So alternate.

    You should not have to be hungry in order to lose weight. You do need to make some choices in terms of what and how much you eat though. And as someone else has suggested, it is easy to confuse thirst and boredom with hunger. So when you're hungry, drink water first. Or do something else for 20 minutes. Then have a snack (if its not meal time). Plan snacks for these situations.

    Good news: you don't have to exercise to lose weight. It does have other benefits, for your general health & fitness levels.
    Ok so I am gettin married in two months and have been restarting a diet for months now. I'm not big, just a bit chubby, so I only want to loose like 15 lbs. I can't seem to stay on track though because I'm constantly around food and soda. I have been eating a lot healthier and have tried to stick to water. I tend to get really hangry tho and get mad super quick if I'm hungry or need sugar. So I end up drinking a coke zero. I seem to never have time to work out, or if I do I'm too tired from being on my feet all day. I would think by the amount of calories I burn and how much I sweat at work would suffice fir me too loose weight but I am still stuck. I think the most I have lostt is 3 lbs within the last couple months. What should I do?!

  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Ok so I am gettin married in two months and have been restarting a diet for months now. I'm not big, just a bit chubby, so I only want to loose like 15 lbs. I can't seem to stay on track though because I'm constantly around food and soda. I have been eating a lot healthier and have tried to stick to water. I tend to get really hangry tho and get mad super quick if I'm hungry or need sugar. So I end up drinking a coke zero. I seem to never have time to work out, or if I do I'm too tired from being on my feet all day. I would think by the amount of calories I burn and how much I sweat at work would suffice fir me too loose weight but I am still stuck. I think the most I have lostt is 3 lbs within the last couple months. What should I do?!

    Start logging everything you consume as accurately as you can.
    If you are not losing weight then you need to decrease the amount of calories you put in your body or burn more calories. If more activity is out then you have to adjust your intake.
    Try to get enough protein, fats, and fiber to help you feel satisfied and more even. Watch your sodium level. Drink water.
    Trying to lose 15 lbs in 2 months is too aggressive of a goal most likely. If you only have 15 lbs to lose then .5 lbs a week is an appropriate goal. I would not try to lose more than 1 lb a week. You might lose 4-8 lbs in 2 months if you work at sticking to your calorie goal.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    When I was a waitress, the only addition activity I did was gardening. I managed my weight by not eating more than I burned. I had short-ish shifts, so was able to eat before and after I worked. When my former housemate was a server with longer shifts, she brought smoothies to work and sipped on them as time permitted.
  • nmorwessel766
    nmorwessel766 Posts: 4 Member
    erinc5 wrote: »
    How many calories are you eating per day and how do you determine that (do you weigh what you eat)? How much do you weigh and how tall are you?

    I don't weigh what I eat and I'm 5'7 at 180 lbs. I have just consciously been cutting foods out and eating better. Instead of ground beef I eat ground turkey, turkey bacon instead of regular bacon, etc. I just never have time to work out.
  • erinc5
    erinc5 Posts: 329 Member
    edited February 2016
    erinc5 wrote: »
    How many calories are you eating per day and how do you determine that (do you weigh what you eat)? How much do you weigh and how tall are you?

    I don't weigh what I eat and I'm 5'7 at 180 lbs. I have just consciously been cutting foods out and eating better. Instead of ground beef I eat ground turkey, turkey bacon instead of regular bacon, etc. I just never have time to work out.

    Making smart replacements like that is a start, but you may never make progress unless you are counting calories. Weighing everything ensures you are accurate. If all you can do is estimate, then it will probably take you longer to lose weight, as it may take a while to realize if your estimations are true or not.

    I am also 5'7" and I have been 180 lbs before (very recently, actually). I lost a decent amount of weight in January - I started the new year at 177 lbs. I am currently 168 as of this morning and making my way down to around 140/145. You can look at my diary if you would like to see what I eat. You can friend me if you'd like any support.

    I suggest eating 1400 calories and adding back half your exercise calories. I don't really work out consistently either, so no reason to stress about not working out. Also, I have a desk job whereas you are active all day, so if you feel that 1400 is not enough, you can probably bump up to 1600 or so and still lose at a decent rate.

    I also started a while ago and lost about 20 lbs for my wedding. Wedding bliss kind of got the best of me and gained almost all of that back. My goal now is to be at my wedding weight for our 1 year anniversary, which is in April. I am 8 lbs from that goal, so that is my next milestone. After that, I plan to be at my ultimate goal weight by August for one of my best friend's weddings where I am a bridesmaid.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    edited February 2016
    erinc5 wrote: »
    How many calories are you eating per day and how do you determine that (do you weigh what you eat)? How much do you weigh and how tall are you?

    I don't weigh what I eat and I'm 5'7 at 180 lbs. I have just consciously been cutting foods out and eating better. Instead of ground beef I eat ground turkey, turkey bacon instead of regular bacon, etc. I just never have time to work out.

    All of it is fine, including the Coke Zero. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns, overall. Setup your account to lose at most 1 lb per week and try to stick to that calorie limit. If you're that active as a waitress, to some people you actually may do a fair bit of working out, since many people walk for exercise! Other than that if you really want to add a little something, look up body weight exercises on YouTube and maybe try to do 10 minute workouts to start. If you can add on to that as time goes on, so be it

    Aren't you worried about your dress fitting properly? You're so close to the big day!

    Read this, and most of the posts linked in the Announcement post at the top of the General diet and weight loss forum:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101/p1
  • _Figgzie_
    _Figgzie_ Posts: 3,506 Member
    the words "too busy" REALLY mean "it's not a priority" in most cases. I have that written on my mirror at home, "IS IT A PRIORITY?" Nobody is that busy, you don't have to kill yourself in the gym for 3 hours. I do 80% of my routine at home, a circuit of 200 push ups, 200 kettlebell swings, 200 burpees. It sounds like you have a tough job and you are tired when you are off but you're getting married and you want to look better? Eat less, exercise more..........is it a priority?
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    I'm not big, just a bit chubby, so I only want to loose like 15 lbs....I think the most I have lostt is 3 lbs within the last couple months.

    You don't have a lot to lose, and may not even be overweight. You are really close to healthy weight / goal weight. 3 lbs over a couple months is perfectly normal in that scenario. Adjust your expectations.

  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    A couple of ideas:

    - Get a fitbit to estimate calories for the day. You are definitely burning more than a desk worker. It works well for this sort of thing and syncs with MFP.
    - Focus on reducing carbs first.
    - Eat 1/3 of your daily calories for breakfast with at least 1/2 from fat. (Nuts, nut butters, cheese.)
    - Bring all your own food for the day, including snacks (fruit, nuts, cheese-- the good stuff). Make your lunch right after breakfast, when you're least hungry, and eat it on schedule, before you're too hungry. Anticipate all the times you will need something to eat and plan for it. Don't let yourself get too hungry.