I just cant stick to it!!!

katie041085 · June 2011

ARGH!!!!! :mad: :mad:

I don't know what is wrong with me and I really wish I could understand what makes me this way. :huh:
Since i was about 16 i have been on one diet or another. With each one I start off with fantastic determination and adamant that 'this will be the one for me'... and then I cant keep up with it!!

I started with Weight watchers, then slimming world, then weight watchers again, lighterlife (after my eldest son) , slimming world, slimming world again (after my youngest son), My W8, weight watchers again and now MFP!!! That is as well as trying slim fast and atkins for a week or so at a time!!!

I always manage to lose weight but never reach my goal, and then my focus diminishes AGAIN and I cant get back on track.
I don't want that to happen again this time but i can feel myself losing the steam to continue.
I love going to the gym but it can be hard with the hours I work, caring for my boys, taking care of the house and working it around hubbys gym time too.
By the time 5, 6, 7 o'clock roll around (having been up since 3am for work) I am more than ready for bed and the gym is the last thing I want to find the energy for!!!

:yawn:

My food for the day can be hard to manage too because I have more waking hours than most. I am up at 3am and having 1st break at work by 6am. ok... let me try and explain this way....

Wake---> 3am
1st Break---> between 5.30 - 6 (or there abouts) ---> I try to eat something between a snack and breakfast... not too much, not too little
2nd break----> between 9 - 9.30 (or there abouts) ---> breakfast
leave work---> 13.30 ----> lunch
collect boys---> 14.00
dinner--->17.00----> dinner

It feels like I am eating a lot but if I don't I am STARVING and cant eat while I work. I only get break times to eat.

So... anyway... getting back on track to the initial point! I normally get between 4-6 weeks in and can focus on what I want.
I KNOW I want to lose weight, I KNOW I want to look good and be healthy, but there is just something in my head that thinks... '1 bag of crisps wont hurt, you haven't had chocolate in so long... why not!?, you can get back on track tomorrow!'
I know this isn't the right way to thing but I just cant seem to get the willpower to tell myself NO!! :indifferent:

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!!!?

PLEASE TELL ME I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE???! :ohwell:
Any tips? :sad: I'm losing all hope!! :frown: :sad:

MrsRobertson1005 · June 2011

Don't do diets, its all about training your body to eat healthier, make healthier dinners, have healthier snacks, if you train your body to be healthy you'll stay that way vs just trying to follow a diet. Also you should eat every 3-4 hours a day so you aren't eating too much with your schedule

Feel free to add me if you want some more support

tracivee · June 2011

I had a very heavy family member once tell me, "Over the years, I've always told myself I'll start tomorrow." That is the motivation I need. I see myself falling into those same bad habits. TODAY is the day because there will always be a tomorrow. It's hard, but you gotta do it. Good luck

bjohs · June 2011

I agree. Don't consider this a diet... this is a lifestyle change. Start slowly with using the tools here at MFP and the support of others to walk you though it. Remember, losing weight isn't about the speed in which you can shed the pounds off. It's about learning to eat healthier and add in exercise to stay active. One step at a time and you will see amazing results. Pretty soon you are doing what is right for your body without even having to think about it! Ask questions from your MFP community along the way. We are all here to support, motivate and inspire each other! Good luck to you.

LaDiablesse · June 2011

Those 3 hours between getting your boys & dinner, is there time to do something active with them?

lilwashee · June 2011

i hear u hun, i was doing so well i lost 26 pounds and then i just started back to my old habits again about 3 weeks ago..and im so mad at myself because i had worked so hard to get healthier and im going into the obesity range for my height and all sooo its really a bad idea to go back to the way it was,i just cant seem to get a grip and it doesnt help that unlike u i am always home with the kids and my fridge is just 20 feet away...i hope u start feeling better

LaurieEReid · June 2011

I would agree. It's about a lifestyle, not a diet. Healthy choices and recognizing that treats are a part of that but not a big part. You can do this for you AND your family.

So far MFP hasn't affected my family much. Their habits did not have to be mine and vice versa. Yesterday in the grocery store, my husband put some fried snacks in the cart "Because they're only a buck." I looked and the second ingredient was palm oil. I made my son put them back. I care about their health too.

icerose137 · June 2011

Diet is a hijacked word. It really simply means what you eat. For example a cow's diet consists mostly of hay and grass. Your lifestyle should fall right into your healthy goals or it won't work in the long run.

Make sure you are getting plenty of protein, good fats, and fiber, as well as lots of water. Six small meals a day is actually really good. All of these things add to the fullness factor. I have a hard time eating enough because of the type of foods I eat. Stay far away from processed carbs and have a small treat every day. One of my friend's has a jar of snack sized candy bars and she has gotten it down to where she only eats one a day. It works great for her. For me it's oven baked homemade potato chips with a very light amount of salt and cracked black pepper or garlic salt or whatever I feel like that day.

Point being, find what works for you. Something you can sustain for life. Because after the weightloss comes the maintanence and you don't want either to be drudgery.

I saw an unattributed quote in someone's sig that really inspired me. Paraphrasing here but it's "The end destination isn't the most important part, it's the journey."

cookie241 · June 2011

I have been similar in the past. I have gone on a diet and lost a bit of weight, started to feel a bit better healthier slimmer etc than kind of given up and ended piling on the pounds again. I have nearly always exercised playing netball and walking. But this time it feels different i have been losing weight steadily since jan and been on this site since mar. This time the weight is coming off all the way down to my goal. I have noticed such an improvement in my fitness, i've been training and finally ran a 10k race last week and am determined to keep running to as it really helps. i'm not 100 percents sure what is different this time it just feels better, i think with watching what i eat on this site it really focuses you on a lifestyle change. I still eat nice things and still have pizza chocolate, wine and ice cream if i want, i just don't have it all the time or loads of it. Sorry this is a bit rambling but i think there is no real answer it has to be the right time for you, you have to enjoy what your eating and if your exercising that too. The support on here is amazing i have now logged in for over 50 days in a row and that in itself helps. If you put your mind to it you can. I don't work but do have 3 kids the youngest being just one so i am kept pretty busy. If you think you will give up you will, if you think and say you are going to succeed set yourself small milestones and rewards for when you reach them you can and will do it.

Julesfame · June 2011

Don't think of this as a diet. It is a life long commitment to eating healthy, eating the right amount and exercising. Indulging in chocolate is not bad. Build the chocolate into your caloric intake . . . .i.e. a chocolate kiss as desert. I always had 10 peanut M&M's after my workout and a glass of red wine. I lost the weight and stayed motivated. You can do it, just don't beat yourself up. One slip up does not mean all is lost.

jessamyx · June 2011

Not sure if this helps...but I take it one day at a time. If I look at the big picture (like I have to diet for the next 12 months...then I'd give up too). Also, just because you 'slip up' does not mean you have to give up completely. I've lost a total of 30 lbs (from my absolute heaviest until now). during that time, I've had family functions like Christmas, birthday's, Easter, etc. I NEVER dieted on those days. I simply jumped back on next day. Persevere. Don't let giving up be an option. Also, rid your thoughts of the word 'DIET'. simply track your food, drink plenty of water, make good choices and most importantly LIVE!!!! You just inheirited a healthy lifestyle called MFP!!!!

P.S. No need for a gym membership. workout with the kiddos....do squats in the shower while you're shampooing your hair...park farther away when grocery shopping...take stairs when possible. There's tons of ways to sneak it in. ALSO...get rest!

Hope this helps! We all have these struggles

Benji49 · June 2011

I know just how you feel! It's hard to focus on doing what's right for you when you're tired and busy and everyone has just one more "I need you to do......" "Can you just do this first......" and my favorite "Mom, really! Fish again!" I've tried all the diets too, and you start out great and then life gets in the way. This time I'm going to just eat healthy and exercise and try to stay motivated. Got to keep your eye on the end goal and take it one day at a time. When I get down and don't think I can do this - or someone tells me I'm not doing it right - then I just look to the goal and remember it is ME I'm doing this for.

blobbywilson15 · June 2011

Whilst I would like to give you a really good tip, face it you are normal, we all feel like that. It's hard for all the people with real lives and families we are all slightly over-weight. Yes we can improve ourselves, yes we could eat less. But we don't have time and why the hell not have that snack.

The skinny ones are the abnormals.

The best advice I can offer is this, either accept it and realise that we the general others out there no what you are going through and do not think any less or more of you when you lose or gain 10 pounds. If you are round then face it you eat too much, if you are within a couple of stone of your 'ideal weight' then so what.

Or

When you go to the shops don't look for the nearest parking space, park at the other end of the parking lot, slim people walk on average 3000 more steps than overweight people.
Play in the garden with your children everyday for just 10 minutes.
When eating put your knife and fork down between every mouthfull and let your stomach tell you it is full.
Drink more water.

Good luck and don't believe you are abnormal.

Andrew
(Married dad of 2 self-employed working approx 50-60 hours a week)

sfphill · June 2011

Take

hon! You are not the only one! I work 12 hour shifts at work (8am to 8pm) and find scheduling time to eat difficult. A snack that I have found that helps a bit with wanting chocolate to keep me going is Planter's NUT-trition bars! The antioxidant one has almonds, blueberries, and dark chocolate in it and it keeps me full for a few hours. They are also easy to eat on the go! I keep one in my purse at all times.

I was nearly in tears reading your post. It sounds just like me. I have tried almost every diet and failed. (Even the dreaded cabbage soup diet....blech!).

Dont give up hope! Anything is possible!

:flowerforyou:
Sara

HeyLisa · June 2011

I kinda agree with the don't diet mentality overall but with specific caveats..

You see I lost over 100lbs about 8 years ago. I did it on Atkins and was strong and healthy and it worked for me. Until my lifestyle changed and other reasons which would probably bore you. Anyway.. the diet no longer worked for me and my scale started creeping up.

So years later I find i'm back up 30 of those lbs and constantly TRYING to diet. I tried Atkins again but it no longer worked for me with my life circumstances . I tried eating less.. but realize now I was still high on calories.

Then I took the time to figure what I really wanted to eat.. (I like bread LOL. so no more Atkins) What things that included calories that I knew I did not want to give up.. (my Friday date night with my boyfriend with too much wine and giggles).. Anyway MFP works for me though its only been a month. So time will tell.

I zig/zag calorie high/lower days but net my 1400 calories daily. I enjoy my wine.. I post it all! I understand that this will not be a diet, but a lifestyle change that fits my needs as well as my wants. I think with this attitude it could really work this time.

So I guess that was the long version.

Short version - consider what you love and enjoy with food.. exercise.. and then determine the way of life eating that works best for you by honoring yourself.

I hope that made a little sense. :-)

_Johanna_ · June 2011

It sounds like you are dieting and not making a lifestyle change. You need to focus on a lifestyle change, which takes quite a bit of time.

I have been there for years. I had a hard day at work - I deserve a good meal! My husband wants to go to a steak house - well, I ate good all day, so why not? It's been days since I had something super tasty - how about some chips? Birthdays! Holidays! Weekends! Graduations! Wedding and Baby showers - there are always a reason to celebrate...they NEVER go away! Therefore, I never lose any weight and...for the most part, I gained.

I wish I could tell you why I have not caved in yet. It's been 20 days since I've had something fried. My guess is I just kept reading the blogs and forums here. I changed my thought patterns on food. I try my hardest to eat as many fruits and veggies as I can (because that's where you get the most bang for your buck too). Instead of focusing on what I am missing out, I focus on learning what I can eat - new ways of cooking the same old veggies. New veggies I don't normally eat! Incorporating fruit into my diet and reading on the blogs and forums about other new low calorie food that I can add to my diet. Maybe that's it? I am so focused on learning about NEW things I should eat that I have not been too worried about what I shouldn't be eating? I do it at restaurants too - time to try out those good for your dishes at all my favorite restaurants. Sure, I miss my favorites, but here's the deal - We should be celebrating the company we keep at restaurants and other parties/events, not the food we get to eat. So, I focus on that.

I don't know if any of this is helpful, cause I've been where you are and I'm not sure how I jumped out of it. I'm not even sure that I won't be back where you are some day. I just REALLY hope you can get through it and find some really good reasons to continue down the path you are on because I think it is worth the effort. Your health is worth it. Time to find some motivation for you!

evilbanks · June 2011

Quit worrying about specific diets, just eat right and exercise and don't be so hard on yourself. You can definitely do it, just keep on keepin' on.

ohthatmomma · June 2011

Hi! You can do it! I know it can be difficult to find something that works for you. But you will. Everyone eants to stay away from the word diet, however you want to look at it everything we eat contributes to our DIETary needs. If we choose the proper things or the non-nutritive things we are still dieting in some form or another. So, don't look at diets as a bad thing. I have 'tried' Slim Fast, the Cheerio diet, vegetarian, low-fat... Sadly, it wasn't the diet, it was me. I could see the different diets working for others, but for some reason they weren't working for me. Well, the problem was me, not the diet.

Now, I am finding my way on this journey and it has taken some effort and my having to do some food switching.

As far as exercise, when all of my children were small, we woud go to the ymca and signg them into child watch while we got in a 2 hours of exercise. They got to see their friends and play games. It was beneficial for all of us. Now, I have no gym membership, and I do everything at home. My son may or may not take a nap, so on those days he isn't tired he sits and plays a game, watches his fave tv show or colors, he understands that he is helping me melt all of the fat away. He likes it and repeats to me that, "mommy, am I helping you melt all of the fat away?"

I try to get in a quick 10 minute workout every hour. I look for opportunities to do things around the house. (My house may be the cleanest around) :-) when babe plays a game on comp, I do a brisk walk to Leslie Sansone or a quick turbo charged workout with Jillian Michaels, kim Lyons, Bob Harper. Just gotta find the time.

As far as eating, I don't see why you have to eat anything at 3 in the morning. Can't you just grab a bottled water and a couple of cheese cubes or something? Hop online (a wealth of resources) and find some ideas for packing your lunch.

I am no expert, but I do wish you all of the best!

You can do it!!

ohthatmomma · June 2011

I just wanted to add, have you tried fixing a months meals and storing them in the freezer? This works wonderfully for larger families (such as mine) and it could be very helpful for smaller families too.

Just thaw and it tastes just as fresh. Worked well for me when babies were smaller. Though I love cooking and everyone loves the smell of a meal being prepared. (Just a thought for the short-term)

I just cant stick to it!!!

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