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therequiiem
therequiiem Posts: 133 Member
edited September 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
For a long time now I have needed to lose weight. I have gained about 40 lbs in ten months. I use to be 125, and now I am at 170. :( when I was in college in 2011-2012, I was able to lose a lot of weight just by using myfitnesspal. I did a lot of obsessing, and tracking, and the thought of doing that again (especially calculating home made recipes) seems thoroughly exhausting that I can't even bring myself to start. There was a point in time I was losing weight without any effort, and that's because I was taking topamax, which causes weight loss. I had to go off of it because of its horrible side effects, and I gained what I lost and then some.

I feel like the past ten months my body must have changed. I crave sugar and carbs a lot, that it's very hard to not give in. I feel like I need them as a pick me up. I sweat a lot as well, get body aches and migraines. I have an appointment with an endocrinologist towards the end of the month, so I am hoping she will give me some answers. I pretty much know what I need to eat to get on track, but all of those foods are so boring to me and dull. They are not satisfying and I end up just reaching for a pack of starbursts or something else bad.

I'd like to start tracking my food again but it seems like such a burden, and I don't want to obsess again. I also don't know how to factor in the exercise I get from my job (waitressing) and eating back those calories. I sometimes bring small snacks to work like yogurt or a meal replacement shake, but really go 4-5 hours without eating anything. Id love to be a meal prepper but I wouldn't even know where to start. I am too tired to exercise, after work I just come home and lay down and need to renew my energy for the next shift.

Replies

  • tomorrowistoday0000
    tomorrowistoday0000 Posts: 125 Member
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    There is no quick fix to losing weight, just plain old diet and exercise but most of all determination. Start out slowly by limiting the amount of calories you consume each day follow by some sort of exercise such as walking. It's normal to fail multiple times when you first start, just pick yourself up and keep going. Set realistic goals, maybe start out by losing half a pound a week so that you can increase your calorie intake and find a support group or partner. Remember, slow and steady is better than nothing. Also, the more you workout the more energetic you'll become. Don't give up, you can do this!
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Adults should be able to go 4-5 hours between meals. Meal prepping is just making meals in advance. It may be a help for you, or a burden, but it's certainly not magical. No foods are bad, you just have to eat an appropriate amount of each of them. Don't eat boring food! Those are the foods that get you off track, my friend. If you don't want to count calories, but need to lose weight, just eat 20-25% less of everything you eat and drink now.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,140 Member
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    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Adults should be able to go 4-5 hours between meals.

    I've never been able to.

    But then I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia a number of years ago. I need to snack every 1-2 hours. :)

  • Whitezombiegirl
    Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
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    Me too - but not diagnosed. its pretty obvious though and runs in the family.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
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    You wouldn't count the waitressing as exercise. That would be counted as part of your daily activity so you should choose Active or Very Active as your setting.
  • ladyraiah
    ladyraiah Posts: 110 Member
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    Are you getting enough sleep? Sleep deprivation makes me want to eat everything sweet and carby. You should probably find some more satiating snacks or meals to bring to work. Not waiting until you're starving to make food choices will help you make better decisions and eating regularly to fit your busy job will give you more energy. I love love love the smokehouse almonds from blue diamond, and I don't usually like almonds.

    Your meals don't have to be boring-- unseasoned chicken breast, brown rice, and broccoli...there are tons of easy, low calorie options out there that taste fabulous. I don't think I've ever made anything bad from Skinnytaste.com, and she has a ton of crockpot recipes that would be an easy start to meal prepping.

    As for sugar cravings, I find that when I eat a lot of sugar for a few days, I start craving it. I have to completely abstain from sweets for a week or two and it pretty much eliminates the cravings. Once I've gotten to that point, I can have a small sweet snack a day or so and not get the horrible cravings back. Right now I have a fiber one 90 calorie mint chocolate brownie with my coffee every night at work, and that's really all I need.
  • airforceman1979
    airforceman1979 Posts: 94 Member
    edited September 2016
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    As for you calories at work any of the fitbit,s are great for that kind of work. If you can't get 1 of those a basic pedometer will give you a count of steps you take a day and can figure a ball park out from there. As for tracking I get in the same boat I will obsesse over it but it is worth it. I would suggest making small changes at first. That why there are more likely to become permanent. I also set mine to sanitary and let my fitbit add calories are subtract them based on the day. And never eat them all back. Incase it is of by a few hundred. You can do this it just tacks time and patience
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Logging food is not obsession, it is simply a task that you do everyday. Its your attitude towards the task that makes its an obsession.

    Your job would put you into a category of lightly active, active, moderately active etc.. Exercise if you choose to exercise is separate.

    Meal prepping too is just another task. It just takes some planning. Takes time in the beginning but usually after you get some of your food logged in your diary and your database with some entries in it, it easier.

    No foods are off base. And after being on your feet in a active job I would think a person would be tired. If you have sleep issues work out better nightly rituals to get you in bed early and off to sleep once you hit the sheets.

    Make sure your deficit is not setup too aggressively so that you perhaps lose slower to assure you give yourself as much of a nutritional balance as possible to carry out your day to day responsibilities, perform at work and exercise if you choose.

    If you truly think you have a medical issue, continue working with your doctor. When ever in doubt about not feeling well, this is your first line of defense.

  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
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    You really think your issues are glandular and not related to gaining 30% of your previous body weight in under a year? You know what you have to do, it sucks but that's the price we pay for over indulging for too long.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    I was 121 lbs at the beginning of the year - I am now 138 lbs. Why? Because I developed an Eating Disorder after all the obsession and food weighing and calorie counting. A really nasty, lonely and miserable eating disorder. I had to stop logging and I had to start living again - else I would have lost everything. 'Being Thin' wasn't worth that.

    No, Logging food does not cause ED nor am I against it. It's a fantastic way to keep track. But if you find it as utterly exhausting as I did - I'd say this isn't the best route for you. I've learnt the hard way - this doesn't have to be a miserable process. Wanting to lose a few pounds to live a healthy life is absolutely okay - and there are ways to go about this. How about - for two weeks - try listening to your body. Eat foods you enjoy whilst remaining 'aware' (You know how to do this, you've done it before). Track your weight changes this way and adapt as and when necessary. You don't have to suddenly start gnawing on carrot sticks and shunning ice cream. It doesn't HAVE to be this way.

    Yes, Logging food works. It really, really does. But if it isn't working for you mentally, don't do it.
  • therequiiem
    therequiiem Posts: 133 Member
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    LazSommer wrote: »
    You really think your issues are glandular and not related to gaining 30% of your previous body weight in under a year? You know what you have to do, it sucks but that's the price we pay for over indulging for too long.

    Uh yes, I do.
  • rosnz
    rosnz Posts: 91 Member
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    So you don't want to restart logging food, you don't think you can give up or reduce sweet foods and you are reluctant to do meal preparation. Maybe just accept your weight for awhile or forever. Trying to loose weight in your current mindset will be a burden . There comes a point in every weight loss persons life when they commit to the process and I don't feel you are there at this moment in time
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
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    Do you make those recipes regularly? If so, then save it under the My Meals tab, that way you don't have to re-enter everything all the time, you just log that meal.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
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    therequiiem wrote: »
    LazSommer wrote: »
    You really think your issues are glandular and not related to gaining 30% of your previous body weight in under a year? You know what you have to do, it sucks but that's the price we pay for over indulging for too long.

    Uh yes, I do.

    Well progress will come with honesty, good luck.
    You feel like crap because you gained too much weight
  • therequiiem
    therequiiem Posts: 133 Member
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    rosnz wrote: »
    So you don't want to restart logging food, you don't think you can give up or reduce sweet foods and you are reluctant to do meal preparation. Maybe just accept your weight for awhile or forever. Trying to loose weight in your current mindset will be a burden . There comes a point in every weight loss persons life when they commit to the process and I don't feel you are there at this moment in time


    Exactly. Which is why I'm asking for advice.
  • therequiiem
    therequiiem Posts: 133 Member
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    Machka9 wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Adults should be able to go 4-5 hours between meals.

    I've never been able to.

    But then I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia a number of years ago. I need to snack every 1-2 hours. :)

    Whenever I go long without meals, I feel dizzy, faint, and want sugar as a pick me up.
  • therequiiem
    therequiiem Posts: 133 Member
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    I am not sure if I need to mention this, but I suffer from anxiety and depression. It's not that I don't want to put in any of the work. I spend some days just planning what I want to do. Meal prep. Order kettle bells. Buy healthier foods. But a lot of the time my depression seems to just take over and I'm back at square one.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Be aware that eating sugar as a pick-me-up has the opposite effect of what you want, it makes you more tired, crave more sugar, and eating too much is making you overweight and lazy, which most likely adds to your anxiety/depression, or maybe is the reason for it.

    It's a double vicious circle where you also are overwhelming yourself, which adds to your anxiety/depression and lazyness. Instead, set easier and more realistic goals. You don't have to change everything a once. Probably not even much, just adjust some things. Start with something that has a real impact. My suggestion would be replacing sugary treats with some good food. Anything that is real food and has a mix of fat, protein, slow carbs and fiber. This will stabilize your mood better.
  • MamaMenorca
    MamaMenorca Posts: 22 Member
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    We even if you find out from the endocrinologist that you have an imbalance, medication will only take you so far. And would really rather be putting chemicals and generated products into your body in order to lose weight so that you don't have to put any effort in? It sounds like you want to lose weight but don't want to have to do any work: get up 30 minutes earlier to get a workout in, track/log food/prep meals. If you don't know how to cook, there are great resources on the Internet. I have so many recipes pinned on Pinterest I don't when I would make them all. It is also a great resource for at home, no equipment required, 30 minute workouts. I helped my flatmate lose a ton of weight just starting a couch to 5k program. You can find resources and podcasts for it online making it crazy easy. Everything is there for you to use and take and most of it costs 0- little money and you can begin with as little as 30 minutes exercise three days a week. It isn't a quick fix. But, if this is something you really want, then you are going to have to put the effort in.

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