the right thing to do

heatherlee33
heatherlee33 Posts: 113 Member
edited September 29 in Introduce Yourself
Just started, little scared. I feel like I just joined the army and I'm starting to remember..."oh yeah, I don't like physical activity...or authority". I suck at this people, I've gained and lost hundreds of pounds over the years...hundreds. I'm 33 and I feel helpless, powerless against my addictions. I have family who can't shake pills, know people that drink cases of beer a day...I'm just like them except I don't get drunk or high, I find comfort in food. The weakness disgusts me, but I bake cupcakes at least once a week and have a constant supply of chocolate in my house...and if I don't, I get angry. So I guess I feel like I'm doomed for failure, but I'm here anyway. I donated a kidney to my father 5 years ago and I was sure I would die, wouldn't make it through the surgery but I had to do it for my dad, it was the right thing to do. So like then here I am today, sure I will die but it's the right thing to do.

Replies

  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    Most of us on this site probably have something resembling addiction to food, sugars, fatty processed, foods, etc. Weaning yourself won't be easy. None of this is easy. On this site there are many wonderful, supportive people who can help you make changes to your life if you let them. Make some friends and let them support you. You can add me if you like.
  • lb7970
    lb7970 Posts: 79 Member
    Welcome to MFP! It is the right thing to do! A healthy you will be a happier you! I share your comfort food addiction. I enjoy baking for my family but unfortunately I end up eating more then they do. So baby steps. You like chocolate try sugar free Hershey syrup 1 tbsp over a medium banana for a snack or dessert. Sugar free chocolate pudding is another of my saving graces. Mostly I have just been working out more so I can eat more. I'll send you a friend request.
  • noexcuses1218
    noexcuses1218 Posts: 332 Member
    Hey there - welcome to the army! TOTALLY kidding. I don't think of this site as an authority on anything except counting calories (in and out), doing the math, and having a ton of support from friends who are going through very similar challenges.

    I also have sugar problems. Friend me if your sort of misery loves company ;)
  • imgone324
    imgone324 Posts: 84
    Welcome to MFP. I, like you, hated the idea of exercise and loved to take comfort in food and beer. This site can really help if you're willing to stick with it. Use the different features on the site and take advantage of the people that are here for support. The people will really help you along when you are questioning why you're doing this or having trouble "making" yourself go exercise or skip that cupcake. Please feel free to add me as a friend.
  • ritafay2011
    ritafay2011 Posts: 85
    ***:flowerforyou: WELCOME!! UR NOT A FAILURE!!!!! TIME FOR YOU TO BE THE WINNER!!!!!!,,,YOU CAN DO THIS!!!..UR IN THE RIGHT PLACE!!!!...
  • fmbarbuto
    fmbarbuto Posts: 131 Member
    Welcome to MFP!! After only being on these boards for only over a week, I have made some new friends and have found comfort in knowing that all of us have a common goal - to be healthy! Joining MFP has been easy! I hope you will find it as useful as I have. Good look to you! Feel free to friend me - happy to provide motivation and support! :flowerforyou:
  • ruststar
    ruststar Posts: 489 Member
    Welcome to boot camp! I'll let you in on a secret the recruiters didn't tell you...it doesn't have to be miserable. Get out of the mindset that you're "dieting" - you're just making some smarter choices. Go ahead and make your cupcakes, but plan to freeze them or donate them to a good cause. I like to bake, too, and once I realized I didn't have to EAT them, at least not right at that moment, my baked goodies lost their power over me.

    The basics of weight loss are creating a calorie deficit through a combination of food choices and exercise. If you don't know what your current caloric intake and exercise expenditure are you won't be able to make an informed choice on the number of calories to eat and exercise goals to set. Track our current habits for a week and just see where you are with your normal foods. Pretty quickly you'll be able to see where you could make some easy changes - less cream in your coffee, different fillings for your sandwiches, etc...- and you'll be able to make a plan that creates a deficit of about 500 calories (a 1 pound a week loss). My advice for someone who doesn't think she can do this is to take slow baby steps until you get the confidence.

    There's a lot of people on MFP eating 1200 calories (or less) and you could fall into the trap of thinking that's what you need. When I was new here I did the same and then I quickly hit a plateau. There's nothing more frustrating than eating next to nothing and not losing weight! Then, I stumbled on the podcasts at fat2fitradio.com and learned that I would be better off simply eating like the thinner person I want to be. And guess what? An active 140 pound woman needs to eat 2100 calories a day to maintain her weight. So that's what I've been eating for the last two months, and I've finally dropped below 200 pounds and seeing a continual downward trend in my weight. That number is still a calorie deficit for me, and keeps me motivated to continue to work out. This is a lifestyle change for me - there is no finish line. When I hit my goal weight I will continue to eat the same way. And guess what?

    I've had a cupcake every single day this week.

    It was an unusual week because it was my daughter's birthday, but I was amazed to see that as long as I stayed below the calorie goal I set for myself and exercised, the weight went down despite the cupcakes. That's the way I want to live my life - healthy, active, and still able to eat the occasional cupcake.

    Whew! I had a lot more to say than I planned to! Anyway, welcome to MFP, I wish you the best of luck. If you need support, feel free to add me as a friend.
  • earthygirl
    earthygirl Posts: 4
    Welcome to the community! I've new myself-sorta. I've been on the website but until today I've never done anything more than track my food. From what I've seen so far there have been some cool people on this site that offer support. I'd definitely recommend searching for people in your area who you can maybe have as a workout buddy or just someone who holds you accountable. Good luck and I wish you the best!
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