New here ~ Let's be fitness friends?
becomingellie
Posts: 10 Member
I've been overweight my whole life. I've always fluctuated between weights and never seem to be able to keep it off. I try so hard, but then I lose track for a moment and it comes back sometimes worse than before.
I just want to finally take control, lose the weight the right way and keep it off. Sometimes I feel alone though, and that sometimes discourages me from making progress on my journey.
I'm open to making friends. If anyone has experience with losing weight lots of weight and keeping it off for a good amount of time, I'd love to hear what you've done to help yourself.
I just want to finally take control, lose the weight the right way and keep it off. Sometimes I feel alone though, and that sometimes discourages me from making progress on my journey.
I'm open to making friends. If anyone has experience with losing weight lots of weight and keeping it off for a good amount of time, I'd love to hear what you've done to help yourself.
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Replies
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I'm not in the same situation as you because I'm aiming to eat a bit more than I did before, but I'd be happy to offer suggestions and ideas all the same. It sounds like consistency and baby steps are needed in your case.1
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Well, I'm actually trying to gain some and lose some in the right places.
I need to build muscle as well as lose the fat. My last trainer said I actually don't eat enough either - I was basically consuming too many empty calories in drinks (with soda/sweet coffees/energy drinks)
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I guess our goals are about the same then! What happened to your previous trainer? I'm asking because I might consider consulting with one at some point in the near future.0
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I moved to a different city, still stabilizing. Haven't found a better trainer since. At least they taught me enough to go forward until I can get a new one. They helped me measure my body fat percentage, and symmetry. They designed specific workouts for my asymmetry also. For you, it might be interesting to find out what they can do to help you and your specific needs. It's nice to have someone like that pushing you as well. I definitely miss it.0
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I don't really need anyone to push me, but I could certainly do with an approach that fits with my current situation and history. How do you measure body fat percentage? Also, is asymmetry related to muscle imbalances or having one arm stronger than the other, for instance?0
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Have you ever tried Ketogenic Dieting? I was hopeless at losing weight until I got diabetes. Once I found out my condition I stopped eating carbs/sugar all together. Within 3 months I lost over 50 pounds. Keto isn't for everyone but it's really about finding the right diet for you and understanding why food that makes unhealthy is bad.1
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New to mfp. How can I add you as a friend Ellie?0
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To measure my body fat, they just used a tape to measure me, and then took my weight on some fancy weight calculator thing. You have to hold onto it with your arms and stand with your feet, and it measures which side is stronger, as well as how much you weigh and how much of it is muscle vs fat.
& I'm guessing my muscle asymmetry is most likely from me not being very active, except with my guitar playing (my guitar strumming hand is a little more muscular, while the other side has a little more fat)s3rialthrill3r wrote: »I don't really need anyone to push me, but I could certainly do with an approach that fits with my current situation and history. How do you measure body fat percentage? Also, is asymmetry related to muscle imbalances or having one arm stronger than the other, for instance?0 -
I've heard a lot about keto dieting but it would probably be very hard for me. I get turned off of meat easily, unless it's a little chicken every now and again. & I hear you have to stay away from carby fruits and veggies as well? I've been trying to stay away from refined sugar/carbs, but I'm also trying to have more of a paleo way of eating things with a little amount of lean meat. I never did eat enough fruit in my life & I'm just now starting to get into it, lol.
& Christine, I added you.Have you ever tried Ketogenic Dieting? I was hopeless at losing weight until I got diabetes. Once I found out my condition I stopped eating carbs/sugar all together. Within 3 months I lost over 50 pounds. Keto isn't for everyone but it's really about finding the right diet for you and understanding why food that makes unhealthy is bad.0 -
becomingellie wrote: »To measure my body fat, they just used a tape to measure me, and then took my weight on some fancy weight calculator thing. You have to hold onto it with your arms and stand with your feet, and it measures which side is stronger, as well as how much you weigh and how much of it is muscle vs fat.
& I'm guessing my muscle asymmetry is most likely from me not being very active, except with my guitar playing (my guitar strumming hand is a little more muscular, while the other side has a little more fat)
Damn, I was hoping that I wouldn't need any special equipment to do that. It sounds like I would have to visit a specialist, and I'm too lazy to do that just to satisfy a mild curiosity. I guess I have imbalances too then since I predominantly use my right hand.becomingellie wrote: »I've heard a lot about keto dieting but it would probably be very hard for me. I get turned off of meat easily, unless it's a little chicken every now and again. & I hear you have to stay away from carby fruits and veggies as well? I've been trying to stay away from refined sugar/carbs, but I'm also trying to have more of a paleo way of eating things with a little amount of lean meat. I never did eat enough fruit in my life & I'm just now starting to get into it, lol.
According to what I've read, a strict ketogenic diet would require taking some supplements since some nutrients may otherwise be missed. If you ask me, weight loss doesn't mean much if your body is still deficient in other areas. Perhaps the good old fashioned balanced approach to eating still wins out. Isn't it all just about the calories in the end anyway?1 -
becomingellie wrote: »I've been overweight my whole life. I've always fluctuated between weights and never seem to be able to keep it off. I try so hard, but then I lose track for a moment and it comes back sometimes worse than before.
I just want to finally take control, lose the weight the right way and keep it off. Sometimes I feel alone though, and that sometimes discourages me from making progress on my journey.
I'm open to making friends. If anyone has experience with losing weight lots of weight and keeping it off for a good amount of time, I'd love to hear what you've done to help yourself.
Hi ellie
I have been in the same boat as you. Struggled with my weight. Tried to lose and sometimes i was successful till suddenly i'm back to square one and weighing more.
I joined my fitness pal in 2014. And i am proud to say that i have lost 4 stone. I have had ups and downs where i have sometimes gained a little weight but overall i have kept the weight off. But my eating habits and tastes has changed so much and for the better.
What helped me the most was the support from my husband. Who wasn't afraid to steer me away when on occasion i lost will power.
But i also kept a diary. Where i recorded my weight, set myself challenges. Took pictures and messurements. I also began to research health and fitness and cut out nutrition and exercise tips from magazines and clued them in. I love looking back and seeing how far i have come. I would recommended trying it.
At the beginning i started swimming. Then going to the gym. As i became more confident i started trying different things like spinning classes and having a go at some weights.
All the best for you and your future. I would add you as a friend but i have no idea how lol
Amy
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Calories are a big reason to why someone is overweight. However, in my situation, I don't lose weight as easily as someone else could, because I don't have a lot of muscle. My last trainer said building muscle and eating enough of the right food (protein) would really help with my weight loss. So yes, it's mostly calories but I guess everything else can play a part in the end result too. All a part of the human machine
As far as the keto goes, I tend to try to listen to my body at least with things it doesn't like. Too much meat and fat gets heavy on the stomach. A little bit every now and again feels fine. Everyone is different, my sister did the keto diet to lose 10 lbs and seemed to like it. I feel like in my situation, a balanced diet would definitely win.s3rialthrill3r wrote: »According to what I've read, a strict ketogenic diet would require taking some supplements since some nutrients may otherwise be missed. If you ask me, weight loss doesn't mean much if your body is still deficient in other areas. Perhaps the good old fashioned balanced approach to eating still wins out. Isn't it all just about the calories in the end anyway?0 -
s3rialthrill3r wrote: »
Thank you x0 -
becomingellie wrote: »Calories are a big reason to why someone is overweight. However, in my situation, I don't lose weight as easily as someone else could, because I don't have a lot of muscle. My last trainer said building muscle and eating enough of the right food (protein) would really help with my weight loss. So yes, it's mostly calories but I guess everything else can play a part in the end result too. All a part of the human machine
As far as the keto goes, I tend to try to listen to my body at least with things it doesn't like. Too much meat and fat gets heavy on the stomach. A little bit every now and again feels fine. Everyone is different, my sister did the keto diet to lose 10 lbs and seemed to like it. I feel like in my situation, a balanced diet would definitely win.
I read somewhere that foods high in protein tend to leave us feeling quite full, so maybe that is also a reason for weight loss. It might have a lot do with the heavy feeling you described as well.
Truth be told, diets which have specific requirements (keto, paleo, Atkins, Shangri-La, and so on) are too complicated for me, so a balanced approach is all I've got and it's all I've ever known!
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Tipping away here the past couple weeks, trying to get back on the horse.
Eat relatively ok
Move a bit on the bike and by foot
34 male from Dublin, Ireland 0 -
Haha maybe that's just the key to your success~
I've always been an extremist of sorts
(having too much of a good thing and never any balance) lols3rialthrill3r wrote: »
Truth be told, diets which have specific requirements (keto, paleo, Atkins, Shangri-La, and so on) are too complicated for me, so a balanced approach is all I've got and it's all I've ever known!
Well, you should get back on that horse cowboy. I want to get on the bike a bit more but I'm worried about my legs getting thinner than my belly. Is that possible? lollowerhogan wrote: »Tipping away here the past couple weeks, trying to get back on the horse.
Eat relatively ok
Move a bit on the bike and by foot
34 male from Dublin, Ireland
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becomingellie wrote: »Haha maybe that's just the key to your success~
I've always been an extremist of sorts
(having too much of a good thing and never any balance) lol
Not sure if I can consider myself as having achieved success just yet, but thank you all the same. Maybe I will when I'm stronger and flexible enough to have workouts that are predominantly focused on the gymnastics rings.
It'll take time to get used to bringing some balance into your life, and not just for eating. It's going to take some habit-forming, that's for sure. Try sticking with something for about 2 months and see how you go. Things might become automatic for you from then on.
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I suppose I mean "success" as in not overindulging or whatever to the point of losing control like me. At least you can start from a clean slate. Or I guess that's just kinda how I see it? Though I know building muscle and gaining weight can be just as difficult in that respect, and of course you have your own goals.
So far, I'm at least trying to stick with it but need to shoot for my calorie goal more often as well as establish some kind of active routine. At least making it a habit to come on this site is a far change from what I'm used to. You're right though... it's gonna take some new habit forming, rewriting things deeply embedded into my brain. Definitely not easy. I feel like I'm at war with two people inside me! :Ps3rialthrill3r wrote: »
Not sure if I can consider myself as having achieved success just yet, but thank you all the same. Maybe I will when I'm stronger and flexible enough to have workouts that are predominantly focused on the gymnastics rings.
It'll take time to get used to bringing some balance into your life, and not just for eating. It's going to take some habit-forming, that's for sure. Try sticking with something for about 2 months and see how you go. Things might become automatic for you from then on.
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I'm starting over w/the intentions of eating base on my current weight (155 lbs) rather than base on my current condition
You can add me1 -
becomingellie wrote: »I suppose I mean "success" as in not overindulging or whatever to the point of losing control like me. At least you can start from a clean slate. Or I guess that's just kinda how I see it? Though I know building muscle and gaining weight can be just as difficult in that respect, and of course you have your own goals.
So far, I'm at least trying to stick with it but need to shoot for my calorie goal more often as well as establish some kind of active routine. At least making it a habit to come on this site is a far change from what I'm used to. You're right though... it's gonna take some new habit forming, rewriting things deeply embedded into my brain. Definitely not easy. I feel like I'm at war with two people inside me! :P
Ah, in that case, I'll credit that to myself not eating food for comfort or anything like that. That isn't to say that I don't like something which tastes alright. I just don't treat eating like it's a pastime or something. In my mind, eating is great, but it's not the be all and end all of life experiences.
The new you that you hope to be will win out eventually if you set up the right conditions. If you haven't already, I would look at some of your old behaviour patterns and circumstances that led you to lose control and overindulge.
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Thanks... I added you. I had to do the same too. I once had an account here when I was around 17 years old, believe it or not, and I tried to log back in right before I made this account and the +30lb gain did not look pretty. One step at a time!LibraLuv2684 wrote: »I'm starting over w/the intentions of eating base on my current weight (155 lbs) rather than base on my current condition
You can add me
That's a good way to look at it. Feel like I kept gaining and losing the same 30 pounds over and over again. Definitely an emotional thing. Struggled with binge eating disorder somehow matched with not eating. I would not eat for the longest time, then stuff myself for a meal because I'd be starving by the point I ate. I think it became more like an addiction because of the feeling, the rush of chemicals to the brain kinda thing.
Then when I would lose weight, it was by calorie deficit. By basically not eating all day and then taking a 1000 calorie meal before bed. I used to get away with it more when I was younger, but now when I do that, I just maintain my weight usually instead of losing it. My metabolism is a lot slower. Lately, I've been munching on sunflower seeds and I think they've really helped me at least with losing a little. They've replaced some of my nervous habits and have helped me from overeating. I wonder if it's keeping my metabolism busy as well?
The biggest turning point for me was losing an active lifestyle in my childhood. I've never been the same since. I really believe being active is important and that's the hardest thing I'm going to have to overcome. Especially since my weight has gotten to be painful for my body, and being active hurts until I get some stamina back in me.
I'm not always the same person, forever changing, so that other side of me at least has a fighting chance.
Ellie must win this war!!!
s3rialthrill3r wrote: »
Ah, in that case, I'll credit that to myself not eating food for comfort or anything like that. That isn't to say that I don't like something which tastes alright. I just don't treat eating like it's a pastime or something. In my mind, eating is great, but it's not the be all and end all of life experiences.
The new you that you hope to be will win out eventually if you set up the right conditions. If you haven't already, I would look at some of your old behaviour patterns and circumstances that led you to lose control and overindulge.
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To all who've & will reply to this.....feel free to add me.....wishing all great success on your journey0
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I can relate to you in that I lose wieght and then gain it back when I lose track. And sometimes I gain even more than I lost. But, last time I lost 30 using mfp and kept 22 of it off. I think that's an improvement. This time I want try it with friends on here. My cousin jvanessa89 has lost 117lb using this app and is a inspiration to me.2
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Good luck on your journey as well!!LibraLuv2684 wrote: »To all who've & will reply to this.....feel free to add me.....wishing all great success on your journey
Wow, that's amazing!! Did she lose the weight just from eating under her calorie limit? I hope to be in her shoes someday. Just stick around the community here and I'm sure you'll make a lot more friends too.jclinkjc90 wrote: »I can relate to you in that I lose wieght and then gain it back when I lose track. And sometimes I gain even more than I lost. But, last time I lost 30 using mfp and kept 22 of it off. I think that's an improvement. This time I want try it with friends on here. My cousin jvanessa89 has lost 117lb using this app and is a inspiration to me.
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becomingellie wrote: »That's a good way to look at it. Feel like I kept gaining and losing the same 30 pounds over and over again. Definitely an emotional thing. Struggled with binge eating disorder somehow matched with not eating. I would not eat for the longest time, then stuff myself for a meal because I'd be starving by the point I ate. I think it became more like an addiction because of the feeling, the rush of chemicals to the brain kinda thing.
Then when I would lose weight, it was by calorie deficit. By basically not eating all day and then taking a 1000 calorie meal before bed. I used to get away with it more when I was younger, but now when I do that, I just maintain my weight usually instead of losing it. My metabolism is a lot slower. Lately, I've been munching on sunflower seeds and I think they've really helped me at least with losing a little. They've replaced some of my nervous habits and have helped me from overeating. I wonder if it's keeping my metabolism busy as well?
The biggest turning point for me was losing an active lifestyle in my childhood. I've never been the same since. I really believe being active is important and that's the hardest thing I'm going to have to overcome. Especially since my weight has gotten to be painful for my body, and being active hurts until I get some stamina back in me.
I'm not always the same person, forever changing, so that other side of me at least has a fighting chance.
Ellie must win this war!!!
Losing and gaining the same amount (or more) repeatedly is a pretty common occurrence from what I've read. I think the general takeaway message from a lot of the better nutrition and fat loss articles I've read is that the body is unable to cope well with rapid, unsustainable loss in fat. So, what I'm saying is that you may lose a lot of fat (probably muscle as well) in such and such number of days by essentially starving yourself, but your metabolism is still stabilising even though you have reached your target weight. I hope I have that right, someone correct me if I'm wrong. My thinking is that when it comes to eating for health, just imagine whether you can keep up that sort of intake you have (with slight deviations, but nothing too drastic) until your twilight years.
Muscle aches are alright, but pain doesn't sound good at all. Where does it hurt and what sort of activity causes it?0
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