Things that are holding me back from loosing weight and what to do?
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I love to cook. Cooking is my hobby. I read about food and culinary histories. I'm a foodie.
So, does adapting to a calorie limit put a cramp in my style? Well, it certainly does change it. I haven't made a loaf of bread lately or a big batch of fresh pasta because both of them are too calorie dense and I'd go over my daily allotment without a backward glance. Have I given up bread and pasta? No! I'm just not relying on them as heavily for my daily food.
On the other hand, I have a whole new challenge which is making cooking more fun and forcing me into variety. I look at the resultant calories when I cook. That has me learning how to incorporate more veggies into food, flavor things with curry paste instead of mayonnaise, use butter as a flavoring agent rather than a staple, etc. Supper has gotten more interesting around here, not less.
I still get to play with my food -- it's just a different mixture of foods and I weigh and measure it all. And I've lost 10 pounds since the middle of June with no exercise and plantar fasciitis.3 -
All_Exits_Lead_Within wrote: »First off, my 5'5 frame has been stuck between 225 and 230 pounds for a long time. I have plantar fasciitis and I'm always tired. I love baking for people and keep eating the treats I bake. I love potato chips and have to fight hard not to buy them when I'm at the supermarket (I'm seriously trying to break an addiction of eating a big bag every second day). I am extremely insecure about going to the gym that I joined, so I don't go. Basically, I am most people who are struggling to lose a lot of weight. Keeping organised is another huge problem that gets in the way of me doing what needs to be done.
Any advice, motivation or tips from people who are currently succeeding or have succeeded is truly welcomed.
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If you'd like to add me, that's cool.
[1] Don't buy the chips. Don't even walk down that aisle-There is nothing in that aisle that isn't high-calorie density. Eat before you go shopping - that will help prevent impulse snack purchases. If you are in charge of all the food that comes into the house, then it is a lot easier to keep to your calories (as in it gets a lot harder if your boyfriend brings home boxes of croissants). Or buy 1 small single-serve bag if your calories allow (this might require buying your junk food at a quickie mart/bodega instead of the supermarket). It is a lot easier to have self-control for a 30-minute grocery run then it will be in the hours you are home.
[2] Try out some different orthotics until you find one that works for you. I find that sitting and being sedentary makes me feel more tired. It's a lot easier for me to workout if I go directly from work..once I get home from work, it's not going to happen.
[3] on the gym - no one is going to notice or care about you unless you are inconveniencing us in some way. We're all busy getting through our own routines so we can get the F out of there. I'm slowly in the process of clearing out the spare room to make enough room for a barbell, rack, and bench to save a bit more time and hassle.
[4] baking - if you can't resist eating your baked goods, then see if you can find another hobby. preferably a more physically active one like dancing/hiking/etc.1 -
One other suggestion, and I'm not being facetious. Watch My 600 lb. Life episodes. I know I got a good sense of where I could end up if I didn't get a grip.3
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I find that getting up early to go to the gym prevents me from being too tired to go at the end of the day. I do find that I am done at about 8 pm though... so I go to bed. And then I get up early the next day to do it all over again.
I am tired a lot, and am starting to wonder if I have a fatigue issue. The doctor hasn't really given a crap about it yet... so we'll see. Hopefully your doctor will listen to you more.
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All_Exits_Lead_Within wrote: »First off, my 5'5 frame has been stuck between 225 and 230 pounds for a long time. I have plantar fasciitis and I'm always tired. I love baking for people and keep eating the treats I bake. I love potato chips and have to fight hard not to buy them when I'm at the supermarket (I'm seriously trying to break an addiction of eating a big bag every second day). I am extremely insecure about going to the gym that I joined, so I don't go. Basically, I am most people who are struggling to lose a lot of weight. Keeping organised is another huge problem that gets in the way of me doing what needs to be done.
Any advice, motivation or tips from people who are currently succeeding or have succeeded is truly welcomed.
*edit*
If you'd like to add me, that's cool.
Calculate how many calories it takes to maintain your current weight.
Calculate how many calories it takes to maintain your goal weight.
Easy somewhere between those two numbers.
Improve sleep, stress, and nutritional choices, and your job will become easier.4 -
I started out at 5'5 and 211 lbs on 10/23. I am 163.2 lbs as of this morning. Truth be told I didn't radically change anything at first. I simply committed myself to logging everything I ate consistently and honestly. Did that for a week or so and when I felt I had that down I made a commitment to stay within my calories no matter what.
Instead of focusing on not buying and eating chips focus on staying within your calories. When you use up a good portion on chips or things you've baked or what have you and you're hungry, but you won't let yourself eat anymore because you're out of calories you will be surprised at how motivated you'll be not to do that again.4 -
This.VintageFeline wrote: »I have cognitive issues and other things that prevent me from doing much in the way of meal planning so I don't. Beyond picking up enough meat and veg for the week and even then I can fail miserably. Can meal planning help? Sure but it really is an excuse when you say you can't/struggle to do it. I just check calorie counts of what i buy mentally noting how to make it and if it will fit into my calories. Then I just log as I go.
You can do all sorts of exercising at home. I have never set foot in a gym in the two years I've been losing weight.
Don't eat the things you bake. I used to do quite a lot of baking. I'd bake it, box it, take it work and then only have a small serving. This was even before I started losing. I was well aware I couldn't just eat all I wanted and it not have consequences.
Stop buying crisps/chips. Just don't even go down the aisle.
I was on majorly sedating medication when I started and still suffer a lot with fatigue but I can still fit in a minimum of 30 minutes a few times a week to working out. But it isn't necessary to weight loss and you can figure out how to be more active once you're into the swing of things if necessary.
But mostly. You just need to commit. Good, bad or ugly, log those days you go way over, confront them, see the reality of how much you're eating and the impact that will have on your progress. Celebrate the small victories. Logged for a week without going over maintenance? (not even loss goal, just maintenance is a victory) Brilliant! Didn't go down the snack aisles? Pat on the back. Didn't eat a full serving of what you baked? Celebratory shuffle.
It's not easy, things will challenge you unexpectedly but you just need to be consistent. Don't let a few weeks or a few months even throw you off completely. Sometimes the daily logging is the only thing I seem to have control of and it's grounding.
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I still eat chips but i only eat small bags so i dont over do it i believe its best to take small steps then deprive yourself, i canceled my gym membership purchased a used tredmill for $50 for my home and i work out anytime i want and prepare your food ahead of time that always seem to help me.1
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Have you tried OA? Overeaters anonymous? I've been a member for over 12 years. https://oa.org/ I tried everything until I walked in and nothing worked until I faced the addiction.2
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This has kept me going more times than I can count: Being fat is hard. Losing weight is hard. Pick your hard.
This is really something to think about. Being fat is hard - very hard, but so is committing to a large amount of weight loss. Thanks for sharing this quote; it'll give me something to think about when I want to eat the chips or skip the exercise.
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One other suggestion, and I'm not being facetious. Watch My 600 lb. Life episodes. I know I got a good sense of where I could end up if I didn't get a grip.
SO weird that you mentioned this because I watched an episode of 600 pound life last night. Scary stuff, but inspiring for those who committed - Lord knows it must have been harder for them than most of us.0 -
It's worth repeating so I will! Track everything. For things you crave, track them ahead of time. Every time I have a craving for McDonalds, the amount of calories, sodium, and carbs in a tiny meal is enough to turn me off. And even if it didn't then at least I'm making an informed decision.2
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Thank you to everyone who has replied. This question isn't a unique question for me, I know many people on MFP are struggling and looking for motivation. I think seeing a doctor about the fatigue is a good idea. I have what my doctor calls "borderline hypothyroidism" so they won't do anything to treat me until/unless it gets there, but he said it can make people tired. I do think seeing a doctor and getting some of those other tests done might be a good idea. I will sleep 8.5 hours and still feel like I can't stand up or stay awake.
And no, I'm not new to fitness. I used to be in good shape (7 years ago) and I could squat 180 pounds, now I can't even squat the bar without feeling like I'll faint, I also used to be able to run for long periods of time without getting winded. Hopefully this might inspire someone who is smaller than me but is still out of shape to not allow themselves to get to this point. The more weight you gain, the harder it is to do something about it.
Mmm. I just noticed this and I'm sure most of you don't care, but I meant to write losing, not loosing. No idea how I let that happen.2 -
Have you tried OA? Overeaters anonymous? I've been a member for over 12 years. https://oa.org/ I tried everything until I walked in and nothing worked until I faced the addiction.
I have looked into a OA meetup, but there is none even close to this area, but I agree with you and encourage anyone who has the opportunity to go, to go. I'll check out that website though. Thanks for sharing!0 -
I have had some of the same issues except for PF. Don't have that. Potato chips: I just went cold turkey. I just CANNOT eat them. Too many calories, carbs and fat and I can't just eat one. So that's the end of chips for me. I don't buy them anymore. Baking: I'm an expert baker. I stopped baking about 10 years ago because I would gain weight every holiday season from the cookies and cakes I made. I gave them away BUT, I was still tasting everything. (Baking is no longer an excuse for me). Concentrate on another type of cooking--try new kinds of salads, main dishes. This will help you to stop all the snacks too if you are eating better meals and healthy snacks.
As for the gym, I agree, nobody cares what you are doing. Other than walking or running, you can do the stationary bike, lift weights on the machines. Another option is swimming if your gym has a pool.
Getting organized about the meal planning is important I think. Today I did not organize my dinner (I work evenings) and had other things eat up my time this morning, and I ended up eating fast food for dinner and ruined my calorie intake for the day. I try to think ahead of time what I'm going to prepare and will also check it in MFP to check the calories before I prepare it the next day or later in the week. I need to get my snacks and dinner into the bento box before I leave or have a back-up plan for picking up a healthy dinner and stick to it. Writing it down might help you (and me) to get organized about the meals.2 -
For the PF, the most important thing of all for me is to never, and I mean NEVER go barefoot. As soon as you get up, before your feet touch the ground, put on shoes or supportive slippers. I saw a physical therapist who was adamant about this. With the daily exercise/stretching she gave me, store bought orthotics ( dr sholl's heel inserts for PF), and never going barefoot, I am almost completely better. If I overdo high impact stuff (running, jumping) I will still sometimes get a flare up and the it's ice and ibuprofen until it eases up.
As far as the gym goes, seriously, no one cares what you are up to. Everyone has their headphones on and is in their own little world. Today, for example, the gym was full of guys that seemed to have arrived in packs. Like every bench and rack had 5 or 6 guys around it. I was the lone female at my squat rack doing my own thing. No one cared or even gave me a second glance, they were too into whatever they were doing. The more you go the easier it will become. You seem to be very aware of where your challenges lie and that's half the battle right there. Just start making small changes every day and you will succeed, I promise.2 -
If you always feel tired then maybe worth going to your GP and having a blood test done? Check for ferritin, vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D, and a thyroid panel at least. There might be an underlying reason. Don't just take vitamins before you had any test done as those can hide real deficiencies but might be too low dosed to be of any help. Thus if you're taking anything with B12 in it a blood test might hide a deficiency for at least 4 months.
Also think of what you do with your free time. Maybe cooking and baking for other people is too much for you and you really need a bit more time to do nothing at all. Is your bedroom perfect for you? Noise levels, light, uncomfy pillows? Also look at those things.
OP, do get tested for these deficiencies. When my anemia is untreated I have crippling fatigue.
However, not eating enough protein while eating a lot of baked goods, and not getting enough exercise, makes me fatigued as well.2 -
alwaysbloated wrote: »Could you have sleep apnea? I think I have it, I got tested for it a few days ago. It can happen when you have a wide neck and breathing at night becomes a problem. I may be getting hooked up to a breathing machine to help my sleep, and give me more energy during the day.
If you like baking, maybe you could consider a new source for recipes? I have been making stuff from chocolatecoveredkatie.com and she has great suggestions for desserts, often using vegetables and coconut oil. I made fudge last week, tonight I made brownies made out of black beans and later in the week, I'm going to make icecream out of bananas. It's all vegan as well, if that interests you. You don't have to give up the treats, you just have to retrain your tastebuds, so the sources of your treats are healthier.
I stopped eating potato chips regularly about two years ago. I don't enjoy them as much anymore. I actually find them quite boring. Rice crackers are a different story... you crave what you eat often. I think they have about a 1/4 of the calories as potato chips. Rice cakes are probably even better. And pickles are good too. I also liked the suggestion about popcorn- I add coconut oil and salt to mine, and it's divine!
The switch to coconut oil is to make the recipe vegan, it contains the same calories, fat is fat in that respect. And often the banana ice cream can become calorie dense depending on what you add though it does have more micros. Depends what you want from your treat, a treat for a treats' sake or something to help you hit your macros too. I have been curious about black bean brownies though!2 -
I love baking and cooking, and tbh I don't have anyone to share with apart from my other half, and he doesn't have a sweet tooth like me. If I make a cake I input the ingredients into the recipe maker first, and then work out how many pieces I should divide it into to make it a sensible treat to work into my calories every day. If it's something particularly high calorie then I will freeze it in portions. I don't/can't/won't go without my sweet things, it's just a case of working out what you can fit into your calories and what you can keep in the house without eating too much. I'm still working on it but I'm starting to learn what I might pig out on and shouldn't buy as a regular thing. If it isn't in the house you can't eat it so easily.2
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