Back To It Again-Need Positivity Because I Hate Starving
CMNVA
Posts: 733 Member
So here I am AGAIN. I am struggling to get myself back into some routine. I'm lazy, I don't like to cook anymore, and I'm super busy with trying to get a degree after working full time with a long commute. I've done MFP twice now, each time losing about 10-12 lbs. I'm not significantly overweight: 5'7" and (now) about 157 lbs. I feel pretty good at 140-143 lbs. It doesn't seem like much to lose, and it's not, but it's hard. Now that I am in my 50s, in order to SLOWLY lose about 1 pound (yes 1 lb) per month, I have to go down to about 1420 calories and that just DEPRESSES me.
So I did it last year and I managed but, man, I enjoy food and doing that took a lot of joy out of my life. I put it all back on over the holidays and winter, plus I had to stop running (I did C25K) due to my knees killing me. They still aren't quite right. It's all back on. THEN, I went to Disney 2 weeks ago and I put an additional 5 pounds on. I've come back and tried to go back to what is my normal eating hoping at least those extra pounds would go away, but they have. My underwear are now chafing me, my jeans are rubbing so weird on the top of my thighs that my thighs started itching yesterday. My bra is killing me and so are the waistbands of my pantyhose (yes I have to wear hose to work).
Anyway, I guess I'm here looking for that pep talk or *something* to help me want to start. I'm also just so confused over all the eating advice out there. I don't think I can ever do low-carb or keto but I do think lower carb is really beneficial for women my age and with weight loss. I'm really stuck on breakfast. I leave the house at 4AM and don't eat until I'm at work so cereal is about all I can do. I stick with a no-sugar one (shredded wheat) but I don't think that's helping me carb-wise. I like eggs but I cannot do them every day. Also, not a fan of smoothies. Drinking my food leaves me hungry.
If anyone has any good tips, or motivational ideas, I'd love to hear them. Right now I'm just surfing the 'net trying to find inspiration. That's usually what gets me started.
Christine
So I did it last year and I managed but, man, I enjoy food and doing that took a lot of joy out of my life. I put it all back on over the holidays and winter, plus I had to stop running (I did C25K) due to my knees killing me. They still aren't quite right. It's all back on. THEN, I went to Disney 2 weeks ago and I put an additional 5 pounds on. I've come back and tried to go back to what is my normal eating hoping at least those extra pounds would go away, but they have. My underwear are now chafing me, my jeans are rubbing so weird on the top of my thighs that my thighs started itching yesterday. My bra is killing me and so are the waistbands of my pantyhose (yes I have to wear hose to work).
Anyway, I guess I'm here looking for that pep talk or *something* to help me want to start. I'm also just so confused over all the eating advice out there. I don't think I can ever do low-carb or keto but I do think lower carb is really beneficial for women my age and with weight loss. I'm really stuck on breakfast. I leave the house at 4AM and don't eat until I'm at work so cereal is about all I can do. I stick with a no-sugar one (shredded wheat) but I don't think that's helping me carb-wise. I like eggs but I cannot do them every day. Also, not a fan of smoothies. Drinking my food leaves me hungry.
If anyone has any good tips, or motivational ideas, I'd love to hear them. Right now I'm just surfing the 'net trying to find inspiration. That's usually what gets me started.
Christine
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Replies
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You don't have to starve yourself to lose weight. Is your TDEE really 1525, or do you wipe out your deficit by overeating now and then? Anyway, a small deficit should not leave you starving, but you should make sure you eat a balanced and varied diet to get the most out of your calories.
It's really easy to eat too much. Make it easier to eat less. Stop thinking about "carbs", and instead eat what you like.2 -
So here I am AGAIN. I am struggling to get myself back into some routine. I'm lazy, I don't like to cook anymore, and I'm super busy with trying to get a degree after working full time with a long commute. I've done MFP twice now, each time losing about 10-12 lbs. I'm not significantly overweight: 5'7" and (now) about 157 lbs. I feel pretty good at 140-143 lbs. It doesn't seem like much to lose, and it's not, but it's hard. Now that I am in my 50s, in order to SLOWLY lose about 1 pound (yes 1 lb) per month, I have to go down to about 1420 calories and that just DEPRESSES me.
So I did it last year and I managed but, man, I enjoy food and doing that took a lot of joy out of my life. I put it all back on over the holidays and winter, plus I had to stop running (I did C25K) due to my knees killing me. They still aren't quite right. It's all back on. THEN, I went to Disney 2 weeks ago and I put an additional 5 pounds on. I've come back and tried to go back to what is my normal eating hoping at least those extra pounds would go away, but they have. My underwear are now chafing me, my jeans are rubbing so weird on the top of my thighs that my thighs started itching yesterday. My bra is killing me and so are the waistbands of my pantyhose (yes I have to wear hose to work).
Anyway, I guess I'm here looking for that pep talk or *something* to help me want to start. I'm also just so confused over all the eating advice out there. I don't think I can ever do low-carb or keto but I do think lower carb is really beneficial for women my age and with weight loss. I'm really stuck on breakfast. I leave the house at 4AM and don't eat until I'm at work so cereal is about all I can do. I stick with a no-sugar one (shredded wheat) but I don't think that's helping me carb-wise. I like eggs but I cannot do them every day. Also, not a fan of smoothies. Drinking my food leaves me hungry.
If anyone has any good tips, or motivational ideas, I'd love to hear them. Right now I'm just surfing the 'net trying to find inspiration. That's usually what gets me started.
Christine
you dont have to have smoothies, you dont have to eat breakfast unless you want to. you dont have to do low carb or keto either as its not a special way to lose weight compared to any other diet Im 44 and you dont have to eat any special way unles you have a health issue and you have to follow a certain diet. and with you needing to lose less than 15lbs you should have your weight loss goal to lose.5lb a week also at 5'7 and 157 or around there you are at a healthy weight.
to lose you of course need a deficit so if you are gaining and you know its not water weight then you are eating more than you think. you dont need to eat any special way to lose weight just eat less of the things you like.carbs do not prevent weight loss. I eat a lot of carbs and lost weight just fine. right now Im maintaining my weight which is fine with me.
as for pep talks we cant make you want to start losing weight you have to want it bad enough to do it. weight loss is going to be slow for you with so little to lose. its all about the calories,its not what you eat but its how much. of course you want to make sure that its a balanced diet for health and to get enough nutrients and so on. but you can have what you like just make it fit. if you dont eat until you are at work thats fine.
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kommodevaran wrote: »You don't have to starve yourself to lose weight. Is your TDEE really 1525, or do you wipe out your deficit by overeating now and then? Anyway, a small deficit should not leave you starving, but you should make sure you eat a balanced and varied diet to get the most out of your calories.
It's really easy to eat too much. Make it easier to eat less. Stop thinking about "carbs", and instead eat what you like.
Ever since I got old, I don't burn much.
I am a sedentary office worker and, for now, not much I can do about it. 54 y/o female with about 15 lbs to lose. MFP gives me 1410 calories to lose .5 lb per week. I won't actually even lose .5 lbs a week. It's very hard for me to stick in the 1400s anyway and if I get into the 1600 range I'm more comfortable but then the weight loss is a real crawl. I also have always had a healthy appetite/feeling hunger ever since I was a kid. So even when I get used to, say, 1600 calories, I am always hungry at some point. I get used to it, but it does wear you down.
I do try to reduce carbs because I think I don't handle them as well and I do lose weight better without them. So I rarely eat any bread or toast or sandwiches and pasta is kept to a minimum.1 -
I'm over 50 and lost weight by eating less of the things I used to eat. There were some things that I chose to cut out because I decided they weren't worth the calories to me, not because I thought they were "bad" in any way. I certainly didn't go low carb - that wouldn't work for me! - but I don't eat anywhere near as much bread as I used to because I realised that it doesn't fill me up enough for the amount of calories it has.
(To lose weight, all you need is a calorie deficit - it's "simple", but not always "easy". Make sure you have a food scale and are accurately logging everything you consume... it's very easy to underestimate your calories if you use measuring cups or don't attempt to measure at all.)
Your main issue seems to me to be your lack of time. Can you do some meal prep on the weekends so that you have lunches and dinners for the week with little extra work? Or make big batches of something that freezes well, so that you can just defrost and reheat when you need it? There are a ton of "meal prep" resources online.
For breakfast, if you don't feel hungry in the mornings then don't worry about it - you don't have to eat breakfast! If you do need something, though, how about making and freezing some egg and vegetable "muffins" or breakfast burritos/homemade breakfast sandwiches that you can grab and go? Or Greek yogurt and fruit, ready-portioned into containers? (I have a recipe for carrot cake oatmeal muffins that are delicious and about 250 calories each - I can take one as it is if I'm short on time and eat it when I get to work, or I can crumble it into a bowl and warm it up with a little milk instead.)
It can be tough to eat less when you like food, but if you want to lose a few pounds then unfortunately that's what you have to do. (I'm sedentary and my allowance is 1370 to lose 0.5lbs/week. Sometimes I just can't stick to it.) It IS going to be slow, but aim for a small deficit and try to get a little exercise when you can. A short walk in the evenings would probably help you in many ways, including with the stress of your studies. Make time for yourself.
Do you like the feeling of being full? Try to heap your plate with low-calorie veggies. (There's a volume eaters thread somewhere in the forums.) Try to figure out what keeps you feeling satisfied after eating - and it may take some experimentation - and eat more of that within your calorie limit. Some folks are satisfied by protein, some by fat, and some by carbs. Figure out what works best for YOU, not what people on Facebook or blogs or magazine covers are recommending. They are not you, and only you know what you like and what works FOR YOU.
You can do it, but it will take time and dedication. Only you can decide how much of each you can spare right now, and how important it is to you.1 -
Thanks! Yes, I do have a food scale and, when doing mindful eating, I use it for just about everything.
I've also done frittata "muffins" and tried to vary up my breakfast a bit, but that's been difficult with my time. I did pre-make some breakfasts on Sunday but found by Day 3 I wasn't enjoying the quality of them anymore. I also tried to meal prep some lunch (a chicken and sweet potato bake) but again, I find the quality seems to really go down after the first one or two days. For lunch I either have leftovers or, if none, I will rely on Lean Cuisine and a Greek Yogurt. The cereal is easy but for having so little calories per day, it's like cardboard and very little nutrients. I guess I'll just have to figured more things out. I *am* hungry for breakfast, just not at 4AM. I generally eat my cereal around 7:30 at my desk.
So yes, my time is the issue. I grocery shop most of the day on Sunday (today was Wegman's and Lidl). I also do other stuff around the house like clean, etc. I prepare dinner just about every night. Sometimes I have luck with making things ahead, especially in the winter (chili, stews) but I'll admit that Saturday and Sunday are my few free hours for visiting with my adult children or errands and I did not enjoy being it the kitchen for hours.
I am definitely a volume eater so I think that's why I've relied on shredded wheat or Barbara's Puffins for breakfast. It seems like I'm eating a lot.
I guess I'm just a little "down" about becoming regimented again. I spent most of my life not having a weight problem and eating whatever I want so eating is a "lifestyle" for me that never caused me any issues. And coming off a Disney trip with LOTS of good dining, isn't helping.0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »So here I am AGAIN. I am struggling to get myself back into some routine. I'm lazy, I don't like to cook anymore, and I'm super busy with trying to get a degree after working full time with a long commute. I've done MFP twice now, each time losing about 10-12 lbs. I'm not significantly overweight: 5'7" and (now) about 157 lbs. I feel pretty good at 140-143 lbs. It doesn't seem like much to lose, and it's not, but it's hard. Now that I am in my 50s, in order to SLOWLY lose about 1 pound (yes 1 lb) per month, I have to go down to about 1420 calories and that just DEPRESSES me.
So I did it last year and I managed but, man, I enjoy food and doing that took a lot of joy out of my life. I put it all back on over the holidays and winter, plus I had to stop running (I did C25K) due to my knees killing me. They still aren't quite right. It's all back on. THEN, I went to Disney 2 weeks ago and I put an additional 5 pounds on. I've come back and tried to go back to what is my normal eating hoping at least those extra pounds would go away, but they have. My underwear are now chafing me, my jeans are rubbing so weird on the top of my thighs that my thighs started itching yesterday. My bra is killing me and so are the waistbands of my pantyhose (yes I have to wear hose to work).
Anyway, I guess I'm here looking for that pep talk or *something* to help me want to start. I'm also just so confused over all the eating advice out there. I don't think I can ever do low-carb or keto but I do think lower carb is really beneficial for women my age and with weight loss. I'm really stuck on breakfast. I leave the house at 4AM and don't eat until I'm at work so cereal is about all I can do. I stick with a no-sugar one (shredded wheat) but I don't think that's helping me carb-wise. I like eggs but I cannot do them every day. Also, not a fan of smoothies. Drinking my food leaves me hungry.
If anyone has any good tips, or motivational ideas, I'd love to hear them. Right now I'm just surfing the 'net trying to find inspiration. That's usually what gets me started.
Christine
you dont have to have smoothies, you dont have to eat breakfast unless you want to. you dont have to do low carb or keto either as its not a special way to lose weight compared to any other diet Im 44 and you dont have to eat any special way unles you have a health issue and you have to follow a certain diet. and with you needing to lose less than 15lbs you should have your weight loss goal to lose.5lb a week also at 5'7 and 157 or around there you are at a healthy weight.
to lose you of course need a deficit so if you are gaining and you know its not water weight then you are eating more than you think. you dont need to eat any special way to lose weight just eat less of the things you like.carbs do not prevent weight loss. I eat a lot of carbs and lost weight just fine. right now Im maintaining my weight which is fine with me.
as for pep talks we cant make you want to start losing weight you have to want it bad enough to do it. weight loss is going to be slow for you with so little to lose. its all about the calories,its not what you eat but its how much. of course you want to make sure that its a balanced diet for health and to get enough nutrients and so on. but you can have what you like just make it fit. if you dont eat until you are at work thats fine.
Yes, I know, no one can get me there. I'm just hoping that "talking" might help. I do want to stop the trajectory I am on and get back to feeling good in my skin. Right now, even my underwear HURTS me!! It's just hard and I'm having a little whine fest right now.1 -
I have 3 suggestions for low-carb breakfasts you can carry... once you can't take any more hard-boiled eggs. Hopefully you are not allergic to nuts... These are designed to be filling.
(1) Soak chia seeds overnight in No Sugar added Vanilla almond milk and add some cinnamon. I usually put 12 g of chia in 4 oz. almond milk in a very small tupperware-type container and pack a spoon. This is one of my go-to breakfasts.
(2) If you can find Joseph's brand low-carb pita, that is great for making a wrap. I use peanut butter on low-carb pita. You could also make a wrap to go with eggs, or lox, or cream cheese...
(3) I make "Mims" - muffin-in-a-minute made from ground flax seed. They are super easy and quick to make ahead in the microwave. There are a lot of recipe variations and you can keep these quite low carb. PM me if you would like some recipes.
Think about odd things you wouldn't normally eat for breakfast, too, like olives and avocado. Nuts are portable but high in calorie for the amount of fullness you get in return.
Today is day one of a new effort for me, too. I have lost some weight but have much further to go than you do. I am older than you are, also and it is definitely harder as we age. Low-carb is what works for me, especially since I am borderline diabetic and have to be careful with quality of carbs, amount of protein and fiber etc - It's a lot of work to stay the course, but weighing my food and recording on MFP is what has worked for me.
You are the only one who can make it work but, you don't have to do it alone!2 -
No, not allergic to nuts but I don't eat a lot of them as I'll get lower intestinal issues, but I do okay with pistachios and sometimes raw almonds. I'll give some different things a try. I do have some issues with IBS (frequent/loose type) if I eat what I would say would be irritating fiber. I've always been cautious of chia seeds and flax but I could try it on a weekend to see how I do.0
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Hi, here to support if you wish. Have found just balancing cals works for me and avoid using exercise cal gains for extra food. Didnt work today as had a stop at an icecream shop, but its not the end of the world1
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »So here I am AGAIN. I am struggling to get myself back into some routine. I'm lazy, I don't like to cook anymore, and I'm super busy with trying to get a degree after working full time with a long commute. I've done MFP twice now, each time losing about 10-12 lbs. I'm not significantly overweight: 5'7" and (now) about 157 lbs. I feel pretty good at 140-143 lbs. It doesn't seem like much to lose, and it's not, but it's hard. Now that I am in my 50s, in order to SLOWLY lose about 1 pound (yes 1 lb) per month, I have to go down to about 1420 calories and that just DEPRESSES me.
So I did it last year and I managed but, man, I enjoy food and doing that took a lot of joy out of my life. I put it all back on over the holidays and winter, plus I had to stop running (I did C25K) due to my knees killing me. They still aren't quite right. It's all back on. THEN, I went to Disney 2 weeks ago and I put an additional 5 pounds on. I've come back and tried to go back to what is my normal eating hoping at least those extra pounds would go away, but they have. My underwear are now chafing me, my jeans are rubbing so weird on the top of my thighs that my thighs started itching yesterday. My bra is killing me and so are the waistbands of my pantyhose (yes I have to wear hose to work).
Anyway, I guess I'm here looking for that pep talk or *something* to help me want to start. I'm also just so confused over all the eating advice out there. I don't think I can ever do low-carb or keto but I do think lower carb is really beneficial for women my age and with weight loss. I'm really stuck on breakfast. I leave the house at 4AM and don't eat until I'm at work so cereal is about all I can do. I stick with a no-sugar one (shredded wheat) but I don't think that's helping me carb-wise. I like eggs but I cannot do them every day. Also, not a fan of smoothies. Drinking my food leaves me hungry.
If anyone has any good tips, or motivational ideas, I'd love to hear them. Right now I'm just surfing the 'net trying to find inspiration. That's usually what gets me started.
Christine
you dont have to have smoothies, you dont have to eat breakfast unless you want to. you dont have to do low carb or keto either as its not a special way to lose weight compared to any other diet Im 44 and you dont have to eat any special way unles you have a health issue and you have to follow a certain diet. and with you needing to lose less than 15lbs you should have your weight loss goal to lose.5lb a week also at 5'7 and 157 or around there you are at a healthy weight.
to lose you of course need a deficit so if you are gaining and you know its not water weight then you are eating more than you think. you dont need to eat any special way to lose weight just eat less of the things you like.carbs do not prevent weight loss. I eat a lot of carbs and lost weight just fine. right now Im maintaining my weight which is fine with me.
as for pep talks we cant make you want to start losing weight you have to want it bad enough to do it. weight loss is going to be slow for you with so little to lose. its all about the calories,its not what you eat but its how much. of course you want to make sure that its a balanced diet for health and to get enough nutrients and so on. but you can have what you like just make it fit. if you dont eat until you are at work thats fine.
Yes, I know, no one can get me there. I'm just hoping that "talking" might help. I do want to stop the trajectory I am on and get back to feeling good in my skin. Right now, even my underwear HURTS me!! It's just hard and I'm having a little whine fest right now.
I know how you feel. Im a half inch shorter than you and was a healthy weight all my life until I hit my mid 30s then boom I went from a sz 8 (us) womens to a 18. not sure how long it took me to gain the weight but I know how it feels when clothing is too tight. and its ok to whine and vent. weight loss and keeping it off is hard. I will sympathize with you because Ive been there. But you can do this. you have to start somewhere right? and most of us here are helpful and if you need help just ask.I hope I didnt sound harsh as it wasnt my intention of course. but if my clothing were to get tight on me again that would be motivation enough. heck even when I dont have an issue where my panties are too tight I still get a wedgie LOL so there is that. hehe2 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »So here I am AGAIN. I am struggling to get myself back into some routine. I'm lazy, I don't like to cook anymore, and I'm super busy with trying to get a degree after working full time with a long commute. I've done MFP twice now, each time losing about 10-12 lbs. I'm not significantly overweight: 5'7" and (now) about 157 lbs. I feel pretty good at 140-143 lbs. It doesn't seem like much to lose, and it's not, but it's hard. Now that I am in my 50s, in order to SLOWLY lose about 1 pound (yes 1 lb) per month, I have to go down to about 1420 calories and that just DEPRESSES me.
So I did it last year and I managed but, man, I enjoy food and doing that took a lot of joy out of my life. I put it all back on over the holidays and winter, plus I had to stop running (I did C25K) due to my knees killing me. They still aren't quite right. It's all back on. THEN, I went to Disney 2 weeks ago and I put an additional 5 pounds on. I've come back and tried to go back to what is my normal eating hoping at least those extra pounds would go away, but they have. My underwear are now chafing me, my jeans are rubbing so weird on the top of my thighs that my thighs started itching yesterday. My bra is killing me and so are the waistbands of my pantyhose (yes I have to wear hose to work).
Anyway, I guess I'm here looking for that pep talk or *something* to help me want to start. I'm also just so confused over all the eating advice out there. I don't think I can ever do low-carb or keto but I do think lower carb is really beneficial for women my age and with weight loss. I'm really stuck on breakfast. I leave the house at 4AM and don't eat until I'm at work so cereal is about all I can do. I stick with a no-sugar one (shredded wheat) but I don't think that's helping me carb-wise. I like eggs but I cannot do them every day. Also, not a fan of smoothies. Drinking my food leaves me hungry.
If anyone has any good tips, or motivational ideas, I'd love to hear them. Right now I'm just surfing the 'net trying to find inspiration. That's usually what gets me started.
Christine
you dont have to have smoothies, you dont have to eat breakfast unless you want to. you dont have to do low carb or keto either as its not a special way to lose weight compared to any other diet Im 44 and you dont have to eat any special way unles you have a health issue and you have to follow a certain diet. and with you needing to lose less than 15lbs you should have your weight loss goal to lose.5lb a week also at 5'7 and 157 or around there you are at a healthy weight.
to lose you of course need a deficit so if you are gaining and you know its not water weight then you are eating more than you think. you dont need to eat any special way to lose weight just eat less of the things you like.carbs do not prevent weight loss. I eat a lot of carbs and lost weight just fine. right now Im maintaining my weight which is fine with me.
as for pep talks we cant make you want to start losing weight you have to want it bad enough to do it. weight loss is going to be slow for you with so little to lose. its all about the calories,its not what you eat but its how much. of course you want to make sure that its a balanced diet for health and to get enough nutrients and so on. but you can have what you like just make it fit. if you dont eat until you are at work thats fine.
Yes, I know, no one can get me there. I'm just hoping that "talking" might help. I do want to stop the trajectory I am on and get back to feeling good in my skin. Right now, even my underwear HURTS me!! It's just hard and I'm having a little whine fest right now.
I know how you feel. Im a half inch shorter than you and was a healthy weight all my life until I hit my mid 30s then boom I went from a sz 8 (us) womens to a 18. not sure how long it took me to gain the weight but I know how it feels when clothing is too tight. and its ok to whine and vent. weight loss and keeping it off is hard. I will sympathize with you because Ive been there. But you can do this. you have to start somewhere right? and most of us here are helpful and if you need help just ask.I hope I didnt sound harsh as it wasnt my intention of course. but if my clothing were to get tight on me again that would be motivation enough. heck even when I dont have an issue where my panties are too tight I still get a wedgie LOL so there is that. hehe
Yes, the tight clothing is definitely motivating me. I was already in my largest sizes of clothing. I went on the Disney trip and that sort of put me over the edge. Amazing what an extra 5 lbs can do. I've tried to do a little better today so I'll see if I can keep it up. I'm not logging yet because I'm just not there, but have at least cut out some of the junk.0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »So here I am AGAIN. I am struggling to get myself back into some routine. I'm lazy, I don't like to cook anymore, and I'm super busy with trying to get a degree after working full time with a long commute. I've done MFP twice now, each time losing about 10-12 lbs. I'm not significantly overweight: 5'7" and (now) about 157 lbs. I feel pretty good at 140-143 lbs. It doesn't seem like much to lose, and it's not, but it's hard. Now that I am in my 50s, in order to SLOWLY lose about 1 pound (yes 1 lb) per month, I have to go down to about 1420 calories and that just DEPRESSES me.
So I did it last year and I managed but, man, I enjoy food and doing that took a lot of joy out of my life. I put it all back on over the holidays and winter, plus I had to stop running (I did C25K) due to my knees killing me. They still aren't quite right. It's all back on. THEN, I went to Disney 2 weeks ago and I put an additional 5 pounds on. I've come back and tried to go back to what is my normal eating hoping at least those extra pounds would go away, but they have. My underwear are now chafing me, my jeans are rubbing so weird on the top of my thighs that my thighs started itching yesterday. My bra is killing me and so are the waistbands of my pantyhose (yes I have to wear hose to work).
Anyway, I guess I'm here looking for that pep talk or *something* to help me want to start. I'm also just so confused over all the eating advice out there. I don't think I can ever do low-carb or keto but I do think lower carb is really beneficial for women my age and with weight loss. I'm really stuck on breakfast. I leave the house at 4AM and don't eat until I'm at work so cereal is about all I can do. I stick with a no-sugar one (shredded wheat) but I don't think that's helping me carb-wise. I like eggs but I cannot do them every day. Also, not a fan of smoothies. Drinking my food leaves me hungry.
If anyone has any good tips, or motivational ideas, I'd love to hear them. Right now I'm just surfing the 'net trying to find inspiration. That's usually what gets me started.
Christine
you dont have to have smoothies, you dont have to eat breakfast unless you want to. you dont have to do low carb or keto either as its not a special way to lose weight compared to any other diet Im 44 and you dont have to eat any special way unles you have a health issue and you have to follow a certain diet. and with you needing to lose less than 15lbs you should have your weight loss goal to lose.5lb a week also at 5'7 and 157 or around there you are at a healthy weight.
to lose you of course need a deficit so if you are gaining and you know its not water weight then you are eating more than you think. you dont need to eat any special way to lose weight just eat less of the things you like.carbs do not prevent weight loss. I eat a lot of carbs and lost weight just fine. right now Im maintaining my weight which is fine with me.
as for pep talks we cant make you want to start losing weight you have to want it bad enough to do it. weight loss is going to be slow for you with so little to lose. its all about the calories,its not what you eat but its how much. of course you want to make sure that its a balanced diet for health and to get enough nutrients and so on. but you can have what you like just make it fit. if you dont eat until you are at work thats fine.
Yes, I know, no one can get me there. I'm just hoping that "talking" might help. I do want to stop the trajectory I am on and get back to feeling good in my skin. Right now, even my underwear HURTS me!! It's just hard and I'm having a little whine fest right now.
I know how you feel. Im a half inch shorter than you and was a healthy weight all my life until I hit my mid 30s then boom I went from a sz 8 (us) womens to a 18. not sure how long it took me to gain the weight but I know how it feels when clothing is too tight. and its ok to whine and vent. weight loss and keeping it off is hard. I will sympathize with you because Ive been there. But you can do this. you have to start somewhere right? and most of us here are helpful and if you need help just ask.I hope I didnt sound harsh as it wasnt my intention of course. but if my clothing were to get tight on me again that would be motivation enough. heck even when I dont have an issue where my panties are too tight I still get a wedgie LOL so there is that. hehe
Yes, the tight clothing is definitely motivating me. I was already in my largest sizes of clothing. I went on the Disney trip and that sort of put me over the edge. Amazing what an extra 5 lbs can do. I've tried to do a little better today so I'll see if I can keep it up. I'm not logging yet because I'm just not there, but have at least cut out some of the junk.
yeah and try to cut portions down a bit and see what happens in the next few weeks. you can keep it up just keep telling yourself no more tight clothing that They WILL become looser on you.0 -
Make sure you're not trying to restrict too much (not only quantity, but also quality). Even if you're eating a nutritionally sound diet, if you feel like you "can't" eat what you want, you end up overeating at any opportunity. And opportunities arise constantly. And it's the overeating, not the food choices, and the impact of the overeating - frequency and amount, that decides if you'll gain weight.1
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There are things you can do in order to eat in the 1600s and still lose 1/2 a pound a week. Do you think a desk bike would be a good option? There are some cheap ones on Amazon. If not, this thread has many ideas:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss
As for diet, you don't really need to do anything special. If something doesn't sound or feel appealing to you, don't do it. All you need is a calorie deficit regardless of your age. Just think about your daily habits outside of dieting. What contributes to most of your calories? Is there a way to modify that to make it lower in calories? Are there changes that would be very easy for you to make? For example, for me, it was very easy to switch regular soda to diet, and to very gradually reduce the amount of oil I use in food (people don't usually perceive changes in volume up to 10%). Think about your habits, are there things you can take or leave? Start with those.0 -
I think my biggest issue is portion control. I am eating too much at meals Also, I do have a sweet tooth that really hits at night and I have a hard time stopping a preportioned "treat." For instance, last might I had a Yasso fudge bar at 80 calories. But after I ate it, I was left even more unsatisfied so I had two of them. Believe me, the two Yasso bars are an improvement over the unlimited ice cream I was eating, but still. So to some degree, it's just discipline.
I already don't drink soda at all and if I do drink something it's hot tea with sugar. Unfortunately that is another weakness. I don't do artificial sweeteners anymore after using them in tea and coffee and they ended up causing bladder irritation for me. I've tried going without the sugar but I just don't enjoy the tea. I did manage to work that in the past few years when I did keep my weight down so I know I don't have to give it up, but I do wish I could enjoy it without because I could actually get more food if I could cut the sugar a bit.0 -
I think most of us in here have a hard time stopping, to some extent - but we stop, and no, not because we are smarter or stronger, or because we are free or illness or obligations, but because
we don't feel cheated,
we understand that "satisfied" means "physically satisfied", that food can't fill our every emotional need,
we eat a well-rounded diet, so we are well nourished,
we expect that it's going to be tougher to resist temptation at certain times of day or in certain situations, and prepare for it,
we know and trust that cravings are just cravings, not dangerous, and will go away,
we reduce/control the amount of temptation in our immediate surroundings,
we don't berate ourselves for being "weak", or think we are "out of control",
we also don't believe any foods have unnatural powers over us,
we don't expect to be "perfect",
we don't aim to do exactly the same every day or eat exactly the same amount of food every day - there are ordinary days, and special occasions, and those occasions are so infrequent that they remain special,
we eat for ourselves, not to please others, or to avoid waste, or to remove temptation,
when we plan, it's for our sake and the overall goal's sake, not the plan's sake,
we don't feel a need to "confess" our "sins" with food, or others to allow us to eat, or forgive ourselves for eating,
we pick our favorite food and allow ourselves, truly, the pleasure that eating gives.2 -
I am definitely a volume eater so I think that's why I've relied on shredded wheat or Barbara's Puffins for breakfast. It seems like I'm eating a lot.
Check this thread - lots of good ideas for volume meals that are low in calories.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10563959/volume-eaters-thread/p1
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