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@nazah_sakin WELCOME!! I am also new to the group but have found a lot of great friends and inspirations in this group! Sustainability is my goal this time around, I have tried many times to lose weight but they were never very successful. I have about 150lbs to lose but am trying not to focus on that number and just make healthier choices!0
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@tempe987 thank you so much. This should be the ultimate goal.. Living a healthy life.. Making healthy choices. I focus on how I feel when I make healthy choices.. When I eat clean food.. I am focusing on the process and I am enjoying it. Hope we can support each other to build a healthier life 😊😊😊2
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Hi everyone, I’ve only just started using the app as once again in my life I’m over 300pounds and I’m frustrated with my physical limitations. At the same time not being ‘able’ ‘allowed’ or restricting my food is something that really scares me on a deep emotional level. When I think about not eating something (even if it’s my cognitive choice) I go into rebellious mode (and I’ll eat it anyway) or panic mode ( but I have to have it, what if I can never have that again). I’m a mom of two young children and I’m afraid that soon they will start to notice my physical limitations (not being able to go ice skating, not fitting on certain rides etc.). I’m hoping to find like minded people who I can create a virtual support network with for those times when it all gets too much or my initial motivation goes down the drain. Looking forward ‘meeting’ you.
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lyo4ma: I've been there. I've dealt with that panic.
Part of it got broken when I was very poor. If I did not have chocolate chips in the cupboard, there would be no chocolate chip cookies, and that was just all, and I was going to have to deal with it. I also have had the policy, up until I started seriously working on weight loss, that if I wanted it badly enough I would be willing to get out the butter and sugar and flour and actually make the cookies from scratch. (Those were what I wanted, anyway.) If I didn't want it enough to do that, well, then, it was a whim, and wasn't getting indulged.
And part of it I had to break down myself by sitting there and waiting out the panic and talking to myself. I deal with some of it on a day to day basis during the diet by allowing myself some foods that other people don't. I eat a single-serving size bag of chips most days for lunch with a sandwich. If I do that, I don't feel deprived. About once or twice a week I look at my calories and note I have enough left to have a cup of ice cream in the evening. Rice Krispie treats are 90 calories, and I can work that in more often than the ice cream. I know that some people can't lose weight if they eat "junk" , but I know that if I deprive myself of the junk I'll be miserable and then I'll cheat and binge and feel worse.
I look at my calories like I look at money. I decide what to spend it on. I could arrange to have cookies every day; two cookies isn't that bad calorically. I could work it in. But I'd have to give up butter on my English muffin in the morning, and my little bag of chips at lunch, and, nah, I'd rather have the butter and the chips. And if I discover I REALLLY want ice cream one evening, and I've already spent the calories earlier in the day, well, I can't get it on this paycheck, but I can wait and get it tomorrow. If I can do it with books and earrings. I can do it with food. And sometimes when I get to the evening and the long-anticipated cup of ice cream....I don't want it any more. And that informs me. A lot of times I'll wait a week or two on something I'm craving. Just to be really sure. I did that with onion rings recently. But now that I've had them I won't want them for a couple months.
If you listen to your body as you lose weight, you may even discover your tastes changing. You won't want some things any more, and that's okay. But the lovely thing about calorie counting is that we're just looking at calories to start, and not worrying about clean eating or eating this way or that way. And you can spend your calories as you like.6 -
Hi everyone, I’ve only just started using the app as once again in my life I’m over 300pounds and I’m frustrated with my physical limitations. At the same time not being ‘able’ ‘allowed’ or restricting my food is something that really scares me on a deep emotional level. When I think about not eating something (even if it’s my cognitive choice) I go into rebellious mode (and I’ll eat it anyway) or panic mode ( but I have to have it, what if I can never have that again). I’m a mom of two young children and I’m afraid that soon they will start to notice my physical limitations (not being able to go ice skating, not fitting on certain rides etc.). I’m hoping to find like minded people who I can create a virtual support network with for those times when it all gets too much or my initial motivation goes down the drain. Looking forward ‘meeting’ you.
Hello there!
I do know what you mean. I am an emotional eater. I eat when I am emotional. I am emotional when I can't eat! What a struggle! I have tried many diets in my life GM diet, keto diet, no carb, low carb what not. I lose weight then I gain it back. Losing weight has been such a struggle for me. I felt helpless at times that why is it not happening. Why does it seem like a punishment? Not being able to lose weight led to more weight gain!
What I learned from my experience that restricting myself from a certain food item or carbs not going to work for me. I love rice. I grew up eating rice. Rice is the staple food in my culture. So if I try to stop myself from eating rice, it seems like I crave it even more.
I started my journey again from July 1, 2020. I am not setting any big goals. Not stressing over on how quickly I can shed some weight. I am not calling it a diet either. It is a lifestyle. Simple as that. I am eating everything. I am allowed to eat everything. I just eat them in moderation. I used to eat 5-6 cups of rice in two meals. Now I am eating rice only once a day and limited it to 1.5 cups. I didn't reduce my intake drastically. I started with 3 cups a day. Then 2.5 cups.. Then 2 cups.. Now 1. 5 cups. My main goal is to stay under my calorie goal. I take one day at a time. I don't plan for 6 months or 1 year. This is a lifestyle to keep my body healthy at the same time I do not want to miss out on life and what it has to offer.
Along with setting a calorie goal, I am also trying to burn some calories by doing household chores such as cleaning, cooking or dishwashing which we have to do anyway. I see all these as being active. Making the best out of my daily routine.
I am new here too but not new in trying. We will support each other. Welcome to the group! 👏👏5 -
AlexandraFindsHerself1971 wrote: »lyo4ma: I've been there. I've dealt with that panic.
Part of it got broken when I was very poor. If I did not have chocolate chips in the cupboard, there would be no chocolate chip cookies, and that was just all, and I was going to have to deal with it. I also have had the policy, up until I started seriously working on weight loss, that if I wanted it badly enough I would be willing to get out the butter and sugar and flour and actually make the cookies from scratch. (Those were what I wanted, anyway.) If I didn't want it enough to do that, well, then, it was a whim, and wasn't getting indulged.
And part of it I had to break down myself by sitting there and waiting out the panic and talking to myself. I deal with some of it on a day to day basis during the diet by allowing myself some foods that other people don't. I eat a single-serving size bag of chips most days for lunch with a sandwich. If I do that, I don't feel deprived. About once or twice a week I look at my calories and note I have enough left to have a cup of ice cream in the evening. Rice Krispie treats are 90 calories, and I can work that in more often than the ice cream. I know that some people can't lose weight if they eat "junk" , but I know that if I deprive myself of the junk I'll be miserable and then I'll cheat and binge and feel worse.
I look at my calories like I look at money. I decide what to spend it on. I could arrange to have cookies every day; two cookies isn't that bad calorically. I could work it in. But I'd have to give up butter on my English muffin in the morning, and my little bag of chips at lunch, and, nah, I'd rather have the butter and the chips. And if I discover I REALLLY want ice cream one evening, and I've already spent the calories earlier in the day, well, I can't get it on this paycheck, but I can wait and get it tomorrow. If I can do it with books and earrings. I can do it with food. And sometimes when I get to the evening and the long-anticipated cup of ice cream....I don't want it any more. And that informs me. A lot of times I'll wait a week or two on something I'm craving. Just to be really sure. I did that with onion rings recently. But now that I've had them I won't want them for a couple months.
If you listen to your body as you lose weight, you may even discover your tastes changing. You won't want some things any more, and that's okay. But the lovely thing about calorie counting is that we're just looking at calories to start, and not worrying about clean eating or eating this way or that way. And you can spend your calories as you like.
Loved the money metaphor. It's so true. When I make my choices, I basically decide what to spend it on.
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Hi everyone, I’ve only just started using the app as once again in my life I’m over 300pounds and I’m frustrated with my physical limitations. At the same time not being ‘able’ ‘allowed’ or restricting my food is something that really scares me on a deep emotional level. When I think about not eating something (even if it’s my cognitive choice) I go into rebellious mode (and I’ll eat it anyway) or panic mode ( but I have to have it, what if I can never have that again). I’m a mom of two young children and I’m afraid that soon they will start to notice my physical limitations (not being able to go ice skating, not fitting on certain rides etc.). I’m hoping to find like minded people who I can create a virtual support network with for those times when it all gets too much or my initial motivation goes down the drain. Looking forward ‘meeting’ you.
Hi @lyo4ma,
Welcome to LL.
I tend to get rebellious too when I tell myself I can't have something. It doesn't seem to matter if it is something I rarely eat when I was not trying to lose weight either. Fried chicken is a good example. Even when I was gaining weight I might eat fried chicken 3 times a year. If I told myself I could not have it while losing I would be obsessed with it. It is for this reason I do not restrict anything more than absolutely needed. I just make it fit in my calorie budget or eat in on one of the occasions I give myself a bigger budget (like a vacation).
I am not sure what works for other people but your current motivations are negative based and they have never worked on me. Perhaps they will work for you just fine but even with all my physical limitations and compounding health problems I still ate more because eating felt positive (it was not) and I do not like being negative. I find it better to march towards something positive then away from something negative because it helps make food control easier and uplifting. Marching away from a bad scenario keeps me down mentally and then the food control becomes a source of misery. I am not trying to change anything that you are doing because, again, it might work for you. I am just pointing it out.
Based on your post I would also suggest an experiment of volume eating. This is where you eat a large volume of lower calorie foods so that it gives you a very full feeling. If you are interested I can point you towards a thread with some ideas.0 -
@NovusDies
Thanks for your reply. I hadn’t considered that my motivations were negative based. I guess a better way to word it would then be I am looking forward to being able to play better with my children and be physically active in ways I haven’t before. I’ve also thought of volume eating as I am used to eating large quantities. Tracking my food for the past couple of days has shown me just how warped my idea of portion and serving sizes is and unfortunately the idea of eating less still scares me. I get this sense of panic that I won’t have enough, that I’ll ‘starve’ even though I’ve never actually had to go hungry in my life, unless it’s some left over feeling from when I was an infant (but that’s a whole other story/theory). So of you could point me to some threads, that would be helpful thanks.0 -
@lyo4ma
I don't do much volume eating myself, but do you like green beans? That's one food that I love and can scarf down vast quanitites and am quite thankful they are very low calorie - I'm having over 200g of green beans on my menu for tonight for only 68 calories. Fresh from the garden ones, too
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I still hoard food and calories....I hide my “ treats” and I will skip a meal to have something else..... I “ might “want later...It is just something I do and it is a habit I deal with...of course at our house if you don’t hide your goodies, you may never see them again!0
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@NovusDies
Thanks for your reply. I hadn’t considered that my motivations were negative based. I guess a better way to word it would then be I am looking forward to being able to play better with my children and be physically active in ways I haven’t before. I’ve also thought of volume eating as I am used to eating large quantities. Tracking my food for the past couple of days has shown me just how warped my idea of portion and serving sizes is and unfortunately the idea of eating less still scares me. I get this sense of panic that I won’t have enough, that I’ll ‘starve’ even though I’ve never actually had to go hungry in my life, unless it’s some left over feeling from when I was an infant (but that’s a whole other story/theory). So of you could point me to some threads, that would be helpful thanks.
@lyo4ma
Somehow it seemed like volume eating might be part of your gateway. Here is the thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10563959/volume-eaters-thread/p1
It seems to me that your anxiety over volume should be able to be modified. Unless you measure your current serving size precisely the exact amount is likely variable from one meal to the next and one day to the next. It is very possible whatever your average amount of food is now has grown over the years. If that is the case it could be slowly reduced.
At the same time you would need to challenge your unhelpful notions. You know nothing bad would actually happen if you eat less but you need to actually write it all out. Write down what it is you fear then write down as much evidence to support and to oppose it as you can. Then before you sit down to eat you would re-read it all. It is a living document so as you think of more you add to it. The idea is to change your cognition. This is an aspect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It allows your rational side to counter your irrational side. I do not use irrational in a judgmental way. We all have irrational thoughts.2 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »@lyo4ma
I don't do much volume eating myself, but do you like green beans? That's one food that I love and can scarf down vast quanitites and am quite thankful they are very low calorie - I'm having over 200g of green beans on my menu for tonight for only 68 calories. Fresh from the garden ones, too
Lightweight!
I never eat less than a pound of green beans as a serving unless I am at a restaurant.
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bmeadows380 wrote: »@lyo4ma
I don't do much volume eating myself, but do you like green beans? That's one food that I love and can scarf down vast quanitites and am quite thankful they are very low calorie - I'm having over 200g of green beans on my menu for tonight for only 68 calories. Fresh from the garden ones, too
Lightweight!
I never eat less than a pound of green beans as a serving unless I am at a restaurant.
lol
That's because I have to share! These are from mom's garden; mine hasn't come in yet.
I did eat all the fresh broccoli I had yesterday myself
And I have 2 heads of cabbage that are just about ready, and I'm licking my lips in anticipation! 2 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »bmeadows380 wrote: »@lyo4ma
I don't do much volume eating myself, but do you like green beans? That's one food that I love and can scarf down vast quanitites and am quite thankful they are very low calorie - I'm having over 200g of green beans on my menu for tonight for only 68 calories. Fresh from the garden ones, too
Lightweight!
I never eat less than a pound of green beans as a serving unless I am at a restaurant.
lol
That's because I have to share! These are from mom's garden; mine hasn't come in yet.
I did eat all the fresh broccoli I had yesterday myself And I have 2 heads of cabbage that are just about ready, and I'm licking my lips in anticipation!
SO jealous. I don't eat vegetables because I don't like them, I don't eat them because they provoke a vicious bout of IBS. Summer is always so hard because of all the fresh vegetables that I cannot have at all.
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Hi All
Im a 39yr old single Dad from Sydney Aus, back on what hopefully will be a long but rewarding journey.
Ive always been big, gone up and down over time, the last time I was super fit was 2005 I think, always played sports, body building rugby, cricket etc, had a bad knee injury but back to losing weight, setup a Squat rack, dumbells, rower etc in garage and been walking.
I was 199.8kg/440lb now at 162kg/357lb and losing around 1kg per week, when i really watch what i eat I lose alot more however i give up to easily and put it back on which is my main issue, so ive just cut down on food which was never really my issue, but stopped soft drink, alcohol etc and drink water with a glass of Pure Orange juice with dinner.
I try to walk around 5-7km per day, play golf once or twice a week, and basketball with my kids every 2nd day, Ive been working from home the past 7 years so that has its challenges.
Looking forward to chatting with people, learning new things and ideas and seeing other people succeed, feel free to add me
Dale3 -
Hi All
Im a 39yr old single Dad from Sydney Aus, back on what hopefully will be a long but rewarding journey.
Ive always been big, gone up and down over time, the last time I was super fit was 2005 I think, always played sports, body building rugby, cricket etc, had a bad knee injury but back to losing weight, setup a Squat rack, dumbells, rower etc in garage and been walking.
I was 199.8kg/440lb now at 162kg/357lb and losing around 1kg per week, when i really watch what i eat I lose alot more however i give up to easily and put it back on which is my main issue, so ive just cut down on food which was never really my issue, but stopped soft drink, alcohol etc and drink water with a glass of Pure Orange juice with dinner.
I try to walk around 5-7km per day, play golf once or twice a week, and basketball with my kids every 2nd day, Ive been working from home the past 7 years so that has its challenges.
Looking forward to chatting with people, learning new things and ideas and seeing other people succeed, feel free to add me
Dale
Hi @Zippo_DB Dale,
Welcome to LL.
To the bolded above you probably wrote it one way but I am reading it another. You might think that losing faster is better and you are annoyed you cannot maintain it. I see it as a person I once was who may not realize that trying to lose faster IS the problem. 1kg a week is a good rate of loss and likely sustainable for you. The athletic mindset can be a liability during weight loss because some will always gear up to push themselves very hard to get maximum results. The problem is this is not a challenge this is everyday life that has challenges. Losing weight is better off boring and easy. You could make driving a car more exciting by doing it blindfolded but when you have your kids in the backseat you probably want a very easy and uneventful trip.
I also caution you about doing full squats. You might want to modify that until you lose some more. There is a lot of pressure on those joints. You do not want to end up like me in 10 years.3 -
Welcome, Zippo_DB!
I don't know how old your kids are, but remember that they're watching you and learning healthy attitudes towards food and weight from you. Mine are grown and out of the house, so now I'm losing weight so that when and if I have grandchildren they'll have a Grandma who can keep up with them.1 -
well i was 345 pounds when i restarted my fitness pal about 2 weeks ago .i lost over 100 pounds about 3 years ago but then i wrecked up my knee and being shut in with covid i put it all back on .i am a 54 year old women from canada. knee is still wrecked up but they will not do surgery till i lose weight. i also had a heart stint put in about a year and a half ago and i have both high blood pressure (controlled) and diabetic (controlled with pills but getting high reading last check. likely the staying in during covid) so i need to lose this weight but i know it will not be easy1
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Hi! I have posted on the general forum a couple of times, and members here have invited me to join y'all! Thanks!
I have always struggled with my weight. Most recently, in December 2019, I found myself weighing 435lbs. I was half-heartedly watching what I was eating after the first of the year and lost 14lbs. I got serious when Covid 19 shut everything down because we kept hearing how deadly it was to people with comorbidities like obesity. As of this morning, I am down 74.8lbs.
I have used MFP with success in the past, but like many others, gained it back when I got tired and/or lazy about tracking my calories. I made the commitment to myself that I am going to log consistently everyday for one whole year (April 17th will be my logging anniversary.) I'm not on any kind of timeline. I truly want to lose to be healthier and feel better.
I walk a lot for exercise. I try to get 10,000 steps per day, with about 6000 of those from a dedicated walk about six days a week.
I have enjoyed lurking around this board. I like data and numbers and seeing patterns and trends, but y'all put me to shame with your level of detail. 😆 I look forward to spending more time learning from and with y'all!4
