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Von66mfp1
Von66mfp1 Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi. From UK and been on and off mfp and slimming world since hitting 40 almost 16 years ago. Have never gotten to my target have been close but never hit it. I struggle with committing to one thing i get so far then get fed up and jump to a different programme after having a binge in the middle and gaining what i lost.

I have a very busy homelife, im a carer for family members and work part time in physical job so tend to do around 16-22k steps daily. I have also added beachbody workouts for muscle strength and flexability. I do need lose some weight though but need to stay on track which i find very difficult. Is there anything in particular you do that helps??

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  • cianag
    cianag Posts: 29 Member
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    I cut out all soda, and most bread and sugar. Then weaned off snacks, and eliminated breakfast. So, I only eat 2 meals a day. Basically, it's intermittent fasting. I've worked up to eating my 2 meals between 11am and 4pm and I'm never hungry. I still eat out sometimes. I definitely don't work out as much as you do! I'm trying to increase my steps, but it looks like an old knee injury is acting up. I'll have to stick to bicycling. Check out Dr Jason Fung videos on youtube.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
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    Regularity helps me. I eat similar things at the same time each day. Well, when I say similar it's not quite that extreme. At the moment I eat a self-made muesli with whatever fresh fruit I have for breakfast, two slices of bread with whatever for pre-lunch, a glass of milk and a banana, or another 2 slices of bread for lunch, and then I cook something with roughly 500-600 calories for dinner and have a big dessert. Works for me because it's the same time every day. It's become a habit, like brushing my teeth or getting out of bed.

    For weightloss you don't need to eat at specific times, eat certain meals or certain food stuff, there are no 'forbidden' foods. All you really to eat less than you burn. I know, it's not always that easy as you have to figure out what works for you, what kind of food keeps you full and at what time. We can't give you any advice on that as each person is different.

    But you could start with just eating as you usually do, and weight and log all your food. Then you know at least how many calories you consume on an average day, and then work from there.
  • mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12
    mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12 Posts: 204 Member
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    I’ve been on and off mfp for about 10 years. I am sometimes significantly above my target weight, some times below it and have had periods of maintaining my target weight for long periods (3yrs +).

    For me what’s going on in my life really impacts my ability to maintain my weight where I would like it to be. I find it hard to eat well and be active when other things are competing for attention. I guess many people have a similar challenge.

    Things that I find are important are not letting myself get hungry, I have to eat my lunch at 12 noon, a snack at 4pm and dinner at 6pm or everything goes out the window. Routine is really important for me. That means I have to plan ahead - where will I be, what will I eat? Otherwise I will just make terrible choices once I am hungry.

    Like the previous poster, I find a routine of eating similar things really helps. I have porridge for breakfast every day. Always the exact same one so I know exactly how many calories it is and I don’t have to think about it. Dinner is one of a few different things that add up to about 500 calories. Afternoon snack is the same protein shake so I know how many calories that is. And so on. It’s an approach that has the impact I want, the downside is that it can easily get interrupted if I need to eat out.

    I have not found a place where I can eat what I like without weighing and logging and also maintain my weight. It keeps me on track. The minute I stop I start giving myself bigger portions of higher calorie items and the weight creeps back on. I am back to weighing and logging and hoping this will be the time I never stop and don’t find myself with 30ibs to lose.- again!
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,595 Member
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    Start focusing on things you can see yourself doing long term while eating the calories your "normal/ideal for you" weight person would eat while they were as active as you see yourself being long term.

    If you keep flitting from option to option to option... how will you find a longer term way of living with yourself and within your budget?

    Then log. Look at your log. Make choices. nudge towards budget.
  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 978 Member
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    One binge, and regaining whatever you've lost, is potentially a short term blip of water retention. Just get back on track the next day. Like you, I tried a few things over the years - I always gave up because it was too restrictive so I went back to my old way of eating. Since joining MFP, I got to goal weight (it took 2 years) and consider myself to have finally been successful. Take it slowly, but be consistent. Could you set yourself small goals - a beauty treatment when you lose x kilos / half a stone / whatever? Then set the next goal. No time-frame, just a treat when you get to a certain number.

    I started by eating the same foods that I always ate, but in slightly smaller quantities, particularly the higher calorie foodstuffs. That was enough to move me in to a deficit so that I slowly lost weight. I don't deprive myself of anything and I know I like the food.

    After a while, I made some adjustments to a point that I rarely have pasta, rice or potatoes when cooking at home, but that was largely because of a shock diabetes diagnosis and the need to reduce carbs. Instead, I load my plate with more veg (sauted white cabbage has become my base for most meals) as I can have a larger quantity of food (and feel fuller), if my plate is bulked out with lots of veg instead of a small quantity of pasta or a couple of baby potatoes.

    I also still weigh and log everything, but I've been in maintenance for just over 2 years and what I'm doing now is pretty much what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my life.
  • Von66mfp1
    Von66mfp1 Posts: 17 Member
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    Thanks everyone.

    I have no idea why I cant just stick with one thing? I'm like a child in a toy shop moving from one greatest toy to the next.

    I struggle with commitment, focus, planning, choice everything really. I have no idea why. I didnt really gain weight until 40s before that if I had put few pounds on I just watched what I ate until it was off. Beginning of my 40s though I panicked joined a gym and joined weightloss clubs and ever since then it's been a constant cycle of losing and gaining weight that I still havent managed break.
  • sunnygurl_tx
    sunnygurl_tx Posts: 19 Member
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    You're not alone! I'm honestly going through the exact, same thing!
    Day 2 for me.
    ;)
  • Von66mfp1
    Von66mfp1 Posts: 17 Member
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    I'm back on again lol. 10 day streak 🤣
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,943 Member
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    So, this time? When you have that inevitable binge? Just start again with your healthier choices - The Very Next Day.

    If my calories are too low in general, I'll definitely have more big binge events.

    Set Goals reasonably and I don't have those frequent binges (but sometimes - I mean, ice cream happens :) )

    Take a look at this decent guide:

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