New and Learning - Simple Isn't Easy

LlamamaLoca · August 2022

Hi!
Am on a mission to develop better habits and lose weight (15-ish pounds or so) - have to get back to basics and it just sucks. I love the 'free range eating with no restraints' diet, (haha) but I can't stand the way I look and feel after a couple years. Granted, it was mostly the changes due to COVID plus age/hormonal changes, but I am apparently past the point where I can eat what I want and make up for it with extra treadmill miles.

Sigh. It was good while it lasted, I suppose!

Anyway, I was looking at Weight Watchers when someone suggested MFP. I hate tracking calories, honestly, and thought the point-system would be easier, but ultimately, it's NOT easier (you still have to be accountable for what you put in your mouth, and you still have to balance calories/points against a daily total that increases a little with activity) And...this is free

Finished Week 1 along with a week's worth of workouts and am finally ready to post adn intro. Wasn't sure if it would 'stick', TBH, but here I am! Week 2 has begun and I just want to whine about how haaaaarrrrdddd it is <whine whine> I know I'm being ridiculous, so please save judgement! It's just such a big change and I'm adjusting to better habits (don't eat mindlessly, choose fresh vegetables and fruits FIRST, cut back on snacking ALL DAY, etc.) It's all GOOD, just really uncomfortable right now without a lot of 'success' to show for it (I mean, I literally just started, right? So what was I expecting?! I'm such a baby! LOL)

So, that's me for now. Happy to support anyone who needs an accountability buddy or who wants to start a Kvetching Check-In (we don't have to solve each other's problems, but it's nice to have understanding support buddies who'll listen when you're feeling miserable or frustrated!) I know what I need to do, I just don't like it.

#Whining

PS Why isn't 'whining' an automatic tag option!? LOL I may be in the wrong place...where are all the people who know what they need to do but who don't like at and want to complain about it WHILE they do it? .... Oh, just me, then?! LOL I'll try to be better...later...when I'm stronger...so, not, like, NOW #TodayIsNotTheDay

cparsons_60 · August 2022

Hi, Llamama. I lost 50 pounds 8 years ago, the last 20 on MFP. I kept it off for a few years by intuitive eating and drifted away from the app. And now, ugh, 35 of that 50 pounds has s-l-oooowly crept back on. So much for my intuition!

I've been back just over one week. I'm so into calorie counting right now that even though I set myself to lose one pound per week, I've lost more than two pounds this first week. That's too fast, so today, Monday, the first day of week two, I didn't log. Ate what I wanted, probably a little more than my allowance, but I'm feeling good. I expect I'll be up half a pound tomorrow but I have five days from then to lose this week's pound.

I'm in the first flush of enthusiasm and water weight loss. I know the whole process will become more tedious as the weeks pass. But right now I'm feeling good about it all. You?

Sinisterbarbie1 · August 2022

Hi there … I’ve recently lost 70 lbs, the last 25 on MFP, and just wanted to say you definitely don’t have to be miserable and there are no rules about eating vegetables first, not snacking all day etc. The only “rule” is to weigh and record everything before you eat it. Thats all. Once you start doing that you can see what makes sense for you and how you like to eat to stay satiated and still lose weight. You can rebalance your eating to see which calories are “worth it “ to you, and what you want to eat when in order to feel your best.

If you are a snack all day kind of person there is no reason why you can’t do that if it fits in your calories. The idea will be to figure out how to apportion things. I know that you probably realize that generally speaking, but a lot of people set their goals too aggressively so they don’t leave themselves enough room to adjust and tinker to come up with a plan that is manageable long term. So they end up frustrated and miserable and either quit because they can’t keep to the plan they have set, or lose the weight but then go back to their old way of eating and gain it all back again. As I type this I am having dark chocolate and a glass of sparkling wine (non alcoholic bc I don’t drink booze) so it is entirely possible to also have indulgent treats regularly.

I am glad you found this site, but I urge you to think about the weight loss part of the process as temporary, and your revamping of your eating style as permanent and not rush it. Don’t set up a plan now that you aren’t willing to stick with long term - maintenance is about 200-400 extra calories daily for most people. An unnoticed extra tablespoon of oil when cooking or on a salad, a slice of cheese or thicker slice of bread in your sandwich, cream or milk in your coffee, a cocktail particularly with mixers at night can all quickly add up to consume those extra maintenance calories without major changes to your eating.
good luck - it is definitely worth the effort!

AnnPT77 · August 2022

Really good advice from @Sinisterbarbie1, IMO.

I'd add this, on the same theme: With only 15-ish pounds to lose, slow loss is likely to be the most health-promoting approach - like half a pound a week loss, as a goal. I get that we all want to drop weight fast, but doing so increases the possibility of losing lean mass alongside body fat, and can increase health risk.

The possible downside is, a slow loss rate will play peek-a-boo on the scale with routine water weight and digestive contents fluctuations. The water/digestive contents can change by multiple pounds from one day to the next, while the fat loss is a gradual few ounces a day. If you know this and are prepared to settle in for the ride, it's very doable.

I lost a bunch of weight a few years back (2015-16), but recently wanted to (re-)lose close to the same number of pounds you're talking about because my jeans were getting a little snug. I chose to do it with a very small deficit for that slow loss. I have to say, it was virtually painless. (Yup, it did take time.)

As a bonus, a small calorie deficit allows exercise performance to stay higher, supports an energetic daily life routine, allows for excellent nutrition, and can help frame the behavioral changes as finding ways to revamp habits to not only lose those few pounds, but learn how to keep them off long term.

There's a lot to be said for thinking how to make the process easy, rather than trying to make it fast.

Yeah, yeah, it isn't as easy as reclining on the couch eating chocolates to capacity while sipping pina coladas 😆, but it doesn't have to be some kind of miserable, punitive forced march, either. Arbitrary suffering doesn't burn any extra calories, and it can limit durability of the effort. I dunno about you, but my motivation and willpower are very limited resources, especially given my hedonistic tendencies.

LlamamaLoca wrote: »

(snip)

So, that's me for now. Happy to support anyone who needs an accountability buddy or who wants to start a Kvetching Check-In (we don't have to solve each other's problems, but it's nice to have understanding support buddies who'll listen when you're feeling miserable or frustrated!) I know what I need to do, I just don't like it. #Whining

PS Why isn't 'whining' an automatic tag option!? LOL I may be in the wrong place...where are all the people who know what they need to do but who don't like at and want to complain about it WHILE they do it? .... Oh, just me, then?! LOL I'll try to be better...later...when I'm stronger...so, not, like, NOW #TodayIsNotTheDay

FWIW, you can suggest new tag options here:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10855981/tag-suggestions#latest

I'm not sure how well a "whining" tag would go over, though. 😉

Welcome to the community, and best wishes going forward!

Alatariel75 · August 2022

Welcome!! I have a lot more to lose, but am always happy to have a #whining buddy LOL. You're right - it is hard. And takes work, and time and effort and UGH. But we gotta get on it, right?

LlamamaLoca · August 2022

Thanks, guys!! I really do appreciate the feedback and tips! It's just a bummer of a day when everything is 'work' and I'm impatient (it's def a ME problem, not the process, to be clear).

@AnnPT77 - I hear ya! Slow is fine...sigh. And I agree, it's a balance between eating enough to fuel a good, tough day while still losing weight. My goal is to make good nutrition a HABIT that I can live with, so yeah, starving all the time wouldn't work at ALL for me. I workout fairly regularly and sometimes have spontaneous runs or 'adventures' with kids and friends. I'd hate to miss anything because I'm light-headed or hangry. I just need to figure out a solid routine or pantry inventory to make filling, healthy, low calorie food easy enough that it's not just additional work. It's maddening to go to the kitchen and find 100 things I don't want to eat because #calories and only 'ingredients' if I want to make something healthy ugh! Perhaps a better planning effort ahead of the week... You did mention reclining on the couch eating chocolates - why can't I have THAT life?! LOL Le sigh. #SuckingItUpLikeAButtercup

@Sinisterbarbie1 - thanks for all the tips. I know I don't HAVE to eat veg and fruits - it's a matter of having foods that I can eat enough of so I'm not hungry AND at the same time, stay within my calories. That's not possible with tortilla chips and salsa...or cupcakes...or any of my comfort favorites from the snack aisle, basically.

Sigh. Life is so unfair, eh? LOL I have to eat like a grown-up if I want the results I want - I get it...my Inner Child is resisting, though, and she's really stubborn about things. FWIW, I didn't set any calorie goals, myself. MFP told me what I can have and I just rolled with it...now you have me thinking. The fact that I'm not losing with any rate of speed probably means it's not set too low, right? I mean, I lost a *little * bit, so it's maybe enough to work, but not enough to provide dramatic results (that are usually not long lasting - I get it, I do! Well, my brain gets it...my Inner Child is a whole 'nother story!

)

Please know that I'm also not saying it's BAD that I'm eating 'better'! It IS!! I'm building better habits, which is awesome, and I'm going to get comfortable with it soon enough. It's just HARD to make these changes, and especially when the scale isn't giving me immediate positive feedback (which is crazy for me to expect, I know #InnerChild, tho)

@Alatariel75 You bet! Getting on it, for real. I need things to change, and I KNOW I have to be the one to MAKE the change, just having a down moment (while laughing at myself - I do realize I'm ridiculous LOL) I figure the next months are going to go past whether or not I lose 15 pounds. Do I want to be standing on the scale 11/1 crying about the increase or would it maybe be BETTER to just be complaining about 'only' losing 8 pounds? Hang in there, sister!!

COGypsy · August 2022

@LlamamaLoca it sounds like overall, you're well on your way! (Or should I say, weigh?

). I'd just add a couple of points.

One is that eating "like a grown up" is pretty optional, depending on the trades you're willing to make. I personally rarely cook, can't think of a single vegetable or fruit I'm willing to eat without adding "flavor" of some sort, and tend to graze rather than eat scheduled meals. I've kept off 50 of 60 pounds lost about 6 years ago and my health markers, bloodwork, etc. are spot on. It's really more about what you're willing to do day in and day out going forward than it is eating according to some perfect ideal.

Second, the feedback from the scale will come. If you're making drastic changes to what you eat, it's almost certainly going to affect your water weight. That's not a bad thing, it's a natural thing. Our bodies are mostly water and are constantly adjusting to changing conditions, so it's pretty likely that will always be a variable. It might be less crazymaking to focus your progress on the process, rather than the outcome. Finding achievement in things like X days of logging or X vegetables/fruits eaten in a day might be more satisfying while things settle down physiologically.

Mikeruns2021donotaddme · August 2022

This is so true. Everything sounds easy but not as easy sometimes. Like just wake up early and workout sounds easy, but it’s not. I feel your pain

Sinisterbarbie1 · August 2022

@LlamamaLoca I am still of the opinion that you don’t have to cut out chips and salsa - first salsa is pretty low in calories and pico de gallo is even better. If you go for baked chips instead of fried, a serving of those comes in at 110 calories. That might not be the most filling food, so maybe you are just looking to crunch on something and could be persuaded to eat a crunchy cucumber if you dipped it in some tzatiki made with greek yogurt - protein plus crunch, plus salty tangy snacky ….
For cupcakes maybe you can satisfy the craving with angel food cake and some berries. Same general idea, lower in fat and calories, plus you get some fruit in. Extra points if I can convince you to skip whipped cream or replace it with vanilla greek yogurt.
I don’t know how you feel about cheese but for quick and portion controlled snacking maybe pick up some minibabybells or some string cheese. Or some single serving containers of cottage cheese which can be eaten both savory or sweet depending on how you top it.
Buy stuff like cut up fruit if you won’t cut it yourself, clementines, cherry tomatoes, mini bell peppers, baby carrots, baby cucumbers etc. so you have healthy things that you don’t have to prepare ready to go. These can easily be dipped in salsa, hummus, tzatziki or yogurt or used to top cottage cheese.
And if you like nuts there are a bazillion choices preshelled that can be scooped on to a scale to be quickly weighed bc you can otherwise go overboard, and then into a small bowl or baggie.
Anyway, these are some pantry ideas that come to mind that might work. I use some myself, others I just see in the grocery and think are smart and useful for folks.

The other thing worth thinking about though is if you are searching for snacks because you are really hungry, or if you are looking for a snack for some other reason. To give yourself a break, to “reward” yourself, because you are bored, tired, etc. If you aren’t really hungry, you should think of other ways to feed your soul.
Good luck. There are solutions, and they don’t have to be super diety.

LlamamaLoca · August 2022

@Sinisterbarbie1 - you are so sweet!! Thank you for offering all the good advice and taking the time to reply

I actually prefer pico to salsa, so that's good news that it's 'better'! My problem is, indeed, the chips...crunchy, salty, dry - perfect complement to the juicy pico. Sigh. I love cucumbers, really, but chips are still chips.

Sometimes there are decent substitutes when I can swap and it's fine, just not everything. I hear you on having fresh healthy stuff ready to go, too - my challenges are in finding time and space for it, but, yes to grape tomatoes and cucumbers, apples and carrots. If I need a vehicle for the dip or salsa, there are lots of good options (as long as my tribe of teenagers hasn't obliterated my supply!) Other times, though, I really just want a particular thing and substituting won't work. I can either work it into the calories or do without (whining is optional haha)

FWIW, don't take my whining too seriously...I'm just being a baby. For me, whining is acknowledging that I'm making a decision to be uncomfortable and it sucks. I'm doing it to myself! Giving up 'food freedom' is a big mental shift. I've added a lot of steps to what was a pretty simple decision-free process. Once I've been at it for awhile, I'll be fine - it's just these first uncomfortable weeks (hopefully!) and then the results will start propping up my wilted motivation.

Thank you again for all the tips!! Hope you have a lovely week!!

LlamamaLoca · August 2022

@Mikeruns2021donotaddme

I know, right? 'Simple' solutions can be HARD!!

One of the coach quotes I used to tell my kids:
"Everybody wants to be a beast...until it's time to do what beasts do." Putting in the tough work every day, training hard, eating what you have to eat, etc....it's simple, but it's not easy. Keep on striving!

LlamamaLoca · August 2022

@COGypsy omg, I'm a TOTAL grazer! I resent having to make meals for the fam, even! #BadMom I mean, I DO it...sometimes...but it's so so so not my thing. I prefer to have bits of this and that all day . Having kids has really messed with my snacking mojo!

It's tough to have THEIR food in the house and making meals that they'll be eating. I'm 95% dairy free (sensitive) and mostly vegetarian, so either I do a subset of their meal or I have to make something separate. I'm trying to do a monthly meal plan that has either leftovers from a prior night or a way to make one meal that can be done two ways (e.g. pasta sauce with regular pasta AND veggie pasta). I usually eat lighter in the evenings, anyway, and can always throw together a salad.

Thanks for the support! Hope things are going well for you!

AnnPT77 · August 2022

LlamamaLoca wrote: »

@Sinisterbarbie1 - you are so sweet!! Thank you for offering all the good advice and taking the time to reply I actually prefer pico to salsa, so that's good news that it's 'better'! My problem is, indeed, the chips...crunchy, salty, dry - perfect complement to the juicy pico. Sigh. I love cucumbers, really, but chips are still chips.

Sometimes there are decent substitutes when I can swap and it's fine, just not everything. I hear you on having fresh healthy stuff ready to go, too - my challenges are in finding time and space for it, but, yes to grape tomatoes and cucumbers, apples and carrots. If I need a vehicle for the dip or salsa, there are lots of good options (as long as my tribe of teenagers hasn't obliterated my supply!) Other times, though, I really just want a particular thing and substituting won't work. I can either work it into the calories or do without (whining is optional haha)

FWIW, don't take my whining too seriously...I'm just being a baby. For me, whining is acknowledging that I'm making a decision to be uncomfortable and it sucks. I'm doing it to myself! Giving up 'food freedom' is a big mental shift. I've added a lot of steps to what was a pretty simple decision-free process. Once I've been at it for awhile, I'll be fine - it's just these first uncomfortable weeks (hopefully!) and then the results will start propping up my wilted motivation.

Thank you again for all the tips!! Hope you have a lovely week!!

Keep working at "how can be less uncomfortable and still keep me within calorie goal, getting decent nutrition, using foods I like and find practical".

You're looking at a path to healthy weight forever, yes? Those new habits need to be sound and solid enough to stick, almost on autopilot, when other parts of life get complicated - because they will.

Your food diary is a powerful tool, if you take advantage of it. Regularly review your food diary, looking for items that don't seem completely worth their calories to you (a subjective thing). Reduce or eliminate those, replace with things you personally find more tasty/filling, or that better help you meet your nutrition/calorie goals. It's a process, not a finger-snap.

On the issue of chips and similar foods: Another thing to consider is whether there's a version of the desired food that you actually do like, but that's a little more nutrient dense or filling, for the same calories or close. I'll mention some examples that work for me. These specific ones might not be helpful to you, but I mention them just to illustrate the kind of thing I mean.

With tortilla chips, I found that there's a brand of bean chips (Beanitos) that I like just as well as corn chips, but they have more protein for the same calories. One serving of those (130 calories) plus a hearty dip (with cottage cheese, beans, or something like that in it) is a decent low-calorie lunch, plus maybe a whole fruit (orange, apple, peach, whatever). For a crunchy snack, flavored crispy broad beans have that crunch, come in tasty flavors (Mesquite BBQ, Ranch, many more), and have 7g protein in 100 calories per one ounce. (I get them in individual packs, which helps me with portion control.)

Those are just a couple of examples, and like I said, your specific needs/tastes will differ, but if you find you're trying to fit some treat-type or other desired foods into your eating and coming up short on calorie budget to cover them, think about whether some similar food will tick enough nutrition/satiation boxes to scratch the same itch and be easier to fit in.

Read labels. Ask people here for product suggestions for specific categories. Look into brands you haven't tried. Don't just fall for "low calorie" or "healthy" labels. Read, and think. (One thing I discovered is that there isn't a huge difference in calories/nutrition between Belvita breakfast biscuits and Pepperidge Farm Santa Cruz oatmeal-raisin cookies of equivalent weight (ignoring serving size). A little difference, yeah, and some people like Belvita, but I'd for sure rather have the cookies given the actual differences once one ignores that healthy-aura marketing that the Belvita have, and the "indulgent cookies bad" myth that affects the cookies.)

Mikeruns2021donotaddme · August 2022

@LlamamaLoca you are at right. I’m starting my own no snooze button campaign to get back on track 😁😁😁

New and Learning - Simple Isn't Easy

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