I give up. Gained 3 more pounds.

Don't give up! Look at the big picture: It's not only aesthetics, but your helth, which is important for you and your child.

As of this morning, I am within 5 pounds of the wieght I was at 9 months pregnant in 2007. I give up. No weight loss in a month. I started this at 173. This morning, I'm 177.8. Screw it. I'm getting a cheeseburger for lunch.

Before anyone decides to look at my diary and tell me that I need to exercise, I already know that. I'm extremely busy. "But you have to *make* the time". I know that, too. Again, I'm trying but I'm very busy. I'm not going to cut my sleep by an hour to exercise. I'm not a morning person. At night, I do homework, make dinner, give my girl a bath and get things ready for the next day. After tomorrow, I should be able to find some time because it's the last day of class for the semester. I work full time, school part time and single mom to a 4 yr old.

If you guys only knew how much I've changed my diet since I started this, you would understand my frustration. Going from eating anything and everything to 1100 - 1500 cals a day, I should've seen some results. Can I do better? Yes. But I've made big changes and haven't seen any results. I don't want criticism. I don't want anything but to vent about it. I give up.

First of all don't give up. Second...I work a full time job 1 hour from home, and I go to school 2 nights a week and take one on-line class. I am also a single mother of 2 girls. It's not easy. I get my *kitten* up at 445 every morning. I work out in my living room then i get my girls on the bus, then I drive an hour to work. I work my *kitten* off for 8 hours sometimes longer. I get to go to lunch some days some days not so much. I then get back in my car drive another hour home or to school whichever day it is. My girls have homework, I have homework, they need showers, and if it is one of my school nights I have to go by my moms to pick them up on my way home from school. So, what I am saying to you is quit whining. Make time for yourself even if it means getting up half hour early in the morning. Dont give up on yourself; what kind of example is that for you daughter.

Sorry if it is harsh, but I bust *kitten* to make it work and if I can do it with all the hell going on in my world so can you.

also if i might add, i have 3 children under the age of 3. i kept putting off my change of diet and excercise because i was too busy or too tired. I ballooned up to 278 lbs. i'm currently 231 from busting my *kitten*. have you looked up cleanmama.com? that helped me for when i can't fit in time to excercise at a gym or anything.

Just a quick tip, the first time I lost a bunch of weight I was working a lot and didn't have/make time to workout, and I hated exercising anyways. I did a lot of squats while making copies, leg lifts, lunges between clients etc. Just 10 here and there, which added up to A LOT at the end of the day. Maybe you could start doing stuff like that? A handful of pushups off your desk/counter/wall, a burst of jumping jacks or high knees?

Also, I really love zig zagging my calories, that's helped keep me sane.

Editing to add: At that time I had NO clue about counting calories and didn't really learn anything.

I agree you don't have to exercise if you are busy and active and looking after a little one can be active. I would also suggest you cut bad carbs, white bread cakes biscuits and up your protein, chicken cottage cheese etc

Give up. It's your life. Come back if you want. We're not going anywhere.

You can end this any time you like. You don't have to do this.

Have a great holiday season.

can u lose 15 mins of sleep? I feel you. I have a hard time with this too and also really hate the idea of getting up early to exercise.

This is what I do. Set your alarm 15 minutes early. 15 damn minutes. Set out your exercise clothes the night before (some ppl even sleep in them) now I have to walk the dogs & have a bottle of water- but other than that, I get a quick smoothie (I get pre bottled ones from aldi, 70 cals each) and do the 30 day shred. it's 20 minutes. so now you're only 5 minutes behind your regular schedule - I can live with that. AND your workout is out of the way.
Any other exercise you get thru the day is EXTRA! Another great way to sneak in exercise is jogging the stairs. If you have stairs in your house, jog those suckers. Instead of 'consolidating' trips to save steps, run 'em again. You can find correct form & stuff on the internet. Stand up straight, DON'T USE THE BANNISTER, don't drag your self up the steps. Use your glutes - NOT back muscles. You'll be amazed how easy it gets - use your strongest core muscles & LIFT yourself up the stairs. I kick stair butt (I live on the 3rd floor) and amaze my family & friends
You can do this BUT YOU HAVE TO WANT IT. if you have kids, you can do 20 minutes. just bite the damn bullet

You know... this might be seen as anti-the purpose of MFP, but... perhaps you're right. Maybe you should give up for now. Maybe you should put the diet on hold for now. If your life is too stressful and busy and if you're not mentally ready to make the sacrifices you need to make to lose weight, then maybe it's okay to say "now is not the time".

I agree! You don't have to give up as in the sense of binging on 6 cheeseburgers a day but take a break. I have been trying for 5.5 YEARS to lose 12 lbs! I can get down to within 7 lbs of my goal and then I stop losing, gain a few pounds back, lose them, repeat.. I have now replaced my weight goals with fitness goals and I have noticed that I am making better food choices too. I will actually think, "i need some protein" instead of looking for junk to snack on. At Thanksgiving I could ONLY eat half of a piece of chocolate cake....last year I would have eaten two just for dessert and then had two-three pieces a day until it was gone! I don't eat an entire chick fila sandwich anymore, just nuggets. I know that I am capable of losing the 12 lbs, it's hard and requires long term dedication that sometimes I don't have the will for.

I say.. give up, be fat, be unhealthy. This is hard work and if you aren't up to it, then just quit. There are so many on here with busy lives that struggle to fit in time to exercise and they do it. Why? Because they make it a priority, they suck it up when it gets tough and they keep on going. The easy way out is to just whine and give yourself excuses why you can't exercise and eat right. I know this sounds hard but what did you expect when you posted what you did?

Don't give up! Look at the big picture: It's not only aesthetics, but your helth, which is important for you and your child.

Very well said. This is process and there are going to be ups and downs. You have to remember the reason you started this journey in the first place, pick yourself up and keep going.

I say.. give up, be fat, be unhealthy. This is hard work and if you aren't up to it, then just quit. There are so many on here with busy lives that struggle to fit in time to exercise and they do it. Why? Because they make it a priority, they suck it up when it gets tough and they keep on going. The easy way out is to just whine and give yourself excuses why you can't exercise and eat right. I know this sounds hard but what did you expect when you posted what you did?

I tell you what. I read all the responses to your post thus far and this one spoke to me. I have been a BIG whiner, an excuse maker and a procrastinator (about weight loss) for a trillion years. I would get frustrated at the drop of a hat. I would publicly and privately blame anything and everything as the reason my attempts were not successful. I even convinced myself that I was different than the rest of you. That I was doomed and the cards were somehow stacked against me and my metabolism and I would always be fat. The poster above hit the nail on the head...at least for what I need. If you are at all like me, you need too listen to the message that she is sending, albeit sarcastic, it is a damn good one.

Here's my take now. Only I can do this and only I can determine when the time to do this is right. Only I can mess up, only I can succeed. I am in control and I am responsible for lack of control. I can sleep all day and do nothing or I can sleep 23 hours and spend an hour trying to make my body/heart stronger and healthier. All of these choices are mine. The key word is choice.

By no means am I any type of success story yet. But I will be! With the tough love I get at this site, I am honest with myself and with my friends. You CAN do this!! All of us can and I bet that deep down you know that.

Each piece of advice you got as a response is valuable. Some of my best friends and supports on this site responded to you and I can assure you that they are responding out of pure good will to see you succeed. You need to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, take a look in the mirror and as yourself if you are ready. It is either now or later.....just remember, later you could be that much heavier and it will be that much harder.

Best of luck and stay strong.
:drinker: