Setting myself up for failure

Trinity1982 · June 2012

Hi all,

Now i'm turning 30 at the very end of the year and i want to lose a good 20kg/44lb. So i have a good 5 months to do it. My problem is i constantly start a weight loss program but by the end of the first week i've failed with flying colours. i've done this fir about 7 months and i've only lost up to 3 kg then put it back on. i have issues with shin splints (yeah those chronic shin pains) and i'm not a runner, i prefer walking. so i need some help, not motivation.

my breakfast consists of a white coffee no sugar and 3 weetbix (wheat biscuits) with 3/4 cup of milk (also no sugar)

morning tea - now sometimes i miss due to being out and about otherwise i really do try to eat fruit.

lunch - now it's winter for me and i'm having some big issues as i usually have a garden salad but it's too cold! so help here please!!!

afternoon tea is where i bomb out the most as i'm hungry and i'll go snacking. the first half of my day i'm not hungry and i've tried eating more good stuff then but regardless i'll still eat like a horse after 2pm.

dinner usually consists of either a stir fry, chicken and rice with a sauce or sausages and a carb of some sort. i'm not worried about dinner as i have my portions and cals worked out. i keep to a protein, carb and veg ratio with the protein and veg higher than the carb.

I know i'm not eating very well and i'm not a fruit person - i love my veggies to death!!! I do try to do about 45 mins walking 2 - 3 times a week however getting in 2 can be a struggle. my kids wake up at the slightest noise in the morning and at night i'm in bed and asleep at 9pm.

i don't want to do those shake diets as i've done that before - lost 8kg then put on 15

plus as much as i love veggies - i love carbs too. a huge bowl of pasta or a sandwich or 2... )

PLEASE HELP!!!!!

redscylla · June 2012

I'm no expert, but my gut reaction is that you're starving after 2 because you haven't really fed yourself prior to then. Your breakfast looks very "temporary." Like it can't hold you til lunch. Do you like eggs? Since I started eating ham & eggs for breakfast (with a side of fruit or veg) I have discovered that my afternoon snacking urge has gone down a LOT. Mainly because my body has enough protein to get me through. If not an eggy breakfast, how about some nuts? Something with protein, because that will take your body longer to digest and help you feel less desperately hungry as the day wears on.

As for lunch, a similar plan of attack? A good soup/stew with protein and veggies?

Trinity1982 · June 2012

sounds good to me - i'll definately give that a go.

loadsandloads · June 2012

I'm definitely a morning person and my first activity (before any food) is my treadmill for 45 minutes. I eat immediately following. I must have protein and I try to keep the carbs light but breakfast usually consists of egg whites with green onion, mushrooms and sometimes some sausage crumbles and maybe 1/2 english muffin or slice of toast. At any rate the calories in breakfast are about the same as those burned on the treadmill. Even if it's a day off the treadmill I have same breakfast just maybe 1/2 slice toast or skip the sausage since I don't need the extra protein or fat since not on treadmill. Don't know but this is what works for me. Good luck!

lcn1220 · June 2012

Agree with red. Eat a real breakfast. Add some eggs or yogurt and a piece of fruit there. Put your fruit earlier in the day. As the day goes on eat complex carbs that take a while to break down in your system.

Do for lunch what you do with dinner. Something like half a plate of veggies, quarter of it complex carbs, final quarter of it protein. It'll keep you from blowing your diet by your afternoon meal.

Tree72 · June 2012

I'd second the recommendation for soup at lunch. You can make a lovely soup with lots of veggies and some sort of protein. If you make a large pot on the weekend, you could have lunches for all week. And there's lots of great soup recipes out there, so hopefully you won't get too tired of them.

I'll also second the recommendation to change up your breakfast a bit. You may need to experiment to see what works best for you. But I find I need both protein and fat in addition to carbs. I'll often make an omlette or a breakfast sandwich (eggs and meat or cheese) on a bagel thin or English muffin. That will hold me much better than just cereal. When I do want a bowl of oatmeal I'll also have a boiled egg or two, or a slice of breakfast ham.

My weak point of the day is when I first get home from work. I'm usually hungry then but it's still a couple of hours till supper. So I try to plan a snack for that time. Then I can make sure it's something that fits into my calorie goals for the day. So, enjoy your afternoon tea, just plan for it and portion things out so you eat proper amounts.

You can definitely succeed. It's just a matter of figuring out what works best for you. There is no one perfect plan that works for everyone. So don't be afraid to experiment and mix things up a bit.

Trinity1982 · July 2012

thank you all !!!

Kara_xxx · July 2012

Plenty of exercising you can do that's non-impact and won't affect your shin splints.

JennieAL · July 2012

Why do you need to lose the lbs in 5 months? Just the 30 year mark??

How is it you think you are failing after a week on your programs? Also... why not just establish a calorie deficit of around 300-500 calories per day and stick with that, and don't get so hung up on WHAT you are eating. Cutting out too many of the things you enjoy will demoralize you quickly. Eat what you want... Just cut back. And stick to it.

Crystalchaos72 · July 2012

Why do you need to lose the lbs in 5 months? Just the 30 year mark??

How is it you think you are failing after a week on your programs? Also... why not just establish a calorie deficit of around 300-500 calories per day and stick with that, and don't get so hung up on WHAT you are eating. Cutting out too many of the things you enjoy will demoralize you quickly. Eat what you want... Just cut back. And stick to it.

^^THIS!!
You have to change your mindset from using the word *diet* and changing it to *lifestyle adjustment*.....the only difference between the two is one is long term and sustainable. Good luck

beattie1 · July 2012

I'd differ from some of the earlier posts concerning breakfast. 3 Weetabix is one heck of a lot of cereal that early in the day. I'd cut that back a bit to 2 and have more later on when you're hungry.

Re lunch - soup is great, I agree with the suggestion to make plenty when you have time and it's a good way to get those veggies that you love when the weather's cold. A sandwich is easy to make & /or take to work - add a piece of fruit to make it more of a meal. When I make a sandwich I don't use butter. If the filling is a bit dry I use a thin spreading of "lighter than light" mayo to stick it together.

If you're hungry later on plan for a snack - this is where to use the calories saved by eating less breakfast. Lots of people don't eat breakfast at all - it's horses for courses, do what suits you - if you're hungry later in the day eat then, not when you aren't hungry.

You've got dinner sorted - great!

Re exercise, I'm not a runner either - tried it & hated it! Walking burns plenty of calories and if that suits you better you just go right ahead and walk - as brisk as you can manage for better calorie burn. Sometimes I walk with others who have a slower pace & that's OK too - the same distance just takes longer, but the calories per mile are more or less the same.

I reckon you've pretty much got a plan sorted out - it's just a question of doing it long enough & forgiving yourself when you aren't perfect. Keep on keeping on & be in it for the long term. As someone else said,
"change your mindset from *diet* to *lifestyle adjustment*"

Setting myself up for failure

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