[3littlepiggies]

hi all - I'm a newbie on here
as far as dieting goes, at the moment I'm counting calories and jogging half an hour 3-4 times a week. I should be having 1600 calories, but i just CANNOT do this, 1200 is as far as my brain will let me. I will SURELY get fatter with any more than that!!
I know all about healthy eating - low GI choices - no sugar - higher protein - healthy fats - low carbs etc etc
Ive been on diets since i was 9, i was always the fat kid. Always felt horribly out of place and always picked on and teased by all ages - throughout primary and high school ..
Im now in my 30s with 3 kids and a wonderful husband (who has ALWAYS been supportive and never had a problem with my weight, apart from how obsessed i am with it)
Ive been anorexic and bulimic (only really overcame that bulimia a few years ago)
Im not really a binge eater and don't seem to need to eat an awful lot to put on weight - obviously I've totally stuffed up my metabolism!
i have always exercised whether its been walking/jogging/boxing/interval training and i do know that muscle weigh more than fat ... but cant use that excuse!
my main problem is my head! The deep deep core that i am fat and repulsive is just unshakable. It eats me up and can be so debilitating.. and makes me hide, which is something i can do without! I would be such a social - movershaker - go get it person, without this, what feels like a boulder holding me back. I hate it. Im so over it and i want to get rid of it!
When i have been thin enough to be happy, it has been great! going out is not such an issue, just being happy with me and in my own skin wherever i am, is different. & even happier in my own company...
but there havent been many of those times. And having babies has always been a huge step back as i put on quite a bit of weight during the pregnancies. And with fighting my mental issues, weightloss is just unbearable
(I'm not obese, never have been. On the charts I'm mid overweight)
i actually dont mind dieting - its the mental side that is so debilitating
anyways - enough for now. Would love to here from anyone with any advice or helpful hints etc etc
thankyou!

[donijo23]

I think you will find a lot of support here. I know that I have.

[thirti4thirty]

You're welcome on here, 3lp.
That used to be my problem too. All my diets ended partly because of psychological/ mental issues. So before starting this (ultimate) diet, I knew I had to tackle the problems in my life as well. For me, it's like 50% of chances to successfully lose weight comes from my head and my heart, nothing to do with calories or miles.
So I decided to see a GOOD therapist. The sessions have been really helpful and I'm now on antidepressants. So I'll suggest to you that you get yourself some kind of support group, friends, family or therapists who can help you vent when you need to, instead of turning to food.
Good luck for the rest of your journey!

[coffeeshopgirl]

Hi 3LP,

I hear you about the emotional eating. I totally agree that dieting/lifestyle change has to start in your head first. One way I dealt with it was making healthy options available during the week - bananas, apples, chex mix, snack bars, soups, half sandwiches - so that I'm not starving by the time I get home from work. It may take a while to find a balance, but you'll get there. Having it in my mind that I already had food ready to go right into the microwave helped reduce the anxiety of "OMG, I'm starving what do I do for dinner" which just lead me to fast food.

Meal prep was a big thing that reduced my anxiety and helps me stay true to my meal(diet?) plan. I tell my friends to start with prepping one meal for the week and see how it works for you. If it helps, then add one more meal to prep for the next week. I found that I basically eat the same foods anyway, and you can always change it up as you go.

Good luck - hope this helps!