If you already cook a lot of what you eat, then you're ahead of the game.
It's really two separate issues:
1) Cooking in a healthy way (pan sear or bake instead of fry, cutting down some of the fat/calories, adding in vegetables, etc) to still give you the flavors that you want to eat.
2) The second issue with food is portion control. If you familiarize yourself with serving sizes (2oz of dry pasta, 1/2 cup of cooked rice, 3-4 oz of poultry/meat, 1-1.5 cups of soup, chili or stew) then you'll be able to get a better idea of how much to eat.
For example, to me, a 2oz portion of pasta is not filling. Instead of going hungry, I saute as many non-starchy vegetables as I want, mix with my pasta, and top with sauce. Voila, my bowl of pasta is huge, more nutritious, and I get a lot of calorie bang for my buck.
Planning
Another helpful tool for me is to make a dish and immediately separate it into the correct number of servings. I just eat one serving instead of sneaking forkfuls or just a bit more from a larger pot. I go further and freeze them, but that's just a personal preference so that I can stock up for long periods of time.
The most helpful thing I've done, though, is make a plan. I can pinpoint all of my past failure in eating well to having no plan. I'd say, "I'm going to eat healthy" but I had no idea WHAT I would eat.
For the past 6 years, I spend a few minutes writing down my meals with calorie counts and weight watchers points (you don't necessarily need to do that).
Breakfast:
Snack:
Lunch:
Snack:
Dinner:
Snack:
Total: #of calories/points
I feel ya I'm right on the border of you (I can look out my apartment window and see Canada. Yes, I really am that close! lol) and this winter has been brutal. Few weeks ago I lived about 20 miles away (I use to live waaay out in the country) from the closet gym and with the weather it just wasn't practical to walk outside and I couldn't afford to spend gas money on a 40 mile round trip. I have gained weight because of this. I finally just accepted it. It is what it is. I've moved few weeks ago and now the gym is just a hop and skip away. I still find it can be a pain in you know what to get there. My only advice I can offer is don't worry, it's ok. And take it one day at a time. On days when the weather is better (which seems to be far in between anymore) bundle up and head to the gym. And remember walking to the gym adds more to your workout. Each time you go try something new. You may find something you love that way. I learned that I love weight lifting and running. In fact I love it more then I liked yoga. I would have never thought that before.
And research and do lots of it. You will learn more then you can ever imagine about dieting and health. Overtime you will learn what works for you (I've learned a lot and I'm still learning two years later!). I found sugar is a big no-no for me but yet carbs seem to be ok. While I have a friend that can eat candy all day and doesn't affect her weight but she looks at bread and poof 5lbs.
When it came to dieting I found trying slowly worked best for me. Find what works for you.
Hang in there Hun. It's been a rough and gloomy winter. Once summer gets here it'll be easier to walk to the gym.
Your post in reply to me is much more positive than your first post gave me to think.
I just want to add, that i do not plan my meals. I might think about the odd meal when i'im shopping at the supermarket. You know i might buy some fish with a particular purpose in mind or this or that vegetable, but generally i don't spend any time planning my meals. But i do find the food diary really helpful.
I don't spend a lot of time cooking either.
I think studying can make you want to eat more.
The only way i can stop being a slave to crap food is to eat regular meals that are of nutritious food.
Maybe you are pushing yourself too hard. In view there is nothing wrong with pasta or curry but if you are eating too much of it then well there's your problem. Maybe you need a bit of a break from all the work. ON the weekends for instance? Its so easy to let study be all consuming.
glad my post helped you a bit.
Yeah, I need to maybe relax a little bit. And there are definitely 2 days a week that are free from school that I have to myself. Yes it is! haha you're right. I am actually going to do just that. I have comprised a grocery list that's really healthy and that I'm excited about. Baby argula, salmon fillets, tomatos, celery, etc I'm going to build on meals with foods I really like that are healthy.
If you already cook a lot of what you eat, then you're ahead of the game.
It's really two separate issues:
1) Cooking in a healthy way (pan sear or bake instead of fry, cutting down some of the fat/calories, adding in vegetables, etc) to still give you the flavors that you want to eat.
2) The second issue with food is portion control. If you familiarize yourself with serving sizes (2oz of dry pasta, 1/2 cup of cooked rice, 3-4 oz of poultry/meat, 1-1.5 cups of soup, chili or stew) then you'll be able to get a better idea of how much to eat.
For example, to me, a 2oz portion of pasta is not filling. Instead of going hungry, I saute as many non-starchy vegetables as I want, mix with my pasta, and top with sauce. Voila, my bowl of pasta is huge, more nutritious, and I get a lot of calorie bang for my buck.
Planning
Another helpful tool for me is to make a dish and immediately separate it into the correct number of servings. I just eat one serving instead of sneaking forkfuls or just a bit more from a larger pot. I go further and freeze them, but that's just a personal preference so that I can stock up for long periods of time.
The most helpful thing I've done, though, is make a plan. I can pinpoint all of my past failure in eating well to having no plan. I'd say, "I'm going to eat healthy" but I had no idea WHAT I would eat.
For the past 6 years, I spend a few minutes writing down my meals with calorie counts and weight watchers points (you don't necessarily need to do that).
Breakfast:
Snack:
Lunch:
Snack:
Dinner:
Snack:
Total: #of calories/points
I love your idea, and I've definitely thought of making meals and freezing them. (I need to put more effort like you hehe) Quite honestly, what you've said doesn't sound like a diet to me, just a bit of common sense. I do need a framework of a plan so that I know what I'm doing. I have a few ideas already, and I reallly appreciate those links, I get excited about cooking food that's healthy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by diamondgeog
Bunny,
I was almost exactly where you were a short 11 months ago. A 5 9 guy at 285.
I googled why am I so hungry after a huge fast food meal. My best google of all time. I finally learned about insulin, food storage, blood sugar. I learned I had put my body in permanent fat storage mode and was always hungry because my body was storing not using my calories.
Why would my body EVER burn it's stored fat? No reason to. It knew tons of sugar/carbs were just around the corner.
So I eliminated bread, pasta, potatoes, fast food, junk snacks. And it was MAGIC. Actually science. It was hard at first then my bodies ability to burn fat kindled. In carb counters there is a thread Why Am I low carb. You might enjoy it.
Yes, I know for a FACT that stuffing popcorn and eating bowl after bowl of rice and pasta is what is doing the damage. I've figured out that I won't be hungry for something sweet if there is nothing in the house! Fruits do the trick for me. I'm definitely removing the foods that are horrible for me...today! It's good to know you've made so much progress!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wannabeskinny
Tell me about it I hate snow!! And I hate cold! And this has been such an awful winter and it doesn't seem to want to end. Normally I don't have a problem going outside for a walk in bad weather but I have a toddler that I take with me in the stroller and well, I can't subject him to 20degree long walks in the park now can I? So I've done a lot of home workouts which are my least favorite kind of work outs (except for cardio machines, god I hate treadmills with a passion).
If you're looking for some support in changing the way you eat but NOT dieting then check out the intuitive eating threads. I feel so much better ever since I stopped dieting and much more in control of my body/mind/food intake. We have a lot of stuff we need to worry about, food shouldn't be one of them.
Right?! I bought Just Dance 2014 for the Wii U, which I used a lot for a while...but then our bedroom had flooding! So our mattress has been in the living room while the landlord fixes it up and then cleans the carpet. But it hasn't been finished yet BUT I do have a membership, and I promised myself I would go there today.
I will definitely be looking at your threads. I have been on diets my entire life since I was 13, I just don't want to diet anymore.
I feel ya I'm right on the border of you (I can look out my apartment window and see Canada. Yes, I really am that close! lol) and this winter has been brutal. Few weeks ago I lived about 20 miles away (I use to live waaay out in the country) from the closet gym and with the weather it just wasn't practical to walk outside and I couldn't afford to spend gas money on a 40 mile round trip. I have gained weight because of this. I finally just accepted it. It is what it is. I've moved few weeks ago and now the gym is just a hop and skip away. I still find it can be a pain in you know what to get there. My only advice I can offer is don't worry, it's ok. And take it one day at a time. On days when the weather is better (which seems to be far in between anymore) bundle up and head to the gym. And remember walking to the gym adds more to your workout. Each time you go try something new. You may find something you love that way. I learned that I love weight lifting and running. In fact I love it more then I liked yoga. I would have never thought that before.
And research and do lots of it. You will learn more then you can ever imagine about dieting and health. Overtime you will learn what works for you (I've learned a lot and I'm still learning two years later!). I found sugar is a big no-no for me but yet carbs seem to be ok. While I have a friend that can eat candy all day and doesn't affect her weight but she looks at bread and poof 5lbs.
When it came to dieting I found trying slowly worked best for me. Find what works for you.
Hang in there Hun. It's been a rough and gloomy winter. Once summer gets here it'll be easier to walk to the gym.
And I am SO excited for summer and spring! I can't wait to go down to the beach and walk the pretty trails they have here. It's about a 20 minute walk to the gym, it's totally do able. And it's a great gym too. I have my favorites, definitely. I feel so good when I work out, I just zone out into my music and I also do some weight lifting and stomach exercising. I do have to take it slow though. I can't work out like I used to, that's for sure.
And you're right, it's going to be okay!! I will be okay.
I feel so much more hopeful because of what you all shared. I feel really good and I'm going to make some changes on day at a time.
You can't out exercise bad eating, unfortunately. Square away that side of the equation first, if it seems too overwhelming to do both at once. But just focusing on physical activity with no diet overhaul will feel an awful lot like spinning your wheels after a few weeks.
And the advice to find something you love is spot on - but again, not so much for weight control as mood improvement, a sense of well being, and an active role in self care. It doesn't impact the scale nearly so much as what we consume and the type/volume of food, but that isn't to say there aren't myriad other benefits to physical activity.
That said I lost pretty much all my weight without regular workouts. The workouts were for strengthening, they didn't actually affect my size (my shape is another story).
I love your idea, and I've definitely thought of making meals and freezing them. (I need to put more effort like you hehe) Quite honestly, what you've said doesn't sound like a diet to me, just a bit of common sense. I do need a framework of a plan so that I know what I'm doing. I have a few ideas already, and I reallly appreciate those links, I get excited about cooking food that's healthy.
Yes, I know for a FACT that stuffing popcorn and eating bowl after bowl of rice and pasta is what is doing the damage. I've figured out that I won't be hungry for something sweet if there is nothing in the house! Fruits do the trick for me. I'm definitely removing the foods that are horrible for me...today! It's good to know you've made so much progress!
Right?! I bought Just Dance 2014 for the Wii U, which I used a lot for a while...but then our bedroom had flooding! So our mattress has been in the living room while the landlord fixes it up and then cleans the carpet. But it hasn't been finished yet BUT I do have a membership, and I promised myself I would go there today.
I will definitely be looking at your threads. I have been on diets my entire life since I was 13, I just don't want to diet anymore.
Diets in the conventional sense are my pet peeve. I will say I'm not a fan, in any way, shape, or form, of intuitive eating for actually losing weight. Maintenance it works quite well, and for clearing head issues relating to your relationship with your body, but I haven't found they effectively deal with someone like me who consistently eats too much and has no full button, really, even on a very nutritious, delicious plan.
What you have to do is find a way of eating you can live with. Ditch the word diet if you must, but a great strategy is not adopting ANY behavior or change for losing weight that you aren't willing to maintain for the rest or your life. No 'on the diet' or 'off the diet' mentality, but rather one day and choice at a time, with no end date and no winning or losing. Just living your life sanely with food you like in amounts that support your health instead of worsening it.
My personal experience is that maintenance is much, much easier on low carb, with the rare higher carb day thrown in on my birthday and such. But everyone is different - find what works for you, but be aware that intuitive eating can pretty much lead to increased fattening in a woman like myself whose intuition, as it were, always asks for more
The maritimes are so worth it in the summer... what a gorgeous place! And it was -50C here in Saskatchewan for a good part of the winter. I'll take the snow any day.
I do agree with Arctic though, you're going to need to start making at least small dietary changes. The exercise will make you stronger, but not smaller.
Also, I know that Newfoundland is notorious for the cost of fresh food, so don't be afraid of frozen veggies and fruit etc. I have good friends from Mount Pearl originally, and I know that when they go back the sticker shock about does them in!
Iv'e never been up in Canada before, but Iv'e heard from several people that it can get pretty nasty and I've also seen TV shows where they show episodes and places up in Canada. It is so pretty! But you need to force yourself to get out of that apartment and go to the gym. They may be why you felt like you were having a panic attack to begin with, you were in one place for so long so you were starting to feel crowded in and maybe even felt like you were suffocating? Because if that's the case, don't worry, i feel that way too sometimes. Yes, It's harder when your working for hours on end, but you need to make time for yourself, you can't neglect yourself entirely and expect the weight to just come off. Put on that insulated coat, gloves, boots, scarf, and get walking to the gym. The weather may be bad, but you said you always feel better when you exercise, so if it makes you feel good, then do it, despite the procrastinations you keep having. You might just be making exscuses for yourself to not exercise too, because you feel you don't have the time or don't feel like it. Noone feels like it, and everyone makes excuses, you just have to make excuses to exercise. Because everyone always feels better after exercising. Why stop doing something that makes you feel good anyway? You'll feel much better after you exercise, more energized, and feel proud that you took the time to take care of yourself for a better you! Good luck!
Diets in the conventional sense are my pet peeve. I will say I'm not a fan, in any way, shape, or form, of intuitive eating for actually losing weight. Maintenance it works quite well, and for clearing head issues relating to your relationship with your body, but I haven't found they effectively deal with someone like me who consistently eats too much and has no full button, really, even on a very nutritious, delicious plan.
What you have to do is find a way of eating you can live with. Ditch the word diet if you must, but a great strategy is not adopting ANY behavior or change for losing weight that you aren't willing to maintain for the rest or your life. No 'on the diet' or 'off the diet' mentality, but rather one day and choice at a time, with no end date and no winning or losing. Just living your life sanely with food you like in amounts that support your health instead of worsening it.
My personal experience is that maintenance is much, much easier on low carb, with the rare higher carb day thrown in on my birthday and such. But everyone is different - find what works for you, but be aware that intuitive eating can pretty much lead to increased fattening in a woman like myself whose intuition, as it were, always asks for more
Ahhh! I know! I love food so much that I get excited to eat! I do need to make real changes and I am definitely a person who will eat and eat because they love all kinds of food. I don't think intuitive eating would be very...effective.
I think working out (very lightly of course) really gives me an ego boost. I feel really good when I know I moved a lot. I do not own a scale, but I have taken measurements. Of course, inevitably, I have to change the way I eat if I want to lose weight. That's a no-brainer. I have a lot of ideas going but I don't think I could count calories again, I felt like a prisoner doing that.
Thank you for the advice! Although, I already know how this will probably start...I'll end up doing LoseIt! again.
Iv'e never been up in Canada before, but Iv'e heard from several people that it can get pretty nasty and I've also seen TV shows where they show episodes and places up in Canada. It is so pretty! But you need to force yourself to get out of that apartment and go to the gym. They may be why you felt like you were having a panic attack to begin with, you were in one place for so long so you were starting to feel crowded in and maybe even felt like you were suffocating? Because if that's the case, don't worry, i feel that way too sometimes. Yes, It's harder when your working for hours on end, but you need to make time for yourself, you can't neglect yourself entirely and expect the weight to just come off. Put on that insulated coat, gloves, boots, scarf, and get walking to the gym. The weather may be bad, but you said you always feel better when you exercise, so if it makes you feel good, then do it, despite the procrastinations you keep having. You might just be making exscuses for yourself to not exercise too, because you feel you don't have the time or don't feel like it. Noone feels like it, and everyone makes excuses, you just have to make excuses to exercise. Because everyone always feels better after exercising. Why stop doing something that makes you feel good anyway? You'll feel much better after you exercise, more energized, and feel proud that you took the time to take care of yourself for a better you! Good luck!
Yes! Someone who knows! I've found that certain veggies and fruits are just so ridiculous I should only get them on occasion! It's so different than the U.S.! I am adapting pretty well though I think. I love it here so much, but the weather! bah! The landscape reminds me of Ireland, and I love that I can take a trip down to the coast a few times in the summer. We don't have a car yet, but it's on the to-do list. I do feel better when I exercise.
I think my issue is that I want to eat like someone who has already lost their weight and wants to maintain. I just feel like eating to lose weight will be such a struggle and I don't know if I can commit to counting calories. I can definitely commit to cutting food out that is not good for me, and I know exactly what those foods are.
I just don't want to feel like I am starving myself.
I've used Loseit every day but a handful (like, Christmas and giving birth, I didn't track food those days) for the past five years. It's crucial to my personal success and the more you use it the easier and faster it becomes. Tracking software is great
I think perhaps your mental state is your biggest hindrance currently. First, you don't have to be at the gym to lose weight. You can lose weight easily without exercising. Of course its a good idea to move about but you don't need to go running, go to the gym or any of those other things, particularly when you are at your current weight. I am not exercising on my diet though i do some physical activity. I mow the lawns which is quite physical. and i do a bit of other gardening activities. I also walk about the property a fair but i do spend a lot of my time sitting on my bum at my computer.
Remember weight loss is 80% diet. It doesn't matter if you don't want to start with exercise. You can come to it later when you feel more like it.
When you are depressed and fearful its hard to kick start a diet. In fact, you will have to manage your food intake but you don't have to suffer too much. I don't . IN fact i avoid suffering at all costs.
What you will have to do is eat better food.
What i suggest is working out your current maintenance calories using my fitness pal or similar and eat according to those for about week or until your mood starts to settle down and you start to feel more optimistic.
Cut out whatever it is you are stuffing into your mouth that you know is adding no nutrition and just making you hungry. If that's bread, then cut it out. You can bring it back later. If its sweets, cut it out. If its ice-cream, cut it out. If its takeaways cut it out. if its chips and salsa cut it out. Chuck everything out of the house that falls into this category and don't let it come in. Look the other way or leave the room if someone else is doing it in front of you.
Start making your own food. Minimise buying anything readymade in a packet.
Start your food diary again. List everything. quantities included.
Try to eat mainly three meals a day but if those meals are still quite large, break them down into fewer smaller meals.
I generally try to eat breakfast before 9am, lunch at noon, a glass of wine or some fruit at 4-5pm and a dinner between 6-7pm. And nothing after that.
When i started my diet this time, i put a lot of effort into talking myself into RESOLVE to resist eating the wrong things and overeating. So start working on your resolve. Later on this will be second nature and you won't need to worry so much but i found it helpful at the beginning.
Remember just doing this, you should not be hungry. You are still eating a lot. But if you are hungry it may be because your seratonin levels are still low. Keep eating healthy and they will come back up. When you start feeling normal and well again, start your diet. Start reducing your calorie intake but do not do it by too much. Just plug in a loss of half a pound a week. THERE IS NO HURRY. You will be fine if you do it this way and the weight will fall of you, with ease and without strain.
If you have nothing to do in your life but eat and watch tv, consider trying to find something else interesting to do and fill your life with. Try volunteering. I am doing it one afternoon a week and its good. I've recently taken up sewing and have started a small business. That is good for me though its also been a source of stress. Stress is bad for dieting but i have learnt how to manage it and get over it quickly. When i get stressed, i stop focusing on losing and just make sure i stick to my healthy eating plan.
I weigh myself every day but i don't worry too much about what it says on a daily basis because i know the scales go up and down all the time. There are reason for that.
So when you decide you are ready to try again, come back to this thread and try to follow the ideas i've given you. You will see it works.
When you have nothing else to do, start educating yourself about nutrition. Do not fall for all the diet food fads. There are no miracle foods. They are just trying to get your money.
Read the articles on hormones on the nutrition wonderland website. Read them a few times. Take on board the information they tell you there. I have found the knowledge in those articles on seratonin, leptin, insulin, dopamine and fibre very useful this time. Understanding this stuff helps you make better choices and helps you not to worry so much about the wrong things.
I'll offer you more advice if you want it.
You cannot afford to give up on yourself. You just need to get ready and be willing to change your life. It is possible and its not hard when you know what you are doing.
Oh I needed to hear this so badly right now! I'm going to try this today, I'm just going to do it.
It's hard because my bf eats a lot of junk but he doesn't have a weight issue like I do. And he doesn't want to do any of my diet plans or eat the food I'm going to have to prepare. A part of it is that we are living on an extreme budget, so it's up to me to not eat that kind of food that he has. I think I can do that rather well, so I'll just have to make rules about certain foods that I can't allow because they are my ultimate weak spots.
He'd be okay with that! I have to tell him to not get me treats or snack food, he always wants to bring me 'study food' but I gotta tell him no!
BUT I do have a membership, and I promised myself I would go there today. 
I do need to make real changes and I am definitely a person who will eat and eat because they love all kinds of food. I don't think intuitive eating would be very...effective. 