Feeling like...
 

...I'm that infamous blind guy stumbling round a dark room looking for a black dog that isn't there.

My weight's been creeping up this week - I probably shouldn't weigh myself so often, I know. I've been semi-tracking my calories and have discovered that it's really hard to get to about 1500-1600 calories a day. I've ended up zigzagging, pretty much unintentionally, and yet I "feel" heavy.

I know zilch about nutrition and am completely overwhelmed by the idea of having to put healthy meal plans together (hence my attempt today to construct a fixed evening meal plan for the week, but I'm stuck on thinking of something for the weekend). I don't know what protein- and carb-rich but low-fat foods are. I don't know how to put things together. Drat it, I don't even know which flavours might taste good combined. I feel like I've missed out on some big chunk of Life Knowledge that to everyone else is just "well, DUH!"

In terms of exercise, other than cycling to and from town and choir practise and the like (at least 5 miles there and back together), I haven't been doing anything since Sunday. I need to hear from my gym, as the PT was going to call me two weeks ago but didn't - I rang them on Monday to find out what was going on and need to ring back as I've still heard nothing from them about it.

In my first month I've lost 16lbs. I know that's good. But honestly? I didn't lose that weight because I was eating sensibly. It went because I'm sick and had no appetite and couldn't finish a slice of bread! I had no energy.

So now I'm trying to get better, trying to exercise, trying to eat properly - and I can feel myself getting heavier. It's horrid and I don't like it. It's like I'm once again losing control over something which, if people on 3fc are to be believed, is can be controlled by my own force of will. So why the heck isn't it working?

I'm sorry to rant, but thanks for letting me do so. At the moment it feels like - just with me and trying to pass the driving test - I'll never succeed at this; I'll never be at a healthy weight; I'll never be slim. And that's a horrid horrid feeling :cry:

I found this on-line nutrition guide which looks pretty good. Healthy Eating

When you say you have been sick, what do you mean? Like physically sick? Or are you having other problems.

You can succeed and be slim, we all can, but you don't want to feel sick. And it sounds like you might have other issues relating to control. I'm not sure what to say to be of any help, but you can come here and rant any time. :hug:

I'm doing the Nutrisystem Flex Plan (5 days on their system, 2 days off eating all your own stuff) and they send a booklet with it that gives checklists for both type of days. It's really REALLY helped me, and even my sister has taken the list for the "off days" (which really are just days that you have to feed yourself, it still keeps you between 1300 to 1600 cals a day if you follow it right) and has lost a few pounds using it as a checklist!

This is what a day looks like (each one means a serving size of that particular type of food, & if you don't know how many grams or whatever is in a serving of that particular type of food, be it grams, ounces, or cups, etc, just look it up online, or on the label, etc. Typically for meats, it's an ounce, for veggies a cup if raw, half a cup if cooked, and a medium size fruit or 1/2 a cup canned fruit, etc.):

Breakfast -

1 Dairy
1 Protein
1 Fruit
1 Carb

Lunch -

2 Proteins
2 Veggies
1 Carb
1 Fat

Snack -

1 Dairy OR Protein
1 Fruit

Dinner -

3 Protein
1 Fruit OR Veggie
1 Veggie
1 Carb
2 Fat

Dessert -

1 Dairy
1 Carb



I don't know if other people here would agree with that.... but it's certainly worked for me and my sister! I've lost about 30lbs since May! :) A lot of people think that NS is an easy cop out to lose weight... but truly if you look at and use it the way you're supposed to... all it does is teach you what's right to eat, and portions! Which is exactly what I needed.... ;)

if you are really struggling counting calories and having trouble with nutrition, would you consider giving weight watchers a go? everything is pointed out for you, very few things you have to work out yourself and if you do its simply following a graph, lots of things are free, so you dont have to work out how many calories are in 2 slices of tomato, or in a slice of lettuce, their recipes have the points already worked out per serving so you dont have to worry about nutrition or how much of something is in your sauce or dish. if you have any questions, or cant work out the points for something, a professional is right there every week.

i tried calorie counting, and i felt so overwhelmed by it. weight watchers is easy. if you have the money to spare it is most definitley worth it.

you can do this, you will be slim, you are succeeding at this!!!!

I was going to suggest something similar. Sounds like you could use a plan that has some recipes to try--that's how you find out about foods. There are dozens of books out there, many in libraries, filled with weight-loss recipes, and many of them are easy and take a minimum of kitchen skills. But you can learn about foods that way!

Good luck, you can do this! Really!

Jay