[McKenziesmomma]

Hi everyone

I'm not new to 3FC, but I am fairly new to WW. I started WW on 10/31/10. For about 3 weeks I was kicking butt and taking names. I lost 10.2 pounds in 3 weeks. I did this soley by following the POINTS plan (NOT Points Plus cause it wasn't out yet). I felt GREAT! I really felt satisfied all day. I felt like I was getting to eat foods I like, and I didn't feel deprived. I mean if I wanted a snickers bar....I ate it, but I figured it into my points.

During these 3 weeks, I DID NOT exercise at all. The reason I didn't exercise is because I wanted to take everything slow. In previous attempts to lose weight I would make all my changes to diet and exercise at the same time. After a few days or weeks, I would quit.

Well, this attempt has been no different. Even though I didn't exercise and I was doing great, after about 3 weeks I fell WAY off the wagon! I am not quitting or giving up hope. I love WW. I love the new plan. I love losing weight.

My delimma seems to be after about 2-3 weeks I start to become overwhelmed and frustrated. I get frustrated that I am having to cook all the time. I get frustrated that I am having to pack my lunches every night for the next day. I always feel like I'm planning, packing, cooking, or prepping something to do with food. So...I get really mad and frustrated and quit for about 2 weeks. I quit planning and cooking and prepping my lunches. Instead I eat out 2-3 times a day. In the process I gain 2-5 pounds back, and I start running low on cash from all the eating out.

Am I the only one that has these feelings? Is there anything I can do to STAY on track and overcome the stress? Any suggestions?

Thanks everyone

[Ashley777]

Hi MM, this may or may not help but I started doing this a few months ago and finds it helps. I have a fridge and freezer at work so I bring enought bread for a few sandwhiches I use one peice per sandwich and I bring a package of sliced turkey and bag up some spinach so I have enough stuff to make sandwiches while I am at work. I also bring several peices of fruit for the week some almonds and baggies of cereal so i have choices at work as I often eat breakfast here as well. So once or twice a week I just throw some stuff in a bag and it stays at work. If you don't have a fridge it will not work of course. I also make extra chicken and fish on nights i eat that for dinner than have it for lunch the next day.
I agree part of staying on plan is cooking and making lunch. I work at a university so two floors below me is one giant food court with everything you could imagine to eat. I have always been pretty good at not eating out but after two months of working here i saw we have a new york fries. My weakness is not fries but I do love new york fries and when I have a weak momment it is so easy to go buy some or go buy some A & W.
I congratulate you for staying on plan for two or three weeks! sometimes I have trouble just making it three days.

[Jojo381972]

^^I hear you. I'm not the best planner, and have a history of eating out.

I've started to take a day on the weekend, and make a lot of food for the week so i can' have it on hand to take to work. I make spaghetti sauces, or rice,beans and veggies. I put them in separate plastic containers so I can easily use them during the week. You can also freeze food if you want.

When you eat out, is it healthy food? I eat out quite a bit, but when I do I usually eat at subway and have roasted chicken, six inch sub with honey mustard and no cheese. I find it quite filling, but can become costly over time.

Regarding the exercise... walking is a great way to start into it. I walk to and from work and to the gym and back. I think it is a good way to start and you can build up from there.

[peanutt]

I've totally been there! What I find works for me is scheduling a day off from tracking once each week. I still try my hardest to make good choices during that day, but I don't worry about the number of points in everything I'm eating. I find that day off necessary to keep from getting bogged down in constantly thinking about your food and what's in it and how many points it's worth.

I also do what a PP did and set aside one day every week or two to do big batches of cooking. I'll cut up veggies for quick snacks, prepare sauces, precook chicken for use in recipes later in the week and make a couple of freezer friendly meals. A favourite meal of mine is turkey chili made in the slowcooker. It makes a big batch (enough for 8 lunches usually) and freezes really well.

Would it help you out to earn your eating out as a reward? You could pay yourself $1 for every day that you stay on plan and prep your own meals. You could try to make that the only money you can use to eat out. I find rewards like that very motivating.

Good luck! You can stick this out and keep losing!

[traceriffic]

I hate cooking and am very lazy. There, I said it.

I eat out a lot, but I just make sure that I know the nutritional info at my go-to places like the back of my hand. I'm also an intense creature of habit, so I don't usually order new and exotic things.

At home, I make sure the meals I do "cook" are very simple. Whole wheat pasta with low-point bottled jar sauce, lean ground beef to make tacos, burgers, etc. Tuna for salads and sandwiches. Now, lots of fresh fruits and veggies. I keep it very simple because I know I will fail otherwise.

Good luck!