Well...I lost 5 pounds this summer and 2 inches off my waist. This made my clothes fit so much better. I even spent a fortune on bras to have the best possible fit.

Then....summer ended and last week I returned to my teaching job AND started my new semester of grad school.

OH NO....I managed to put food in my mouth, but I did not manage to count calories. I was beyond exhausted because I worked for hours after school on paperwork. I managed to walk my dog ONE TIME.

I am so bummed. My weight this morning was back up to 148. My pants were fitting a little tighter by the end of the week.

I simply must get on track. This summer I planned 1000 calories the night before that I would eat from breakfast to 4:00. Then my additional 600 calories were available for supper and a night snack. I also worked out 30 minutes a day.

How can I do this now? I know ther first week of college as well as the first week of teaching almost 100 kids would be hectic for anyone. I am just so bummed that my body can change so fast!! At least my body can get fat again fast...why can't I get skinny that fast

I have been at the computer pretty much ALL DAY doing homework for grad school and I guess I am just needing to vent.

How do those of you who have equally busy lives find the way to make calorie counting and exercising (or should I say YOURSELF) a priority?

I am very, very organized in my school and in my teaching. I really would appreciate any tips. I can't give up. I know I don't have hundreds of pounds to lose, but I have lugged the same 20 pounds around for a very long time. I really feel a little defeated right now because I can see how my behavior this past week or so has done this to me.

Thanks for letting me vent and thanks in advance SO MUCH for any tips.

I plan EVERYTHING. Every meal, every calorie. Even if it's only one day at a time, it's done in advance. And I always have emergency snacks on hand so I don't end up buying junk. And when I get home late at night, I work out anyway. If I'm home but busy with whatever, I plan a time to work out. It's only 45 minutes or an hour and then I'm back to whatever I need to do. For me, exercise is non-negotiable. You just have to make a healthy lifestyle a priority and stick with it. You can do it!

This is the frustrating part. I know how you feel, it seems like it doesn't take much at all for me to gain weight back if I'm not careful with what I put in my mouth. I only wish it came off that fast, why can't it be as easy to burn 3500 calories as it is to scarf it down? But that's why we know this has to be a lifestyle change, and keep with it. We all have our slip ups, but so long as you get back on the right track you'll be just fine

As far as making it a priority, you just have to do it. Like any other responsibility you have that you'd never dream of pushing to the side, taking care of yourself needs to be pushed up into that same spot. I used my busy life as an excuse for a long time (not saying that's what you're doing, I was justifying) but one day it clicked that I just had to make it a priority. After all, when we don't take good care of ourselves, we won't be there in the best form to take care of everything else we need to.

Sit down and plan out meals one day, or a few at a time for a few days. Figure out the calorie count, and then pick and choose when you're figuring out what to eat for the day. Or, find a site that will plan out your meals for you and just eat what they say to. Either way, the work is already done. Get up early to exercise if you have to, get up and take a ten minute break and walk every couple of hours while you do homework, or just decide that a certain time slot is for exercising and don't budge. All you really can do is commit and go for it.

Hey, i don't know that i am as busy as you are, but for me its all in the planning. when i was at uni (and now i'm on my internship) i took food with me, and would only take enough money to get the bus home (and then only if the weather looked crappy in the morning) that way even if i REALLY wanted to buy crap from vending machines or the SU shop, i physically couldn't =] worked a treat for me. as for exercise, you just have to look at the things we all think we have to have- you know, watch your favourite tv shows for an hour to relax- yoga is just as relaxing and burns some calories...tv and yoga at the same time? win! i also try and get at least a 30 minute work out in before i go to bed, helps me sleep...annoys the man downtairs who keeps stealing my post...its all good!

Good luck hun and don't stress it! you'll get there!
xXx

I had made this huge decision that I would work out 30 minutes a day. I even created a thread on here. I did SO WELL.

For example, Friday...I worked 7-4, went out to eat with my husband, came home for FIVE minutes....went back to work (school dance) from 6-9. I know that is an extreme example, but I just wanted to show why I am feeling so overwhelmed.

I guess starting tonight I plan tomorrow, then tomorrow night, I plan MOnday and so on.....

As far as the exercise, you are right....I will just go back to my 30 minutes a day even if it is walking in place in front of the t.v. at night

I think the weight gain and the inches obviously is why I am so bummed. I have all these clothes ironed for next week that I ironed the week before last and NOW I am sure they will be snug....that seems so BIZARRE.

Thanks guys. This is why I am on this site. You guys are supportive.

Eeep. thats a crazy long day! But planning food really doesn't take long. once you get into the habit of doing it, its like nothing.

my tip would be never to iron... it works for me. i am currently having a feud with the tumble dryer. it hates me and i hate the instant fat day it gives me every time it shrinks my jeans a size. evil contraption.

xXx

Oh for sure - it's all in the planning. "Failing to plan IS planning to fail".

Ummm, just looks like you'll have to make some adjustments and carve out the time, after all - it's worthy of the time. Any and all time spent on making your a trim, slim, active, fit, happiest, healthiest YOU is indeed time very well spent. It'll free you up to take on the days and nights ahead of you.

Eventually (and not so long into this), you'll get it all down pat. You'll have a few go to breakfasts, a few go to lunches and a bunch of go to dinners and snacks. It will become automatic to you. You'll do it by rote, without having to put much thought into it. Of course though, you will have to have the right foods on hand and do the preparing. But again - it's time well spent.

I can't stress this enough - this (eating well and exercising) there is no compromising on. It's just THAT important. If you have to let the beds go unmade, the laundry pile up a bit, so be it - but *THIS* is a TOP PRIORITY.

You mentioned how fast the weight comes back on, fortunately if you are consistent with your eating/exercise, it really won't take all THAT long to get off. Catch it now. Right now, before it gets further out of hand.

You CAN do this. And you should. I mean, why wouldn't you?

I agree about it becoming rote if I have go-to meals. I just got so discouraged. But, you know, tomorrow is another day, right? I know it is important not to give up. It is like I have victory in every other area of my life, so why is this so hard for me?

Thanks to everyone for your words. I really, really needed the encouragement.

You HAVE to be organized with such a busy schedule like that, so I'm sure planning your food and exercise out in advance will be easypeasy for you!

I got back on track today....ate well and am about to take dog on our 30 minute walk. I know what my problem is....I think of my weight loss as some extravagant thing I am doing for me...a luxury. I really need to get my mind around the fact that losing this weight is every bit as important as my grad school homework or writing lesson plans (two areas where I NEVER allow myself to be slack).

A big help for me when I was super-busy during the week was to super-prep everything on the weekend. I would cook eggs and a slice of ham ahead of time and layer it with a piece of cheese to be ready for breakfast sandwiches in the mornings. Sometimes I'd pre-cook up a large batch of breakfast burritos and wrap these individually in the freezer to pop in the microwave.
I would often make some sort of casserole or crock pot dish - measured ahead of time for 5-6 servings - then put this all in tupperwares in the fridge to be ready for the week.
If you can cut up some veggies and get some small containers for a few Tbsp of hummus... you can just grab and go.

Hang in there!!

Charmtime - You are right, losing weight and being healthy is not an extravagance. I just returned to school this week (10 weeks of classes and then I start my Pre Professional Teaching Sequence). I looked at my schedule and my families schedule and realized the only time I could get my work out in was to get up at 5am and jog or get on the elyptical.

To stay on track during the day I decided to pack all of my meals. Not only is it healthier, but it is less expensive then grabbing a bite on the go too.