[Georgiegirl1970]

Okay, here's my story.

I was reading the story in Oprah magazine at lunch today, about "Blogging Your Way Thin" and found the link to this site and thought I'd give it a try. I can definitely use a support group- can't we all?
I'm not in the same boat as a lot of people as I only have about 20 or so pounds to lose, but I've been tracking my behavior for the past month or so and am seeing some disturbing patterns that I'd love to change.

I definitely eat too much and I eat the wrong things most of the time. I'm under a lot of stress (most of which is self inflicted) and I have a hard time making it to the gym with any regularity.

The thing that spurred me to seek help, aside from the Oprah article, was when I did a calorie count of my lunch on Wednesday. I was out running errands on my lunch hour and stopped at Taco Bell. My intention was to just order one chalupa, since I really don't like Diet Pepsi and they only serve Pepsi products, and I really didn't need the extra taco or extra chalupa that comes with the two chalupa meal. One is enough.
So, I pulled up to the drive-up speaker and barked "Number two, supreme, beef, hard-shell and diet", like some army drill seargent. Crap. So much for that one-chalupa intention.

Then I went back to work, sat at my desk and scarfed the whole mess down while reading e-mail. After eating all that wonderful, fatty, salty, carb-filled, sour-cream-y mess, I started craving chocolate. So I took my spare change down to the basement vending machine where I bought the extra large size package of Little Debbie Nutty Bars. And then I took the elevator back upstairs, sat at my desk and ate them both.

While I was eating them, the nutrition facts on the package caught my eye, so I went to Taco Bell's website and looked up the nutrition facts of my meal and combined them with the nutty bar. It was enough to make me want to puke. 2200 calories. 150-some fat grams. 180-some grams of carbs. Holy cow, what did I just do to my body??

And the crazy thing is how I just sabotaged all my efforts from the previous three weeks to eat healthier and bring good foods to work so I could avoid the vending machine. Why? I dunno. Because I love the taste of chalupas. Because I always like to have some sweet after some salty. Because it made me feel better. (Or did it?) Because I'd already destroyed the diet earlier in the week, why not just keep going and have something I like?

I can't keep doing this to myself.

I've read so many weight-loss articles since January, so many articles about loving yourself and being good to yourself, so many articles about health and nutrition and exercise. I know what to do. That's not the problem. I just need to stick with it.

Is there anyone else out there like me? I'm a small mess, yes, but I'm glimpsing the future quagmire I see myself in very soon if I don't stop the madness.

I'm 36. I have three teenagers and have been "fixed". No more kids. I've been married for 19 years. I work full time and do the books for my husband's two businesses on Saturdays.

I've tried Atkins. It worked until I stopped. For about three years, my husband and I "did" Atkins. Very loosely. We were either on Induction, or we were totally off everything and eating JUNK and talking about how we needed to get back on Induction. Har har.

I read the South Beach Diet, but it didn't interest me. Too much like Atkins.

We joined a local gym back in October. I go with my kids, but he's only been once, for less than an hour. I like going to the gym. I love doing cardio, but won't go near the weight room as I don't understand how to use the equipment and it looks totally boring. I usually do an 80-minute workout: 30 minutes on the treadmill, 30 on the elliptical and 20 on the stationary bike. I feel so good after I go, but it's hard to just GO! I live 30 minutes from the gym, so that's part of it. Every trip to the gym requires an additional hour in driving time. I've tried to make it part of my schedule to plan on going Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. It hasn't worked for more than a week at a time. Something always comes up. This week, I had a hair appointment on Thursday, so that was out. Tuesday I had "too much to do". I'm determined to go tomorrow morning. It will have been a week since I last went. I guess that's better than nothing, but I feel so awful. I know I can do better.

I'm trying to find healthy foods that I like and eat well, without following some version of some diet. It just seems to me that I should be able to eat a little of everything and keep it in moderation and not deny myself. Am I really going to have to swear off those chalupas for the rest of my life? And peanut M&M's? And Reese's miniatures? And french fries? And pizza? I shudder to think it. But I also don't want to die of heart disease and I don't want to get fatter than I already am.

I know some people would probably say, "Poor 135 pound baby", but mostly I just want to be healthy. I want to eat well. I want to exercise regularly and live a long, long time. I want to be one hot-looking old lady!

Sophia Loren, watch out!

[GatorgalstuckinGA]

well first...extra weight is extra weight. I only have about 50 lbs to loose, but everyine needs to keep an eye out. What i'm doing is not a "diet" per say. I am counting calories...but i'm eating what i want. But here's the key...i'm giving up most of the crap. I figure junk food isn't that good for you. I pretty much eat fresh fruit/veggies, grilled low fat protien. I do occasionally have chocolate when i crave it...but i don't sit down and "gorge out" on everything. I think being more aware of what you eat is important. I bring lots of healthy snack to work (almonds, fruits, low fat tortilla chips) and make sure i have plenty of things so i don't "run" to get the candy. I also make sure i prep lunch every night so i'm not tempted to "Grab a quick lunch" at a fast food place. And let me tell you...i have started to feel so much better. Good luck

[alinnell]

Originally Posted by Georgiegirl1970

I'm trying to find healthy foods that I like and eat well, without following some version of some diet. It just seems to me that I should be able to eat a little of everything and keep it in moderation and not deny myself. Am I really going to have to swear off those chalupas for the rest of my life? And peanut M&M's? And Reese's miniatures? And french fries? And pizza? I shudder to think it. But I also don't want to die of heart disease and I don't want to get fatter than I already am.

You've narrowed it down. That is a good start. Look around here at 3FC, visit the Whole Foods area--read about the SuperFoods and start adding those to your diet. (Dark chocolate is a SuperFood--and a lot of us routinely have some!)

The calorie counters area might be of help also. A lot (but not all) of us subscribe to the "anything in moderation" credo.

You don't have a lot to lose--check out the Featherweights section. That is for those of us that are down to the last few pounds or for those that don't have a huge amount to lose.

This isn't to say you aren't welcome in any other part of the forum! We jump all over, but you might get the information you need in those parts.

For a lot of us here, dieting just isn't cutting it for us. This is a lifestyle change. Good luck to you. I hope you stick around!

[Georgiegirl1970]

Thanks for the support. I'm heading to check out the "featherweight" section right now and laughing that that is what I'm considered. It's all relative, isn't it? I think I'm huge, but that's what the media wants me to believe.

P.S. Cute dogs!!

[CrazyDogLady]

Georgiegirl, I think your post says a lot about why there is such a problem in this country with weight and health! It is incredibly easy to eat wrong; it's not easy to eat right.

I gained 35 pounds over the last 7 years just by eating what actually was a pretty standard American diet. I'm 51, and I quit smoking 8 years ago, and I'm pretty active but not terribly -- I walk a lot but I don't run, or anything like that. I ate about 2000 to 2200 calories a day, I once figured. And I gained weight, just 5 or 6 pounds a year, and I'd take off a little bit of it but never really changed what I ate.

Now I refuse to go into middle age at increased risk for heart disease -- my dad died of a heart attack when he was 68 -- so I'm paying way more attention to what I eat. But it's not easy! I'm the 'weirdo' at the table who orders an appetizer for an entree. I'm the 'nutcase' who says no to lunch at Chipotle, because I know their burritos have more than 1000 calories. It's so much easier to go along ... but that made me fat, so I have to draw the line.

Good luck to you. I just found this board myself, but it looks like a super resource.

[40love]

You sound like me! And if I weren't needing to run out the door to pick up my kids from school I would send a MUCH longer note back. I can pretty much "ditto" all that you said, once I go thru a new diet and then fall off of it I am bummed for awhile and on the lookout for "a new religion". Now I am thinking about WEight Watchers. Never tried it. But I am ever hopeful. I joined a new exercise group. A bunch of girls on the track working out, it is great. It is the food thing that ALWAYS messes me up. And I definetly think pre-mentstrual stuff plays in. If anyone has tips to stay away from the bad stuff during pms, please pass it on. I am desperate!! D

[40love]

I am brand new. the message preceding this was in response to georgiegirl! D