I am getting soooo frustrated and depressed.

I have upped my exercise at the gym to 2 or 3 times a week,
which includes about 45 minutes of running and half an hour of weights and
ab work, plus I hike or cross country run with the dog. I actually just tried
running my hiking trail yesterday and was surprised I was able to do it.
I think I do look fitter.

For food, I do not go to WW but have the materials and I journal.
I don't make it through dinner, but I would think the exercise would
kick in, it says I burned 600 calories on the treadmill. In the past this upping the exercise and at least changing the way I eat would result in some loss.

It seems I am maintaining. Last Friday the scale actually said 166 and then right back to 170. My last attempt at WW i went from 177 to 166, and have gained 4 pounds back and have been at this weight for months.

This week I also felt depreessed and really didn't want to do anything.

I don't know how to break the pattern of over eating at dinner, and if there is anything else I can do.

Maybe I should try a more structured diet? I have no idea which one to try.

There are very many diets out there and no way I could suggest one FOR you. You need to make that decision yourself based on what you think will work for you. Yes, some structured diets work for some people--others work for other people. You have to do the research yourself and make up your mind.

Personally, I dislike diets that tell me what to eat. I want to decide that for myself, so I consider myself a calorie counter. I also try to stick with whole foods and stay away from the processed goodies. I see so many dieters that are constantly wondering what treat they can have on what diet. Well, as a calorie counter, I can have a treat as long as it fits within my daily calorie range.

I suggest you look around here--there are reviews on a lot of diets out there. Read up and decide what you LIKE because if you don't like it you won't stick to it.

Good luck!

The great thing about WW is that it doesn't tell you what to eat (unless you're doing Core). If you're doing Flex, it's the same as counting calories. And even though you're burning lots of calories, you may be eating more than you realize if you're overdoing it at dinner every day. The only thing I can tell you is that you just have to commit to that particular point (or calorie) range, and stick to it at dinner. It's the only way to do this. You've got the exercise thing down, which is WONDERFUL. I know how you feel, though. It seems like all that exercise should make up for when we mess up with eating, and it does sometimes, but not if you take in too many calories every day.

Thanks fo the replies.

I actually wound up having a binge this morning, sigh.
I made macaroni and cheese and uhhh........, there's not much left.
I like never binge in the morning. I don't know what that is about.
Time to go running I guess, I think I will take the dog to this old bottle
dump, its cool, I can collect different colored bottles and put them in the window. I have an amber clorox, and a gordon's gin, and a small green wine bottle. I put fresh flowers in them and it brightens my mood. I will also drink some water.

As for diets, I was thinking of jenny. My friend actually went and lost some weight, but she did regain. And the money thing, Isn't it like $400 a month ewhen you buy the food?

Hey rosemarie0007, we're here to encourage you to keep trying!

You'll need to exert some choice control, though. I mean, somebody made that mac and cheese, it didn't just fall out of the sky, right?

The fact is that exercise alone will usually not lead to weight loss--not for most people, it seems. Sad, but sooner or later one has to get with a food program--otherwise it's too easy to undo whatever the exercise has done. We feel like we "deserve" to eat because of all those calories we burned off. But it is very possible to eat way more calories than you burn. (That's how most of us became overweight.)

Why not go back to WW and try for a longer time this time? You did well on that program. This time, you could go all the way through maintenance and learn how to eat when you're at your goal weight. That was the mistake I made years ago with WW--I didn't follow through with maintenance.

I'm a calorie-counter myself because that works for me, but I also use a lot of prepackaged meals, mostly Lean Cuisine. I'm not one for cooking and meal planning.

Good luck! Don't give up! Make the changes to make it work!

Jay

I KNEW I shouldn't have made it. Its like you know its a bad idea before you even buy it, but you buy it thinking you'll eat or drink a small portion of whatever it is. I mean I am aware I am doing the wrong behaviors.

Actually last night was especially bad. I did a lot of exercise, felt good the whole day, weighed and measured my food for breakfast and lunch,even saw a little loss. so what do I do, eat that dumb mac and cheese, and then I went to a restaurant. Can I order just an appetizer? NO. I have to get an appetizer, two drinks plus an entree, to compare it to my own version. Sigh, I like to gourmet cook, and I have become oobsessed with food as I am with dieting. The food I make has to be perfect, or I will make it over and over until its right.
I even put on the food network when I am at the gym.

I actually am aware of some of these behaviors, and aware of myself talking myself in and out of things

I am thinking of going back to WW. I don't feel it was a total waste because I have learned some skills and I control my behavior at least to some extent.
I have kept off seven pounds and I am not gaining, I think I need the extra support of going to a meeting, or some program with support.

Hi Rosemarie!

Perhaps you should try calorie counting? I also love to cook, and calorie counting works for me because each night I get to think, hmmmm, I have 400/600/800 (or whatever) calories left in my 'budget', how will I choose to spend them? Figuring out ways to get the largest quantity of the most delicious food for the lowest possible calories is a fun challenge, and on days where I've eaten fewer calories during the day, I get to have a more decadent dinner, and a lighter dinner when I've done more eating during the day. For someone prone to obsessing about food, calorie-counting can be quite good, because it refocuses your obsession onto the nutritional values in foods, rather than the food itself. For me, anyway. It's also good for people who like to cook, because it forces you to get creative in the kitchen.

It absolutely is NOT a total waste! And after all, you have not gained back all your weight yet--you have caught on in time! And it sounds like you know what you need to do. So you're still ahead of the game!

I just want you to know that you CAN do it--it may mean a change in your way of thinking and interacting with food, but you CAN do it! It's not impossible!

As for your trip to the restaurant... what can I say?

Good luck, rosemarie! I hope WW has some good stuff for you, and plenty of support!

Jay

Well I have not done too bad with restaurants. I hadn't been to one since last Friday, and that one is actually a health food restaurant with some of the best
health/natural food around. The owner has even been on TV. I live in an area where everyone eats organic or health food.

Last nights choice, had more of an italian flare I guess. Yeah that means butter and sauces, oh well, I have to force myself to say "sauce on side". I should practice saying no, sauce on side, and I'll just have a salad. Good luck to me!
The good news is half of last nights dinner is still in a to go box, so I did stop eating. And for the record it was chicken picatta and the sauce was better than mine, I think it had more butter, but the chicken was chewy. I put a ton of wine and organic chicken broth in mine and I pound my chicken flat and roll it in spelt flour.

I have stopped any other eating out, which I know has helped. I usually don't spend a dime at a deli or any
other fast food places.

Thanks for the support. And I will think about calorie counting and getting to a meeting.