So, I have been off the forum for a while, and, well, I really need your support and help more than ever.

While some of it is water weight (my feet are hecka swollen!), I have ballooned up to 320lbs.

I haven't been eating large amounts of food like I used to, because it makes me nauseous when I do. BUT, I do admit that I have been having fast food AND tons of sugary things and carb heavy meals. One day I had just a mocha and a croissant, and I wasn't hungry, but I definitely didn't lose any weight.

I also haven't cooked for myself in over a couple of months. I keep buying a carton of eggs, and they keep going bad. I know that my eating frozen food and restaurant food, even though I am spreading one dinner out over many meals, is still not healthy, as they are full of more sodium and calories than I can imagine.

So, I definitely need to be back here and get back on track. I have had a lot of relationship problems lately, and have been feeling pretty down and low. I feel like my life is out of control (usually when my food is out of control, so is my life, and vice versa).

So, here I am again. Seeking your collective wisdom and support.

I am back to weighing myself, and writing down my food so I am honest about how many calories I am eating.

I am also working on stomach issues I am having, and the water retention problems I am having.

Good luck with your goals. It really sounds like you need to take more time out to prepare meals for yourself and also to eat more often during the day.

Maybe something like a meal delivery plan such as Medifast and Nutrisystem would work for you. It takes out most of the work for meal preparation and teaches you healthier eating habits. If you are eating out that much it might even be cheaper for you to try that.

thank you. I have a lot of food I can cook, but have just been in this lazy/escapism mode. Usually happens when i am depressed and just trying to get away from stuff, or, not feel what I am feeling.

Part of me thinks that I am probably not eating enough, eating at the wrong times (like eating the majority of my daily meals in the evening), and eating the wrong foods (not enough protein, too much refined carbs and sugars).

This month, if I do eat out, I will focus on healthy options (like salads), and I am going to cut down on my drinking sugary drinks. I may have not been eating as much, but I have been having tons of sugar juices and teas and I know those are just empty calories.

Thank you for your support. this forum has always helped me a lot.

Hey I know how you feel I can relate, I have been under 299 2 times now which is one of my mini goals and each time I have gotten very bad depressed and just let myself eat whatever I want and not watch it well I'm back up to 304 now and also have some water retention in my hands and feet again. Starting right now I am getting strict with myself again. Going to watch my calories cut out snacking eat mostly fruit and salads some meats and little bit of carbs each day. Wondering if you want to be weight loss buddies if you do PM me

When I'm depressed or stressed, major changes in diet don't work for me and then I am angrier and more frustrated than when I started.
I'm the same way with eating processed foods. When I'm over-tired or stressed, I'll grab the quickest thing to eat.

While just a suggestion, perhaps just eliminating one thing from your diet at a time would help: like elimination of fruit juices. Go for 2 weeks and then substitute your sweet teas.

Hugs,
Ratkity

Thank you.

I am doing good with writing down the food I am eating. I realize that with even just one very small snack and my morning coffee drink, I have already eaten more than half of my day's calories. Yikes!

BUT, being aware of what I am eating is a very good first step.

Now, I just need to deal with those times when I want to eat when I am upset or sad, which, i am doing better with. I can avoid eating when i am sad or depressed, but avoiding sugary drinks when my emotions aren't so good is kind of hard at times. Sigh.

Congratulations on getting back on track! You can do this!

Fall down 7 times, stand up 8.

Bravo!

Thank you, everybody! You all make me smile with your support and kindness!

:hug

Also, I put in all the food I ate today---- a croissant, espresso, iced tea, 1 hot pocket (just one), 1 cherry pie from McDonalds, and 1 burger and voila! Even though it feels like not a lot of food (especially in my idea of eating a lot), that calories where around 1800!! Yikes! So, even though the volume of food I am eating seems small, the calories are not. So, I am going to keep with the writing down my food. I may even go to an OA meeting this weekend. Maybe.

I know you probably know this, but you didn't eat any FOOD yesterday. Nothing in your list nurtures your body. I know you are doing a one step at a time thing, though, with recording (which is an AWESOME first step. Once you are honest with what you eat the rest comes easier). I don't understand how you weren't starving all day. Everything in your list would have sent your blood sugar sky high, then crashed right back down, even your drinks, assuming you had sugar in your espresso and tea.

Maybe as part of the first step you can also try to add 1 serving of something that is wholesome - ie, 1 piece of fresh fruit, or 1 vegetable serving (even something easy like baby carrots or snap peas, just raw). That will only add like 30-60 calories (depending on what you choose).

Congrats on sticking with it.

You are very right! I had a lot of carbs, but not much protein or nutritious whole foods. As for my appetite, it has been much lower than it used to be, so, I haven't had that ravenous feeling in quite some time. I thought I would be happy not always feeling hungry, and I am, but, even though I feel like I am eating less, the scale is actually going up! Yikes!

I will cook tomorrow and start eating more lean protein as well as fresh (or frozen) fruits and veggies and definitely more water. When I was able to drink 100 oz of water a day, I was losing tons of weight. I need to start back at doing that.

Focus on one day at a time. To me, every meal that i get through that I make the right decision is a small victory to me with my weight battle. Medifast 5-1 allows me to have 6 positive moments throughtout my day...it will be one week tomorrow that I have been on the plan. Looking forward to week 2

You can so do it! I have family that have done Medifast. I am not good on programs like that, but I need to definitely improve my food and do something before I keep gaining so much weight.

I am so thankful for everyone here. Staying focused on my weight will help me to ultimately get healthier AND happier.

Excellent post. As far as 1800 calories being ALOT....not so much. At my current weight for my age and height I need about 2100 calories just to lay in bed all day. I am maintaining (by choice) at the moment eating 2500-2800 calories per day of good whole foods. Life is good!

I suggest googling BMR/RMR calculators and get an idea (nothing set in stone) of what the bare minimum you need and not go below that as it will be harder to drop the weight without dropping to fewer calories and you really shouldn't get below 1200 cals per day. Why set yourself up like that? I say eat excellent whole foods and ditch the processed crap and sugary drinks and you will be on your way. I wish you luck.