Gosh Im struggling. Im on plan till dinner, then Im so hungry I eat everything and ruin it. I need to work out but I am just so tired all the time, I dont know..I want to be positive, but I cant help but feel like its impossible..maybe I should just be fat forever

Can you give us a sample day of food, before it all goes wrong? There may be some things you can change to prevent that "I am so hungry I could die" feeling, which could then help you stick on course.

I find that I have to eat every few hours to keep my energy level up. Are you saving most of your calories for dinner? That doesn't work for me. If I'm HUNGRY at dinner, I will definitely overeat.


I also need to eat a protein snack before I leave work so that I have enough energy to change my clothes immediately and work out. I have found that I can do this without much difficulty, but if I sit down when I get home, I struggle with getting back up and at it!

Maybe it's your mindset that's the problem. You say you need to get "back on track" rather than trying to do what you can. I know that I've never been able to hold down a diet until now because I had that all or nothing mindset.

Just do what you can, and if that's not working, change things up. But if things go wrong, don't just throw up your hands and say the day is ruined! Take a step back and breathe.

I've definitely had moments where I've thought I'd be "fat forever." I still have a big chunk of weight to lose. it's all part of the life process, right? learn, work on it, learn, work on it. that's what I'm thinking for myself at least.

I took a 3 day trip this past weekend and for a couple of the meals I happily chose salads (!). there would have been a time when I would never have seem myself passing up all the tastier, much more high cal options (I'm on a vacation!). and I would never have seen myself going to a gym 3 to 4 times a week. I built up to those things.

(my first exercise routine was walking about 1/2 mile a day and doing some exercises at home, like side bends and crunches)

hang in there!

Big hugs. The beginning of this journey can be very difficult. I would suggest that maybe you are trying to do too much all at once. Can you choose a few things to focus on and just commit to doing it for a period of time (like a day or a week or whatever feels realistic to you)? You have lots of 'all-or-none' words in your post...forever...impossible...everything...ruin. Try to find ways to prove to yourself none of those things are really true. Just because today doesn't go well doesn't = you'll be fat 'forever', etc.

I got started on my weight loss with a 5 point per day plan that I'll share with you here and maybe you could give it a try. Give yourself one point per day if:
1. Accountability: record your food somewhere...food journal, on one of the boards, whereever it will hold you accountable to write it down. Don't worry for now what the food is so much as getting it written down, good bad and otherwise.
2. Exercise: Any exercise...walk around the block, march in place during commercials, anything. You are trying to establish the thought process that you need to get it in at some point. Again, don't worry about how much, etc., just do something.
3. Water: Increase your water consumption. If you aren't drinking any, add a glass before each meal. If you are drinking it already, cool, easy point.
4. Me time: Take 15 min to do something just for you. Read, journal, whatever is a 'treat' for you.
5. Good/Better/Best Choice: Make one good/better/best choice per day. Skip a treat, count out the chips instead of eating from the bag, leave a bite or 2 behind. Only need one per day.

You can set a reward for days in a row with 5 points or I use a weekly total of 30+ points a week for a reward threshold. Find a meaningful non-food reward and give it to yourself when you get the job done. You'll likely get to a point where one or more of these is too easy and then you can start raising the bar for yourself gradually. Make the exercise goal a certain number of minutes...got the water? Change it out to fruit/veggie servings.

HTH!

Peg

You have to give us a little more information. Are you not eating enough throughout the day? There are a lot variables, but 80% of it is in your head. Look, no one is perfect and if you're looking for perfection then you're not going to succeed. Just do a little bit at a time, try not to overwhelm yourself-try to stay on plan (whatever that is for you) for one meal, then the next until you slowly build on it. You're not going to get it right out the gate, but you can change things bit by bit. As far as exercising, maybe focusing on your eating first and getting that down and then adding exercise later will help. I don't know, just wanted to give you a few suggestions.....

I think we have ALL thought that at one time or another. But we know it is not true if have covered all the bases.

First, your timing of dinner could be spaced out TOO FAR from your lunch or afternoon snack. Secondly, if you are not doing an afternoon snack at all, you need to slash some of those dinner calories and allot for one. For instance, if you are having a dessert, shuffle that back to a pre-dinner snack. I eat a snack about 2 hours before dinner most days and it has been working out pretty well so far. Do I still wanna pig out at the table? Yeah, sometimes, lol. But if you are eating HEALTHY foods, you can almost eat every 3 hours and stay within a reasonable calorie range.

Also, if you are not too much on a restricted calorie diet (which is another thing you may want to take a look at), account for the calories you over-ate at dinner and subtract that from the following day.

Now, as for the tiredness. I already mentioned restricting too many calories. That will catch up to you eventually. Second, have you had your hormones checked? Specifically thyroid? When my levels are even a tiny bit off I feel like a boat anchor and can't find the energy to lift my arms or legs.

The next thing to look at is your sleep. Are you getting enough? Also, not exercising regularly can actually make you tired. Once I began exercising, I don't experience 1/4 of the amount of fatigue I used to.

And last, are you taking any vitamins? Sometimes just a multi can give you a boost. I have been taking a pre-natal multi for about a month now, along with Vit. D, Vit. C, Vit. B12 and a B Complex due to serious deficiencies. It could be that you are deficient and limiting certain foods (kinda like Vegans) can cause this.

I am sorry you are feeling this way today. But I want to tell you it is not too late! Pick yourself up and actually get back on track. It took a lot of planning on my part and it was time to quit saying I "needed" to do it and just do it. If ***I*** can do it, YOU can do it!!!

Something that has really been working for me on the days when I'm feeling ravenous, is eating those Progresso 0 point soups. They're super low in calories (if you're counting calories) and they're really, really filling. I drink all the broth and one serving makes me actually feel full. Sometimes I just need that 'full' feeling - whether it's a hangover from overeating for so many years or whatever. Sometimes I just need that feeling or I'll be anxious and tempted to throw in the towel. This is for life. I'm 47 years old and I don't get anymore 'do-overs' so I am committed to doing whatever helps me stay the course.

Someone earlier mentioned the 'all-or-nothing' attitude. Wow! I can very much relate to that mentality and it has meant an early death to my weight loss efforts for the past ten years! Practice makes perfect in my opinion and 'fake it 'til you make it' works wonders. I have had to change my mindset and make a conscious effort to give myself a break when I have an 'off' day and binge eat which occassionally still happens to me. Oh well. It happens. Tomorrow is a new day and I make up my mind once the overeating fog lifts that this is my life and it is a lifestyle change. Not diet until I fit into whatever - this is about my health, it's about being around for my kids, husband and grandkids.

Everyone has their 'thing' that got them to the point where they decided to take an action or actions to start living a healthier life, to lose weight. Remind yourself every day - or several times a day - why you want to do this. Make sure it's for yourself and noone else. Someone said that if you want something you'll find a way, if you don't, you'll make an excuse. Powerful words and so true.

Experiment and work on trying to figure out why you are doing what you do. Maybe rearranging how you're eating, maybe eating meals at different times of day, maybe not restricting so much? Only you are going to be able to figure out why you're doing what you do. Everyone here has given excellent insight into possibilities for what might be upsetting your committment. Ultimately, you are the one who has to figure that out.

Motivation was also a key element for me. I watch 'The Biggest Loser' and it inspires me in so many ways. You will be able to figure this out! This thread and countless others here on 3FC are here as tools to help you figure it out too. Everyone here wants the other to succeed! We hold each other up and provide support where it can't be found elsewhere. You can do it! Get back on that horse and do it for you!

The irony is that exercise give you so much more energy throughout the whole day! I swear it's true Since I've started exercising regularly I have way more energy in general and I notice on the days that I don't exercise I feel more tired, grumpy and sluggish. Just get out there and DO IT!

Most of all just try to be positive. So you eat well all day and then "blow it" at dinner....well it least you're not "blowing it" all day long! There is a silver lining All you can do (and all anyone can ever do) is to keep plugging along, keep trying and don't ever throw in the towel and give up. Our bodies don't keep themselves naturally healthy, we have to work at it, and yes it is WORK. But it's work that is so valuable and beneficial and rewarding (even if those rewards are stubborn to come by!). Remember, over all else, you are worth it!