Has anyone ever been on too many diets that they have lost there way? I used to know how to do this, but now, after being on the low fat diet, the low carb diet, eat less than 1000 cal diet, calorie counting diet, eat protein and carb together diet; one will say eat fruits, the other will say if you want to lose weight, don't eat fruits due to the natural sugars....ugh....I just feel that I have lost my way.
I just went through a major life change and I feel that I have lost myself. Due to this life change, I am feeling worthless....I attribute this to my weight.
Additionally I have always compared myself to my sibliings. Once upon a time I weighed 112 pounds at 5'5" and thought I was fat because I weighed more than my sisters. I think I started dieting at a very early age (about 6th grade) because I didn't want to be bigger than my sisters. I look back at my pictures, and I see now that I was not fat, I just went through puberty earlier than my older sister.
Anyways, now after this major life change....I am taking a long hard look. I am tired of dieting. I want to make a change for good. I want a healthy way to get to my goal weight. I want to include exercise. I don't want to make anymore excuses, but as I sit here, I have plenty of them lined up of why I can't lose or exercies or eat healthy. But this has to be it. I am a single mom and I want them to see a healthy happy mom. I want them to learn healthy habits.
I have never lost weight unless I went under 900 calories. I know this is not the right way. I want this to be a permanent change.
So here I am searching for the "right" way. What ever that is.
I want to say this is it. I am scared this is just another attempt, and I will disappoint myself. However, in the back of my mind, I know this is it. I will do it. I may fall, but if it takes me a year or two to find what works for me, I will get to my goal weight.
I would love help or suggestions. I feel that I have read too many weight loss books and have got confused on what is a healthy way to lose weight.
I feel for you, and a lot of other ladies will too!
I put my body through **** with all the weight loss attempts. My mother in law finally told me about what she's doing. She too had been trying for DECADES to get back to her old pre-baby body, and nothing was working. Then she started eating healthy. That's it. No gimmick. She stopped eating processed food, white sugar and flour, no pop/soda, and limited her sweets (she's diabetic also.) She dropped weight like *snap!* And by that, I mean within a few months she had lost a noticeable amount of weight and was at an all time, while being a mother, low. She also made a point of working out or walking for a half hour every day.
I decided to start trying to do it. I feel physically better, even though I haven't started to really lose weight yet. I've only been sticking to it continuously for a couple of weeks now, so I'm not expecting things to be fast. Plus, I'm doing it the healthy way, the way my body is SUPPOSED to lose weight, slow and steady.
You're going to find a lot of support on here! Welcome!
This is my first "healthy" attempt at losing weight and has so far been successful. I lost a lot of weight by just doing these...
-Eliminate liquid calories (soda, juice, milk).
-Drink at least 2 liters of water a day
-Don't eat after dinner
-Mind your meal sizes - eat what you want but don't overdo it
-Go on brisk (as if you're late for something and almost running) walks, 1 hour a day, 5+ days a week.
diets don't work, you have to make it a lifestyle change. you have to find something you can stick with and eating foods you like. calorie counting and cutting out processed foods and finding healthy alternatives to your favorite foods would be a good start.
If you don't want to count calories, then instead I'd suggest you get really good at portion sizes. Some foods have to be measured--any food high in fats, such as salad dressing, nuts, mayo. Familiarize yourself with what constitutes a standard serving--for cooked pasta, one cup is a serving, not filling the plate with it like most restauarants do.
This site has a tool you can use to start getting used to portion sizing:
A couple of additional rules can help along the way:
- No second plates. Put your food on the plate one time and eat it, and then you are done. No heaping up that one plate, either--use those portion sizes.
- At restaurants where portions are huge, ask for a take-home box as soon as you get the entree, and put half the meal in it right off the bat and close the lid.
- Don't eat at fast food places such as Wendy's, McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell. If you decide you "have" to eat at one of these places, check out the nutritional info online first, not later.
- If there is a food or foods that you tend to eat until it's all gone, don't keep it in the house. A bag of corn chips can contain 13 servings, for example. Eat that bag and it's almost your entire day's calories!
Good luck! You can do it, but you have to think of it as long term.
Jay
It's about making a lifetime commitment to eating well and exercise. A lifetime commitment. 7 days a week. 365 days a year. Not a diet that you go off and on, but something that you have to continue with on a permanent basis. Always. Whether you feel like it or not. Whether you've had a bad day (or week or month).
You need to become passionate about it. You need to get into it. You need to not dread it, but embrace it and get excited about.
It's not about finding something that you CAN stick to, but about finding/developing something that you are WILLING to stick to. Because you will have to stick with something.. There is a restrictive component to losing weight and keeping it off. But restriction is not a bad thing - not when the results are so phenomenal!!!
For me, a healthy diet means staying within a calorie budget. It works, because I make it work. If I'm not keeping track of my calories, how do I know for certain that I'm not taking in my calories than I need? For me to guess with something so vital is no longer an option. I can't do the intuitive eating thing - too risky and I'm done taking chances. My history shows that my intuition wants me to eat and eat and eat.
For me a healthy diet means, I eat mostly whole, natural foods - TONS of deliciously prepared veggies, low fat proteins and some fruit. These foods keep me full and satiated , which if my top priority. Being hungry is not an option for me.
For me a healthy diet means avoiding the *garbage*. It's a waste of calories as it doesn't keep me full and satisfied and it keeps me craving for MORE garbage. So it had to go. Miraculously upon eliminating it, after a short detox period, I no longer wanted it. Upon hitting maintenance I have brought back some splurges from time to time in controlled settings.
For me eating healthy also requires effort, thought, work, and advanced planning and preparation. Eating healthy won't happen on it's own. You can't wing it. It is needs to be planned for. So planning ahead is a major component for eating well. Much easier to stay on plan, when you've got one. I always have the right foods on hand. Always. This is not negotiable.
Losing weight and lots of it is a doable thing. You just must decide to do it - once and for all, permanently and no matter what. No matter what. You decide to do it, you commit to doing and you get it done - because you are now willing to do what's necessary and what's required. Because it is of the utmost of importance to you.
Adhering to a healthy lifestyle is nothing to fear or loathe. To me, remaining overweight was what was fearsome and loathsome. It turns out that keeping to a healthy lifestyle, really, really keeping to it - is a joy and a blessing. No hardship. No burden. No deprivation. It's a wonderful way to live.
Last edited by rockinrobin; 10-06-2010 at 11:23 PM.
Reason: big, big typo
I would look at all the diets you've done and pick and choose the parts that appeal to you. Then think - long term. What can you do...forever.
I don't think it's possible to pick a plan off a shelf and follow every aspect for the rest of your life. You are not an off the shelf product! You are unique. Your plan will be uniquely personal.
Thank you to everyone that responded. I will keep this thread close by as a boost when I get sidetracked. I really do appreciate you all taking the time and giving me advice and support. Hugs!
First of all, don't call it a diet. It's a lifestyle change. Also remember, weight loss is 80% diet(food), 20% exercise.
You MUST eliminate all processed, sugary, junk food. You MUST drink a ton of water. You MUST be active. You MUST understand portion control and calories are very important. Eat plenty of fiber and protein to keep you full throughout your day.
And most importantly, you simply MUST be 100% committed. Stick with it and it will get easier. And you will see results
After the upteenth diet, I have lost my way
