newbie (yet again) and desperately need some encouragement
Hi everyone! I finally joined and got my username after stumbling onto this website a couple of months ago. Since I am a huge procrastinator, I guess this is no surprise that it took me so long to sign up.
So this is my story:
I was recently diagnosed with PCOS with insulin resistance. I must say that it feels pretty good after a few years of weight issues and other problems that I finally have a diagnosis. I know I am very lucky to have a great doctor who is patient enough to run all the tests to find out what was wrong with me. I am currently taking Yasmin and Glucophage for my health problems. My doctor also wanted me to start working out and eating right. He actually recommended the South Beach Diet to me. When I told him that I finished reading the book a month or two earlier, he said I am taking the right first step.
Throughout hs I played volleyball and stayed in shape. Even the first couple of years of college went okay. But ever since I was about 21, I started to gain weight rapidly. In less than a year, I had put on 30 lbs. I started college with my weight at less than 120 lbs. Now at 25, I am about 172 lbs. Since I have a small frame and fairly tall (5’7’’), I guess I hold my weight well (I still can fit into a size 8/10). I am not too concerned about the number on the scale, but I am vastly concerned about my body fat percentage. Right now, I am at 37% (which is obese according to the bmi); and I am really disgusted by that. Not only is it incredibly unhealthy at my age, it could lead to even bigger health problems in the future, like diabetes.
Over the past couple of years, even before my diagnosis, I have tried in vain to lose weight. I am one of those people who has no problem and plenty of self-discipline to start a diet but does not have the endurance or the determination to finish the race so to speak. I have tried Adkins, the Zone, Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet, and most recently, the South Beach Diet. I had no problems with the first 2 weeks on the Adkins or SBD. I lost about 4-7 in two weeks on each diet. Personally I felt better on SBD and this is the right diet for me. I would start strong when I start, but slowly start to cheat and slack off, and before too long, I had abandoned the eating plan all together.
One of my biggest problems is that I travel a lot for my job. My typical week is me flying out on Mondays and flying back on Fridays. While I stay at great hotels, it is so incredibly hard to eat properly on the road. For breakfast, it’s so easy to find smoked salmon on bagels and fresh fruit salads, but almost impossible to find a hard boiled egg. Since I rarely have access to a fridge or microwave at the client site and at the hotel, I can’t go grocery shopping and buy some things to make. It is so easy when I am tired and hungry to just eat comfort food like a bowl of pasta or something.
I think I have a pretty healthy eating habit, it is just very carb heavy. One of my saving graces is that I don’t have a sweet tooth so I can say no to desert easily. Growing up in a healthy Chinese household, I ate a lot of vegetables, lean meats, and lots of rice and pasta. I always ate some sort of carb for dinner, like a bowl of rice or a noodle dish. It is really hard for me to unwire my mind to stop eating carbs. My experiences with the 2 initial weeks have taught me that I am fine without eating carbs at meals. I do get full and feel so much better. It’s just so much easier to cheat when I am at a restaurant. It would start with eating the crutons in my Caesar salad or eating a small piece of bread in the bread basket. Soon before I know it, I am ordering pasta like there is no tomorrow.
My other problem is that I have the hardest time motivating myself to work out. I have spent a lot of money by hiring a trainer to help me work out. While I have great workout sessions with him, I just can’t seem to talk myself into working out on my own. I am tired of spending $50 a hour to work out with him and not seeing much results (which I know is because that I don’t work out the other times during the week without his supervision).
So this is the story of my life as of right now. I am tired of treating my body like crap and disrespecting it. My goal is to start SBD and sticking to it and reach my goal weight of 135lbs in six-eight months. I am so looking forward for any advice/tips/hints/words of encouragement from the strong chicks that are able to stick with the diet and reach their goals.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings. I am excited to be part of this community family!
One good thing... you're starting young. If you can get a handle on this problem now, you'll be set for life, and won't waste years of your life trying to lose weight like some of us here. (myself included)
Re: the gym thing. Can you give yourself a reward every time you go? (not food) What about changing trainers? I only see mine once a week, and he insists on my working out six days a week. I always make it to the gym at least 5 times, because I don't want to disappoint him. Maybe you need a better motivator...
And when you're travelling... if you're staying in good hotels, I wouldn't hesitate to ask for "out of the ordinary food". There are lots of people with health problems who will ask for something not on the menu. TELL them you need two hard-boiled eggs. Or that you want a special dressing and no croutons on your salad. It's all about you... put your foot down, and order what is healthy for YOU!
I would try ordering outside the menu at your hotel or restaurant. Ask for meat dishes to be accompanied with salad, ask them to leave out the croutons and bread basket, and make sure your dressings are oil based. It may be worth taking some pouches of low fat tuna and nuts with you for high protein snacks. Most other proteins foods require storage so you are limited here but remember to drink lots of water.
I don't envy you. I find SB Diet really easy to stick with through the week when I am home to cook but difficult when eating out in the weekend.
I have only good things to say about SBD. How to put this? I have PCOS too. It took me almost a year and a half to get pregnant with my elder daughter. I've been eating South Beach style since before there was a South Beach (since before the book was published, anyway). I got pregnant with my Linda literally on my second cycle of trying! I have got no symptoms of PCOS anymore (well, except for one blasted hair that keeps growing back on my chin!). The highest weight I know I hit was 252, and it was probably higher than that, because that was my weight at the doctor's office my first prenatal appointment with Bobbie, and I hadn't been able to eat much of anything for nearly 2 months by that time! (My PCOS symptoms were so bad before I got pregnant with her that I hadn't had my period in six months, and I was six weeks pregnant and went to the emergency room thinking my morning sickness was food poisoning.) I was 186 the last time I weighed myself. Like I said, I haven't been "officially" South Beach the whole time, but I've been following the eating guidelines from the diet on my own.
I can honestly say that I feel this way of eating has given me back control of my body. It is wonderful.
I hear you on you points. I'll be 27 this year and was at 251 pounds at 25. It was a nightmare. It's not like I was ever really thin, but I certainly was never this obese.
I started SB 2 weeks ago and really love it. And, like you, I have to eat out a lot because of my job. But honestly, I've found that hotels and even sit down dinners have been accomodating. I always ask for lean meat or fish and 2 vegetables. If there is bread there, I muster the will to say no thank you and pass the basket. And I said no thanks to dessert for hte first time in a long time last night.
It's all about really wanting to do it. I always think about how guilty I would feel if I ate what was always put in front of me, you know?
Good for you for taking care of your health and joining the South Beach group!
You have to remember that it's up to you to make good choices. If the restaurants you go to don't have good options, try to find other restaurants. If that is not an option, make sure and pack your suitcase full of healthy choices.
Fast food restaurants these days have lots of good options. And like someone said earlier, order off of the menu. I'm sure they could accomodate an order for hard-boiled or scrambled eggs.
Look inside yourself for the excuses you need to succeed and stop looking outside yourself for excuses to fail. (ooh, I just thought that one up...I'm going to have to remember that one!)
I travel a lot for work, too, and I use the hotels that have pretty much a complete kitchen. Marriott has Towneplace Suites, Hilton has Homewood Suites. There are many others. Even Motel 6 has some sort of extended stay motel with a full fridge, stove, and microwave. These places all have dinnerware, pots, pans, glasses, utensils, etc. I like Towneplace Suites because they have an oven. A full size one! So anyway, it would be easier to pick up some groceries, like eggs, cheese, etc., for the week, and eat the way you want to eat. If a travel agent arranges your lodging, or if your employer does, I am sure that if you tell them you have medical reasons for your diet and need the lodging with the kitchen, they will understand. The rates are often very good at these places, too. Worth checking into, IMHO. I decided that my health is a priority, and I will do what it takes. When I go on vacation, I also try to arrange similar accommodations. Good luck!
I feel your pain, girl! But I know you can do this diet!
I recently stayed at the Country Inn and Suites for work, and they had hard boiled eggs for breakfast! Just an idea... Also, my DH and I regularly stay at Marriott's Residence Inn when we travel because they have decently priced rooms with full kitchens. They even do the grocery shopping for you for free! I wonder if your business would let you do this? Since you have an actual medical condition, I bet your doctor could write you a letter to your boss and let them know that you need a hotel room with a kitchen. Also, write to or visit the websites of the restaurants you eat at while away and get their nutritional info. Call them before you go and see what they have that is OP. I feel so much better when I go out and have a game plan for what I will eat.
I hope this helps. I wish you lots and lots of luck and hope you know that you have lots of support here!
newbie (yet again) and desperately need some encouragement
