hi there

I've been naturally thin all my life, i ate whatever i wanted and never gained the weight...until about 18 months ago when i moved out on my own i began to eat to suppress my emotions. i started gaining weight but i didn't really take notice until i packed on 10 kg...im very low because during the 18 months ive started and failed over 20 diets, if not more...i never HAD to diet because i never had an issue with weight, so now im finding it so hard to stay on track...and each failed attempt makes me lose hope that i'll get my body back..i try reminding myself of where i was a year ago, but i feel thats its unattainable...so i eat...I also perceive myself a year ago as someone else, someone in control of their life. I'm aware that the issue is emotional, combined with a sweet tooth..i just hate feeling this way when i can't even go through ONE day sticking to a healthy diet because i tell myself..whats the point? you'll never get there...

Anyway, just needed to share...if anyone has some motivation stories of their own where they also felt hopeless but somehow picked themselves up please share

What have you tried so far? I personally dislike going on diets. I've had more success removing bad food and substituting in good food on a permanent basis and not all at once. Also, try not to set such insanely high standards for yourself, take baby steps.

I used to think I'd never get back in shape. I weighed 160 at 19, dropped down to 130, immediately started shooting up to 180, and am now back at 160 again. It's doable, even when you think it's not. =)

I totally agree with Nadya! I too was naturally thin until my 30s and a few babies. I tried and failed at dieting. This time around I started eliminating unhealthy foods and beverages one at a time and replacing them with healthier options. That is what I am still doing right now. Change one thing at a time - no starvation or deprivation - that only leads to binging and failure! It takes longer to drop the weight, but it is more likely to stay off.

You can do this!

Thanks nadya and guacamole! I've been on so many diets that i've learned not to starve myself or deprive myself of certain food (atkins etc...) so i try to eat healthy and do portion control, but i have a problem with overeating when i come home...alone...

deep down i know its 'possible' but perhaps just don't have the strength to go through the try/fail pattern once again

I know what you mean, I've been alone for over a year now and sometimes the pain is pretty intense. I actually posted a thread about it a few days ago, that's how current these feelings are for me as well. You somehow gotta figure out a way to separate food from your emotions. Eating won't make you feel better, if anything it makes you feel worse. Try to keep that in mind when you go to reach for something just because you feel down.

If you know you can't eat something like a responsible adult - this isn't an insult, I've been saying this to myself too...Cheez-Its... - then don't buy it. I can't even have Cheez-Its in my room or I'm screwed. One serving becomes two which turns into three...bah, I just threw the box out! Won't buy them again. >.<

When you reach for something, just stop. Think. When you are done, you will feel worse. You stand to gain nothing but weight when you eat that way but you stand to gain everything else if you don't.

While I have not been naturally thin ever (I'm a short waisted, wide shouldered mesomorph, thin isn't ever going to be a description of me at any weight!) I was fit for the first 2/3 of my life without much effort. Behaviors that have helped me shed my weight include a lot of what the other ladies have mentioned - not buying trouble foods, substituting healthier alternatives for my favorites, etc. I keep a whole. Real foods diet with plenty of fat, protein, and fiber. I ditched grains, sugar, and pretty much all dairy but cultured products (cheese, whole fat yogurt) and heavy cream.

I feel one hundred times better, am down seven pants sizes, have more energy, beat out acne, joint pain, and dermatitis, you name it! I do keep an eye on calories, just because I haven't had a lot of practice listening to my hunger cues, but the longer I eat real food, mindfully, the better those cues get and the less vigorously I need to track. If you had to put a name on it is it paleo with safe starches like sweet potatoes, bananas, and white rice, that aren't inflammatory agents in my body. But really, it is just restrained, sensible, satisfying eating. I like it well enough and it is doable for life. No complaints here!

It may help you to know that the first few days of any change are the hardest. If you can figure out a way to get through those first few days -- perhaps by starting out during a relatively stress-free period when you can plan activities to substitute for eating -- you'll build up momentum and motivation, especially after that first drop on the scale. You can do this!

Freelance

thank you all for your wonderful replies! i completely agree and deep down i know this to be true as i have had periods of success...just doubting myself at the moment
Nadya i too don't buy things even the 'hea;thy' stuff such as muesli because i knowww i like it too much and won't eat like an adult but one who is dying of hunger-poof the box is gone in a day!
Arctic Mama- wow 7 dress sizes! that's amazing and very encouraging-congrats on your success!
Freelance- you're right, the first days are the hardest-best to think of your success lying ahead...i found a great quote online "dieters with weight loss goals success because they know where they are going"-i should live by this! thanks for the encouragement

For myself, the entire weight loss process is a try/fail pattern - meaning, what worked for me in the beginning of my weight loss journey to lose pounds no longer works for me today. In the beginning, I cut out candy and lost weight. I cut out soda and lost weight. I cut out baked goods and lost weight. I cut my portion sizes and lost weight. The list can keep going. Today, I still need to adhere to those dietary changes in order to maintain my weight loss - but that's all that will happen - maintenance of my current weight.

In order to actually lose weight, I need to continuously play around with my diet. That doesn't mean eating less, it just means eating differently. For example, I now know that in order to get the scale moving, I need to up my protein and reduce my carbs. It's taking some adjusting to get it right and find a dietary balance that helps me drop pounds with foods that are filling and enjoyable.

This is a process. If we can remove the emotions and think of it as a science, we can be ok with gaining a few pounds in the name of experimenting and seeing what works and what doesn't. I know it is easier said than done, because it ruins my whole day when I step on the scale to see no change or a gain. Success and failure (in terms of the scale) will be an ongoing pattern throughout a lengthy weight loss journey. Simply committing to the process is what will ultimately spell success for all of us.

This is true...and of course it becomes easier to give up certain things along the way when you start seeing results!

But you're definitely right diets are try/fail game otherwise there would only one diet around!

Have you tried Richard Simmons diet? It's the only thing that really worked for me. I lost roughly 50 (and I've struggled from emotional eating) but I've kept it off. It's so easy and you can eat all normal food. It's all about how many servings of every food group that you get in a day, and once you're done, you're done! No counting calories or even writing down. You eat an ounce of protein, you close a protein window! Super easy! It's like $20-30 and you get everything you need. It's a set that'll never get old and never need to order again. It's basically a new version of his original "Deal-A-Meal" In other words, the exchange diet. Really teaches you balance, and how to eat. You can check it out on his site