HELP!! I want to give up...ALREADY!!
 

:cry: This is my first "official" day & already I am ready to give it up. First- I have this awful headache from taking myself off of sweetened tea. (I like splenda-just need to go get some & loose the habit of making tea with sugar) Finally went & got a glass of tea & am nursing while I am on line!! Second - My 11 year old wanted pizza for dinner (a long time Friday night tradition for he & I)..so I had 2 slices. Normally, I would have had 3, at least!! Third - I was STARVED all day. Normally I would eat 3 large meals a day...I am trying to be good...but I can't think at work if I am hungry!!

I just hate this...I have no clue how to do this!! Anyone else every feel this way or is it just me. Any tips from anyone who figured it out!! HELP!!

http://www.3fatchicks.com/weight-tra...8/140/198/.png

Jump,
What else did you eat today? You only mentioned the pizza (which wasn't bad)...

First suggestion I have is to stop stressing -- sometimes it's easier to make small changes over time than to think, "Okay, it's diet time!" and try to make all your habits change all at once. Personally, I think trying to change everything too drastically would set myself up for failure, and put way too much stress on a process that I'm going to be maintaining for the rest of my life. You may or may not agree with me on that.

If you do though, consider making 2 or 3 changes a week for the next few weeks. You mentioned that you took yourself off of sweetened tea -- that's one change for the better! Maybe try incorporating a walk every day, or changing just your lunch from whatever you normally have to something healthier. Or maybe swapping snacks -- if you're used to munching throughout the day ( I know I am!), find some healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, or if you're really craving something sweet, maybe something like the 100-calories packs that Nabisco put out (I recommend Chips Ahoy -- like little chocolate chip cookies, only the bag is 100 calories so you're not feeling too guilty by indulging).

I've also heard that drinking a big glass of water right before eating a meal helps to cut your appetite -- it fills some of your stomach so that you feel full faster when you're eating. And eat SLOW. The faster you eat, the more you eat after you're full -- it takes a few minutes for the brain to register when the stomach is comfortably full, and many of us have a habit of not giving ourselves the time to register that -- we just eat until we're over-full and then feel bloated and bleh.

It might take you longer to lose weight by easing into it gradually, but you're making changes that will last a lifetime. It also gives you time to read and learn about different tips and techniques for getting healthier, losing weight, cooking better foods, etc.

I hope some of that helped! :)

You're right!!
 

Thanks...I know you are right...I am trying to change everything (too much)in one day!

I also ate a Nature Valley honey & Oat Granola bar, a Peanut Butter Granola bar & a special K bar...a fruit cup of diced pears...and a low fat turkey sandwich on white with cheese & sweet & spicy mustard. Usually I eat fast food 1-2 meals a day :mcd: . The granola bars were supposed to subtitue the fast food...but they did not fill me up like I had planned. Drank lots of water today too!


http://www.3fatchicks.com/weight-tra...8/140/198/.png

Holy cow, I'd be starving too if that was all I ate. It sounds to me like you need a little more food in your food. ;) Maybe add a green salad to your turkey sandwich, or some yogurt or maybe eggs for breakfast? A little protein will go a long way toward filling you up. :hun:

Great job on the water - I still struggle with that one. I do think that Ry's right about pacing yourself. Trying to change everything at once is overwhelming and icky. I'd set a few small goals for this week (something like...eat 2 kinds of veggies every day and take 3 walks). See how that goes, and then make other changes as you feel comfortable.

The good news is that this really is a downward spiral. The better you treat your body, the better you will feel, and the more changes you'll WANT to make. The pounds will come off more slowly this way, but they'll be more likely to stay gone. At least for me, it's a trade-off I can live with.

Hang in there, and keep coming 'round here. Everyone is super nice and supportive. It's much easier when you've got a little support! :grouphug:

cheers! :hat:
paula

Good job for sticking with it anyway! I agree that you need to eat more food. Also maybe just one energy bar and the rest regular food, maybe throw in some fruit and nuts? Those first few days are really hard. So much of the bad eating has become habit that it's weird to change, but you can do it. Good luck girl!

Here's what I learned. 1. The first few weeks are the hardest, it will only get easier. 2. The headaches and yucky feelings will go away, just think of it as the fat fighting for it's life! 3. FEED YOURSELF BEFORE THE KIDS! If I don't eat before my son eats, I'll eat what he's eating and it's usually not what I need to be eating! 4. You can do this, go through and find some good user sites that inspire you and bookmark them. I visit other people's sites almost daily to see how they're doing and get inspiration. Here, start with mine! If I can do this, anyone can!

I don't think that you need to eat "more" food (as in more calories per day) but you need to definitely make better food choices.

You had three granola/K bars, 2 slices of pizza, and a sandwich. Where are the dairy, fruits, and vegetables? You need to balance your diet out-because you are eating mostly carbohydrates, and not enough protein and the other food groups.

If I eat mostly carbohydrates I am starving TOO. :lol: I am not saying to low carb diet-because I am not low carb-but you need to eat more than the bread/starch group.

A slice of pizza now and then is just fine if you keep track of your calories-but instead of your normal 3 slices, or even your two slices today-how about one slice and a large salad on the side?

Tha sandwich is an okay choice, but instead of the three granola bars, how about doing some replacements here. If the granola bars average out at 100 calories a piece totalling 300 calories for example, you could have 3 eggs and 2 cups of strawberries and would have been MUCH more satisfied. :)

You need protein (meat/eggs/soy) and fruits and vegetables in your diet, because the protein and fiber are what help keep you feeling fuller. Eating starches with no fruits, veggies, or protein would lead me to a huge binge at the end of the day.

First of all, Jump, well done for taking the first step - it's the most important step of all, and though it's hard, it'll lead to so many benefits in the long run.

I have to agree with most of what's already been written here - you need to supplement or substitute some of your carbs for some protein, because protein keeps you fuller for longer and will stop the cravings and hunger pangs that go hand in hand with a carb-rich diet.

If you're pushed for time you could try grilling up a batch of low-sodium bacon (it's great cold), and boiling a half dozen eggs, keeping them in little plastic bags in the fridge so that you can grab a bag and eat on the run. Nuts are good sources of protein, too, though you have to be careful with your portion sizes, and so is canned tuna and cottage cheese.

I tend to have around 4oz of a good quality protein for my main meal with a huge side salad or portion of veggies, and usually skip the carbs completely (potatoes, pasta, rice, bread) as I find the carbs just lead to me picking after dinner. If I do choose carbs, I eat the more complex varieties - wholewheat bread and pasta, brown rice - these keep me fuller longer.

Dessert is usually fresh fruit and a low-fat yoghurt.

Then when I'm unwinding at the end of the day I'll maybe have 25g of cashews or a baggie of frozen grapes, and a tall glass of iced-water with some fresh fruit slices in the glass (in a nice crystal glass, so that I can con myself I'm drinking something really special).

The first couple of days are always the worst, but YOU CAN DO THIS! The cravings will start to diminish and you'll find ways of adding variety to your diet - and soon you'll be on your way and the buzz will take over and you won't even WANT to stop!

All the best, Janey ;)

Planning ahead so that you have the right kinds of food in the house for yourself is also key....go get some splenda so you can enjoy your tea. :D

If you have good choices in the fridge you will at least have a third choice besides a bad food choice and going without...

Keep up the good work - just that you are consciously making choices is half the battle...it does get easier!!!!

When I first started eating more healthily, I deliberately ate 5 or 6 small meals in a day, in order to keep from getting too hungry in between larger meals. I tried to get some protein and some carbs, and either a fruit or veggie in each mini-meal. It worked pretty well in helping me get used to smaller portion sizes, and I've shifted back to a three meals and one snack schedule.

Some smaller-sized meals I used:

a cup of (nonfat sugarfree) yogurt, a piece of fruit, and a half cup of shredded wheat - about 250-300 calories

a small can of tuna (3 ounces), 2 WASA light rye crispbreads, a large coffee with a lot of nonfat milk, a piece of fruit - about 250 calories

a cup of veggies (I used frozen veggie mixes), an egg, and an ounce of shredded cheese - mix up and microwave, it makes a great omelet - about 250 calories

an ounce of cheddar cheese, sliced, 15 Kashi "Tasty Little Crackers", and 8 baby carrots - about 300 calories

a cup of non-fat cottage cheese, mixed with a cup of mixed veggies, and a slice of whole-grain toast - about 300 calories.

Don't forget that just because you are on a diet dosen't mean that you have to give up ever being satisfied by food. I am like you in that I can't function if I am hungry, period. So when I am hungry, I eat, and I want it to taste good. I eat ALL THE TIME. I snack on bell pepper at work, but the evenings are what really gets me -I am a boredom eater- so I always have things on hand like tomato soup (60 cal per cup), my homemade pumpkin pudding (110 cal per serving and very easy to make) or yogurt with fruit. I am not a big salad eater but I also found that I like romaine lettuce with strawberries, a few nuts and a tablespoon of lite honey dijon dressing. All these taste good to me, fill me up and don't ruin my calorie count.

I have a boatload of Splenda if you want it, but might I suggest checking out the local health food store for Stevia? I've switched to it, it's all natural and better for you...and no calories. As for the headache, try weaning. Rather than jumping whole hog into this, take baby steps. Cut down the tea. If you have 3 or 4 glasses a day, cut that in half, then further in half. If you're having headaches, it's likely due to the sugar you completely cut out all at once, and they will get better with time. But using Splenda isn't going to make them stop. Splenda isn't the same as sugar. So while the tea will taste sweet again, you'll still be getting the headaches due to cutting out the sugar suddenly and completely. If you can get through them though, they will ease up then go away. It's like giving up a caffein addiction. Which is also why I say to wean yourself from the tea and move into water. Dropping tea altogether might also make the headaches worse because of the sudden drop in caffein as well as sugar. Try switching to flavored waters in place of half of your daily tea intake, then to pure water eventually.

And Aphil's right. Dump the white bread for whole grain and cut out some of those breads. Nothing wrong with pizza, in moderation of course. Next time though, try ordering a salad to go with yours. Eat that first, then you'll have less pizza and will get your veggies too. Try ditching the fruit cup for whole fruit as well, and get rid of those bars, but perhaps just one a day. Try some veggies, string cheese, yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, fruit, a spoon of peanut butter...along those lines...in place of the granola bars. Better yet, read the label on those things. It might make you think twice. They're not as good as they appear to be sometimes. Loaded in sugars and carbs, and sometimes saturated fats. They just hype them up so you'll buy them.

I agree totally - I love food too much to ever deprive myself. I also HATE the feeling of being hungry, makes it hard to concentrate at work.

I eat 6-7 small meals a day, something every 2 hours or so. I'm a huge fan of unprocessed, whole foods (plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables) so that's what I concentrate on eating.

Now that I don't eat sugary treats very often, I am amazed by how good "regular" food can taste. A really ripe mango is more decadent than fudge (to me).

Thank you all so much for your tips!! I do agree...a drastic change in behavior is not the way to handle this. I especially liked the tip about drinking the water out of a crustal glass...especially since I am a fanatic about fancy plates, cups, silverware, placesettings (well, you get the idea!)!! Everyone here is a huge inspiratrion!! I'm gonna need all the inspiration & support I can get. Especially since everyone around me has these great metabolisms....especially my Mom (60 years old & still a size 8!!) and ets everything in sight-including sodas, my sister-in-law owns her own diner...yet still stays thin, my best friend is a good 7-8 inches taller...so her extra weight is distrbuted out much nicer, and my other good friend gains in her boobs...we should all be so lucky!!!!

I also had a long talk with my son (he's 11 & has always been a little chunky)yesterday on the way to the grocery store...I explained to him that we both need to make some behavior changes in the way we eat. He actually agreed that he could probably stand to loose a few lbs his self!!

Yay for protein!
 

I agree 100% with everyone else who said you need more protein. It keeps you satisfied WAY longer than carbs or fats (I think the latest statistic I read said for 3 hours or so, but someone please correct me if that's wrong).

Also -- and I think most importantly -- protein is what feeds your muscles, and one "risk" everyone runs while on a weight loss plan is the possibility of losing muscle mass. Which is bad for several reasons:

1. Every pound of muscle you have burns something like 50 calories a day just by EXISTING, whereas fat just sort of sits around and "does nothing" in comparison. So for every pound of muscle you lose, there are 350 calories a week that you don't burn anymore. And unless my math is completely wrong (which is possible), that can result in a 5-pound gain in one year (it takes an extra 3500 calories to gain a pound). This is why most people tend to gain 5 - 10 pounds a year once they hit late middle-age: the older we get, the more muscle we lose.

2. Now lets say a person DOES lose lots of muscle on a weight-loss plan. If that person runs into trouble with their plan and regains the weight, only the FAT will come back...not the muscle. Example: If a person started at 189 lbs, lost 50 lbs without feeding or working her muscles, and then regained back to 189 lbs, she would actually be a "fatter" 189 lbs because fat takes up a lot more space than muscle. I stole this pic from another post (I hope that's okay?!):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...atVsMuscle.jpg

3. Picture in your head a celebrity you want to look like. Is she just "thin?" Or does she have defined shoulders, tight calves, and fantastic abs? If she has a "nice bod" versus just being "thin," it's the MUSCLE that gives her that look. You could be "thin" and look like Olive Oyl, or you could be "fit" and look like Jennifer Lopez.

4. In addition to getting your protein, I also -- obviously -- highly recommend weight training. I won't get into it too much here as there is an entire forum on it, but let me tell you a quick story. Back in 1995, I lost about 20 lbs, which brought me to 150 lbs -- which is basically where I am now (again). But back then, I got to 150 lbs by cutting back pretty harshly on calories and doing only cardio -- I paid no attention whatsoever to protein intake or working my muscles through weight training. HERE'S THE KICKER: When I was 150 lbs in 1995, I was a size 12. Today, at 149 lbs, I'm a SIZE 8. And...ah...the last time I checked ONE POUND does not equal 2 dress sizes!!! It's because this time, I BUILT muscle, so I'm a fit 150 -- whereas in 1995 I had LOST muscle and was a flabby (and therefore bigger) 150.

So my point is that your goal (and my goal) should be to lose FAT, not muscle! And you need protein to do that.

Phew. {{{wipes brow, stretches fingers, and reaches for protein shake}}} ;)

Okay, done :D . Sorry I got kind of carried away and slightly off-topic, but I'm (OBVIOUSLY) a big fan of protein :dizzy: .

BY THE WAY (not done, I guess :dizzy: ) congratulations on just STARTING!!!! That is a huge thing!!! And everyone goes through ups and downs -- especially (IMO) at the start. I mean you didn't just wake up one morning knowing how to drive a car, right? No, you had to stall out in traffic, smash into a few curbs, and hit the brake instead of the gas a few times before you "got it," right? You'll hear/see alot of people around 3FC call it "a journey"...because there's a lot of new and interesting things to learn about nutrition, exercise, and (most importantly) yourself. And the odds are that when you made the (hypothetical) mistake of hitting the brake instead of the gas when you were learning to drive, you learned not to do it again (hopefully :D ). Same thing with weight loss. Make a mistake, learn from it, and move on :D .

You also mentioned your nursing. Be kind to yourself. Make sure you eat enough calories. You need 500 more calories a day if you are nursing. So you might feel like you are starving if you don't eat enough because of the nursing.

Not ME...I am not nursing...but I think someone earlier in the thread mentioned nursing. PLEASE DON'T ADD AN INFANT INTO MY ALREADY CRAZY SCHEDULE. (ha! ha!) Seriously, no offense to those of you with tiny ones, I love my 11 year old...but I do not want to have anymore!! My boyfriend has a 4 yearold...I babysat most of the weeknd...and it was enough to remind me what the toddler years were all about!! And he has a good little boy...just very busy...I can not imagine what it would be like if he were not good. Now that my son is 11, I am used to him doing certain things on his own (making his own lunch, wiping his self, blowing his nose on his own, going outside alone)!! Maybe having an 11 year old made me FAT...I just got lazy, I guess!!

Sorry...got off the subject a bit, there!!!

LOL...I think this is the problem:

I believe you were "nursing" your cup of tea, right? :D

Kate - you should be a MOD...that Yay Protein post gave us all somethin to chew on.. :D

BTW your pooch is adorable

Thanks chick :D . She IS adorable, isn't she?? I love her to bits...

And LOL...It would be nice to be a Mod cuz then I wouldn't feel so guilty about stealing that fat vs. muscle pic from another thread...I'm still worried someone's gonna get mad at me for doing that!!! :dizzy:

I'm on SUCH a crusade for protein + weight training...I think I get a bit carried away with it sometimes :lol: .

Ah...that was it!! Yes...I was nursing the tea...not a baby :dizzy: !! SHEW...I was beginning to think you guys knew something I didn't :D !!

Well...today SEEMED much more successfull!! No huge hunger pains, no real desire to "cheat". So...I need your feedback...

Breakfast...Minibagel with peanut butter
Snack...A hard boiled egg & 2 cubes of cheddar cheese
Lunch...Chicken wrap (Sundried tomato wrap, low fat cream cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, Chicken, shredded cheese) and glass of sweetened tea
Snack...a hard boiled egg & 2 cubes of cheddar cheese
Dinner...Grilled chicken, mixed veggies (Zuchini, yellow sqash, onions, carrots, red-green-yellow peppers sauteed in teriyaki (not sure if that spelling is correct))

Well...any feedback!!

Oh yeah....and I walked a mile!

I don't normally critique menus, but I'm starting to feel attached to this thread (and the people on it :) ), so here goes:

Breakfast...Minibagel with peanut butter<---- try almond or cashew butter instead -- "better" fats and higher protein (and very, very yummy).
Snack...A hard boiled egg & 2 cubes of cheddar cheese<---- I think this is excellent! You can get lower-fat mozerrella (sp.?) cheese sticks and use those if you wanted to. I still eat cheddar cheese, though. Just in moderation, of course! (I used to eat it by the POUND, I swear!)
Lunch...Chicken wrap (Sundried tomato wrap, low fat cream cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, Chicken, shredded cheese) and glass of sweetened tea<---- excellent! What was the tea sweetened with? And what kind of cheese?
Snack...a hard boiled egg & 2 cubes of cheddar cheese<---- excellent!
Dinner...Grilled chicken, mixed veggies (Zuchini, yellow sqash, onions, carrots, red-green-yellow peppers sauteed in teriyaki<---- excellent!

L:D:DKING GOOD, jump!!! Lotsa protein in there!!!! :dance:

Okay, so the reason I don't like to critique menus is because I feel bad if I have a "criticism." But it's HELPFUL, right? Okay, here goes: the only 2 things I would be somewhat careful about are (1) overdoing the cheese -- but like I already mentioned you can replace it with low-fat string cheese, and (2) teriyaki has a lot of sodium -- but there is a low-sodium version you could try.

And YAY for walking a mile!!! Exercise will help to suppress your appetite a bit, too. Well done!! :)

I was so surprised how much better I felt with all the protein!! I also did not feel deprived. The tea was sweetened with Sugar :rolleyes: ...but it was the only glass I had all day (a huge cut back for me........remember I was drinking 3-4 a day (not sure if I mentioned that before))!! I am not going to beat myself up for that, YET :rollpin: !! By the way...did I mention that I drank a ton of water too!!

You guys are all so insiring!! Thank you so much for keeping me motivated :thanks: !!

As long as the cubes of cheese aren't really big (1 inch square?)...I haven't found a low fat cheese I really like yet.

Way to go on the walking a mile and it's great to have a day that feels successful, huh?

When you get to feeling down, come back and read your post above...keep up the good work! looks like it ain't broke so why fix it? :D

I'm sorry jumpd. :o I misunderstood. :dizzy: This did give me a good laugh this morning. Guess that's why I don't post much. Sorry again.

I'm suprised no body has mentioned caffeine withdrawal (sp). (Unless I missed it-sorry if I did) How much sweetened tea did you usually drink? Our bodies get used to the caffeine and if you do a drastic cut back all of a sudden you can get really bad headaches.

Looks like your second day was much better then the first post. More food, better choices. I know those bars are much easier to keep handy, they taste good and easy to keep tract of calories but they really aren't very satisfying, plus they tend to have a ton of sugar.

I'm also one who has to keep an eye on cheese intake, I can easily go through 1/2 a pound a day or more. :(

edited to add:
Good Earth Original tea is really tastey with a sweet taste without sugar. It comes in regular and caffeine free. Ingredients: A blend of Tea, Rose Hips, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Lemon Grass, Peppermint, Papaya, Anise, Orange Peel, Ginger, Artificial and Natural Flavors. Contains no sugar, artificial colors or preservatives. 3 Calories. I've seen it at Trader Joes, and I think Whole Foods Market.


Happy planning,
Sarah

Eating pretty much the same stuff today as I did yesterday...still feeling full & happy. I think preperation is going to be key.

My usual tea consumption was about 4 a day. I have cut back to one. Eventually I am going to decrease the amount of tea & the amount of sugar. Last night....after my son was in bed...really wanted the tea. But I went to bed intead...other than that no cravings.

Actually, my cheese really are not the cubes that you buy in the store. I took a block of cheese & made a thin (1/4") slices on the short side of the cheese. Just enought to get a little taste....because I only use Extra Sharp Cheddar a little goes a long way for taste.

Any other food ideas...I'm open to anything!

Hiya jump :) ,

You've hit the nail right on the head when you wrote that preparation is key! I seriously couldn't even be DOING this if I didn't do a heck of a lot of planning. For most of my life, I didn't do ANY food planning and usually just reached for something quick and easy -- like a box of macaroni & cheese, a bag of Doritos, or a block of cheese :D . Now, I am always conscious of what's in the house. The key for me is to always have LOTS of food in the house -- healthy food that I like. That way I never end up with empty cupboards which could lead to me being ravenously hungry and having the urge to "pop out" for a bag of chips or ordering a large pizza and eat the whole thing myself (both of which I used to do A LOT). I never let myself run out of food, because I know I'm just setting myself up for a food disaster if I do that. I also tend to buy 2 of things that I know I'll go through quickly, like 2 boxes of Special K, 2 cartons of non-fat milk, etc. so I know I'll always have those things around.

Someone already mentioned the idea of boiling 6 eggs on Sunday night and keeping them in the fridge -- I do that, too! That way if hunger hits you, you have something quick and easy to grab. It's also nice because if you have a really busy day, you can bring it in the car with you and don't find yourself pulling up to the drivethrough :D . I always keep little snack-size baggies of baby carrots in my fridge, too.

As for the tea, I agree with Sarah. I think it's likely your headaches have more to do with caffeine withdrawl than anything else. By the way, I STILL drink 3 - 4 (sometimes 5 :D ) cups of regular tea a day. That's something I could never bring myself to give up -- the only changes I made were Splenda instead of sugar and non-fat milk instead of 2%.

I'm so glad things are going so well for you! Every day of success is a little victory, and it will only get easier! :D

Ok LoveBassetts...How long has it taken you? I was looking at where you started & where you want to be. (I know you are not there yet...but you are getting close) We are pretty much the same. I was just wondering a time frame. I want to set goals...but I need them to be realistic.

By the way rdhdgrl1, when I reread the whole nursing comment...I see why you took it that way!! I had to laugh myself....no baby nursing here!!

Have I mentioned to you all that I am invited to a wedding at the end of October (I know not to expect major changes)...but I do want to go dress shopping for the wedding with a better state of mind than I have been in lately!! Plus it is with the new boyfriend (7 years younger than me...what the :censored: was I thinking when I started dating him...oh yeah he's hot & has the sex drive of a 28 year old! HeHe :o ...sorry!!). But...anyway with his age, I am so intimidated that all of his friends from college are going to be dating these young girls who have never had kids & are going to all be size 3. I don't want to feel FAT & Ackward around them...so, I hope just knowing that I have dropped a few lbs will help with that. Any suggestions?

At least being on this site has helped me to know that I am not the only one....and I feel like I have made so many new friends. You guys are the best!!

About the pizza night. Why don't you try to make the pizza with your children instead of ordering? It is more fun for the kids, and you can customize the pizza to be really healthy. You can put oats in the dough, and you can use fat free cheese. Also, make your kids side with whatever they like, and customize your side w/ veggies and not so much cheese. If you don't have time, try making the dough in advance and freeze it. Good luck! Don't give up, I'm getting weight on Saturday so we'll see how I'm doing, I hope you will loose some weight by then, too.

Hi Jump :) ,

I "started" on 8/29/02 (my 30th birthday). By 8/29/03, I was down to 160 lbs. So I lost the first 29 lbs at a rate of about 1/2 a week. I then moved to the UK, and took an "unintended" break for 18 months :dizzy: , during which time I neither gained nor lost any actual "weight." However, when I left the States, I was 160 lbs & a loose size 12, and when I came back I was 160 lbs & a solid size 14 -- so obviously I did gain FAT, and lost muscle (I did very little weight training while I was there). I moved back the to States in late January of this year and headed back to the gym in the beginning of March. And again, since then I've lost an average of about 1/2 lb a week.

I know 1/2 lb a week probably seems super low to a lot of people (and may sound depressing to someone who is just starting out), but I'm happy with my rate of loss because I know this is a lifestyle change and not a "diet." I'll be eating like this and exercising regularly for the rest of my life, so I'm much more concerned with making this a 100% ingrained HABIT than getting to 139 as fast as humanly possible. I want to maintain this weight loss for the rest of my life -- I refuse to ever be fat again -- so I know I have to do it safely, sensibly, and sanely. I know not everyone could do it this way and still be happy, but it works very well for me :D .

And there ARE a few other factors involved. First, during my initial year (8/02 - 8/03) I DID NOT DO A SINGLE SECOND OF CARDIO. None. Zilch. I weight trained for an hour 3 days a week and began eating healthier foods with lots of protein, and that's it. If I HAD been doing cardio, I would have lost a significantly larger amount of weight in that 1 year (I'm guessing probably about 45+ lbs) I AM doing cardio now -- 30 - 45 minutes on the elliptical 3 days a week. The other thing to remember is that during the (total) 1 year + 8 months or so that I've been 100% "on plan," I've weight trained 3 times a week for 30 - 60 minutes. I do this absolutely religiously. And what this means is, that WHILE I've been losing fat, I've also been gaining muscle -- which means the numbers on the scale don't accurately represent how much actual FAT I've lost, if that makes sense.

For my actual fat-loss information, I rely on lots of other indicators. For example my body fat percentage started out at 20.94% in 2002 and is now down to 15.97%. I've gone from a Body Mass Index of 33 (which is "obese") to a BMI of nearly 25 (which is the top end of "normal.") I've also lost 5.75 inches in my bust (YAY!), 4 inches in my hips, and 6 inches in my waist. But the MOST IMPORTANT thing is that I've gone from a very tight size 18 to a relatively comfortable size 8.

So there are many other ways to "judge" your weight loss success -- and I think it's important for you to remember that, especially because you are just starting out. I've seen SOOOO many people on 3FC who get all wrapped up in a .2 lb gain or the lack of a 2 lb loss in a week. These people seem so demoralized, and I just hate to see them get discouraged by a number when there are tons of different ways to measure your weight loss successes. I don't even OWN a scale! I only weigh-in with my trainer every 6 - 8 weeks....well, I did only weigh-in every 6 - 8 weeks until I started getting a little obsessed with the (annoying ;) ) little ticker thing in my signature. But my trainer HATES scales -- she believes that the very best indicator of weight loss is how your clothes fit. So lately I've actually been sneaking into her office and weighing myself behind her back :o . But I think my recent (unhealthy) neurosis about my "pounds" is due to the fact that I'm getting SO CLOSE to meeting all of my goals (loose size 8, 24.9 BMI, and 139 lbs) -- so I find myself getting a little over-eager!

ANYWAY....now I am BABBLING. So the whole point is, I lose at a rate of 1/2 lb a week. And I'm happy with that. But you (and probably most of humanity) may not be happy with that. The maximum rate for HEALTHY weight loss is 2 lbs a week. Any more than that, and you start eating away at your own muscles. Which we DON'T want, right? ;)

Sorry..I tend to ramble on and on...:dizzy:

You're doing great, Jump!!! Keep it up!!

Editing now to add: I also highly recommend the book "Thin For Life: 10 Keys to Success From People Who Have Lost Weight & Kept it Off" by Anne Fletcher. They talk about it a lot over on the Maintainers Forum. I got it from Amazon (used) for around $4 and read it in about 2 hours on Saturday morning. I'm not normally all that interested in "self-help" or "diet" books, but it is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! You can't HELP but be motivated by the stories in this book!

I think that slow weight loss stays off better. I like to see 1-2 pounds a month. That way I know that I'll keep it off easier for me. This is only my personal opinion and experience. When I've lost big hunks of weight in the past relatively quickly, I always put it back on just as quickly plus 5 pounds.

With slow weight loss, you can tackle the reasons why you are eating what you are eating-what's actually behind the weight gain. Once I figured out the emotional aspects of what made me fat I was able to tackle the getting rid of the fat much easier.

I lost my 40 pounds in about 8 months a good solid year ago. I know what I need to do to lose the last 20 pounds but haven't gotten around to it yet. But the good thing about this last year is that I've not regained, I've maintained +/- 3 pounds. I'm not having the problems with maintaining that I've had so many times before.

Keep planning, you'll make it eventually. You didn't put the weight on overnight and it's not going to come off overnight either.
:cheer:
Sarah

I agree with the slow weight loss - I have lost me weight since January, so it is slow going. But I am also aware that this is not a temporary thing - I am making lifestyle changes - and I weightlift two or three times a week in addition to the cardio. I was pushing the limits of a size 16 when I started, and now 12's are starting to get too loose.

I know you all are right...I am a bit anxious & I need to calm down & start making lifestyle changes. I already have to some degree. I cut out soda on August 1...I have only had 3 since then (1 at the movies & then 2 at a party where the water was awful-no bottled- & I had already had a cocktail.). By the way...I don't drink ofetn but when I do it is usually a mixed drink...I have been using Crystal Light Pineapple Orange with a little Malibu Rum.....OMG to die for!!

I am trying to incorporate working out a few days a week...but no real set structured times & days of the week. I really do enjoy the water too. And...since our office has a water cooler, I am saving a ton of $ not going to the vending machines.

Thank you all again.

I think it's really important to take baby steps. And Jump...I KNOW -- boy, do I KNOW -- how it feels to just want all the weight gone NOW. That's one of the first mental challenges I had to conquer -- I had to learn to accept slow (but steady) progress.

And, like Sarah said so brilliantly, there's an extra "bonus" to losing weight slowly. It gives you the chance to figure out why you have an "issue" with food to begin with. What is it about your relationship with food that has caused you to gain weight? Do you use it to relieve stress or loneliness? Are you a "boredom" eater? Or is there some other issue going on? I think that once you figure that out and address it, you have tackled a huge part of the problem.

My food issues are the result of growing up with an anorexic mother and a compulsive-eating father. I won't go into (too many ;) ) gory details, but what it boils down to is the fact that I never learned what "normal" was/is. I didn't know what a normal weight was because Mom hovered around 100 lbs at 5'8, and Dad was (essentially) obese. I didn't know what a normal serving size was because Mom ate 2 ounces of tofu for lunch, and Dad ate a big bag of potato chips. And other than Mom's "off-limits-to-everyone-but-her" food (lettuce, tofu, grapefruit) and Dad's "secret stash" (Doritos, chips, and Oreos) all we had in the fridge on any given day was a few lemons, an empty jar of pickles, and a carton of curdled milk. And that IS NOT an exaggeration.

I was extremely close to my Dad -- he was my very best friend. And given the two extremes, which parent would ANY kid choose to learn his or her eating habits from? Basically, it was either eat lemons or drink pickle juice from the jar (which I did occasionally) or be like Dad. I chose to be like Dad -- who, incidentally, died of an aortic anuerism (due to high BP + artertial sclerosis according to the autopsy) a month shy of his 50th birthday. It came out of the clear blue sky -- no one knew the damage his eating habits had done to his body until he just dropped dead one day.

So now I choose not to be like Dad. OR Mom. But despite the shock of my Dad's death and the fairly OBVIOUS link to food, it still wasn't until nearly 12 years later that I said to myself "I think I have a problem with food." Since then, I've had to reprogram my entire being and develop an entirely new relationship with food. And that takes TIME. ALOT of time, and ALOT of patience. But it's WELL worth the wait!

So Sarah's right (like she usually/always is :D ), and I'm really glad she brought that point up.

You both bring up VERY GOOD points. I grew up in a house where you never put anything on your plate unless you ate it. I think, also, food has become so much of our social life....what do we all say when we see a friend we have not seen for a while..."Let's do lunch?" or "Let's go to the movies?" both end up with me eating out of control. Other than that....I think that food has become a hobby of mine. I love to shop for it (one of the few shopping trips I can have as a single Mom & not feel guilty about), I love to prepare it, I love to serve it (food presentation has always been fun), I love to eat it & watch the people I prepared the food for enjoy it. Let's face it...in the US (And other places, I'm sure) food has become part of our lives...in more ways than just survival...it is a past time, so to speak. We have parties that include insane amounts of food. Many activities we attend & participate in have food at them...movies, PTA (my son's PTA serves dinner at every meeting), little league, bowling, even my grocery store has a little eatery. We use food as an award...we take friends/family out to dinner to celebrate.

In addition, my Mom has always stayed small, despite what she ate...and my Dad does not really have a great metabolism, but his job required him to walk a lot & since he is retired, he decided to buy a few more horses & take care of them on his own. Nutrition & weight loss was never really an issue. When Mom & dad split, we move in with my Grandma & ate what she had to make for my Grandfather, since he had a heart condition. But, they both cheated, DAILY.

Now, I need to retrain my thinking about food. Shop for better things, not say to myself "Well, I will have the double quarter pounder with cheese because having lunch with the friend I have not seen in a year is a special occasion."....because truthfully, that was just an excuse...it would be just as much fun to spend time with her if I has a salad instead. I's kind of like Christmas, it is not about what you presents you opened (or in this case the food you ate), but about the people you have around you & those that you love & love you back.

Yes, that was one of my problems! When my dh and I got married years ago we were on a very tight budget, I was always spending money on silly things and dh would get so irratated because he was trying to save for the future and I came from the "I got paid today, let's go have fun. Who cares about tomorrow" mindset, with lots of credit cards and that horrible trap. DH finally got me broke of spending money carelessly to the point where I feel guilty to buy anything for myself now because he never splurges on his self.

I could always buy food and not feel guilty about it. I would do the same thing, invite friends over, cook all day for them. Be excited when they oohed and aahed over it. For me, I discovered that I was using food as a way to connect to people and in the process eating way too much.

I've learned that I can still connect with people with a simple healthy meal. Previously a meal would consisit of how much fat I could squeeze into it. Making cream soups with real cream, mashed potatoes with butter, cream and sour cream, and the list goes on.

Somehow I had in my twisted mind equated love with fat, if you love someone you use the very best ingredients which were butter and cream. :?:

I've actually lost a friend because I decided to stop having dinner dates with her. Everything we did revolved around food-mostly desserts, and after a sugar high we would laugh and talk like we were drunk or something. I started suggesting other things we could, "Let's go to the park and walk around the lake, we can watch the ducks play in the water." After a few times of this, she said, "You aren't any fun anymore." and stopped calling me.

You are doing a great job at seeing the whole picture. Yeah!

Sarah

Instead of the sweetened tea you should try Wyler's Peach flavored tea...its sugar free and so good. Crystal light makes it too, I buy whichever is on sale (I have a nasty diet coke addiction) I use Stevia too, its aweome, and its even great for baking

Ok...so I was bad this morning. Had a Spinach & Egg Soufle from Panera...the office ordered & I could not resist. But...I did loose 4 lbs this week. Part of that just had to do with weighing myself at the wrong time of the month(last week). I feel so much better about the whole "diet" thing....it does not feel like a "diet" where I am starving. It feels more like dietary changes rather than a "diet" that you do for weeks or months & then go back to the way you used to eat. My goal is to never have to diet again. I know the loss will be gradual like this...but I will stick to it much better than I usually stick to suff like this.

Woo-hoo!!!

:dance: :bravo: :dance:

GREAT GOAL, Jump!!!!! :D

And don't worry about the spinach & egg soufle too much....lol, it had SPINACH and EGG so it couldn't have been THAT bad!!!