I can tell that I am lonely traveling in another city because I feel like people aren't asking questions fast enough, and I have like 20!
I've never had a great body image, and don't really show off my body, but it hasn't been an obsession either. I don't really diet and have no will power, and have been able to use pregnancy, breastfeeding, pregnancy, breastfeeding as an excuse to not really think about my weight. I actually lost 15 pounds extra during my first breastfeeding, and while I didn't really see a difference in the mirror, I felt so much better. I am now 6 months post partum and after everyone has told me that the second comes off so much fast than the first, I am stuck in a rut. I haven't lost a pound since about 3 weeks post partum, and still have 23 to lose to get back to pre-pregnancy weight. Still, this hasn't really bothered me, I have done the be patient, it took 9 months to put it on (55 pounds), and 9 months to take it off. But, 23 pounds in 3 months seems like quite a bit to still need to lose. What shocked me last night was the mirror in my hotel room, it is a full body mirror and I had to walk straight at it to get into the shower - UGGGGHHHH!!! It was horrible. The lighting didn't help, but it felt like a truth mirror!
I know that I need to do something, but where to start? I am a jump in and get overwhelmed and stop kind of person. I have done that for years in trying to get rid of clutter and finally feel like I am getting somewhere with that problem. I now want to add the weight part too, but again, baby steps. I don't drink soda, and if I try to cut out chocolate or some other food, that is ALL I will want and then I don't want to stop at just one piece. I want this to be a life change, not just a diet. I want to be healthy and not have a food issue so that I don't pass on this body image thing to my daughter. Anyone have a method out there? I don't need a quick fix, just a slow and steady change.
UPDATE: I know that exercise will help a great deal and have some stretches/exercises from a physical therapist, but have some back issues. I KNOW that losing weight can only help those issues, and he has suggested walking, so I am asking for Christmas and saving up for a double stroller so that I can't use that as an excuse either.
Thank you all for the suggestions and support. I know so much of this, but it helps for it to come from outside my head too.
Thank you everyone for your advice and encouragement. I can't currently afford Weight Watchers, but I did do the point system when I was in college (borrowed some stuff from someone), and I found that focusing so completely on points and calories made me focus my whole day on food and what I was going to eat next, and when, and I tended to go over board more often.
To start this process, I am planning on focusing on portion control. We rarely eat out, except when I am on the road, and are always trying new recipes, so I think that the portion control is doable (I did it before, but let it slide), and I won't be baking nearly as much, which is hard this time of year. If I truly feel a need to bake, I will send the goodies to work or my husband's work so that I don't feel I have to eat them. I think I have a weird connection to food that if I spend the good money on something, I have to eat it, or if I baked it, I have to eat it. I need to work on that issue. I am also going to try to walk more. Even if it starts out with just 10 minutes a day, it is more than I am doing now, and may mean I am on the computer less, which is a good thing. I am hoping that Verizon truly gets the iPhone in January, and then I will look into the iFit app too.
Please try Weight Watchers. I started weight watchers two weeks ago and have already lost eight pounds! It's so easy and you can eat anything you want if you count it. I already feel so much better. Good luck.
Okay -
1. Don't stop eating anything, just limit quanitites
2. Drink more water or flavored seltzer
3 Do not eat a lot extra fuit or drink a lot of juice - there are a lot of extra calories there
4. Low fat dairy is great - high protein and filling - but as always watch your serving size.
5. Drink water - repeating myself :) But sometimes a lot of us eat when we are thirsty.. our bodies confuse the signals
6. Change your salad - get rid of iceburg lettuce, go for romaine or arugula, etc. the dark lettuces have more vitamins...
7. Vitamins - sometime we get food cravings when we are lacking vitamins and minerals. Try to counter act that by eating a balanced diets and taking a vitamin...
8. End a meal with something sweet (fruit, chocolate).. I have read that it signals your body that you are done; if not it sure tastes good :)
9. Exercise does not need to be in a gym. I use my daughter as an exercise weight. At around 30 lbs she works really well. I lift her up and down in my arms (with the occaisonal toss) and she loves it. I also sit on the sofa and extend my legs... she sit on my lower legs and then I lift her up and down, this gets the thighs and abs and I also just bounce her around on my lap more legs. I also hold her parallel to the floor and twist my torso...
That all being said I don't do all of it all the time and I still have that last stubborn 10lbs. but it really did help and it was slow and steady and the diet is now part of my regular life... not any special effort...
Good luck!
You sound like the ideal candidate for Weight Watchers. It's not a quick fix and it truly teaches you how to amend your eating habits, portion control, exercise, etc. Attending meetings is best, but you can do it completely online too! They even have a program for breastfeeding mothers. Best of all, since it really focuses on changing your habits and lifestyle and not depriving you of anything, you can eat anything -just in moderation or if you save up points for it -so you can have pizza sometime or chocolate sometime or whatever.
I second the suggestion about Weight Watchers - after having gained and lost basically the same 25 pounds my whole life, I re-joined in May with the goal of slow and steady weight loss, for good this time. It HAS been slow progress, but progress nonetheless (17 lbs. so far) and the most important thing I think I've learned in this go 'round is that it is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. I have (again, slowly) made dietary swaps, like brown rice instead of white, whole wheat pasta for regular, more whole grains in general, lo-fat cheese instead of full-fat, etc. My main "problem" is that I love to cook and am accustomed to eating a certain way, so have had to learn to be a little more creative when it comes to meal planning. I keep reminding myself that the pounds didn't come on overnight, and will not come off overnight. Going to WW meetings has been very helpful in keeping me accountable from week to week. The support has been fantastic. You can definitely make changes on your own, but I find the weekly meeting to be a great source of ideas and very motivating. But whatever works for you. Just taking the first step IS hard, but once you start to see results, it helps keep you going. It would be great if you had a friend to do it with and support you along the way. Good Luck!
We started Weight Watchers at work in April and I am 55 pounds down, now keep in mind that I started at a weight of 340. We did not get enough people to sign up for a new session so I am still doing it on my own and walking with a co-worker on both breaks hoping that after the holidays, people will want to join back up to get those holiday pounds off. With any program, you have to stick to it and I find it easier with WW because my family can eat what I am eating, with a few embellishments or they get more of a portion. I have tried WW before but never stuck to it like this time. I would say since you have 23 lbs to lose, WW would be good for you and with exercise, you would probably reach that goal pretty quickly. Good luck.
After I had knee surgery I put on 20lbs or so during recovery. I did Weight Watchers online to lose the weight. Also if you can get a cheap treadmill, 30 minutes a day will do wonders!
I have lost 25 lbs in the last year by watching my calorie intake. I eat what I want but limit myself to so many calories per day. I use the iFit application that works with my iPhone. It calculates the calories by how much I want to lose per week. I haven't done much exercising during that time but I am now walking 3 hours per week. This is the only thing that has worked for me.
Another vote for Weight Watchers. It's a lifestyle change, not a diet. I did their online only program this year and lost all of the baby weight that just wouldn't budge after our second child (almost 20 lbs.). The program isn't that expensive, either (especially the online only if you think you are motivated enough to figure out the system by reading the info. they share). You don't have to give up any favorite foods, lose any food categories or do anything radical. You just learn which foods are healthiest choices and most filling, and what is the right portion size. It's a real eye-opener when you start reading labels and especially the nutrition information when you go out to eat (one grilled cheese I loved was 800 calories! Yikes!). You're also encouraged to exercise, although you get points for doing all sorts of activity, even just vacuuming the house or walking.
I feel like a million bucks now. I can fit into some of the skinny clothes I had stashed that had truthfully shrunk in the dryer! It was a happy day when I reached that goal. Now clothes fit me well and I don't have to resort to loose-fitting fat clothes anymore.
Good luck!
you can start making healty choices for food like substitute meals
for exemple substitute your tipical brakfast for a healthy protein shake that has less calories and fat than a breakfast plus the protein your are getting and the vitamins
your lunch and dinner for healthy too like 4 oz of meat, veggies and little carbs(brown rice,wheat pasta)and don't eat after 6 pm
also try change the soda or coffe for green tea because green tea is a great metabolism booster and has lot of antioxidants.
drink lots of water when you feel hungry between meals or craving some food first drink a glass of water.
snacks you can eat some veggies,fruit (no fruit after 5 pm) or healthy snacks
hope this help
Look up flylady.net She will help you with taking care of clutter AND body clutter. :)
After pregnancy, I was overweight my sister suggested me mummy magic tea and I took it wonderfully....It`s work great with me...Now I am slim and smart again..!!
I don't know if I really have advice other than to say I can completely sympathize. I am about 30-40 lbs over what my healthy weight should be. I can't blame it on pregnancy because I lost all of my weight almost immediately due to breastfeeding and being sick for weeks post partum. I just got super lazy and depressed and let the snacking take over and didn't exercise for months. I am on the road to recovery now, but it's a SLOW, LONG road. I beat myself up everytime I look in the mirror too. I mean, I used to model as a teenager, so this is really terrible.
I cannot restrict myself because when I do...I give up and binge on something bad for me! I think it's a matter of changing your cravings and your mindset one day at a time. You have to take control too. For me, the thing that had really hindered me is that I accomodate other people by eating food I don't really want or like or need. You have to listen to your body and get active and stop buying the junk cause if it's not around, you won't eat it.
I'll be thinking about you while we're both going through this struggle!
The full length mirror is your friend. It helps keep you honest and motivated for change.
If you can get to the cause for the maintaining the weight you will know what you need to do to rid yourself of it but this will require personal honesty and accountability.
Do you exercise? Are you eating healthy foods? What is your water intake like? I say I still haven't seen an overweight vegetarian so with that in mind I would recommend you increase your vegetable and fruit intake while decreasing your meat intake. Another personal favorite is not eating after a certain time of day and having consistent eating times thoroughout the day every day. Try to stick to three small to moderate meals a day with breakfast being the largest meal, slightly smaller for lunch and a light dinner.
Get at least 30 minutes of exercise in the morning and another 30 minutes in the evening. This will help give you energy for your day and calm you down for excellent sleep at night (remember to give yourself two hours between exercise and actual bedtime).
Try not to deprive yourself of anything but eat in moderation. The problem with excluding things you will crave them and over do them to the extreme. You may even consider getting a smaller dinner plate instead of a larger one you are currently using. Another great tip that helped me.
Whatever you choose to do for you you must be diligent and decisive about what this means to you. Make this a lifestyle change and not just a temporary thing.
Also try new foods along the way. There are so many great things out there. Find recipes for things and just try some thing new or something old prepared a new way. Variety is the spice of life. I'm praying for your success.
It worked for me and everyone I shared it with. It even has healthy chocolates so you don't have to give it up.
This program is about feeding your body right, not starving it or depriving it.
Want to chat?
B.
Family Success Coach
Google Couch to 5K, it is a running program. I wasnt a runner before I did this and I'm not a huge runner now but it really did help. Also try taking white foods out of your diet; white potatoes, white rice, white bread, white sugar. Up your fresh fruit and veggie intake.
I don't believe in will power. I think it is better to find exercise that you enjoy, like sports or Zumba rather than making yourself do something that you hate. And as far as eating, I didn't ever do Weight Watchers but I also know lots of ladies that love it because it works. It's portion control and knowing how much to eat of certain kinds of foods. Personally, I don't like being obsessed with counting calories. I find that I eat less food when I focus on making sure I get in enough veggies and protein. And I know my friend who did weight watchers said that eating whole grain bread is more filling than white bread, so you are not as hungry when you eat healthier foods.
