Kristy

[musicisthecure]

Hello everyone! My name is Kristy and I've just discovered this site. I just started my diet on the first of this month and have so far lost 3 pounds. Yay!

I'm very Italian and LOVE food.

Before my decision to get into shape, I probably took in about 3,000 calories a day. I ate more than most guys I know. And it never had an effect on me. Then, for whatever reason, my metabolism slowed on me, and after 17 years of eating crap with zero gain, I started to pack on the pounds. This time last year I was 15 pounds lighter. =\

I'm certainly unsatisfied with my body, and I really want to push myself to lose 20 pounds.

But it's been such a hassle in such little time. I've managed to resist ALL of my snacking urges, which is an accomplishment in itself, trust me, but I find that I spend most of my time thinking about food: I think about what I can eat, what I can't eat, what I want to eat, what I'm going to eat, how much I wish I could have those donuts, how many calories are in this meal, etc. etc.

It's driving me insane. Most of my thoughts are about FOOD! I was wondering if this is something that will pass with time and if it's only hard because it's the first week? Because I feel like a drug addict in detox. I don't want to go mental thinking about food! I can barely focus in school.


Aside from that, I wanted to say hello and that I am excited to be a part of the group.

Best wishes,
Kristy

 

[amylosesandwins]

Hey Kristy! Welcome to the forum! I too suffer from a preoccupation with food, but it caught up with me immediately, meaning I've been overweight for most of my adult life since late junior high. You had a fast metabolism before so you never saw the visible results of your food preoccupation and now it's starting to show. It is really hard to always been thinking about food. What I do that really helps me is that I made my own nutrition plan. I don't call it a "diet", it's just my program I made for myself. And I keep a small notebook with me at all times and write down every morsel of food I eat. It keeps me in check and reminds me, that, "OK, you've eaten all that you need." It has been a really helpful tool to combat my compulsive eating. My plan is basically 3 meals and 3 small snacks per day. The snacks are allowed to have 100 calories each. The meals have to have 1 serving of protein, 2 servings of whole grains (that's about a cup of pasta or rice, 2 cups of dry cereal, 1 cup of oatmeal, 2 slices of bread), and 2 servings of either fruits or vegetables. It's an easy plan to follow for me. It also satisfies nutritional requirements (although I don't eat dairy because I have a mild allergy to it, so you can adjust your plan to include low-fat dairy if you wish to use my model). It's also a realistic plan to follow, and when I stick with it, I still lose weight. I haven't been counting every little calorie for a few months now. I will say though, when I don't do my plan and don't keep track, I fall off the wagon hardcore. So it's all about consistency and committing myself to sticking with it. Maybe you could do something similar.

Sometimes, too, food replaces coping with your emotions. Sometimes we want to reach for food to fill something that feels empty inside. When we can't pinpoint our emotions and what is causing them, food is a quick fix for many of us. If you eat certain things it bumps up the seratonin level in your brain giving you a short mood boost. That is why a lot of people "comfort eat." Also, food could remind you of things that make you happy, and when you're stressed, sometimes the taste and smell of something tied to a happy memory are what you reach for. There are so many reasons why people eat compulsively.

If it is interfering with your life, I'd say you want to take a long, hard look at yourself and try to figure out what triggers you to overeat. If you're having trouble doing this alone, try to find a good cognitive therapist. They can listen to your concerns and give you some insight and help you change your thinking to a more positive mode. I've been seeing a therapist for awhile now, and it's helping. She is very into the food journaling thing.

Good luck! And honestly, you are not that overweight, but it's good on you to nip it in the bud while it's easier to lose and not letting it get too bad. I totally wish I'd noticed when I was only 20 lbs. overweight instead of 80.

Peace!

 

[KatyBaby]

Hey! Welcome to the site. I'm sure you'll find lots of support here!

 

[musicisthecure]

Thank you Amy! Congrats on losing so much weight by the way!!! That's amazing!


I think what really gets me is my friends' diets. They eat like wilderbeasts (I'm talking whole pizzas). Being that we are all in college and far from home, when we get a large break like Winter break, we want to be together constantly and it's, "Let's go here for lunch and here for dinner and here for a second dinner, wings, pizza, ice cream, pasta!" It's hard to say no because I obviously want to be with them and I see what they're eating and I have to have it.

I chose now to start because everyone is back in their dorms and I am not going out every night being tempted. Hopefully by the time another beak rolls around, I can control myself better around them from all the practice I'll have.