New, of course

[Bethyness]

Let's start with the problem--I'm 19, 5'3", and 215 lbs--a size 18.
I hate telling my weight so much--I won't tell my friends, I registered here under a completely different username than I normally use because I'm so ashamed of how much I weigh.
I enjoy exercise, and have done it about 6 days a week for about two months now happily, but my diet is what I've had trouble with.
For a good part of the last two years I wasn't able to afford food or qualify for food stamps, so I ate very, very little--250-800 calories a day. I'm finally able to eat more, starting just this past month, but now it feels like my body's trying to make up for lost time--I can't get full. I started counting calories and keeping a food diary to make sure I was getting enough, and now I'm finding myself having to trim in areas to keep it under my maximum--and I'm trying to eat good, healthy food. I try to eat food rich in fiber to help me feel full, but it doesn't seem to help.
My other big problem is a really strong, insistent sweet tooth. I've replaced the snacks in my snack box with fruits and vegetables, and I enjoy these foods a lot, but I still feel like I'm constantly craving sweets. I ignore them, or I try having just a little bit, but it won't go away. The only thing that helps seems to be brushing my teeth, and that only for about twenty minutes.

I am hate-hate-hating counting calories, heh. I keep wishing I could forget the calories and eat until I don't feel so deprived anymore.
Trying so hard not to give up though, losing this weight is so important to me.
More than anything I think I need some support and friendship from people who understand--my family and friends are actually angry at me for wanting to lose weight, either because they feel I should simply accept myself how I am (I do love myself the way I am, but that doesn't mean I can't change for the better) or because they're overweight themselves and don't want to put out the effort to lose weight themselves.

So--long story short--I need some friends to help me stick to my weight loss goals. I hope to find a place here!

 

[wishes]

wow you must be one of the few people who join knowing exactly what they want to do and how to do it, and you'd be right.

because you just about starved yourself for a while your body probably went into starvation mode, you may find it takes a while to settle into a proper diet. But im sure you probably know this already

Friends are here a plenty, start a journal in the diary section so we can start supporting you. Perhaps join in a couple of challenges for motivation.

Good to see you here! welcome!

 

[Bethyness]

Thanks!
I'm really hoping if I can stick to it my body will balance back out and I'll stop feeling so incredibly hungry all the time. It doesn't help that I've had health problems with female stuff resulting from starving so much and my hormones have been really messed up for a while--I know that's one reason lately I'm craving sugar so much. Starving like that, and having to force my body out of it, has been one of the biggest struggles of my life, even more so than fighting depression most of my childhood. I struggled all last year trying to get my body to accept food, then not being able to afford food again and having to do it all over--I'm hoping so much that this time's for good. This is why I feel so terrible when I hear about people who become anorexic--it is so incredibly hard to make your body start accepting food again after being in starvation for a long time.

 

[lena410]

i know a bit how you feel. your inside is in a way telling you need to eat and preserve because it doesn't know when it will go into that starvation mode again. its pure survival.

this is something i also had to fight. for example i come from a country where it was luxury to eat cheese or ham, or pizza... because we barely had money to buy bread. sometimes we couldn't do that either and when the war was over, we still couldn't afford anything. so when we would buy some of it we would stuff ourselves like there's no tomorrow. to leave something on the plate??? even now i have problems with it.

so you just have to patient its more your mind telling you that you need food. eventually it will calm down.
i also see that you have things planned out. so good luck and see you in the diary section
Lena

 

[M2M]

Hi Bethyness,
Welcome to the forum and GOOD for you for knowing what you need to do - you are on such a good road for making this weight come off!

Like Wishes said, you're body probably settled into a starvation mode and was conditioned not to release/burn calories because it didn't know when and how much it was going to be getting. Survival is an amazing process really.

Once this is corrected - I think you'll be doing well - you've got a great start with your attitude

Calorie counting can be a pain - but it has REALLY helped me, more then I ever thought it could. I used to track my calories, and it's pretty easy.

Exercising will help get your metabolism back on track - if you could walk 45 minutes a day 4 days a week to start, you'd be well on your way!

Also, you didn't mention how much water you drink - when those cravings grab me, I will down a big glass of water (at least 24oz) and it will offset the cravings - if I come back still craving, then I'll have some fruit for sweetness.

When I'm absolutely starving - I'll make a HUGE salad. With everything in it...apples, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, bbq chicken, croutons, spinach, romaine, peas, you name it...and I am FULL afterwards!

Good luck to you as you reach your goals - I KNOW you CAN do this!

 

[Bethyness]

The exercise is the easy part for me XD Actually, in the past, I've had a problem with over-exerting myself and injuring myself, I get way too into the exercise and keep thinking "Five more minutes. I can do five more. I feel fine, I can do another ten crunches, just another ten. I can do another five push-ups, I know I can." Over and over until I've done an extra half-hour, or an extra 30 crunches, or an extra 20 push-ups, and I end up hurting myself pushing too far.
This time I am keeping to my exercise schedule pretty strictly--45 minutes on the bike 6 days a week, 3 days a week yoga, 3 days a week hand weights/crunches/push-ups, then rest one day a week. Maybe I can increase it later, but I want to keep to this for at least another month before I do anything extra. I'm trying to be careful this time!

The water...we have these big tumblers, about 18 oz I think, I drink 5-6 of those a day without really thinking about it. I'm addicted to ice water.
The cravings and hunger have seemed to be subsiding, too--I'd explain what's happened, but it's kind of a woman's health thing and I don't want to gross anyone out XD