Third times a charm?

cduebelhoer

cduebelhoer

New member
I've been here twice before, all ready to go and make myself better, and twice I just didn't do anything about it.

I've put on ten more, which kills me, since the last time I was here, now i'm tipping the scales at (gasp) 290lbs. When I left for college five years ago I was 220, and I thought I was chubby then. I'm getting married in December, and I want to be able to go on the honeymoon, and not be ashamed to sit at the pool with my shirt off.

I want to look good, feel good, and pardon me for saying this, but there are parts of my body I want to see 'all' of again.

I need help though. I need motivation. My fiance is dieting too, and she will push me, but I need multiple voices. Please, please, please keep on me. I know we're people behind a screen miles and miles away, but you're the extra hand on my back pushing me to where I need to be.

Sorry for the semi-rant :)
 
Good job for not giving up and trying once again! You can never fail if you keep trying.

You got this! What's your plan of action?
 
gohomejes said:
Good job for not giving up and trying once again! You can never fail if you keep trying.

You got this! What's your plan of action?
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Thank you for the positive words.

Obviously, for one, I'm going to eat/drink better. In the past that hasn't been the tough part. I can diet, it's just if I break it one time, it's over for me. I have to get past that mental thing that if I break it for some reason, I can get right back to my diet.

Other than that, I'm not sure what I am going to do. We have a Gazelle, which I just don't like that well, but it may be a good start. Also, like others on here have mentioned, we have 'Exercise TV' through our cable, which has a plethora of workouts on there to do. I may do some of those so I can do it privately in my home.

Do you have any suggestions?
 
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Here are some things that have worked for me. And I'm sorry this is so long, I didn't mean it to be!

If you're someone who stops a "diet" at one failure then I highly suggest scheduling in minor cheats so you don't get to the point where you want an all out binge. One day a week (and let's be honest here, sometimes I do two) don't go crazy, just eat what you want. If you want pizza, have a few pieces and do not feel guilty about it. One day of higher calorie foods will not destroy all the good work you've done. And there is some research that shows calorie cycling can be beneficial. I can say that if I have a week of being "good" and eating low cal and then have a splurge weekend, by Tuesday I've usually dropped 1-2 lbs.

Also, find lower calorie substitutes for things you love that you also enjoy eating. For instance, I like something sweet after my lunch, so instead of cookies from the vending machine I eat a sugar free pudding cup.

Find new lower calorie foods that you LOVE that way you don't feel deprived. I love buffalo chicken wraps (grilled chicken, light sour cream mixed with franks hot sauce, lettuce, and a little parmesan in a low carb tortilla). And when I say "love" I mean I could eat these every day and not get sick of them. We have a sweet and sour chicken recipe that is also amazingly good and very low calorie. If you find the right foods eating them won't feel like a chore and you won't feel like you're on a diet. Cooking Light (the magazine and the website) have been HUGELY beneficial for me. Just surf their website and find dishes that fit into your set calories and enjoy.

Pack your lunch. If I had to pick one thing that has been responsible for my weight loss, this would be it. Packing my lunch appeals to two important parts of my psyche: laziness and cheapness. I don't have to drive anywhere to get lunch, so I can just sit and eat and be lazy on my lunch break, and I don't have to waste a ton of money on food that's only so-so. I'd rather spend that money on my hobbies.

Focus on getting your diet right first, or focus on getting your exercise routine right first, but not both. Lots of people on this board will disagree with me on this, but it would not have worked for me any other way. Trying to figure out how to do both at the same time was just too much for me. So I got my workouts in order, and once they became routine, I modified the diet. It takes longer this way, but it's an easier change, and (for me anyway) has been more permanent.

But the most important thing to realize is that YOU CAN DO THIS. Remind yourself that weight loss is not rocket science. Once you learn a few tricks that work for you, it simply takes persistence.
 
Day 1

Oh. My. Goodness.

I just did my first workout since well, high school. We have exercise TV here on Comcast, and I did the "Lose Weight in 8" agility workout. Wow, so, so tough. Had me panting after two minutes. I fought through it, did the workout to the best of my current ability, and feel great about doing so. Too bad my body doesn't feel great right now, but honestly, it doesn't feel as bad as I thought it would. Maybe the soreness will come later?

I know I just started this journey, but it has been a week today since I last weighed (doctor office). So just to make sure I have the right starting weight, I'm going to weigh myself this afternoon at work (where I work has a state of the art scale) to get a concrete number. I feel like I will weigh once a week so I don't get depressed but enough to feed my curiosity.
 
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If you happen to "fall off the wagon" so to speak on your diet, don't stress about it so much! It's ok. It really is. Just get back on track the next time you are hungry. Something that will help you is not to think of your diet as a diet but a lifestyle change. Slowly change things you currently eat regularly for lower calorie substitutes. For instance, if you life pizza, instead of ordering one or eating a frozen pizza, take some pita bread, spread some tomato sauce on the top with more vegetable toppings than you normally would get with a little chicken and goat cheese. Goat cheese is great. It's better for you and a little goes a long way because it is sooooo tasty and creamy.
A good idea to help you not overeat or binge on unhealthy items too, is to make sure you always set the table for yourself and make what you are going to eat look pretty as if you were in the restaurant. It's pleasing to the eye and sends a more satisfying message to the stomach.
As for exercise, try to workout for at least 20 minutes a day. It's a short enough time that you can always fit it in and once you start, it's over in no time! Also, if you do it everyday for so long it will become habit and you will find you can't go a day without working out. And remember... those last reps or jumping jacks you are doing may feel like the hardest but that is when your body is working to get stronger!
 
It's hard to do but just keep telling yourself you can. Take it one day at a time and try to visualize yourself fitter. Try meditation a few minutes a day. Picture how you want to look and keep going.
 
I'm really down now. I weighed myself, and i'm 5 pounds heavier than I was a week ago at this time. I suppose it could be fluctuations in the scales. This is depressing. That's just that much harder now I have to work. I was doing so well today, then this.
 
cduebelhoer said:
I'm really down now. I weighed myself, and i'm 5 pounds heavier than I was a week ago at this time. I suppose it could be fluctuations in the scales. This is depressing. That's just that much harder now I have to work. I was doing so well today, then this.
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If I were you I wouldn't feel too bad about it. The thing is all scales are a little different so it's a good idea to always weigh yourself on the same scale every week. Pick one and stick with it.
 
Bec said:
If I were you I wouldn't feel too bad about it. The thing is all scales are a little different so it's a good idea to always weigh yourself on the same scale every week. Pick one and stick with it.
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I couldn't agree more with this. Did you know your weight will fluctuate by ~4-5lbs daily? This can be due to a number of reasons. Water is one. Your body is 60% water so depending on your water intake, your weight will vary. Not only should you pick just one scale and stick to it but also pick a time in my opinion. I like to weigh myself in the mornings, right after I wake up and before I head into the gym. So pick one scale, one day, and one time. Don't stress about numbers. This is something I have to tell myself repeatedly. When you start stressing, you don't enjoy this challenge and just get discouraged. Don't get discouraged. Just let it motivate you to work harder!!! The first step is always just making the decision to change to a better, healthier lifestyle. It's going to take one step at a time. You just cannot give up. Keep at it! You WILL succeed.

I agree with a lot of the advice Bluebuckeye gave. Find food you love. There is SOMETHING healthy out there that you will love. I am not much of a cook but cooking my own meals is very important. This way I know exactly what goes in and what I am consuming. I have to work-out in the mornings because I work during the day so I'm used to getting up early to go work-out. In the mornings when I get up early, I also allocate time for me to plan and make my food for the rest of the day. That includes my meals and snacks. This way I stay on track, stay within my calorie intake, AND eat healthy. OH yeah, I also save money because I'm not eating out all the time. :)

Just like with food you have to find what you enjoy, same goes with exercise. Don't make yourself do something you just do not enjoy. Congrats on getting your first work out in! Doesn't it feel amazing? I LOVE the soreness that comes after a really good work out. It means my body is changing!

Don't get discouraged. You can do this :)
 
Day 1 Update

So after reading everyones kind words, I picked myself up off the mat and realized that fluctuation isn't a big deal. I can do this!

Tonight we fixed a 'light' chicken alfredo recipe we found on one of the hundreds of weight watcher recipe sites out there. No butter at all to make the sauce, just some skim milk and flour with a hint of Parmesan cheese. It was really good, and proved to me again that you can eat well and still have flavor. In addition, I had some green beans and potatoes from the crock pot left over as a 'snack' later this evening. Overall I feel I ate well today.

A tad bit of soreness is setting in my arms from the workout this morning, but nothing ridiculous. I think for right now, I'm going to stick with this 'lose weight in 8' tv/dvd workout program. It really kicked my butt while doing it so I figure it's helping. However, at most these workouts are only 30 minutes (albeit a very intense 30). I'm thinking of adding some additional cardio or 10-15 minutes to this to up the time I'm working out. I just don't know that the 30 minutes a day will get me dropping pounds like I want to at first.
 
When I weigh myself, it's always first thing in the morning too because my weight will go up 3-5 pounds during the day. It always makes me want to quit trying.
 
Day 2

Today was a pretty good day, slipped a bit in what I ate, but my workout this morning was what I thought would be a bit lighter since I kicked my butt yesterday. I chose to do some Wii Fit aerobics and yoga, and it beat me up. Not sure what i'm going to do tomorrow. Probably will go back and do the dvd agility workout from Tuesday. Thoughts on that?

I woke up unbelievably sore from yesterday, but i've never been so excited about discomfort in my life!

For breakfast I had some yogurt and skim milk (maybe my favorite diet combo). Lunch I had a impromptu lunch date with my fiance and we had Panda Express (chinese), and went white rice and non-fried pepper chicken. I'm kind of disappointed in this, but I'm glad I got to see her at lunch, so I feel like in my heart it was an equal trade.

Dinner I had some potato soup, again, not great, but in moderation.

Even with the ok food choices today, I feel great because I feel like i'm finally doing this. My body reminds me of it every time I move. :)
 
Congrats on the upcoming wedding! :) You seem to be off to a good start- motivated both food and exercise-wise. I agree with everyone else that has posted: weigh in in the morning, and only use one scale... I was weighing myself at home AND the gym, annnd the gym weighs a few lbs heavier- VERY discouraging. uggh.
Keep it up, don't give in, and remember what your optimal goal is :) have a great day!
 
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