Trying to change my life. Need Support!

[Tman1994]

Hello everyone!


My name is Thomas and I am 18 years old. I have always struggled with my weight for the majority of my life, from 8yrs old on wards. As of now I am 6' tall and did weigh 305, I am down to 297. Im struggling BIG time. I have quit drinking soft drinks for 3 weeks now, that was hard in itself! Im trying to configure some sort of diet, or reduced amount of food intake. But it just isnt working out. I can usually last throughout the day, but late at night I get an INSANE hunger. It seems like starvation almost, and this is even with about 1800-2000 Calories. I cant just ignore it, water doesnt even begin to supress it. I always seem to give in and binge. Basically I just need some feedback and support. I have to lose this weight, it is ruining my life. Not to mention my recently diagnosed sleep apnea and really low HDL levels. Thanks!

 

[AnnaGail]

Hi Thomas, I hope you have been sticking to your goal. WFL is the place to make new friends and lose weight with lots of motivation. Good luck to you!

 

[Chris O]

Good on ya for what you have lost so far brother. I started at 370 and am currently 270. I did this by reducing my caloric intake to a max of 1800 cal per day. I too also had crazy night time cravings. The way I got around them was I worked out closer to bed time. I go to bed about 11pm. I moved my exercise routine to about 8:30-9pm. For some reason I would work out and not be hungry for hours. Long enough to where I could go to bed. When I woke up I was absolutely starving however. Maybe that can help you some. Also water never worked for suppressing my hunger either. One thing I did though was eat several, and I mean several small meal/snacks per day. I don't think I have sat down to a large meal in months. I might have an apple (100cal) for breakfast at 9am then at 10:15 I might have a handful of crackers (60cal.) That is how I eat though. Just 100 calorie snacks every 1h30min or so. It kept me used to stuffing my face just less of it. Because before I would eat like 4 giant meals a day and was always full. Eating small amounts like that keeps gas in the gas tank for me. Good luck.

 

[Hulk2]

Full agreement with Chris. Eat several meals a day and these should be lean food and never allow hunger to set in. If you let hunger set in the body goes into conservation mode and you store away more fat easily as soon as you eat. I too, find the 'fill your belly with water' concept, not very effective. However, it is good to keep drinking water all day to keep hydrated. An easy way to do this, feel sated and additionally burn more calories when you exercise is to make weak green tea in a bottle and keep drinking that. I saw people in China and Malaysia do this and tried it out myself. Really helps.


As for binging: I have to confess, I have given in to it at times and gobbled up two bars of chocolate in minutes. It is almost like, if you eat it quickly, no one will notice; which is really silly, but it seems to make all the sense when you are at it. Well as long as the binges happen once in a while and not regularly, it is no big deal. Just convince yourself that you are fooling no one but yourself, and do treat yourself once in a while.


One thing that I never do is to eat diet food. I do not drink diet coke or diet chips, sugarless ice cream or diet whatever. I love food and all of that tastes really awful and fake. I rather have the real thing once in a while in real moderation and abstain the rest of the time. In a strange way that gives me sense of achievement when I go about it in this way and I do not get too many cravings.


Dont worry..we have all gone through the same problems as you describe...The great thing is to admit it to others and discuss and not get closeted about it

 

[PLB]

Welcome to the forum, Thomas! Hulk and Chris have shared some great points and some valuable lessons that they've learned from experience. You're going to go through ups and downs when it comes to your diet, so try not to expect yourself to be perfect all the time. If there are things that you really enjoy eating, then avoid telling yourself that you can never have those things again. Try to keep in mind that having those 'treats' in moderation (maybe not every day) is allowed... this may help take the edge of when it comes to craving certain things. What's your eating pattern like? 3 larger meals? Lost of small meals? Maybe plan to have a snack each evening instead of trying not to eat in the evening. If you have a plan and have something ready BEFORE you get hungry, then you might avoid some of that intense hunger.