how do I? -- diet question

V

VickyWI

Cathlete
About three years ago I lost 35 lbs doing the Curves diet, low carb basically. I also started going to Curves when I had been inactive. I moved up to Cathe workouts after I found a used tape of hers on Amazon and fell in love with the workouts. I quit Curves and now have 30+ DVD's of Cathes. I LOVE working out but I have gained all of the weight back due to eating. I can't find the motivation to go low carb again. It seems that I need to eat 1500 calories or less to loose weight. I know that it should be a good mix of veggies, fruit and lean meat and I love to eat that way. I know all the nutritional things and I know what "works" for me but I just can't seem to do it. I get angry when I go to put outfits on and I am miserable but I can't seem to eat within my calorie range. Any input or insights? How do I get myself to quit overeating? I am not hungry I just don't know when to stop. It is almost like a recreational thing now. When I was this heavy before I just said "enough". How do I do that again? What works for you? My DH cooks and makes healthy things I just need to find the willpower to say no to all the crap. I exercise for about an hour a day with a good mix, it is my eating. 80% of my weight loss comes from what I put in my mouth. Needless to say, I was born without metabolism it seems. I exercise so hard only to blow it with a handful of M&M's, two pieces of cake, double the supper etc. It is so hard to eat five 300 calorie meals. That seems like so little.

Sorry this got so long and for all the whining. I am feeling desperate and afraid that I will keep growingx(
 
Maybe the answer is to try something you can stick to other than low carb. And maybe it worked at one time, but not now. Low carb can be very restrictive and very few people can stay with it long term.
 
I agree with the above poster. I have been incredibly successful with my eating because NOTHING is off limits for me. I have become great at "everything in moderation". No restrictions. When I restrict myself or label certain foods as "bad" I end up basically dreaming about them at night and eventually bingeing.

Allison
 
For me, I need accountibility. I need to know that someone is going to weigh me in, and if I eat what I should not, that scale will not move the correct way. That is why Weight Watchers worked in the past, and Pure Weight loss is working now. I could do these diets on my own, but I won't, so I need to pay the money, and have that scale shaming me if I mess up. Perhaps that is why Curves worked, was there someone there weighing you?
 
Changing bad eating habits is a lifestyle change. What worked for me was making small changes every couple of months. I did get rid of all the junk food in my house but I allowed myself a small treat every day. On Sundays I allowed myself 2 cinnamon rolls. I think eating is a very mental thing. We have been so programmed to just mindlessly eat whatever is put in front of us. I conditioned my mind by stopping and thinking before I put anything in my mouth. I asked myself questions like..Do I really want this? How am I going to feel after I eat this? Is it really worth sabotaging the hour workout that I just did? Asking myself these questions before I ate really helped to control the mindless eating.
 
Vicki I'll step in with my broken record of recommending these two books which really worked for me. Since I read them I literally don't spend any time worrying about eating. I used to think about it all the time. - As in, I'm eating too much, I need to eat less, I really want that vat of chocolate, I shouldn't eat it, but I really want it, maybe only half the vat, oh maybe all of it...etc. etc.

It's a drag to worry about eating. You don't have to be a slave to it. But you do need to be very, very gentle with yourself and uncover the reasons you eat so that they don't hold you anymore.

The Beck Diet Solution - Judith Beck - more on the warm and fuzzy side.

The 4 Day Win - Martha Beck - sharp witted but compassionate.

Good luck!
 
I would second a recommendation for Weight Watchers. I've lost 40# and have 15# left to goal. I've learned to eat healthier w/o depriving myself of the things I love and my portion sizes have just naturally dwindled as I've lost weight. Their Core plan is great to get you off the sweets, although it's kind of tough at first.
 
I am another weight watcher believer. I lost 30 pounds and have kept it off well I might fluctuate 5 lbs around ttom. WW taught me portions. The 1st 2 weeks, I could not believe the portion sizes but after that I was good. It also does not restrict any foods. I didn't to the core plan. Good luck and don't get too down!
LD
 
Weight Watchers works because it combines education with accountability, both of which are essential to successful weight loss and maintenance.
 
Another fan of WW. I lost 30# on my own (over a long period of time) and have been losing 1-2 lbs./week since joining. It was what I needed to get out of a rut and get my eating under control.

You can get a free one-week trial of the online program to see if you think it'll work for you.

[font face="heather" font color=brick red size=+2]~Cathy [/font face] http://www.millan.net/minimations/smileys/wavesmile.gif
"Out on the roads there is fitness and self-discovery and the persons we were destined to be." -George Sheehan
 
Another WW'we gal here! I've lost 32pds so far with that much more to go! I do the flex program(points) At first it can be a bit Challenging but once you get the hang of it its eazy pezy lemon squeezy;-)

Good Luck!
 
Carbs do not make you fat...too many calories make you fat. Stick with good carbs that fuel your body. You can do this!!

I have a rule for myself - if man made it in a lab and I cannot pronounce the ingredients, I DO NOT eat it.
 
I agree with what the above posters have to say. Carbs do not make you fat (if they did I should be the size of a whale) , maybe low carb isnt' the way you should go, and it is definitly a life style change.
After meeting my DH I gained a bit of weight, not to mention, I was going to collage so that didn't help either. When I finally got on the path of healthy eating again, I did what one of the above posters mentioned...I gradually cut things out of my diet. The first couple of things I probably did was stopped getting 2nd's, stopped drinking pop and tried not to eat after dinner.After I had those few things mastered, I moved on to more water, more salads and more fruis ( these are just examples). Then I started running a little further and working out a little longer...etc.
You say that you were born without a metoblism, I highly doubt that:) If are overeating, your gonna be overweight. Your eating more then your body needs and its storing it, it has nothing to do with your metoblism.
You can also eat alot of food for 1500-1600 cals a day.
Example:

B-Toast w/ peanut butter and 1 egg/2 egg whites- 275 cals
L-Sandwich w tuna and little mayo and a yogurt or carrot sticks 350 cals
S-All bran bites and an apple 160 cals
S-Chicken, sweet potatoe, small salad and an orange 480 cals

This only gives you 1265 cals so you still have room for a snack in the morning and a snack before bed.
It is hard to find motivation but i think once you get started and start seeing results, you'll keep on truck'in!

Lori:)
 
I just read Allison's post and a shudder went down my spine. I think everyone is different and we all need different eating plans for our personality types and for our food preferences. I can't do moderation, probably because I'm just not a "moderate" person. ;) I couldn't control my portions if my life depended upon it. But low-fat eating works great for me. I'm not a fan of rich foods, so I don't miss the fat at all. If you love carbs, find an eating plan which allows you to eat more carbs. There are lots of successful eating plans. It's just a question of finding the one that's right for you.
 
Just want to echo what some others seem to be saying. Maybe low carb isn't for you after all. Sure you lost weight on it, but losing isn't the whole story. A diet plan can only be considered successful if you actually keep the weight off. So maybe you shouldn't consider it the only thing that works for you.

The way you talked about the problem seemed really sad and like you know what your options are and yet you can't commit to them. That's a self-defeating attitude. I don't know what will work for you, but there are always more options out there, more behaviors we can tweak. Why not lighten up on yourself and do some research on something different?

I personally recommend Eat to Live or the RAVE diet. Both focus on eating lots of nutrient dense fruit and veggies. I have lost AND KEPT OFF about 30 lbs. I still have more to go, and it's very slow (since I haven't been so strict for the past few months), but it's the real deal.

Good luck! I know it's terribly frustrating sometimes...But above all try to be kind to yourself and think positive. Negativity and self loathing will only get you farther from your goals.

Amy
 
Yes, I did have to be weighed and measured and I am sure this is why it worked. Lately I have been thinking if no one sees me eat it, it doesn't count. I need to change my mind set and get someone to be accountible to besides myself.
 
Thanks for your reply Lori. It is very motivating and encouraging. I really appreciate the daily menu too. I know I need to modify my portion sizes and consider what I am eating. My first goal is to not eat after supper. I am usually not hungry it is just a habit. I don't drink any calories but I could sure drink more water. I will start with one thing at a time. I am ready for a change. thanks so much, I feel a lot better. Here I go...
 
Nancy, I am with you on the moderation for "treats". If I eat one cookie I will eat the entire bag. I can control my regular meals I just know that I need to stay away from sweets for a while until my tastes change. It will have to be nothing because I can't have just one. Monday I had two pieces of cake and a brownie for someones birthday because it was there:( I can't do low fat because it makes me feel hungry all the time. I feel better when I increase my protein and good fats and reduce the calories from the carbs I don't need, ie sugar, white flour, pastries, ice cream, chocolate... I better stop thinking about these. they get me into trouble:)
 
Rather than focusing on low/no-carbs, focus on real foods, avoiding processed carbs (like candy, cakes, and other mostly empty calories) and increasing the amounts of veggies especially. White flour and products made from it are pretty much the nutritional equivalent of white sugar. Avoid them. Your tastes will change so that they are less appealing.

By eating hign-nutrient-density foods, you'll get high nutrition with lower calories. One of the reasons it's easy to eat large quantities of 'white' foods (cakes, chips, candies) is that they provide few nutrients beyond calories, so our bodies still crave the nutrients (especially minerals) they need.

Pick up a copy of "Picture-Perfect Weight Loss" at your library and browse through the photos, which compare various food choices for the same amount of calories. It's a good way to actually seeing how much more food you can eat for the same amount of calories if you make the best choices: an impossibly huge fruit salad for the same calories as an unsatisfyingly small piece of pastry, for example.

Start meals with a big salad, which will give you lots of nutrients, and also help control your appetite for the more calorie dense foods. For snacks, include low-calorie, fiber-rich fruits (apple or pear) or some raw veggies.

Drink a glass of water or tea 20 minutes before meal times (not with meals, as it can interfere with digestion): sometimes, what we perceive as 'hunger' is actually a need for hydration.

HTH!
 
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