Need support!

[danglinglight]

Hi all,

I come here because I know the crowd is great for support. I am feeling very sad lately. Since I left college (over two years ago), I have gained weight little by little, so today I weigh 12 pounds over what I had always weighed. This saddens me, particularly because I'm about to get married in 3 months, and I always thought I would be at my very best shape when my wedding day arrived... and it turns out I'm far from my best...

I just find very hard getting up early in the mornig to excercise, and then when I'm off from work, i usually have stuff to do, wedding-wise... so I have no time at all. I end up very tired at the end of the day.

I know there is really no excuse, but I've been telling myself every week since the year started: OK, this week I'm really going to get started... But I fail, and wake up late, and go to sleep without even walking for a few minutes.. Nothing! And on top of it, I come home every night, starving because I have very light breakfasts and meals, so at dinner time, I binge up... and go to sleep afterwards!

So, I'm feeling more and more frustrated every week, because I won't look my best by the time the big day arrives... i guess I just need a little bit of support.

Have you found yourself feeling like this? How have you managed to get through?
Is 12 weeks really enough to look amazing, given that I would like to go down 12 pounds, and look swimsuit-ready?

Please help!!!

Thanks as always!

 

[Reese777]

"Is 12 weeks really enough to look amazing, given that I would like to go down 12 pounds, and look swimsuit-ready?"

Remember - 1-2 pounds of weight loss a week is what's considered safe - so yes - you could actually lose 12-24 lbs. in that time frame. I know how stressful it can be planning your wedding. When I planned mine, I was working evenings and planning a move into our house too - AND I was in school of a morning. I didn't workout much either - but I think I was just so busy that I burned most of what I ate off!!!

You said the famous words "I have no time at all"....remember - no one "has" time to work out. You have to MAKE time for it. And stop beating yourself up if you can't get a huge workout in. When you come home, just do some jumping jacks, sit ups and push ups. Something is better than nothing - and then cut small things out of your diet that can make a difference - don't drink soda, or eat sugar. I don't know how your diet is but in 2005 I lost about 12-15 lbs by cutting sugar out and I lost it in about 3 weeks...it was crazy!

Good luck and take care!

 

[RunninTeach]

Yes, I am at a similar point in my life right now. Things are kinda crazy-busy career-wise at the moment and my PM workouts were falling through because I've been coming home exhausted lately. Though crack-of-dawn workouts hadn't appealed much or stuck with me, I simply made up my mind last week that they were gonna have to start happening on a regular basis. It truly is mind over matter. Whatever you want badly enough, you can MAKE it happen. And you know what? Those AM workouts have left me far more energized throughout the day. I think with the calendar you have now, you just need to bite the bullet and set that alarm. The more you do it, the easier it gets.

I do think 12 weeks is enough time to lose the amount you want, but you definitely have to change how you're eating. It's important to give your body the fuel it needs. You might want to look into the BFL plan which recommends that you eat a combo of protein and carbs for 6 meals a day. You don't go hungry on that plan. WW is another good option.

Good luck! You can do this!

 

[Vee]

Hi,

Losing 12 pounds in 12 weeks can easily be achieved. The good news if you have not been eating right and have not been exercising is that just cleaning things up - no need to make drastic changes, is probably all it will take.

You probably know most of this, but here it is again for support and re-inforcement:

a. Throw out all the junk food in your home and stop buying more.
b. I have a tendency to night-binge too. I am really good all day and then at night - especially when I am under stress (and an upcoming marriage is stress - even if it is happy stress), I go crazy. Stock up on fruit and raw veggies (pears, apples, strawberries, organges, celery/carrot sticks with a low fat hummus or other dip). Microwaved frozen or fresh corn is another option. If a craving hits, eat from this stack of goodies.
c. Dont let yourself get ravenous. Eat a nutritious low fat breakfast (scrambled egg whites or oat-meal with a glass of skim milk or non-fdat yoghurt), eat adequately all day. Try to eat a light supper or dinner.
d. I like real food, but if protein shakes work for you, try having one a couple of hours before your last meal. Get a brand that is not calorie dense. That will ensure you are not ravenous at night.
e. Ensure your diet is balanced - whole carbs, protein, calcium, low in fat (and all that fat should be ply/mono unsaturated rather than saturated or transfat), plenty of fruits and veggies.
f. Beware of hidden calories - get a low fat salad dressing and get it on the side, no butter or sour cream on a baked potato.
g. Avoid all refined carbs - no white bread, no white rice, no refined sugar, no cookies or cakes - nothing made with refined flour or refined rice. Eat whole wheat or multi-grain bread instead, and eat brown rice.
h. One reason people dont exercise is because they are used to longer workouts and cannot fit in 40 minutes to an hour into their schedules. The brain thinks exercise is not possible except if there is an hour available. Even 20 minutes counts. Swim, jog, skate, do a section of a workout-DVD instead of the whole thing, just use body weight and do a circuit (example pushups for 1 min, jumping jacks for 1 min, ab crunches for 1 min, jogging in place for 1 min, lunges for 1 min, pretend-skipping for 1 min and then repeat 4 times). Do longer workouts only on weekends.
i. Be as active as you can - climb stairs dont take the elevator, park as far as possible at work and walk.
j. Aim for a specific number of a body weight only exercise in a day - example 50 pushups or ab crunches. Whenever you have time and space, do a set of ten (this is apart from your workout routine).
k. If you have a day when you dont keep up resolutions, dont berate yourself. Just start clean the next day.

Even if you lose half what you set out to, you will be on the road to your goal. You will be healthier and have more energy.

Enjoy your big day. I have been married 17 years and when I look back, my weight at the time of my marriage is not a significant memory or source of pride or happiness or otherwise. The people I loved who made it for my big day, being blessed with the love of my life - these are my memories. 12 pounds is really not much at all. You are more likely to lose it if you try at a time when there is less pressure on you, and life will present many, many opportunities for you to "make up". Just make changes to adopt a lifestyle that is healthy by eliminating as many of the current "bad" habits as you can.

Good luck.

~* Vrinda *~

 

[CollinsMom]

Hey! You have already gotten some great advice here, but I wanted to chime in and say that I am also getting married in about 3 1/2 months (May 25th), so I am getting ready to start a 12-week-kick-butt-wedding-dress rotation. Feel free to PM me if you want to, I certainly understand the stress that you are going thru right now, and I'm sure you can't imagine adding one more thing but you CAN!

Best of luck to you!

 

[goldenpath]

Danglinglight,

You really have received great advice so far. I just wanted to add that sometimes the hardest part about exercise is getting started. Get your workout clothes on, shoes, etc. put in the tape and start and you will feel so much better. This is one of my struggles as well but once I start, I never regret it.

Vrinda, just wanted to say that I loved your response – thanks for the encouragement!!!

 

[rgi]

<Enjoy your big day. I have been married 17 years and when I look back, my weight at the time of my marriage is not a significant memory or source of pride or happiness or otherwise. The people I loved who made it for my big day, being blessed with the love of my life - these are my memories. 12 pounds is really not much at all. You are more likely to lose it if you try at a time when there is less pressure on you, and life will present many, many opportunities for you to "make up". Just make changes to adopt a lifestyle that is healthy by eliminating as many of the current "bad" habits as you can.>

What a wonderful reply, and I couldn't agree more!

 

[danglinglight]

Thanks for your great wishes and ideas, everybody.

I believe you can easily drown in a glass of water if you lose your focus, so it's just probably a matter of focusing on small goals I can reach, and take it from there.

For starters, I have set some time tonight to do Butts and Guts and get a good start... I have the 4day split and the previous series, so I really have good tools with me.

Thanks for the unvaluable support... and I'll keep you posted as to how I progress in the following weeks. I'll definitely keep coming back here. Reading you all gives me strenght to continue, one day at a time.

Thanks so much!!!