Weight Loss: Do you believe it's possible?

T

taekwondomeow

Member
Hi y'all :)

Sorry for the potentially misleading title of this post- obviously weight loss is possible....what I'm really asking is, do you believe that YOU can lose weight? I was wondering if any of you feel that you might be unconsciously sabotaging your own weight loss efforts (or have done in the past), because you don't believe that you can be thinner/can lose weight?

For the past 3years I have weighed in at about 122-126lbs (having come down from about 140lbs). I realise that I am not overweight at all (I'm 5'5", age 26) but I feel and look 'soft round the edges' and I'd really like to be able to lose maybe 5lb of fat. I exercise regularly, 1-2hrs per day, 6-7 days per week, and I have no problem in motivating myself to workout or to push myself harder etc. What I cannot seem to do however is control my eating - I eat reasonably clean most of the time but I have there horrendous binges where I just eat waaaay too much food - for example, I will eat a spoonful of peanut butter and end up polishing off half a jar (or even a whole jar!!), or I'll eat six slices of bread after a meal, or I'll buy a 200g bar of chocolate and eat it all.

Anyway, the other day I had a huge binge and I was so annoyed with myself I sat down and did a little bit of soul searching and I came to the realisation that I think I can't control myself when I have these binges because I don't believe I can lose my fat layer. It's strange but I think that the idea I have of yself in my head is a fat one - deep down I believe that I just am a fat (or at least a not thin) person and that it doesn't matter what I eat I will never be able to rid myself of my excess fat. I honestly can't imagine that I will ever lose weight, yet I've spent years putting a lot of effort into trying to do just that!

I've read BFFM and I intend to re-read the chapter on goal-setting and visualisation and maybe see if I can try to start believing that I can be thinner, but I was wondering if any of you out there have been in a similar situation? If you have, did you manage to get through it and achieve the body you wanted?

Thoughts, comments, suggestions will all be much appreciated!

Thanks for reading :)

Sally

PS - I know some of you may not like my use of the term 'fat' - again I will acknowledge the fact that I am not overweight, but I do have a reasonably thick layer of fat that I would like to reduce.
 
I wasn't always overweight. It has only been in the last 3-4 years that I've gained. I know it's becasue I eat out so much and pretty much eat what I want, though I do try to control it. For example, I'll have a decent breakfast but then lunch may not be so good so I'll try to have a good dinner. I don't have much willpower though and 2 weeks seems to be my limit. I've never thought about self-sabatoge so to speak until your post. Interesting. I want to lose about 50 pounds. I'm tall though so what I have gained has spread out so it's noticeable, but not too bad. I don't like cooking everyday and it's just so hard for me to take things to work with me when everyone else goes to lunch.

Kim
 
I just read an article about binge eating in "Oprah" Magazine.

It is a genuine eating disorder and is more common than anorexia and bulimia.

I am a binge eater of sweets.

I have found that fruit helps my cravings.

I have really tapered off the non diet sodas and I am drinking lots of water instead.

My daughter, who has now lost 22 pounds, is the one who suggested I try fruit and lots of water.

I completely understand your fitness goals. I get really annoyed with myself when I do a kick butt workout, giving it my all, and then get a serious case of the munchies.

I can not control my eating of sweets, so I avoid eating any at all. I can't stop with one piece or cake or one cookie.

I am like any addict, so every day I pray that it will be a non binge day.

Little by little I am changing my habits.

I take life one day at a time.

Fortunately, I am not overweight at all. I have Cathe's videos to thank for that.

My shame comes from my inability to control myself more than from a cosmetic perspective. I have to be stronger than these sweet demons.

Anyway, good luck and I know - at least a little - of what you are going through and it's tough!
 
Sally,

I know what you mean about those last five pounds. I am also 5'5" and weight on a good day 120 and bad days 125. I would like to get down to 115. The only way I feel that I can do that is to give up all the sweets. WHich I have been trying to do for the last two weeks somedays are good some are not. Like tonight I had a small piece of apple pie. I feel really guilty right now but then again I had and awesome workout today. So I should feel good about that. I feel like it is an endless cycle. SO you are not alone. Take care.

Steph
 
You sound so much like me and it makes me feel a little better to know that I'm not the only crazy person!:D By that I mean someone who is equally obsessed with exercising and eating. What a crazy combination. My friends say I eat so much because I exercise so much and that makes me hungrier. My husband (who hates for me to exercise so much) thinks I exercise so much so I can eat a lot. I try REALLY hard to limit my "binges" to Friday nights only, but it usually turns into all day Friday and usually Sunday night and maybe even another night during the week, but not daily. I work weekends, so I exercise Mon-Fri for 1-2 hours depending on what else is going on. I wish I had the magic answer to keep my mind off of food all the time, but I keep my weight down by exercising so much. I've tried every appetite suppressant and fat burner there is and none have worked! It helps me though to know I'm not alone in my struggles.
 
I am 5'1", about 142-145 pounds (so shorter and heavier than the original poster) and -- for the most part -- I am really happy with my body and my shape. However, I too would like to get rid of that fat layer all over (which is worse this week than it was last week...?). I would also like to tone up some more.

I know that in order to shed than layer and tone up, I really have to be on point with my eating and step it up a notch, so to speak, with my workouts. I can handle the workouts part, and the eating part for awhile.

But the bottom line is -- I love food, and I want to eat what I want to eat. I can clean up the eating and shed a few pounds, but the reality is, I AM NOT GOING TO EAT CLEAN FOREVER. I can't do it, and I DON"T WANT to do it. I would rather be a little "thicker."

So I suppose that, in that way, I am creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. On the other hand, I feel really "free" to say (type) that out loud and admit it -- I care more about eating good food than I do about being thin. I am being true to myself, albeit my "thick" self.;)
 
Sally, I really understand where you're coming from. I'm just under 5'2" and my weight has ranged from nearly 170 down to the upper 120's. For the past few years I've been upper 130's to mid 140's and it's been a struggle.

A few years back I started a diet (yet again) and had a nightmare where I was getting thinner and thinner until I just disappeared.

I think our mindsets and fears have a tremendous effect on our eating.

I highly recommend you read the book - The Four Day Win by Martha Beck. She approaches food and eating from a behavior standpoint and really explains in an understandable way WHY we get these cravings and what we can do to get over them. She really helps you understand how to train your mind with calmness and gentleness to be on your side - the side of health.

I read this book earlier this year along with The Beck Diet Solution by Judith Beck (I don't think they're related) and since then I haven't worried even once about overeating. For me that's an enormous breakthrough.

I have BFFM and have been reading it - finally finished today. I've been working out and have just started getting into weight training. I've lost about 15 lbs so far and it feels like I haven't really tried. I don't feel like I'm suffering or sacrificing at all.

HTH and take care!:)
 
Sally,

I understand all about self sabatoge. I'm 5'3 and 173lbs, it seems as if the weight doesn't want to budge. It is very frustrating. I love to exercise and get in 3-6days a week. I like to follow the rotations because it takes the guess work out of it.

But even with all the exercise I know the real culprit is my diet. I'm not very discplined or patient so I find it hard to journal what I put on in my mouth. I just have to keep trying.
 
I am 5'4" and I also have the last 5 pounds or so to lose. My problem is also eating. I will eat really well for about 4 days and then on the 5th day I just go crazy. I almost had that happen today, actually. I was in the kitchen, about to make a salad, when I noticed that I had not pre-chopped the romaine lettuce. I had been so busy all day that I just said, "screw it," and looked for something in pantry. However, now that most of the crap food has been weeded out of my house, my only real alternative was soup (healthy bean and vegetable soup). So I had that and an apple.

So, the problem for me really arises when I have to spend time preparing the food (especially when I am hungry). Now that I know this, I will start preparing food ahead of time.

Also, my main problem is sweets and once I start, I just want more and more.

If I do eat something I really shouldn't. I do about 30 mins of cardio in addition to my scheduled workout.
 
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