Please help!!! Can't get serious about loosing 20 lbs! Feeling hopeless

[CariS]

Wow!!! This is officially making me nutso.

I'm 35 yo, 2 kids (4yo and 2 yo) and have 20 lbs 'baby weight' to loose. I did weight watcher two times - once after each baby and lost 25 lbs both times. I rejoined this past October and wasn't getting any results (I was unable to stick to it like I was before). I joined the gym at end of Dec and am going 4 days per week. I look better, clothes fit better, but no weight loss.

I have really good intentions every day to eat well. But I guess I'm falling off the wagon everyday. I can't seem to stick to eating well. But I'm not doing that bad (we're not buying ice cream twice a week and going out for Mexican once per week - both my hubby's favorite).

I try to plan my days meal to avoid getting hungry and eating just anything that's available.

I can't get serious! Three months ago we booked a family vacation - bathing suit here I come. I thought THAT would get me going. Nope. I weigh the same.

I feel hopeless! I even thought about Jenny Craigs cuz maybe it will take ME out of the equation. Ugh!

Has anyone else felt this way??? How did you break through and find a healthy balance?

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by CariS

I joined the gym at end of Dec and am going 4 days per week. I look better, clothes fit better,

that's great! Keep it up. Use the weights and have a protein snack afterward for max. results. The gym can reshape your body.

I have really good intentions every day to eat well. But I guess I'm falling off the wagon everyday. I can't seem to stick to eating well.

I think that our weight mostly determined by what we eat. For me, I think weight is about 90% about what I eat and only 10% about exercise. (Which is too bad, because I, like you, would rather work out than control my eating.)

I had a lot of emotional issues that made more me more comfortable being heavy than being trim and fit. I had to deal with those first.

I had to learn to take care of myself in other ways so that I would stop doing "I deserve it" eating. I use to put myself last all the time, so I ate to make up for it.

I had to learn to deal with my negative emotions rather than eating them. Being angry and my Dh and therefore having chocolate was very bad for my health!

I had to learn how to watch other people eat things and be happy with my lower calorie, lower fat option. I'm taking my kids out for donuts tomorrow. I'll be having a diet coke or a coffee. I don't have to eat a donut to enjoy being out with my kids doing something they enjoy. It doesn't have to be about the food for me.

You might do some journaling or just thinking about what is going on with you. For me, being honest with myself was the first step.

[CariS]

Wow! This is why I love posting! Linda I think you totally nailed it! You're right - its 90 % food and 10 % exercise. I've heard that a lot but needed to hear it again.

I also needed to hear about the emotional eating side of it all. Thank you!
Its so interesting to hear your experience. That you were more comfortable being heavy, to put yourself first, being angry, and to stop eating because you deserve it.

These are all biggies for me. Big. Each of them. I grew up in a single parent, only child home and my is very unhealthy in every way. And she was/is always angry at me about everything. I think I'm angry at me too as a result.

Thank you a million times for your post! Honestly! I'm going to look back on the posts... I think I've seen one about emotional eating. Thank you! :

[bec]

I had lost a lot of weight over the past few years. But, last summer, just lost all of my motivation. I just wanted to indulge, indulge, indulge! By the end of the summer, I had gained back 15 pounds. I had lost my weight from just eating healthier, not following any plan, and adding exercise (exercise is a HUGE component for weight loss for me).

I started South Beach in September. The first phase (only 2 weeks long), really broke all my cravings for sugar and processed white flour (I have always been a bread junkie). Since then, I have been able to add in healthy whole grains, and fruit. I have lost 23 pounds since starting SB. The first few days were hard, because of the nasty cravings I had to overcome. But, after the first 4-5 days, they were gone.

I know I have been going on and on about this way of eating around this board for some time, but it is really the only one that works well, and is a healthy, sustainable diet to have. I haven't thought of it as going on a diet, so much as a change in diet. Something I plan on doing for the rest of my life!

[cortsmommy]

I finally got a workout buddy and we have been holding each other accountable. That has really helped me to get started and finally be serious.