Where to start...

[crazycatlady]

Ok, I have a significant amount of weight to lose. I'm under no illusion that it will be easy or quick, that I'm looking at a year to 18 months minimum. I know it must come from a change in eating habits, sleeping habits, drinking habits, and especially exercise habits.

 

I'm 5'2" (if I stretch) and tend to float between 267 and 272 depending on the day.

 

I know I'm a boredom eater, a late night binger, and a depression eater (that's when the weight gains take place, the others just work and keeping it high).

 

This will be the first time that I've actively enlisted my H's help in this process. We have tried working out together once before, but work quickly prevented this on his side. But this is more then just working out, I have asked for his help in all areas this time.

 

I know I have around 130 pounds to lose. That is a great deal. I know it will take all the things I mentioned before to make it work.

 

My question is, do you jump in feet first? Everything all at once? Or do you built up to it?

 

I have a goal for a year from now, I would like to join my sister in a 5K, I know I will probably have to walk some of it, but I want to be capable of finishing it with a decent time. But the reason I made it a goal because I would take that weekend for myself, and my sisters and I can have a bonding weekend. My younger sister who also has a great deal of weight to lose wants in on this to. So that's one goal I have.

 

I'm not really looking at the weight as the goal. I don't have an end weight. I would like to make it down to a clothing size that I can buy anywhere. I would like to become healthier. I would like to enjoy pictures of myself and not feel like ripping them up.

 

I really don't know what I'm looking for here. I know what to eat, its just a matter of eating it. I know I need to start working out, walking and also elliptical for cardio (it doesn't work for losing weight for me) and lifting weights (only time i've lost weight is when I add a weight routine). I know I need to eat more often but make better choices. I KNOW how to do this. The motivation is hard to keep going when it just feels hopeless.

 

On the plus side I know I'm doing this for ME. No one is pressuring me to do this. H thinks I'm hot just the way I am. He told me today I had the sexiest ankles and calves he's ever seen. So I've got the whole, gotta do it for yourself.

 

I guess I just want support in this. Its tough to get it with some of my friends here because they are in the same boat, but none of them want to do the difficult part. They just want to whine about it. None of them will go walking with me, I walk to fast. When we go for coffee and I go for the smallest skinny latte (90 calories vs the 500 of the venti mocha stuff or more) they will say something about it. Its frustration.

 

CCL

[mem11363]

CCL,

It is great that you are beginning this journey. Are there certain foods in particular that you have trouble resisting?

 

Could you start by getting those out of the house and getting your H to agree neither of you will bring them into the house?

 

Can you start by limiting your late night eating to fruit - tastes great - tends to be filling and you likely won't binge on it. By the way - late night is my toughest time of day in terms of eating.

 

Are you cool with weighing yourself every day? First thing in the AM. It really helps keep you focused.

 

Do you have music on an MP3 player that you like to listen to while walking? That is a BIG motivator for me - music. Walking 4 miles a day every day with little dumb bell weights called "heavy hands" burns a LOT of calories. Every day every day every day. That is the magic.

 

If you get rid of problem foods - and walk 3-4 miles every day with heavy hands you will slowly and steadily start to lose weight - and you will ALSO feel a lot better in a few months.

 

 

 

Ok, I have a significant amount of weight to lose. I'm under no illusion that it will be easy or quick, that I'm looking at a year to 18 months minimum. I know it must come from a change in eating habits, sleeping habits, drinking habits, and especially exercise habits.

 

I'm 5'2" (if I stretch) and tend to float between 267 and 272 depending on the day.

 

I know I'm a boredom eater, a late night binger, and a depression eater (that's when the weight gains take place, the others just work and keeping it high).

 

This will be the first time that I've actively enlisted my H's help in this process. We have tried working out together once before, but work quickly prevented this on his side. But this is more then just working out, I have asked for his help in all areas this time.

 

I know I have around 130 pounds to lose. That is a great deal. I know it will take all the things I mentioned before to make it work.

 

My question is, do you jump in feet first? Everything all at once? Or do you built up to it?

 

I have a goal for a year from now, I would like to join my sister in a 5K, I know I will probably have to walk some of it, but I want to be capable of finishing it with a decent time. But the reason I made it a goal because I would take that weekend for myself, and my sisters and I can have a bonding weekend. My younger sister who also has a great deal of weight to lose wants in on this to. So that's one goal I have.

 

I'm not really looking at the weight as the goal. I don't have an end weight. I would like to make it down to a clothing size that I can buy anywhere. I would like to become healthier. I would like to enjoy pictures of myself and not feel like ripping them up.

 

I really don't know what I'm looking for here. I know what to eat, its just a matter of eating it. I know I need to start working out, walking and also elliptical for cardio (it doesn't work for losing weight for me) and lifting weights (only time i've lost weight is when I add a weight routine). I know I need to eat more often but make better choices. I KNOW how to do this. The motivation is hard to keep going when it just feels hopeless.

 

On the plus side I know I'm doing this for ME. No one is pressuring me to do this. H thinks I'm hot just the way I am. He told me today I had the sexiest ankles and calves he's ever seen. So I've got the whole, gotta do it for yourself.

 

I guess I just want support in this. Its tough to get it with some of my friends here because they are in the same boat, but none of them want to do the difficult part. They just want to whine about it. None of them will go walking with me, I walk to fast. When we go for coffee and I go for the smallest skinny latte (90 calories vs the 500 of the venti mocha stuff or more) they will say something about it. Its frustration.

 

CCL

[cuppa]

You can go to online support if you don't find it in your circle. I've been going to www.livestrong.com to log my food for 2 weeks. I realized until I logged them how much carb, sodium, and sugar I consumed in a day. Log your food for 2 weeks then assess the logs and reviews which one has become excessive.

 

Start slow and be realistic I think. Start with a mini goal. You can even maintain your eating habit (just eat smaller portion) for a starter. Don't do it drastically, many people make mistakes of overexercising and overdieting in the first week, then they got burned out, and then they didn't see the results fast enough and they gave up.

 

For me, I started with 30 day shred from Jillian Michaels, then Zumba, then Yoga, and now crossfit & martial arts (getting increasingly tougher). As for the food, I started by cutting down sugar in my coffee. Then I usually had 2 mocha in a day, I switched those to one skinny latte in the afternoon.

 

I break down my meals to 6 time. So yeah, whenever there is a will, you will find your ways. Once you start dropping lbs and getting smaller, you will love it so much that it becomes your lifestyle habit.

 

I exercise everyday but I'm not doing it for pure appearance. I want to be healthy, fit, strong, and younger looking (lol). So when I see results, I get happy. Plus I'm totally addicted to the endorphins, even if it's temporary, it makes me feel good.

Edited March 22, 2010 by cuppa

[crazycatlady]

CCL,

It is great that you are beginning this journey. Are there certain foods in particular that you have trouble resisting?

 

Could you start by getting those out of the house and getting your H to agree neither of you will bring them into the house?

 

Can you start by limiting your late night eating to fruit - tastes great - tends to be filling and you likely won't binge on it. By the way - late night is my toughest time of day in terms of eating.

 

Are you cool with weighing yourself every day? First thing in the AM. It really helps keep you focused.

 

Do you have music on an MP3 player that you like to listen to while walking? That is a BIG motivator for me - music. Walking 4 miles a day every day with little dumb bell weights called "heavy hands" burns a LOT of calories. Every day every day every day. That is the magic.

 

If you get rid of problem foods - and walk 3-4 miles every day with heavy hands you will slowly and steadily start to lose weight - and you will ALSO feel a lot better in a few months.

 

H and I don't have the same taste in junk food, he does like to bring me sweet treats sometimes because he loves me (I pick up things for him when I go out by myself too sometimes) and that's one of the things I specifically talked to him about, asking him not to do that, nor to offer to go get me anything if I start muttering about having an ice cream fit.

 

Most things I am fine having in the house. I'm fine as long as I do not take that first bite. I'm fine in the evening as long as I don't think "Oh I can take just a few bites" Nope doesn't work for me.

 

I don't mind weighing myself daily, I'm just not sure its a good thing to do. I am going to print off the two pictures that really hit me hard. I don't see myself as that fat in my head. It was a shock. And I'm going to put one in my car and one of the fridge.

 

I've misplaced my mp3 player, its somewhere. But with H and I working together we will probably talk, which should help me keep distracted and entertained. H is a very amusing guy. But since he also needs to work on his running, I will take one to keep me company while he runs some.

 

Thanks Mem

 

CCL

[crazycatlady]

You can go to online support if you don't find it in your circle. I've been going to www.livestrong.com to log my food for 2 weeks. I realized until I logged them how much carb, sodium, and sugar I consumed in a day. Log your food for 2 weeks then assess the logs and reviews which one has become excessive.

 

Start slow and be realistic I think. Start with a mini goal. You can even maintain your eating habit (just eat smaller portion) for a starter. Don't do it drastically, many people make mistakes of overexercising and overdieting in the first week, then they got burned out, and then they didn't see the results fast enough and they gave up.

 

For me, I started with 30 day shred from Jillian Michaels, then Zumba, then Yoga, and now crossfit & martial arts (getting increasingly tougher). As for the food, I started by cutting down sugar in my coffee. Then I usually had 2 mocha in a day, I switched those to one skinny latte in the afternoon.

 

I break down my meals to 6 time. So yeah, whenever there is a will, you will find your ways. Once you start dropping lbs and getting smaller, you will love it so much that it becomes your lifestyle habit.

 

I exercise everyday but I'm not doing it for pure appearance. I want to be healthy, fit, strong, and younger looking (lol). So when I see results, I get happy. Plus I'm totally addicted to the endorphins, even if it's temporary, it makes me feel good.

 

I will check out the link you provided. I use to have a program on my computer that I used for a food diary 5 or so years ago, I would love to find that one again, because it was great and I lose 20 pounds easily doing that and following the exercise program a friend and I set up. But I had a really series of bad vertigo attacks which knocked out my working out for three weeks (hard to go for a walk when the world won't stay put)

and then we were getting ready to move, which derailed it further. But that helped me keep stable for the longest time. I was still very slowly losing weight for another 3 years after that, rather then the reverse which is normally the norm. But that was a total change immediately which is very hard to keep up.

 

I have never felt the endorphins from working out. I've never felt that enjoyment. I keep hearing people talk about it, but never have gotten there. At least not with the elliptical, which is pretty much all I've ever done. We have been hiking, and just getting out and hiking felt great. Even being tired, a little sore and achy, I it felt good to be doing that walking and climbing.

 

CCL

[Kristine]

Two programs on-line that come to mind are ediets.com and fitday.com. Ediets has actual diet programs and that may be what you're looking for. I think it's best to go in and make changes slowly vs. the do or die method. Especially when you're talking life changes. You have to learn to eat to live, vs. eating for personal satisfaction, something I need to learn as well. I have a lot to lose myself. I've started by exercising daily and now I have to work on my eating habits which are very bad, I regained the 2 lbs I had lost just because I ate ice cream yesterday at DQ, didn't even finish it but I regained the weight.

[tman666]

I hate to say it, but your friends (read: the overweight, whiny ones you described) are going to be a caustic influence if you're trying to accomplish your goals. You are going to need support, not outside pressure to eat and drink crap and skip exercising. Even if the pressure is not verbal, surrounding yourself with people who have dissimilar goals (or none at all) is a good way to assure that you will be slipping up, or giving up all together, when the going gets tough.

 

In my opinion, you should not be doing much running at this point. You will be putting a lot of unnecessary wear and tear on your joints at your current weight. I would definitely keep up the walking, but I would also add some bodyweight only resistance training. This includes bodyweight squats, some push up variation such as wall pushes or push ups from the knees. Try to get to a point where you can do 3 or 4 sets of 50 bodyweight squats, and 3 or 4 sets of 15 push ups. If you alternate your sets (i.e. do a squat set, then a push up set, then repeat), you will be able to cut down on your rest time in between each set. Shoot for 1.5 minutes at first, and the whittle it down to 30 seconds or less. I would do your walking afterward so that you can attack your resistance training with the highest intensity possible.

[Rearden Metal]

Easing into it is better. Start by just eliminating desserts, then add some small exercise like walking. Be sure not to limit your calories too quickly in the beginning, or you will have no option to do so later on.

 

Week 1- skip desserts, do everything else normally. Walk 3-4 days.

Week 2- limit breads and cheeses. Keep eating normal otherwise, continue walking.

lower). Keep walking.

Week 3- Add in one salad/lean protein meal in place of an otherwise normal meal, continue walking, add some form of resistance training (one day upper body, one day.

Week 4- Eat less carbohydrates, more veggies and more good fats (omega 3-6 and 9's). Keep working out!

 

After that, you basically are 1000% healthier than before. More can be done to lose faster (supplements, harder workouts, stricter dieting), but you should be able to chop 100lbs off in healthy fashion (in a year, more or less) while giving your skin time to tighten as you do so.

[USMCHokie]

Rearden makes a very good point. A lot of people who want to lose weight dive right into it and go too hard too fast. Eventually, they crash and burn and return to their old habits. You have to approach it gradually and allow both your body and your mind the time to get accustomed to the changes in your nutrition and exercise routine.

[Lauriebell82]

Okay, this is a significant amount of weight to lose..but you know that so that's a great start.

 

I guarantee that once you change your eating habits and start working out more then it will start to come off fairly quickly.

 

Start by hitting the gym. Begin by walking on the treadmill until you can build up to a jog. You will see the weight come off if you do that! Also try eating 5-6 times per day (small meals) and cut out junk food. Eat low fat yogurt, whole grains, cereal with skim milk. You are probably going to be hungry so make sure you eat small little snacks frequently to prevent binging.

 

As a former binger I can say that I know bordom was a huge trigger for me! Try to keep busy, get out of the house and walk around the mall even if you don't buy anything. Go to a bookstore and sit down and read a book. DON'T sit in the cafe! Also dont keep junk food in your house..throw it all away. If it's not in the house you won't be tempted to eat it.

 

Good luck, you can do it!!!!

[Enema]

If your goal is a 5k run, this program is designed just for that: http://c25k.com/

 

I don't know if now is the best time to start it based on how mobile you currently are.

 

eg. Week 1 of the program says:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk.

Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

 

If you can't yet do that - I'd suggest 30-60 minutes of brisk walking 5-6 days a week until you've dropped a few of those pounds.

[cuppa]

so CCL, how did it go? Any updates?

[crazycatlady]

so CCL, how did it go? Any updates?

 

Its going poorly right now. We starting hitting the gym, and then work cropped up for him, and then I got hit with a vertigo attack last week and it was difficult for me to walk, let alone work out. Three days it was very bad. This week we had a lot of other stuff that got in the way. But we recommitted to this coming week.

 

Both of us are rather eager to get into a good groove with working out and eating better. But to be honest, my eating went to hell this past week due to stress, and emotions. I'm an emotional eating. But with everything else I'm beating myself up over, this I'm just trying to keep from being too out of control and am slowly overcoming it.

 

Thanks for asking.

 

CCL