New weight loss motivation

Stacie, you can do this. What is your plan? If you are going to lose weight then you need a good plan.

Amen, no failure at all. You are just going to start losing weight right now. I personally am down 67 pounds so far. Just a couple of small hints as you get started on this. You are going to hear and read alot of stuff I am sure. Biggest advise is make your lifesytle changes in steps, do not try it all at once or it will be overwhelming. For example start with something small like pop. This will likely drop you 5-7 pounds in a month or so, then move onto foods. You do nto have to stop eating things you like, just work on portion control. This will allow your actual stomach to shrink which in turn will make you feel fuller faster. Work in small amounts of exercise and very gradually increase what you do. It is a slow process but it will work out, then you get to go in and get new clothes. Remember cravings only last about 20 minutes so fight through those. You can do it!!!

And on behalf of those of us who rely on the VFD living in rural area let me say thank you for being part of a thankless job. Thankless at least until we need you lol

I also would encourage you to join one of the weightloss groups in BT. It forces you to come in and record your data on a weekly basis, so you are always thinging about the weekend weigh in which is very motivational and this way you are not in it alone.

Who in the world told you that? Your stomach is a muscle that will shrink when empty and fillup when full -- the only way to reduce the size of your stomach is through surgery -- not by eating less.

If you want to feel fuller faster? Eat a lean protein with every meal, stay away from fatty processed foods and drinks lots and lots of water.

I know that in the past I have been very negative towards myself. I think that I have to ignore the comments that I hear, or I will simply think that it is hopeless.

My husband made a comment that really hurt me after we had got our firefighter gear. I had asked the man handing out the equipment "if I happened to need a different size in the future, would it be easy to switch my equipment?" My husband said something like "as if you'll need a smaller size - how long have you been trying to lose weight."

I just felt awlful. I love my husband to death, but why do men always try to hurt your feelings!!! I know that I am fat, I don't need someone reminding me all the time!!!

At least I am getting out there and volunteering despite my weight. I am making an effort to do something productive.

I am going to start 'positive self-talk' every day, so that I know I am worth it and I remind myself constantly.

My plan is to start with always taking my lunch with me. I tend to eat on the go and grab whatever is convenient - usually something drive-thru. And drink lots of water.

That will be my starting point.

Thanks
STacie

Stacie, that is a great start. Take it a step at a time. You need to tell your husband that you don't need to hear comments like that. If he can't encourage you then he needs to keep his mouth shut.

The reasons that people fail while trying to lose weight is usually because they don't have a good plan. They do fad diets that cannot be maintained and maybe they lose weight but the diet doesn't teach them how to eat for the rest of their lives to stay healthy. Also, they don't exercise consistently.

I would encourage you to get on a plan where you eat 5-6 small meals per day. You see, when you eat, your metabolism rises. If you keep your metabolism up then you will burn more fat. If you eat 5-6 small meals per day of the right kinds of foods, a lean protein such as chicken or tuna fish or fat free cottage cheese along with a non processed carb such as brown rice, whole wheat bread, wheat pasta, oatmeal, or fruit then your metabolism will stay up throughout the day. The lean protein mixed with the carb helps your body process the carb properly so that it burns off.

Also, start exercising if you don't already. Even if it's just taking a walk each day, get out and do it. And start thinking positive. Negativity will only lead to failure. You can do this, take baby steps. It's good you are starting by taking your lunch to work and avoiding fast food. The next step should be getting the junk food out of your house. I don't keep any junk food in my house. That way, when I am having a weak moment there isn't anything for me to cheat with, so I don't cheat. I think you are going to do great. If you really, really want it, then you will achieve your goals.

Stay focused on the goal, stay positive, push past your weak moments. You can do it!

Oh, also, you can track your food at www.fitday.com. It's free, you can create custom foods in there and you can see exactly what you are eating and the portions you are eating. You will be amazed at how many calories and fat some of the foods you eat have. I was. It really opened my eyes and I knew then why I was not achieving my goals. Once I started putting everything in there and then tweaked my meals to where I was eating about 20% fat, 40% protein, 40% carbs and about 1500-1700 calories, I started to lose weight.

Edited by Pinata 2006-05-16 10:28 AM

It sounds like you're off to a great start. Just take it slow and be persistent. I just wanted to wish you luck and tell you that there are a lot of us in the same boat as you. Keep your head up and think positive thoughts.


Also, you need to set yourself a shortterm goal like when I lose 5 pounds, I'm going to roll up a newspaper and beat my husband silly. We men tend to always find the worst thing to say at the worst possible time. It's just our nature.


Good Luck,

Scott

Pinata gave you some great advice.

Understanding what you eat now is a huge step. Most people grossly underestimate the amount they eat, and have no idea how fat/calorie filled some foods can be. When you start writing down what you eat it makes you remember that you had that half cookie, or that extra sccop of mashed potatoes! It seems a little obsessive at first, but your body is a machine and the calories in / calories out equation is an important part of good health.

Don't forget to include resistance training either - muscle mass is the best fat burner!

You can do this! It is a resonable, achieveable goal to lose weight and you are starting with the right attitude! The best part about losing weight is that the results are visible and incredibly motivational - Reward your self with non food treats whenever you reach a goal!

Good luck!

I read it in the American Journal of Medicine. There have been many studies done on the subject, and only one that I read did not conclude this fact. You are correct the stomach does shrink and expand when in use, but over time if the stomach is accustomed to holding, or needing to hold more food it can and will expand further if needed. Much like a balloon. You can have it full of air, but blow harder and it will expand and stretch. If you leave the air in for a long period of time it will become and stay stretched out. Therefore it would take more air to fill it when it is empty from its original state. Same premise with the stomach and food. Read about it, it is very interesting.

Also be careful of the water thing. Although most people do nto drink enough water, you can drink too much water. Too much water can have a toxic effect on your body. A general rule of thumb is 8 ounces a day for every 20-25 pounds of body weight. This will vary based on physical activity in a day.

Here is a starter list of foods to try and stick to that will help you lose weight as long as you eat in moderation:
PROTEINS

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Tuna (water packed)
Fish (salmon, seabass, halibut)
Shrimp
Extra Lean Ground Beef or Ground Round (92-96%)
Venison
Buffalo
Ostrich
Protein Powder
Egg Whites or Eggs
Ribeye Steaks or Roast
Top Round Steaks or Roast (aka Stew Meat, London Broil, Stir Fry)
Top Sirloin (aka Sirloin Top Butt)
Beef Tenderloin (aka Filet, Filet Mignon)
Top Loin (NY Strip Steak)
Flank Steak (Sir Fry, Fajita)
Eye of Round (Cube Meat, Stew Meat, Bottom Round , 96% LeandGround Round)
Ground turkey, Turkey Breast Slices or cutlets (fresh meat, not deli cuts)

COMPLEX CARBS

Oatmeal (Old Fashioned or Quick Oats)
Sweet Potatoes
Yams
Beans (pinto, black, kidney)
Oat Bran Cereal
Rye Cereal
Brown Rice
Farina (Cream of Wheat)
Multigrain Hot Cereal
Whole wheat or Spinach Pasta
Rice (white, jasmine, basmati, Arborio, wild)
Potatoes (red, baking, new)

FIBROUS CARBS

Green Leafy Lettuce (Green Leaf, Red, Leaf, Romaine)
Broccoli
Asparagus
String Beans
Spinach
Bell Peppers
Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green or Red Pepper
Onions
Pumpkin
Garlic
Tomatoes
Zucchini

FRUIT

(if acceptable on diet): bananas, apples, grapefruit, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, lemons or limes

HEALTHY FATS

Natural Style Peanut Butter
Olive Oil or Safflower Oil
Nuts (peanuts, almonds
Flaxseed Oil

DAIRY AND EGGS

Low-fat cottage cheese
Eggs
Low or Non-Fat Milk
Bottled Water


CONDIMENTS & SPICES

Diet Soda
Crystal Light
Fat Free Mayonnaise
Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
Reduced Sodium Teriyaki Sauce
Balsamic Vinegar
Salsa
Hot Peppers and Hot Sauce
Chili powder
Mrs. Dash
Steak Sauce
Sugar Free Maple Syrup
Chili Paste
Mustard
Extracts (vanilla, almond, etc )
Low Sodium beef or chicken broth
Plain or reduced sodium tomatoes sauce, puree, paste)

Good luck


Edited by buckeye66 2006-05-16 7:12 PM