feeling hopeless

I've been having decent days with calories. Today I felt like I ate like absolute crap but only consumed about 1500 calories. I had a&w and subway today.  I feel like I'm failing myself by eating fast foods and like there's no turning back after I eat something really bad for me. Yesterday was especially bad for calories. I had 2500. I'm trying to keep it at about 1300-1500 a day. But I still feel like I'm eating too much to be able to lose weight. I think I'm being too hard on myself. I want to see results but so far after three weeks of amazing eating I haven't seen much of a change. So I've turned to crappy eating again, undoing all the good things I've done for my body in the past few weeks. I need some help and reassurance that I can keep going.I feel hopeless.

christina_burke,

Don't do that to yourself. Losing weight is not easy and it doesn't happen overnight. Kuddos to you for being brave enough to try it, fail, and still looking to get back on the right track. You have what it takes. You deserve to reach your goal. Keep on track and you will get there.  

Now, you wrote that you were doing this for three weeks with no results. Yet, you also claim that now you are undoing all the good things you did. So, you must have had results, just not the ones you were looking for.

You are right, eating fast food is not good, even if you stay within your calories intake for weight loss that day. The reason for that is the amount of fat (saturate fat at that) in fast food and how it makes you feel, like crap. So, take it slowly. Try to eat 20% of your calories intake for the day with clean food (an apple or banana, grilled chicken or tuna in water, brown rice or some type of greens) and drink at least one gallon of water a day to really hydrate your body.  Do this for three days and then see how you feel. Really look at the difference. Trust me you'll notice.

Take it slow. Try to change one thing at a time and you will succeed.

If you are eating fast food because of the convenience, then maybe try carrying healthy snacks with you.  A sliced apple, clementines, a handful of nuts, a yogurt.  There are all sorts of options.  I always keep "safe" snacks in my purse, and I haven't eaten fast food in 4 years.

Also, if you're not exercising, you should.  It might help you not have to be so strict with your calories.

Thanks for the advice.

I do exercise a bit but it's so hard to find time with my workload from school and my job. I find time to wii fit about two or three times a week for about 40 minutes at a time. It's not much but at least it's something. I just need to focus on keeping my body healthy and not make it about losing weight. If I keep my body healthy, it will do its thing to lose the extra weight anyways. I should restrict my scale watching.

Just so you know, to lose weight you must focus on your diet first and foremost. To burn fat, tone, and build stamina, then workoutl.

Not finding time is a mental thing. Make time for yourself because you are worth it and deserve it.

Here is what I suggest, walk everywhere you can and try to get 10,000 steps. Every other day do 10 push-ups, 10 squats, 10 lunges, 10 bicycle crunches, 10 Superman's, and 1 minute of plank. Between each exercise do 10 jumping jacks. These exercises cover all the major parts of your body, should not take you too long, and you can do it anywhere. If you feel like you can do more then do them all over again. However, I am warning you, you'll put on weight because you are building muscle and strength.

Hi Christina!

I really know how you feel! I am a little impatient as well and cant wait for the day that my pants fall off me ... well... it's something that takes time. Unfortunately. And consistency... which has never been my forte! Only when it comes to sweets! I am very consistent in those... :o)) 

Well... as Karmin and aaroubidoux already wrote: healthy eating is a hard and rocky road in the beginning, but with a little planning you can succeed!

Try packing snacks you like! Buy the healthy but yummy cereal bars that you will actually eat when you have one of those A&W moments!

Slice a pear and pack it. Wash grapes or cut up a pineapple and pack them in little portioned cups. Stacked in the fridge they are good for 3 days. Have 1/4 cup of M&Ms in your handbag for the chocolate "yeeper" in between and you might be able to get around those burgers and sandwiches without having one!

oh and try to balance your food during the day. Split up your calories and have 1/3 in the morning, 1/3 by lunchtime and 1/3 at night. this makes it much easier to stay full all day and not have this HUGE hunger at night!

My nutritionist also tells me to eat enough carbs. That's what we get energy from. About 1/3 of my daily calories are from carbs (cereal, bread, rice, pasta).

You don't have to work out like a maniac! Karmin is quite right - a little bit every day will make a big difference! Walking one more stop to the bus or subway. Walking around the block at night. Walking to the groceries. Only 10 min increments and you will see how easy you can fit more exercise in your days!

Meet a friend at lunch - but don't suggest the Starbucks around the corner! Walk one or two blocks to the next one!

You can do it girl!

all the best!

Brigit

Thank you everyone.

I think I am just being too negative for my own good. Being so negative about my weight has definitley dampered my positivity on it! I am going to try to look more on the good side of things that I'm doing rather than the negative.

That's always a good idea - generally in life - and I try to remind myself every single day of it! :o)

Especially on days like today... when the scale goes up :o))

all the best!!!