Help when You Feel Discouraged

(edit: adding P.S. see post #13 for tips on staying on track)

I know the feeling.

• Start weight: 245
• Today's weight: 237.5

Been on CC for 17 days. 

I had weighed myself a few days prior to starting here -I had been avoiding the scale for nearly a year- to find that I was 40lbs heavier than my heaviest weight.  I had no idea how I got here. 

I felt completely powerless, I felt like I just couldnt get on track, I felt like this was just too big for me to handle.  I didnt know how to start and hang in there. 

After reading many posts about people's struggles and triumphs and responses to my own S.O.S. I learned alot about how to win this battle, over come the hard spots and KEEP GOING!

Yes it's only been 17 days and yes, I still slip from time to time, but it's different this time, because I'm going into this with two key battle weapons that I did not have before:  knowledge and support.

If you're new to CC and feel like you're at a loss, hang in there, use the site's tools and forums and one day you'll find that you've got hope and you've lost a few pounds too!
SEE POST #13 -HOW TO STAY ON TRACK
Namaste

7.5 pounds in 11 days? That's AWESOME! Keep it up!

Wonderful post Nemaste. Keep up the good work and thanks for the inspirtation!

Oops 17 days, started July 9th (just edited that uptop, thanks for pointing it out).

Thank you potteryhoney.  Yes it's alot, I know a lot of it was water retention. 


How I did it:

• My legs and ankles were very swollen and had been for weeks.  Thanks to posts and info by ix I've watched my sodium intake, it was way over the allowed amount -thanks to all the take out I was eating-  pre CC!!!
• Also, I've been drinking just over 2L of water daily to help wash out all the toxins (and hopefully some of the fat *winks*).
• Also realized that pre CC had been eating well over 3000 calories daily, am supposed to be at 1500 to lose weight.
• I eat all my caloric requirments throughout the day and stop eating 4 hours before bed.  this results in faster results and bonus: a more sound, peaceful sleep, wake up feeling alert and refreshed +no puffy eyes.
  
  Finally, the heavier you are the faster you drop, in the beginning that is..... ...
  

I'm starting to feel the difference too.  The clothes I had to buy because nothing fit me are starting to get looser and my husband is starting to gaze into my eyes again!

Feeling Good.

Namaste m3lody you are so welcome.

 Happy to share some of the hope and inspiration that I get from CC.  It's kept me going and helped me beat my record of actively eating healthy (longest I could go since 2005 was 3 days).

I, too, started at 245 and made it down to 206.  I've not been under 200 much at all since I was a teenager.  And you're right, it is different this time!  I can feel it, too.  I took a break from weightloss from January - June but now I'm losing again, and exercising again, and finally eating right, and I feel so much better!

Congrats to you, keep going like you know you can this time.  Oh, and is your "namaste" part of your religion, or is it somewhat brought on by Lost, because I love Lost!!!!   :)

Congratulations, Moon Song!  I feel your pain.  I've been heavy my whole life and have constantly struggled with my weight.  About six years ago, I lost 80 pounds and swore I'd never gain it back...then two years ago, I quit smoking and put it all back on.  :(

While I'm so glad I quit a bad habit, now I have to re-lose all that weight again.  When I think about going from 237 pounds down to 150, it just overwhelms me.  The only way I can cope is to break it down into smaller goals, and think of it as losing one dress size at a time.

After waffling for about four months, I finally started a healthy food and exercise plan a little over a week ago.  I lost four pounds as of today, and am committed to staying the course.

Good luck, and hang in there!

Hi jencopyright1973! Ty andCongrats on hanging in there and coming back! 39 pounds is four 10lbs sacks of potatoes~awesome~inspiring~

I used to practice yoga had been practicing for 5 years which is where I learned Namaste.  Havent done yoga since 2005, hope to return to it soon. 

Though I am not Hindu and was raised Catholic, I sort of practice my own religion -a combination of Buddhims/Catholicism/Paganism.

I very much respect the term Namaste -The Divine within Me Salutes the Divine within You- and feel that this is an especially approriate place to use it.

BTW, what do you mean by Lost? Is it a book or film?

 Tyflorrin.

  You are smoke free!! congrats, I also hope to be one day.  Also, congrats on choosing to enjoy a healthy life style.

 breaking a big goal down  into smaller, more manageable goals is a great idea, thanks for sharing and good luck to you too!

lol Lost is a TV show, they incorporated the term ... it's a long story. 

I, too, am working on getting smoke free.  IMO that's the hardest part!  But depriving my body of all of the oxygen it needs is probably making weight loss harder, not to mention how smoking is the most unhealthful thing you can do.  I'm working on it.

I am so interested in trying Yoga.  I don't even know where to begin, but the mental and spiritual benefits sound like a serious plus in addition to the health benefits.  I checked out a book from the library once but never started.  I can't afford a class.  Maybe I could get a video or something...?  I'm very flexible already and it looks like fun!

My next goal is to increase exercise.  Then quit smoking.  It should probably be the other way around!

moon_song, I totally understand and applaud you for posting and being brave enough to talk about how hard it is!!  I also think your weight loss is wonderful, and will look forward to seeing your progress!!  :)

I've been doing this just over 3 months, and started at my highest weight ever: 284.  Today, I weighed in at 241.5--higher than you weigh now but a victory for me.  This is a lifetime commitment to being healthier, which should be joyous and often is.  Other times, it is scary, frustrating, and all sorts of other things, but it does get better.  And the people on this site are fantastic!!

Hang in there, and congrats on your feelings of empowerment! 

You're doing a wonderful thing for yourself and should be proud!

Hey jen!  lol, i'm afraid I dont watch much TV, though I used to be an avid couch potato -not that watching TV automatically makes you one, but I was one.  Lost sounds interesting.

I know what you mean about the order of your goals lol.  But I am also going with first tackling my weight, I've already included exercise-next is to increase frequency, I swim for about an hour 2-4X weekly.

While many gain weight when becoming smoke free, I believe that I will avoid this because I will be able to use the same  tools that I am using now in my battle with food addiction/emotional eating.

Yoga is so amazing.  When I did it regularly I found that I had way more control of my eating, impulsive eating occured rarely, I was more patient, forgiving and compassionate with others and myself.  I also had alot more energy, creativity and joy in my life in general.

So why did I stop?  Well, I went through a major life change -perhaps one day I'll share it.   It is also due to this change that  I gained over 60lbs in 15 months.  It's been a slippery slope since then, until now.  I'm taking charge again (yay me)!

I discovered yoga when a very close and very beloved relative of mine died suddenly and unexpectedly.  I was completely devastated.  I didnt know which way to turn.  I became a couch potato.  Blockbusters was my best friend.  One day while searching through the isles I saw a yoga video (I didnt have a DVD player back then) and rented it.  Yoga Practice for Beginners, by Patricia Walden.  Produced by Gaiam and Yoga Journal.  It saved me.  Since then I've come to own dozens of yoga DVDs and attented even more yoga classes.  Some instructers where fantastic and some where......well..... you have to learn to pick and choose.

the video by Patricia Walden is still one of my favourites because it is truly meant for the beginner and because you will feel results immediately.  It will teach you how to come in poses safely and properly.  It also has a very nurturing tone that encourages and guides you to look within with tender, loving compassion.

I hope you can find it or another that will bring you a similar experience.  Best wishes.

Namaste

Jen

writestuff

It is good to hear from you.  Thank you for your encouraging words and for sharing.  Congrats to you on your great success~44lbs~ is a great accomplishment.

Best of luck on your new journey, my hat goes off to you.

 P.S. I too look forward to seeing your progress!

Regards

Jen

911 Tips for Staying on Track

At only a 7.5 lbs weight loss, I?m still a newbie.  But!

• for someone who has only been able to gain weight and not lose more than 1-2 lbs in the past year and
•  feeling like a little hobbit in the land of Mordor.....I?ve come a long, long, long way.
  
  

I eat when I?m stressed.  In 2005 I went through a stressful life change and I have two stressful jobs?. Hence I gained 60 pounds in 15 months!


Having recently accepted that I?m an emotional eater, the next step was to do something about it -very very hard for me.

So I put out a call for help in the motivation forum and learned some very valuable tips about hanging in there for the long haul.

I want to share them with anyone facing the same crisis. 

Here they are:

1. plan meals a day (or up to a week) ahead of time, make sure you get in plenty of nutritious food in.
2. Keep your food log faithfully
3. When you get the urge to eat, have a little something and a glass of water and then wait at least 20 minutes
4. When you feel like you need to eat when you?re not hungry *leave the room* and do something, like drink a glass of ice water, or go to the bathroom, or take out the trash, *then* come back and if you?re *truly* hungry still, have a small healthy snack
5. Plan, plan, plan!  Make sure you have easy to grab, healthy snacks available. 
6. H.A.L.T.: Am I Hungry?  Am I Angry?  Am I Lonely? Am I Tired?  If you are eating because you are feeling any of these things, remember that FOOD WILL NOT SATISFY ANY BUT THE FIRST OF THESE!  Search the heart of it.  Do you want to eat because you?re lonely, frustrated, tired, angry or any of a myriad of uncomfortable feelings?  If so:
   • Plan for a different response to the emotions that trigger your eating:

When you?re angry, try getting a piece of paper and a pen and write down everything ugly that you can think of about the situation... let yourself feel the anger rise, and stay with the writing until it ends?..then release it~ throw the paper away.

When you are hurt, try thinking about what makes you hurt and let yourself feel it, cry about it. Then, try to think of what would make you feel better (besides eating).. a bubble bath? A funny movie? Playing a game?

7.  Positive mantras: if you?re in a bind and cannot get to a quiet/private place to journal or cry - or you?re in the cafeteria line and the chocolate cake is calling your name-  give your mind something positive to focus on.  Repetition of a positive message in the short term will give your mind something to focus on until the feeling has passed.  In the long term, it will help to start reprogramming your brain for a different response to food and life?s struggles.  Some suggestions are:

*I can do it 

*Peace 

*Love

Or simply create your own, find what works for you and keep repeating it silently, out loud, or under your breath until the moment passes.

8.  Positive Visualization: When was the last time you felt good? Really good? Good in your body, good in your own skin? When was the last time you felt like you had your eating somewhat under control? Try to meditate upon that feeling....really feel it as though you were living the same way now. Even if you don't have a memory like that, create one. Close your eyes and create the memory from top to bottom: what does your environment smell like when you love yourself and your body? How does the air feel against your skin? How does it feel to be in that body? What's it feel like? The best way to become what you want to be is to be it. The more you act like your ideal, the more you will become it.

9. Practice Acceptance: Enjoy where you are at and come to a place where you can completely accept yourself.  Your whole self. As you are right now at this very moment, with all your glorious beauty, weight and flaws.

•  You are the child of an all powerful and magnificent Creator. Would you judge the Creator?s child as anything less than precious? Begin the journey of self acceptance of who you are, just as you are. It is only then that you will start to move forward.
• Say it out loud:  ?I love myself as I am!?

10.    Journal: Journaling provides a way of exploring the world within you. If you keep at it journaling will provide you with answers, stamina, a place to vent, reflect and restore. The result being that over time you will be less impulsive about eating.  You will have the strength to stop and reflect before reaching for the bag of chips and eventually the urge will become less and less frequent and less powerful.

In fact, in a short time you will see how journaling will positively affect other areas of your life too, as you will have more insight, patience and acceptance for yourself and others.

Dealing with emotional hunger is a long and difficult process.  But do start the work for soon, you'll be pleased to see that you don't trigger nearly as often if you attend to the wounds and let them heal.  The rewards for your work will be truly great.

The information/advice/tips here come from members, myself included, who have overcome or are in the process of overcoming their struggles with food addiction/emotional eating and therefore know about it first hand.  What better advice could you ask for!

 Thanks to singpraisetojesus, becb, clairelaine, Mspriff, songchild, gjohnso2, lisa819 and shakti for sharing and coming to my aid.

Namaste

 

moonsong - listen to you! You are so inspiring!! Thanks so much for caring for us enough to give us this encouragement... and thanks for taking good care of you!

We will all reach our goal when we take a little time to help each other.

Many thanks mspriff, you are so welcome!

Thanks to you and others who answered my s.o.s, this mountain climb is starting to get a move on! heeeeeee haaaaaaaaw! I CAN SO DO IT!

btw, I need this post as a reminder too *wink*

did you read post #13, just posted it while you posted yours.

"Emotional hunger" is an excellent way to put it...  so many times I have fed my body when really it was my soul that was hungry!  Thank you for your inspiration and motivation!

Thank for the info...I just signed up TODAY.  I'm at the same weight and work out everyday.  I have lost a few inches, no weight.  I started writing in my journal today.  This is the first time I'm having problem with losing.  I was off work for about 6mos, that should have been the time for me to get it together, but I failed.  I continued to worry about finding a job and eating.  This year I started with Fast Food, which is something I usally would not do.  Once in a blue moon, really.  So, why can't I lose weight now.  Because I pour it on over the weekend, would that stop me from losing a few pounds, an it not every weekend.  I have heard stress can stop you from losing weight and I thing it's true.  I have a job now, so I'm trying to get my financal state in order, which is taking some time.  Hopefully this site will do it for me.  Last year this time, I was 25lbs lighter....

Keep smiling?

jen you are very welcome, 

 btw did you see my reply to your question about yoga? it's post #11

I look forward to hearing more from you

Regards,

Jen

Welcome predd4lost, You absolutely will find help on this site!

Our stories sound very similar, only I packed on 60lbs in 15 months.  I also became a fast foodaholic too.

I also kept trying with diet and exercise but very inconsistently with little or no success.  Having struggled with my weight most of my life, I knew how to lose weight (keeping it off I wasn't so good at mind you), so I was  not used to how hard it was this time to get back on track and seeing results.

 like you, weekends where major calorie packing times, filled with cakes and pastries.

I can tell you that using the food log is giving me a much better handle on how much I can actually eat, which foods pack the greatest wallup, it also gives me a look at the bigger picture. 

 I'm so glad you found us and have started journaling.  How strange that our situations are so similar, I started journaling only a few days before finding CC.

Journaling will totally help you too.  Keep it up, drink plenty of water and keep logging and using this site for inspiration. 

 You're looking for help now so you've won half the battle already!

Best Wishes,

Jen

Thanks Jen,

I think this site is truly going to help, I am going to put all my effort in making it work!!!!

Keep in Touch...