Motivation/Support needed please HELP!!!!!!

I don't want to go over my calories but I am and have been for about a week now. Each day I tell myself i'm going to do this over and today is going to be fine. I am at the tail end of my period and thought that this was what it was all about.

Today I set out to have a good day again. I didn't eat breakfast except for some coffee with cream and sugar. I only drank half the cup. I was not hungry at all . There is no way I could have eaten I had cramps too too bad and was NOT hungry.

Noon rolled around and I made a can of chicken breast in water with light mayo, light sour cream, 1/4 C pecans, 1/4 C raisins, chopped celery and onion and that made about 1 1/2 Cups of chicken salad. I ate it on 2 slices of cinnamon swirl raisin bread (it was really good) and had an apple.

Just now 4:42 pm I ate the other half of the chicken salad and had a handful of mini marshmallows and about 10 big wheat thins.

That's 1700 calories and i'm suppose to be done for the day? WTF :(

I guess I just didn't choose low enough calorie foods. I know I know where are all my veggies.

I'm so frustrated and I don't feel I have any support.

Isn't it absolutely amazing how fast calories add up even when you are eating pretty good.  Stop and think a minute..... if this is how many calories I've consumed when trying to be good, how many did I consume when I wasn't counting or paying attention?  YIKES!!!

Is it any wonder some of us ended up on the heavy side!!! 

Having a bit of breakfast would have been ideal, but I know what you mean about not being hungry due to cramps.  The chicken salad sounds great except for the sour cream and the raisin bread, which tends to be high in calories.  And those darn marshmallows!  I use to 'nibble' on them as a no-fat sweet, but I often ended up eating more then I thought.

The fact is, kindal, you ARE counting calories and watching portions, so you get big kudos for that!  Keep it up and you'll soon learn more about what to exchange for things such as that sour cream, and you'll start noticing when you are or aren't eating your fruits and veggies.  It takes patience.

Keep going.  You'll be okay.  And don't forget that water!

Goodness, that doesn't sound like 1700 calories!  But I agree, it is amazing how it adds up, huh?

I also have trouble meeting my goal calories.  I feel like I am always going over - hence the plateau I am currently sitting on, I suppose.  So my new plan: keep the calories the same but get in some good work-outs to up my deficit!

It sounds like you are making pretty good choices, and you are obviously aware of your intake - so I'd say you are doing great!  Now you just need to figure out what foods will fill you up and keep you satisfied ... I am a big fan of small, frequent meals/snacks (as I always say - trust me, I do not miss a meal!).  ;)

Every day is a new day - every meal is a new meal.  You can do this!!  I have noticed your posts before - you are so friendly and supportive of others - you need to have that same faith in yourself!  And you are never alone - you have a whole huge group of supporters here on CC!!!  Hang in there.

kaufmkk,

thanks I needed that. Ya I know the sour cream had calories but it was light sour cream, same with the mayo and I was only going to put the mayo in it but it was too dry. By the time I added the nuts and raisins ya it was costly LOL

I haven't been drinking a lot either. It's been snowing and cold and I stopped my iced tea drinking and water

Okay eyes wide open. I also stopped eating every 2-3 hours (mini meals) like I had been doing.

Thanks for the post I really really appreciate it!

kb,

Ya that's what I thought LOL> I logged it as I went but didn't think it would really be so much.

Thanks for your kind words as well. I needed that today.  and I agree there are some wonderful supportive people here on CC and I am NOT alone although sometimes it may feel like that.  I appreciate your post. Thanks.

Original Post by kindal:

Today I set out to have a good day again. I didn't eat breakfast except for some coffee with cream and sugar. I only drank half the cup. I was not hungry at all . There is no way I could have eaten I had cramps too too bad and was NOT hungry.

Noon rolled around and I made a can of chicken breast in water with light mayo, light sour cream, 1/4 C pecans, 1/4 C raisins, chopped celery and onion and that made about 1 1/2 Cups of chicken salad. I ate it on 2 slices of cinnamon swirl raisin bread (it was really good) and had an apple.

Just now 4:42 pm I ate the other half of the chicken salad and had a handful of mini marshmallows and about 10 big wheat thins.

That's 1700 calories and i'm suppose to be done for the day? WTF :(

I guess I just didn't choose low enough calorie foods. I know I know where are all my veggies.

I'm so frustrated and I don't feel I have any support.

Gotta have breakfast no matter what! Maybe get in the habit of having some protien poweder on hand for a shake or the instant breakfast drinks for this type of occasion. It's not ideal, but breakfast is essential.

You're going to starve if you don't learn to choose better foods - if you scratched the mayo, sour cream, peacans, raisins and marshmellos that would probably add back 500 calories or more that you could eat! What about instead of making that chicken salad  with all those condiments just use 1 tbls of fat free mayo - it's only 15 calories.  And cinnimon swirl raisin bread? That's not going to keep you full! Try whole wheat bread! Wheat thins also don't have a whole lot of nutritional punch - no wonder you're so hungry girl!

How about trying this type of meal plan:

Breakfast: protien shake / instant breakfast shake - 200 calories

Later breakfast when you feel hungry: 3/4 cup scrambled break free egg beaters, 1/2 cup slow cook oatmeal, 1/2 cup fat free yogurt - 350 calories

Lunch: whole wheat tuna sandwich made with one tbls fat free mayo - 350 calories

Snack: 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese, 1 cup mixed berries - 180 calories (blended with yogurt and sweetner is a good smoothie)

Dinner: 3/4 cup wild rice, 1.5 cup fiberous veggies, 4 oz grilled chicken - 400 calories

Snack: 1.5 cup cheerios with 3/4 cup skim milk/light soy milk - 200 calories

total = 1680 .... waaaaay more food = less hungry!

Night time is evil time   It is always the worst for me.  I feel like a food vaccum.

One thing that really helps me is to make lists of the foods I like that are low cal. by meal.  For instance low fat string cheese- 60 cal, boiled egg- 70 cal, tangerine 45-cal, oatmeal-160 cal... so on, and so forth.  I fill my fridge with them at the begining of the week.  And each morning kind of map out what I want or can have for the day.  It's annoying to have to plan so much, but I've realised it helps me sooo much.  If I plan I usually wind up having room at night for a few snacks (smart pop mmm).  W/out it though I tend to totally crash or over do it mid day and be starving at night.

DON'T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF!

One thing that I've learned is that maintaining control over food is not enough for weight loss.  It must be coupled with exercise.  Seems to me that you are doing a great job choosing healthy foods.  If you continue to eat heathy foods (and yes, EAT BREAKFAST to kick start that metabolism and keep up those small meals every 2-3 hours) and add some cardio 2-3 times a week, you'll find your pounds slowly coming off. 

It is important to note that we took x amount of months / years to put on the pounds and get in the habit of eating bad foods.  We can't expect those habits and pounds to correct themselves in a week or a day!  It takes 30 days to create a habit.  So don't "start over!"  Count that as a day in your 30 days because you're conscious of your effort, even if you're not eating the calories you've set for yourself.  We have to give ourselves the credit we deserve.

Good luck to you, and celebrate small victories!

Thanks sybil; I like that menu much better lol

tortoisewins ya night is hard for me too sometimes. Sometimes planning helps me too. When I was on track I was saving a snack for the evening too. I will get back there.

jmgoodman729 thanks. Yes I agree exercise is important too. Seems like this will be a long road. Its okay like  you said I didn't put it on over night either. Thanks.

Not eating during the day has always been my biggest down fall. Like you I just don't get up hungry. I can make it all day and then about 5 or 6 o'clock I would start eating and just keep going. Now no matter what I always eat breakfast, it was hard at first and felt kind of backwards to eat when I wasn't hungry while trying to lose weight.

Don't beat yourself up too much at least you're aware and paying attention. That's a huge step in itself IMO.

jendoll,

I just couldn't make myself eat breaky that day. Usually I wake up really hungry. I think it was TTOM and the cramps is why I was not hungry. Oh well. I'm feeling much better today. I did very well yesterday and today am doing well so far as well.

hi, try to remember even if you mess up one day.  the next day you can start over.  it takes something like 30 days to make a new habit.  although i tried that for flossing my teeth and as soon as the 30 days were up i quit flossing again.  so for some people it might take longer.  try to remember why you want to lose weight and try to make it real and tangible.  for me, i had a very overweight room mate for a year and it was an eye opener.  she was my height but double my weight.  but she ate about three times as much as me.  she changed the shape of our recliner because she's so big.  i had to toss out two of my dining room chairs because she was so big they started falling apart.  i have no problem squeezing between the table and wall but so many things she couldn't fit through.  her jeans last her only a few months because her thighs rub together so much it wears holes in the fabric.  if a blanket gets between her belly rolls when she sleeps her skin will be really sore the next day.  she never feels good, always tired no matter how much she sleeps.  she's taking heart medicine and she's not even thirty.  so aside from the whole, how do i look?  thing.  there are a lot of other reasons to get thin and healthy.  it feels a whole lot better.  it's sad because she is a wonderful person but her weight and how difficult it is to live with has sure scared me into taking my health more seriously. 

Yeah you might want to try some smart ones or lean cuisines. Almost all of them are below 300 calories. Throw in some vegies, fruit, and 100 calorie packs for snacks. Instant oatmeal is also good. Most of the flavors are around 130 calories per packet.

Kindal:  You might want to slow down and breathe.  It's not the end of the world.  You've just got to think.  Now, I am 5'4 and 174 pounds.  I recently lost 4 pounds when my doctor described my BMI and the fact that I needed to lose 30 pounds NOW.  I have exercised off an on over the years and basically surrendered until that doctor's visit. 

Certain things are crucial to weight loss.  Number one - NEVER skip breakfast.  Even if you're not hungry.  Add 8 glasses of water to your intake and 5 servings of fruit and you will see a difference.

No diet pill or pre-packaged food is going to do it for you.  You must begin to change the way you look at food and exercise.  It is no longer optional.  Once you wrap your mind around that, the journey begins.

I tried subtle changes first.  Putting mustard on my sandwich instead of mayonnaise or using Miracle Whip.  I switched from using butter with salt to margarine or I can't believe it's not butter (or equivalent).  I switched from whole milk to 2%, then fat free, then soy.  I eat cereal every day.  Sometimes bran, sometimes Kashi.  I drink a whole glass of orange juice every morning.  Try using "not from concentrate" instead.  I've added fresh spinach to my diet at least 3 times a week.  I eat greens...collard, kale, turnip and double the portion of my vegetable instead of my meat at dinner time.

Try buying fresh chicken breast (skinless, boanless).  Eat more fish.  Buy it at the market instead of the firozen fillets.  Try switching from ground beef to ground turkey in recipes.  Try switching from bread to whole wheat crackers on sandwiches.  Try graham crackers with peanut butter spread as a snack.  Try apples and peanut butter spread as a snack.  Try switching from salad dressing to salad dressings with yogurt.  Add nuts to your diet.  Try eating whole carrots instead of buying the pre packaged baby ones if you like them.  Try incorporating fresh vegetables into your meals and eliminate canned (they are loaded with sodium and so are frozen meals).  Try switching from regular pasta to wheat.  Try infusing wheat flour instead of white.  Buy unseasoned bread crumbs instead of seasoned.  I cut up whole apples and bake them.  They are sweet and add their own juice without sugar or you could add 1 table spoon of cinnamon sugar.  Switch from regular syrup to sugar free or lite. 

Don't try to change everything overnight.  Go for the little touches and you will begin to see a difference over time. My family hates when I go shopping now because it takes me so much longer because I read and compare labels.  But you know what, I don't go grocery shopping when I'm hungry so it doesn't matter how long it takes.

You will know when your body is happy with your choices because it will react differently.  I now sleep 8 hours a night.  I move my bowels 3 times a day!  (That is amazing and I haven't done that since I was a child and I suffered from IBS).  I have more energy.  I drink green tea without sugar now. 

You will have to exercise too.  Start lightly.  Anything at all is better than nothing.  Stretching with yoga or pilates is wonderful and will add to your flexibility which will enhance your workout routine.  Start by walking slowly, then at a faster pace.  You don't have to run, just speed up your heart rate.  Start lifting weights.  Start with 2 lb then build up.  The fact is you have to know that you have to change your lifestyle and then it won't be about dieting but making better choices.

In between commercials, I do stretches or lunges.  The subtle things can make a difference.  Please keep us posted on your progress. 

You all are wonderful with excellent advice. Thanks for all your input.

You are most welcome.  Today it was you who needed help, tomorrow it will be one of us who responded to you.  The most important thing we all need to remember is that none of us are alone.  We owe it to each other to uphold the one who needs it most on any given day.

I have now lost 5 lbs and I am happy with that.  I'm not looking for the easy out.  I'm not looking to diet.  I'm looking to be healthy.  My doctor stated I must lose 30 lbs but I think if I'm going to do the 30, I may as well lose the 48 that I actually need to lose. 

I know it won't be easy but slow and steady win the race.  I've given myself to December 31st to do it and if I haven't reached my goal by then, it's ok because with the weight I do shed, my heart will be healthier and I should have enough energy and motivitation to push onward.

I've seen progress in my thinking so that's half the battle right there.  I went to the Cheesecake Factory and had grilled pork chops, spinach, and my favorite baked apples.  I sipped iced green tea without sugar and DIDN'T order dessert or eat the various breads they bring out in baskets.

That was a small victory for me because I was a dessert freak.  In the past I would actually ask for a doggie bag for my meal so that I could have room for dessert.

Baby steps.

teaguem,

It's great to know were not alone. Sometimes it just gets frustrating.

Congrats on your 5 lbs. I do agree slow and steady wins the race. I'm not in any competition to get this weight off. Sure I want it to drop quickly but I would rather it be permanent in the long run and learn changes along the way.

Good for you for passing up the dessert (not an easy thing at the Cheescake Factory). I have noticed though that now when I try those things after not having them for awhile they don't tase as good as I remember. Things are beginning to taste saltier and if I eat processed foods I can definately taste high levels of sodium and chemicals.

We just need to keep on keeping on.