What's your secret weight loss weapon??

Do any of you out there have any one thing in particular (be it green tea, jello, mirrors etc.) that make this easier for you? Unfortunately for me, I am the only one who has a problem with myself, therefore I am the only one who has a reason to change my ways... and I am not necessarily the best at that. My boyfriend is happy with the way I am and he says it wouldn't matter if I got fatter or thinner or what ever. I respect that but I wish he would push me! He has to eat alot because he's a very big man (6'8, 320 lbs) and for some reason I can (and often do) eat the same amount of food as he can and not be stuffed... I get ahold of something I like and its gone before you can blink. I have a horrible relationship with food. I love it and it loves me, but IT HATES ME!! I can not control myself and I can't put it down!! And no I am not one of those anorexic types looking for compliments. I am 21 years old, 5'4 and about 230 lbs. Help? I need some serious appetite control, and some real motivation. I can't find any here!!! If anyone wants to be a daily mentor/motivator for me... let me know please... I'll do the whole msn thing or message over here or what ever. My dread is that I will have to go through another summer wearing pants if I don't get some help and learn about this strange thing called self control... Thanks in advance!! I just ate the worst brownie in the world by the way... and I refuse to eat another!! I guess thats a step...

You have gotten great advice up till now!

The way for me to control my cravings is to cut down seriously on carbs. I do not eat them (no bread, grains, cereal, rice, potato etc) and I read labels which gives me an idea about the number of carb are in certain foods.

I have been doing this for a month now and I haven's had cravings at all! I eat vegetables (not the sweet ones), cheese, nuts, meat and eggs and butter/olive oil. After I have been dieting and having every day cravings and being mentally busy with food alle the time this is a relief!

Hi Mary,

 

 I have been where you are....5'4 and 230 pounds! I like to carry a small cooler with me loaded with fresh fruit, water and 100 calorie snack packs. It keeps me from hitting McDonalds on my commute!!

Good Luck!!

I would suggest buying new workout clothes! If I'm wearing something stylish AND comfortable, I feel more motivated and confident during my workout, like I'm ready to get down to business!

The motivators that have NOT worked for me:

-promising to buy myself personal rewards (e.g. clothes) if I lose weight. This is good if I've already lost weight and want to feel great about it, but promising myself a long term reward when I've yet to lose a pound just doesn't seem to work.

-wearing great clothes now: only makes me regret having to give them up when I lose weight.

The motivators that DO work for me:

-Giving up non-water beverages (only water, coffee, tea are acceptable) and keeping a water bottle at my side at all times to stave off "fake hunger" (i.e. thirst that feels like hunger).

-Keeping a supply of non-caffeinated tea around when I want to amuse my taste buds late at night.

-Plotting, charting, graphing obsessively: the smaller my increments of measurement, the more often I get to celebrate little victories. (Hey, I lost .4 lbs.! I have reach 2% of my goal!)

-Reading nutrition labels religiously and measuring everything so I know EXACTLY what I'm putting in my body.

-Thinking of calories in terms of pounds. (If I cut 750 calories today, that's 1/4 lb.! If I keep this up for three more days, I will lose a whole pound!)

-Stopping to ask, "Is it worth the calories?" Before I put anything in my mouth.

-Eating very slowly, only at mealtime, and concentrating very intently on how *unpleasant* it feels to be overly full.

-Thinking of how much this day counts, and how important it is for me to stick to my diet and come one step closer today if I want to reach my goal in time.

-Finding ways to instantly feel good and entertain myself without the regret: bubble baths, manicures, reading for fun, etc.

-Distracting myself from food with... EXERCISE!

-Getting out of the house and doing something fun!

-Doing yoga makes me feel full for whatever reason.

-Thinking of how much money I am saving by cooking for myself rather than going out to eat.

I hope this list is helpful : )

I, like you, have an addiction to food. I eat when Im not hungry ALL the time. I'll even know I am overeating, and just not care because I am satisfied eating food.

 

Going to the gym or taking walks around your neighborhood has to be the best thing you can do! If you ARE going to the gym and getting in your cardio workouts, lifting weights, even though I hate it, helps you burn more fat faster. When you first start doing workouts, your starting to build up muscels, and then once your muscels are built up, when you do your cardio workouts, your simply burning the fat you have (whereas in the begining you are burning fat and building up your muscels.)

 

Sidenote: Ask your boyfriend to help you. If this is something that is important to you, he should be there by your side, whether he thinks you should lose the weight or not.  

If I just ate something and want more, I look at the time and say I'll have it in exactly 20 minutes.

Usually, 20 minutes later I don't want it anymore because my body's processed the snack I had 20 minutes ago. 

My secret weight loss weapons are these: 

1.  My food journal. I too am a food addict and I literally do not realize how much I eat when I binge...even if I don't "binge" and feel like I am eating "normally" it is still WAY too much. I don't think I have the ability to eat "normally" because I never feel full.  Oh well. I accept that.  Therefore, absolutely everything I consume must go into the book with an accurate calorie count. It's the only way I can be sure I'm eating the right amount.

2. I start the day with 1 tbsp psyllium seeds and 500 mls of water. GACK! I hate the stuff- but it makes my stomach feel fuller, so I can actually eat a reasonable breakfast. Also, the soluble fiber helps prevent gallstones, and since I'm losing a lot of fat, that's always a concern.

3. If I crave a sweet treat, I say "Sure...whatever. You can have as much of it as you like, but you have to walk to the store to get it."  Usually, by the time I arrive, the endorphins have kicked in, I feel better, and I get a low calorie snack or a piece of fruit instead.

I know that the biggest thing that helped me was never saying "No" to food, but " I can wait"  I take a day off every week and allow myself to have the foods that I have been craving all week.  Now please don't get me wrong, I don't all out bindge all day.  But if we are having pizza I will have a slice.  Or have some ice cream or chips or whatever has been haunting me all week.  I found that it keeps me from falling off the band wagon all together because I'm not denying myself these foods, but just making myself wait to have them.  I take my day off on Sunday mostly because that is when my church has its pot luck and it wasn't fair to sit there and look at all that good food and just poke at a salad.  It was making me bitter.  So now I allow myslef to indulge just a wee bit and it has made a HUGE difference.  I lost 55lbs in 6 months and had kept if off for a year.  I have recently had some medical issues and packed on 30lbs.  So now I need to practice what I preach and get back into the swing of things! 

1.  Fage or Oikos yogurt - the fat free kind.  Mix it with Splenda or Zsweet and unsweetened cocoa powder or pumpkin puree, and it's about 130 calories per 1 cup serving.  It's way higher in protein than other yogurts and *very* filling.   I can't stand to go to bed hungry, so I have this as a bedtime snack.  It's easier to resist unhealthy treats during the day if I have my yogurt to look forward to at night.

2.  SoBe Lean Diet Green Tea.  Zero calories, tastes great and healthier than carbonated crap.

3.  Spin class!  An amazing calorie burner that's so much fun, the hour just flies by!  Don't be intimidated if you're new to it.  Other spinners are very welcoming and will help set you up on the bike, encourage you, etc.

Hi Everyone,

My name is Marie and I just love this web site!! I have been dieting for 20 years and like most of you I have lost and gain etc. My doctor finally put me on a diet pill and I am only to have 1700 calories and I work out 5 days a week! I have lost 16 LBS in 6 weeks. I eat only fruit, weight watchers meals, rice cakes, fat free turkey lunch meat, cheese sticks and Salad!! I know that seems awful to some of you but it works and I am sticking to what works for now at least!!! I have went from a size 16 jeans to size 4 jeans in 6 weeks!! Its exciting and I have a goal to be under 200LBS and I am 3 LBS away from that!! Then I will set another goal and another goal and another until I reach the weight I feel is right for me!!

Good luck to all of you and please feel free to write me back if you have any questions!! We can do this I know we can!!!!

My number one weight loss weapon is my food journal.  I have journaled every day for the past two years.  It definitely keeps me accountable to what i put in my mouth! It's amazing how the little things really add up! My other weight loss weapon is FIBER! Since i've increased my fiber intake to at least 40 grams a day, my appetite has decreased. I take 9 grams of fiber in a fiber supplement mixed in a glass of water at night. I also eat a serving of All Bran cereal every day, which is 10 grams. I also try to get fiber through unprocessed foods such as vegetables. I also drink at least 2 cups of green tea and 6 glasses of water religiously every day. Even when i binge, if i have at least 30 or 40 grams of fiber and lots of water, it's easier to get back on track the next day.

Deli Turkey.  It's low fat, low calorie, and my pets like to share it with me so I buy it by the pound.   That and a reasonable amount of exercise daily.

Hi Mary,

I'm older than you and been a yo-yo dieter since adolescence, gaining and losing the same pounds. I'm on the journey yet again, to take the weight off and keep it off.

I've learned there aren't any magic cures or pills... plain ole exercise and calorie reducion is the only way to go for me.  It isn't just a cliche... lifestyle changes are key. 

However, SUPPORT plays a HUGE role and this forum is a great avenue.

Hang in there - you CAN do it!!!

Sarah

 

Hi Mary,

Give yourself a pat on the back for taking your weight and health into your own control. In our early twenties it is easier to learn the discipline to know exactly what is going into our bodies. Less stress later when our metabolism changes come 27-to mid thirties.

My advice, drink water, don't have juice with a meal (it spikes your GI it adds extra calories), avoid eating things with added sugar or fake sugar (asparatame, especially surcalose"splenda"). Add as much veggies as possible, try for fresh. (make a egg white omelette with fresh spinach, seasoned with pepper garlic and basil.) Whole grains like oats, polenta (grits) are better for you than wheat. not to mention, most whole grain wheat products come from the same mass produced hybrid (GMO) crop which thousand of agri-business farmers grow, so your body get the same thing even if its a different form. (and that does not help you lose)

Finally, lifestyle on diet. Do it yourself. Say to your boyfriend that you want his support, and if he wants his greasy whatever, either go out to eat or tell him to it make himself. You deserve to be comfortable in your skin, and you know what feels good. Although, your boyfriend may say he loves you regardless, ultimately he wants you to be happy in your own skin, so do not let that guilt trip you in staying uncomfortable. I give you all the support! Best of luck! Good health! 

Hey MAry,

that's a good question and i use my role models which are usually stars as a motivator i keep thinking maybe one day i'll look like that. It works pretty good for me because i'm trying to get my body into Bikini Mode for the summer! Wish me luck!

I don't know if this is much help or not, but when I was losing weight, I started taking lysine daily (1000 mg/day). You can buy them at your regular super market, (I got mine at Target for like $3). It's an amino acid that provides the building blocks for protein. So I don't know if I actually got thin but I looked leaner because I was building muscle.

Good luck!

=D

I sleep through dinner. Because that is the normal time I seriously overeat, when I sleep through that one meal, I lose so much weight, even if I eat larger breakfasts and lunches!

My secret weapon is to always have fitness and health related reading materials laying around. I try to pick up something and read it for at least 15 minutes a day. That keeps me focused.

Get creative with your meals and snacks and look for new things to try.

Always allow yourself a food option. If you are still hungry tell yourself to wait at least 1/2 an hour. Drink something, have a piece of sf gum and see if you are still hungry in 1/2 an hour. If so... then eat a little something.

Keep SF jello in the frige w/FF reddi wip.

Fiber one has many uses.

My top 10 secret weapons, in no particular order:

 

1. Cinnamon sticks (boil first, then gnaw to your heart's content)
2. Almonds
3. Metamucil
4. Walking during my lunch break
5. Sugar-free jello
6. BIG breakfast with lots of fiber and protein
7.  V8
8. Logging my calories religiously
9. Gum
10. Fage 0% Greek-style yogurt

 

Water and watch the sodium.