Newbie Here

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-18-2003
Newbie Here
13
Mon, 09-06-2004 - 10:18pm
I'm 42 and about 50 lbs overweight. I have tried:

Dexatrim, Slimfast, Atkins, Jenny Craig, South Beach, 2000 Plus, Hollywood Diet, Relacore, Phentermine, Green Tea, Fit For Life, The "I Love Dieting" program, The Juice Diet, Mediterranean Diet, Cortislim, Metabolife, Metabolift, Metabofit, .......

Nothing works for me. Why??? Because I cannot stick with ANYTHING. I am a sugar addict. It is like a drug. Oh -- I also tried hypnotherapy to change my relationship with food and I gained 30 lbs but I got divorced (so I would call that even). LOL

I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago and since then I just cannot seem to drop below 190 lbs no matter what I do.

And now I am worried because I am so fatigued all the time. All I want to do is sleep. And the only food that appeals to me is rice pudding. I know this is not healthy. I know what I need to do -- incorporate fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean protein... and get exercise. But I cannot do it. I gag at the thought of putting vegetables or salads into my mouth. Or meat.

Diabetes and heart disease runs in my family. I know I have horrible health problems headed my way if I don't get my butt in gear. But it's so stupid that I cannot seem to stop myself from eating JUNK. I know it is bad. But I do it. When I was doing Atkins, I did manage to not have sugar pass my lips for 3 solid months. But then the holidays hit and I fell off the wagon hard. But I did not like Atkins so much anyhow, it's too expensive to eat that way (and I didn't lose more than 7 lbs in 3 months)

I work two jobs, so I don't get to bed until around 2 am then I have to get up at 7am to get kids off to school. I usually come home and sleep till noon, AND take another nap around 3 to 4:30 if I can ..... On the days that I have to work during the day I am up from 7 am to midnight. I have sit down jobs so I don't get much exercise there.

I don't know where to find the motivation to change. I guess that is my problem is that I don't want it badly enough. It isn't that I don't know what to do -- because I do. It's just that I am too darn tired to do it. Where can I find energy??? I hate carbonated drinks... I do not drink tea or coffee.... so I find myself popping Excedrin because it has caffeine. . . . oy. I am a mess. I don't know where to begin. I have to make small changes and I just don't know how.

I tried to not buy rice pudding today and I couldn't do it. I HAD to go get some. I am just ashamed to admit that. But it's true.

Sorry this is so long. But..... any suggestions?????

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Avatar for dmm11730
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-06-2003
In reply to: 123timesalady
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 6:07am
First off, welcome to the board. This is a great place for ideas and sugguestions, motivation and encouragement. I wish I had suggestions for you unfortunatly I do not. I have been struggling with my own 30 pounds, without success. I do know it has to come from within, the want, need, determination. Until you decide to really want to do this and stick with it, will it really happen. I do not put in your kind of day but I understand busy and crazy. I find it almost impossible to fit exercise into my life for the moment. I do encourage you to seek another healthy way of eating. I am a Weight Watcher member and feel its the healthiest, safest, and easiest plan to fit into a normal way of life, because its realy food. The missing pounds are slow but they do come off with time. Please stay and get to know us, and us you. We all here will do what we can t help.

Debbie

Debbie

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-18-2003
In reply to: 123timesalady
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 6:24am

Hi and welcome to the board.


It seems that you have diagnosed your problem and even come up with the fix.


 








 
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-03-2001
In reply to: 123timesalady
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 7:06am
Hi and welcome to the board. You have an incredible schedule!Have you ever considered working with a nutritionalist?Or is joining a program like weight watchers an option for you?Hope you'll post often.

Miss P




 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2004
In reply to: 123timesalady
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 8:11am

Welcome to the board!


Wow what a schedule you keep.

Lori

"Remember, I'm pullin' for ya.  We're all in this together." --Red Green

cl for Ask the

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-18-2003
In reply to: 123timesalady
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 10:13am
Thank you ladies for the warm welcome! I truly appreciate it. I am headed out the door right now but I did begin my morning with fruit and cereal.

So far so good!

Michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2003
In reply to: 123timesalady
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 10:27am
Love your name...great advice given...welcome to the board!!

Deb

“You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” -Brian Tracy
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: 123timesalady
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 11:14am
Lots of hugs for you, Michelle! Welcome to the board! So glad you got some cereal and fruit in today. I think I can relate to not wanting to eat anything but rice pudding - I went on Somercise last year and lost some weight. I did get tired of meats and didn't eat them for awhile. Now I'm back to fish & chicken and sometimes other things. I've always liked veggies, so I'm lucky there. I've come to the conclusion that I do best when I just cut down on my portions. I started Weight Watchers to help me with that, but then again, until I actually decided I wanted to lose the weight, was I able to successfully cut the portions. Also, until I started making exercise a priority, was I able to see a difference on the scale and in the way my clothes fit. I think it's true (paraphrased from Proverbs), where the mind goes, so follows the man. Once we picture in our minds doing the activities necessary to see results, we will do them and have the results. Slowly adding the foods back in is the best way to change the eating habits. I also think instead of going on a plan that prohibits foods, I personally do better when I think of all the foods I can eat that will do my body good.

I wish there was someone around who would cook for you to get those taste buds going again! You sound like you need some TLC! A suggestion would be to look at cookbooks to see if there is anything that appeals to you - if so, either try making it or getting it at a restaurant. I can't imagine working the shifts that you work. I work 2 jobs, but not the late hours. I truly understand about not having time to exercise. Some days, I just can't do it - sleep is important! Most people really need about 7 to 8 hours of sleep. I try to get in more exercise on the weekends when I don't work my office job. If you can get in 3 days a week of exercise (even 30 minutes), you will be on the way to better health. Walking is the best exercise one can start with, IMO. If you can't get out in the fresh air, one of those walking tapes by Leslie Sansone would be good. I have the 3 mile Walk Away The Pounds. I do that if it's raining - I don't have a treadmill. I also have a mini-trampoline I can jog on if I want to watch TV while I do some cardio. At first, when I put exercise into my schedule, I could only jog a little and then I slowly added more minutes each week.

I hope you continue to post with us and tell us more about yourself.

Kat

Katherine (Kat)
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2000
In reply to: 123timesalady
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 11:59am
Welcome! You've already gotten some great suggestions. You know what works best for me? Moderation, portion control. It's the approach Weight Watchers and ChangeOne takes. No restrictive menus, nothing specific to buy, no starvation, no fads - few of which teach you how to make wiser food choices and what a serving is. There are times I cut out all sweets, all fatty snacks and the beer or wine for dinner to get a kick start, but they are not out of my menu completely - otherwise I know I'd fail. But if I didn't exercise, it'd be a lot slower going. No matter what you do, you have to use more stores than you take in if you want to lose weight. You can do little things to start - park further away from your workplace to make yourself walk, climb a couple flights of stairs rather than taking the elevator. Call 15 minutes your own, and take a one-mile walk at a moderate clip. That's how it starts. As already suggested, it doesn't happen overnight. Keep a realistic view: you might've been able to drop 3 pounds in 4 days when you were a teenager or in your early 20s, but that's not going to happen now. For most of us, 2 pounds a week is about the max we lose, and for those who are nearing their goal, it's less than that.

Yep, you have to be motivated. We can sure offer support and encouragement, but the motivation has to be yours.












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Avatar for cl_grace_50
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: 123timesalady
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 1:09pm

Hello, and welcome to the board. Sounds like you have tried it all! You do so much too...no wonder you are so tired!


Anyway, the first thing that comes to mind is that you are not getting enough sleep and sleep deprived people do not lose weight. You actually lose while you are sleeping. You are also not eating enough. Your body must be craving calcium to want rice pudding all the time. It is not the worse thing to be eating. I don't even have to ask if you have stress...that is another thing that will cause no weight loss. Atkins isn't the best way to eat if you want to eat lots of fruits and veggies...and it is expensive.


Hope the gals gave you some good ideas. Great bunch here for support and ideas. Hope you post more too.


Grace


cl-grace_50 

fitness4health@yahoo.com

Avatar for eclectic5777
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: 123timesalady
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 2:02pm

Hello Michelle,


Welcome to the board!

You Were Born An Original...   Don't Die A Copy

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