I did it. I started the Couch to 5K today. Inspire me to make diet changes...

[KIN]

3 years ago I lost 50 pounds, I was running 3 miles 3x a week, walking 3 miles the other 3x week and lifting weights. I was eating only healthy carbs and watching portion sizes. Well, I got pregnant 2 years ago, and went through a stressful time right before that. My eating reverted and I quit exercising, I gained EVERY pound back PLUS 10 more.

 

Now my baby is 11 months old and I started running with my SIL (well, I was barely moving, but my feet were off the ground). What I am realizing is that now I have 4 kids, we are schooling more, and have more activities. It is harder to spend the time on food that I did 3 years ago. Yet, I see that I would feel better and look better too.

 

I need motivation to change my diet, ladies. Where should I start? Should I take some sort of baby steps or just radically change right away. Help me please!!!!!!!

[Andie]

3 years ago I lost 50 pounds, I was running 3 miles 3x a week, walking 3 miles the other 3x week and lifting weights. I was eating only healthy carbs and watching portion sizes. Well, I got pregnant 2 years ago, and went through a stressful time right before that. My eating reverted and I quit exercising, I gained EVERY pound back PLUS 10 more.

 

Now my baby is 11 months old and I started running with my SIL (well, I was barely moving, but my feet were off the ground). What I am realizing is that now I have 4 kids, we are schooling more, and have more activities. It is harder to spend the time on food that I did 3 years ago. Yet, I see that I would feel better and look better too.

 

I need motivation to change my diet, ladies. Where should I start? Should I take some sort of baby steps or just radically change right away. Help me please!!!!!!!

 

 

It depends on your personality. Some people do better with baby steps, some need a BIG radical change to keep from slipping into old habits. Which appeals to you more?

 

If you want baby steps, I think the best first thing is always water. Drink enough, replace sodas or anything else junky you might be drinking.

 

Congrats on your start! :hurray:

[schmittgirlz]

Good for you! The hardest part is starting. In regard to eating, keep a diary of everything you eat and how you feel. Also, cut out fast food, soda, watch portion size and increase protein and water consumption. Don't deprive yourself, some things are ok in moderation, but you must have the will power to set limits.

 

You can do it!

[Chels~]

The biggest thing I changed when I started was drastically reducing my sugar intake. That helped me a lot. I changed to more natural sources which my body was able to tolerate better. It is different for every person. Play around and see what works for you.

[KIN]

This gives me a good place to start. I keep thinking I should start gradually, but that doesn't seem to be working for me. :confused: I think I'll work on water and protein today, as well as cutting out the junk, oh I'll try to write it all down. That is radical (for me!), but not totally overwhelming! Any other ideas anyone?

 

Wish me luck! I'm afraid I'll be crabby b/c I can't eat just what I want. OTOH, maybe I'll feel better b/c I'm eating better.

[KIN]

I think we were posting at the same time. :) What sugar have you found that works for you? Did your entire family change?

[elegantlion]

I started wearing a pedometer. My goal is 10k steps a day. I used to be able to do that many with no problem. Let's just say I'm working up to that again.

 

The pedometer helps keep me accountable. It's so easy to feel tired and like you've done a lot, especially with little kids. Then you look at the number and realize you haven't moved as much as you need to, it's humbling. I bought mine at Walmart for 5.00. It's a sportline and it's blue. I've had several pedometers over the years, but this one is one of the better cheap ones I've owned.

[KSGrace]

that is the hardest part! I have 30ish pounds to lose. I have started doing the Leslie Sansone WalkFit DVD's. They are great. I try to get outside and walk when I can but having those dvds make it impossible to use the weather as an excuse to get out of working out.

 

As far as the diet, I think just counting calories is the way to go. Calories in vs. Calories out. I keep track of my calories on this free website called fitday.com.

 

Good luck. Hopefully we will both lose what we need to in order to be healthy.

 

:001_smile:

[Tess in the Burbs]

three years ago I lost 56 pounds and was finally feeling good about myself. Dh lost 60! Well he's kept almost all of it off and I gained all mine back. SIGH

 

I started back on WW counting points and have had two great days and hope today continues. It's hard! I am taking baby steps or I know in 2 days I will be back at the junk food.

 

I am first counting points. I have printed out a walking schedule and dh just bought a home gym and I will also start doing weights. We are already doing work on the ball for core.

 

In a week or two I plan to revamp how we eat. First I have to get my hunger in control, then I will work on changing what I eat. It's why I love counting WW points, it's easy to have a life!

 

SO I find small steps work best for me. Not having any bread at a party last night was a HUGE step for me. No dessert either and I ended not using all my WW points, lol! When dh gets back in town I plan to walk in the AM before he leaves for work.

 

Good luck!

[KIN]

three years ago I lost 56 pounds and was finally feeling good about myself. Dh lost 60! Well he's kept almost all of it off and I gained all mine back. SIGH

 

I'm worried about this again. I realized that I went through a stressful time and I didn't have any coping mechanisms except food! Then, I got pregnant (and take Clomid to get pregnant, which left me a hormonal mess) and had a very emotional pregnancy, then had the baby and have had some stress to try to figure out how to get everything done with 4 kids. Anyway, I really don't want to gain it all back again. Can you see where you started to gain and thoughts on what to do differently this time? I still don't have any answers, but I can see that I'm an emotional eater when stress or good times happen!

[pmegan]

After reading about it, I cut out all high fructose corn syrup from my diet (which I now refer to as "diabetes-juice"). Same with artificial sweeteners (which I now call "cancer-candy").

 

This is a really effective way of steering clear of junk food!

[KIN]

After reading about it, I cut out all high fructose corn syrup from my diet (which I now refer to as "diabetes-juice"). Same with artificial sweeteners (which I now call "cancer-candy").

 

Do you eat regular sugar? Or, do you use honey and maple syrup? Anything else? I try really hard to cut out high fructose corn syrup, well, I was trying really hard! :)

[Frontier Mom]

I've recently cut out artificial sweetners but use Sweet -n- Low occasionally since one book I read (I'm thinking South Beach but could be wrong) said of all of the artificial ones, it was the safest. However, I rarely use any.

 

The reason I stopped was because I would experience numbness in my finger tips and occasionally in my toes. I noticed the more diet sodas I drank, the worse it got. At first I thought it was caffeine, but after looking into it more, I decided it was the artificial sweetners. I have no numbness now, and I still drink lots of coffee. So, cancer candy or not, it does weird things to the body!!

[Lynn in WI]

If you struggle with unhealthy snacking (I do), one thing that helps me is to make a rule that if I eat it, I have to let my boys eat it. Sounds silly but I tend to care more about what they eat than what I eat. (Bad). It works for me.

 

Congratulations on your Couch-5K start!

[lynn]

Keep it simple. Make sure to have fruit on hand always and whatever veggies you like to snack on hand and bring an apple and water or whatever healthy snack with you everywhere. This helped me not crave candy bars at the end of shopping trips or a trip through the drive through. Resist the urge to have sugary snacks I sometimes take a bite and throw the rest away. No soda, this was hard for me but that's a major weight problem. One suggestion I read which really works for me is have the same breakfast everyday so there's no questions preferablly oatmeal and fruit or such. At dinner I make good dinners most days but on days when I made comfort foods the kids love I have a small portion if I can't resist and salad and fruit for dessert. Absolutely no seconds or bread or again eat 1 bite then give one of the kids the rest. Also, not eating anything after dinner really helped me take off weight. good luck in your journey. You are off to a great start and dont let anything get in your way of your exercise. Always schedule this first then everything else will fall into place.

[Sugarfoot]

Actually, dh and I started last night.:) When we were out there, I was wondering if anyone else was starting at the same time--what a coincidence! Hopefully, we'll both do great! I've had 2 babies in less than 2 years. It's hard to find the time to dedicate to fitness. I'm so excited for you!

[lynn]

This gives me a good place to start. I keep thinking I should start gradually, but that doesn't seem to be working for me. :confused: I think I'll work on water and protein today, as well as cutting out the junk, oh I'll try to write it all down. That is radical (for me!), but not totally overwhelming! Any other ideas anyone?

 

Wish me luck! I'm afraid I'll be crabby b/c I can't eat just what I want. OTOH, maybe I'll feel better b/c I'm eating better.

 

I did it all at once it was hard because of some bad habits I developed over the years. But in the end I lost 30lbs.

[Jennifer on Earth]

was the way she uses portion control. WW seems to have taught her to monitor that well. I have always eaten relatively well, but I tell you, if I ever weigh more than I should, it will be because I have eaten too much of a good thing. My parents (both overweight) have changed their diet and made more healthy choices, but they haven't lost a pound. They just eat too much, kwim?

 

I really, really do believe making good and healthy choices is a wise move and will undoubtedly provide benefits, but I think portion control is sometimes under-emphasized in weight loss. :)

 

BTW, congratulations on starting the Couch to 5K program! I started it last fall myself.

[Tess in the Burbs]

well, I have a thyroid disease so any weight gain I usually attribute to that, lol.

 

but I was depressed and had two dr's try to put me on meds. I finally relented. I gained 5 pounds a month: August, September, October...and I told the Dr that it was the meds. she told me it wasn't. this was the same Dr who told me to go to WW in the first place. I was still being perfect with the program but gaining. I got more depressed and said screw it. Come November I cooked whatever I wanted and it continued into December. I went back to WW in Feb almost 30 pounds gained back but I couldn't get in the groove. I also got off the meds so I could lose weight. but it did not happen. I stopped going to meetings in a month.

 

so i blame the gain on the meds, but when I got off the meds I should have been able to focus and lose it again, but alas the thyroid went haywire. I changed meds the next year.....it's always something.

 

I find that I get into grooves. So in January I tried to get back on track. I wanted it. i had goals printed out. Every Monday I started over. I gained some, lost some. But 3 months later I am still at the same point.

 

then I weighed this Sunday and was over my "breaking point". So I have been perfect the last 3 days following my points. I don't want to buy bigger sizes. I don't want the scale to go higher than that horrid #. AND I stopped the night snacking. I am hungry now and have extra points but even I know not to eat at late night!

 

I think posting words of wisdom on the fridge/pantry and pictures of how you want to look(assuming you had a smaller size at some point you were happy with) where you can see it. I see myself as 'healthy'. but I don't recognize myself in the mirror. I have to get back to where my mind and my body reflect the same person.

 

I think this time...once I have lost the first 10% than my new 'breaking point' will come down. and so on and so forth. It will not be this horrid # it is now. As I lose the line I won't cross will be moving down with me.

 

I gave away all my smaller clothes last month. Held on for years. I want new clothes. i want to be smaller. I don't care about skinny. I want healthy. I have hips and I won't be a size 6 again. I am ok with that. But my ds asked me why my bottom was bigger than other mommy's.

 

that is my inspiration now. He sees me for who I am. I want him to see the real me inside.

 

I think we all have something that triggers the motivation. find that for yourself and you won't go back. I personally think WW works for losing weight. But if you don't learn to eat smaller portions for life it will come back. If you don't stop late night snacking it will come back. If you don't make permanent changes you can live with it will come back. I learned in the last 3 days that I can say no to my favorite bread and dessert and not die, lol.

 

feel free to PM me if you want an accountability partner. I would love one too!

[mamao32001]

http://www.fitday.com - free. Journal food and log exercise. You can also track your weight loss.

 

http://www.calorieking.com - has the calories and fat on all fast food and name brand junk food!

 

There is also a website call "change one thing". I am not sure of the address but it suggests as it says...start with one change, like only eat off of medium sized plates, having only one serving per meal - do that for a couple of weeks and until its habit and then reduce sugar, or something else... A gradual approach.

 

Good Luck. I have put on 30 pounds over the last two years after losing 25. I'm back to exercising but just can't seem to curb the eating.

[OnEaglesWings]

www.fitday.com - free. Journal food and log exercise. You can also track your weight loss.

 

www.calorieking.com - has the calories and fat on all fast food and name brand junk food!

 

There is also a website call "change one thing".

 

 

ChangeOne:

www.changeone.com/

 

FitDay is a GREAT website!

 

Great suggestions. :)

[Tess in the Burbs]

I used fitday years ago! I had to sign up for a new login b/c I can't remember the old one, lol.

 

but those are great links, thanks!

[mamao32001]

ChangeOne:

www.changeone.com/

 

:)

 

 

Thank you, Kim. Now I have it too!

[Jackie in AR]

3 years ago I lost 50 pounds, I was running 3 miles 3x a week, walking 3 miles the other 3x week and lifting weights. I was eating only healthy carbs and watching portion sizes.

 

No advice, but I just want to say that is awesome!!

[Frontier Mom]

Thanks for the sites!!

[Colleen]

Just wanted to say congrats on starting the Couch to 5K program. You go, girl! As for diet change motivation, I would just encourage you to read more about conventional foods and considering what food industries you want to support. If you have a farmer's market and food co-op in your vicinity, shop those places and be inspired to eat fresh and local.:)