Obesity Discussion Forums

[pinkdaisy]

Hey everyone.
I'm new to the website (and forums in general). I'm here looking to share stories and hopefully get some inspiration!

I'm 24 years old and I've struggled with weight my entire life. They say you hit rock bottom before you can pull yourself out, and I think I've hit it. I've never felt so unhealthy in my life. I've weighed in at close to 300 lbs now, my energy is zapped (I come home from work and I crash), I'm embarrassed to see family and friends that I haven't seen for a while because I'm afraid what they'll think. I just feel so uncomfortable in my own skin. I live on my own now, so it has been even harder to stick to a healthy diet (I have no one watching me!) The only good thing I've got going for my health right now is that I've recently joined a gym - I'm trying to go more often (so far, it's been 1-2 times a week).

Not trying to self-diagnose here, but I feel like I've developed an addiction or dependency to certain foods. I know they're terrible for me, but I can't help it - I crave carbs (potatoes, pasta, rice) and I rarely eat vegetables (some fruit, but not enough). I always regret after I've eaten this stuff, and it consumes my thoughts.

If anyone has any experience with food addiction, or ideas for how to deal with this, I would love to hear from you.

Wow, what an introduction - sorry for the essay! - it felt good to vent - thanks for reading!

[Obesity Discussion]

Originally Posted by pinkdaisy

Hey everyone.
I'm new to the website (and forums in general). I'm here looking to share stories and hopefully get some inspiration!

I'm 24 years old and I've struggled with weight my entire life. They say you hit rock bottom before you can pull yourself out, and I think I've hit it. I've never felt so unhealthy in my life. I've weighed in at close to 300 lbs now, my energy is zapped (I come home from work and I crash), I'm embarrassed to see family and friends that I haven't seen for a while because I'm afraid what they'll think. I just feel so uncomfortable in my own skin. I live on my own now, so it has been even harder to stick to a healthy diet (I have no one watching me!) The only good thing I've got going for my health right now is that I've recently joined a gym - I'm trying to go more often (so far, it's been 1-2 times a week).

Not trying to self-diagnose here, but I feel like I've developed an addiction or dependency to certain foods. I know they're terrible for me, but I can't help it - I crave carbs (potatoes, pasta, rice) and I rarely eat vegetables (some fruit, but not enough). I always regret after I've eaten this stuff, and it consumes my thoughts.

If anyone has any experience with food addiction, or ideas for how to deal with this, I would love to hear from you.

Wow, what an introduction - sorry for the essay! - it felt good to vent - thanks for reading!

Welcome! How are you enjoying all the snow you just got?

As far as food addictions go, we have numerous suggestions that have been made here that seem to work for many. Here are a few.

http://www.obesitydiscussion.com/for...-add-3689.html

I personally think the most important ones are to drink at least a gallon (2 liters) of water a day, chew your food extra slow....20 bites or so per mouthful, and to take longer in between bites. Also drinking a glass of water before every meal will help crave your desire to eat, as does writing everything down so you can visually see how much you're eating.

[Alexxa]

hi!!!!

good to have you with us.


I too live alone and know exatcly what you mean when you say that there is no one to control what you eat. But I've made a commitment to myself to take control of my life.
I'm the only person controlling my life and everyting involved (including eating).

And
OD has very useful advice for all of us. You are in good hands!

Keep your head up!

[chazzyb31]

Hi Daisy,

Welcome to the discussion forums. I'm sure you'll find plenty of inspiration here to help you on your journey.

I, too, have struggled with my weight all my life, so I know where you're coming from. I only wish I'd done something about it when I was your age. I probably wouldn't be where I am now had I done so. You've taken a big step and joined a gym, which is fantastic. Going once or twice a week is better than not going at all, and the more often you go the easier it will get. You might even make some new friends. My experience of going to the gym is that everyone was very friendly and encouraging. I loved watching my shape change. I knew I was losing weight but, being so big, it wasn't immediately apparent where it was coming off from. I was desperate to lose it around my middle, as I'm a big old apple shape, so I did loads of crunches as well as doing the bike and weights. I can't do the treadmill because of my feet (another story), but the bike was great. I noticed that the weight was coming off my legs. I have straight-up-and-down tree trunks for legs, but I noticed that the fat pads below my knees were getting smaller and my trousers were looser and less like leggings on me! That was a great feeling.

In the summer I invested in some new tops and found that I had to order smaller sizes. Instead of a UK size 30 I am now wearing between a UK size 24-28, depending on the make and style of the top. My best friend said to me, "woman, you have a waist for the first time in all the time I've known you!", which is over 16 years. I've never had a waist in my life; I've always looked like a barrel on legs. But those 100 crunches every morning are paying off and, while my weight loss is slow, I am changing my shape. I particularly like the wrapover and Empire line styles that are in fashion at the moment. They emphasise my curves in the right places, which really boosts my confidence. You really can't knock the feeling.

I hear what you say about living on your own. But, while you've nobody to monitor what you put in your mouth, by the same token you don't have anyone tempting you to eat things you shouldn't be. You are in complete charge of what you eat and drink, so all blame and all achievements lie squarely at your feet. Nobody can take credit for your hard work, so when you start changing shape and buying smaller clothes you'll have nobody to thank but yourself. It's a great feeling when you realise that your old clothes are just too darned big for you!

I'm a major carb fan, so I feel your pain, sister. I have found that eating more lean protein fills me up and makes life easier. I like to bake a chicken breast in the oven wrapped in tin foil (aluminum foil) with garlic and herbs, and serve it with lots of steamed vegetables (onions, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, etc.). Fresh tuna or salmon are other favourites of mine, or I like lean pork loin chops (all fat removed) spread with English mustard and garlic and grilled slowly until tender, then served with steamed or stir-fried vegetables. Yummy!

Another good tip is to eat home-made soup as a snack when you're peckish or before your main meals. Scientific research has found that this fills you up for longer than drinking plain water. The soup has to be home-made, though, not out of a can. Boil up your favourite vegetables (I like onions, leeks and carrots) with water, a couple of stock cubes (only 35 calories each), salt & pepper and fresh or dried herbs of your choice. Simmer for 20 minutes and you've got yourself a pot of soup. You can leave it chunky or whiz it with a blender. It doesn't get much easier than that. Because it's only vegetables and water you can eat as much as you like of it. It's particularly good in the colder weather. If you want to make a meal of it, try making a lentil or pea soup. These are very filling and tasty too. Don't eat so much of these, though, or your digestion will pay for it.

Of course, sometimes protein alone is not enough. The eating plan I follow caters for those carb cravings by allowing you to eat unlimited quantities of potatoes, pasta and rice on carb days, or unlimited quantities of lean meat and fish on protein days. The usual baddies are discouraged (fat and sugar) and breads and cereals are allowed, but in small quantities. Fruit and most vegetables (potatoes, parsnips and sweetcorn only allowed on carb days) are free, so you can eat as much as you like of these. You can read more about it here Slimming World - discover the amazing you. It's not for everyone, but I love it. I call it the Greedy B*stards Diet. So far I've managed to lose 41lbs, so I'm one pound away from my 3 stones award. It's taken a long time to get here, as my will power is sadly lacking and I haven't managed to visit the gym for some time now due to work and other commitments. I miss the gym and the friends I made there, so if you truly enjoy it, don't give up. My weight loss progressed much quicker when I was exercising 3 or 4 times a week. Doing it by diet alone is much, much harder. But I'm getting there, slowly but surely. Actually, the slower the better, as far as I’m concerned. This gives your skin a chance to shrink with you. My biggest fear is that I end up in a baggy, saggy skin suit!

I'm sure others will have plenty of tips, recipes and advice for you. Whatever works for you, go for it and don't let anyone discourage you. And remember, just because you have a bad day doesn't mean it's the end of the world. If you fall off the wagon, try and climb back on at the the meal, or the next day if you can't do it right away. If you read my blog you'll see that I've had more than my fair share of bad days lately, but I try to gather my resolve the next day and stick to eating healthily. That's what's important at the end of the day. If you focus on changing your eating habits rather than your weight, you'll find that the weight loss happens when you're not looking to begin with. It won't always be that way, but the first big loss can be enough to kick-start you and give you the motivation you need to stick with it. And don't forget that everyone here is rooting for you too, so you can always talk to someone if you need to.

Best of luck with your endeavours. I'll looking forward to hearing more from you.

Cheers,

Chaz

[pinkdaisy]

Originally Posted by Obesity Discussion

Welcome! How are you enjoying all the snow you just got?

As far as food addictions go, we have numerous suggestions that have been made here that seem to work for many. Here are a few.

I personally think the most important ones are to drink at least a gallon (2 liters) of water a day, chew your food extra slow....20 bites or so per mouthful, and to take longer in between bites. Also drinking a glass of water before every meal will help crave your desire to eat, as does writing everything down so you can visually see how much you're eating.

Hi OD - thanks for your reply. I am most certainly NOT enjoying all the snow we just got - it's pretty when I'm inside looking out, but not when I'm cleaning off my car in the morning!
Thanks for the tips on tackling my food addiction and fooling my appetite. I guess my biggest challenge is not WANTING these foods in the first place - because right now, I will eat them whether I'm hungry or not (and then feel physically and emotionally uncomfortable afterwards). I actually catch myself thinking about food throughout my work day. I will feel a wave of excitement when I think about the yummy food that is waiting for me at home. And when there isn't anything at home, I find myself making a pit-stop at the grocery store on the way home. It's a BIG problem right now (no pun intended).

[pinkdaisy]

Originally Posted by Alexxa

hi!!!!

good to have you with us.


I too live alone and know exatcly what you mean when you say that there is no one to control what you eat. But I've made a commitment to myself to take control of my life.
I'm the only person controlling my life and everyting involved (including eating).

And
OD has very useful advice for all of us. You are in good hands!

Keep your head up!

Thanks for the welcome, Alexxa. Our situations do sound similar. I find living on my own to be a problem because I have no one to be accountable to. I have no conscience about eating what I do - and usually if I were eating in front of someone else, I wouldn't eat nearly as poorly as I do on my own.
I'm looking forward to hearing from more people and sharing our ideas!

[pinkdaisy]

Originally Posted by chazzyb31

Hi Daisy,

Welcome to the discussion forums. I'm sure you'll find plenty of inspiration here to help you on your journey.

...

Best of luck with your endeavours. I'll looking forward to hearing more from you.

Cheers,

Chaz

Hi Chaz, thanks for taking the time to write all that! Your words are very encouraging to me. Thanks for the ideas about recipes and managing different times that I eat certain foods.
Congrats on all the accomplishments you've had! Having gone up and down in my weight, I know how hard it is to accomplish what you have, so way to go!
I do really like going to the gym - but my problem is getting myself there! Once I am there, I have fun and feel amazing when I leave - but I need to work harder to force myself to go (because it's so much easier to drive home after work to lounge on the couch, right?? ) When I go to the gym, I use the bike, the elyptical, and the treadmill (20 minutes of each). The other day, I learned how to use the weight machines (and my arms and butt hurt like h*LL the next day!) The gym has been a benefit, but right now my eating is still terrible, so I'm not sure it's making a difference. So my biggest challenge is getting past the fantasizing about food and "living, eating, and breathing" food.

Thanks again for your support - I look forward to corresponding more with you.

[Obesity Discussion]

Originally Posted by pinkdaisy

Hi OD - thanks for your reply. I am most certainly NOT enjoying all the snow we just got - it's pretty when I'm since looking out, but not when I'm cleaning off my car in the morning!
Thanks for the tips on tackling my food addiction and fooling my appetite. I guess my biggest challenge is not WANTING these foods in the first place - because right now, I will eat them whether I'm hungry or not (and then feel physically and emotionally uncomfortable afterwards). I actually catch myself thinking about food throughout my work day. I will feel a wave of excitement when I think about the yummy food that is waiting for me at home. And when there isn't anything at home, I find myself making a pit-stop at the grocery store on the way home. It's a BIG problem right now (no pun intended).

I would consider trying some of those tips, especially the drinking 2 liters of water a day and chewing your food extra slow (20 chews per bite), and taking a little rest in between bites. Use liquids to fill yourself up a bit and that combined with slowing down while eating will allow you to eat frequently but you won't want to eat as much. Someone else even suggested having a glass of water before your meal which I also think is a great idea.

I'm not sure what is at your home foodwise, but increasing your protein intake as well as eating higher glycemic foods may also help reduce your cravings for food.....as those tend to fill you up longer.

A lot of these ideas make your body think it's eating a lot but at the same time you really won't be, if that makes sense.

[pinkdaisy]

Originally Posted by Obesity Discussion

I'm not sure what is at your home foodwise, but increasing your protein intake as well as eating higher glycemic foods may also help reduce your cravings for food.....as those tend to fill you up longer.

Thanks for the advice, OD - I will definitely work in drinking more water to my day. And I like the idea of drinking a glass of water before a meal. As I said in my original post, I'm a carb-junkie, so I've been finding that the quantity of carbs I eat is growing, and I don't eat nearly enough protein and vegetables.

Silly question: What are "higher glycemic" foods? Can you give me some examples?

[Jack Of Oz]

good luck there pinkdaisy

[Obesity Discussion]

Originally Posted by pinkdaisy

Thanks for the advice, OD - I will definitely work in drinking more water to my day. And I like the idea of drinking a glass of water before a meal. As I said in my original post, I'm a carb-junkie, so I've been finding that the quantity of carbs I eat is growing, and I don't eat nearly enough protein and vegetables.

Silly question: What are "higher glycemic" foods? Can you give me some examples?

I'm a carb junkie at heart too, but I've been able to curb my habit for the last 8 years I'd say. It's been tough, but once you get there it's easier to maintain.

Here's a post I made about glycemic index....see if this helps:

http://www.obesitydiscussion.com/for....html#post8609

[Audrey]

Welcome to the forums!

I'm also a huge fan of carbs. A big part of my success I believe has been making sure that I'm not buying those foods that are bad for me. I thought I had willpower, but if that stuff is in the house and I'm feeling a little under the weather, watch out!

It must be super tough to not have anyone there to help you make the healthy decisions. Would it help you to make a grocery list before you go to make sure you won't be tempted to buy junky stuff?

[pinkdaisy]

Originally Posted by Audrey

Welcome to the forums!

I'm also a huge fan of carbs. A big part of my success I believe has been making sure that I'm not buying those foods that are bad for me. I thought I had willpower, but if that stuff is in the house and I'm feeling a little under the weather, watch out!

It must be super tough to not have anyone there to help you make the healthy decisions. Would it help you to make a grocery list before you go to make sure you won't be tempted to buy junky stuff?

Thanks for the welcome, Audrey. I always do make a list before I go shopping, but I find that when I get there, I get the "kid in a candy store" syndrome, and I wind up throwing a few "extras" in to the cart when the cravings kick in! I'm sure my will-power is deep down inside somewhere - I just need to figure out how to get it to come back out!