I've reached rock bottom regarding my weight and size now. I'm almost 21 and the past 4 years my weight has increased from a healthy teenager to an overweight woman. I know exactly the kinds of food I need to be eating but every time I try, nothing lasts.
I've joined zumba classes and countless gym memberships, but never stick to anything.
My friends love to go out for meals regularly, and I'm always eating rubbish from restaurants.
I still live at home with my dad, who is very close minded about healthy food and only buys and cooks whatever he wants to. This has led me to buy my own foods, but the cost implications as a poor student always have me eating whatever is in the house - which is rubbish.
I'm coming towards the end of my university degree and will be a registered nurse in 10 months and I see the implications of obesity daily. I have a busy job, and start at 7am so breakfast is always a problem for me.
I need help!! I lack motivation, willpower and time.. but as the post implies.. I'M SICK OF BEING FAT!!
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megan2510
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Welcome to the forum, and I hope you'll enjoy being part of this great community.
Congratulations on nearly completing your University degree, and it's great to hear you'll be a registered community nurse in just 10 months time. That's really exciting!
Have you looked at the NHS 12 week plan? You can access it via the icon at the head of this page, which is entitled 'Weight Loss NHS' - it's a really good structured plan, and it really is good. I'd recommend pairing it with an app like Myfitnesspal, as that is a quick and easy way to keep track of calories and exercise etc.
Also, we have a weekly Weigh-in Group, which I post just before 7am every Monday. I am posting a link to this Monday's group post, so you can see what it's like. The current date of each post is always in the title in brackets, and of course next Monday's one will be posted on 12th October. You would be more than welcome to join us, if it's something you like the sound of. Group support can be really motivating.
Here's a link to the Monday post if you want to take a look:
Anyway, I hope you have a great week, and whatever you decide to do on your weight loss journey, I hope it will be a successful journey, and that you'll acheive any goals you set yourself.
You know what you have to do, and you will no doubt get lots of brilliant advice on this forum to keep you motivated.
However, on the breakfast thing, the quickest and easiest thing in the world for breakfast which is healthy, low fat and keeps you full for ages is an egg (or two, even better!).
If I'm in a rush in the morning, or going out for a run, I just crack a couple of eggs into teacups, pierce the yolks with a sharp knife, and microwave them for a minute (all microwaves are different, so you might need to experiment!). Then I just scoop them out with a spoon. Yum! If you're a bit more organised, you could hard boil eggs the night before and throw them into your handbag to eat on the way to work.
I hope you like eggs, or I just wasted 2 mins of your life!
I think most people can relate to how you feel, being overweight can be very depressing, affecting both your confidence and self worth.
It doesn't help at all with so many images of skinny girls and clothes stores catering for the slim.
it sounds like you go out a lot with your friends so perhaps you need a 'sociable' diet .. like slimming world
You can have pasta dishes etc with the sauce being a syn and it means you don't have to sit there with a salad.
I also struggle to stick to things, the only thing I did stuck to religiously was lighterlife and that was because, like you,I had reached rock bottom but I couldn't maintain the weight loss
I also start work at 7am! so breakfast for me is muesli & yoghurt with flaxseeds...and sometimes I will have 2 boiled eggs and ryvita crispbread with cheese
Try to take it 1 day at a time, you will find after 3-4 good days you will be motivated to continue for the rest of the week..have one cheat day as a break and then start again
In terms of student spending.. Pasta, Rice & Bulgur are cheap and you can alternate between baked chicken, chili con carne, tin tuna etc
Actually when I was a student I had so many vouchers and discounts I could just eat out everyday...I remember student bean even had 2 for 1 nandos back in the day when it was like 3.20 (I feel old now) and I would end up eating half chicken, 2 x fries, 2 x rice (basically both portions myself)
so yeh it is hard but I don't think you will get far unless you get your motivation back
Making excuses is what got us all here in the first place ie haven't got time, can't afford it, just doing what my friends do, dad won't make the right food, etc, etc
How I always wished I could wake up one morning and be slim. It's not going to happen! It's going to take effort and determination. You really need to want to do this. Half hearted attempts will get you nowhere and will make you feel even more miserable.
The internet is choc a bloc with healthy meals on a budget. Sit down with a pen and paper, write down a weeks menus, write a shopping list, and go and get everything you need. Pin everything on the fridge and kitchen cupboards as a constant reminder and get started.
Only you can do this, but we will always be here to offer support and encouragement.
Come on Megan, you're a young, intelligent woman. YOU CAN DO THIS!
This is good advice. If I plan properly and write down what I'm going to have BEFORE I start the day, I can stick to a diet. If I wing it, I almost always give in to temptation. If it ain't on the list, it doesn't go in my mouth!
I need to listen to my own advice. After losing oodles of weight 11 years ago and keeping it off pretty much since then, I've noticed recently some of it has been creeping on again ever so slowly (hardly surprising as I have not been behaving myself).
Hi Megan, for breakfast something really quick and healthy and more importantly, filling I can recommend this and you can prepare it the night before: put 50g porridge oats in a bowl, cover with Alpro almond milk, cover and leave in the fridge overnight. In the morning I grab and handful of blueberries or raspberries and add them to the bowl - voila. It really keeps you going, quick and healthy.
What I have learned over the years is to be patient with weight loss. That is the one thing that makes most people go back to their old ways. Patience is the key.
Good luck with your weight loss. At least you have age on your side x
I agree with bigleg. I love this way of eating and have lost weight without much effort and the only exercise I get is minding young grandkids all week. ( Well, yeah that is exercise of sorts) I recently went back to eating bread and my waistline started to expand almost immediately! This may not suit everyone but it has helped me and it's worth a try. Good luck on your weight loss adventure xx
Hi Megan, be kind to yourself first and foremost. it is tricky if you're trying to swim against a flow of opposition, dad and friends encouraging you to eat in a way that is physically hurting you. So, what is your plan? Calories I would suggest could be the cheapest way...because u can buy fresh food close to the sell by date....have a look at myfitnesspal and see what I mean....good luck Megan. We're hre for you.
Breakfast. Giant rolled oats made into porridge takes me approx 4 mins from weighing to cooked. 40g oats add water, sorry can't give volume but experiment to what suits. Microwave 1 min 50. Take out and stir in a large spoon of total zero fat yoghurt. If you like it sweet stir in some Splenda and I add berries at this point. Microvave again for 1.40 and job done. Quick easy filling breakfast. You can increase the quantity if you have a long or busy day. I don't count calories but don't think it is too bad at all.
Can't help,you with your bad choices. You know what is good or bad and only you can make that choice but stick to,it and the results should motivate you.
Don't be like me and leave it till you are 56 before you change the way you eat. I wish I had done it as a young man.
Reading your post, your story and mine were strangely similar in terms of weight loss! I'm 20, a student and use to be an athletic, healthy teenager until the weight slowly pilled on over the years. Until recently at my largest weight, I know how you feel. Under confident, not myself and fed up of being this way.
However, i'm actually on my first ever diet that's worked! I've lost 1 stone 5 pounds so far but I've still got a long way to go! I've found learning to cook proper meals from scratch has really helped me. Learning to cook, seeking out new, healthy recipes throws you into a more positive lifestyle and is much cheaper! Doing exercise socially with friends has made it so much less daunting and more fun too. One of the best things for me has been tracking my progress often, getting little and often forms of reinforcement has really helped motivate me, such as even just loosing one pound! Also alternative forms of reward instead of food is great encouragement (for example, getting your hair cut, new clothes or even spending a night in with friends). I've cut down my alcohol intake a lot too, I never realised how much alcohol holds your weight loss back until I got a calorie counting app on my phone (which is great too). Instead having the occasional drink as a treat means you're more focused and can ditch a hangover for a walk.
The main motivator for me though has been setting a target date for my weight loss. For me, I want to be my desired weight by April (my 21st birthday). I would set yourself a reasonable target within a certain period of time too.
Trust me, if I can do it, you definitely can! Think positive!
try a smoothie for breakfast ive just made 1 for tomorra and /i tried zumba before i had my baby but it didnt work i lost tiny bit ,but cant relly go coz need look after baby so walking is good for me....any1know any exercise grous that u can take u baby along? i guess not x
Megan, studying and working at the same time can be very stressful as I remember when my daughter was at uni. You have now reached the point where the only way is up. With your chosen career in sight I do hope that you will be able to concentrate on looking after yourself. Its a shame your dad isn't more supportive; as a parent we all want healthy children. As a poor student you can try to bulk out your food with lots of fruit and vege; (how about trying to eat the colours of the rainbow that way you will get lots of vitamins and minerals on a regular basis. Also try and eat three good meals a day so that your body feels nourished; its much more difficult to eat healthy if your stomach is grumbling! Reducing your stress would also help with the weight loss, and help you feel more positive about yourself. Do not be so hard on yourself; nobody's perfect so be kinder to yourself. Find something that you really enjoy doing and stick to it so that you actually look forward to it; it takes just a little while before eating sensibly and taking some enjoyable exercise becomes second nature. Just think of the long term goal of getting fit and healthy for yourself. I used to find a sweaty session in a class really helped with my stress. Now I'm older I favour something more relaxed lol! You are young and therefore the weight will come off in no time. As for breakfast, I sometimes have oats, with some seeds, ( I just microwave it) tea, toast, butter and jam, or if I'm in a rush two slices of toast some tea, and fruit. That keeps me going until lunch time which is my main meal in the day usually left overs from the night before, in the evening I have something light especially as I do yoga regularly and its not nice doing poses on a full stomach!!! You will get there; just take it easy, and take it slowly. We are all rooting for you! All the best.
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