Off track completely

[animalmad13]

So I lost 4lb my first week, then all went pear shaped. I have done nothing but eat eat eat. Cant seem to get my brain into gear. Feel crap and seriously thinking of going to the doctors. I really think this is more of a problem than first thought. I cant stop thinking about food...when I wake up its my first thought, throughout the day it is constantly on my mind. So unhappy it is taking over my life and I am taking it out on everyone around me.

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Hi Animalmad13,

It sounds like you're having a stressful week, and I know you were considering whether to see your doctor or not. If you decided to go, then I really hope it was helpful, and I hope he/she was able to make some useful suggestions.

Maybe consider taking a break from focusing on your eating at the moment, and ensure that you feel better in yourself before embarking on any major changes. Putting pressure on yourself can be tough.

Maybe you're feeling a bit better now, but if you're still feeling bad, then I would suggest talking to someone - a friend or family member might help, and I really hope that if you did decide to see your doctor, that they were able to offer you some supportive and useful help.

Take care, and let us know how you're doing.

Lowcal

[DartmoorDumpling Restart Feb 2024]

Try increasing your calories to 1700 or so, and aim to eat plenty of protein (meat, fish,dairy, seeds and nuts, baked beans) and fruit and veg, with small portions of carbs (bread, cereal, potatoes, pasta and rice). Forget about the weight loss numbers and focus on educating yourself into healthy eating. Drink plenty of tea, coffee and fruit or herbal tea to keep you feeling full. If you are hungry, then eat, but try not to binge; this binging is what often happens when people are over strict on their dieting, it is like a pendulum....swing it to far one way and it swings right back the other way!

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

I'm so sorry you're struggling so much animalmad. Have you considered the possibility of a food addiction? Maybe you could have a word with your GP, or practice nurse about it and do some research online?

I really hope that you'll find the answers soon and that you'll start to feel so much better.

Take care

[teresina08]

Hi, it's sad to hear you've been struggling to be on track. My suggestion is to eat loads of Carbohydrates, bread, pasta and cereal. People wrongly believe that they are fatty but this's the only way for you to keep your stomach full. I manage to eat 1200/1300 Kcal every day and 700/800 are carbohydrated and the rest veg and fruit.

Then, try to work out every day. I've been training with an istructor at the gym for 6 weeks. He's been helping me a lot. I tend to be lazy but go to the gym and find a person who motivates and believes in me did help.

Ciao and good luck

[goodtimes]

I have been off an on with this diet and now have to deal with a lymph node on my thyroid diabetes out of control my cortisol is also off am so frustrated and depressed not been able to walk and exercise am always in pain trying to get myself back to square one seeing my Dr today and have a new aide who may help me I know this will pass just wanted to share..thanks for listening..

[Venusflytrap]

Hi @animalmad13,

I would bet you're not planning what to eat and making those meals satisfactory. I think you are just hoping to wander into the kitchen and find the right thing. And I bet it is a kitchen that is full of the wrong things. Because mine would be if I hadn't gradually changed what is in it.

Try dividing your daily kcal allowance into 4. Have the first quarter for breakfast. What would be your favourite healthy breakfast? Plan a version that fits into your kcal. Then pick 2 more breakfasts that would fit in. You have now organised the first part of your day. And you have proved that you can do it. Make sure that you always have these ingredients in. I have two poached eggs, tomato, mushrooms, bacon medallions and slice of low kcal bread toasted that is one of my favourites. I also have a cereal and fruit and a third porridge and fruit one too.

You then do the same with your lunches, when you have got that going, move onto your dinners.

Then the best bit because your remaining quarter is for snacks/treats or emergencies. Some of us replace our treats, some of us fit existing ones in. It might mean swopping around your favourite biscuit, crisps or choc bar to find one that fits in, but it can be done. Or you can save up your treat kcals for a meal or a night out. If you are saving your treats allowances for an occasion, perhaps have your favourite meals so that your food is still fun and satisfying.

The point I am making is that if you are feeling fragile. You don't have to do it all in one go. You can organise your new diet meal by meal. Over as many days, weeks or months as you need to take. You will still be doing better than you are this week.

You may have been super strict to manage to lose 4lbs in your first week. And something has probably snapped in the second and your body may be getting in its eating now before the next "famine" arrives. The secret is to eat just a shade less than you need and get good value for your kcals so that you don't feel hungry. It is a good plan to eat regularly and not get too hungry too. You will get glitches, because we all do. It is how soon you can get back on a good eating plan after the glitch that makes the difference.

I bet you are thinking that we all decided to lose weight one day and just did it, like waving a magic wand. I am probably a slow learner when it comes to eating healthily and losing weight. It took me 4 years to lose my 5 stone because I had to lose some of those lbs more than once. And I got to goal for all of one week more than a year ago. Put 10lbs back on gradually and so got to 2016 looking at the top of the BMI healthy range for my height. Have fought my way back down to goal this week. So I now realise it is going to be as much effort for me to learn to maintain a healthy weight as it was to lose it in the first place. But I don't have an alternative. I want to live the rest of my life at a healthy weight. I bet there is no failure you have had, that I haven't had as well. And I don't remember ever losing 4lbs in a week. I was happy if I lost half a lb. The trick is to keep going. Each "mistake" taught me something about my attitude to food and I then had to work out how to get it right or get round it. I once bought 3 packs of 5 biscuits, the special offer at a Weight Watchers' meeting, and went home for dinner and ate the lot in one go before dinner. But I learned, there was another offer recently and, although it tempted me, I left them there and made everyone laugh by telling them why. I now know multipacks in special offers, I can't do. It is easier to say no once to the whole thing than take them home and have to resist 15 times.

That is what you have done. You have made a mistake. Now you can learn how not to make that mistake. It doesn't mean that you don't know how to eat healthily. You have a group of people here who know you can do it. Because we were there when you lost the first week. So we are cheering you on. Just take one little step forward with it. And have a slightly better day tomorrow. That's all you need to manage.

Sorry to go on and on and on. But I wanted you to know you do have other ways of getting to where you want to be. And baby steps may be the way for you, this time.

Best wishes and looking forward to seeing how you do next week,

Venus

[Claire2stone]

Very wise words from Venus 😀 totally agree! Follow the plan but tweek it to fit in with your life. Everyone's weight loss journey is different. Baby steps. I bet you put your weight on over a long time and it can equally take time to come off. Take care. Claire x

[miamia]

Feel for you.....