New here ( need your ideas )

armywifeplusthree

Hey ladies,
first of all , of course I'm a bride !! Getting married next September. I've been struggling with losing weight since getting pregnant and having my son. My son is now almost 4 so its way past time to do something about it. Since getting engaged we have started a gym membership. I often find myself struggling to make myself go though. One of my biggest problems is fast food. Its so much easier to just stop and get a burger and keep going. I also work in fast food so I often find myself bored at work and start eatting. Another big problem I have is I HATE water. I never drink it. The only thing close to water that I love is Propel. I love Mt. Dew and I know that's a big problem. Also, every time I try to slow down on soda or cut it out I get major headaches. I know its from my body being use to the caffeine. Also, there are many times through out the day that I find myself going without eatting until later in the day.

So with explain this and my habits. Does anyone have any helpful tips , snack ideas or any advice really.

Thanks so much !!

jennylee813

Hi - welcome to the board, and congratulations on your engagement!

First of all, you sound soooo much like me - the old me! I was drinking a 2L of pepsi a day and eating out more often than eating in. I was working evening jobs, and would often end up eating fast food after work, which was around 10 at night.

Since then, I am down 45lbs and am working on my last 10-15. It's taken me a long time, but that's becasue I want to make it stick. I have friends who lose 40-50 every year, only to put it back on again, and that's dangerous.

What's been working for me:

- I'm now down to one glass of pepsi a day, instead of the 2L. I cut down gradually so the headaches weren't too bad. Now it doesn't even taste as good!
-I read a lot about being healthy and working out. Puts me in the right mindset
-I look at the few old pictures that I have of me and realize that I don't want to look like that anymore
-I work out at home because it's what works for me. I bought an elliptical and use it daily
-I post on the accountabiity thread

But mostly, I think about how much happier we are as a family. Being in better shape means that i can keep up with everyone, and we lead an active lifestyle.

Sure I 'fall off the wagon' from time to time, but I start over again. I didn't cut out all soft drinks because I knew it was setting me up for failure. Treats in moderation are good - this is a lifestyle change, not a diet.

That's what's making this stick for me.

Good luck! Hang around here for a while. These ladies are helpful!

entropicbeauty

I think a first great step would be to stop making excuses for why you do what you do and work on finding ways to improve your eating habits.

Start by calorie tracking. Seriously, you know fast food is bad, but do you know HOW bad? After I started inputting that cr@p into a calorie count for the day and seeing how far over my calorie goal I was every day because of that junk, it made me start to change my eating habits.

Like PP said, it's not about cutting stuff out cold turkey, it's about learning how to incorporate bad for you stuff into your diet in small acceptable amounts.

myfitnesspal.com - it's probably the biggest favor you'll do for yourself. I also highly recommend our daily accountability thread on this board.

armywifeplusthree

Thanks ladies.

Jenny I also work evenings so a lot of times I do that same that you were saying and eat after work because I usually go to work around 4/5 and don't get off until 12. They usually dont gie me a break so of course by then I am hungry. I was also thinking about buying a treadmill or something for home so the days I don't make it to the gym I could still work out.

Entropicbeauty yes I do know how bad it is. I work at McDonald's and since changes the menu boards to where it shows the calories I definitely see how bad it is.But it's still the convenience that gets me.

Thanks for all the advice !!

s-aries8990

Does your gym offer classes? I find that I work out a heck of a lot harder and longer than I do on my own. I suggest taking a few hours a week to prep healthy snacks for the week. Wash and cut your lettuce, chop raw veggie snacks and portion freezer meals (I make a big thing of whole-wheat pasta with sauce and chicken and rice, put them in plastic containers, and then freeze for on the go). I know, I love McDonads fries... they're just sooo good! Try cutting your Mt. Dew to diet and then gradually switching over to water. You need to drink water, so get a brita filter or a filter water bottle. It's just something you going to have to do for a long, healthy life.

Also, think about setting a good example for your son! A healthy heart and healthy arteries will keep you around until he's an old man, and teaching him healthy habits will make him want to participate in more active activities!

armywifeplusthree

Thanks. Yall ladies are wonderful. My gym does have classes and my son actually asks me all the time to go. I just need to make myself get up and go. The only bad thing is our gym daycare closes at 1230 and don't reopen until 430 so that kind of messes us up because those are the hours that would really work for me going. But after trying to find a pair of pants today and nothing fitting. I AM DONE being FAT. It was so depressing.

jennylee813

lol - I feel your pain. I have one picture of me in a bathing suit at one of dd's birthday parties and it's burned into my brain. That's when I knew something had to change. Every time I look at it I wonder how I got to that point, and vow never to be there again.

stick around, and like we've said, the Accountaibility threads are great help and habit forming!

keisha520

I second everything everyone has said. Im down 70 pounds in 2 years. I did it with weight watchers. And yes Mcdonalds isnt the greatest but when I go I get the classic grilled with no mayo, or the southwest grilled salad. Its a mind trick. I had to tell myself Im full. Now I am full after just a sandwich. Also the classes at the gym have been a life saver. I made friends and they hold me accountable. My first week in weight watchers I lost 6 pounds and that was motivation enough to keep me at the gym 5 days a week. Its a life style change like everyone has said not just a diet. But one thing I realized was that I had to be mentally ready because I tried and failed so many times before that. Good luck and you can do this....One thing I cherish is that fiance first loved me at size 16 and he still loves me at size 6.

brittanycurtisjohnson

Ahh McDonalds. The only thing I miss about working there is that I was on my feet and moving all day. I now have a desk job an have started packing on the pounds. I was really bad at drinking sodas working there so I started carrying a huge smart water bottle and filled it up and kept it behind or under the register. Also, on your break as pp said no mayo on anything, have them make it no salt like those annoying customers do just to get fresh food haha and you cut out some bloating. And the yogurt cups and a side salad or a plain mcchicken isn't super horrible. The headache thing sucks!! I am addicted to caffeine so bad. Mine is redbull though. I had to go cold turkey and completely quit and I thought I was dying for a week. But afterwards your body starts feeling better. Not so bloated from the soda and the headaches eventually. I was very snappy though and super angry and frustrated the first couple weeks. I promise it does get better. I don't even like sodas that much now cause they kinda burn my throat now since I'm not used to it.

brittanycurtisjohnson

Oh I missed where you hate water. Do you like tea? Not mcds sweet tea either that stuff is horrible but unsweetened tea? Maybe green tea? Or maybe those packets you put in bottle water...