Well, I've started entering my food again in Sparkpeople.com. I see that I am eating too much every day--between 1600 and 1800 caories a day. It's all healthy food, but just too much of it. Every day I wake up with the goal of keeping it under 1500, but at some point along the way I always encounter something I want to indulge in, but know I shouldn't, like a handful of tortilla chips or a beer with dinner.
So far, I am really having a losing battle with my own will power. Why can't I just NOT eat that snack? I really never used to have a problem with this. Is it because I'm not working? Maybe if I were busier, I wouldn't have time for all this snacking. I know I have no excuse, but maybe I could pin down a reason.
I went to my training session this morning and learned how to use the cable weights. I like them. It's a quick way to work out and seems effective. I can see a little progress with my muscle tone, especially in my calves. My back muscles have been sore after each weight session, so I guess something's happening there as well.
My trainer wants me to do more cardio, but I'm still not to the level she wants me to be. After lifting weights, my back injury feels kind of "tweaky" and I'm afraid to aggravate it. So I'm taking two rest days a week. She wants me to do cardio six days a week. I'm doing three. I know she's right, though, because I'm still gaining. My muscle mass is going up, but the fat's not going down. Sigh.
I'm still waiting for the day when I wake up and my will power has returned. Maybe it will be tomorrow . . .
Posted By: ashleyb
Comments to this post:
07/02/2007 21:02
she's not right
At least not entirely so. I know that six days of cardio would be better for weight loss, but if it's going to send you back to the couch because of your back, that will set you back further in the long run. Sure, you should work up to more cardio, but your back knows when it's had enough.
Yay for progress with muscle tone! That's a big motivator for me. Whenever you want the beer or chips, think about how the muscle tone you are working so hard to develop will show better if there's less fat covering it. That works for me at least 20% of the time.
Entering your calories is a big step toward regaining the willpower to decrease them. If you have the energy and the urge to log, then you're only a teensy step from having the energy and urge to think about logging before you eat. I hate to ruin enjoyment of food with guilt, but you can enjoy the food more if you don't have the simmering feeling that you are undermining yourself, right? That's how I've felt for months, honestly--like I'm slowly but surely undoing all the good I did last year. Don't you start with that, too, you're my champion against adversity. You don't owe me anything, of course, but everyone on this site wants to see you succeed.
Ashley, if you are eating 1600-1800 calories a day of healthy food and exercising to the level you can manage at the moment, you HAVE succeeded. You are failing at nothing. Except possibly your own expectations of perfection.
There is nothing wrong with having one handful of tortilla chips and a beer. When you decide to have them, be aware of your choice to have them. Log them, but DON'T skimp good food elsewhere to make up for the calories. Of course, I'm sure you aren't doing that because you know better. Actually, conventional wisdom dictates that your body weight times 10 is the best caloric intake for slow weight loss. So 1600 or just a bit below is probably about right, if that helps. (I know you're thinking, but I'm different, I have to eat fewer calories than most people--I've heard you say that before.) I just hope you don't go much below 1600. I think if you do, your body is going to hang on to every bit of fat and perhaps make more.
Another thing that might help is that sometimes it becomes fruitless to keep asking yourself why. Smiting yourself with 'why why why am i doing this' may not be as effective as a flat out 'NO I'm not doing this'. You can get angry, but don't get angry at yourself. Get mad at the chips! The actual reason is probably not all that deep. It could be as simple as the fact that chips and beer are in the house and you like chips and beer and you are a human being. For some reason we get it in our heads that where food is concerned we should have an iron will and if we don't we are simply weak or there is something deeply wrong with us. That's rubbish! It's perfectly natural for you to want to eat what's in front of you. Stop asking yourself why you are too weak to resist. You are not weak. You're one of the strongest, most determined people I know.
So. I know it's disheartening if the scale isn't budging or is moving in the wrong direction. I know it's tempting to blame yourself for lack of willpower. But you need to know that you are doing wonderful, wonderful things for your body by feeding it healthy food, toning up your muscles and strengthening your heart and lungs. Each day that you follow this program you've created, you are protecting yourself against osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. You are providing your body with good building blocks for cellular growth so that you avoid premature aging. You are strengthening your back and core so that as you age you will have good posture and reduce the chances of hip fracture. Even if, heaven forbid, you never lose that last 20 pounds and remain at 160 lbs forever, just look at all the good you are doing.
It will be today! Maybe something will click and you will decide before dinner that you have the willpower you know you have! Maybe you will say no to that beer and/or tortilla chips. Maybe you need to chug some water when you get hungry. Maybe you will realize that you are a healthy person that is having a hard time right now, and that it will all come back to you!! Hugs to you Ashley. I know you are struggling with this, but you are still my weight loss hero. :o)
I hear you about the lack of willpower for that one snack which day after day sends the diet haywire. You do well to take the exercise slowly and give yourself rest dates especially with your back history. And not being busy contributes to the eating. Today I had a good 4 hours inthe afternoon free and I must have done the trek room-kitchen a dozen times to look for something to nibble!!!!
The actual reason is probably not all that deep. It could be as simple as the fact that chips and beer are in the house and you like chips and beer and you are a human being. For some reason we get it in our heads that where food is concerned we should have an iron will and if we don't we are simply weak or there is something deeply wrong with us. That's rubbish! It's perfectly natural for you to want to eat what's in front of you. Stop asking yourself why you are too weak to resist. You are not weak. You're one of the strongest, most determined people I know.