Thread: I am so sick of looking and feeling this way. :(

Manders-It sounds like you are on the right track. That is so awesome that you and your dh are walking together. I can't even get mine to walk around the block with me. Brown rice is a wonderful side dish and you can add things to it so you don't get bored with it. I sautee some garlic and onions in a little olive oil and add that to the rice. I've also added green chiles to it. Another idea for a side dish would be zucchinni sauteed in some olive oil. A green salad is good too as long as you don't add a lot of dressing. I love to buy the bags of pre-made salad and add things to it. Some of the add-ins I use are tomatoes, eggs, raisins, walnuts, onions and black olives.
For snacks I love the 100 calorie packs because I'm not tempted to over eat. Especially if I drink a big glass of ice water with my snack. To combat hunger, I chew a lot of gum. I also brush my teeth after eating something sweet so I'm not tempted to eat more.

Keep making small changes and before you know it you will have to be buying new clothes.

Julie, thank you for the suggestions on the food, I'm needing those badly! I actually have 5 or 6 zucchini from our garden this year that I've been unsure of how to use them, so I'm going to try your idea!

So, our total miles walking last week was.....17!!!!! Yahoo!!!! Man that feels great! I'm having trouble with my shin splints, but I'm just trying to walk thru them. Yesterday we walked again, starting a new week with over 5.2 miles!!! We walked about 2 miles yesterday morning (I wanted to do more but was hurting too much) and then last night we did a 5K (it was 3.23 miles) in under 55 minutes, so that felt great! My goal will be to get a better and better time the more we walk. Eventually, I want to start jogging, so we'll see! I'm so happy that Tanner and I are walking together, I think it's been good for our marriage.

I decided I'm going to put my major focus on the exercise right now and once I have a solid routine down there, I can really start to focus on the food end of it. I am making smarter choices and eating better already and trying to avoid some of the not so great foods, but I'm also not beating myself up if I have some Doritos or something. I'm slowly working my way into this.

I'm so thankful for the support you girls are giving!!

Manders

Originally Posted by sweetums

I decided I'm going to put my major focus on the exercise right now and once I have a solid routine down there, I can really start to focus on the food end of it.

That system is what works best for me. Once I get into a solid exercise habit, the food part seems to fall into place more easily.

Keep up the good work. You're doing great on your miles!

I love frozen broccoli or brussel sprouts and canned pears in lite syrup. Tyson's has bags of frozen skinless boneless chicken breasts or the store may have their own brand. All the Jennie-O turkey products are lean meat sources. If there is a super target somewhere nearby, they usually carry this stuff pretty cheap. Please be sure to get shoes that support your feet because you get plantar faciatis-sp, and that will definitely slow down ur exercise progress and is pretty painful. Good luck!

I know exactly how you feel.. none of my clothes fit me anymore, and yesterday i wanted to wear my cute knee high boots and m calves got so fat they dont do up either

I am also going to try really hard to lose weight because i want ot be healthier. I read some good ideas too- put pretzels into baggies so you arent tempted to oversnack, also 94% fat free popcorn is a good snack food.

So far I've gotten over 26 miles in this week! And I still have walking to do today! I'm having ALOT of problems with my shins hurting and also my calves. I don't know what I can do about that, I'm stretching before and after walking, trying to stay hydrated and I've been eating a banana every day, I'm just not sure what else I can do. I have good shoes and even inserts to help but I'm really struggling. The first walk of the day is always more painful than the one in the evening, to the point where I'm walking in tears. I make myself keep going, but it's getting harder and harder to keep making myself walk when I know there is that much pain involved.

I'm so thankful for all the suggestions! I'm making notes in my journal!

Manders

Hey Manders! It seems just like yesterday that you were in the hospital on bedrest before Olivia was born!!!

Girl, I feel you on the weight thing! I have gained so much weight since giving birth to ds almost 3 yrs ago. Mine was because I had a horrible post c-section infection where my abd was open "healing from the inside out" from 02/07 - 07/07 and then had a DVT 03/07 and was put on meds for the DVT and was told DO NOT DIET! Which to me was EAT ALL YOU WANT. Don't think that is what the doctor intended for me to think but that's what my little ears heard! So here I am HUGE and depressed! But I am doing well now. Eating healthier and am about to start the exercising part. Almost 2 weeks ago I was DX with Asthma. I am 31 yrs old and my lungs are only working at 49%, so less than half of what they should. That was an eye opener for me! My DS needs me to be healthier and live to see his kid's grow up! It was then, Tuesday 9/15/09 that I decided that I had to do something, I will never ever, ever be thin. I have always been over weight and I'm not worried about the numbers on the scale, I HAVE to get healthy and have no choice. Just a few of my changes have been, no stopping at McDonalds every single morning on the way to work to get the steak begal meal with a large sweet tea, instead I bring a yogurt for 7am, then I have oatmeal around 8:30am, then I have a snack like a power bar around 11:30am, then lunch at 1pm which has been a sandwich on wheat bread, baked cheeto's, string cheese then for dinner, something I can find at home like a chicken breast, with veggies and a baked potato. I am not following any kind of plan but do find myself thinking, how many points would that be on Weight Watchers?? It has really helped money wise by not eating out!!! And the way I look at it, if I want a big cheeseburger I'm gonna go get it because if I don't then I will fail and I don't want to fail! I just know that I have to do this for my sweet baby boy! I know you can do it as well! You are strong! And with Tanner's help you will both get healthier!!!I'm here if you would like to be "eating healthier buddies"!!! Cause I don't like the D word!!!

Kristi

Kristi! I totally want to be eating healthier buddies with you!!! I like the way you are looking at things, without obsessing over the scale. I need to work on that. In the beginning I was saying I wasn't going to worry about the scale, but then when I happened to get on and didn't see any results, I was so upset! I thought for sure there would be something! UGH. Anyway, I need to not step on the scale for a while, just keep my head focused on keeping moving and we'll go from there. I feel you on the asthma, I have it too. What are you taking to control it?

I ate REALLY well yesterday, I was so proud of myself! Today I did pretty well, other than the M&M blizzard at DQ! Oops! I had my annual appt with the gyn today though, so I figured after my pap I earned it! HA! We went for a 4 mile walk tonight when we got home so that felt great! I've been looking at several websites and according to each one I looked at, I'm burning over 500 calories when I walk 4 miles, is that right?! I really hope so!!!

My total miles for last week ended up just short of 33 miles, at 32.95. I am so freaking excited about that!!!! If I can get my calorie intake cut down, I'm hoping to see results, if not on the scale, in my clothes or something! I need to get back to lifting my weights too. I hate my flabby arms, they are SO embarrassing and make me feel horrible.

I need to go figure out what I'm making for meals tomorrow. I am finding if I plan ahead I'm more likely to make a healthy meal.

Manders

Manders-I weigh myself once a week. That way I don't get too discouraged if I don't see a weight loss. Something else to keep in mind is that muscle weighs more than fat. So even though you are losing fat, you might be gaining muscle. A better judge of how you are doing is your clothes. If they are starting to fit better or if they are getting loose on you than that is a good sign that you're healthy eating and exercising are working.

Kristi-ITA with you about the not denying something if you want it. Years ago a good friend of mine lost over 100 pounds on Weight Watchers. After she lost all the weight she did a great job of sticking to the plan. Until she wanted a Girl Scout thin mint cookie. She kept denying herself until she finally gave in. She ended up eating the entire box. Ever since then, if I want something that isn't healthy I go ahead and allow myself to have it. I just exercise more to make up for it.

Manders-You are inspiring me to start walking! The my doctor told me not to push it and to let the meds help before I get out there and start walking. I am on Symbicort 2 puffs BID and I have a rescue inhaler that I have only had to use once. I worked for the pulmonologist, like 3 years ago, that I went to see and he didn't hold anything back which is really what I think I needed. No sugarcoating!!! But it really opened my eyes. I did get on the scale yesterday morning and since January I have lost like 40 pounds, but let me tell you I am VERY VERY overweight and this is just the beginning. I lost alot in January with my always failing New Years Resolution and then I went back to Curves in May and lost 20 of the 40 in like 2 weeks then my mom was put in the hospital for 2 weeks and then I had cellulitis in my calfs, which means I couldn't walk for like a week. So I went right back to eating horrible. But I know now with my asthma that I don't have a choice as breathing is VERY important!!! So here I am! You and Tanner are doing so good with the walking!! My DH says he'll walk with me but he works such crazy hours it never works out. So I am going to wait another couple of weeks and then start my walking plan! DS loves it outside and I think he will enjoy the walk with me! I just wish I like veggies more! I like fruits but not veggies.

Jupiter - Yep, can't deny yourself!! Sunday I wanted ice cream and so I went to Subway for dinner and in the Subway is TCBY and I got a kids cup of 98% fat free White Choc Mouse!!! YUMMO! It so hit the spot and I wasn't craving it anymore! BTW your girls are so cute!!!

Well off to check up on my facebook and then to work! Have a great day ladies!

Kristi

Kristi-Do you have a mall nearby where you and a friend could go early in the morning and walk? I've been doing that for 4 years now and it's a lot of fun. Great job on choosing the frozen yogurt over ice cream!! That's awesome that you've already lost 40 pounds. Thanks for the compliment on my girls.

Julie - My problem with the walking is not where to walk it's to find time to do so. I have to be at work at 7am and work 35 miles from home so I can't do it in the morning. We are really lucky and have 2 community centers that have an indoor track that is padded and with the weather turning nice, I'm in Arkansas, I am hoping to get outdoors before it turns to cold. The town I live in is a nice middle size community and has a few walk/bike trails that are nice so I am hoping that I can get DS to be good and enjoy the time outside. DS will be 3 yrs old next month and I am thinking about getting him a bike with training wheels so that he can ride, with a helmet of course while I walk.

This website was advertised on tv last night. It's eatwellbewell.org. It's part of Arizona's campaign to help parents teach their kids to eat healthy. Some of the recipes sounded good.

Manders: Did you get the package I sent you? I just wondered!