Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Dieting sucks



Yes, I know my title for this blog isn't very creative, but its true, right? I've been on a diet for the past five weeks. I'm really trying to lose the weight I've put on the past ten years. Between kids and everything I'm much heavier than I want to be, but more than that, i want to lose weight for my kiddos. You know, good eating habit for them so they're not fighting this same battle I am now warring against. So, anyway, hubby and I joined the gym. We got an average of four days a week for an hour each time. I'm eating healthy, drinking water like crazy, cutting out all other beverages except maybe like once a week. In a month I've lost five pounds. FIVE STINKING POUNDS IN FIVE WEEKS. My hubby on the other hand has lost 22! Now I know he does manual labor all day as well which makes a huge difference. He basically is physical all day but still...its very discouraging for me. I have a really hard time taking off weight and its so easy for me to put it on. Now that he's lost all he wants he is snacking much more than he was while dieting. I mean, he's not eating as bad as before but he is eating much worse than me and he maintains. I cheat once and I gain back three pounds and have to start over. Yes, I shouldn't cheat at all but I find if I don't reward myself every once in a while then it is much harder to stay on plan the rest of the time. I know they say you're supposed to lose slowly, yada yada and I get that, I do, but still, its frustrating to work so hard and get no results.

So today I'm begging and pleading for your stories. Have you dieted or made a life change lately and lost weight? If so, what did you do? Do you need to go on a diet but like the idea of having someone to do it with? Let me know and we can do this thing together.

Out of all the times I've tried to lose weight I'm much more serious about it this time. I'm SO proud of my progress at the gym. I used to hate working out and I'm starting to enjoy it now, but then when I step on the scale and see that number stay the same it kills me. I KNOW muscle weighs more than fat but the thing is, toning and getting muscles is all good for me but I MUST lose too. I am not at a weight that I could stay at.

12 comments:

Regina Carlysle said...

If you figure out the secret, pass it along. Losing weight is so hard. Can't help thinking if you continue trying it's going to come off. I know women lose at a different rate than men so be patient and take it a day at a time.

Jambrea said...

You need to find what works for you. Everyone is different. I lost more them my husband when we starting dieting. I had three meals a day and that was it. No exercise and I lost 40lbs in a couple months. Hmmm...maybe three months. Of course I stopped and gained the it all back.

Now...I'm not dieting. I'm eating healthier. I'm a vegetarian now...for 2 maybe 3 weeks now. This forces me to eat fruits and veggies. I can't go to the fast food place, unless it is subway, because they don't have the food I can eat. I find that helps a LOT. lol Am I losing weight? I really don't know yet because I"m not keeping track. I just want to be healthier. :)

Tonya said...

Kell...it's gonna work girl!!!! Be patient and keep going, time, time, time....and believe me I am not a fan of that word for other reasons but grrr....it really works!

Anne Rainey said...

First, congrats for sticking with it! 5lbs is still 5lbs! Don't beat yourself up!

Second, I have to tell you about my niece. She's like you, ALWAYS had a difficult time losing even a pound, even though she never really was a big eater. She never really felt good about the way she looked. Then about a year ago she started walking. First it was like a mile, then two. Soon she was jogging. Now she runs like 4 miles a day. At first she wasn't looking TONS better or anything, but she WAS motivated. That motivation led her to talk to her mom, who's a Chiropractor, about dieting. Along came the low carb diet. Now, she's 70lbs. slimmer. She recently went to the store to shop for a dress for a wedding she needed to attend. Guess what size? 6! She was so tickled and I was tickled for her. She didn't JUST watch carbs, she exercised and lost the weight without starving. She did it the right way! She looks great and her confidence just really shines through.

Now for my story. Seeing how determined she was prompted me to start my own low car/exercise routine. I'm down a jeans size and wearing clothes I haven't worn in years. My routine is a bit different from hers. She's really into running, but that's sort of hard on my knees, so I use the elliptical machine instead. Also, I've added some boxing to my routine. My husband has a punching bag in the basement and I go down there and hit the bag for like 15mins a day. I work up a great sweat AND it really gets rid of the stress.

Kelley, keep going, don't give up! If one thing seems to NOT be working, then try something else. Figure out your weak spot. For me it was starch. As soon as I cut out starch the weight started to come off.

The really cool thing about this is that my daughters have been watching me. They've seen me sweating and staying away from the sweets and pasta and NOT giving into temptation. They've told me over and over what a rock I am and how great I look. Knowing they're watching helps keep me strong. I don't want them to see me fail.

Good luck and please keep us updated!

Kelley Nyrae said...

Thanks for the encouragement ladies. I really want it this time. I've said it before but its different now. I think that's why it is so frustrating. I talked with my friend today and she said maybe I should try ONLY cardio for a while so I'm going to do that. Then after I lose start in with the weight training for toning.

Congrats to your niece, Anne. That is fantastic!

Sylvie said...

I have to say I've lost on every diet I've been on...and I've tried them all! Unfortunately I always gain it back. I try to eat healthy, but as soon as I cheat, I'm a goner. If I could just stop at a taste, but it doens't satisfy me. I want everything I've been deprived of...

Amy Ruttan said...

Well, putting on muscle actually increases your weight. Muscle weighs more than fat.

It's the dress sizes I measure, not so much the weight on the scale which can flucuate.

After I had my second kid I lost 40 pounds. When I got preggers with my third I only gained 20 pounds and it's gone. I have another 40 pounds to get to my goal (all from my first two kids).

I did LA Weight loss, but it was extremely expensive and restrictive, plus it doesn't exist where I live any more. LOL!

I just got the all clear to start working out again (though slowly) and I'm going to start the Sonoma diet beginning of October and see what happens. I really like veggies, salads and Mediterrean diet. So we'll see.

Amy Ruttan said...

OH forgot to mention, vis a vis the dress sizes. I dropped 5 dress sizes before I had this baby.

Because I watched my diet during this pregnancy I only have to lose one dress size to fit back into my tighter outfits.

Although my comfy pre-preggo jeans fit again. :)

Bella said...

Anne, what a great, inspirational story! Kelley, I am exactly like you! In fact, I just started another diet and I GAINED 5 pounds. Also, work was so stressful, I stopped going to the gym, which was good for my mental health, but bad for my weight!

The one thing I can strongly recommend is Weight Watchers. You can do it on line and not go to meetings (which one, is more convenient for me and two, I'm not the kind of person who does well at those kinds of meetings). With Weight Watchers, you can eat ANYTHING YOU WANT, but only so much of it. If you stick to it, it really works. My problem is, I've been going through a phase where I can't stick to it. SIGH.

On the cardio first, I will share with you what my former trainer, who has a degree in sports medicine, had to say. She advised me to work on building muscle first, because you need the strength to do the cardio; then once you are more toned, you can just do cardio all day long.

DON'T GIVE UP! Five pounds is a HUGE start, and I think it's a pretty common plateau. I think the usual advice is to try to change something up, to get your body to start processing the fat again.

GOOD LUCK, and I'll be your on-line weight loss buddy if you want!

~bella

Kelley Nyrae said...

Thanks for the encouragement everyone and for sharing your stories! As of today, I'm trying the low carb thing that Anne mentioned. Wish me luck!

Bella, I would love to be an online buddy. Feel free to email me if you want. kelley (dot) nyrae (at) yahoo (dot) com

Unknown said...

I work for Weight Watchers (the best plan in the world) and I am a certified personal trainer. I still struggle. I have to maintain a healthy weight for health, you would think that would be motivating... huh? Nope. I simply have to wake up in the morning and tell myself that I learned to make brushing my teeth a habit, and therefore I can make healthy eating one as well. I live in Tucson and we have the most amazing Mexican food Restaurants. Do I skip? No. But I budget my food like money. I think what your are doing is amazing.

anny cook said...

Yep. The budgeting plan usually works best. I have thyroid issues so diets and mild exercise mostly help me MAINTAIN my current weight which is discouraging, but better than gaining. I have to eat healthy as I have diabetes...high blood pressure...GERD...high cholesterol... and LOTS of meds.

Eat right first. Walk. Then you won't be in my shoes.