Pep Talk Diary for Weight Loss

[Little Linguist]

Originally Posted by Economica

... I'm guessing you were hungry when you decided on the waffle?

I totally recognize the pattern of being good and restraining yourself for a while until you suddenly sin and indulge in something wicked. I don't mean to preach but I feel called on to reiterate that what worked for me was reconfiguring my diet so I didn't have to restrain myself. When you eat filling, low-calorie meals, you have the stamina to resist temptation. <-- Basically, you'll know you're on the right track once religious imagery is no longer appropriate to describe your weight loss experience.

For instance, if you replace your sandwich-and-juice lunch with a salad based on fall vegetables (I assume you have refrigerator access at work?), you'll feel much more satiated on the same amount of calories. Salads based on the kind of daunting vegetables that don't even really look like food when you're scouring the supermarket aisle (such as celeriac) are great with the right preparation and taste givers, I promise! I suggest you buy a good book of healthy salad recipes and take the time in the evenings to prepare them (it's a good idea to prepare two different ones at a time so as to maximize taste variety).

Incidentally, I happen to know that you can get caffeine over the counter in Germany. Have you considered consuming your caffeine in pill format? I do that when I don't have time in the morning to enjoy my coffee but still need the caffeine. Just a tip in case you've been thinking of your milk coffee as non-negotiable!

Disclaimer: The forcefulness of my advice-giving aside (the zealousness of the convert... ), I won't take it personally if you don't take my advice, so there's no need to make nice if it doesn't resonate with you.

Actually, I was not super-duper hungry. I was hungry, but not overly so. See the problem is that my husband can basically eat anything and he looks sporty and wonderful. So he always wants to share with me, and I feel bad if I do not eat with him because that's one of his favorite things to do. (I think he's an S). He's happy if he has lovely food in front of him. So I eat with him and don't realize til after, OH GOD WHAT DID I EAT?!?!?!

To my credit, I worked out like an ASSRAT yesterday. 35 min stepper, 65 minutes elliptical, 15 minutes weight lifting, 15 minutes calisthenics, 30 minutes walking, 15 minutes sauna. So I did not put on a shit load of weight or anything, but ughhhhh!

How do you deal with living with a man like this when you want to change your diet? For example, he made an awesome brunch, and when I said I couldn't eat it, he was all grumpy-like. SO I ate a little bit and said I could not eat anymore and he was like, YOU NEED TO EAT MORE. And I told him, Jeez Louise I don't HAVE a metabolism like yours. I can't just EAT whatever I want to. Ughhhhh and then he said I was being totally static and really anal-retentive about the whole thing. He said I deal with problems in a static and systematic way. I don't let things happen. Basically an SJ with a huge pole up my ass. UGHGHGHHGGHGHHGHGH! He just doesn't get it. And it is so hard to stay on a diet when it's like that. Grrrrr.

I guess I just need to stick to my guns even though it causes problems. I mean, I don't want to blame my husband or anything. It's my body and I need to take responsibility. But it just makes it that much harder.

[Aimahn]

LOL admittedly being INTP and all I don't know that I'd be qualified or even able to give you advice on how to "deal" with your husband, but I think you made a good decision to stick to your guns. Metabolism is very real and from what you say you two seem to have drastically different ones. I don't know, I'd suggest maybe talk it out with him a little bit, adjust a little bit figure out meals that aren't super "diety" but are still healthy.

I found personally that talking things out, making a stand, and educating my family( there used to the three square heavy meals/ you're young you don't have to worry about diet and exercise mentality) about my habits really helped, At first it was sort of confrontational in the sense that there were two seemingly opposite sides with strong beliefs, eventually they just sort of accepted my ways and at the same time learned a little themselves and would consult me on how to be in better shape.

*mind you this is coming from someone with a metabolism similar to your husbands. So from his aspect I can see how you could get kinda careless with diet and still be in relatively great shape, it doesn't mean that he shouldn't be able to enjoy himself and eat healthier

[Little Linguist]

Originally Posted by Aimahn

LOL admittedly being INTP and all I don't know that I'd be qualified or even able to give you advice on how to "deal" with your husband, but I think you made a good decision to stick to your guns. Metabolism is very real and from what you say you two seem to have drastically different ones. I don't know, I'd suggest maybe talk it out with him a little bit, adjust a little bit figure out meals that aren't super "diety" but are still healthy.

I found personally that talking things out, making a stand, and educating my family( there used to the three square heavy meals/ you're young you don't have to worry about diet and exercise mentality) about my habits really helped, At first it was sort of confrontational in the sense that there were two seemingly opposite sides with strong beliefs, eventually they just sort of accepted my ways and at the same time learned a little themselves and would consult me on how to be in better shape.

*mind you this is coming from someone with a metabolism similar to your husbands. So from his aspect I can see how you could get kinda careless with diet and still be in relatively great shape, it doesn't mean that he shouldn't be able to enjoy himself and eat healthier

Yes, this is true. Of course, there will be no changing him because he is relatively opinionated, and I do not want to give him the sense that I am controlling him just because I am on a diet. Nonetheless, I realize I have to watch out and stick to my guns no matter what.

[Grayscale]

you could try explaining that this is an important personal goal of yours, and you would appreciate his support... give him an opportunity to be a part of the solution. that can be a lot of different things, he doesnt have to eat the same food as you, but he can be sensitive to the fact that you are trying to improve your eating habits. that means eating his chocolate cake quietly without the Mmmms and the Ahhhhs!

[Little Linguist]

Originally Posted by Grayscale

you could try explaining that this is an important personal goal of yours, and you would appreciate his support... give him an opportunity to be a part of the solution. that can be a lot of different things, he doesnt have to eat the same food as you, but he can be sensitive to the fact that you are trying to improve your eating habits. that means eating his chocolate cake quietly without the Mmmms and the Ahhhhs!

Right!!!

[Introverted-esfp]

Two Tips:
1. Eat less
2. Exercise regularly (atleast 3 days a week).

[Little Linguist]

Originally Posted by Introverted-esfp

Two Tips:
1. Eat less
2. Exercise regularly (atleast 3 days a week).

I do that, so I must be on the right track. Thanks!!!

[Little Linguist]

Dude!!!!! Good news. I'm down to 64.5 kg. So I lost one kilo in the space of about - well one week or two. Not sure.

Oh yeah, and since 13 October I've been working out every day doing 30 minutes cardio, 25 minutes weights, and 15 minutes calisthenics.

I've been watching my diet, but I don't see the need to calculate every single calorie anymore now that I've kind of got the hang of it.

I can't WAIT to go on the fat analysis machine again.

The first time I went on the fat analysis machine, I think it was about a week or so ago, it told me I was 65.3 kilos. Okay, so that was bad - I had gained 3 kilos in a space of pfft - 4 months. However, I gained 800g of muscle since the last time my weight analysis was made. So that was good - that means working out is making me stronger.

Today I weighed in on the normal scale (where I keep track of regular progress - but the scales both usually say the same thing) at 64.5. Woo hoo. Progress for sure. Even better, my size is much better. When I started, I was 105/83-80-98 and now the tape measure says 100/78-73-94. Awesome!!! And now my jeans fit better, so I know it's not just my imagination!!!!

[Aimahn]

Yup. Those are the progress indicators you want to pay attention too, and also the ones that keep you on the grind.

It really is a good feeling when you work hard and 2 weeks later or a month later you notice the little things like your clothes feeling better, your muscle to fat ratio, your energy, and just the fact that you are gaining skill(mentioned you no longer need to sit and calculate stuff). I think those things are what I really loved about bodybuilding and working out.

Keep posting though, I personally found you have a tendency to slack when you are not held accountable to anyone or thing.

[Little Linguist]

So today I worked out again Go me!!! I went on the elliptical machine for 45 minutes and did about 25 minutes of weights and 15 minutes calisthenics. I've noticed that I can once again increase the weights on the machine because I can do 20 reps without feeling much of a strain.

Exercise Start Now
Bench Press 7.5 kg 12.5 kg
Butterfly 15 kg 20 kg
Lat Pull Down 35 kg 40 kg
Abductor 35 kg 40 kg

And working with a thera-band has gotten easier too. I think I'll need to start working with weights to do the back and ab work because it's gotten too easy.

WOO HOO!!!!!!

Oh yeah, and I watched what I ate, too. I ate about 1200-1400 kcal today.

P.S. By the way, for you US folks, 1 kg = 2.2 pounds

P.P.S. Be proud of me - this is the sixth day in a row I've been to the gym!!! WOO HOO!!!