Overwhelmed by amount to lose

[2bslimsherri 0]

Hi Staindgal,

Although the band is an aid you still have to work with it. When you do loose control you cannot do the damage you used to. I find I cannot eat things like cake and donuts since I get stuck. I can still eat ice cream and potatoe chips but even if I get into these things I cannot eat as much as before. I am litterally eating about 1/8 of the amount I previously did. You just hit a point of being full and stop. You learn quickly not to overeat since you will just throw up if you do and it is not fun.

the way i looked at it is why do I need to have willpower and starve. I got psycologically healthy and it allowed me to see the band was the best present I could give myself. I now have a took that is making it easy for me to eat healthy and not overindulge. It is a new midset for me. I even got a personal trainer to come to my house 3 times per week.

As to those who find the large sums of weight we have to loose overwhelming, just think of it in small increments. Since you are getting great health benefits each time you loose 10% of your weight I loose this 10% difference (a weight watcher term) as my mini goals. it makes it more manageable but at my weight each goal seems far away.

[staindgal 0]

Hi Staindgal,

Although the band is an aid you still have to work with it. When you do loose control you cannot do the damage you used to. I find I cannot eat things like cake and donuts since I get stuck. I can still eat ice cream and potatoe chips but even if I get into these things I cannot eat as much as before. I am litterally eating about 1/8 of the amount I previously did. You just hit a point of being full and stop. You learn quickly not to overeat since you will just throw up if you do and it is not fun.

the way i looked at it is why do I need to have willpower and starve. I got psycologically healthy and it allowed me to see the band was the best present I could give myself. I now have a took that is making it easy for me to eat healthy and not overindulge. It is a new midset for me. I even got a personal trainer to come to my house 3 times per week.

As to those who find the large sums of weight we have to loose overwhelming, just think of it in small increments. Since you are getting great health benefits each time you loose 10% of your weight I loose this 10% difference (a weight watcher term) as my mini goals. it makes it more manageable but at my weight each goal seems far away.

Thanks for the info!

p.s. I just got below 160 lbs. to goal! I have not been here in a LONG time! So what that I still have 159.6 lbs to goal... It's less than 160!!

[jjsmiles 3]

The lap band will not stop the head hunger you talk about, but I find that I am able to distract myself better and talk myself out of eating, because I am not actually hungry. For the first time in my life, the little voice in my head isn't saying "just eat it because you want it", but rather is saying "are you really hungry?" and "is there something else you could eat that would satisfy?" Not only is the little voice speaking sense, but I am actually listening to it! :w00t:

I am still pretty mixed up in that often times I have to actually think about and plan to eat at least 1000 calories per day (I sometimes don't get that much in, but then my weight loss stalls). On the other hand, evenings are my problem time, where I finish my dinner and immediately want to eat more, even though I am not hungry, and am in fact quite full. I find that if I can get to about an hour after dinner, the urge to just "eat for the sake of eating" has passed and I am fine. The urges are less since banding (I used to eat all evening) and I control my snacking by choosing lower calorie, lower fat items.

[staindgal 0]

The lap band will not stop the head hunger you talk about, but I find that I am able to distract myself better and talk myself out of eating, because I am not actually hungry. For the first time in my life, the little voice in my head isn't saying "just eat it because you want it", but rather is saying "are you really hungry?" and "is there something else you could eat that would satisfy?" Not only is the little voice speaking sense, but I am actually listening to it! :w00t:

I am still pretty mixed up in that often times I have to actually think about and plan to eat at least 1000 calories per day (I sometimes don't get that much in, but then my weight loss stalls). On the other hand, evenings are my problem time, where I finish my dinner and immediately want to eat more, even though I am not hungry, and am in fact quite full. I find that if I can get to about an hour after dinner, the urge to just "eat for the sake of eating" has passed and I am fine. The urges are less since banding (I used to eat all evening) and I control my snacking by choosing lower calorie, lower fat items.

I have the same problem in the evenings... It looks like the band has definitely worked for you! Almost 100lbs. lost!! That's awesome! Congratulations!

[jjsmiles 3]

Thanks Staindgal,

I truly believe that if you approach the band as a tool that helps you help yourself and not a miracle cure, most people can be successful.

I still do all the work, the band just helps me control myself better. I am exercising 4-5 days a week and trying to keep my calories around 1000 a day. That said, if I really want something, I have it. I still eat Cookies - but instead of every day and a whole package, I eat them 1-2 times a week and 2 Cookies. Huge difference!!! Moderation is the key - the band helps me moderate myself.

Some "tricks" that I have used in the evening if I feel the absolute need to eat: Turkey pepperoni (only 50 calories and 2.5 gr of fat a stick), 100 calorie packs of popcorn, 100 calorie snack packs (although I like the popcorn better as I can eat it one kernal at a time and it takes quite a while - I can psych myself out better that way). I have also eaten the no sugar added puddings (60 calories, 1 gr of fat) and I have discoverd a "potato krisp" sold by Safeway (their "eating right" brand) that has onlt 110 calories and 1.5 g of fat for a 1 oz serving (which fills a Cereal bowl). The BBQ is delicious.

You will notice a theme of trying to stay around 100 calories for the snack but still be satisfied.

Good luck and much success to you!:biggrin2:

[2bslimsherri 0]

jjsmiles, great suggestions for treats. I like the under 100 calories rule. My personal favorie is the skinny cow chocolate fudge bar. it is large and filling and I believe it runs 80 calories for 1 bar. i feel like I have indulged in a sinful treat.

I will look for the safeway healthy Snacks next time I am in the states.

[jjsmiles 3]

2bslimsherri

I am actually Canadian, so if you come to Western Canada (at least BC or Alberta), you can shop in Safeway and get the Eating Right Brand. The skinny cow fudge bars sound great, I will have to try them. I usually ignore the brand as they are so expensive here, but I do really like the idea of something that makes me feel like I have had a decandent treat. :drool:

Also delicious: The Laughing Cow light pasteurized cheese wedges (2 wedges have 50 calories and 2.5 g of fat). I usually have them with some high fibre crackers (think Wasa).

If you are Canadian, you know Tim Horton's. I have a recipe for a "light version" of the famous Ice Cappacino that is delicious and makes a huge glass (about 2 cups) for about 100 to 110 calories for the entire recipe:

1 cup skim milk

2 tsp instant or Decaf coffee

1 Tbsp unsweetened coca

2 Tbsp splenda granular (I use about 6 of the individual packages)

5 ice cubes

Blend all in a blender - it makes about 2 cups. I got the recipe last summer from the Weight Watchers web site.

If you like doing substitution stuff to make famous items healthier, there is a great web site - HungryGirl.com that is pretty interesting.

[reqgoddess 0]

Hi all. haven't been on in a while, but I like the new groups. took me a while to figure out which group to be in (reading too much into thedescription (lol)), but when I started I had 150 lbs to lose. Now i am at 69 lbs lost, so ALMOST half way there.

[reqgoddess 0]

Oh, I must update my ticker tonight. I was on a plateau for a long time, so I felt so ashamed, i wasn't logging on. Silly, aren't I. Now I am losing again, but I need the encouragement of reading others enthusiasm. This is a great site for that!!!

[reqgoddess 0]

my doctor wants me to have 150 as a goal weight, but I want 135, because I looked good there, and was able to do all the things I wanted to like run, etc. So, I need to update with both goal weights, it it will let me.

[reqgoddess 0]

Sorry to have gone off on a tangent here. When i first started, i was overwhelmed too. It looked like a big number. But you know, as it happens, you start feeling different. You start seeing success (not ALL thee time, so it keeps you humble and you keep trying) but now, I see that I can do it, if I keep at it. Perserverance is the key (and 100 calorie Snacks like jjmiles says above).

[whimsy 0]

Some really great responses here. Tons of motivation and inspiration in your wise words!

A few years ago I was diagnosed with several health conditions at once and I felt incredibly overwhelmed. I didn't know how I was going to tackle each one so I could be healthy and live longer.

The best advice I heard was echoed in many of the sentiments here - mini-goals. Celebrate every step you take toward a lighter and healthier you. The idea of having to lose over 100 pounds seems so daunting but when you break it up into little bits, it seems so much more attainable.

I guess you can think of it this way - there's a huge bowl of salad in front of you. Do you eat it all in one bite? No, you take small bites (and chew, chew, chew!). Eventually, you are satisfied with what you've accomplished - even if you didn't eat the entire salad. :thumbup:

[Bergdorfblonde 3]

If you think about it as over 100 pounds to lose, it i very overwhelming and seems impossible. :thumbup:

I try to make small goals breaking the weight down into more reachable milestones (using BMI categories). I'll show you some of mine so you can see what I am talking about. :cool:

I started at 242 which is morbidly obese for my height. I lost 28.5 pounds and moved myself into the severely obese category. My next small goal is to move into the obese category, which is only 10 little pounds from now. Easy right??

After that, I have to lose 29 pounds to get into the overweight category (this is my goal for my reunion in june).

After that, I will lose 30.5 pounds to get to a normal weight and after that, I will lose 11 pounds to reach my skinny me goal (my weight freshman year of college when I was the skinniest in my adult life).

134 Skinny Me Goal

145 Normal Weight

174.5 Overweight

203.5 Obese

213.5 Severely Obese-current weight

242 Morbidly Obese-starting weight

108 pounds Total Weightloss

In total, I will lose 108 pounds, but if I break it up into small goals, then I see my progress and it keeps me motivated to reach more small goals without being overwhelmed.

I realize I was just banded on Jan. 25th 2008. But I am freaking out. I just have so much to lose. I need to lose over a 100lbs. Glad I found this group. It helps to keep me focused. Anyone else out there overwhelmed?:eek:

[Bergdorfblonde 3]

Goddess, its kind of the same thing for me too. When I reach 145 I will technically be not overweight, but the time I remember when I looked my best was 134 so I am using that as my ultimate goal.

my doctor wants me to have 150 as a goal weight, but I want 135, because I looked good there, and was able to do all the things I wanted to like run, etc. So, I need to update with both goal weights, it it will let me.

[elle 1]

I think you have been given some good advice. I also feel a little overwhelmed and have set myself up with mini-goals. When I followed Weight Watchers, they had goals of 10% of your weight. So for me, my first 10% will be 25 lbs. I will reward myself with a new outfit (not food). From my next starting point, I will try for another 10% which will be less lbs like 22 lbs. And I like to see the BMI change also.