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I work 10 - 12 hours a day with a one hour (each way) commute. This leaves me with 12-14 hours total, 8 of which I am sleeping and two of which I am getting ready for work. This leaves me 2 hours a day to do everything that I need to do including, driving to the post office to get the mail, shopping for food and other necessities, cooking, cleaning, changing sheets, doing laundry, feeding the cats, washing my car, taking out the trash, etc. On my day off (Monday), I have to do *everything* else. If you can find some time for me to "hit the gym three or four times a week", doing two hours of cardio each and swimming, running, yoga, etc., please share that secret with me because you have managed to alter the time/space continuum.
In short, I have a busy life. How I wish I were able to devote umpteen hours of my day to *ME* and *ME ALONE*, but until such time, if any, that I no longer own my own business, that's not realistic.
But thanks anyway.
20yrsinBranson
You need to find something you CAN do and quit focusing on what you CAN'T.
The first thing you need to do is find out exactly how many calories you're eating a day. Write down everything you eat. Get the book Calorie King..gives you a break down of just about every food out there. Be honest with your food diary. I think you're eating a lot more than you think.
Get a cooler and start packing your meals and snacks and eat only those. Stay out of restaurants. Stay out of fast food places, stay out of gas stations, stay out of anywhere where you might be tempted to eat something.
You own your own business? Good. That means you set the hours you work...adjust your schedule. Hire someone to work partime even for 1-2 hrs a day so you can get 'your' time in.
This isn't impossible...I just think you're focusing your attention in the wrong direction.
I work 10 - 12 hours a day with a one hour (each way) commute. This leaves me with 12-14 hours total, 8 of which I am sleeping and two of which I am getting ready for work. This leaves me 2 hours a day to do everything that I need to do including, driving to the post office to get the mail, shopping for food and other necessities, cooking, cleaning, changing sheets, doing laundry, feeding the cats, washing my car, taking out the trash, etc. On my day off (Monday), I have to do *everything* else. If you can find some time for me to "hit the gym three or four times a week", doing two hours of cardio each and swimming, running, yoga, etc., please share that secret with me because you have managed to alter the time/space continuum.
In short, I have a busy life. How I wish I were able to devote umpteen hours of my day to *ME* and *ME ALONE*, but until such time, if any, that I no longer own my own business, that's not realistic.
But thanks anyway.
20yrsinBranson
I don't think your schedule is necessarily your biggest obstacle to weight loss. Even with your schedule you should be able to manage a couple of 15 minute walks every day. Can't make it to the gym? Do push ups (or modified push ups) at home. Do you have a rec center/YMCA close by? Maybe you can drop by whenever you get a chance and swim some laps every now and then. Swimming is great for cardio and strength conditioning...might as well kill two birds with one stone.
You do not have to spend hours at the stove preparing home cooked meals. Something like that egg white casserole recipe takes 5 minutes to throw together and it can bake while your showering. In a snap - you've got a ready, quick, healthy breakfast for the next few days. Much, much faster than going by the drive through or stopping at the store on the way to work.
Bagged salad, rotisserie chicken, low carb casseroles, packets of tuna or salmon, even Atkins frozen meals can be real time savers. Something like a turkey meatloaf takes minimal prep time and can bake while you're doing housework.
Making regular stops at the grocery store for convenience food is a BIG time waster, IMO. Plus, with home cooking you at least have control over the ingredients being used and the way your food is prepared (Ie: baked instead of fried, etc.).
Really make an effort to cut out the sugary/starchy carbs in your diet. You will lose weight and you won't feel hungry all of the time.
Also, I would highly recommend reading up on Insulin Resistance and Pre diabetes - see if the symptoms sound familiar to you. Make an appt to see a doctor if you haven't had a check up in a while. Maybe purchase a blood glucose monitor and do a little home testing - the results can be eye opening.
You sound a lot like me. I haven't found the solution either, but I don't think being hungry all the time is the answer. If it were, I'd already be thin because until recently I was on a very low calorie diet for about 10 years and never once managed to get into the healthy weight range for my height. I was also miserable; angry, tried, depressed, etc.
Have you read The Smarter Science of Slim? I haven't read it in a while but one of the basics is that it is the quality of your calories that matters much more than the quantity. If you are hungry all the time I take that as a signal that your body is not getting the nutrition that it needs so it is saying "EAT, EAT, EAT!!!" I don't think further caloric restriction is going to do anything good for you and, I would try just eating until you are satisfied. For at least a month don't count calories, but do stay focused on eating healthy foods (I think the Paleo diet is ideal for this). See what happens. There's actually a thread on Marks Daily Apple right now where someone is doing this and so far her results have been good. I'm following it will much interest because it is what I plan to do once I move and have access to a kitchen again.
I don't know if that helps but you're definitely not alone. Just the stress of your long work day could explain why you aren't seeing losses... I'm certain stress has a lot to do with why I'm not losing much weight. Weight Watchers certainly hasn't been working for me... I track like a crazy person, and for what?
. Don't do this. Take a multivitamin and at least count what you are eating. If eating blindly worked for you, you would not be here asking to lose.
. Don't do this. Take a multivitamin and at least count what you are eating. If eating blindly worked for you, you would not be here asking to lose.
Well, "eating blindly," as you put it, is one thing I actually have not tried. I already take multi-vitamins and I've been religiously tracking everything through Weight Watchers for months. I haven't lost weight. If tracking, counting and taking vitamins worked for me I would have lost at least some weight. I also work out 5 days a week and do very strenuous workouts (sprints, heavy weights, stair climbing). Why should I continue to do something that does not work? That makes no sense at all.
Not that Ive tried Weightwatchers , but a friend started going to these classes four years ago.. she lost over four stones and has kept it off by following their regime... and says its easy...
Well, "eating blindly," as you put it, is one thing I actually have not tried. I already take multi-vitamins and I've been religiously tracking everything through Weight Watchers for months. I haven't lost weight. If tracking, counting and taking vitamins worked for me I would have lost at least some weight. I also work out 5 days a week and do very strenuous workouts (sprints, heavy weights, stair climbing). Why should I continue to do something that does not work? That makes no sense at all.
Eating blindly is what makes people gain in the first place. That is exactly what everyone was doing while they gained weight.
What I would do if I were you:
- Look at the actual calorie content of what you eating - use a scale
If the point system is not working for you there has to be some sort of flaw in it for your habits.
- Is your diet enough for your energy level output? I would review that.
- Has your body fat changed at all? Are you tracking that? (you should)
- Have you cheated on your diet at all?
- Have you started medications?
- Have you been tracking and not cheating at all for at least three months?
- If general nutrition rules are not working for you, it is time to visit the doctor for a check up that includes thyroid and diabetes checks.
Make an appt to see a doctor if you haven't had a check up in a while.
I'm wondering if its a health problem.
Quote:
I work 10 - 12 hours a day with a one hour (each way) commute. This leaves me with 12-14 hours total, 8 of which I am sleeping and two of which I am getting ready for work. This leaves me 2 hours a day to do everything that I need to do including, driving to the post office to get the mail, shopping for food and other necessities, cooking, cleaning, changing sheets, doing laundry, feeding the cats, washing my car, taking out the trash, etc.
Maybe sleep only 7 hours instead of 8?
I think if you are always and work or on the road you don't have time to eat much, let alone cook.
Unless your stressfull work is causing you to snack a lot. I know for me stress works two ways...I either lose weight, or do a lot of "nervous eating" (aka snacking).
The "hungry all the time" thing is interesting....could be that you are cutting back eating then pig out when you give in to the hunger and gain the weight back.
I'm not a dietician or nutrionist or doctor, but Im thinking two or three things, but one big thing.
1. Forget about losing weight and just eat better. You are obsessing about losing weight. That should be a side benefit of a better way of eating that works for your lifestyle.
a. Have a good breakfast (one that is maybe more basic, like grapefruit or orange, egg (just one) and milk & cereal with fruit).
b. Precook or pre-make stuff for when you get home. Get up earlier and give yourself time to make stuff. You will be tired and worn out after a busy day and long commute so you will have the food ready when you are home, vs stopping for take outs.
....& If you know how to bake maybe pre-bake stuff for work snacks during the week
(which I, personnaly am going to do when I get some baking pans and stuff). You can also pre-make things like salads for during the week (ive done this kind of by accident but it turns out to be a good way to stretch a food budget, too).
c. Bring your lunch (and keep it a light one) to work, and also bring your own snacks. For the morning maybe bananas and cookies or something. For the afternoon maybe fruit.
c. Figure out your minimum calorie requirements for your target weight and eat/cook to that...this is about portion control.
When i said get up an hour earlier, that will give time in the morning to prepare stuff for dinner as well as having a breakfast.
I think it's actually typical of a healthy body to react adversely to a preponderance of unnatural, prepackaged, processed, refined, "quick energy" foods in your diet especially when there is a lack of exercise involved. Keep that combo going long enough and you will gain weight and/or develop health problems - guaranteed.
- If general nutrition rules are not working for you, it is time to visit the doctor for a check up that includes thyroid and diabetes checks.
Bingo. My thoughts exactley.
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. Don't do this. Take a multivitamin and at least count what you are eating. If eating blindly worked for you, you would not be here asking to lose.
