hannah1400

Hi guys,

Im just seeking a bit of a kick up the butt. I am feeling miserable. Early last year I joined a gym to lose weight, I was on the cusp of being overweight for my height and wasnt comfortable with feeling frumpy. I am also very tall so that doesnt help...I became a health nut, counting calories, gyming every day for 1.5 hours or even more. Eating between 1600-2000 cals a day and I lost a lot of weight, I became slighlty underweight. At that point I started fretting about maintaining and still felt like I wanted to lose more weight, although some days I was happy with my figure. From that point on I have steadily been gaining weight due to huge binges up to 4 times a week at certain points. At first i was still exercising and then excessively exercising to burn off all the binge food but now Ive just lost motivation to even exercise and Im gaining between 0.5 and 1 kg per week. Its winter where I am and I struggle to get outside to do the walks I used to love and I cant stand being in the gym, it just feels like a horrible thing to have to face after work. I am disgusted with myself and how Ive let myself go. The binges have mostly stopped but now I just eating unhealthy junk foods and over eat most days by 200-500 calories. I just feel like I want to give up, I have no self confidence anymore and losing weight again seems overwhelming. I have also started a new job that I find very stressful and have been suffering with depression over the past year and a half. I find that when I am stressed or down, I reach for food.

I dont know where to begin, can someone please inspire me and give me any advice. I have 4 months until summer/New years and I want to be looking great- for me, I think that would be about 65kg.

Info:
179cm tall
75kg
Ideal weight 65-66kg
Currently a gym member but cant bring myself to go...

Any advice greatly appreciated!

binatangmerah

Instead of looking at how much ground you’ve lost and how far you have to go, just focus on making one or two small changes at a time, so you can regain confidence and a sense of control. Start by making a commitment to track and log your food intake (especially on binge days), even if you’re not yet ready to restrict calories. Then make a deal with yourself that you have to drink a certain amount of water and eat your daily servings of fruit and veggies before you allow yourself the junk food. Taking these small steps will give you a feeling of control that will make the long-term goals seem more manageable.

While exercise is great for you and can help with the depression, controlling your diet is more important for weight loss. I’ve also had periods of obsession over exercise, letting it take over my life. But it just isn't healthy or sustainable. Whatever fitness plan you eventually come up with, try to make it something you enjoy and that enhances your life rather than a chore that adds stress, anxiety and guilt. Maybe the gym just isn’t for you, so consider team sports, commuting to work by bike, or jogging to your favorite music. Also remember that every bit helps, so half an hour at the gym twice a week is enough to help you lose weight; you don't have to treat it like a whole second job. But, more importantly, tackle the diet first.

I was compelled to respond because I’m also in a very stressful job that triggers binge eating as a coping mechanism. I’m still struggling to get a handle on it, and cannot over-emphasize how much simply logging food helps. Today was a relatively out-of-control day for me, but I’m finishing at 1800 calories instead of the 3000-4000 I consume in periods when I don’t use Fitday (for context, I only need 1600 calories to maintain my current weight).

Finally, do try to get professional help for the depression. I have chronic depression and anxiety myself, but here in the US is it very difficult to get help if you don’t have health insurance, which I don’t. It sounds like you’re writing from Australia or NZ (am I right?), so you should have an easier time accessing care.

10 kg in four months is very doable with diet alone. Just take the first baby step and you’ll be on your way!

misfit36

Hannah,

Your stats actually look pretty good. We can all afford to lose some weight. If you were recently underweight, you are probably making a bad comparison and thinking you are bigger than you are.

I have suggestions, in no particular order.

Go to a good naturopath and start dealing with your depression through diet and remedies. I live in a cloudy area and have terrible trouble at times with the darkness. I bought a blue light and my naturopath has prescribed extra vitamin D and seratonin. I'm hoping this winter won't be as bad as the last few. She also has screened me for food sensitivities. Sometimes foods contribute to your mood in negative ways. Getting good exercise can help too, especially when you don't feel like it. If you can't treat the depression naturally, see your doctor. Life is too short to go around feeling depressed.

I have been motivated at times by reading other people's blogs. One I like is The Daily Diary of a Winning Loser (not sure I'm supposed to refer to other sites). I also like the testimonials at Get Into Shape Stay Fit - Meal Plans & Workout Routines To Burn Fat & Build Muscle.

I have a very stressful job too (lawyer). Tracking your caloric intake during the day is helpful. I also find that any tendencies toward feeling overwhelmed are often linked to diet. If I eat good food consistently, I feel better. If I skip a meal because I am "too busy to eat", I usually start to feel overwhelmed and am not as productive as when I eat properly.

Make sure that if you truly want to do this, that now is a good time. Sometimes we make commitments to do things when it is simply too busy a time in our lives. If we fall off the wagon early, it is harder to get on track again later. I recently hired a personal trainer to show me what to do and not to do in the gym. Now I am on my own but I have the time and motivation. A year ago, or 6 months ago, not a chance. I wouldn't have lasted a week. It's like trying to diet at Christmas. Not the wisest choice!

You can do this.

victoriastiles

Hey Hannah!!! You are tall that is why you are feeling like this. But if you are tall it is not a big issue to have weight and do not try to loose weight, Just have a healthy diet. Do not eat junk food. Have Lite dinner. You can also have few lite exercises at home. You will look good, a tall healthy personality..

TrainersRoom

For doing any kind of task you really need motivation to complete that given task. As you know that having, a motivation towards any work will lead you towards success.

Genuphobia

I know for a long time I was very depressed about my weight, but for some reason didn't feel motivated enough to do anything about it. Ya know....I'd get on the scale three times a day and get off knowing I was gaining weight. My mom gave me the idea of keeping some bible verses in my heart and in my head (although the ones she gave me didn't help). If you aren't Christian I won't be offended if you disregard this part. Two of the things I wrote on my hand every day was that I was God's temple and God's creation. If I'm God's temple it means I need to keep the "temple" healthy. And if I'm His creation, it means I'm perfect in his eyes and I shouldn't be looking down on myself for being a little overweight. With this new found confidence I gained the willpower to become healthier.
Second, I started boxing classes, which let me have some distraction from any depression and I started losing a little weight and getting stronger. (It's also good for defense, so it benefits more than just weight) It's also very exciting and fun to me. So I'd recommend finding something like that (boxing, swimming, etc.) to look forward to exercising.