breaking the can't cope/ tired/eat cycle help

[frustratedmom]

I need ideas on where to start. Know you are a world of knowledge so please pass on the advice.

where to start
how to stick.

Anything.

Hello everyone.
Thanks for your encouragement. I want to lose another 20 pounds (25 in dream land ).

The Nutrisystem program sends your food to you (breakfast, lunch, dinner, desert for an evening snack)and I add in fresh produce/fruit/dairy. My problem is portion control. I just eat too much. But I know a body doesn't need that much food to be healthy...but still. I need the structure of a program because I can not rely on my self-control for an extended period of time. So often, if I lose 3 or 4 pounds, I will get cocky about it and justify a few cookies here, evening up the sliced cake there, finish off the apple crisp...

The No S diet sounds like a great strategy, Velvetcushions. And Movingintothefuture-your day of comittment does make a special day. I raise my glass of water for a toast:

To the future!

I'll have to come back later, dd2 woke up.

want to teach 2ndry science. Can't type more as boy is so excited that you could run the country off it and it is hard to type when being climbed on loved.

The idea of "transformation" sort of tamed down the idea of "morphing". Advancing age (47)-what am I morphing into??
Or "re-inventing" myself.

Hopefully, I'll get a new wardrobe eventually. I have been terrible about dressing myself-jeans & polo or turtleneck. I do wear leather walking shoes instead of tennis shoes now . I don't know about a new hairdo-my pony tail and I go way back . Perhaps.

Movingintothefuture-how did you do regarding coke today? I think tapering off might be better than cold turkey. The caffeine withdrawal might give a 3 or 4 day headache. That is what I got for dropping coffee when became pg. (I am still on decaf.)

Sugar is tough. For me, it is like the more I have, the more I want. Like scratching poison ivy-can't stop once you start. Just don't start. But that would be a sad life wouldn't it? The Nutrisystem does have chocolate pudding, cake, brownie, biscotti, cookie options. But they are small (120 cal) servings.

What is a UFO? I am a quilter and a ufo would be an Un-Finished Object. Which would be my Mariners Compass quilt for dh started in 2004 !

That nutrisystem sounds like a brilliant idea. I would love for someone to give me some meals and say 'thats it for today' coupled with a maniac shouting at me to exercise for an hour a day would definitely do the job. Dream on.

Today was a not so good day with regards to food, but good in that I didn't have much sugar. I went to lunch at Ils and had half a cream cake for dessert. I had way too much lunch and dinner though (chicken satay, veg and lots of bread and chicken biryani for dinner). Must not eat anything else now.

Toomanystuffedbears I agree totally about the more sugar you have, the more you want. I haven't really had much since Mon and am not really craving it as much.

Is anyone exercising? I feel like I should but always seem to be tired.

I walked two laps around the mall yesterday, dd2 in the stroller was patient. It took about 45 min.

Nothing today, yet [emotikon snickers].

Fatigue...
I am a light sleeper, or was. Dd2 is 14 months (ds is 16 yr, dd1 is 15 yr-they don't seem to have too much trouble ).

And dh can snore the roof off the house. Although it doesn't happen every night.

I am a SAHM so I can survive with cat naps with dd2 in the afternoon. It helps, no doubt, but it is not the deep sleep that is needed.

I think I have been sleep deprived for most of my life.

Yes toomany -a UFO is unfinished object try this thread it might explain www.mumsnet.com/Talk/arts_and_crafts/761335-Do-you-have-any-UFO-39-s-unfinished-projects

Velvetcushions:
Coke 2 lts only but 1/2 packet of ready roll icing but defined today as an S day due to circumstances. Things are likely to improve with the coke ban here. Might sneak 1 coffee tomo if need it but only if have to. Not great but still an improvement. Not cooking for a few days so unless make effort to take ds to shop to get a chocolate bar will pretty much be sugar free it is not worth the sugar rush!

Congrats to all for the progress one elephant bite at a time

I have woken up today after what I would call a good nights sleep but I feel so tired. I don't really get it. Is it because I have been having quite big meals in the evening? I'm going to try eating smaller meals a bit earlier to see if it helps.

I think I need to exercise a bit too. Hope you all manage to stick to it and have a good day.

No sugar
No snacking
No seconds

Sorry to hear that you don't feel tiptop this morning Velvetcushions. Do you think you might have had poor quality sleep even though you were in bed for a long time and that you might have spent the night tossing and turning?

I think there are two sorts of people, having discussed this before with people in RL - those who get tired and for whom just one decent night's sleep is enough to restore them back to normal and those who routinely need a good nights sleep to feel better. I would say I am the later. One good night's sleep wouldn't leave me feeling any better either.

Or maybe I don't know what my optimum amount of sleep is. Maybe the nights I think I have a good night's sleep it is actually too much sleep and I am left feeling sluggish. Could that have been you last night too?

Or, to continue my theme of random made up theories , maybe it is tied up to blood sugar and if you don't eat the right sort of thing before going to bed you have such a sugar low when you wake up that you feel worse than if you don't get much sleep and eat more often.

So maybe there is something in your theory about not eating too much before you go to bed or maybe it is what you have eaten. If we all went to bed on a bowl of porridge and slept for 8 hours, would we feel OK when we woke up because our blood sugar would be level?

Or maybe you need to eat the right thing in the morning to get going.

...Gosh, sorry. Can you tell I am writing an essay about the moment? All these random theories flying around! (Note to self - this is not an essay)

nyway, to ensure absorption of rules and to make them second nature I will repeat

No Sugar
No Snacking
No Seconds

(How long does it take for a habit to be formed)?

I like your theories. Maybe I've got used to too little sleep and had too much...? hmm could be. I do think that a healthier diet and a bit of exercise would help me. I'd really like to try your bowl of porridge and 8 hrs sleep one. I think I'd start to look and feel great. I'm definitely considering it

I've had some cereal and yoghurt for breakfast and a coffee. I'm feeling a bit better. So no snacking now. I'm going to wait for lunch and have a salad sandwich with a bit of 1/2 fat cheese.

I'm going to try to fit some exercise in today.

I think we should keep reminding ourselves of The Rules

No Sugar
No Snacking
No Seconds

(3 weeks, apparently )

I hope it only takes 3 weeks

The 3 rules:

No sugar (only have some pineapple juice so far)
No Snacking -check
No Seconds -check

No coke -Check but 3/4 cup of coffee this morning.
No dairy -check (lactose intollerant and regularly cheat but think might be part of why feeling so crappy)
Exercise -
Good nights sleep

[smug emoticon] So far fantastic for the caffine addicted chocoholic The question is will I last the evening and the night?

movingtothefuture you have got to make this last. Its the only way forward.
You're doing really well considering all your challenges. Brilliant

I can check all 3 at the momentplus good nights sleep [smug too]. Exercise er no.
I am going to make this work too.

Has anyone read the thread about 10 things to help lose weight? have a look. its quite good.

I have a viewer for our house coming at 3 and its such a tip! It was spotless yesterday but you'd never believe it if you saw it now. The kids have got food everywhere - pasta all over the dining table, chairs and floors and there are cracker crumbs all over the lounge area on the sofa's and rug. There are toys everywhere and the washing basket is overflowing. The beds are unmade and the bathroon neeeds a quick spritz. Oh and the kitchen is a tip. I'm so tired. I'm finding really hard to get moving.

I am going to aim to get it all done by 2.30.

Updated Rules

No Sugar
No Snacking
No Seconds
Good nights sleep
Exercise

More rules!

Can we keep the 'S' theme going?

No Snacks
No Sugar
No Seconds Sleep more

Struggling with the exercise one - can only think of
Sport (Yuck)
or even more lame
Move Something

Perhaps when we are all of model proportions and with the energy of a lithium battery we can incorporate our award winning 'S' plan diet into a multi-million selling book and live off the proceeds forever more. Just need to get the 'S' into exercise!

Velvet - good luck with the clean up. Hope you get a good viewing.

Nothing focuses the mind and the taps unknown reservoirs of energy like the thought that somebody might be round very soon who might actually want to buy your house. If I could apply myself on a daily basis the way I do when visitors are imminent (especially home viewers and MILs) my house would be spotless. As it is, it is a tip!

Doing OK today with food. Planning a walk this afternoon as I have to go to the Post Office and might incorporate a visit to the park to keep the DSs away from all things screen related.

Has anybody else weighed themselves? I have but am not prepared to divulge the starting amount just yet (It isn't good ) - just the amounts lost. Anybody else up for a weekly weigh-in?

Something went wrong with my *'s there. You know what I mean hopefully!

exercise!

Hello
I slept well last night, first time in 10 days or so. 11 to about 4:30am then I woke with one of those panic bolts- "is baby ok?" I definitely need to chill.

I cooked dinner last night and it usually isn't a problem because I eat my plan meal separately. I made cheese sauce, (oh no!)and found myself dipping the broccoli in it 5 or 6 times. Well, at least it was a veggie .

I need to follow the plan "to the crumb" and no more. Just for today. I'll decide about tomorrow-tomorrow. That may be one of my mental blocks-presuming the permanence of percieved deprivation.

1. I am not starving, so it isn't deprivation.
2. Eating correctly should be a permanent "talent" (trying to be positive ), but doesn't mean I can't or shouldn't overeat occasionally.

Does housework qualify as exercise? You should be covered for today velvetcushions.

Niecie-sleep theories. I know what you mean. I have to be careful of what I see on tv before I go to bed. If a crime show is a little too gruesome--it disturbs my sleep .

The 4 o'clock hour is my bewitching hour. I don't need to wear a watch, I just know when it is 4pm-I am so hungry. I will try a liquid treat-a diet ginger ale mixed with diet cranberry juice. It is a few calories, but not too bad.

No Sugar
No Snacking
No Seconds
Good night sleep
Exercise
How about Vitamins, too? W-a-t-e-r?

I meant 5 or 6 pieces of broccoli into the cheese sauce.

Cleaning and viewing done! House looks lovely, even if I do say so myself
Can relax a bit. I hope cleaning counts as exercise as I did sweat!

Ok, if we keep to the S theme, how about

No Sugar
No Snacking
No Seconds

Sleep
Sweat!

I think we should add 8 glasses of water a day but as it doesn't start with s, I'll go with

Seven glasses of water!

Toomanystuffedbears I find that if I think of this regime as improving my health, appearance and well being it works better than a negative iyswim.

That was a bit of random contribution by Sherahzade? Is she demanding we exercise?

yes! the best way to beat lethargy is exercise. you will feel less tired.

Shezherazad - come back and elucidate!

Oh too late!

Exercise just makes me knackered.

I have never got this thing about exercise giving you energy - never has worked for me.

A brisk walk is the best I can do.

Exercising to get energy...I know what sheherazadethegoat is talking about. It happens when an exercise routine is well established. When my body was strong and fit sometimes it would just want to move. It is a good feeling. Instead of my brain moaning and complaining about exercise, my body was past it already and ready to go.

Positive goal results help greatly, velvetcushions, you are so right. Good health is taken for granted too much, I think as kind of a grand sweeping generalization (I know everyone doesn't take it for granted).

For me, having reduced weight will erase the pain in my knee when climbing stairs, as well as the pain in my hip when trying to sleep. I also have a tricky ankle. It'll be better off in the long run if the load is lighter .

Stretching
Strength training
Saturated

I understand the theory of exercise and endorphins and all that, I have just never experienced it. Not even when I was walking 6 or 7 miles a day at school/college/university and using the weights in gyms. Walking is fine but anything that involves getting out of properly out of breath just makes me feel ill. And I have had a dodgy knee since school so running is a no-no because it just tends to give way unexpectedly when I run.

I went through a phase of using an exercise video for a couple of months, 2 or 3 times a week. Although I had more stamina at the end than the beginning and I didn't have the aches and pains associated with doing too much, I can't say it ever felt good.

Anyway, enough of my whinging. Each to their own. You can get moving and sweaty without running or aerobics classes or all those other things that I don't like much!

So we our mantra

No snacks,
No sugar
No seconds
Sweat
Sleep
and 7 glasses of water.

We'll make millions, millions I tell you, when this gets published!!

I get it. I used to skate (ice) 20hours a week and work full time. I was tired but the qaulity of sleep was much better so I felt less sludgy.

I am a worrier and when i worry I don't sleep. Got myself into a predicament [shush emoticon] and worrying tonight so back up even though I tried to be in bed for 9.30pm (it was when i put boy down -he's only sleeping at mo if he thinks I any going to bed too and he can physically sleep on top of me) Normally I would eat sugar but feel yucky and have only have 2 paracetamols instead.

OMG just googled caffine ... (i forget 2nd bit typed) and got to this here If you go down to the side effects and overdose stuff it gets really scarey and actually explains why I feel so shit and have so much pain in my joints at mo. Just heading off to finish scaring myself reading it.

Next stop impact of dairy on intollerant individuals. i think a good scare will happily put me onto the straight and narrow.

okay suitably scared now. it would seem alot of my joint pain issues and other niggy bits are self inflicted. Ds has just got up for the day arrrh!