F the diet, I'm turning into a b!tch...

I'm actually doing a little better now-I always get super motivated RIGHT before my period and then I feel like crap.Good thing is I don't eat much during my period and then after it ends I drop a few pounds more.

Don't beat yourself up-habits are hard to break and start.

Just keep trying and drink lots of water.

Hope you feel better!

Hahaha Danielle... I made brownies today. FH is a reluctant enabler.

I really hoped to have lost more weight by now. The wedding in only 22 days away so the most I can hope to lose is maybe another 4lbs. I am trying not to get too down about it.

I bought my dress last year and apparently I was REALLY skinny back then...well after the holidays, guess what? I gained 10 lbs and when I went in for my first fitting my dress wouldnt even zipper....exact words "If I keep trying I might break the zipper" I've been on a diet ever since but I cant seem to get to that weight again. Dieting and going to the gym everyday has me SOOO cranky (poor FH) And the worst thing is people keep offering me "a bite" of their delicious fattening food. THAT really gets me P.O.ed....if I have a bite there is no turning back, I'll throw them to the floor and snatch their food away from them lol (picture night of the living dead but instead of brains its a burger)

You should never be hungry (even dieting), make sure you're eating foods that keep you full. I've noticed that ever since I started eating Kashi oatmeal for breakfast, my appetite has gone done. It might do something to my blood sugar, oats are good for that. Lots of fruits and veggies (dark greens - kale, green leaf, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, bananas, apples, oranges, mango, mushrooms, green beans, broccoli - you can eat all of those without guilt). Last night I made a Calzone with mushrooms, spinach, grilled onions, jalapenos, and Daiya vegan cheese. It was amazing and still diet friendly.

SparkPeople helps me keep on track and even sets my goals for me, I just plug in my info. Makes things easier.

My brother (who has sooo much more will power than me apparently..) has lost over 60lbs in the last 6 months by starting a Whole Grain Diet. Everything is whole grain, annd low fat (he maintains a 1900 calorie/day *his wife does 1400* when LOSING. They have uped it now to "maintain". They told me they add alot of fruits/veggies to help w/ snacking. But the whole grains keep you full longer.

Obviously, it works, but I havent pulled myself to the pointof trying it. lol.

I wouldnt worry about the diet thing. I think changing one thing at a time is the most I can handle (add gym. then reduce junk. then add more veggies..etc.)

Best of luck. I am sure you will get to where you want to be!

Been there, done that. You are making the same mistakes very common to 'dieting.' You may be restricting your calories too much, or eating the wrong kinds of foods. Like they said, starches and whole grains stick to your stomach and make you feel full longer.

And I assume you are adding an exercise routine- which means your normal calorie demands may have actually increased.

I always suggest trying to switch to 5-6 small meals a day if that's an option, because it keeps your metabolism going and you actually burn more calories throughout the day.

I fell off the bandwagon a while back and although I'm not back up to running every other day, I have eaten a ton of fruits daily for the past week and walked on the treadmill for 30-45 mins every day. I also increased my water intake (I used to drink 2-4 glasses a day, and now I drink 6 minimum) I will start adding even more next week now that I'm used to drinking my current amount.

But yes, I understand the crankiness!

In Jan. when I started my diet/exercise kick I found myself getting cranky as well, mainly because what I wanted to eat I wasn't allowing myself. Its def. hard in the beginning but if you stick to it, it becomes a routine. You can still eat what you like but just in a lot smaller portions, like no bigger then your fist. When dieting you should always pair it with exercise/toning. To burn fat, you should always be reaching your target heart rate during cardio, when you're in your target heart rate you burn fat. By toning you build muscle which then burns fat, even when you're not exercising.

From evry1's posts this does look like a lot but the trick is to ease into it. I got started by doing Jillian Michael dvd's, lost 12 lbs in 2wks on the "No More Trouble Zones" ($9 @ wally world)and by drinking more water opposed to sugary juices and replaced starchy snacks with apples and whole wheat crackers. You just gotta stay postive and focus on the results you'll gain!

I also fell off the bandwagon about a month ago. Ugh!!! Need to get motivated again. I keep thinking eh the wedding is not happening for awhile now so I can eat cookies, and what not. But I do have a goal by October...so I need to start today.

Oh hell yes, my poor FH haha As I've said before I've always been active and eaten healthy my problem is portion control and my wine addiction Even after upping my work outs and limiting wine to 2 nights a week no pounds lost...so now I'm counting calories and it SUUUUCKS... not to mention I threw my back out last week so have not been able to work out in 7 days which has been driving me mad! Yeah, not a happy woman over here!

Also keep in mind that being thirsty can sometimes make you actually feel hungry. Try drinking more liquids (especially water-- if you don't like plain water, add those flavor packets that are sugar free) and see if it helps any.

I know it's kind of gross, but look at your urine... it's a great guide to let you know how much fluid you need. The darker it is, the more you need to drink. It should be almost clear if you're hydrated enough.

Also, on the cutting portion sizes? When you go out to eat, right at the beginning before you eat your first bite, split everything in half so that you only have half the food to eat now. You can take the rest for another meal. After you finish eating, wait 5-10 minutes to let that food settle. If you're still hungry, eat a little more, but most of the time, it's probably just that your food hasn't hit bottom yet. Try eating slower. It tricks the brain into thinking you're fuller (or so they say). And you also have to have a cheat day.

Pick one day a week that you can splurge on something like dessert or that _________ that you love so much but isn't good for you. If you're miserable and hungry and don't allow for a cheat day, you'll be more likely to just binge on bad stuff when you get it. That makes the dieting pointless. Even if it's only a candy bar, make sure that you have allowed for that. It might even get to the point when ___day gets here and you can cheat, but you actually forget about it and just keep eating the things that are good for you.

Oh... a great snack idea..... frozen grapes. They are so tasty and they're really good for you and with it being so hot this summer, they really hit the spot sometimes.

I am super cranky. I have been dieting for 7 months (I actually started a month before we got engage lol). I've lost 50 lbs. and really wanna lose 20 or 30 more. But, it seems like no matter what I eat and no matter my work outs. I can't lose. It's so disappointing and I'm losing my motivation because of it. Argh!!!