Caregivers that are trying to diet.

WTG, Timbuktu! So proud of you, girl. ((((Timbuktu))))

Still losing. Also still with some mama drama as her foot surgery is tomorrow but I am still on coarse. Hope everybody gets outside at least 30 minutes everyday if all you do is sit in a chair. I don't care right now if mom thinks I am a queen b*tch right now. I will have breaks and be able to exercise,even prisoners get an exercise break.

You are doing your best for 'mama' and you need to also look out for your own physical and mental well-being!! Hang in here!! Doing Great! If I ever start losing will let you all know!

I have been so busy getting taxes filed six months late, arranging medical appointments, basic caregiving stuff that I have had less time to buy or eat junk food. Not a chip, cookie, candy or ice cream currently in the house. Hopefully I am on my way to beating my junk food cravings. I am trying to congratulate myself for any little positive step. Enjoy hearing about everyone's progress.

How's it going jenniferami? Well,I am just decompressing from yesterday's mama drama foot surgery.Fell off the wagon just a smidge but not near as bad as I have done in the past. I am on a diet program that gives credit for different kinds of housework and one is window washing. Well, today was a very sunny day and really showed where all my doggies have been looking out the window. Would appreciate any advice,recipes on what is a good way to wash "doggie" nose dirt from windows because I am going to get a lot of arm exercise doing this.

Timbuktu, that is great success! With your back do you think it is at all possible there can be a horse ride in your future? At least you still have your horse, but I am hoping a miracle for you. Keep up the good work, you have inspired me.

I will get back on my horse it's just now I am to heavy and out of shape but I will be starting an 8 week challenge on my food group site on Monday.Going for a 16lb wt.loss.

This weekend may be interesting.Momsy dearest had foot surgery thursday and already regressed to a 6yr.old. But post op instructions were very clearly explained to her in detail and at length and she was able to verbalize an understanding of them.I am not going to blow my diet this weekend. I have to weigh in on Monday morning for an 8 week challenge. I really need to do this ,if I don't get this weight off I am going to be on bp meds.

Was it parsely and beets for high blood pressure?

That's starting to look good right now.

I wonder if i should start smoking cigarettes, I have to have a bad habit, giving up emotional eating ain't easy.I though giving up drinking coca-cola was bad ,it only took having kidney stones 5 times to get me to give them up.

Yeah, it's me again. I have to weigh in tomorrow and my enabling husband cooked a meatlover's pizza this afternoon. I am not touching it,no way ,afraid to even go into the kitchen.All I can think of is food.At least if I am writing on here I am not eating. It's almost like panic attacks,food, food, food, and I am not in the least hungry.

Shame on your husband! You want us to come kick his butt? :)

I only just found this thread...I think it's an excellent one! Count me in!

I would have kicked his butt however,my ankle was hurting so much so I took a rain check on it. I weigh in in the am for an 8 week challenge on line on another forum and my goal is to lose 2lbs a week, ambitious am I not? Right now my dog's chew toys are starting to look good.Basically my husband is supportive but weight is also an issue for him. I hope by him seeing that I am sticking with this and losing weight it will maybe inspire him. Despite the pizza he did walk aroung the yard at least twice and our yard is about 1200 feet perimeter so for him that is pretty good.Is there a 12 step program for food aholics? I am not even hungry and yet I could outeat a Marine right now.

Please jessie and hope , it's hard to do this alone.When the cravings get bad I just come online and start writing.Keeps my hands busy long enough for the craving to pass. I got a feeling I will be posting a lot.

Whatever you do, do not start smoking! That would be replacing one bad addiction with another that can even be more deadly. Just keep your eye on the prize and drink water when you need some oral stimulation. Definitely stay away from gum, because it wears your teeth down and makes you feel hungry.

I wish your foot felt better. You could go for a walk when craving hit. Maybe you could rake some leaves. That can be fun, giving exercise and distraction at the same time.

The only way I know to get weight off and keep it off is to do some cognitive behavioral therapy on yourself. I think people can do this without having to pay a therapist. When there is a trigger to eat, redirect that trigger into doing some other endorphin-releasing behavior. This can be going for a walk or having a cup of coffee. Personally I like doing the cup of coffee, because it is a lot eaiser. If it is late night, like it is now, turn on the TV or put in a movie and curl up in bed. There are so many ways to comfort ourselves and soothe those brain centers that are crying out for gratification.

The hopeful thing is that when we learn to not eat, our brain will reset itself. The satiety center located in the primitive brain will tell us to stop eating. You won't even think about comfort eating of high fat food after a while.

But no smoking. Cigarettes are deadly -- so bad for the lungs and heart -- and add to weight problems through the effects on bp. Alcohol is also bad, since it adds calories and lowers resistance. What helps me the most when I'm trying to be healthy is to see myself as this healthy person who loves salads and exercising. Sometimes I almost convince myself... then someone shows me cookies. I am a definite cookie monster.

I grew up fat and know how hard it is. I don't struggle with my weight now. After you learn to not eat when triggered, your body will reset itself. If you think you need some extra help, find a good bariatric specialist. Worth the money, since it can be avoiding a future of diabetes and heart problems.

And I still feel like kicking your hubby's butt. Nothing worse than smelling something good when your body is in training for dieting.

I could have killed him when he cooked that pizza. But I stood strong and this am I weighed in at 241 pounds which I haven't seen in 2 yrs. And jessie, you are right. I have to train my brain to react differently, also I did watch 2 movies last night when the craving got bad and by the time they were over I was to comfortable in bed to get up to go to the kitchen, fortunately it is at the other end of the house. So is I stay on track with the 2lb. a week after 8 weeks I should be 225lb. which still puts me at 88 lbs. overweight from my goal of 137lb. Gonna be a long 8 weeks with mama drama in the mix.

WTG! Something that might help is to read about the satiety and hunger centers in the hypothalamus of the brain and the pleasure center. If you know why things are happening, you'll know why things are making you want to eat and get an idea of how to get around the impulses. It is hard to not eat when someone does things like make pizza or homemade bread. These things trigger the "eat" areas. We can't get other people to give up what they want, but maybe there's a way to learn to ignore or to just appreciate the smell without having to eat. My mother cooks bacon every morning. The smell is wonderful, but it doesn't do anything to me. Maybe I have it switched over to the "not relevant to me" area, so it doesn't make me want to eat.

You are doing so well with your diet. You ought to be proud. I imagine that your clothes are already starting to feel looser. That is rewarding. :)

Just found this thread - like it! I am one of those prisoners in my house in a rural area. Been doing post holiday diets for a couple years and it's been working. Sort of a slow lifestyle change. This morning I was thinking I could get a short diet in pre-holidays. Then I thought, when the 'blank' am I going to cook (this is a diet where you do all the prep work). Then I thought, I could just eat less. Then I laughed, lol :-)

Also like the bit about the butt kicking except for the hurt ankle. Hoisting Mom around both my knees hurt, a toe hurts and my back hurts. All the sitting on my butt watching her is really helping me stay fit ;-)

I'll check in here for empathy and maybe inspiration :-) Sending supportive thoughts to you all.


Ah, the life.

Nice to meet you rojo. I also live in a rural area. I grew up a country girl as opposed to Mumsy who grew up in Washington,D.C. Right now filled up on Progresso soup,these are great,the lite ones. Just got back from another md trip with mom and her feet. Most of her md appts. are 80 mile round trips ,today it was a trip in pouring rain. Got her squared away and now I am going to hide in my bedroom and read. I am so wound up right now but getting that soup in me( I also put hot sauce in it) really filled me up.

When I'm not stuck in the house I'm at work. Tuesday the boss brings in treats. So this morning I had 1 small danish and a donut hole before I had the sanctioned yogurt breakfast. But I thought of you all and did not have a second danish after my reasonably sized healthy lunch! Those long drives are killers. And we always eat at Cracker Barrel as a treat for Mom (and stop at Gander Mtn as a treat for hubby). I get 3 hrs a week of respite for me. I've been using it for garden/yard work and thinking I need another 3 hrs for hiding in my room ;-) Hope you had a good read timbuktu!

I find under our circumstances we caregivers have to make the time for ourselves, demand time for ourselves.Craker barrel does have some really good salads. its the dressing they put on it that is a problem, I just get my salad dressing on the side, I will dip my fork in it and then get some salad, I can still taste the dressing but it really cuts down on the amount since you don't put it all over the salad.I have also bought a cute pink halter and leash for my boxer and go for walks with him, it beats hiding in my room it's just that today it was pouring rain all day.

My DH wants ice cream and cookies. I haven't bought that stuff in years. I've gained 20 pounds since April. Last night I slept with a package of Oreos next to me. It made so calm. Do you think that's emotional eating. 😬😬🍨🍰🎂

Smcbeth 1 you are a sister in the emotional eating tribe. Slept with oreos? How did you not eat them? I am trying all my little mental tricks to get past the cravings. Have been buying the Sally Hansen nail colors that dry really fast, My husband thinks I lost my mind. I am almost 57 and I have been painting my nails purple,hot pink, fuschia, and today they are blue with glitter on top. The thing is when the anxiety/craving starts I just lay out all my nail painting utensils,get my laptop and put on something funny, hide in the bathroom and just take my time and concentrate on painting my nails and the next thing I know the craving has passed. Just an idea, to work thru that awful feeling that my mind thinks that only mayo can help.

That's a great trick. If you paint your toes too you won't be able to move until everything dries. Maybe you'll forget about eating, heh heh. I've decided to at least do the alcohol part of my normal diet starting Nov. 1st. 1 week of NO alcohol. After that, 2 weeks of no more than 1 glass of red wine a night. I'll try to eat a little better too but I won't stress about it.

Hi everyone! I need to get back to this thread! My life has been chaos the last two weeks as my mom fell and broke her wrist which required surgery. Broke her right wrist...so cant do any cooking or housework so that too has fallen to me as well.

The good news is i hired a caregiver to start monday for half day. Im hoping that will give me some relief so i can focus on myself for a change.

Congrats to all of you who are sticking with your excersize and eating right. I hope to straighten myself up and join you all.

Have a great day!

That's great KK,not that your mom broke her wrist but that you are now getting some outside help. The silver lining could be your mom(don't know your living situation) will be better about letting outside help in now, I know so many on here have problems with their seniors not allowing anyone in the house which puts more on the caregiver, instead of being able to be a daughter/son you become the household servant.Rojo that is really the best thing, not easy, to just not stress over dieting. Start with baby steps, if you have to have cookies have 2 instead of 10,smaller plates to help with making smaller portions.And how big is your glass of wine, how many oz. Just decrease it by a couple of ounces. Start small, thats how good habits get started,but again, it ain't easy.

I would put nail polish on my toe but I am not that flexible and I don't trust nail salons.However,I am able to keep my feet and legs from looking like a Hobbit.

Okay, for fun , I have a great playlist for doing housework( at least it works for me). So I will post the first three now,more to come, playlist is 16 songs I got from Iapple ,most were .99cents or 1.29. If anyone knows how to download music for free ,please feel free to let me know. Okay,#1" I love it" by Icona Pop, #2 "Timber" by Pit Bull, and #3 is " Feel So Close " by Calvin Harris.These first three I start with vacuuming,really gets me going.The whole 16 song playlist is about 56 minutes.This to me is a great way to get housework,exercise at the same time,also I don't have to watch the clock and I can tell by what song how long I have been working.