20 replies to this topic

[GSDMom]

I have been a member of JC since April last year and have only lost 32 pounds of the 100 I want to lose. I loathe exercising; although I know I have to do it. I did start and lo and behold, I hurt my back and haven't been able to exercise for almost 2 mos now (lots of rest per dr.'s orders). I am getting soooo sick of eating the same thing every week. I have tried all the foods and there are quite a few I really don't like (I am very picky). It seems that I am losing interest very quickly and slipping back into my "who cares" mode, which of course makes me more depressed about failing again. I feel like such a loser and really don't have the inspiration to get going again. Maybe this program isn't for me anymore. Need to think about that. Thanks for listening.

[becki w]

No one likes to exercise in the beginning. You feel like you don't belong in a gym or in that class, that everyone else does it better than you and you can't even get thru the class. And that can be true. I started doing Zumba 5 months ago and was like that. Core muscles - what are those? Five months later, going to class is the highlight of my day and I have discovered muscles that I didn't know I had. I'm down 40 pounds and now I have crazy ideas of what fun is - I'm getting a bicycle as soon as the weather turns warm (Michigan) -I haven't been on a bike in 25 years, since high school, but I'm excited about it.

[JWinATL]

GSDMom: I think you have a case of the blahs. It appears you have narrowed your food choices to a limited number of meals, and so you are bored. You need to jazz it up and go back to the basics: start again with Planned Menus. Forget being "picky," and pretend that you are starting again! Regain your enthusiasm. Talk with your doctor about some activities you may be able to do, such as swimming? I have a friend who had a stroke about 8 years ago, and she swims as often as she can (in shallow water). She has totally lost the use of her right side.

On the other hand, if you are unwilling to make any changes in your food, I suggest you may be wasting your money continuing on the program. But, I strongly encourage you to rethink this. Your progress is great, even if it is not ideal. I did this program in 2004, and I know what I am talking about. When I say you can't fall into old habits, I mean if you do you will be right back where you started in April of last year.

Good luck whatever you decide. I hope you decide to give Jenny another chance.

LOVE, JILL

[Latin Dove]

I have been a member of JC since April last year and have only lost 32 pounds of the 100 I want to lose. I loathe exercising; although I know I have to do it. I did start and lo and behold, I hurt my back and haven't been able to exercise for almost 2 mos now (lots of rest per dr.'s orders). I am getting soooo sick of eating the same thing every week. I have tried all the foods and there are quite a few I really don't like (I am very picky). It seems that I am losing interest very quickly and slipping back into my "who cares" mode, which of course makes me more depressed about failing again. I feel like such a loser and really don't have the inspiration to get going again. Maybe this program isn't for me anymore. Need to think about that. Thanks for listening.

I too have a bad back & can't do much of anything, per dr's orders I have begun walking twice a day w/my faithful dog. He cannot understand not going helps depression too. I am a new member lost 12.5 since Jan 25. Try walking w/ur dog.

[FitIsFun]

I have been a member of JC since April last year and have only lost 32 pounds of the 100 I want to lose. I loathe exercising; although I know I have to do it. I did start and lo and behold, I hurt my back and haven't been able to exercise for almost 2 mos now (lots of rest per dr.'s orders). I am getting soooo sick of eating the same thing every week. I have tried all the foods and there are quite a few I really don't like (I am very picky). It seems that I am losing interest very quickly and slipping back into my "who cares" mode, which of course makes me more depressed about failing again. I feel like such a loser and really don't have the inspiration to get going again. Maybe this program isn't for me anymore. Need to think about that. Thanks for listening.

Hi GSDMom, Everyone here has such great Ideas for refreshing your program and keeping you going towards your goal, so the only thing I want to touch on here is your mindset! I cant believe I read the words "Only" and "32lbs" in the same sentence! Take some time to think back to when you started the program in the first place. Whats different for you since you lost 32 lbs? That is a huge achievement! Make sure your validating all your achievements and every positive stride you have made thus far. Your weight might be the most apparent measure of success each week, but think about all the healthy habits you have learned, all the self confidence you deserve for making such a big and positive change for you self!

Those are the things that are truly important. And if you still want to see your goal, than picture yourself there! What will be different for you when your there? What will be different for you when your down even another 30? Keep your mind on the prize and all those other things become insignificant. With a little refresh to your program, and maybe some help of creative recipes to spice up your food (Ask your JCC!) you will see your goal in no time. Plus as Jill said the planned menus might help you see your weight come off a lot quicker, and their is nothing more motivating in the short term than seeing that number go down on the scale!

FitisFun

[MargieJ]

I loathe exercising; although I know I have to do it. I did start and lo and behold, I hurt my back and haven't been able to exercise for almost 2 mos now (lots of rest per dr.'s orders).

I am getting soooo sick of eating the same thing every week.

Maybe this program isn't for me anymore.

A few thoughts--giving up after losing what you have would be tragic---you surely don't want to go back to where you were. I don't mean just the weight but also how you used to eat and the lack of control you probably had.

Regarding exercising---you don't have to make it into something so daunting. Do you loathe walking? If you're OK'd to walk, then just make that your exercise. 3-4 times per week for 30-40 min is all you need to keep your metablism revved up. You don't need to expose yourself to injury or feel overwhelmed by having to "go to the gym" or do hard core cardio. Just walk!

You say you're getting sick of eating the same thing and not sure this program is for you anymore. You have to decide for yourself---are you more sick of the food or of being overweight and not living your life to your fullest? It's unlikely that the problem is this program in particular. You have to decide you're ready to change your life---anything short of that will set you up for failure, regardless of the program. Start journaling what you want for your future, and when you're ready (and only then), dig in!

Margie

[Stasia40]

I can imagine a program like this must be hard if you don't like a lot of the foods. I have to like what I am eating or forget it...chaning your eating habits are half of the battle.

So, with that thought in mind, have you talked to your consultant to see if you can do some meals on your own? Maybe if you & she sit down and go over what you can do for that, the eating part will be better.

What JC meals do you like? The breakfasts? Lunches? Eat JC for the meals you like and then work with your consultant to put together meals on your own for the other parts of the day.

I know early on you're not supposed to do that but if you are having a hard time with the pre-packaged stuff, I would consider it.

And talk to your dr. about what kinds of exercise you CAN do - walking is a great option.

And I agree - celebrate those 32lbs! You are 32lbs less than you were when you started. I know you have further to go, but you are on your own way.

Good luck to you and keep posting here for support!

[suzeeQ2011]

Ditto on the walking!! Is that you shepard? He/She is beautiful!!! Get out and stroll with him...just doing that will make you feel better and benefit both of you. Also..if you have back problems consider swimming or a water areobics class...really great!

Please don't give up...Listen to Jill and the others ...YOU CAN DO IT!!!

[GSDMom]

Ditto on the walking!! Is that you shepard? He/She is beautiful!!! Get out and stroll with him...just doing that will make you feel better and benefit both of you. Also..if you have back problems consider swimming or a water areobics class...really great!

Please don't give up...Listen to Jill and the others ...YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Thanks everyone for the words of support. Yes, that is my shepherd and and I agree, he is beautiful, but thank you. Unfortunately, he has issues with his back hock and cannot walk for very long anymore so we do go for short walks when the weather is nice; otherwise his leg will swell. I do have 3 other dogs as well, 2 of which are younger and smaller and can walk so as soon as it warms up a bit (I live in Ohio), we will start walking again. I can't walk that long either b/c of my back problems (I have a missing vertebrae as well as a curvature). As far as swimming goes, this may sound weak, but I cannot swim in a public pool (I grew up with a built in pool). Has everyone figured out that I have an excuse for everything yet?! I know I do and believe me, it's a problem.

As far as the foods go, I have issues with the lunch choices. I may ask my JCC if I can substitute Lean Cuisines, etc. for some of their foods. The funny thing with me is that I really don't have too many bad habits when it comes to food. My problem is - I don't take time to eat. I always ate breakfast, but would skip lunch or dinner or both and maybe just have a salad and that was it. I find myself going back to that bad habit. I do miss exercising as much as I don't like to. I am going for a cortisone injection on Tuesday so hopefully that will help and get me moving again.

I am disgusted with myself for failing. I set goals and I haven't met them yet, such as I wanted to be close to my halfway point after 6 mos of starting and that didn't happen (that would have been October). So I moved that date to my birthday in March, well now that isn't going to happen either. It seems everytime I start doing good, something happens. I went for about 1-1/2 months without any loss and no one could explain why, we switched to a vegetarian menu, spoke with the nutrition dept, and we were doing everything right. So, I increased my exercise and then I hurt my back sweeping my floor in January. PT hasn't worked, massage therapy hasn't worked so hopefully the injection will. I guess I am just sick and tired of always feeling like I am being tested to see if I quit or go on. Well, I didn't quit, or haven't yet, so the testing needs to stop.

Again, thanks for listening and for all of your kind words.

[duckieq1967]

whenever i see someone on these boards state that they are bored with the food, i have to wonder just how much variety they were really getting before jc. i can pick on myself for this...every sunday was pasta night (italian family ) , then the week was pretty much a rotation of chicken dishes and an occasional steak. summer meant hot dogs and burgers once a week. saturday was dinner out..usually crap when the kids were little. not a great deal of variety. you can shake up your routine with your additions, change your fruits and veggies with the season. experiment with the creative recipes to change up the jc foods. usually bordem with the food is a symptom of a lack of motivation...not a lecture just my reality. think back to the reason you first called jc and asked for help..what was your driving factor, you need it back or another one to replace it. you are worth it and you need to beleive that

[Stasia40]

I think its great to have goals but don't set yourself for feeling like a failure by setting really big goals that may not be realistic.

Baby steps.

Instead of setting a 6 mo. goal set a 1 month goal...things like that.

[spunkyspider]

Firstly, if you are like me, you lose weight slowly.

Secondly, exercise can't help you lose weight if you are eating too many calories. Exercise is important - yes - but it's not a catch all

Thirdly, if you are sick of the food, order some JC cookbooks and get cooking

Fourthly, buy ( if it's still available) the Touchstones for Success CD and play it every time you are in your car to change your mindset and the messages you send to yourself.

:-) Good luck!

[pickyvicky]

Thanks everyone for the words of support. Yes, that is my shepherd and and I agree, he is beautiful, but thank you. Unfortunately, he has issues with his back hock and cannot walk for very long anymore so we do go for short walks when the weather is nice; otherwise his leg will swell. I do have 3 other dogs as well, 2 of which are younger and smaller and can walk so as soon as it warms up a bit (I live in Ohio), we will start walking again. I can't walk that long either b/c of my back problems (I have a missing vertebrae as well as a curvature). As far as swimming goes, this may sound weak, but I cannot swim in a public pool (I grew up with a built in pool). Has everyone figured out that I have an excuse for everything yet?! I know I do and believe me, it's a problem.

As far as the foods go, I have issues with the lunch choices. I may ask my JCC if I can substitute Lean Cuisines, etc. for some of their foods. The funny thing with me is that I really don't have too many bad habits when it comes to food. My problem is - I don't take time to eat. I always ate breakfast, but would skip lunch or dinner or both and maybe just have a salad and that was it. I find myself going back to that bad habit. I do miss exercising as much as I don't like to. I am going for a cortisone injection on Tuesday so hopefully that will help and get me moving again.

I am disgusted with myself for failing. I set goals and I haven't met them yet, such as I wanted to be close to my halfway point after 6 mos of starting and that didn't happen (that would have been October). So I moved that date to my birthday in March, well now that isn't going to happen either. It seems everytime I start doing good, something happens. I went for about 1-1/2 months without any loss and no one could explain why, we switched to a vegetarian menu, spoke with the nutrition dept, and we were doing everything right. So, I increased my exercise and then I hurt my back sweeping my floor in January. PT hasn't worked, massage therapy hasn't worked so hopefully the injection will. I guess I am just sick and tired of always feeling like I am being tested to see if I quit or go on. Well, I didn't quit, or haven't yet, so the testing needs to stop.

Again, thanks for listening and for all of your kind words.

[pickyvicky]

Like you, I am always searching for new food ideas. Some choices have been good and some not so good. It is a forever challenge!
It is during that time that you have to be your own best friend and forgive yourself and keep up all the good you are doing yourself and don't forget celebrate all your successes no matter how little they seem! Dont give up on yourself,ever!
I am so understanding of your physical pain but don't let the pain make your choices for you, I learned this the hard way and slowly am succeeding. Little movements are good, move movement is better.Listen to your body but try to move. A pedometer helped me to track my steps on a daily basis, and celebrate the milestones, no matter how small they may seem, they do add up over time!
Oh, by the way Lean Cuisines are good but have more calores- be very watchful! Best of Luck!!

[bikergirl36]

Hi GSDMom,

First let me say that is a beautiful dog you have! I am a GSD lover/owner myself. They are wonderful companions.

Now, as for your dislike of the JC food, I can relate. I have only found a few things on the JC menu that I like. I also have financial issues, so I was able to work with my JCC and cut the cost by dumping their breakfasts & snacks & going it alone. I have lost 8.4 pounds so far in three weeks, so with the right mindset I believe it can be done.

Walking is great exercise & I'm sure your dogs will love it (mine do)! Swimming is also excellent. Swimming is probably one of the best full body/cardio exercises there is. There are other exercises though. Have you thought about Yoga or Pilates? Both of these are low impact and may actually help you strengthen your back (check with your doctor to confirm).

As for your excuses, I can relate to those too. I was full of them for years! I finally realized I needed to make a change. I was tired of being overweight, sick & tired all the time. I never wanted to do anything, or go anywhere. Exercise was the last thing I wanted to do & I too was depressed. After trying & failing other diets & weight loss support groups, I made the decision to do something different. I called up the local JC and went in that day. I don't know if it was the shock of the fees they hit me with, or the encouragement I got from the consultants, but my mind changed right there! A friend of mine also suggested that I start taking B12 vitamins and I have to say they have made a huge difference too. I now have more energy. I look forward to getting my daily exercise, even if it's just a walk with my dogs. I am also using the Metabolic Max & use it to challenge myself. I find it great to see the results from my day (calories eaten & burned, physical activity, sleep, etc.).

Do you have any family/friends supporting you through your weight loss? That too is a great motivator. Now, honestly we can all sit her all day & give you tons of advice, but the bottom line is it's really up to you. Nobody can do this for you, so you must decide how important it is for you to lose the weight & get healthy. Oh & by the way... losing the weight will also take the pressure off your back!

[bikergirl36]

GSDMom,

One more thing... have you tried drinking slim fast shakes in place of the missed meals? Something is definitely better than nothing!

[GSDMom]

GSDMom,

One more thing... have you tried drinking slim fast shakes in place of the missed meals? Something is definitely better than nothing!

Didn't think about the SlimFast Shakes. May have to try that.

I want to thank everyone for their kind words. I did take a week off from JC food, not all but some, and was grateful that I didn't gain any weight. The weather has been great so I have been walking the dogs, I take my GSD and my husband's lab mix for a short walk and then take the younger 2 ones for a bit of a longer one. I am still having issues with my back so I suppose it isn't going away (even had a cortisone injection) so I guess I am going to have to deal with it.

Thankyou again.

[bikergirl36]

I was happy to help. I hope things start going better for you!

Didn't think about the SlimFast Shakes. May have to try that.

I want to thank everyone for their kind words. I did take a week off from JC food, not all but some, and was grateful that I didn't gain any weight. The weather has been great so I have been walking the dogs, I take my GSD and my husband's lab mix for a short walk and then take the younger 2 ones for a bit of a longer one. I am still having issues with my back so I suppose it isn't going away (even had a cortisone injection) so I guess I am going to have to deal with it.

Thankyou again.

[Layna+3]

I can totally relate to your back problem! My back has been giving me such fits for the past few months and every time it feels better, I go do something like "sweep the floor" and pull it again. I'm feeling rather delicate these days! So, in the meantime, I've decided that I will have to lose weight primarily thru dieting and any exericse I do will be focusing on back-strengthening and stretching. As for the motivation issues, there is nothing like setting short-term goals, like a certain number of pounds by the end of the month, or getting into a certain pair of pants. Warm weather is spurring me on now, since I know I won't be able to get into my summer clothes and I refuse to buy any more!

As for the food, I have issues with dinners on the go, since I have 2 kids in sports that have to be driven everywhere. I've found good protein bars (chocolate covered! Yum!) that have the proper balance of protein, fat, sodium, and nutrients, and I'll eat one with a big sports bottle full of water, plus I'll bring some kind of fruit and maybe even a diet coke for "desert". I have my insulated bag and try to have carrot sticks, individual hummus packs, yogurt, pretzel chips, lean lunchmeat, protein bars, diet soda, and fruit on hand, and then I just throw a bunch of it in the bag whenever I need to leave the house for a few hours. The one thing I have learned at JC is that I will lose weight, if I eat small amounts of the right foods, 5-6 times a day, and spread my calories across the time I am awake as evenly as possible. It doesn't come naturally to me and it doesn't sound like that's the way you eat, but it's made a huge difference in how I burn calories. And it makes me think about what is going into my body, since I have to think about it so frequently!

Hang in there! I've done JC once in my 20's, a couple times in my 30's, and now this is my 3rd time in my 40's. Each time I lose a ton of weight, and then maintain for a few months just fine, and then get busy, get married, get a travelling job, have a baby (2 in my 40's!), have a hysterectomy, etc., and stop focusing on healthy eating. And, each time, I've found that weight comes back on faster and it's harder to get off. So, at least it is finaly, really sinking in to me that life is always going to be throwing things at me, but I have to figure out how to handle it without changing my eating habits. Eating healthily is just going to have to be non-negotiable!

And, finally, make sure you track this all down on paper or an electronic spreadsheet. I've made up one where I have my weekly goals, monthly goals, weekly loss, cumumlative loss, etc. I enter in my data on Mondays and Fridays, so that I less incentive to cheat on the weekends, and it feels so good when I meet or exceed my goals, and it puts it right in front of me in black and white when I miss them. But, I'm a list person.

I hope some of this helps. Have a good weekend!

[Kasey123]

Hiya!

I am back at JC for the 3rd time and do understand you feeling somewhat skeptical at this time. When you have a setback such as your back injury, it is really hard to re-motivate. In saying that, I see that you have a beautiful GSD....... I have found that my Golden boy has lifted my spirits on numerous occasions. He has motivated me - well not really - he has manipulated me - into taking him out for his daily runs regardless of the weather or how I feel. Maybe, if you look into those beautiful brown eyes, you will get a sense that, no matter what, you are important and need to care for yourself. I think when you get the old lick on the face, you will will feel re-affirmed and re-motivated. Sounds kind of silly but our fur babies have a wonderful healing power and appear to be able to restore our faith in ourselves. You CAN do it!

paws,

Kasey