HELP!?!?!?!?!

[katashaly]

i'm a 46 year old single mother who desperatly needs help. I have joined a gym to get the physical into my routine but i'm having a lot of trouble making the food changes. I am also a self confessed cokeaholic. That's the cold refreshing beverage, not the illegal stuff. It's my major weakness and sometimes I just can't say no. Actually most of the time. I'm a picky eater too. The kids won't try much and I don't make them. But we need to make some changes or I will never lose weight. I can't afford to buy new clothes and I don't want to buy bigger sizes.

[Barfly]

While going to the gym is good, I would say getting the food under control is more important; especially the soda. Depending on how much you drink, cutting it out could mean 10-30 pounds lost.

[Mackleharris]

You should try to drink lots of water throughout the day to make yourself feel full. That way you won't really want to drink soda. That's how I kicked my soda habit a long time ago. It works the same way with food too.

[thegingerdances]

Don't panic, katashaly!  We are all here to make our lives better!  We can work through this together.

 

The easiest way to deal with this is to make one small change at a time.  Starting with the gym is excellent!  Try doing a little bit of movement every day or going to the gym a few times a week.  Getting your kids to join in a daily walk or a game of badmitton is a way to get the family moving together--and if it is something everyone enjoys, then you'll never want to skip a day!

 

As for the coke, a lot of people here are trying to kick the soda can.  It's easiest to make small changes--buy less coke, or just drink one less can every day for a week.  Then, the following week, you cut back another soda per day.  Those small changes may not require a lot of willpower, but they make a huge difference in the long run!

 

I know another rebel here on the forums started off as a picky eater, but he radically changed his food outlook through small changes.  Every week, he tried a new food, like chickpeas (for example); if he didn't like it one way, he'd try preparing it in a different way.  He expanded his foodie horizons and now loves trying new things!  You don't have to like everything you try, but trying new things will affect how your tongue and brain perceive them.  Again, you can make this a family adventure by getting your kids involved.  It's good for the body and good for the soul!

 

Good luck, my friend!  Just don't panic--weight loss can be a big project, but breaking down your big goal into smaller ones (try one new food, drink one less soda, run one more step than yesterday) makes everything easier.