Is it still worth doing if you know you will fail?

NewMeSM75

In my opinion, instead of looking at the whole picture, take it one day at a time. Make the best of that ONE day. If you slip up, don't throw it all away. It happens. Pick yourself back up and keep going. Until I set my mind to it, I couldn't. But once I set my mind, nothing could stop me.

If you give up, you will never get results. Don't be a quitter. At least fight for what you are wanting. I mean that with the sincerest heart...

kamakazeekim

You might want to work with a professional to discuss your self-esteem, relationship with food and body image. For some people there are underlying mental health issues that lead to yo-yo dieting

MostlyWater

Have you discussed surgical options with your doctor? My sister has a similar situation and is planning on getting a lap band this spring or summer.

PRMinx

deksgrl wrote: »

You can have some cheetos. Log it. Fit it into your day. Don't set such a low calorie goal that you can't fit in some treats if you want them. Deprivation leads to binges, eventually. It's not a "diet", it is how you learn to live.

This. Cheetos happen to be one of my weaknesses. I eat them, just sparingly when I can fit it into my day. That's all. It sounds like you are taking a scorched Earth approach to your diet and that is why you struggle.

Also, you have to want it. You need to motivate yourself. If you are ready to quit because of a four posts on a thread, you don't want it.

conniebug76

RUNNING_AMOK_1958 wrote: »

Fear is your problem. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Seriously, are you going to let a bag of Cheetos have so much power over you that it controls your life?

Fear is a huge problem. I know I've tackled harder things and succeeded. Maybe I'm just psyching myself out.

jgnatca

Conniebug, I can totally relate. I put off going on a serious diet for years because I hate futile exercises. I waited until I was in my fifties, had lots of personal time at my disposal, and my health got critical (I was inches away from needing insulin). My doctor referred me to a specialty program. Over the past eighteen months I have lost over eighty pounds and I feel like I have a whole new lease on life. I am off all prescription medications by the way.

http://www.drsharma.ca/obesity-myth-dieting-is-the-best-way-to-control-your-weight.html

conniebug76

Steph38878 wrote: »

In my opinion, instead of looking at the whole picture, take it one day at a time. Make the best of that ONE day. If you slip up, don't throw it all away. It happens. Pick yourself back up and keep going. Until I set my mind to it, I couldn't. But once I set my mind, nothing could stop me.

If you give up, you will never get results. Don't be a quitter. At least fight for what you are wanting. I mean that with the sincerest heart...

Thanks. I do tend to look at the whole picture and get overwhelmed. Maybe just one meal at a time (or even one bite) will make things more manageable for me.

conniebug76

MakePeasNotWar wrote: »

Are you trying to fix everything all in one go and feeling deprived? That would make me eat a bag of cheetos, too. What if you just picked one or two small things to change, then once they were solid habits, take on another. Obviously you will lose more slowly, but if you can truly take your time to build up small habits, you'll be able to maintain your weight loss for life.

Maybe try just logging for a while, until it's second nature. Then look through your diary for something that seems easy to fix - the "low hanging fruit", as it were. Or in my case, the low hanging cheesecake, lol

I do go all or nothing a lot. I know all the "right" things to do, so I do them. Then I get stressed out keeping up with it all: staying in calorie budget, getting enough water, getting enough protein, getting enough veggies, exercising enough times, getting my heart rate up, stretching, strength building, meditating, etc.

I like the idea of just logging for a while. No pressure to change, yet, but it will let me have a good picture of what I'm doing "most" wrongly. Then I can change that.

ValerieMartini2Olives

Either you want it or you don't and clearly you don't because it seems like you're not even intending to try.

Calliope610

Whether you think you can, or think you can't -- you're right.

Henry Ford

jolt28

Do or do not - there is no try..... yoda.

conniebug76

MostlyWater wrote: »

Have you discussed surgical options with your doctor? My sister has a similar situation and is planning on getting a lap band this spring or summer.

I had a lapband 4 years ago. My body started building scar tissue around it, and it started twisting around my intestines. After a year they had to remove it (and a few feet of intestine). I spent a lot of time in the hospital.

That said, I have thought about a gastric sleeve off and on, but I'm a little gun shy of more surgery now.

Maeldeis

RUNNING_AMOK_1958 wrote: »

Fear is your problem. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Seriously, are you going to let a bag of Cheetos have so much power over you that it controls your life?

People forget how much power they hand over to something that will not look out for you.
You only have yourself.

brandiuntz

One thing to remind yourself is that you haven't "tried to lose weight". You actually have lost weight. As you said, you know what works and have had short-term success. This is a good thing! Keeping at it long enough to lose all the weight you want and maintain that loss has been your challenge (a very common one).

Long-term weight loss and maintenance requires permanent lifestyle changes. Adjusting your eating habits and exercise habits into not just something for weight loss, but also as something you want to do for the rest of your life. Start small with those changes and keep at it.

The other part of long-term weight loss and maintenance is, as said, fixing the "inner self". You need to understand why you go off the rails. You mentioned eating a whole bag of Cheetos for "reasons". Do you know what those exact reasons are? Guilt? Stress? Low self-esteem? Anger? Boredom? Happiness? I could go on. Find out why you overeat. Then, address those reasons.

Bored? Don't eat when bored, force yourself to go do some other activity. Feeling guilty? Examine the guilt. Is there something positive you can do to address that guilt? If not, let it go, since it's not helping you lose weight.

For every reason you find for overeating, exchange the habit of food for something else. Go read. Go for a walk. Write. Find something physically or mentally healthy to do to satisfy that "reason", instead of eating.

Set goals and write them down. Post them on the mirror so you see them every day. Work towards your short and long term goals. Keep in mind that one day (or week or month or year) of "failure" is not failure. As long as you get back to your efforts to lose weight, it will happen.

Weight loss and maintenance is the longest of journeys. You'll learn a lot about yourself along the way. Keep at it. Never quit. Time marches on, so might as well keep working towards your goals, no matter how long it takes.

RekindledRose

Just give up?

amcook4

When you think you are going to fail, chances are that you will fail, because you have already decided that it will happen.

I've been there many times, once you realize it is something you really want to do and make it a priority in your life, you can easily succeed. Don't let failure be an option, it is only up to you whether or not you succeed or fail.

Best of luck, I started 35 pounds heavier than you and I'm now in my 260's, so I'm well on my way, it can be done.

clearlydivinesounique

yes because you never know when you're going to surprise yourself and succeed.

NewMeSM75

Reminds me of a saying, "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of good. "

Meaning you feel like you either have to do it perfectly or nothing at all. No one is perfect. What works for one doesn't the other. Have to figure out what works for you.

Take it one step at a time. Cut out snacks that you may binge on. Yes, I've heard people say you can have anything within your calories which is true. But some can't eat one cheeto or have one cookie. Sometimes you have to cut those out until you get control of it.

After you work through some of your weaknesses and have your diet in order, incorporate exercise. Slowly!

If you want it all, you will get overwhelmed easily.

Best Wishes!

jennifer_417

I was on here for a year and quit twice before I got any real traction. I lost my 1st 20 lbs absolutely convinced I would fail. But you know what? I didn't quit. That's all it takes.

royaldrea

(This may not be helpful to you.) To me it's always been a matter of what I wanted more - whether I wanted to be comfortable (that comfort included binging on anything I felt like eating) or healthy and fit. Once the desire to be healthy and fit outweighed the desire to be comfortable and binge, it wasn't that difficult to implement the necessary changes, because I was doing what I wanted to do, not fighting against what I wanted and being miserable.

I would also suggest removing the idea of needing motivation. Motivation doesn't last. Once you make your mind up, resolve to do it anyway, because the consequences of not doing it are so undesirable. I love my workouts, but I've chosen to view them as if they're as essential to my way of life as is my job:

- Is it raining? Yes - so I will have to drive through the rain to get there and possibly get wet. Sucks but I gatta go!

- Is my period on and am I flicking miserable and bleeding and in pain and emotional? Yes - I'll have to deal with it and be in pain and miserable while I'm here. Sucks and I'd much rather be in bed feeling sorry for myself and eating chocolate cake but I gatta go!

This outlook has really revolutionized the way I view certain obligations. If you can identify with the feeling of going to work even though you don't want to because you have to, you may be able to identify with this.

It all really boils down to whether you're ready to put up with the discomfort and pain and sacrifice in exchange for whatever your health goals are. That sounds terrible but I think most significant choices are when you break them down like that...good luck!!