What do you guys do when you feel like giving up?

Terrigb

Try this for an experiment. Get yourself a bit of paper and do some forward thinking. Picture your long term goal. What does it feel like? What does it look like? What are people saying? Who is around you? Describe it to yourself, write it as if it's real. Talk about how you're enjoying good health, etc etc. Believe me, this exercise works, take your time and get really specific and expand on EVERYTHING. Read this to yourself every day and hopefully this will help.

FindingAmy77

I look at my pic of me when I first started at 234lbs. I let myself get that way from giving up and being lazy and from eating like there was no consequences. It is the pic of me at the beach in my ticker. I also think of my mom who had a major stroke at only 57. She cant talk or care for herself and has lost a quarter of her brain. Its inevitable I will end up like her if I don't keep this weight off. Just say to yourself on lazy days "Just for today" and go do it anyways. Take this as one choice, one day and one pound at a time.

hilaria81

I haven't felt like totally giving up at all. I don't miss the way things used to be; I enjoy feeling in control and knowing my health is getting better. That said, some days are much more difficult than others. There have been a few times I've felt hungry enough to want to throw in the towel for the rest of the day. When that happens, I try reminding myself of my next weigh-in (I weigh in every Friday) and how close I am to my next mini-goal. Getting some exercise and staying really militant with the food diary helps, too. It's not foolproof, but it does force me to keep some overall perspective!

kmclamb13

Write a inspirational speech to yourself and read it everyday.I did that when i lost the majority of my weight and still read it occasionally.It will help you to think clearly each day about why you are losing the weight and how much you want it.

Valrotha

Go to Wal-Mart or McDonalds and look around. I then tell myself that if I don't get after it, I'll end up looking like some of those people. Not the nicest thing to say, but it works. :P

Also, looking at pics of myself when I was almost 240 helps, too.

Honestly, I've done that enough to where I just do it now. I may have a day or two where I fall off the wagon, but I regroup pretty quickly and get going again.

pauljsaunders

I just rest up for a week or so, and remember it's easy to get back into the MFP.. The most difficult part of it is not to make a rash choice about giving up totally, it may be best to ignore the impulse for a few weeks, we all come out of our lows at some point... just sit it out... good luck....

cincysweetheart

I'm only like 2 1/2 months into it… So I really haven't hit that point yet.

But in previous life situations (non-weight loss related), where I was trying to do a long-term overhaul, when I would get to that point of wanting to give up… well, to be honest, sometimes I did. But I always started again, so I guess I didn't truly give up. That's the first thing to learn… always start again even when you've given up. The other thing, I would tell myself is to at least see it through to the end… then if I'm still not happy where I'm what, then I can always go back. In that instance, by the time I got to the end, I realized life really was so much better than where I was. And finally, usually during those times when I'd get so discouraged and want to give up, it was because I wasn't seeing progress. In fact, it seemed at times that things were actually getting worse. And I was wondering why I was wasting my time and putting myself through so much stress and pain if it wasn't even helping. And the final thought that always kept me hanging on during those moments was "If I think I'm in a bad place, NOW… imagine where I'd be if I completely gave up?"

That wasn't a weight loss situation, so it is different… but it was my experience in surviving (even thriving) that overhaul that gave me the confidence that I could attack the weight loss. And so many of the same lessons I learned then, I am applying now.

intelligirl

All of the suggestions so far are great! I would only add one thing. Even though I've been living an increasingly healthier lifestyle for the past three years, sometimes I still get frustrated by having to *think* about healthy choices, going to the gym, tracking calories, planning meals, macros, preparing healthy food, etc. When this happens, I remember all the mental energy that being overweight robbed me of. When I was 75 pounds heavier, I spent a lot of time thinking about how I should lose weight, how awful shopping was, never having anything to wear, feeling self-conscious, looking around to see if I was the biggest in the room, etc. It really puts things into perspective.

gmoneycole

I start thinking about why I started doing this in the first place. I think about my kids and wanting to be healthy enough to enjoy their kids. I look at the before and after pics. I think about how much happier I am now than I was before.

Good luck! You can do this!

wizzybeth

I tell myself, just one more day. Just do it today. Don't think about the long road ahead - think about today's journey - that's more than enough....

It usually helps. Sometimes I do say "I deserve this!" and get myself a chocolate ice cream cone, or drink an extra glass of wine. And that often helps too....as long as I keep it to "one." It gets discouraging to constantly say "No, no, no" to things that are not helpful to my goals of weight loss and "healthy" eating. I can't buy myself a package of oreo cookies because then I'll binge eat them all - but I can stop at the ice cream stand and get a cone (I don't bring ice cream that I like into the house, same problem as the oreos, lol)...

becky10rp

When I feel like giving up, I:

1. work out - gets the energy up - you WILL feel better when you're done
2. Call my Sister - she always makes me laugh
3. get OUT of the house and do something - ANYTHING - to get the 'negative' OUT

FP4HSharon

I watch this video and hit the RESTART button :-D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqfg4dPEueI&feature=relmfu

brookielaw

Sometimes I take a break...that never goes well. The fact remains that I need to follow this plan---staying within calories, staying within macros, and getting off my butt in order to live a quality, healthy life. When I don't or when I let things go, I see things I don't like on the scale, or on my awesome new wardrobe. A much more constructive thing to do would be to try something new, such as a new exercise, a new class, a new food.

Sometimes I make a list or a chart of my actions and their consequences, or my goals and how to achieve them. I look at my before pics or things from my old life, like the giant mumus I had to wear. I think about how I felt. I look at the patterns in my life. When I look at those patterns, I see that I am happiest when I'm healthiest.

I wish it was all 2nd nature all the time, but it's not. I have a lifetime of bad habits I'm trying to cure. I mess up from time to time. Sometimes my best is catching it before it gets out of hand. Sometimes I have to forgive myself and move on but the one thing I won't do, and the one thing I suggest you don't do, is give up. You CAN do this!

leantool

I have PCOS,Hypothyroidism, I am on Beta blockers for arrhythmias!
Losing weight is uphill task and i must confess,at times i feel this way.at those times i turn to Mfp success board,and go on reading random success stories.......those special people keep me going.

KseRz

All the time....

When you feel like quitting and giving up, We sometimes refer to this as the bulking cycle.

When you have had enough of the bulking and are ready to start losing again, this begins the cutting cycle.

Fitfully_me

Hey I was just wondering what you do when you feel like giving up and no caring anymore. I have been feeling discouraged lately....not wanting to count calories anymore or go to the gym..

I typically find a new activity that runs a few weeks and sign up for it. Groupon and/or living social provides me these month long options to keep staying active interesting and fun for me. When I'm feeling that way, I've found that a change of activity is my best option.

wapan

My progress is slow (I have less than 10 lbs to lose) and sometimes the scale goes backwards instead of forwards despite my workouts and I do feel discouraged. But I'm also pushing myself harder than I ever did before and tracking that progress through MFP and fitbit (I never really tracked myself before.) And my clothes are fitting so much better. I don't search around as much for stuff to wear. Also by controlling my diet, I'm able to do a variety of different activities rather than being chained to a treadmill or stairclimber. When I don't feel like going to the gym (and in this warm weather, I really don't), I go for a run outside and listen to great tunes, clean my apt, or go for a bike ride. Even a walk around the riverfront is wonderful. I also remember that sometimes you don't want to do something but you still do it because its the right thing to do.

SnazzIT

Sometimes... I just give up. For a little while. Say to myself, "Ok, fine. If you really don't want to log your food or exercise, then don't. For the rest of this week. But come Monday, we're back on it. Because we want our pants to fit."

lolz that is me too!

TheSatinPumpkin

i look and think back on how i was and felt before and that helps to continue forward.

brenn24179

I tell myself I have found another way to live. I was thinking how I use to live, I would order a milkshake from Mcdonalds and tell them to add more ice cream! I have found I can live another way, actually have some discipline and with all the nutrition advice on here it sure helps.

Meerataila

I tell myself that's it, I'm done, I'm quitting...next month.

Procrastinating. It's not always a bad thing!