Finding Strength with Endless Setbacks

U2Amie

A member of myfitness pal for over 3 years now, I've experienced very little success. And it's not MFP's fault..it's mine. Shockingly, I'm at my heaviest ever. I'm 5'6, 195lbs currently. Just 2 short years ago, while taking a break between my BA degree and Master's degree, I lost a bunch of weight all on my own, with alot of exercise and dieting. I went from a size 15 to a size 8, from 185 to 172. I'll NEVER forget how I felt weighing in at 172 all on my own...and most of all, how it felt when people noticed. But since my master's...i've just lost it. Within the past 2 months, I even purchased training sessions at 24 hr fitness. I've been exercising more consistently. But where do I fail? Eating. Always. It's seriously a f**king addiction people. I overeat or eat out more than I've ever done. And it's like I dont know why I'm struggling to much at stopping it. I'm on summer break from my maser's program-so I thought, what a great time to get back into better habits since I have more free time. No, the past 3 weeks of summer, although tremendously better with exercising, have not seen succes in eating. And after almost 1000 dollars in training sessions, I'm heavier than ever.
So I post this question: What FINALLY made you snap out of bad eating habits? Or if you share a similiar story to mine, how did you slowly but surely change? Any quotes, ideas, or tools, besides MFP, you used?
I have to say, today was my weigh-in with my trainer. I am so embarassed at how big I am. Beyond embarassed-I'm totally not healthy, not even close. I'm obese, and I'm scared.

Would love to hear from the MFP community to help me out here.

U2Amie

Feel free to add or message me too :-)

Jennisin1

For me it's a little about control. My personal life when to the crapper and if nothing else, I could plan out my meals/snacks and eat them... one thing I can control in life is me and my response. I choose to battle the uncertainty around me with a controled healthy eating and workout routine.

and I eat out at least once a day, every day... so that's not an excuse for eating crap or over eating. I just make smart choices.

Moxie42

For me it's a little about control. My personal life when to the crapper and if nothing else, I could plan out my meals/snacks and eat them... one thing I can control in life is me and my response. I choose to battle the uncertainty around me with a controled healthy eating and workout routine.

and I eat out at least once a day, every day... so that's not an excuse for eating crap or over eating. I just make smart choices.

Amie, I replied to your wall post but I also agree with Jennisin1...the first time I managed to really stick with this, I was so fed up with everything else, this was the one thing I could control, the one thing no one could destroy. Remembering that helps me stay on the wagon, and get back on when I fall off.

c50blvdbabe

For one, I constantly tell myself this is a habit changer not a sprint to see how fast I can drop 30 pounds. I also began to focus on non-weight related goals like eating 3 sandwiches a week instead of 1 everyday. Running an extra half mile or at a faster pace. Saving sweet treats for payday Friday/Saturday (every two weeks). When I began to focus on other things that I could accomplish right then, instead of focusing on losing 3 pounds in a week which was no guarantee, I became more driven, disciplined, and excited.

My suggestion to you would be to try and remember what you did the first time you lost weight and incorporate any good habits you were practicing then.

Also don't feel bad about the paying money to a trainer and not losing anything. I did the same thing. I realized that I was not mentally ready and my goal was to fit into the hot dress that I saw on one of my friends. Yet when I didn't reach a number on the scale that week, I'd comfort myself my eating.

Lizzy622

My mom got diabetes. If I didn't do something, I would soon follow.

monkeymagic900

For me it's a little about control. My personal life when to the crapper and if nothing else, I could plan out my meals/snacks and eat them... one thing I can control in life is me and my response. I choose to battle the uncertainty around me with a controled healthy eating and workout routine.

and I eat out at least once a day, every day... so that's not an excuse for eating crap or over eating. I just make smart choices.

Amie, I replied to your wall post but I also agree with Jennisin1...the first time I managed to really stick with this, I was so fed up with everything else, this was the one thing I could control, the one thing no one could destroy. Remembering that helps me stay on the wagon, and get back on when I fall off.

I just read your posts, ladies, and I actually couldn't agree more. I have never thought of it in that way but it completely makes sense. Things in life are unpredictable and the only thing in the world that we can have full control over is ourselves. I'm ashamed, personally, at the weight I've let myself get to simply because of comfort eating and a lack of willingness to say, "No." when I am offered a cake or a tipple. I joined MyFitnessPal on Sunday and have only managed to get on here today. I am prepared to take control of my life again. Even though I know these messages were not specifically for me I have taken a lot from them and I wanted to thank you. So ta

conniehv40

Different things made me want to change: Death of my dad, oldest child leaving to go to college hit me huge. I turned 50 right in between these 2 events. At this very time, my friend was helping me with low impact aerobics -- I was at my heaviest and at my lowest in sadness and just eating a lot (She, of course, is this tiny marathon runner!) Anyway, I asked how I could lose some weight....

She asked me to write down what I ate. I told her she was crazy! I mentioned my eating was ridiculous. Her comment has stuck with me ever since...

"Connie, if you are fine with how you look, you do not have to change a thing". I left her gym knowing I needed to do this... I found mfp soon after and have been trying ever since : )

healthygreek

I started losing weight permanantly when I got angry, really mad, furious at diets. I promised myself never, ever to "go on a diet" again. I just started eating regularly and not denying myself anything I wanted. I also started to exercise most days a week until it became such a habit that I couldn't do without it.