Off the wagon...again!

AlliRich

Looking for a few supportive and honest accountability buddies.

I'm back on this crazy roller coaster of trying to maintain a healthier, more active lifestyle. Although I need to lose about 15-20 pounds, I'm trying to focus on how I feel, both physically and mentally. I've been somewhat successful in meeting my goals in the past, only to find myself back in this position. So now I'm taking a different approach, because I know that once I can accept and love myself regardless of my outward appearance then I will be more likely to stay on track. There are many reasons (medically, personally, etc) that I need to lose weight, and I want to prove to myself that I'm capable of having some self-discipline and meeting my goals.

I'm not looking for a quick fix, and don't plan on living a life of self-deprivation; however, I do understand how my lack of moderation with not so great food choices factors into my latest weight gain. This is definitely going to be an uphill battle!! :-)

Derf_Smeggle

I really do believe a majority of people here can probably relate to your story on some level. Changing our bad habits can be a huge challenge.

There are countless ways to approach making changes in a sustainable manner. I'll share what is working for me, and maybe one or two of those things will help you.
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1. Change one thing at a time. Every time I try to change everything all at once I have not done well. Changing one bad habit is difficult. Changing 3 or 4 all at once is really, really difficult. With regards to weight loss, eating habits matter more than exercise. That's where I started.
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2. Accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. It turns out we are really good at underestimating our calorie intake. The research shows about a 30% median error rate, meaning that 1500 calories we logged was actually closer to 2000 when we eyeball our portions. A digital food scale is the most accurate way to track your calories. It adds only a few seconds to dishing up food.
   
   Also, watch your entries from the database. It's a crowd sourced gathering of data. Often it is wrong. Over time MFP accumulates your recent food choices. Make sure you select accurate entries. The USDA has a nice database to cross check your selections.
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3. Flexiblity. Eating at a calorie deficit every single day can be really, really hard. I'm not sure anyone hits the mark 100%. Missing a calorie goal here and there is not a bad thing, not a good thing. It's a normal thing, and it's okay. Look at your overall deficit for a full week.
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4. Some like more little small ones, some like just a couple big ones. Test out the number of times you do best with taking in calories. I personal like 4 to 5 times between 250 and 450 calories. It really clicked for me to eat roughly every 3 hours. Other people do better with 2 or 3 meals with larger calorie intake.
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5. Planning. Sheesh, what a pain in the butt that was for me when I started. However, I commute 3 days a week for work and 2 days a week for a martial arts class. If I don't plan a couple days in advance what I will be eating and package some stuff the night before, then I struggle.
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6. It's not a race. It's about establishing a sustainable and healthy plan.

AlliRich

@Derf_Smeggle, I agree with you 100% and appreciate your insight!

Shondell34

well guess what girlfriend! I think me and you can help each other I feel the same exact way you do. Let's do this