Keeping the Mindset

meredithgir199

I was on MFP a few years back, lost a good amount of weight through hard work, diet and exercise. In 2015, I had some circumstances change which led me to workout less, put on a new medication and made poor food choices, which caused me to gain a significant amount of weight back. For the last several months, I've tried very hard to get myself together resulting in "I'll start tomorrow". Guess what tomorrow never came!!

However, I recommitted this week and for the first time in over a year, I feel like my head is in the game. If anything, I learned that I was way too critical of myself before. I'd love to hear how others keep the mindset of staying on the right path despite life's circumstances.

bri170lb

GRACE. I give myself grace.

I set short, medium and long term goals, work on them 1 day at a time and when I screw up, I forgive myself and start fresh the next day.

llbrixon

Start very slow with making changes, for instance cut back on sodas, watch your portions...lose only 1/2 pound a week to get you started on your eating changes...start logging.

rankinsect

For me, I think the biggest things I've learned:

1. To quote U2: "Ambition bites the nails of success". Previously, I tried to do a plan that was simply too ambitious, and failed because I asked too much of myself. This time I made sure it was aggressive but still reasonable.
2. You don't have to be perfect. You don't even have to be very good. You need to be good enough. One stumble doesn't ruin your day/week/month/year. Just try your best the next day.
3. I learned to make my food decisions when I wasn't hungry. I don't improvise with meals anymore unless I really can't help it. Each night I pre-plan the next day's meals. All I need to do on any day is stick to the plan. Sure, sometimes life happens, but that's when point 2 comes in - I just need to be good enough, and if I go over one day, it's a minor inconvenience, not a giant catastrophe.

I think the last is really what keeps my head in the game - I don't really need to focus so much on what I eat, because I already planned it out. When I'm hungry, I just need to follow the plan. The plan gets me just a tiny bit under my daily goals (less than 60 calories, because if I had 60 more cals I'd eat another snack).

Spez6110

Yes as llbrixon said, start logging. I started practicing Mindfulness, that has help me alot. Dr. Wayne Dyers has a great video on youtube about Creating your day before you sleep. I practice that now. I have no doubt you will do great and succeed, stay encouraged dear heart

https://youtube.com/watch?v=qiScOZ5USCI&list=WL&index=1

lnrussell195

Girl, you think about how sexy you're gonna look. And all the people who ever called you fat. Imagine all the pretty clothes. Seeing only __ size in the closet filled with all the pretty clothes. Plus I only watch Tv at the gym. Good excuse to go.

rbiss

i have an all or nothing approach that has not worked well for me at all. I lost 60 lbs, gained close to 80, lost 30, gained back 25. The periods of ups always have an associated excuse and I refuse to just try to maintain (all or nothing). Fast forward to this year, I have been suffering from uncontrolled asthma and its been months. I keep telling myself I'll fix my diet when i can go to the gym. Well back on prednisone and I am going to really really really work hard on a better approach. For now, I am going to be happy with maintaining and shoot for a deficit on the days I feel okay and not beat myself up on the days I go over. I hate the idea of loosing a half pound a week at my weight, but a half pound a week is not a gain.

Take it one day at a time, and when the old approach doesn't work, try something new.

This week I have planned meals that keep me right at my goal of a 2lb loss per week. I also pre packed some small snacks so if I'm hungry, I already have something planned out that is nutritious and can get me through. It will take me over my calories, but I'll still be in a deficit and not going to the vending machine.

meredithgir199

Thank you all! Excellent feedback. @Spez6110 , I'm definitely going to watch the video since so much of it is a mental change for me.

@rankinsect I'm printing out your post and putting it up! Like @rbiss I've got an all or nothing approach. One day at a time and realizing that some small change is better than nothing @bri170lb @llbrixon

dgb43

I too find that I can only start my diet and exercise regime when in the right mindset. I find that to get into the right mindset takes time - I cannot say "I will start tomorrow" on a whim as I know it will not work. I have been thinking about my new start for around 1 month now, telling myself that I will get Christmas over, eat what I want, and that today, the first day back at work after Christmas, is the start of it all.

Staying in the right mindset is easy once you get the first two weeks out of the way. After that, the hunger pangs tend to stop and the new diet starts to become normality. After that, it's just taking one day at a time. If life gets in the way (a meal out, drinks with pals etc), then I try to redress the balance straight away the day after, so that that the two days together averaged out equals the goal.

My breaking point in the past has been around 6 to 7 months in when the holiday season starts ! I'm hoping to break through that this time.

OyGeeBiv

Half a pound a week is still 25 pounds a year. And if you're like me, once you see your efforts start to pay off, you'll be more motivated.

PamOliva

I learned a great new phrase in the past year which is: "I'll quit tomorrow." But not today. And as we all know... tomorrow never comes.

meredithgir199

PamOliva wrote: »

I learned a great new phrase in the past year which is: "I'll quit tomorrow." But not today. And as we all know... tomorrow never comes.

Love this!!!!!!!

meredithgir199

64crayons wrote: »

Half a pound a week is still 25 pounds a year. And if you're like me, once you see your efforts start to pay off, you'll be more motivated.

So very true. Thank you for the reminder!

_EPIC_

Mindset is everything. This was helpful for me:

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Paperback - by Carol Dweck (Author)

meredithgir199

Thanks @_EPIC_ I'm definitely going to check it out!

_EPIC_

It's good to see you at it again too, btw.

sheermomentum

As trite as it sounds, one day at the time. If you think about all the time and effort it takes to reach the final goal, its daunting. But if you focus on what you need to do today, and sometimes even what you just need to do this very hour, and trust that the future will take care of itself, it becomes a lot more manageable. That and regular exercise. For me, sweat is the magic potion that puts me in the frame of mind where everything else falls into place.

OyGeeBiv

PamOliva wrote: »

I learned a great new phrase in the past year which is: "I'll quit tomorrow." But not today. And as we all know... tomorrow never comes.

That's a great one!