Starting over. Again. Why am I so bad at this?

kakiem

Hi all

I'm back for what seems the millionth time. Sometimes I last a few months and do well, other times I'm here barely a week.

Probably a rhetorical question but what is my problem? Why am I so bad at motivating myself?!

Let's see how long I last this time. Happy to add people as a friend, just drop me a request.

A fed up Katie from the UK.

christyprunner

Right.there.with.ya.

txcraftr

I have the same problem. I am starting again and I challenge myself to be persistent and to log my food every day even if I overeat. I think the persistence will pay off. Do you have a challenge for yourself? You can add me if you would like to do it together.

kakiem

txcraftr wrote: »

I have the same problem. I am starting again and I challenge myself to be persistent and to log my food every day even if I overeat. I think the persistence will pay off. Do you have a challenge for yourself? You can add me if you would like to do it together.

I'm trying C25k and just joined a gym so I can't use the weather as an excuse to not go for a run. I did this about 5 years ago and I lost nearly 2 stone so I thought this would be a good place to start.

I'll send you a friend request ☺

slickmickey

i'm with you too. i was really good for well over a year, lost 40+ pounds. now... i've gained back 20 and can barely care about it at all a year+ later. i usually do "breakfast" and lunch and enter everything... but by dinner i just dont G-A-F... i cannot motivate myself at all anymore. i havent been to yoga/gym in MONTHS. sometimes i'll walk on my lunch break - about a mile - but i'm no where close to 10K steps a day anymore.

smile1492

Im exactly the same. I am now 3 stone heavier than when I started using the app in the first place Really trying to get on track this past week.

T0M_K

kakiem wrote: »

txcraftr wrote: »

I have the same problem. I am starting again and I challenge myself to be persistent and to log my food every day even if I overeat. I think the persistence will pay off. Do you have a challenge for yourself? You can add me if you would like to do it together.

I'm trying C25k and just joined a gym so I can't use the weather as an excuse to not go for a run. I did this about 5 years ago and I lost nearly 2 stone so I thought this would be a good place to start.

I'll send you a friend request ☺

Katie, don't try to do to much. I think many people get just fed up and then they jump in balls to the wall on something they know deep down they will never sustain over the long haul. then a couple weeks pass by and suddenly the motivation starts to wane and "it'll be ok if i take tonight off..........BOOM" totally derailed!

The key is to only expect yourself to do things that you really and truly can see yourself sustaining. its a gut check and its a realization that its not an overnight process. its a year. commit to a steady sustained eating plan with some light cardio for a year. allow yourself to eat things that are "less healthy". Allow yourself a day off now and then. just don't stop. get back on the program immediately after your tiny short break. and you'll be fine.

and REMEMBER...exercise is for your well being and NOT a key component in weight loss. Creating a calorie deficit is what you need for weight loss.

I'd recommend this: Log your food religiously. I'd eat lots of protein and veggies as they are pretty filling. and then i'd walk. i'd not worry about some "program" that you feel defeated on if you don't do what it says. Walk, and if your up to it, put some small jogs in the walk as you wish. Just move but move for your well being. its not a big calorie deficit booster. a couple hundred calories is all you get from a low to moderate 30 to 45 minute cardio exercise session.

cait829

Same boat! And to make matters worth I had this great plan set up that I was going to start on "Monday" a month ago. Well that Monday I threw my back out the worst I ever have (it had never been so bad as to send me to a chiropractor, but I've been going 2-3 times a week for the last month and it's just now getting to where I can walk distances again). Started tracking last week and I'm down 2 pounds and have been candy free for 2 weeks. I work in an office with LOTS of candy. Including a table filled with candy literally next to my desk! You aren't alone! We can do it this time!

Loug1983

Some great words of advice from Tom, the other thing I would add is don't give yourself too severe a calorie target. I've tried this many times over the years and haven't made it past day one, I had a 1200 target and I'd usually eaten most of that by lunch time, I never bothered entering Dinner, it was clear I just couldn't do it.

This time around 2 things were different, I accepted that I wasn't going to lose it quickly, and I set my target to 1lb a week giving myself a much more reasonable calorie target. That's not to say it isn't sometimes difficult, but because I know I can achieve it, more often than not I do!

JustMissTracy

Because it's really hard. You'll be ok. Give yourself a break, no one is perfect, and none of us found success easily. It takes work, it takes time, and it takes patience. You'll get there xo

cocates

kakiem wrote: »

Hi all
I'm back for what seems the millionth time. Sometimes I last a few months and do well, other times I'm here barely a week.
Probably a rhetorical question but what is my problem? Why am I so bad at motivating myself?!
Let's see how long I last this time. Happy to add people as a friend, just drop me a request.
A fed up Katie from the UK.

I totally understand where you are coming from. Been there. Done that.

Motivation gets you started. It's perseverance, patience, and consistency that keep you on track. Here are a few things that have helped me:
- Have a goal(s) and stick to it.
- Remember, it's calories in, calories out. As long as you eat less than your body burns in a day, you will lose weight. Exercise is for being healthier, not for weight loss.
- Meal prep. Take an hour out of your week and think about what you are going to eat, buy those items, and prepare them. For me, I do this with breakfast and lunch. I create a dinner menu but cook dinner each night.
- Plan. Look at your calendar and see if you have any 'events' coming up like a birthday or a dinner with a friend, etc. Then, plan accordingly. Scope out the nutritional information to the restaurant or lighten up your calories for your other meals to allot for a bigger meal/treat, etc.
- Try positive self-talk. I know it sounds silly but if you say, "I will. I can." It's much more empowering than, "I don't think I can; I'll try." <see what I did there?>
- Have a support system to help you stay accountable.
- If you have a big splurge, don't give up or feel defeated - make better choices the very next meal or day.

I use this to help me calculate my daily calories: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ I set my weight loss to 0.5lbs-1lb/week. That way, I can still eat the food I enjoy, just smaller portions or less often.

HTH!

dejavuohlala

Hello fed up Katie from UK. It's hard but one day at a time. When you have a bad day do you think we'll I've messed up do I might as well give up? No after thatbad day you get right back on it, don't let the bad daytirn i toabad werkand then bad month. I wish you good luck

beginforthelasttime16

I get it I'm a super serial started. But if you start out thinking "how long will I last?" you're setting yourself up to fail.

You've got this. You are capable!
Find some supportive friends here, join a challenge or two, set mini goals, etc.

You can change your mindset and beat this

pennyashley

Having a support system is extremely important. If we stick together we can do it this time!! Feel free to add me. I need all the help I can get

elianns

I also keep starting and restarting. My main goal now is to just log everything, even if I go over my limit. Part of what discourages me is if I go over my limits a few days in a row and I start to wonder what the point even is. I want to build on better habits one by one rather than do everything all at once.

everher

Just keep going.

Even when you think you can't, even when you want to stop, even when you eat more than you should - just keep going.

I'm a yo-yo dieter. I lose some of the weight or sometimes even all of it and gain it back because sooner or later I stop. Stop eating right, stop working out, stop caring, stop trying.

No stopping this time.

kakiem

Thank you all! I'm going to do this. You'll see me in the success thread before too long

MFP is definitely a fab family ❤

tinamarie6624

I did that forever until January of this year. This time I got "my head on straight" and I don't seem to have the same problem I used to. What's different this time is that I don't use any excuses about diet or exercise. I just do it. It seems to work. I have found out that I am a lot stronger than I thought. I started at 378 in January 2016 and I have lost 140 Lbs in less than 11 months and have 123 left to go to my goal. I know I can do this and I'm confident that you can do because you are trying and questioning. Good luck!

MiniMansell1964

The question is Katie, are you happy when you look in a mirror?

if yes, then your already in a happy place.
if no. then what more motivation do you need. if your not happy. then change things. or be resigned to more unhappy in the future.

lots of people will beat about the bush with supportive words, but the best supportive thing you will hear is

only YOU can make the change. if you want to, then do it.

asteriskthat

JustMissTracy wrote: »

Because it's really hard. You'll be ok. Give yourself a break, no one is perfect, and none of us found success easily. It takes work, it takes time, and it takes patience. You'll get there xo

Thanks for this. I came to this thread because I had a setback yesterday and have been feeling discouraged. AND I've now logged in (and logged food for most of them) for 70 days and haven't lost anything
But, my diet is slowly improving and I have a better understanding of the kinds of foods that have better 'bang for the buck' - as in, foods that keep me full, with more nutrients, and are also lower in calories.
So I'm counting that as a step - knowledge is important.

incisron

slickmickey wrote: »

i'm with you too. i was really good for well over a year, lost 40+ pounds. now... i've gained back 20 and can barely care about it at all a year+ later. i usually do "breakfast" and lunch and enter everything... but by dinner i just dont G-A-F... i cannot motivate myself at all anymore. i havent been to yoga/gym in MONTHS. sometimes i'll walk on my lunch break - about a mile - but i'm no where close to 10K steps a day anymore.

I could have written this word for word.

kakiem

asteriskthat wrote: »

JustMissTracy wrote: »

Because it's really hard. You'll be ok. Give yourself a break, no one is perfect, and none of us found success easily. It takes work, it takes time, and it takes patience. You'll get there xo

Thanks for this. I came to this thread because I had a setback yesterday and have been feeling discouraged. AND I've now logged in (and logged food for most of them) for 70 days and haven't lost anything
But, my diet is slowly improving and I have a better understanding of the kinds of foods that have better 'bang for the buck' - as in, foods that keep me full, with more nutrients, and are also lower in calories.
So I'm counting that as a step - knowledge is important.

That's an NSV for sure. We'll done you!