80% Mental?

girlgroves
girlgroves Posts: 235 Member
edited November 16 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
What percentage of successful weight loss and maintenance is mental, do you think?

It took determination, focus and motivation for me to get to where I am at the moment, but I feel like a combination of things this week has meant that my head has not been in the game. And the result has shown on the scale. I'm in need of a bit of a reality check!

How much of your success do you attribute to being psychologically in the 'right' place?
How easily are you derailed or spurred on by thoughts and feelings in your mind?
Do you think we almost give ourselves permission to succeed/fail/fall off the wagon?
Why do we do that?!
What strategies have you used to successfully avoid falling into that trap?

Thanks!
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Replies

  • girlgroves
    girlgroves Posts: 235 Member
    Thanks kommodevaran - that's where I'm hoping to get to - eventually! How did you get to that point in the first place?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Finding and using MFP - food diary, discussion board - helped. I could finally focus on what matters and ignore the noise. It was a lot of noise before. I was so fed up of feeling like a failure, and ready to try a totally new approach.
  • Piqueaboo
    Piqueaboo Posts: 1,193 Member
    How much of your success do you attribute to being psychologically in the 'right' place? For me it's probably 90%
    How easily are you derailed or spurred on by thoughts and feelings in your mind? Not easily, because I keep reminding myself why I am doing this, and visit the success boards here daily. I know what I want, where I want to get to, so I really need to be in a bad place to ignore that.
    Do you think we almost give ourselves permission to succeed/fail/fall off the wagon? Yes. Out of resignation, perhaps? The thoughts of how hard it can be? I usually find my thoughts being worse than reality, the idea of going on a run is a lot harder than just walking out the door and doing it.
    Why do we do that?! I don't know
    What strategies have you used to successfully avoid falling into that trap? Daily motivation on instagram, or reading the success boards here. Keeping my goals in mind and reminding myself of how far I've come already. Celebrating little victories, enjoying things that are not food. It's worked so far, and I'm 49lbs down so far!
  • andrea4736
    andrea4736 Posts: 211 Member
    edited March 2017
    For me, it's all about the mental part of it. I made excuse after excuse until I was mentally ready to do this. Once I stopped complicating things and quit feeling sorry for myself, it has been fairly easy to lose thus far.

    As far as the rest goes, once I was mentally ready to do what I already knew I needed to do, none of that other stuff happened. I stopped and started a dozen times before this time but until I was mentally ready, I never had a chance in hell of succeeding.
  • 1234newman
    1234newman Posts: 31 Member
    I am possibly a multiple of the age of some here. I'd like to think that finally I am getting to know some of life's real rules, albeit late in life - thanks to Peter Druck's book too :)

    My weight gain over years was for a combination of reasons. However, all of those reasons come back to the brain, either because of the attitudes, usually self criticism that went on in my head, or because I was more ignorant then I ever imagined on the calorie intake.

    MFP is a wonderful resource. It helps me to overcome the bad old habits -but they once thought good info, eg heaps of dairy :(

    'If it is going to be it has to be me'. However, sustained, healthy change and enjoyment of life are greatly enabled by professional counselling and by mindfulness in my opinion.

    http://www.ted.com/talks/sandra_aamodt_why_dieting_doesn_t_usually_work
  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
    What percentage of successful weight loss and maintenance is mental, do you think?

    --Almost 100%

    How much of your success do you attribute to being psychologically in the 'right' place?

    --70%. The other 30% is being in environments that supported my efforts to lose weight or maintain. When I'm in situations in which I'm busy, not depressed or overly stressed and have no easy access to junk food, or simply too much food, I always do better. When I'm bored, idle, unhappy, surrounded by other people who are not health-conscious and high-calorie food is readily available, I always do worse.

    How easily are you derailed or spurred on by thoughts and feelings in your mind?

    --Very easily, and it's gotten worse as I've become older. When I was young, it was much easier to turn my mind away from thoughts of food and to stay on track. I considered it a fun challenge. During one period I cut out all sugar and very fatty foods for three years just to see if I could. Now, instead of a challenge, I see self-deprivation. It's the same behavior, but my mental state colors it. The fact that it's "only mental" doesn't make it easier to counter.

    --I find that being aware of my tendency to engage in emotional eating doesn't help stop me. Supposedly, self-awareness helps you interrupt negative behavior, not me, not really. There may also be physiological reasons why at times I seem to be able to withstand hunger less well than in the past.

    --I should say that I've never been clinically overweight, so I've never have huge amounts to lose for health reasons, but the "vanity" pounds have always mattered to me. But it's harder when you don't actually have to lose weight to save your life and easy to undermine yourself when you think you're just being vain and you should let yourself go like so many people around you.


    Do you think we almost give ourselves permission to succeed/fail/fall off the wagon?

    --I try not to use that metaphor, I'm not a drunk. I have to eat to live. Although I eat too much of the wrong things I don't characterize myself as "abusing" food. On special holidays, I expect to indulge. It seems self-punishing to stick to a strict diet when everyone else is eating delicious, enticing foods and the occasion is cause for celebration. At other times, I act in the moment when I make the wrong choice. What bothers me, as previously noted, is that I'm aware in the moment of making the wrong choice and still going ahead. Also, life is short, I love food, and live in a city in which there are thousands of options every day.

    Why do we do that?!

    --Current studies say that willpower is a limited resource. It's hard to conquer your will if you don't want to do something. You should always rely on structure and routine to enhance your efforts instead of will power.


    What strategies have you used to successfully avoid falling into that trap?

    --When I do want to stay weight-conscious, I weigh myself frequently, track what I eat, take a good look at myself in the mirror. I try to be active, which makes me more body- and weight-conscious. When I have control over my environment, I don't bring into it foods that cause me to over-indulge. I bring only healthy, but not very exciting foods. If I want a treat, I have to go out for it.
  • mburgess458
    mburgess458 Posts: 480 Member
    It's a mental thing for me also. I had to start thinking about food in a different way. I had to stop eating until I was uncomfortably full. I had to stop mindlessly snacking. Think about food/eating like a thin person and you end up a thin person.
  • yskaldir
    yskaldir Posts: 202 Member
    100% because eating is a conscious action.
    How much of your success do you attribute to being psychologically in the 'right' place?
    I'd say 100% or close enough.
    How easily are you derailed or spurred on by thoughts and feelings in your mind?
    Not very easily.
    Do you think we almost give ourselves permission to succeed/fail/fall off the wagon?
    Some people undoubtedly do.
    Why do we do that?!
    Because it's easy, and there are enough "sympathetic", "nice" people around to tell us we need to be body positive or whatever platitude they sprout.
    What strategies have you used to successfully avoid falling into that trap?
    You just have to realize you are solely responsible for your own actions.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    I think it will vary person to person, but for me, it's ALL mental. If I'm in the right frame of mind, everything else is pretty easy. If not, then it's just a matter of time before everything goes sideways.

    As for strategies... right now I'm thinking a lot about cost/benefit. I want to make "good" choices really easy and "bad" choices really hard. I want good foods available and ready, and bad foods harder to get... especially at home which is where I struggle the most. I'm trying to get in workouts earlier in the day when my motivation is higher, rather than trying to force myself later in the day when I'd rather be on the couch with the TV clicker in one hand and a box of nutty bars in the other.

    It's a work in progress.
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    100% mental for me. Once my mind was on board, my body had no choice but to follow.
  • girlgroves
    girlgroves Posts: 235 Member
    Thanks everyone - some really good tips and strategies here - just what I think I needed today :)

    Got to get my head back on it and keep moving forwards. I'm going to borrow some of your ideas of you don't mind?! Thank you!
  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
    edited March 2017
    mburgess458 wrote: »
    Think about food/eating like a thin person and you end up a thin person.

    Yes, you need to try adjust your mental state, but as a formerly effortlessly thin person I can attest that thin people often don't think about it. There's no need. If you are losing weight you have to add a thought process that you may have to maintain for the rest of your life.

    Having to think and plan and persuade yourself to make good choices and forgive yourself when you fall down takes mental energy.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    Don't know what % it is but w/o the mental conviction to stick w/your plan (whatever it is) and the determination and patience to see it thru, no weightloss or body reconfiguration program can succeed.

    I know that I could have never lost 36# (196 to 160) and reduced my BF% down to 12% (from over 25%) in the past 9 months w/o such a mental perspective.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Great thread! It should be stickied!
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    C'mon, people. The only correct answer is Yogi Berra's. To paraphrase:

    "Maintaining is 90% mental. The other half is physical."
  • JohnnyPenso
    JohnnyPenso Posts: 412 Member
    ^^^Tree'd because I was going to say it's 100% mental and 20% diet, because sometimes you need more than 100% effort to overcome your personal barriers :D
  • girlgroves
    girlgroves Posts: 235 Member
    edited March 2017
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I think a lot of problems arise from all or nothing thinking...the notion that you have to be perfect and 100% on all of the time...that your diet is always going to be 100% and you're never going to miss a workout, etc...usually terms like "fall of the wagon", etc lead me to believe that an all or nothing mentality is in play.

    It's not remotely realistic to think you're going to be 100% awesomeness 100% of the time...really, where else in life does that exist? We all have off days and sometimes life just happens. I don't see those things as falling off the wagon or something I need to pick myself back up from...I just move on with my life.

    I'm about 4.5 years into this whole good livin' thing (with around 4 years of maintenance) and for the most part, everything I do is just what I do and I don't give it much thought. I eat well because I enjoy eating well...I don't have to prepare myself mentally to eat well. Positive nutrition makes me feel good and my training is enhanced when I'm eating well. I also make room for indulgences...example, most Friday nights are pizza night...except not tonight because I'm grilling burgers because it's like 75* and beautiful and I haven't really grilled all winter.

    As exercise goes, there's really nothing much more enjoyable for me than being out on my bike...it's not only great exercise, but it's something I thoroughly enjoy...same with the weight room.

    When I was losing, my strategy was pretty simple...chip away at bad habits and incorporate healthier habits. I didn't try to make whole sale changes overnight. It's not realistic to think that you're just going to flip a switch and completely change the way you're living overnight...it's a process. I also didn't put all of my focus on the scale...really, my focus was on improving my health as I had some pretty bad blood work when I started...and as someone who was an athlete growing up, I really wanted to get my fitness back...losing weight really just a nice bi-product of improving my nutrition and regular exercise.

    Maintenance has been fairly easy...I do the things that lean, healthy, and fit people do. I think I do have some advantage in that most of the people around me...most of my family and friends are all pretty into health and fitness at some level. My mom is a former tri-athlete (who mostly dances and golfs now)...my sister runs marathons...my wife is an avid runner (though she sticks to 1/2 marathons) and loves to lift...my best friend is super into yoga...our best couples friends are both personal trainers and the husband is a retired professional athlete, etc.

    Needless to say, the environment around me is conducive to good livin' and I think environment is pretty important...unfortunately, I don't think many people's environments are quite as accommodating.

    Thanks wolfman - there's so much I like in this - although I confess to being slightly disappointed I can't be 100% awesomeness 100% of the time :wink: (only joking - I realise I'm far from that!).

    But you're right - it's not all or nothing..... my head has gone straight to the worse case scenario this week - but it's just one week - as verdenal says, forgiving myself when I fall down is going to take mental energy! Probably 120%! (can I revise my previous estimate?!)
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Zero percent.

    You can think all day but it is your actions that produce the results.
  • HappyGrape
    HappyGrape Posts: 436 Member
    edited March 2017
    What percentage of successful weight loss and maintenance is mental, do you think?

    100

    It took determination, focus and motivation for me to get to where I am at the moment, but I feel like a combination of things this week has meant that my head has not been in the game. And the result has shown on the scale. I'm in need of a bit of a reality check!

    it seem to me you have noticed what is happening and you are ready to make the adjustment in course. That's how it is, it isn't always straight sailing

    How much of your success do you attribute to being psychologically in the 'right' place?

    I think the right place isn't always super motivated, the right place is be kind to yourself and seek for healthy life that makes you happy living it
    How easily are you derailed or spurred on by thoughts and feelings in your mind?

    easy, that's why I remind myself to focus on positive, on where I want to go and what I want (not what I don't)
    Do you think we almost give ourselves permission to succeed/fail/fall off the wagon?

    I left the wagon long time ago. I have set myself minimums and I keep at them daily regardless of my motivation
    Why do we do that?!

    we don't know any difference. Most diet books and advice does not include look for way of eating and moving you enjoy. So we stick to things we don't love that much and when the motivation runs out (and it always does) we give up.

    What strategies have you used to successfully avoid falling into that trap?
    it was change in mindset for me to search for what feels happy instead of wagon to go on and off

    100%. In fact I view maintenance of state, not number. If I wake up loving my life, if I eat in way to make me happy, if I am bursting with energy to do things, if I feel satisfied with my meals - I am in maintenance. For me maintenance is the healthiest lifestyle you can truly enjoy
  • girlgroves
    girlgroves Posts: 235 Member
    edited March 2017
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    Zero percent.

    You can think all day but it is your actions that produce the results.

    Quite agree. But do you not think that that's because there sometimes needs to be a conducive state of mind before action can be taken? A conscious (or even sub-conscious) decision to act?
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    Zero percent.

    You can think all day but it is your actions that produce the results.

    Yeah I'm quite sure that we are a sentient species and that it's our brain that decides our actions. Just saying.
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    Zero percent.

    You can think all day but it is your actions that produce the results.

    I chuckled to myself when I read this because you are so right. However, if I hadn't been "thinking" about my weight loss journey 100% of the time, I'd have fallen off the wagon on day 2 when my stomach growled and said "feed me, this is bullsh**!" That happened every time in my past because mentally I hadn't made the commitment to succeed.
  • kkress92
    kkress92 Posts: 118 Member
    Just going to leave this here...

    Watch your thoughts, for they will become actions. Watch your actions, for they'll become... habits. Watch your habits for they will forge your character. Watch your character, for it will make your destiny.
    Margaret Thatcher
  • VanVanDiane
    VanVanDiane Posts: 1,402 Member
    kkress92 wrote: »
    Just going to leave this here...

    Watch your thoughts, for they will become actions. Watch your actions, for they'll become... habits. Watch your habits for they will forge your character. Watch your character, for it will make your destiny.
    Margaret Thatcher

    Isn't that a Chinese proverb rather than Thatcher?
  • FatPorkyChop
    FatPorkyChop Posts: 83 Member
    100%
    I eat healthy most of the time (but tasty food I enjoy) and if I feel like it I ll have a high calorie day, it s not a big deal at all.
    There are periods when I eat a bit too much but I m not making myself sick about that as I have healthy habits overall.
    The results of weight loss makes me feel so good - I m finally back to myself and not embarrassed anymore...
    It s great!
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    Zero percent.

    You can think all day but it is your actions that produce the results.

    Yeah I'm quite sure that we are a sentient species and that it's our brain that decides our actions. Just saying.

    I don't mean to disregard that. My comment was intended more to show that whatever percentage we come up with is arbitrary because each of us may focus on different aspects of it.
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