Staying motivated and not burning out

fireytiger

Like many people on these message boards, I struggle to stay on the wagon when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle. I usually make it 2-3 months and then I'm sick of eating smaller portions and making healthier choices, I want to eat whatever I want in any amount I want, and next thing I know i'm back to the starting line with an added 10 pounds. Unfortunately, I no longer have that luxury; my cholesterol is very high, and my doctor is threatening to put me on statins if I can't get it down in a year. My cholesterol has always been high, even when I was in my early 20s, but I really don't want to go on statins at only age 31. So what do you do? Like always, i'm starting out committed to a healthier lifestyle, but what about in 2-3 months from now? At some point the self-talk regarding staying on track, moderation, etc. just falls on deaf ears. I try not to deprive myself or ban certain foods from my life, but mentally I feel deprived if I only get the small burger instead of the half pound one that i'm "craving". Any advice?

lorrpb

"My cholesterol has always been high, but I really don't want to go on statins at only age 31"
^^You said it.

middlehaitch

You have your inspiration, motivation, or whatever else you want to call it by wanting to stay off statins.
This should also give you the determination to find a way to lose weight that will work for you long term.

Logging, even if you go off track keep logging, weighing all foods and measuring liquids.

Take it slow, you may manage and be more consistent with a .5-1lbs weight loss instead of a 1.5-2lbs one.

Look at doing a diet break, where you eat at maintenance for 1-4 weeks every 3 months. @Machka9 was very successful doing planned breaks, losing the weight and keeping it off.

Try planning your food on a weekly instead of a daily basis looking at the calories you have for the week and allowing one or two higher days so you can fit in the bigger burger, but staying within your weekly goal.

Be kind and forgiving of yourself: just get back to your deficit at the next meal if you slip up.

Cheers, h.

gamerbabe14

Make small goals weather they're to be at a certain weight for an event or to get into a certain type of clothing. Small goals work for me.

Theo166

I think the key issue is in how you've designed your new lifestyle.
It shouldn't be torture and it should be able to handle occasional binging

88olds

"I want to eat whatever I want in any amount I want."

Advice- Sorry, but grow up. You long for a world that doesn't exist. Life comes with limits. It's not an injustice, it's just how it is. Sooner you figure that living with limits is OK, the happier you'll be.

Don't be too disappointed if losing weight doesn't keep you off the meds. Genetics appears to have a lot to do with cholesterol.

Self talk- You can't beat yourself into submission. Make deals with yourself that you can live with. That half pound burger comes at a cost. Where you going to make it up? Is it really worth it?

Machka9

middlehaitch wrote: »

Look at doing a diet break, where you eat at maintenance for 1-4 weeks every 3 months. @Machka9 was very successful doing planned breaks, losing the weight and keeping it off.

Thanks middleh.

Yes ... I couldn't look at the diet thing as a forever thing. But I can do 16 weeks. So when I was losing, I stuck with it for 16 weeks, then took a month off when I was travelling. Then I stuck with it for another 16 weeks and so on. That meant that I might crave something in the middle of the 16 weeks ... but if it was too much to fit in my calories, I only had a few weeks to wait to have it.


One of the other things that helped me a lot was exercise. I was able to eat a pizza about once a month because I burned off those calories with exercise. Shortly after I started with MFP, I had my birthday which falls on a long weekend here. We went out for dinner 3 nights in a row, and I ate half a chocolate cheesecake ... and it all fit within my calories because the main way I celebrate things like birthdays is by cycling long distances. So I rarely felt deprived.


My cholesterol was borderline high just before I started with MFP which was a bit of a surprise because it had always been really low in previous years. About 15 weeks in, just before that 1-month diet break, I went to the Dr and had it checked again. Simply losing 15 kg was enough to drop it back comfortably within normal levels. So losing weight does help!

starfruit132

What I would say for advice as a former off-again-on-again dieter is to stay focused. It does get boring doing the food planning and logging and old habits come back hard and fast if you let them or when stressed and setting off food triggers. Stay focused by logging even if you have to guess calorie counts for items on those what-the-heck days. It will show you that you don't gain or lose 5 pounds overnight and puts things back in perspective as weight management and not necessarily a calendar "goal". It will not get any easier as you get older, so try your best to focus on your health and you will benefit down the road. Stay strong.

kimothy38

I hate logging food so I only do it 2 days a week when I'm doing 5:2 intermittent fasting. It's working really well. I eat more protein and plant based foods but if I want a treat then I will. Listen to your body. When I listen to mine it tells me that I feel better, sleep better, and have more energy eating less processed foods. I still overboard sometimes but I don't beat myself up about it. Find exercise that you enjoy - I love doing weights and zumba, and have a trainer to push me through cardio workouts that I don't enjoy so much. Be consistent, make small improvements each - progress not perfection.

earlnabby

I have found that the best thing I can do is to get into good habits. That way I can continue on track when the motivation isn't as strong.