How to get out of your comfort zone?

80_pound_journey

So...... I have 5 stone to lose and I desperately want to do it. But...... I cant seem to find the energy to start. I have been in this comfortable rut for so long that I cant seem to get myself out of it. I hate being in this place and yet I cant seem to summon up the energy to get going towards the new me.

Any tips? I know that calorie counting works. I know exactly what to do. Why am I not doing it?

A massive dose of positivity is needed!

x

88olds

When you say you know what to do, do you mean that you have a set of actual physical acts?

A lot of folks turn weight loss into a set of don’ts. It helps to make it a set of things to do. Take a few minutes and try to visualize yourself doing the things that you need to do. You might start by researching visualization on line. I’ve tried visualization with some success. I’ve also drawn up storyboards. Try to keep an open mind.

This might help get you started- visualize yourself sitting at the computer and starting a food diary. Then planning a menu. Preparing a meal, using a food scale.

If you’re going to visualize yourself going to the gym, start by seeing yourself getting ready. Assembling your workout clothes. Getting there, walking in the door.

Try to break each thing you visualize into the smallest steps you can and walk yourself through each one. Try add as much detail as you can.

Important- visualize each step as having a positive outcome and take time to see yourself feeling good about what you have accomplished.

Don’t ever kick yourself when you struggle in weight loss. It doesn’t come naturally. There is a significant calorie counting learning curve. Don’t go to pieces when you make mistakes or have lapses. When losing my daily plans called for 3 meals and 3 snacks. That’s 42 things per week. Plus the unexpected- donuts at work, pizza my wife bought, candy the neighbor kid was selling for school. It’s a lot to deal with. Go 1 day at a time, one step at a time. You don’t have to be perfect, just good enough.

Can you visualize yourself going slow and being satisfied with small losses at the scale? That’s a big help- patience. You’re 100% right, calorie counting works. Don’t wreck yourself over the time issue. Good luck.

matcheek

Have been there. Have seen that.
Usual day 12h at the desk here. BMI 33.

Like me from that past until I discovered that I did not want to lose weight at all.

I basically wanted to want to loose weight which is very different form wanting to loose weight.

Until I realized that I did not want to change anything, unsurprisingly nothing was happening.

Only after I realized this huge difference and I made a decision to commit myself to it I started loosing weight.
And now, I am scanning barcodes of absolutely everything that I eat.

quiksylver296

Read through this. It's the perfect "get started" thread.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

emmies_123

Remember, you don't have to do everything at once. Start simple, just get used to logging your food without changing your eating habits. Start learning to weigh/measure your meals.

After a week or two review your log and see where you could make one or two changes. Maybe substitute water for other drinks once or twice in the day. Maybe try changing your snacks, or eliminating snacking if you find you graze out of boredom.

Once you get used to that change, start a new healthy habit. Make another nutrition change, or if you are ready start trying to exercise. Exercise is whatever gets you moving. Maybe it is walking (I have a MFP who has lost 70+ lbs just walking each day and watching calories consumed), maybe it is dancing. Maybe you find workout videos on youtube that work, or you find somewhere to swim.

The biggest thing is to remember each day is it's own goal. If you go over calorie today don't let it affect your mental state tomorrow, start fresh. And regardless of how small the victory, celebrate it. Celebrate eating a smaller portion than you wanted, or eating something slightly healthier (I still have processed breakfast burritos, but that is much healthier than choc fudge poptarts every morning), or parking farther out and walking somewhere. Before you know it, you will make those initial changes a habit, you won't even think about them anymore.

LyndaBSS

Baby steps. You made the first by coming here and posting.

It took me a lot to join a week ago. I have extreme anxiety, depression and PTSD. But I did it and I'm already seeing results.

You can do this! ☺

Moxie42

It might help to think of anything you're missing out on, or not enjoying fully, that losing weight and/or getting fit would help with. For example, I love hiking but rarely do it anymore because I'm so out of shape and have so much extra weight on me. It's hard to get truly motivated about just hitting a number or a pant size because at the end of the day it's just, "and then what?"

Also really think about what's holding you back. Are there things you don't want to give up? Hate the gym? Hate cooking? Whatever it is, think about ways around it. Losing weight doesn't have to mean giving up everything you love, going to the gym an hour a day every day, or cooking a gourmet meal every night. There's all sorts of ways to tailor your plan to your own preferences, and you can change your method whenever you want. For example, maybe try just walking instead of the gym, making meals in batches, finding yummy-sounding healthier options at your favorite restaurants. If you arm yourself with a plan to attack anything you're nervous or intimidated about, it will be a lot easier to stick with whatever you are aiming to do. And then if you hit a roadblock or backslide a bit, instead of beating yourself up, think "okay, what happened and why? What can I do to prevent that from happening again?" and learn from the experience.

As others have said, baby steps and patience are really important, and not beating yourself up. The only way to guarantee failure is to stop trying. Wishing you the best!