Lacking Motivation, trying again!

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drollings2019
drollings2019 Posts: 95 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have been on a roller coaster of a journey for the past few years and I want to get back to feeling healthy. Several years ago, with my first trip to Mexico in my sights, I was able to lose over 40 pounds. I was diligent about logging my food, walking no less than 3 miles every day, and never going to bed until I had at least 10,000 steps. It worked, and it became a daily habit. I am not sure what happened after that. I am now at the highest weight of my life. I get motivated on a Sunday and by Monday I have already failed. I lose 5 pounds, I gain 10. I track my food for breakfast, and maybe lunch and nothing else. I just don't know what to do to get back on track. I'm getting older and it's getting harder!! I am going to start tracking again and walking again. Please feel free to leave any words of motivation or tips to get me back on track.

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  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
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    How bad do you really want it?
    If we don't go after what we really want we'll never have it.

    Quit starting over again. It's time to get off that merry-go-round. If you'll start thinking of your very next meal as your new beginning you'll never have to start over again. There's usually 3 of those in day's time if you feel the need to have a new slate or a new beginning on a daily basis.

    Within a few hours time there's always another meal coming around the corner. That's your beginning. Give it your best shot for just that hour or mealtime. Day by day these will begin to add up into giant month hunks of time. One day you'll look back and you'll have your first year under your belt, then 5 of them.

    Continual restarts and resets and all of that other dieting psychobabble are a total disconnect for the brain. The brain doesn't like it and neither does the body. Set your wheels in motion. Don't look back over your shoulder at what happened 4 hours ago let alone 4 days ago.
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Don't set a finish date. Select a new lifestyle that is healthier than your current habits and begin.

    Never stop just keep adjusting healthier.
  • drollings2019
    drollings2019 Posts: 95 Member
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    Thank you! I seem to think of a week as a new beginning rather than each meal. That is helpful. I don't know why when I fail anymore, I just seem to give up. I am going to try harder at that. I am working at pre-planning my meals again. That seemed to help because I am always in a hurry. I already have my breakfast and lunch packed for my first day back at work. I agree with the continual restarts being a disconnect for the brain. That is where I feel like I am at. And I don't like where I am at. I am just going to look ahead, no dates set. Just a better me.
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    qwlv6davxgb7.jpg

    7wmxu22t3579.jpg

    A month vs a journey. This is my story. You can see when I'm serious and when I was not.

    Also I'm serious now and it still fluctuates.

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,109 Member
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    Also: don't try to change too much at once.

    Don't start logging AND aim to be be in a deficit AND reach a certain protein goal AND cut junk food AND reach 10000 steps a day etc. all from the start.

    Take one step at a time till you've created a good habit and then move on to the next change you want to make.
  • Shortgirlrunning
    Shortgirlrunning Posts: 1,020 Member
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    Set small goals, make small changes.

    You won’t be able to jump right back to where you were when you lost the weight. Pick one new healthy habit to focus on (I would start with calorie counting) and then slowly add in more as you get more comfortable with the new one.

    We Only Look Thin is a really great podcast that I’ve found to be very encouraging and realistic about the weight loss process. It’s a husband/wife team and they’ve both lost over 100 lbs and they have a lot of really great advice.
  • cmchiarizzio
    cmchiarizzio Posts: 3 Member
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    this is a great post as I am starting over too. Trying to remember one meal one step at a time instead of looking at a whole week or month.
  • drollings2019
    drollings2019 Posts: 95 Member
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    Lietchi wrote: »
    Also: don't try to change too much at once.

    Don't start logging AND aim to be be in a deficit AND reach a certain protein goal AND cut junk food AND reach 10000 steps a day etc. all from the start.

    Take one step at a time till you've created a good habit and then move on to the next change you want to make.

    I tried tracking all that once and I just got discouraged. Right now I just want to focus on making sure I track, weight myself and see what works and what doesn't. Then I can dial in on other changes later. Thanks for the advise!
  • paulawriteslove
    paulawriteslove Posts: 195 Member
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    I agree with everyone, take it one meal at a time. It can be overwhelming if you look at the big picture.

    You can totally do this!
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    First of all, if you never leave, you don't have to come back or start over.

    2ndly, motivation wears thin. That's why working out and eating right have to be made a part of your daily life as a discipline. When motivation is gone, discipline - habits- take over.
  • drollings2019
    drollings2019 Posts: 95 Member
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    KHMcG wrote: »
    qwlv6davxgb7.jpg

    7wmxu22t3579.jpg

    A month vs a journey. This is my story. You can see when I'm serious and when I was not.

    Also I'm serious now and it still fluctuates.

    Thank you for this! I am hoping to stay serious about this longer than I have the past couple of years. I will try not to get discouraged, knowing fluctuation is normal. What I have to focus on is not giving up at all!
  • drollings2019
    drollings2019 Posts: 95 Member
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    @MostlyWater it was such a part of my daily habit for so long that I didn't even think about it. I just logged my food, knew what to eat and what not to and worked out every day. Then for some reason, I quit...for a long time. Maybe it's because I am older now, I just have a harder time sticking with it. Thank you for the advise!
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,109 Member
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    drollings2019 wrote: »
    Lietchi wrote: »
    Also: don't try to change too much at once.

    Don't start logging AND aim to be be in a deficit AND reach a certain protein goal AND cut junk food AND reach 10000 steps a day etc. all from the start.

    Take one step at a time till you've created a good habit and then move on to the next change you want to make.

    I tried tracking all that once and I just got discouraged. Right now I just want to focus on making sure I track, weight myself and see what works and what doesn't. Then I can dial in on other changes later. Thanks for the advise!

    I'm not saying you should set all those goals, but if you do want to set goals, don't set them all at once :smile:
    Starting with the basics is how I started too, just logging and sticking to my calorie goal.

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