Consistency What's your secret?

carlaringuette

I do great on the weekends but during the week I work full time and have family obligations that cut into my exercise and food prep time.

How are you finding consistency?

eryn0x

Try doing more prep when you can, or just have easy things on hand. I sometimes go for things which may not be super healthy but are VERY easy to add to my food diary such as frozen lasagna, frozen veggie and pasta blend, or canned soup. I know I can log it accurately as the brand has done the work for me.

Diatonic12

If you build consistency, consistency, consistency it will come.

Diatonic12

@carlaringuette You have a busy schedule and that can be so very hard. Plan some quick meals during the week with grab-N-go items if your budget will afford them. Broasted chickens here and there. Frozen vege and bagged greens. You need to throw it all in the oven and kick the door shut. You have to carve some time out for yourself.

It's summer so you might have to get up sooner with the earlier sunrises. We tend to need less sleep when there's wonderful summer days. It won't be long before the clock starts going the other way and the days will be getting shorter. Get out there and enjoy yourself. Maybe other family members can help you take up some of the cooking/prep responsibilities.

elisa123gal

I put my diet and fitness first over anything else. I find then consistency follows. If I put my husband and family first, my work.. ..or my housework. I'd never have time to reach my goals.

RunsWithBees

I used to think I didn’t have time for meal planning/exercise. Then my obesity caused me to start having medical issues. I began to realize I could make time for diet and exercise or I could make time to go to more doctors appointments, pick up more and more prescriptions at the pharmacy, make time to plan my insulin monitoring (since I was practically prediabetic and diabetes runs rampant in my family) and the way I was headed I’d have to eventually make time for a liver transplant (due to NAFLD) not to mention make time for being unable to function and suffering from all the aches and pains being obese caused me. I chose to make time for diet and exercise, that was over 6 years ago and I’ve maintained ever since. I healed my liver, I’m not prediabetic anymore and don’t suffer from those aches and pains that I used to have before losing the weight. Guess I did have the time after all Try scheduling a set time for what you need to do, like writing it down in a planner (not electronic, actually writing it down daily in a planner) and stick to it like it’s a doctors appointment you cannot skip. It only needs to be about an hour or so of your time. Do this until it becomes habit and you don’t need to plan it anymore because it’s becoming a regular part of your day. Have other family members help out with the chores to aid you in freeing up some time. Do whatever you can if your future health is on the line here! You can do this! Really! If I could, you definitely can!

Halleeon

When my s/o and I were both working and in this position, we hired a chef and gave them very specific guidelines and recipes to follow. It doesn't have to be an expensive chef, you can look to hire someone from college or craigslist or the likes. Just so long as they can follow a recipe.

AnnPT77

Full consistency is optional. Just gradually and continuously work at improving. It's not all or nothing.

If you don't get the prep done, have some microwave meals in the freezer, or meat and bagged frozen veggies. If you don't pack a lunch, make a better choice at the fast food place.

Just keep moving in a positive direction, managing portions, choosing lower-calorie higher-nutrition options, learning a bit along the way to enable doing that better. If you're calorie counting, log, even if you have to estimate (try to be realistic, not lowball); monitor the numbers, but don't stress out about them, just incrementally turn them toward your goals. Exercise when you can, in ways that are enjoyable, maybe include the family (walk? bike ride?). Even when you can't exercise, think about how to put more movement in your daily life.

Just keep working at it, persistently. Keep pushing in an improvement direction. You'll make progress.

hanweky

Educating yourself on the food you’re eating and planning everything well in advance! It’s way easier to stick to if the path is already there.

hanweky

And find healthy recipes you really want to try! Make it something you look forward to 😊

carlaringuette

Thanks everyone.