How ?

schlaffalisha

How does one get re motivated to start counting and tracking food , I used to be so dedicated. Then I started binge eating again. I've gained some weight back and I'm trying so hard to keep with my calorie deficit.. how do you stay motivated and dedicated... getting my workout and steps in has been no problem I've been pretty consistent.. it's the food !!!! 🤷🏻‍♀️

JaysFan82

I just keep telling myself that my old habits aren't worth it. I'm so much happy now and feel better physically and mentally. Plus I set goals for myself. It's what is keeping me going since I hit Maintenance a month ago

ahoy_m8

Do you know what triggers or precipitates binges?

neanderthin

Yes, food tastes might good lol. Our survival mechanisms can only tolerate so much, then it's feast time brought on mostly by caloric over restriction, hedonistic behavior and some pretty fancy food combinations. The brain is the master and is going to tell us what to do based on available data, and if there's food about, chances are your going to engage in feeding. If it was easy, the nation wouldn't be in the pitiful state it's in now and oh, did I say food tastes might good these days. Maybe try and transition to a more whole food diet, food manufacturers don't like this idea, at all, but our satiety signaling hormones will. Cheers

AwesomeSquirrel

I’m a fan of Heather’s over at the Half Size Me Podcast. She talks a lot about how binge eating needs to be addressed before starting any weight loss. I would recommend that you try her podcast, specifically episodes 547 and 548 where she coaches a lady on this topic.

As for motivation unfortunately that is a fickle friend. Finding a lifestyle and habits that support your goal is the approach that works for me, and that has involved changing my relationship to food rather than white knuckling it.

Best of luck to you!

Kiwi2mfp

I have struggled with this too. Getting out of calorie counting and then having to get back in. It was only 2 weeks ago that I finally got my motivation back. I found the reasons I want to lose weight. I had slacked for a couple months.... Those reasons are what got me. April is my next appointment. It will be one year since the original health scare that got my obese butt moving. I had high cholesterol, pre-diabetes, and kidney issues that all resolved with weight loss. I am 5 pounds away from normal BMI and I want to stay healthy. I would love to go to that appointment at normal BMI. Last appointment, 6 months ago, I was over weight. So that got me moving again. Oh and my birthday. I wanted to be 164 by then and I made it! So, I have found that the key to motivation is not wanting to want it but having those reasons that MAKE you want it. What's your reasons? You don't have to answer that but find those reasons that are powerful enough to motivate you.

StaciInGa

I try to think of food in terms of value. Is the enjoyment and or nutritional benefit worth the cost in terms of calories?

schlaffalisha

Thanks for all the awesome responses, I'll definitely check out the pod cast and I appreciate all the advice !!! You guys keep crushing it .. and I'll do my best ! 🤠

tomcustombuilder

When you pick up a cookie ask yourself if it’s worth running a mile to burn this off.

Retroguy2000

You start with the first steps. You don't have to go from poor diet and no exercise to good diet and regular exercise overnight. Start by hiding and not buying those evening snacks. Start with a healthier option for lunch. Start with a smaller dinner portion. Start with a 30 minute walk. And go from there.

Rockmama1111

I feel like I've hit my own magic formula, so I'll share a few of my own tactics. Though I think you have to find your own! But here goes:

• If I go food crazy one day, I don't have to do it the next day. Logging the heavy day (best estimates), no matter how much it is, lets me put it to bed and move on.
• I don't have to cut calories every day. Or even every week! If I want to eat at maintenance for a little while, it doesn't undo the work I've already put in. Sometimes I want/need more food. That's life.
• There's no rule that my calories have to be the same every day throughout a given week. On some days, it's really easy to stick to 1200 calories. (If I'm home, have time to prepare the lowest-calorie things in my repertoire, etc.) If I rack up a couple of 1200 calorie days, it's calories in the bank.
• I think some binges are worth it. Like, if something is uncommon and delicious. For example, my dad still sends me a valentine gift every year. (I'm 51!) This year I got some really good cheese and rosemary crackers and delicious, high-quality chocolates. I ate SO MUCH CHEESE that day, and a fair amount of chocolate. It felt fun and decadent and special because my dad picked it out for me. I logged every ounce.
• I won't eat anything that isn't delicious to me. Ever. This goes for junk food as well as good-for-me food. I won't buy store-bought cookies because they are not as good as homemade. I won't eat a salad with bottled light salad dressing. Nope, it's got to be a well composed mix of veggies/fruit, maybe some nuts, maybe a little good blue cheese, and ALWAYS homemade dressing. No plain steamed veggies for me, give me a little butter and salt, please. (Note that I think McDonald's cheeseburgers are delicious. I'm not being snobby, just raising my own life standards.)
• If I get a craving for something, I satisfy it before it consumes me. But I'll plan for it. Last week on Monday, I had a hankering for a big juicy cheeseburger. (Not the McDonalds kind I mentioned above!) I couldn't stop thinking about it and even opened up the Uber Eats app to gawk at the offerings. So on Friday I walked to the butcher shop (for the steps!), bought a half pound of their awesome burger grind, and planned a whole night around that burger. I even made homemade buns! It was 1000 calories and worth every bite. Planned it, ate it, logged it, moved on.

I hope you find your magic formula!

mtaratoot

@Rockmama

There's an awful lot of wisdom there. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

One thing that speaks to me especially is your story about your dad sending you treats for Valentine's Day. What I think is GREAT is this part:

"I ate SO MUCH CHEESE that day, and a fair amount of chocolate. It felt fun and decadent and special because my dad picked it out for me. I logged every ounce."

You had a treat. You enjoyed it. You logged it honestly and completely. You moved on and got immediately back on program. THAT is how it's supposed to work. This is so awesome; if everyone could do this, as long as it's really just a special treat and not a common occurrence, we'd all be more successful. It's not a failure. It's not even a CHEAT; it's a TREAT. Thank you for sharing that; I agree completely with this method.

Rockmama1111

@mtaratoot

Thank you for saying that!

zebasschick

schlaffalisha wrote: »

How does one get re motivated to start counting and tracking food , I used to be so dedicated. Then I started binge eating again. I've gained some weight back and I'm trying so hard to keep with my calorie deficit.. how do you stay motivated and dedicated... getting my workout and steps in has been no problem I've been pretty consistent.. it's the food !!!! 🤷🏻‍♀️

this isn't exactly an answer to your question, but may be helpful.

i lost my first 60 pounds doing food substitutions like substituting light ice cream for full fat (dryer's and breyer both have yummy sugar free options), light yogurt (dannon light & fit rocks!) for 2% yogurt, light cheese for full fat cheese, i found soups and sauces with less calories. i found many tasty options that i like enough that i'd eat them even if weight wasn't a factor. so that even on days where i'd stress eat, it would still be significantly less calories. admittedly it takes some experimenting to find the foods that are both lower in calories but still yummy, but i had great success, dropping from 242 pounds to 180 without making other changes.

Antiopelle

Something that won't work for everyone, but certainly does for me is Beck's diet solution. It doesn't give food advice, but shows how to retrain your brain using behavioral techniques. Every time I stray away from healthy habits, I grab the book again and the exercises (for the brain) really help me to get back on track.

penguinmama87

Lots of really good advice here!

I think it's all about habits and being honest with yourself. I am relosing weight I lost two years ago. I had a baby, which requires weight gain and that's fine, but I gained more than I should have and that's on me - I quit tracking because it seemed "too hard." It really isn't, but I slid out of the good habits I had formed and had to relearn them over again. That's harder than just keeping them up! The good thing is I learned a lesson from it that I plan on not forgetting again.

I think focusing on one thing at a time is the way to go - it's easy to go all in for a few weeks or months before you get exhausted and quit. But you can make smaller changes and have them just become part of life, then move on to the next thing. Then it's just your life and it's just how things are.

2tryharder

I am kind of in the same boat. What is working for me is planning...a lot. I bring lunch and snack and meal plan -and prep and thaw- dinner and don't have any chips in the house. History tells me I will have more self-control later but while getting back on track I plan for every bite.

musicfan68

You don't get motivated, you consciously change habits that make it easier for you to lose weight. Motivation doesn't last. Habits do, if you stick to them long enough.

lauriekallis

For me the biggest thing is to watch out for trigger foods. I can be going along fine. Eating well. Fully satiated. Occasional treats. All is good. But, if I have a few too many treats / trigger foods (for me anything sweet o/t fruit or wheat products) it turns everything into a white knuckle experience again. Quite smoking gained 50 lost 40 gained 50 lost 110 gained 70 now down 20 ... again. I think I'm finally starting to figure this out. There are some foods I will need to avoid for life if I want to live my life feeling good and lighter on my feet. Occasional treats work, but they must be occasional. Even if they fit into my calorie goals for the day they are dangerous for me.

kshama2001

Antiopelle wrote: »

Something that won't work for everyone, but certainly does for me is Beck's diet solution. It doesn't give food advice, but shows how to retrain your brain using behavioral techniques. Every time I stray away from healthy habits, I grab the book again and the exercises (for the brain) really help me to get back on track.

AwesomeSquirrel wrote: »

I’m a fan of Heather’s over at the Half Size Me Podcast. She talks a lot about how binge eating needs to be addressed before starting any weight loss. I would recommend that you try her podcast, specifically episodes 547 and 548 where she coaches a lady on this topic.

As for motivation unfortunately that is a fickle friend. Finding a lifestyle and habits that support your goal is the approach that works for me, and that has involved changing my relationship to food rather than white knuckling it.

Best of luck to you!

Another fan of Heather’s "Half Size Me" podcast and cognitive behavioral techniques

I can never count on motivation so rely on habits and discipline.

http://www.wisdomination.com/screw-motivation-what-you-need-is-discipline/

lauriekallis

kshama2001 wrote: »

...I can never count on motivation so rely on habits and discipline.

http://www.wisdomination.com/screw-motivation-what-you-need-is-discipline/

Thank you for this. Most of my life I have been able to count on motivation/passion. That has become a problem for me in the past few years. I recognized it - but it being put into such clear terms turned on a light bulb for me. Not just regarding weight loss - regarding most aspects of my life!