Anyone struggling to stick to a weight loss regimen?

jernicaclare

It is so difficult for me cuz I like to try new things and eat a lot.

Lietchi

Why wouldn't you be able to try new things while losing weight? Weight loss does not require a boring, monotonous meal plan - some people prefer that, but other (like me) like a lot more variation.
Sometimes when trying new things it can be a bit disappointing: for example eating something delicious but then seeing how calorie dense it is, so the portion is a lot smaller than you'd like.
But you can still try new things, if they fit your calorie budget.

As for eating a lot: you mean you like to feel full? You might find 'volume eating' interesting. This is a strategy where you bulk up your meals with high volume (lower calorie) foods so you can eat a lot of food without eating too many calories. For example eating a lot of vegetables, eating large salads, adding a side salad to a main course,...

MargaretYakoda

Uh…..

Yes.

🙋🏼‍♀️

AnnPT77

Maybe this is a minority report, but I actually found food and eating more fun and interesting when I started working on losing weight.

I was motivated to seek out new foods that would help me meet my nutrition/calorie goals, and some of those new things were really tasty and satisfying. Shopping and cooking felt more creative and engaging when it wasn't just "buy the regular stuff, cook the regular way, eat". I arrange my plan so that I can still enjoy restaurants, the occasional really rich/high-calorie food treats, etc.

Lietchi mentioned volume eating. There's a whole thread about that here:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10563959/volume-eaters-thread/p1

I love food and eating, too. Calorie counting helped me balance enjoying food/eating with reaching a healthy weight and staying there. Being at a healthy weight (8 years now) has been a huge quality of life improvement for me. This, to me, is not a sacrifice: It's a double win.

Looking backward, I see that a lot of my prior eating was just eating things because they were there, and because eating them felt more enjoyable than not eating them. Once I knew the calorie "cost", I recognized that I was eating things that frankly weren't remotely bringing me enough enjoyment to be worth the consequences. Also, the first few bites of certain things are the bell-ringers for me, and eating the rest is more of a "clean your plate" routine, not as high a pleasure payoff. I learned a lot about my tastes and needs, honestly.

I still eat most/all the things I used to eat, but some of the more calorie-dense, nutrition-sparse ones are just in smaller portions or a little less frequently. It doesn't feel like a sacrifice, because there's a big reward: Better health, less pain, capability to easily do physical things, and more.

I'd say: Try it. Experiment. Give yourself a bit of time and grace to figure things out, find enjoyable new habits. You might surprise yourself, and finding that balance can be very empowering.

Best wishes!

Tiny_terrorist_negotiator

Me!!!! I cant seem to stick to it this time around and it's depressing! I only need to lose 40 pounds and for some reason my motivation is not happening.